Will we ever see online booking for dvc resorts?

[jade1]

Current inventory snapshot for a specific date is all I want. If it shows for example a studio at VWL for the days I am thinking-I will call, verify and reserve if still available. In the mean time I will have checked airfare to make sure its about where I want as well.

 

[Starr W.]

LOL, that probably wasn't being rude, that was probably her way of telling you there was NO chance! I remember your original post about that, and my reaction would probably have been to laugh first and explain later too.

Well number one Diane, she didn't explain and proceed to hang up on me and I ended up having to call back because she messed up my 11 month reservation she made first. The 2nd CM actually had me talk to a supervisor about her behavior. This was directly at 9 am, so she must have been a treat the rest of her shift.

Just hope you don't have to deal with her when you want to book one of your trips.

 

[dmccarty]

I have seen implementations that take existing green screen mainframe applications and put a fancy, easier to use front end in place. There are products that will do this in the market place.

 

[mel&me]

Current inventory snapshot for a specific date is all I want. If it shows for example a studio at VWL for the days I am thinking-I will call, verify and reserve if still available. In the mean time I will have checked airfare to make sure its about where I want as well.

That would be cool and it would not have to know any of the info dealing with banking, borrowing, transfers ect, ect.
You would know whats there before you call MS.

 

[cincinmouse]

But, if the Hilton Vacation Club can develop a system that I think works well, Disney could sure do the same. There is no way Hilton would have spent the money to create their system if it was not cost justified. While I don't want folks to lose their jobs unnecessarily, I also don't want to pay more for live CM's when an automated system could work just as well for many situations.

I looked at HGVC before I bought DVC and to me there system is much less complicated but also not a flexible.

There other thing we must remember when comparing Disney Resort or DVC to other hotel companies it is not even a close race. It is like comparing and shrimp to a blue whale. Just guestimate the total number of rooms in all the WDW resorts DVC included and compare that to all the room in the world you can book for Hilton or Marriot. The economies of scale for the large hotel companies make things easier and more cost effective to make improvement and changes. The reservation system for DVC has to be based on similar code for their regular hotel operations. So I am sure that one cannot just write code for a DVC system. DVC and CRO probably share systems. So until Disney feel the need to upgrade all their Reservation system, or sees a Return On Investment, I don’t think they will do anything anytime soon

 

[bookwormde]

I have to agree with Caskbill, trying to develop a “front end” which would allow inexperienced users the same level of functionality as MS has would be very expensive and time consuming, not to mention probably to complicated for the average user in many situations. There is also the situation that if development budget is an issue, current flexibly and options available through MS would need to be modified or eliminated to make the system “user friendly” at a reasonable cost.

They could however if they found adequate incentive, do an incremental level of access with limited “backend” work. Yes they would have some significant front end work in the areas of consumer interface and security. Just to give examples they could start with display only of current inventory (with a caveat that the information may not be 100% current). Then move to “simple” reservation, which do not require or include some of the more complicated scenarios and so forth. This does create some issues because a lot of people either do not read or do not follow the interface usage instruction and get frustrated or mad because the system will not do what they want, a pop up MS interface would help a lot with this especially if the MS has a automatic mirror to the customers screen.

Incremental development is also much better when you have a large customer base (100k+ in this case) it allows you to “train” the customers a little at a time.

When you try to implement to complicated a system a lot of time there is not much savings, you just trade customer service people for more expensive technical support personnel (particularly in the beginning).

If Disney has a modern, non proprietary database structure and a standard visual/object based programming language they could have the first level of an incremental system in beta within a few months of the decision to commit to it, and in a alpha status shortly there after with an initial release within 6 month without NASA style funding and effort.
They could then move on to further functionality within a relatively short period of time.

It just takes Disney finding a reason to do it (cost savings, value added to the customer or competition are usually the reasons)

bookwormde

 

[rcchello]

It is the seventh month point. At midnight EST, all the members are watching for a room to free up at that most desired resort. One is free, now they all release their prior reservation so they have enough points.

One is victorious and gets the room for that day. The others all have to try to get their old room back! Oh no someone grabbed my old room (call MS and complain)!

They all sit and hit refresh for the next room to be available.

It will be like those last minute ebay bidding wars!!!

 

[Caskbill]

I have to agree with Caskbill, trying to develop a “front end” which would allow inexperienced users the same level of functionality as MS has would be very expensive and time consuming, not to mention probably to complicated for the average user in many situations. There is also the situation that if development budget is an issue, current flexibly and options available through MS would need to be modified or eliminated to make the system “user friendly” at a reasonable cost.

