Disney won't let me merge two reservations, advice needed

[jolynne28]

I updated my other post with this, but I thought I'd start a fresh one since this is a new issue.

I have been trying to add 1 night, a Friday, to the front end of our trip in mid November for the last 10 months. On my other post I got a lot of good recommendations for how to do this, and last night I was finally able to get the Friday by booking Thursday Nov 14 to Saturday Nov 16.
I then called to merge this reservation with the one we already had for Nov 16-23, with the intention of dropping Nov 14. The cast member I spoke with, while nice, was not very knowledgeable and had me on hold for a very long time, only to come back and tell me that I couldn't merge these two reservations because they were coded differently. I booked the same category, so that's not the issue. I explained my frustration with the process, and told her I didn't understand why I could have the Friday night if I stayed Thursday too, but not on the front end of our weeklong stay. She placed me on hold again, and then came back and said I needed to wait 4-5 days and try calling back to see if I could do it then.
Does anyone have experience with this issue? Am I missing something logistically speaking as to why I can't get the Friday added to my previous reservation? I don't understand why I need to wait to call, and she didn't really have a good explanation. I think she said something about it being new in their system and it needed to be there for a few days before they could try and do anything with it. That didn't make sense to me.
We leave in 17 days, and honestly I just want this to be done so I can not go on the Disney site multiple times a day and just prepare for our trip.
Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[H3OHIO]

Just because you have the dates on 2 different reservations doesn't mean there is a site available to merge the dates together. You currently have 2 different sites booked according to the reservation system. I know it may sound confusing but a site with the dates you want might not be available.... You may have to stay Friday night in one site then move to another site the next day.

 

[snowmedic]

I think the dropping the day is what is stopping your merger, Disney doesn’t like when we try and drop days. When I tried to drop a day awhile back they where looking in there system for the total time we wanted to stay and kept saying nothing was available, but this was on a single ressie not two. I did end up waiting a day or two and calling back and was able to drop the day i didn’t need.

 

[jolynne28]

Just because you have the dates on 2 different reservations doesn't mean there is a site available to merge the dates together. You currently have 2 different sites booked according to the reservation system. I know it may sound confusing but a site with the dates you want might not be available.... You may have to stay Friday night in one site then move to another site the next day.

We would be fine with that, I totally understand what you are saying. I guess I'm confused as to why they will let me book Thursday and Friday at one site, but not just the Friday. We will be traveling on the Thursday and staying somewhere along the way.

 

[Stork]

Seems to have been a lot of rule changes regarding FW reservations lately. The 499 day prior to checkout changed to prior to checkin. There have been complaints about people booking a one night "throw away" reservation. Perhaps this "2-night" minimum is a result of that.

Just because you have the dates on 2 different reservations doesn't mean there is a site available to merge the dates together. You currently have 2 different sites booked according to the reservation system. I know it may sound confusing but a site with the dates you want might not be available....

The OP didn't say which sites they booked for either res. I'm assuming they are both for the same, Preferred, Premium, whatever, so the site itself has to be available. Knocking off one day doesn't seem unreasonable. Suggestion...

Call back and ask them to MODIFY your current reservation for the actual dates you want, vice DROPPING a day off your add-on res.

 

[jolynne28]

I think the dropping the day is what is stopping your merger, Disney doesn’t like when we try and drop days. When I tried to drop a day awhile back they where looking in there system for the total time we wanted to stay and kept saying nothing was available, but this was on a single ressie not two. I did end up waiting a day or two and calling back and was able to drop the day i didn’t need.

Do you think I should call back and just merge the reservations, then wait a few days and call to drop the Thursday we don't need?

 

[jolynne28]

Seems to have been a lot of rule changes regarding FW reservations lately. The 499 day prior to checkout changed to prior to checkin. There have been complaints about people booking a one night "throw away" reservation. Perhaps this "2-night" minimum is a result of that.


The OP didn't say which sites they booked for either res. I'm assuming they are both for the same, Preferred, Premium, whatever, so the site itself has to be available. Knocking off one day doesn't seem unreasonable. Suggestion...

Call back and ask them to MODIFY your current reservation for the actual dates you want, vice DROPPING a day off your add-on res.

Thanks, I booked the same category, Premium, for both reservations. I didn't think you were assigned a specific site until arrival, but I definitely have no idea how the reservation system works on the back end. I think this poster was saying that what was available for the two nights is a different site than what I've got booked for the following 7.

Does anyone have an extension for a cast member that they use that is very knowledgeable and helpful regarding reservations?

