Polynesian DVC Disappointment

[KAT4DISNEY]

Not sure that smaller inventories of a room category lead to nights going unbooked.
I believe it comes down to demand.

For example, AKV Concierge is a small booking category, but extremely popular. Not sure how many AKV Studio Concierge rooms there are, but I'm guessing it's very, very small compared to the number of AKV total points. Many people are willing to book the single nights when they are available.

Unlikely PVB Pago Pago parking lot view would have AKV concierge demand. However, for the right number of points per night, there will be demand. In time, the thrill of sitting on the balcony/patio may wear off at PVB and more people may decide they would accept a parking lot view for fewer points. I could spend hours at the beach, pools, and lobby area.

If Pago Pago parking lot view were similar points to BLT's standard view, that would certainly make DW and I consider contacting Disney about a fixed week contract.

The small size of the PVB contracts may have a larger impact on fragmented bookings than a booking category being smaller.

It's not really about going unbooked. Stranded days can mean just a day or two available here and there that people will book but then they have to move. I think that definitely applies to AKV concierge both because of stranded days and because of point requirements. Stranded days is a disruption to a guests vacation and to a resort. More frequent housekeeping and just other services such as front desk check in/out will be required.

 

[jimim]

Excellent point, Denlo. What immediately came to my mind are "ocean view" rooms at beachfront locations around the world. Lots of resorts, including some very nice ones, call a room "ocean view" even when one has to be out on their lanai and craning their neck one direction or the other to get that "ocean view".

that reminds me of the westin in maui. ocean view could be like that but if u wanted what we all hear consider an ocean view you had to pay for an ocean front room which put u up high so the view was not blocked. Disney should do something similar so it is very clear then. yes you will prob pay more points but at least it is cut and dry.

 

[Dean]

that reminds me of the westin in maui. ocean view could be like that but if u wanted what we all hear consider an ocean view you had to pay for an ocean front room which put u up high so the view was not blocked. Disney should do something similar so it is very clear then. yes you will prob pay more points but at least it is cut and dry.

For Marriott, Ocean Side is actually a higher category than Ocean View. And they do treat Ocean Front as a location and not as a view. IIRC they even state that they can't account for vegetation and the like.

 

[whiporee]

Just to throw in, Disney calls first floor at the Poly lagoon view. They probably call it lake view now because of the bungalows, because you aren't seeing much of the lagoon, but you are looking at water.

For the most part, above the first floor is called Theme Park view, and usually costs more.

 

[GoofyDisneyDaddy]

Just to throw in, Disney calls first floor at the Poly lagoon view. They probably call it lake view now because of the bungalows, because you aren't seeing much of the lagoon, but you are looking at water.

For the most part, above the first floor is called Theme Park view, and usually costs more.

We are talking DVC. There is Lake View or Standard View - that's it for the choices. There is no lagoon view or theme park view.

 

[dizfan]

It's not really about going unbooked. Stranded days can mean just a day or two available here and there that people will book but then they have to move. I think that definitely applies to AKV concierge both because of stranded days and because of point requirements. Stranded days is a disruption to a guests vacation and to a resort. More frequent housekeeping and just other services such as front desk check in/out will be required.

If Disney was concerned about more frequent housekeeping and other services being required, why sell 50 point master contracts? The person buying smaller contracts is more likely to have shorter stays resulting in more frequent housekeeping and other services.

DVD/DVC has options to make it easy for most to easily understand what they are booking. Whether current management operates like past management is another question.

 

[dizfan]

There are five two bedroom lock-offs.

Thank you.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

If Disney was concerned about more frequent housekeeping and other services being required, why sell 50 point master contracts? The person buying smaller contracts is more likely to have shorter stays resulting in more frequent housekeeping and other services.

DVD/DVC has options to make it easy for most to easily understand what they are booking. Whether current management operates like past management is another question.

The housekeeping I mentioned was just a side note and not really applicable to why more booking categories are detrimental to members when they leave stranded days. I have no thought that DVC cares that smaller point holders cost DVC more - it is all just paid for in dues.

 

[disneynutz]

The housekeeping I mentioned was just a side note and not really applicable to why more booking categories are detrimental to members when they leave stranded days. I have no thought that DVC cares that smaller point holders cost DVC more - it is all just paid for in dues.