They could however if they found adequate incentive, do an incremental level of access with limited “backend” work. Yes they would have some significant front end work in the areas of consumer interface and security. Just to give examples they could start with display only of current inventory (with a caveat that the information may not be 100% current). Then move to “simple” reservation, which do not require or include some of the more complicated scenarios and so forth. This does create some issues because a lot of people either do not read or do not follow the interface usage instruction and get frustrated or mad because the system will not do what they want, a pop up MS interface would help a lot with this especially if the MS has a automatic mirror to the customers screen.

Incremental development is also much better when you have a large customer base (100k+ in this case) it allows you to “train” the customers a little at a time.

When you try to implement to complicated a system a lot of time there is not much savings, you just trade customer service people for more expensive technical support personnel (particularly in the beginning).

If Disney has a modern, non proprietary database structure and a standard visual/object based programming language they could have the first level of an incremental system in beta within a few months of the decision to commit to it, and in a alpha status shortly there after with an initial release within 6 month without NASA style funding and effort.
They could then move on to further functionality within a relatively short period of time.

It just takes Disney finding a reason to do it (cost savings, value added to the customer or competition are usually the reasons)

bookwormde

I agree completely. I suggested well over a year ago that the first step could simply be a 'snapshot' of availability. It wouldn't have to be active at all. Maybe what was available at COB the previous day. With all the notifications that it is not real time data....

There are many small issues that are unique to the DVC system that all have to be worked out. A lot of things that are transparent to us when we call, are not so easy when putting on line. Suppose you have a 200 point OKW contract, and 4 more OKW contracts of 50 points each. To us it's a 400 point DVC contract, but to the computer it's 5 contracts, all with different point allocations, and some may have banked points, while others don't. Maybe the 200 point contract has only current points, but two of the 'add-on' contracts have banked points. MS handles using your banked points very easily. You don't have to do a thing.

Go on line and make a reservation and don't use your banked points. I can imagine the screams when they expire because you didn't know any better.

CM's are trained to look for things like this. An on-line system has to examine everything and present the information to the end user in a non-technical way, and it has to notify you and ask "Are you sure" if you might not be doing something the best way.

Just .02,

 

[dianeschlicht]

It is the seventh month point. At midnight EST, all the members are watching for a room to free up at that most desired resort. One is free, now they all release their prior reservation so they have enough points.

One is victorious and gets the room for that day. The others all have to try to get their old room back! Oh no someone grabbed my old room (call MS and complain)!

They all sit and hit refresh for the next room to be available.

It will be like those last minute ebay bidding wars!!!

Exactly, and that is why I am not at all anxious to get on-line booking.

 

[bookwormde]

Since this is not an auction type of situation the ebay rush would not occur. Before the 7-month date check the inventory put your request into a cue (checking to see that you have adequate points) and wait for the 7-month threshold. At that time the computer indexes the total cue, counts for each class of accommodation (room-location/view) and checks inventory, if there is adequate inventory then everyone gets a “fill”, if there are not enough rooms then the requesting member’s numbers are put in a randomizing algorithm and the computer selects members until all the rooms are allocated. At that point the computer checks your contract(s) to see if they have any banked points, if you do then those are used first in contract order (or this order could be users pre selected with a little more programming) then moves on to current year points and then to borrowed points.

Limitations yes, initially it would probably not handle other “special” points and many of the other more complex issues like “trading” reservations, special order of point usage. Would be day by day. There would also be the issue of fairly allocating reservations between phone and computer reservations (fixed by some type of time staggering the above process). There is also the “record/reservation” locking issue to allow MS to work effectively (I am sure some level of this has to exist currently for the phone system to work).

This might only work for maybe 50% of the reservations but it would really help partially elevate the first thing in the morning rush and make the experience better for MS personnel, phone customers, and those who like to do the computer thing.

This is only a 5-minute analysis and there are many more “issues” both functional and technical that would come up, but incrementally it would not be all that difficult.

And yes there will always be people who will be unhappy that they do not have the full functionality on line, but it is certainly better then no online functionality at all.

bookwormde

 

[ZekeKelso]

Before the 7-month date check the inventory put your request into a cue (checking to see that you have adequate points) and wait for the 7-month threshold. At that time the computer indexes the total cue, counts for each class of accommodation (room-location/view) and checks inventory, if there is adequate inventory then everyone gets a “fill”, if there are not enough rooms then the requesting member’s numbers are put in a randomizing algorithm and the computer selects members until all the rooms are allocated.

