ATCMickey
Flying to new highs
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2004
Hi all,
I just finished several DVC stays (10/7-9 BCV, 10/9-15 OKW, 10/15-22 DCL, and 10/22-23 BCV). At the beginning of my OKW stay I was given some information from the OKW desk manager that I have never heard (been a DVC member since 1994).
To be brief...here's the background. We usually make unit requests as part of our reservation (not uncommon for members to do). This vacation we reserved a 1 Bdrm at OKW. Before you flame me, I fully understand that all requests are just that...REQUESTS...and nothing is guaranteed. Our requests for this stay were no smoking, non handicapped, and close to the hospitality house. Again, I fully understand that these are requests that may/may not be accomodated. This reservation was made on the exact day we were within 11 months. That is to say, it was made exactly 11 months in advance. Additionally, as we were already on Disney grounds, we arrived at check in relatively early hoping that might help in getting some of our requests (got to OKW front desk at 11:30 am). In short, the unit we were given only accomodated 1 of our 3 requests and wouldn't be ready until 4:00pm.
Now on to the issue...
Since 1994, I've always been told that the request system works as follows: requests are honored in the order they are made and based on availability. I believe this to be true because several years ago we made a booking at the 11 month window (with requests) and then had to change the unit size 5 months in advance. We were told that they would have to re-book us for the larger unit but that our requests would be based on booking 5 months in advance rather than 11. I understood and was perfectly OK with that.
So this trip having booked exactly 11 months in advance, having made no changes to the reservation since, and having arrived relatively early for check-in, I was confused/curious as to what caused them to be unable to honor so many requests. I asked to speak with the front desk manager in hopes that he/she might be able to educate me. I was polite at all times. I spoke with Tatiana. I inquired as to how the request process worked. I told Tatiana that member services had previously explained the process as: assuming such units are available on that day of check-in, that they will be assigned on a first request basis. That is, someone reqeusting a no-smoking room 11 months in advance would be given priority over someone requesting no-smoking 4 months in advance.
Tatiana told me that the policy I described officially changed about 2 years ago based on their guest survey. Having been a member for over 11 years and never having received a written, email, or verbal survey, I asked "what survey?". She said that it was based on feedback from their front desk staff regarding guest preference for unit assignment. Tatiana proceeded to describe the new policy as follows: Guests had indicated that is was more important to them to get into a unit as soon as possible rather than wait to get their requests honored. As a result, getting a guest into a unit ASAP now takes precedent over the fact that another guest might have had a request specified. So to clarify, I asked Tatiana the following: "So let's say I make a request for a non-smoking room 11 months in advance and another guest books 1 week in advance and makes no request for smoking preference. We are both requesting 1 bdrm units and staying the exact same dates. Additionally, let's say that on the check-in day in question there is a non-smoking room that is available. If the guest that booked 1 week ago and made no request shows up at 10:45am and I show up at 11:00am with request in hand, you're going to give the room to the guest that arrived at 10:45am?". Tatiana responded "that's right because our guests have told us that getting into a room ASAP is more important than having their requests honored".
I guess I wonder why even have a request system at all. Moreover, I always thought assignments to rooms were done several days in advance to try to accomodate requests but it would appear that that does not come into play because priority has shifted to getting guests into any room ASAP. On my return I called member services to verify the information Tatiana had given me. I talked to Kevin who forwarded the question to his supervisor, Todd Smith. I was told that two years ago Disney resorts conducted a random survey with a survey pool of all Disney resort guests. The results came back that Disney guests preferred to have their rooms ready more than have their requests honored. As a result, Disney madated that all resorts comply with the policy of giving priority to getting a guest into their room ASAP over any potential room requests that might be on file. ***Understand what I just relayed...Disney conducted a survey with a pool of ALL guests (Carribean Beach, Contemporary, Coronado Springs, Old Key West, etc.) and the survey results were mandated on ALL resorts (including DVC). Kevin told me that DVC tried to argue that they should not have to comply with that mandate as they were a time share resort and different from the rest of the Disney's resorts and guests. Kevin told me that in spite of that, Disney mandated that DVC comply.
I relayed to Kevin that I would view that policy as a significant change worthy of sending out to members. He stated that he did not view that policy as a significant change as "all requests are just that, REQUESTS". I tend to think we, as DVC owners and regulars, probably care far more about our requests than the 1 time Disney Coronado Springs guest. I also think we stay longer so that the inconvenience of not accomodating requests is more pronounced, but maybe I'm wrong.
What's your take? Would you rather get into a unit ASAP or would you be willing to wait longer (up to the guaranteed 4:00pm availability) in order to have your and/or your fellow guests requests accomodated? I'd like to know if maybe I'm in the minority on this view.
Sorry for the long post. I think this policy is significant (even if DVC does not) and wanted to forward it on to others.
