New policy for reservations based on check IN date

[abeyst]

I think that if they consider changes to this new policy they should focus on changing the waitlist policies rather than 'outlawing walking'

For example,

If your first day is unavailable, why can't you choose to waitlist that day and book what is available? That would truly make the 7 days fully bookable/

If your vacation includes moving to a different room partway through in the same resort why can't that be considered a contiguous reservation? You would consider it one vacation? If I have a studio for 4 days and a one-bedroom for 3, why can't I book all 7 in the first call?

If I want to waitlist by individual days and take the risk that I have to change rooms why can't I take that chance?

Just a few thoughts.

I agree!!! Wholeheartedly 100% AGREE!!! THIS is what would cut down on all the phone calls!!

 

[zulaya]

I think that if they consider changes to this new policy they should focus on changing the waitlist policies rather that 'outlawing walking'

For example,

If your first day is unavailable, why can't you choose to waitlist that day and book what is available? That would truly make the 7 days fully bookable/

If your vacation includes moving to a different room partway through in the same resort why can't that be considered a contiguous reservation? You would consider it one vacation? If I have a studio for 4 days and a one-bedroom for 3, why can't I book all 7 in the first call?

If I want to waitlist by individual days and take the risk that I have to change rooms why can't I take that chance?

If MS won't go back to the old policy, I could deal with this a lot better. I'm still not happy about other people have a 7 day head start on me, without walking, as I know this can't be what DVC intended. What angers me is that the messed up, won't admit it and won't change it back.

As well, I don't think that they can design any system that will work for the very hard to get rooms. AKV concierge is a tough reservation and getting tougher as the resort sells out, that has nothing to do with the new reservation policy.

Completely agree. This room category will be the hardest of everything, not just at certain times of year, but all year round, no matter what policy is in place. The old policy was more equitable, but people were still shut out.

 

[dianeschlicht]

If MS won't go back to the old policy, I could deal with this a lot better. I'm still not happy about other people have a 7 day head start on me, without walking, as I know this can't be what DVC intended. What angers me is that the messed up, won't admit it and won't change it back.



Completely agree. This room category will be the hardest of everything, not just at certain times of year, but all year round, no matter what policy is in place. The old policy was more equitable, but people were still shut out.

Absolutely correct, and I HOPE they see the error of their ways and go back to the old way. At least then you had a CHANCE of getting it, but now your chance is greatly deminished, since even your first day could be gone days before you can even start calling.

I guess we're going to have to hope that folks get frustrated with the difficulty of getting those concierge rooms, and quit trying!

 

[SuzanneSLO]

I think that if they consider changes to this new policy they should focus on changing the waitlist policies rather that 'outlawing walking'

For example,

If your first day is unavailable, why can't you choose to waitlist that day and book what is available? That would truly make the 7 days fully bookable/

If your vacation includes moving to a different room partway through in the same resort why can't that be considered a contiguous reservation? You would consider it one vacation? If I have a studio for 4 days and a one-bedroom for 3, why can't I book all 7 in the first call?

If I want to waitlist by individual days and take the risk that I have to change rooms why can't I take that chance?

Just a few thoughts.

As well, I don't think that they can design any system that will work for the very hard to get rooms. AKV concierge is a tough reservation and getting tougher as the resort sells out, that has nothing to do with the new reservation policy.

I think your changes will make walking worse in some cases. For example, if changing room categories still allows booking all 7 nights, then those wanting an AKV concierge, would book days 1-6 in a value studio and Day 7 in concierge. Later, days 1-6 would be cancelled.

With your proposed change to WLing, getting one night at 11 months no longer guarantees you get another night. As a result, to maximize success, a member will need to book 7 nights in the desired room 6 days early at 9 am and then call every morning at 9am for each additional day. You end up with the worst of both worlds, needing to walk and needing to book DBD. With the current WL policy, at least if you get one night, you don't need to call DBD for the other nights or even at 9 am.

Remember, as with the old booking policy, you can still book your entire vacation with one phone call if you choose, no matter how many changes to room categoriy you are making. You just have to wait a few days from the earliest possible time to book. Booking 10 and half months out is not a problem for most accomodations or times of year.