 

[Heather07438]

I've read on other threads that the reservation system was changed. Even if there is availability, it won't allow a reservation that leaves days dangling in their system. I'm not sure of exactly how and when the system is doing this, but I've seen many threads on this topic.

What they have in common is someone is trying to get a small trip on certain days with no availability. If they put in different longer dates that cover those days, it can show avail'ty. Somebody asked a CM and they explained that the system leans towards filling gaps in the system so if you want Sun/Mon and the system has an opening for Sun/Mon/Tues it will only show open for someone asking for the 3 days, not 2.

 

[bjschil]

We have typically added days on the front or end of our reservations. When we checked in, they simply told us to come back to the office the day of the 2nd reservation, and never ever have we had to change sites. There were a couple of times at check in that they were able to modify them together.

 

[jolynne28]

We have typically added days on the front or end of our reservations. When we checked in, they simply told us to come back to the office the day of the 2nd reservation, and never ever have we had to change sites. There were a couple of times at check in that they were able to modify them together.

I'm not sure how to do this b/c the 2nd reservation I made includes the night before we will arrive. I don't need that night, just the following one.

 

[jolynne28]

It's done! I decided while I was reading everyone's comments to call and try again. They ended up simply modifying my original reservation with the additional night, which I could never do online, then canceling the reservation I made last night.
This experience almost put me in the nuthouse. Hallelujah, holy heck, where's the tylenol??

 

[bama_ed]

Good for you finally, jolynne28.

That initial response in your message at the very top is garbage. If there was a problem with your reservations being two different types, the CM wouldn't tell you to call back in a few days because if that were true, it would never be able to merge. Example: merging a room-only reservation that got a discount and a room-only reservation at rack rate. That could never merge. They were giving you the stall. The hold time to get to your issue was probably taking too long so they blew you off.

But in the last year, even on the Resort DIS board, people report Disney being tougher on dropping nights. As a reminder, in her example, she had Nov 16-23 and wanted to add the 15th. But Disney's system doesn't look for 1 night same type, it's looking for Nov 15-23 availability (ha!) and of course there is none. But the new res/merge approach works (they love to add and are reluctant to drop). Then they re-apply the old reservation number to make it appear as a modification. If you try it months in advance, sometimes the system works automatically (if there is still capacity). But closer in or at busier times, there is less chance of the system working. Hence the call.

You proved it CAN Be done, jolynne28.

Bama Ed

 

[Stork]

It's done!...This experience almost put me in the nuthouse. Hallelujah, holy heck, where's the tylenol??

You DID mean, "where's the Tequila, right?"
Congrats on getting the reservations YOU wanted. Well done, Jolynne28.

 

[jolynne28]

I’m happy it all worked out, but it is embarrassing how many hours of my life I spent over the last 10 months trying to get this day added. It was for my parents, so that we could all arrive and check in on the same day.
I think what disappoints me most is the total crap shoot it is when you call to talk to a cast member. Some are super helpful and knowledgeable, others seem like it’s their first day, and then there’s everything in between. I prefer chat communication, but they can’t do a lot on that end.
Thanks to all that replied, this board has been invaluable as we begin our years of Disney with our kids and our new-to-us trailer.

 

[jolynne28]

You DID mean, "where's the Tequila, right?"
Congrats on getting the reservations YOU wanted. Well done, Jolynne28.

And my mom brain can’t process this, I am totally missing the joke. I can’t get Clark W Griswold out of my head

 

[Jimsig]

I think what disappoints me most is the total crap shoot it is when you call to talk to a cast member. Some are super helpful and knowledgeable, others seem like it’s their first day, and then there’s everything in between. I prefer chat communication, but they can’t do a lot on that end.
Thanks to all that replied, this board has been invaluable as we begin our years of Disney with our kids and our new-to-us trailer.

There is a term used when dealing with customer service (not just Disney) when you know you should be able to do something but the CM/agent say's it's not possible. It's called HUCA. Sounded out it's (Hooka), Hang Up Call Again.

Unfortunately for Disney there are a lot of CM's who think they are giving you the correct answer and they are not. I have a relative who is a CM and she always has told me to ask for a supervisor when you know for a fact that something can be done and they tell you it can't. She's even asked for a super when she's had issues.

 

[Disneypeach]

I had success merging reservations by asking to be transferred to “guest services” rather than just talking to the regular reservations CM. Guest Services has more power to make things happen is what I was told.
glad things worked out for you.