While that would be cool, it's a much more complicated system than we have today. So, in addition to integrating all the current systems, and in addition to making things user friendly and idiot-proof, you are now adding all new logic on top. Tricky.

Meanwhile, the system won't work for us anal DIS folks - the ones who have a reservation at our home resort, and are looking elsewhere at the 7-month mark. We want to call in, check availability, then cancel and rebook if possible.

But, still, if you could give me a working system tomorrow for free, I'd love it. I'm just not sure I'm willing to invest tens of millions of our dollars to build a system that may or may not work at the end of the day.

 

[crisi]

Its also against the POS since you are allowing people to functionally reserve rooms before the seven month (or eleven month) window opens.

For instance, say I want 2010 Food and Wine Standard View at the Boardwalk, I can queue that request up now. Those of us that go every year at the same time get a definate advantage because we will simply queue up years in advance.

So you put a limit on how far in advance the queue goes - we have that in place already - seven months and eleven months.....and you have the same issue.

 

[rcchello]

You would also have to add the ability to link all the single day reservations. Especially since being online would have more people doing day by day reservations and day by day waitlists.

Otherwise calls to MS would probably increase, not decrease.

 

[bookwormde]

crisi

The system would only "preload" the request, the execution would occur in a "fair" way at the same time the phone requests. I do not believe this would violate POS I would asume preloading would probably be limited to a few days ahead of time.

I also would be surprised if there is not allread significant logic checks in the system to minimize mistakes and variability between different MS staff.

bookwormde

 

[crisi]

crisi

The system would only "preload" the request, the execution would occur in a "fair" way at the same time the phone requests. I do not believe this would violate POS I would asume preloading would probably be limited to a few days ahead of time.

I also would be surprised if there is not allread significant logic checks in the system to minimize mistakes and variability between different MS staff.

bookwormde

But it will queue them up in order that they were submitted to the system, right? That would violate the POS.

 

[CarolMN]

The system shouldn't even allow a "queue" to begin until the 7 month window actually opens.

Why should someone who books online have an advantage over someone who calls?

There are "values" questions to be answered as well as technical questions. In my experience, the "values" questions take the longest to resolve!

 

[bookwormde]

carolMN

they would be entered in a fair time stagered way, the only advantge would be that you would not have to sit there using quick dial, but the poeple booking by phone would have a much easier time getting an answer with less people trying.

If it really a problem for people, the "screen" could be prefilled and have the member press the exicute button at the same the phones open up, though I cannot see the difference.

also they would not be by order entered instead they would be randomized by an algorithum

bbookwormde

 

[rcchello]

I can just imagine 11 months before Christmas week, the time has arrived and thousands of DVC members hit enter simultaneously. The system crashes!

 

[MyLove4Disney]

But I just had to chim in here, I do some work in the IT industry.

Never say never.

Rember when there wasn't the internet? and we couldn't talk to each other this way??? much less than 20 years. Seems like it has been forever that we had this, but it really hasn't been that long and for our children they have not known to be without it.

Remember when you couldn't book your own airline tickets because it was way to complicated for the average Joe User and you had to use a Travel Agent.

So easy now, with all the online travel sites.

Even with the points thing, and the trading and the shuffling of years, someone or many will be paid to write a program and make some good dough for it and many of us will have no problem using it and will be very happy with it and many will not. Can't please everyone, but they sure could try.

It is true that computers do eliminate sometypes of jobs, but it will always create another type of job to do something else and not always to fix the computer.

The program will be written, just maybe not be available in the next year or two. They are only 15 + years old now. Give it some time, it will happen.


But for now enjoy your travels.

 

[paults]

It is the seventh month point. At midnight EST, all the members are watching for a room to free up at that most desired resort. One is free, now they all release their prior reservation so they have enough points.

One is victorious and gets the room for that day. The others all have to try to get their old room back! Oh no someone grabbed my old room (call MS and complain)!
They all sit and hit refresh for the next room to be available.

It will be like those last minute ebay bidding wars!!!

red line above, now I can't get through to MS because of the peeved off people who now need to call in.

I'm sorry but I'm just one of the people that has to talk to a live person to make my ressies.

but this makes good reading