Another Member Services Change....

[nasmith]

Not sure if anyone else has had this experience, but after waiting more than 45 minutes to speak to a member services cast member ("River" - less than pleasant) to combine several nights that I was able to string together into one reservation- and I was told that MS no longer does that if the reservation is farther than 14 days out. She told me that I needed to hold while she put in a request for someone else to combine the nights into one reservation. Fine- but then I WAS ON HOLD 20 minutes!! In the past, it was quicker for them to combine the days. "River" told me that it would be done by 5 business days. It has been 3 days so far- and nothing.

Another fail by Disney Member Services as far as I'm concerned. I call to have them do something that I cannot do online, and then it cannot be done by them anymore.

Hopefully it actually gets combined without me having to call and wait again!

 

[DVChris]

I called today to combine three reservations into one (early March reservation) and the CM did not say anything like what you heard. She put me on hold for a few minutes to put in the request then told me it would be completed in 5-7 days (weekend and Monday is a holiday).

 

[bnlbebes]

I agree that the hold times when contacting MS by phone have been unbearable. I choose to use CHAT and email as much as possible now and believe that I have easily requested combined reservations successfully using both.

 

[Sandisw]

This has been in play for a while now. It’s usually done in a much shorter time than what they star. I do it all the time and it’s always done.

Just did this via chat yesterday and same thing..filled form out and said it will take 5 to 7 days. Normally I just email.

Sorry that the CM was not friendly. That is frustrating.

 

[Jimmy Geppetto]

Not sure if anyone else has had this experience, but after waiting more than 45 minutes to speak to a member services cast member ("River" - less than pleasant) to combine several nights that I was able to string together into one reservation- and I was told that MS no longer does that if the reservation is farther than 14 days out. She told me that I needed to hold while she put in a request for someone else to combine the nights into one reservation. Fine- but then I WAS ON HOLD 20 minutes!! In the past, it was quicker for them to combine the days. "River" told me that it would be done by 5 business days. It has been 3 days so far- and nothing.

Another fail by Disney Member Services as far as I'm concerned. I call to have them do something that I cannot do online, and then it cannot be done by them anymore.

Hopefully it actually gets combined without me having to call and wait again!

I’ve not had this experience either, but can certainly understand your frustration.
I was able to combine a reservation two days ago without problem. It was for a Nov 2022 booking and I was told they prioritize these requests by check-in date (which makes sense) and for my reservation it would likely be closer to the 7 days to be completed (because my check-in date was so far down the road). On day six… voila! It was done.

 

[houseofduck]

Yes, this is another "improvement" to member services. In the past, they could make the change for you instantly. Now, they have to fill out a form and it takes a day or two, but they tell you it could take up to five.

When I've had to combine reservations that had close check-in dates (one was the day before check-in), they did prioritize them and they were done quickly.

 

[GinnyBear's_mom]

I avoid calling member services whenever possible. I needed to combine nights on my spring break reservation and did it all via email. I initially emailed December 28th, the next day I received a confirmation and estimated timeline to complete the request (5-7 days). By January 4th the reservation showed it was combined in MDE. Much easier than wasting my time on hold.

 

[MinBz]

I called Member Services on Tuesday (Jan 11) to combine 3 pieced together reservations at beach club (staying in June) and I just got the “we can’t wait to welcome you” email this morning (Jan 15).

 

[bobbiwoz]

I don’t call, I send an e-mail, and it does get done!

 

[n2mm]

Same for me. This was for my November 2021 trip. I called and was told a supervisor had to do it. It took over 2 weeks. I hadn’t realized this change, so missed my +10 dining perk. I had to do my dining one reservation at a time. I mentioned back then, but guess it was too new then. I wont wait so late next time.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Correct although I hadn't been told the 14 day part - sounds like they will get it done immediately if it's a very close in arrival? Mine was probably slightly outside the 14 days so submitted and done in 6-7 I think. A few days later I requested another one and that was just completed yesterday for an April stay. That also was approx 6 days.

I was thinking about this afterwards. I also had quite a wait with one CM - in that 20 minute range after holding for 45 minutes. For April the CM just said they'd submit the request. It seems to me like DVC thinks that doing things like combining reservations is taking away from time that the phones that more members could have their calls answered but it didn't work that way on my one call. I'd often get CM's that were capable of doing it themselves and occasionally those that needed to contact a supervisor to do it. I'd have to rate the change as a fail. It seems like they may have gained 6 days or so with extra hours when they first started and now it's just a rolling 5-7 days instead of happening right away.