-- Suzanne

 

[jdg345]

I think that if they consider changes to this new policy they should focus on changing the waitlist policies rather that 'outlawing walking'

Agree.

For example,

If your first day is unavailable, why can't you choose to waitlist that day and book what is available? That would truly make the 7 days fully bookable/

That would impact those that want longer stays than 7 days. It also creates the possibility of holes in the LOS -- something DVC says this new policy was designed to fix.

If your vacation includes moving to a different room partway through in the same resort why can't that be considered a contiguous reservation? You would consider it one vacation? If I have a studio for 4 days and a one-bedroom for 3, why can't I book all 7 in the first call?

Again, this allows for holes.

If I want to waitlist by individual days and take the risk that I have to change rooms why can't I take that chance?

Because, apparently, members overwhelmingly did not want this option.

Just a few thoughts.

Thank you!
As well, I don't think that they can design any system that will work for the very hard to get rooms. AKV concierge is a tough reservation and getting tougher as the resort sells out, that has nothing to do with the new reservation policy.[/QUOTE]

 

[Goofy's apprentice]

I think your changes will make walking worse in some cases. For example, if changing room categories still allows booking all 7 nights, then those wanting an AKV concierge, would book days 1-6 in a value studio and Day 7 in concierge. Later, days 1-6 would be cancelled.

With your proposed change to WLing, getting one night at 11 months no longer guarantees you get another night. As a result, to maximize success, a member will need to book 7 nights in the desired room 6 days early at 9 am and then call every morning at 9am for each additional day. You end up with the worst of both worlds, needing to walk and needing to book DBD. With the current WL policy, at least if you get one night, you don't need to call DBD for the other nights or even at 9 am.

Remember, as with the old booking policy, you can still book your entire vacation with one phone call if you choose, no matter how many changes to room categoriy you are making. You just have to wait a few days from the earliest possible time to book. Booking 10 and half months out is not a problem for most accomodations or times of year.

-- Suzanne

I agree with you Suzanne. I am not in favour of 'walking' but I don't think that it will be a constructive change to try to design rules to make it difficult. Nothing will stop members from making reservations that they don't really want if they have enough points. So I guess I'm choosing to 'put my head in the sand' and think of solutions that aren't designed around preventing walking. I think that tweaking the waitlist policies will give some flexibility to the vast majority that will probably not walk but want to improve their chances. We always waitlisted (@ 7 months) for single days in the past, everything came in eventually. I think that I should be able to choose if I want to risk "holes" or moving.'

On an ironic note: So strange that WDW, the place I do so much walking that I need special shoes is somewhere I don't think I will consider "walking" (my reservation of course !)

 

[jdg345]

I agree with you Suzanne. I am not in favour of 'walking' but I don't think that it will be a constructive change to try to design rules to make it difficult. Nothing will stop members from making reservations that they don't really want if they have enough points. So I guess I'm choosing to 'put my head in the sand' and think of solutions that aren't designed around preventing walking. I think that tweaking the waitlist policies will give some flexibility to the vast majority that will probably not walk but want to improve their chances. We always waitlisted (@ 7 months) for single days in the past, everything came in eventually. I think that I should be able to choose if I want to risk "holes" or moving.'

On an ironic note: So strange that WDW, the place I do so much walking that I need special shoes is somewhere I don't think I will consider "walking" (my reservation of course !)

 

[sssteele]

What is MS doing about reservations for more than 7 days? Book day 8 the day after first week is booked, or book day 8 with a call 8 days after first week is booked? Is an entire second week booked eight days after the first week is booked or sooner? I know that there was inconsistency on this at first.

 

[WebmasterDoc]

What is MS doing about reservations for more than 7 days? Book day 8 the day after first week is booked, or book day 8 with a call 8 days after first week is booked? Is an entire second week booked eight days after the first week is booked or sooner? I know that there was inconsistency on this at first.

You can call back daily to add the additional days wanted for stays over 7 nights. MS has not been very consistent with their response to questions about this, but the Member Satisfaction team assured me that daily calls (which is supposedly the reason they made the recent change) are the best way to reserve longer stays.