Thanks in advance for your feedback,
ATCMickey
I just finished several DVC stays (10/7-9 BCV, 10/9-15 OKW, 10/15-22 DCL, and 10/22-23 BCV). At the beginning of my OKW stay I was given some information from the OKW desk manager that I have never heard (been a DVC member since 1994).
To be brief...here's the background. We usually make unit requests as part of our reservation (not uncommon for members to do). This vacation we reserved a 1 Bdrm at OKW. Before you flame me, I fully understand that all requests are just that...REQUESTS...and nothing is guaranteed. Our requests for this stay were no smoking, non handicapped, and close to the hospitality house. Again, I fully understand that these are requests that may/may not be accomodated. This reservation was made on the exact day we were within 11 months. That is to say, it was made exactly 11 months in advance. Additionally, as we were already on Disney grounds, we arrived at check in relatively early hoping that might help in getting some of our requests (got to OKW front desk at 11:30 am). In short, the unit we were given only accomodated 1 of our 3 requests and wouldn't be ready until 4:00pm.
Now on to the issue...
Since 1994, I've always been told that the request system works as follows: requests are honored in the order they are made and based on availability. I believe this to be true because several years ago we made a booking at the 11 month window (with requests) and then had to change the unit size 5 months in advance. We were told that they would have to re-book us for the larger unit but that our requests would be based on booking 5 months in advance rather than 11. I understood and was perfectly OK with that.
So this trip having booked exactly 11 months in advance, having made no changes to the reservation since, and having arrived relatively early for check-in, I was confused/curious as to what caused them to be unable to honor so many requests. I asked to speak with the front desk manager in hopes that he/she might be able to educate me. I was polite at all times. I spoke with Tatiana. I inquired as to how the request process worked. I told Tatiana that member services had previously explained the process as: assuming such units are available on that day of check-in, that they will be assigned on a first request basis. That is, someone reqeusting a no-smoking room 11 months in advance would be given priority over someone requesting no-smoking 4 months in advance.
Tatiana told me that the policy I described officially changed about 2 years ago based on their guest survey. Having been a member for over 11 years and never having received a written, email, or verbal survey, I asked "what survey?". She said that it was based on feedback from their front desk staff regarding guest preference for unit assignment. Tatiana proceeded to describe the new policy as follows: Guests had indicated that is was more important to them to get into a unit as soon as possible rather than wait to get their requests honored. As a result, getting a guest into a unit ASAP now takes precedent over the fact that another guest might have had a request specified. So to clarify, I asked Tatiana the following: "So let's say I make a request for a non-smoking room 11 months in advance and another guest books 1 week in advance and makes no request for smoking preference. We are both requesting 1 bdrm units and staying the exact same dates. Additionally, let's say that on the check-in day in question there is a non-smoking room that is available. If the guest that booked 1 week ago and made no request shows up at 10:45am and I show up at 11:00am with request in hand, you're going to give the room to the guest that arrived at 10:45am?". Tatiana responded "that's right because our guests have told us that getting into a room ASAP is more important than having their requests honored".
I guess I wonder why even have a request system at all. Moreover, I always thought assignments to rooms were done several days in advance to try to accomodate requests but it would appear that that does not come into play because priority has shifted to getting guests into any room ASAP. On my return I called member services to verify the information Tatiana had given me. I talked to Kevin who forwarded the question to his supervisor, Todd Smith. I was told that two years ago Disney resorts conducted a random survey with a survey pool of all Disney resort guests. The results came back that Disney guests preferred to have their rooms ready more than have their requests honored. As a result, Disney madated that all resorts comply with the policy of giving priority to getting a guest into their room ASAP over any potential room requests that might be on file. ***Understand what I just relayed...Disney conducted a survey with a pool of ALL guests (Carribean Beach, Contemporary, Coronado Springs, Old Key West, etc.) and the survey results were mandated on ALL resorts (including DVC). Kevin told me that DVC tried to argue that they should not have to comply with that mandate as they were a time share resort and different from the rest of the Disney's resorts and guests. Kevin told me that in spite of that, Disney mandated that DVC comply.
I relayed to Kevin that I would view that policy as a significant change worthy of sending out to members. He stated that he did not view that policy as a significant change as "all requests are just that, REQUESTS". I tend to think we, as DVC owners and regulars, probably care far more about our requests than the 1 time Disney Coronado Springs guest. I also think we stay longer so that the inconvenience of not accomodating requests is more pronounced, but maybe I'm wrong.
What's your take? Would you rather get into a unit ASAP or would you be willing to wait longer (up to the guaranteed 4:00pm availability) in order to have your and/or your fellow guests requests accomodated? I'd like to know if maybe I'm in the minority on this view.
Sorry for the long post. I think this policy is significant (even if DVC does not) and wanted to forward it on to others.
Thanks in advance for your feedback,
ATCMickey