 

[Sandisw]

Correct although I hadn't been told the 14 day part - sounds like they will get it done immediately if it's a very close in arrival? Mine was probably slightly outside the 14 days so submitted and done in 6-7 I think. A few days later I requested another one and that was just completed yesterday for an April stay. That also was approx 6 days.

I was thinking about this afterwards. I also had quite a wait with one CM - in that 20 minute range after holding for 45 minutes. For April the CM just said they'd submit the request. It seems to me like DVC thinks that doing things like combining reservations is taking away from time that the phones that more members could have their calls answered but it didn't work that way on my one call. I'd often get CM's that were capable of doing it themselves and occasionally those that needed to contact a supervisor to do it. I'd have to rate the change as a fail. It seems like they may have gained 6 days or so with extra hours when they first started and now it's just a rolling 5-7 days instead of happening right away.

I also wonder if it had to do with all the new CMs and worried about mistakes..there had been reports of that too.

Easier to fill the request and have only certain CMs handle so that could be their thoughT. But, it’s always been simple process when emailing and chat..I have never called..so not sure it’s that huge of a deal.

 

[Minniesgal]

Not sure if anyone else has had this experience, but after waiting more than 45 minutes to speak to a member services cast member ("River" - less than pleasant) to combine several nights that I was able to string together into one reservation- and I was told that MS no longer does that if the reservation is farther than 14 days out. She told me that I needed to hold while she put in a request for someone else to combine the nights into one reservation. Fine- but then I WAS ON HOLD 20 minutes!! In the past, it was quicker for them to combine the days. "River" told me that it would be done by 5 business days. It has been 3 days so far- and nothing.

Another fail by Disney Member Services as far as I'm concerned. I call to have them do something that I cannot do online, and then it cannot be done by them anymore.

Hopefully it actually gets combined without me having to call and wait again!

By bother calling for that you can put in a request through the email function on the member website and they do it quickly

 

[cvjw]

Just put the same request in yesterday via the chat feature. Said 5-7 days.

 

[McCrae]

Is this not just down to Covid related staff shortages?

 

[Sandisw]

Is this not just down to Covid related staff shortages?

No one knows exactly why but the process for chat and email was always this so maybe just easier to have it all tracked the same Way?

Phone waits are long so maybe they figured this can be done behind the scenes as most don’t need to be done that day.

 

[KVacc]

So I’m new to DVC….why do you have to combine reservations? Just weren’t able to get your whole trip the first time you booked so you just grabbed dates as you could?

 

[Sandisw]

So I’m new to DVC….why do you have to combine reservations? Just weren’t able to get your whole trip the first time you booked so you just grabbed dates as you could?

Grabbed dates as they became available because we couldn’t get all the first try,

I had to book my two nights in July at RIV in PV for one night and SV for the other. I did waitlist…but still checked website and was able to get my SV room, So, now I need Ms to make both nights one reservation.

My waitlist had matched…but it wasn’t yet processEd…and of course, there was no way to know that so I had to grab it when it I saw it. The only reasons I know I had a matched room is it showed back up after I canceled the waitlist.

I also sometimes do this when I am trying to change out the points I use for a trip. I will book RIV with home resort points, and then at 7months, try to book days with my SSR points. Sometimes it takes a few different one night stays to do it.

 

[KVacc]

Grabbed dates as they became available because we couldn’t get all the first try,

I had to book my two nights in July at RIV in PV for one night and SV for the other. I did waitlist…but still checked website and was able to get my SV room, So, now I need Ms to make both nights one reservation.

My waitlist had matched…but it wasn’t yet processEd…and of course, there was no way to know that so I had to grab it when it I saw it. The only reasons I know I had a matched room is it showed back up after I canceled the waitlist.

I also sometimes do this when I am trying to change out the points I use for a trip. I will book RIV with home resort points, and then at 7months, try to book days with my SSR points. Sometimes it takes a few different one night stays to do it.

I’m not looking forward to this!

 

[Sandisw]

I’m not looking forward to this!

It doesn’t happen a lot so I would not worry too much! I do a lot of split stays and they plays a role!!!

And, to clarify, I just booked my July trip two weeks ago. So within the 7 month mark!

Sometimes, people who know they want to split stay will also book two stays to start at 11 months so they can just modify part of it online at 7 months. If they can’t get the second resort, they have MS combine back into one!!