 

[dvcdisney]

I believe that the information on the website does provide two options to extend your stay. One option is to call DBD (so essentially calling at 11mths/7mths + 7) or the other option is to wait 11 mths/7mths of the your Day 8 and add the rest in one phone call. However, if you choose the latter, I would call a day or two before Day 7.

 

[jdg345]

The Tally in the other post is updated ... most have been successful at 11 months so far. The majority of issues have occurred at 7 months.

 

[zulaya]

I think many of us can agree that the current status as of today, August 3, is not surprising. We haven't had a true test of this new system for what we all know will be the big travel times.

The problems have been at the 7 month window and AKV concierge - problems that people were having before this new policy.

We really won't know for a whole year how this policy affects the entire membership, those the truer test will be when people are calling in December and January for those coveted dates in 2009.

ETA: Also, a good portion of the membership probably doesn't even know this policy exists. Most of them aren't the OCD DVCers like those of us on the DIS and other online forums. That portion of the membership will not know until the Fall newsletter comes out, unless they are calling MS before then.

 

[simzac]

The Tally in the other post is updated ... most have been successful at 11 months so far. The majority of issues have occurred at 7 months.

Thanks for the update.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I think many of us can agree that the current status as of today, August 3, is not surprising. We haven't had a true test of this new system for what we all know will be the big travel times.

The problems have been at the 7 month window and AKV concierge - problems that people were having before this new policy.

We really won't know for a whole year how this policy affects the entire membership, those the truer test will be when people are calling in December and January for those coveted dates in 2009.

ETA: Also, a good portion of the membership probably doesn't even know this policy exists. Most of them aren't the OCD DVCers like those of us on the DIS and other online forums. That portion of the membership will not know until the Fall newsletter comes out, unless they are calling MS before then.

So true. I think that DVC is very lax in getting important information out to its members.

I do wish that MS does take a hard look at walking and getting rid of extra days in the beginning of a reservation. If there must be fees or some sort of price to pay, then so be it.
Bobbi

 

[TLSnell1981]

Wow! I have been off the boards for several months.......looks like I have a lot of catching up to do. Any chance of a quick recap to avoid perusing hundreds of pages?

 

[Sammie]

as far as the membership not knowing about the change, did the rest of you get an email about it, I did?

As to why it was changed, it was based on Member Surveys to MS that you make after you get through making a call. One of the biggest complaints was not being able to book in a complete stay when calling.

 

[rantnnravin]

As to why it was changed, it was based on Member Surveys to MS that you make after you get through making a call. One of the biggest complaints was not being able to book in a complete stay when calling.

How does the question "How satisfied were you with your call?" translate into turning the booking system upside down?
And, if all of the proponents of the new booking system are correct - this was not an issue of complaint with the majority of members because they were calling at 11/7mos from the checkout date of their entire reservation.

 

[bobbiwoz]

as far as the membership not knowing about the change, did the rest of you get an email about it, I did?

As to why it was changed, it was based on Member Surveys to MS that you make after you get through making a call. One of the biggest complaints was not being able to book in a complete stay when calling.

I did not get an e-mail prior to the implementation and I get lots of e-mails from Disney in general, so my e-mail address is out there, and messages are not blocked.

Now my biggest complaint is that when I go to book for DVC busy times, I could be shut from booking out on my first day because the people who began their reservations 6-7 days ago had first dibs on my first vacation day.
I could be shut out by people who don't even want my days, and who can cancell the extra days at will.

The surveys that I answered were not ones that indicated that a major change like this would be implemented. I have contacted MS regarding the change, and also about how the change was introduced to memebers.

Bobbi

 

[Laurabearz]

as far as the membership not knowing about the change, did the rest of you get an email about it, I did?

As to why it was changed, it was based on Member Surveys to MS that you make after you get through making a call. One of the biggest complaints was not being able to book in a complete stay when calling.

I didnt get an email either <pout>

And like bobby none of the surveys I took asked about anything important... just hold time, CM knowledge etc...

 

[dianeschlicht]

as far as the membership not knowing about the change, did the rest of you get an email about it, I did?

As to why it was changed, it was based on Member Surveys to MS that you make after you get through making a call. One of the biggest complaints was not being able to book in a complete stay when calling.

Nope...no email here either before it was implemented, and none of the surveys I ever took would have indicated a week's booking from the begining of the stay was important.