Another Member Services Change....

[nasmith]

Actually it does happen a lot depending on which resort and what type of room you are trying to book. Some rooms are so popular that they are very hard to book unless you pick up one day at a time from the walkers (I'm looking at you Value and CL at AKL, and Std at BWV). But in my current case, I was actually able to grab two nights within 30 days check-in as people cancelled them.

I have been unlucky with trying to use Chat- it never seems available when I go to the website. And twice I've had emails go unanswered by MS (albeit, those emails were in regards to IT issues and not modifying). I may try the email route next time or hope that I can "chat" with someone. I was just surprised that MS could not just take care of the issue during that call (which is what happened to me in the past (Prob. pre-2020)) and that I was on hold with her for 20 minutes while she put in the request (How can that possibly save MS any time when the request takes 20" and then someone else has to use time actually modifying it!).

Thanks all for the feedback!!

 

[Sandisw]

Actually it does happen a lot depending on which resort and what type of room you are trying to book. Some rooms are so popular that they are very hard to book unless you pick up one day at a time from the walkers (I'm looking at you Value and CL at AKL, and Std at BWV). But in my current case, I was actually able to grab two nights within 30 days check-in as people cancelled them.

I have been unlucky with trying to use Chat- it never seems available when I go to the website. And twice I've had emails go unanswered by MS (albeit, those emails were in regards to IT issues and not modifying). I may try the email route next time or hope that I can "chat" with someone. I was just surprised that MS could not just take care of the issue during that call (which is what happened to me in the past (Prob. pre-2020)) and that I was on hold with her for 20 minutes while she put in the request (How can that possibly save MS any time when the request takes 20" and then someone else has to use time actually modifying it!).

Thanks all for the feedback!!

For chat, just stay on the site for a short time…it will always pop up. I have never waited more than 10 minutes max..most no more than 5 to get into the que.

I also am not sure it is just to save time…I think it’s to keep those types of changes being done by less CMs to eliminate errors.

Even with Chat now, they are piloting a program to see if CMs can do actual bookings, modifying, etc. I got one a few weeks back who was part of it.

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

I wonder if they could make this form available on the website for members to fill out. It seems like an odd extra step to need to contact DVC so they can fill out a form, and then someone else does the task within a week. The CM asked for my member number and the reservation numbers of the reservations to be merged.

 

[nasmith]

That's brilliant Where'sPiglet?! They should absolutely make the form available online which would make it perfectly clear what they should merge. Yes, I know we can email them- but a form would make it so much more obvious and less prone to errors in my opinion.
And Thanks SanDisw- I'll keep checking for chat...

 

[nasmith]

Success via Chat- Took Sandisw suggestion and hung out online for awhile, eventually chat popped up with only an 8 minute wait! Thanks again!

 

[Evita_W]

DH used chat and had a similar experience, but this seems like one of those things that you should be able to do yourself online, perhaps with a few confirmation boxes along the way to ensure people don't do it accidentally. Really, it can't be too hard to merge multiple reservations together.

 

[Sandisw]

DH used chat and had a similar experience, but this seems like one of those things that you should be able to do yourself online, perhaps with a few confirmation boxes along the way to ensure people don't do it accidentally. Really, it can't be too hard to merge multiple reservations together.

I think it requires some level of cancel, hold, and add them back in to one.

So, I can understand leaving it to CMs, but I think the idea of an online form to fill in and submit is a great idea! I already sent an email to them saying someone had come up with an idea to have the form online!!

 

[cvjw]

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

Got the welcome home email yesterday. Just took a couple days for them to combine the reservation. Did not take 5-7 days.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Today I needed to combine 2 reservations together that are next week. I started out dialing in and then logged into the website to get the reservation numbers as well as to see if chat was available. Phone call gave and estimated - 68 minute wait. Chat was available immediately. They said they'd submit the request which because of the travel dates should be done within 24 hours. The confirmation email arrived just a little over 1 1/2 hours after the chat ended or approx about the time I'd have been getting off the phone to request it.

 

[Sandisw]

Update that the request i put in Friday was merged today. So 4 days, with no one working yesterday!

Be sure if tot are using points from more than one contract tot double check it pulled the same way.

My nights were at RIV and I had used my 3 restricted banked RIV points in the original night and finished up with SSR. When the combined, they used all SSR.

Wasn't a big deal to modify and I only realized it when I went to book something else and was short.

 

[disneynutz]

It depends on who answered the phone. Some CMs have the ability, some do not. Chat also has some limitations depending on what you are requesting. Email via the member website seems to work best and the CMs aren't being timed to complete your call.

 

[bumbershoot]

I wonder if they could make this form available on the website for members to fill out.

Just email. Easy. No need for a form, just send them an email.

"Hi, please merge my one-bedroom stay #abcdefg at Beach Club March 4-8 with my one-bedroom stay #hijklmn at Beach Club March 9-11 to make one continuous stay from March 4-11 in the one-bedroom at Beach Club. Thank you!!"

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

Just email. Easy. No need for a form, just send them an email.

"Hi, please merge my one-bedroom stay #abcdefg at Beach Club March 4-8 with my one-bedroom stay #hijklmn at Beach Club March 9-11 to make one continuous stay from March 4-11 in the one-bedroom at Beach Club. Thank you!!"

I requested a merge through chat within the last few weeks and sent them the info above. The CM replied she was putting the info into a form so someone else could do the actual merge. I wonder if a similar step happens with email.
All I’m saying is it seems like the initial contact step and transfer of info could be streamlined….or not.

 

[Isamar]

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.

Sorry for going off-topic, but what’s the “+10 dining perk”? (sudden anxiety that I’ve been missing out on something )

 

[Sandisw]

Sorry for going off-topic, but what’s the “+10 dining perk”? (sudden anxiety that I’ve been missing out on something )

You can make reservations from the start of reservations, but only for the check in/check out date. So, when trips are not yet merged, you have a different window for dining.

 

[bobbiwoz]

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

Today I got the email with the three single night stays rolled into one seamless reservation! I followed walkers, and got standard view BWV studio in December!

 

[Evita_W]

I think it requires some level of cancel, hold, and add them back in to one.

So, I can understand leaving it to CMs, but I think the idea of an online form to fill in and submit is a great idea! I already sent an email to them saying someone had come up with an idea to have the form online!!

But the point is it shouldn't involve all of that. It should be able to see, oh this is the same room type at the same resort with the same people, I can merge these if you want. I don't think it should be automatic in case someone doesn't want them merged for some odd reason.

 

[n2mm]

Today I got the email with the three single night stays rolled into one seamless reservation! I followed walkers, and got standard view BWV studio in December!

congrats, how long did it take to get this done after the email. I was getting ready to do this exact thing.

 

[bobbiwoz]

congrats, how long did it take to get this done after the email. I was getting ready to do this exact thing.

I got the initial response from MS on Saturday. That response said it would be done in 5-7 days. I got the last of the three nights on Saturday, so that’s the earliest I could have asked them to be combined.

 

[Sandisw]

But the point is it shouldn't involve all of that. It should be able to see, oh this is the same room type at the same resort with the same people, I can merge these if you want. I don't think it should be automatic in case someone doesn't want them merged for some odd reason.

I definitely don’t want it automatic. I have reasons many times why I split it up.

IMO, I’d rather the keep the website to the basics..and have those work well all the time..which it isn’t currently..then try more complicated things.

To me, it’s not a big deal to have to submit a request to get it done. Just don’t see it as a problem that needs to be fixed.