Help !!! I just got a call from DSVC saying that

[cseca]

To explain more, I am going in October from the 10-14th. It will be my 6th Anniversary we are celebrating and my DH is running "The Race for the Taste" one day but that is the only day we planned on leaving the resort.

I'm sure we would end up in a park for a while but we have AP's so that is covered, this turned into a severe budget trip after a large unexpected costly event.

Airfare was a little more than we planned, but other than that, everything else was paid for except a few meals if we went out. Concierge would cover most of our food and we had little plans to leave the villa. I have no dining reservations. I have no park day plans, I don't even yet know the hours that the parks will be open that weekend since they weren't in our plans.

I expected to be hanging out in the room and taking advantage of everything being under one roof. Enjoying the pool and hot tubs and spend night watching the animals outside. We have no planned time to leave the hotel except for the race.

A SS studio is not going to compare to that. I bought AKV's cuz that's where I intend on staying and I booked it DBD at 11 months out to ensure that I got what I wanted. Is it wrong that I expect them to find me somewhere comparable to stay? I told them I am open to non-DVC resorts but she said it would cost me more points and the exchange fee. I told her no way was I doing it that way. I booked a concierge level room and I expect to get a comparable room for my stay. Without that lounge, it will cost us a few hundred dollars more in food if I could even get ADR's for places that I would eat at this close to the dates.

I was surprised by the phone call, especially so close to the date and that it was just rehabbed for DVC. I sure it is something that needs to be done but I worked hard to get that reservation and cannot come up wiht the extra money to pay for all the food this close to date and DO NOT want to be at a resort where it is not all in one building.

ugh !! Talk about ruining a trip!! If I can't get something comparable or at least something (a closer resort (single building preferably) and maybe the dining plan to help defray food costs that wold now be on me to pay) we may have to cancel the trip.

If I were you I would call my guide and send out an email to dvc member services explaining your situation. I would at least request to stay in a resort with a concierge level (deluxes) and request a concierge access even if your room is not in the concierge area. That way even if your room is still far away you at least can get concierge food section.

Good luck! I think what they did is crappy...

 

[kimberh]

I would be so Livid! I hate this for all of you that are going through this. The Maintenance people have to have Access to the room to work outside? It seems there could have been a point adjustment made. They surely aren't working on all the rooms on the same day?

 

[LIFERBABE]

What I want to know, is what am I supposed to do with 3 points!?

I know MS is catching HE double hockey sticks, and I definitely would not want to be them, but they cannot possibly think this is an acceptable offer.

I know they could break out the POS and their lawyers and beat us all over the head, but do they really want to go there? They still have alot of AKV points to sell.

pyrxtc, what DDP did they give you? I am trying to get our 1 night at BCV with concierge access, but if they say no, I will counter with the DDP. My girlfriend was really disappointed when I told her we got booted after I played up the wine and cordials and how we would chill out in the lounge our first day and not go anywhere.

I hope that gift basket has some liquor in it!

 

[pyrxtc]

they gave me 3 days of dining plan even though I am missing out on 4 days of using the concierge lounge. It still doesn't work out anywhere near even but I couldn't get them to understand that. I am losing breakfast every day and drinks all day, appetizers for my small purchased meal from downstairs for dinner,among all the of the desserts and other stuff to choose from there.

They are offering me breakfast each day and one other meal, no umlimited drinks or eating in my room, tasting all the desserts. (i.e. dining plan) I still have to tip at our TS and and take the bus all over the world to get anywhere good we'd like to eat. heck even to get the front desk, it will be a hike!

there is no comparison, that's why I was on the phone 11 months ago getting this set up. It is messing up my entire reservation. I really hope they get us moved to somewhere we can utilize the concierge lounge.

I almost want to just cancel it and not go at all.

 

[Halle]

I have been a member since 1993 and can't believe that they would have the audacity to do that to you. I think you need free dining, complimentary transportation to the restaurants (not on the bus), and all points restored with the ability to bank them. Call me crazy but what the heck, doesn't hurt to reach for the stars. Hope you can have a wonderful trip.

 

[izzy]

I just called them, and sure enough, I've been booted, too. I was supposed to be in a studio October 12-16th. I'm furious! I booked this room DBD calling at 9 a.m. each morning. They also offered me the infamous SSR studio with a 12 point credit. Big whoop. The difference in points between the two categories is 12 anyway, so that's giving me nothing more than I deserve. I'm trying to broker a deal as I write this. Will let y'all know how it goes.