I agree, DVC satisfaction, room cleanliness and maintenance, and keeping DVC costs low do not seem to be a priority or key performance rating item.

Bill

 

[DisneyFansInLINY]

At least you did not have cockroaches in your room. We stayed in a standard view at the Poly studios in August and had to switch rooms because of cockroches. In my opinion, the only request that matters is a bug free room.

 

[huntconn]

Disney really messed up most of the longhouse views with those new bungalows. Classifying 1st floor rooms Lake View (or whatever the heck it's called!) is laughable. I would rather have a standard/garden view over a view of the back of a bungalow. Many of the changes to the Poly are great. The bungalows are not one of them IMO.

 

[carlbarry]

I don't know if this adds anything to the conversation or not, but my first stay at Aulani was as a cash guest, not a DVC member. I paid for an ocean view 2BR villa, close to $1,500 a night. Our view was of the JW Marriott (under extensive renovation) next door, with a sliver of ocean off in the distance. When we were speaking to our DVC guide and thinking about buying in, we told him about our dissatisfaction and he admitted that many guests had the same complaint. His prediction was that they would unveil a "partial ocean view" category to account for rooms like our own. We bought DVC anyway because Aulani is so amazing, but vowed not to spend extra points on ocean view rooms given this risk, until the situation was fixed.

I see now that Aulani has in fact added a "partial ocean view" category, but only for their cash reservations. The DVC categories remain the same, and I would still be ticked off (like the OP here, even though their incident happened at the PVB) if I spent those extra points and was sorely let down.

Oddly, when I stayed at Aulani shortly after it opened (I received a gift book for being one of the first to book), I ordered a "mountain view" room. It, too was mainly of the Marrioutt's garage. However, from the balcony, I could see a bit of ocean off to the left. When I got home, I complained to Member Services, and they returned to my account 1 point per night.

 

[Dean]

Oddly, when I stayed at Aulani shortly after it opened (I received a gift book for being one of the first to book), I ordered a "mountain view" room. It, too was mainly of the Marrioutt's garage. However, from the balcony, I could see a bit of ocean off to the left. When I got home, I complained to Member Services, and they returned to my account 1 point per night.

That's a large part of the problem with DVC, they are reactive rather than being proactive. In HI, and in general, Mountain View, island view and Garden View are used to designate no view. They should not have offered compensation for this situation but rather explained what reasonable expectations should be. Even better, they could offer than info up front that they cannot guarantee the view from a given unit so people will know (or should know) though it's really only common sense.

 

[carlbarry]

That's a large part of the problem with DVC, they are reactive rather than being proactive. In HI, and in general, Mountain View, island view and Garden View are used to designate no view. They should not have offered compensation for this situation but rather explained what reasonable expectations should be. Even better, they could offer than info up front that they cannot guarantee the view from a given unit so people will know (or should know) though it's really only common sense.

It cost an extra one point per night for the "upgrade" from "standard" view to "island" view. Since I did not have a view of the island, it was only fair that they returned the extra point that I paid for something I did not get.

 

[Dean]

It cost an extra one point per night for the "upgrade" from "standard" view to "island" view. Since I did not have a view of the island, it was only fair that they returned the extra point that I paid for something I did not get.

Assuming you got a room that's designated for the view type you received, I'll have to disagree.

 

[carlbarry]

Assuming you got a room that's designated for the view type you received, I'll have to disagree.

So you feel that if DVC designates a room as having a certain amenity, and it doesn't, that is fine? If DVC designates a room as a a "2 bedroom" and someone pays extra for that, and then upon arrival finds out it is really a 1 bedroom, you feel that the person should pay for a 2 bedroom, because DVC "designated" the room as a "2 bedroom"?
I guess if you paid for a jar of peanut butter labeled 16 ounces, but found out it weighed 12 ounces, you'd be fine with that, because the manufacturer "designated" it as 16 ounces.
I was mislead by DVC into paying extra for a room with an amenity that didn't exist. The proof of this is that DVC later changed the category of the room. Therefore, I am entitled to my money back.
No company that provides a product is allowed to say that they can't guarantee that the product will be as described.
If DVC wants customers to pay extra for a certain view, if that view is not available, they should clearly state, "Although you are paying extra for a garden view, the view may instead be of a garage and not a garden."

