Moonlight Magic Booking: worst experience ever!

[Lionhearted]

Tried to book tickets early sat in the queue online for an hour and when it was my turn wouldn’t let me book saying that I didn’t have a reservation on that date. We actually had cashed paid for extra days just to attend. When it said that I immediately called 800 number and sat on hold for almost 3.5 hours. Even tried online chat with member services to only get as far as “to request supervisor call back”.

Now the event is sold out (can always try in a week) but this is insane. We did everything we were supposed to do yet because of some error on Disney’s end couldn’t get tickets.

 

[Madame]

Tried to book tickets early sat in the queue online for an hour and when it was my turn wouldn’t let me book saying that I didn’t have a reservation on that date. We actually had cashed paid for extra days just to attend. When it said that I immediately called 800 number and sat on hold for almost 3.5 hours. Even tried online chat with member services to only get as far as “to request supervisor call back”.

Now the event is sold out (can always try in a week) but this is insane. We did everything we were supposed to do yet because of some error on Disney’s end couldn’t get tickets.

You’re not alone. This happened to several members this go round & previously. Some call to get MS to do sthg to their reservation to make sure it’s linked. I had a room booked on our non-qualified BCV points and gave it up to book a different resort with our qualified SSR contract to avoid problems. All this & I barely made it through the queue before it sold out. The system stinks.

 

[bwvBound]

Did you intentionally request to have the Cash Reservation noted as "DVC MEMBER" for the purposes of early registration?

 

[Lionhearted]

No we booked the reservation after we had booked the DVC portion because they didn’t have the event posted. All the reservations showed up in the my experience app/website. One rep even told my wife that it showed up easily in their system and couldn’t explain why it didn’t show it when trying to get tickets

 

[Lionhearted]

You’re not alone. This happened to several members this go round & previously. Some call to get MS to do sthg to their reservation to make sure it’s linked. I had a room booked on our non-qualified BCV points and gave it up to book a different resort with our qualified SSR contract to avoid problems. All this & I barely made it through the queue before it sold out. The system stinks.

The system showed sold out about 40 minutes after it told me I didn’t have reservation. That’s what bothers me (other than sitting on hold via phone for over three hours)

 

[bwvBound]

FWIW, I have a non-DVC reservation booked at SSR over one of the MM dates. From prior year's experience, I phoned MS prior to event registration and requested that they note my reservation as "DVC Member qualified for MM event." They did so, indicating that it was a manual process to have the non-DVC reservation added to the "qualified" list.

 

[Lionhearted]

FWIW, I have a non-DVC reservation booked at SSR over one of the MM dates. From prior year's experience, I phoned MS prior to event registration and requested that they note my reservation as "DVC Member qualified for MM event." They did so, indicating that it was a manual process to have the non-DVC reservation added to the "qualified" list.

That’s crazy to have to do all that. You’d figure if they have all their apps, websites, etc noting your DVC membership and you book through their website/app it would all communicate or they’d authorize their reps to do more on super busy days

 

[bobbiwoz]

It’s happened to me, and try as I could, I never got a positive resolution. I hope you can get some positive outcome.

 

[Lionhearted]

It’s happened to me, and try as I could, I never got a positive resolution. I hope you can get some positive outcome.

Did you get a chance to talk to supervisor?

 

[bobbiwoz]

Did you get a chance to talk to supervisor?

Yes, I had. I was continuously told to try at the next try time. I was on a Trans Pacific cruise at the time, so not a chance to do that, and I had told them that. It’s water under the bridge now, but I did not get in. At the beginning, I was hopeful.

 

[Lionhearted]

Yes, I had. I was continuously told to try at the next try time. I was on a Trans Pacific cruise at the time, so not a chance to do that, and I had told them that. It’s water under the bridge now, but I did not get in. At the beginning, I was hopeful.

I’m on hold again for a supervisor now if they can’t do anything since it was their systems fault I’m just going to cancel my cash portion of trip

 

[DisneyPiPhi]

I also have a cash reservation at a qualifying hotel, got through the queue, and was kicked out for not having a hotel reservation. I called Member Services at just before 10:00am ET and after explaining the trouble and hearing the explanations of (a) yeah, we know this is a problem and (b) you should call to have the reservations linked/qualified, I took up their offer to be escalated to a Member Services supervisor.

Here is what I shared with a Member Services supervisor today, which I also posted in the AK Moonlight Magic Booking thread:

I held for 90 minutes for a Member Services supervisor. She was very polite. I told her that I understood that I am out of luck, but that I think there are two solutions to this known problem:

1. Place a note on the Moonlight Magic website telling people what I was told twice today - that those with cash reservations should call Member Services at least one week before the RSVP date to make sure that their cash reservation is "connected" to their DVC members.
   