 

[cseca]

I still think even if they give you all free DDP it's not comparable because there's only limited amt of availabilities for all of you right now. So you still have to figure out where to eat...
I'm not sure why they would do this. They must understand that people are not going to be happy about this.
I wonder if they are approaching this like an insurance claim... y'know?
Say no first and then concede to a little bit at a time. Basically try to get away with as little as possible?
Doesn't sound like disney to me, but it is DVC that's doing this. Not central ressie...
It just doesn't seem right.

 

[DISNEYFOS]

This is a horrible time to be doing rehab. Its a very popular DVC time and Columbus day weekend to boot. I'd be livid.

 

[Pennykay]

That is so not cool!! I would also contact my guide. It can't hurt. I empathize with you guys so much because I will be there just a couple of weeks before you and I would be so upset if I got that call.

 

[manning]

If you were staying Concierge, would that not mean that the actual Concierge human at a special Concierge # is now available to assist you making ADR's? (Or they at least assist when you are there. sometimes getting an ADR when none supposedly exist?) Should you not also get free daily mousekeeping?
You should make the most of it and insist on getting a Sunrise Safari reservation, too.

Ask for sunset safari at no cost!!!! That alone is over $100 per person.

 

[izzy]

Well, I am still not happy. I've been moved to SSR and given a $100 room credit. I told him I wanted the DDP for those 4 days instead, and he wanted to charge me the difference. I told him under no circumstances am I parting with any more points or any more money.

I even tried to get him to give me a 1 BR at any other resort for the points I'm using for the concierge studio. He said there were no more 1 BR's available.

I asked him if they could move me to the BCV, BWV or VWL so that I could have access to the lounge. He told me he didn't know and would check on it and get back to me. He has put me on the priority wait list (whatever the heck that is) for any of those 3.

Out of curiousity, I asked him if I could be put on the waitlist at AKV (for any non-concierge studio), and after a long hold, he said they aren't allowing any of us to be put on the AKV waitlist. I asked him why, and he said it's because the resort is so full. I told him that obviously ALL of the resorts are full, so that's no excuse. He didn't have an answer to that comment.

He was a really nice guy and I felt sorry for him, but DVC has screwed this up BIG TIME. I can't believe they did this on such short notice and are offering virtually no compensation for our troubles.

What is that e-mail address again? I plan on writing them about this.

I make my last payment in September, and it's really making me rethink whether or not I should stay a member if this is their idea of customer satisfaction.

 

[DebbieB]

they are redoing the outside of the rooms and need access tot he rooms to get it done. The outside of the resort is being rehabbed which includes balcony's and i guess it's time for the 6th floor.

I stayed in AKV Conceirge at the end of June and they were doing painting on the railings and poles on the balconies near our room. But I don't understand why that would take a month for all the rooms! Seems like less than a week's work!

 

[pyrxtc]

Talked to my guide also and he said there is nothing he can do and just to try to enjoy SSR while we are there. He didn't even know this was happening.

There has to be something they can do better than what they are doing. I want an e-mail address too. After going over everything and comparing my new out of pocket costs to haveing the "free" dining plan and not the lounge, it is going to cost me way more than originally planned.

I also don't know how good the priority waitlist is if they are giving it to everyone that has been moved. Obviously not everyone will get it, so how do they decide who gets it first? First person they called to tell or the last cuz he was put there last and bumped to the top.

I was switching to a SV room for my last night and they wanted me to keep it and completely change resorts instead of just rooms. No Way ! I stayed there on purpose so I could just have bell services hold my stuff and get it into the new room when ready, not to have to bus it to a new resort.

I am really unhappy about this and my Dh doesn't understand at all.

How about we all ask for a room at another concierge hotel DVC or non or else stay at another resort with deluxe dining package for the days (not nights) we would have had the use of the lounge. Plus charge all the tips to our hotel to be paid by Disney. I'm giving up lots of free food being moved for which I did not have to spend a dime nor tip anyone for. I also could have eaten it realxing in my room. None of which is happening anymore.

 

[karrit2000]

I feel really bad for everyone who is being effected by this situation. I do feel that MS should be going above & beyond to find suitable alternate accomodations within reason for everyone who is effected.

To explain more, I am going in October from the 10-14th and my DH is running "The Race for the Taste" one day.

Doesn't this answer your own question of what is going on that everything is so booked up?
October is prime F & W Time and Halloween season & Columbus Day holiday the dates you are going.