 

[disneynutz]

Disney and other resorts tend to over state their views. While staying in a room at WL, CM's asked if they could enter our room, they went to the balcony, took some notes and started to leave. I asked what they were doing and they said that they were going to change our view category to a lake view. I said that you can't see the lake from inside the room, they said that you can from the balcony if you turn sideways.

Bill

 

[Dean]

So you feel that if DVC designates a room as having a certain amenity, and it doesn't, that is fine? If DVC designates a room as a a "2 bedroom" and someone pays extra for that, and then upon arrival finds out it is really a 1 bedroom, you feel that the person should pay for a 2 bedroom, because DVC "designated" the room as a "2 bedroom"?
I guess if you paid for a jar of peanut butter labeled 16 ounces, but found out it weighed 12 ounces, you'd be fine with that, because the manufacturer "designated" it as 16 ounces.
I was mislead by DVC into paying extra for a room with an amenity that didn't exist. The proof of this is that DVC later changed the category of the room. Therefore, I am entitled to my money back.
No company that provides a product is allowed to say that they can't guarantee that the product will be as described.
If DVC wants customers to pay extra for a certain view, if that view is not available, they should clearly state, "Although you are paying extra for a garden view, the view may instead be of a garage and not a garden."

I think you're reading too much into the designation. Just like the rooms at BWV that are obstructed by vegetation or at VB that can't see the ocean but are on the ocean side. The fact is you're not paying for a view, even though you thought you were apparently, you're paying for a room in that category. IMO unless DVC is going to change the classification of that room or gave you a room that wasn't actually in that group, they should not have refunded points. Just another example of DVC being reactive rather than proactive. Your other examples don't apply in this situation, likely a better example would be the weight of a steak uncooked at a restaurant.

 

[carlbarry]

I think you're reading too much into the designation. Just like the rooms at BWV that are obstructed by vegetation or at VB that can't see the ocean but are on the ocean side. The fact is you're not paying for a view, even though you thought you were apparently, you're paying for a room in that category. IMO unless DVC is going to change the classification of that room or gave you a room that wasn't actually in that group, they should not have refunded points. Just another example of DVC being reactive rather than proactive. Your other examples don't apply in this situation, likely a better example would be the weight of a steak uncooked at a restaurant.

So if DVC "designates" a studio as a 1 bedroom, and charges me for a 1 bedroom, and then I arrive and it's a studio, that's OK, I should pay for the 1 bedroom because DVC designated it as such. Gee, maybe I should pay for a room at Aulani, and they send me to HHI, because they're "designating" the HHI as being in Oahu.

 

[southerngirl528]

Oddly, when I stayed at Aulani shortly after it opened (I received a gift book for being one of the first to book), I ordered a "mountain view" room. It, too was mainly of the Marrioutt's garage. However, from the balcony, I could see a bit of ocean off to the left. When I got home, I complained to Member Services, and they returned to my account 1 point per night.

I've visited Aulani 4 times, staying there 3 different trips and though we have booked Ocean View every time, I know that view you refer to (just from spending so much time in and around the resort) and if you were looking toward the JW parking garage, you should have had at least some peekaboo views of some really beautiful mountains off to the north of the resort. Really pretty views even if seen over the top of the garage. Not too many mountain view rooms get a little view of the ocean as well, so not to be a party pooper but that sounds like a tiny bit of a bonus if you had paid for and booked "mountain" view.

I think sometimes people think whatever view they have booked should include nothing else but a view of whatever: "mountain", "ocean", "garden", "Lake", etc. etc., when in reality at almost every hotel, timeshare, condo or what have you that I have ever stayed at, there is a view of other things like a parking garage, or other buildings, or an expansive lawn in front of the ocean view, or ???

As for ocean views at Aulani, in my 3 different stays in 3 different months of the year, my ocean view villas booked on my DVC points have had fabulous views of the ocean. BUT…… I also had to look over the pool area and to varying degrees, the JW (soon to be Four Seasons) to see that beautiful ocean view. I suppose some might say it was really a pool view because we had so much view of the Waikalohe Valley area (all the pools at Aulani), but that ocean was right out there to see if I just looked "out" rather than "down".