   
2. Instead of just kicking members out of the queue when then known problem of cross-referencing a cash reservation occurs, include a step in the process that allows members to manually input their room only or package confirmation number from the Walt Disney Travel Company in case their cash reservation isn't recognized. I am aware that these are two different systems, but one should be able to "pull" from another, like it is supposed to do prior to the RSVP date. A simple, "Sorry, we can't find your reservation number. Please enter it here," would suffice.

She encouraged me to try again on June 12, which I may or may not have time to do.

 

[Lionhearted]

I also have a cash reservation at a qualifying hotel, got through the queue, and was kicked out for not having a hotel reservation. I called Member Services at just before 10:00am ET and after explaining the trouble and hearing the explanations of (a) yeah, we know this is a problem and (b) you should call to have the reservations linked/qualified, I took up their offer to be escalated to a Member Services supervisor.

Here is what I shared with a Member Services supervisor today, which I also posted in the AK Moonlight Magic Booking thread:

Almost exactly what the supervisor told me. Also she added that they can basically add tickets on case by case basis (guess we don’t qualify) and that these events are designed for DVC members using points (even though they don’t release dates until way under 6 months)

 

[sgtdisney]

That really stinks. You'd think, especially if this has happened before, they would put a note on the website for the Moonlight Madness to make sure to call, whomever, to make sure the cash reservation is fully linked. Or if it's really true that these events were designed for members using points, then be super clear about that.

 

[Lehuaann]

This happened to me, as well. All of our past MM events were booked on cash, however, the system didn’t recognize it this time.

FWIW, I have a non-DVC reservation booked at SSR over one of the MM dates. From prior year's experience, I phoned MS prior to event registration and requested that they note my reservation as "DVC Member qualified for MM event." They did so, indicating that it was a manual process to have the non-DVC reservation added to the "qualified" list.

I’ve never had to do this before, but I can assure you I’ll be doing this in the future.

 

[Lionhearted]

That really stinks. You'd think, especially if this has happened before, they would put a note on the website for the Moonlight Madness to make sure to call, whomever, to make sure the cash reservation is fully linked. Or if it's really true that these events were designed for members using points, then be super clear about that.

The whole process including explanation was ridiculous. The customer service was awful also all the way up to Supervisor. I was so angry that I voiced that if this is going to be how DVC was then I’d rather just get out of it. She then tried connecting me to someone to sell it back at a loss

 

[DisneyPiPhi]

Almost exactly what the supervisor told me. Also she added that they can basically add tickets on case by case basis (guess we don’t qualify) and that these events are designed for DVC members using points (even though they don’t release dates until way under 6 months)

Right. I couldn't have gotten a DVC room if I'd wanted to! If they design the events only for DVC members using points, then they should restrict the reservations only to DVC members staying on points. That wouldn't bother me at all - if that's their goal, then they need to change the policy and the process.

This morning was a fiasco and is a tick in the "cons" column on my DVC pros and cons list. If I can't book my home resort for our December 2020 vacation at 11 months out, we might not be members much longer. I simply don't have time to do all the maintenance work it seemingly requires to be a DVC member (i.e. 3 hours of my day dedicated to a Moonlight Magic reservation; daily walking and stalking of reservations.) I knew going in that the "magic" of DVC doesn't really live up to the guides' sales pitches, but I didn't think the situation was this bad.

 

[Lionhearted]

Right. I couldn't have gotten a DVC room if I'd wanted to! If they design the events only for DVC members using points, then they should restrict the reservations only to DVC members staying on points. That wouldn't bother me at all - if that's their goal, then they need to change the policy and the process.

This morning was a fiasco and is a tick in the "cons" column on my DVC pros and cons list. If I can't book my home resort for our December 2020 vacation at 11 months out, we might not be members much longer. I simply don't have time to do all the maintenance work it seemingly requires to be a DVC member (i.e. 3 hours of my day dedicated to a Moonlight Magic reservation; daily walking and stalking of reservations.) I knew going in that the "magic" of DVC doesn't really live up to the guides' sales pitches, but I didn't think the situation was this bad.

This is the first “bad” experience we’ve had but it’s so bad that as of right now I want out.

 

[Lehuaann]

This is the first “bad” experience we’ve had but it’s so bad that as of right now I want out.

Don’t give up yet! I agree; the resort verification was whack, but it’s not over. We still have next Wednesday

 

[chicagoshannon]

If they want it for those staying on points they need to say that and not let those with cash reservations register. Furthermore they need to then not open it up to everyone.

Do try again. I have been able to get MM twice now while staying off property. Hopefully you'll be able to next Wednesday.