 

[buckeyebill1995]

I feel so sorry for you all! That is just terrible! We are staying at AKV in October and had considered doing concierge but changed our mind because we plan on spending a lot of time at F&WF and figured it wouldn't be worth it. Wow am I glad we did! IMHO, they should be offering you apples for apples -- concierge for concierge. But I am sure they are already booked up which makes this impossible. We had a problem with our room during F&W last year and the manager actually told us even if we were the president, if we needed to switch rooms we'd have to go off site! Regardless, they should be giving you VIP treatment, not just 'sorry, try to enjoy anyway.' I would escalate it until you get a fair offer. Good luck to you all!!!

 

[DoOverDreams]

Surely there is something available at one of the deluxe resorts in the concierge section. For such a big hose up, they should be booking all you guys into one of those. I know, comes out of a different bucket, but sheese, this is a huge mistake on their part that they need to fix. Not by offering you a studio at SSR! Don't get me wrong, I love SSR. It's one of my home resorts. But there is no comparison between an SSR studio and concierge at AKV....

Keep us posted!

 

[Disneyhappy]

I would be livid, furious etc!!!! What you have all been offered is totally unacceptable. I would be on line checking availabilty at non-DVC resorts including suites for those who have one and two bedrooms villas reserved. I would be checking on line for concierge level rooms at Poly, BC/YC and BW. If any of those rooms are available online, I would be calling and demanding that change plus a room credit/free dining! If there wasn't anything available, I would switch to SSR but demand all of my points be returned with the ability to bank and would would continue to ask t speak to a supervisor until they said yes. I would put in writing all the plans that you all have made since the booking at 11 month and outline the extra cost to you as a result of not having that concierge service. We stayed AKV concierge this summer and ate breakfast and dinner in the club. We only bought a nice lunch that kept us full through dinner. Even with the DDP, you have to pay tip. No, this is sooo wrong. I could see if this was an emergency repair but this appears to be something that could be planned in advance. THey should have at least given more than 2 months notice before everything is all booked up. While I am not affected personally, DVC continues to disappoint me with their policies, actions and CS. (Which is why we did not add on after the new booking policy started.) I think they are outgrowing themselves!

 

[Simba's Mom]

What I want to know, is what am I supposed to do with 3 points!?

I know MS is catching HE double hockey sticks, and I definitely would not want to be them, but they cannot possibly think this is an acceptable offer.

I know they could break out the POS and their lawyers and beat us all over the head, but do they really want to go there? They still have alot of AKV points to sell.

pyrxtc, what DDP did they give you? I am trying to get our 1 night at BCV with concierge access, but if they say no, I will counter with the DDP. My girlfriend was really disappointed when I told her we got booted after I played up the wine and cordials and how we would chill out in the lounge our first day and not go anywhere.

I hope that gift basket has some liquor in it!

LIFERBABE, I feel soo sorry for you Guys. And I just can't believe they want to refund you only 3 points-is that even the difference between AKV concierge and SSR? And even if it is, I think they should have returned the entire # of points for that night, for your inconvenience. THAT at least might be decent customer relations.

 

[kimberh]

I just called them, and sure enough, I've been booted, too. I was supposed to be in a studio October 12-16th. I'm furious! I booked this room DBD calling at 9 a.m. each morning. They also offered me the infamous SSR studio with a 12 point credit. Big whoop. The difference in points between the two categories is 12 anyway, so that's giving me nothing more than I deserve. I'm trying to broker a deal as I write this. Will let y'all know how it goes.

Oh, my pressure would be up! I cannot believe you had to make the call to find out! This is such bad business! I wonder how DVC management would like it if this happened to them? I am so sorry for all of you. I do hope they rectify this in a way that is good for all of you.

 

[izzy]

Oh, my pressure would be up! I cannot believe you had to make the call to find out! This is such bad business! I wonder how DVC management would like it if this happened to them? I am so sorry for all of you. I do hope they rectify this in a way that is good for all of you.

I think that's what ticked me off as much as anything - that I had to hear it on the DIS and call them to find out what was going on rather than them having the decency to call me first. After he told me that everything else was booked up solid, he said that they had blocked a set of rooms for us at SSR. So this tells me that they've probably either 1) known about this for awhile, or 2) are taking rooms out of cash inventory. If they can take the rooms out of cash inventory at SSR, then they can do it at one of the other DVC's.

I'm calling back tomorrow and will be speaking with someone higher up, and if that person can't do what I want, then I will speak with that person's supervisor.

This is just crazy. I know with the change in the reservation policy that I'll never be able to get concierge again as I usually do a Sunday to Thursday stay. I truly feel like this was my one chance to experience it. I'm not going to let this ruin my vacation, but I'm so disappointed with the lack of customer service over this situation. I guess that now they've got my money they no longer care about me.