How do DVC member deal with this, or is it just Larry?

[DVC Mike]

No, because I have no standing to complain. I wasn't personally affected. However, that certainly doesn't mean I can't be outraged by yet again another example of poor performance by Disney from top to bottom.

While venting on discussion forums may make one feel good, it doesn't accomplish anything. If you don't contact Disney to complain, how will they know if you are outraged? If they got little to no complaints from the public, they certainly won't see the need to improve their testing process, will they?

I was affected by the ADR problem and I have complained to member services and will be sending off a letter to Jim Lewis shortly.

It's true; every contact made should be seen as an opportunity to add DVC members.

How is DVC Member Services going to address a problem which occurred in another division of Disney? DVC has nothing to do with the online ADR system. Complaints about the DVC member web site should be directed to DVC Member Satisfaction, but complaints about the online ADR system should be addressed to WDW Guest Communications.

[Ian]

How is DVC Member Services going to address a problem which occurred in another division of Disney? DVC has nothing to do with the online ADR system. Complaints about the DVC member web site should be directed to DVC Member Satisfaction, but complaints about the online ADR system should be addressed to WDW Guest Communications.

Once again, I totally and completely disagree.

Since DVC's guests were to be affected by the new ADR system going on line it was certainly their responsibility to ensure that their guests would be adequately supported. For someone who's been in the software development world for 30+ years, I'd think you'd be aware of "user acceptance testing."

And beyond all that even, if I'm a DVC Member, Member Services should listen to any complaints I have, regardless if if they're DVC related or not. They should act as an internal steward for my problems to ensure they're acted on in a timely manner.

While I agree fundamentally that specific non-DVC issues should be directed appropriately, I also firmly believe that if they arrive at Member Services they should be handled by them and not shuttled off with a, "Not my problem ... " attitude.

One of the biggest problems with the Walt Disney Company these days is the ridiculous silos they've allowed to form. They're not an "inside-out" company, they're "outside-in."

Everyone just points fingers at someone else ... that's DVC's issue, not ours ... that's WDW Guest Relations' issue, not ours ... that's Corporate's problem, not ours ... that's a Disneyland issue, not ours ... you need to call Consumer Products, we can't help you with that ... that's an online issue ... blah blah blah.

I couldn't care less. It's a DISNEY issue and the Cast Members in every nook and cranny of the company should care and should work hard to resolve it.

[d_m_n_n]

Member Services is paid for by the dues of DVC members, and thus they should be focused on responding to DVC members. I wouldn't want them to spend time responding to non-members, as that is the job of DVD, the marketing arm, which my dues don't cover.

Now I'm asking...I was told by the DVC member giving us the points that the week we are visiting, we are considered DVC members...that we can attend all events held by DVC, pool hop, etc. Is this correct or not? I don't want to head to another resort or the member parties in the community rooms, only to be turned away as non-DVC members.

[greengeen]

Unless you have a DVC membership card you're not treated as a member and you're not entitled to membership perks. In fact your parking pass and room key will specify whether you're a member or not. You'll be a guest. As a guest, you're treated just like other non-DVC guests.

And I don't see why membership services should be expected to answer loaded rhetorical questions from non-members.

[d_m_n_n]

Wow. Now I wish I would have declined the offer of the points and used the free dining pin I received in the mail. Looks to me like the DVC is not something we are going to bother buying in to...

[DVC Mike]

Once again, I totally and completely disagree.

Since you're not going to complain to Disney, I guess it really doesn't matter, does it? We can debate the issue on INTERCOT, but that really results in nothing but wasted time, doesn't it?

While I agree fundamentally that specific non-DVC issues should be directed appropriately, I also firmly believe that if they arrive at Member Services they should be handled by them and not shuttled off with a, "Not my problem ... " attitude.

So, you called DVC MS to complain and they said it wasn't their problem? Oh wait, that can't be since you said you didn't complain. What is your point?

I'm done with this discussion, as you clearly have an axe to grind that is not at all related to online ADRs. Good day.

[JPL]

Everyone just points fingers at someone else ... that's DVC's issue, not ours ... that's WDW Guest Relations' issue, not ours ... that's Corporate's problem, not ours ... that's a Disneyland issue, not ours ... you need to call Consumer Products, we can't help you with that ... that's an online issue ... blah blah blah.

I couldn't care less. It's a DISNEY issue and the Cast Members in every nook and cranny of the company should care and should work hard to resolve it.

I couldn't agree more! Nobody is saying I had a problem with Disney online when booking my trip. They say my Trip to WDW was disappointing. The average person has no idea or as Ian said cares about what department the problem stemmed from it's seen as an issue with Disney.


The fact that the system was allowed to go live while shutting out any guest(let alone it's most loyal guests) is just a poor business decision. It goes against the ideology that every guest is equally important.

[hubbyofadisneyholic]

Getting back to the OP's situation for a moment...

While I don't want my fees sucked up by non-member issues, it would have taken just as much time to send a useful appropriate response as it took to send this senseless totally pointless reply.

Even if they are using canned "boilerplate" type messages it wouldn't be that hard to create one directing the person to the correct source.

[Ian]

I'm done with this discussion, as you clearly have an axe to grind that is not at all related to online ADRs. Good day.

Oddly enough I had no axe to grind whatsoever and originally just offered feedback to the OP.

But, truth-be-told, I found your statements just so fundamentally odd that I felt compelled to reply with an opposing viewpoint.

Frankly, it appears to me as though you're more than willing to accept sub-mediocrity from a company into which you've poured tens of thousands of dollars and I just find that very, very hard to understand.

But then again it's you're money and you're certainly entitled to your opinion on the value you get back for it. But I kinda felt like the OP was being told, "Hey ... you called the wrong number, so you get what you get." and I didn't feel like that was an appropriate response.

And now I, as well, am finished with this discussion. On day in which we're mourning the loss of a CM killed in an accident, it seems like a pointless and irrelevant conversation to continue.

[dlpmikki]

Unless you have a DVC membership card you're not treated as a member and you're not entitled to membership perks. In fact your parking pass and room key will specify whether you're a member or not. You'll be a guest. As a guest, you're treated just like other non-DVC guests.

Unless things have changed when you rent points your room card will say DVC member. However Disney are now asking for the membership card to get more and more of the perks. Technically if you are renting you should not be treated as a member but Disney has not really enforced this in the past. They do seem to be beginning to.

[d_m_n_n]

Well, after 3 emails, 1 live chat and 4 phone calls (each department telling me to call another department) I think I may have figured out why the My Disney Vacation site is not working for me. Sadly, if the DVC operator would have let me ask 1 (yes or no) question I think this could have been solved a long time ago. Oh well, lesson learned!

[lockedoutlogic]

No, that's pretty much it.

Larry read "the manual" and did what it told him to do. Anything additional would have required some actual thought and, well, for $8.25 an hour you don't get a whole lot of thinking going on.

$8.25?!?!

what happened...the minimum wage go up again?

[lockedoutlogic]

I don't think DVC members are treated as second class citizens...per se....

But a reality is that they are not catered too. And the reason is simple: the sale has already been made and there is no advantage in Disney's corporate thinking guidebook to catering to or even contacting members without a sale of SOMETHING being imminent.

It's banked money....they just generally stay hands off and watch it grow at the ticket window and the gift shops.

That is contrary to what things were like at WDW by and large before DVC....the old attitude was to go out of the way to appreciate every dollar spent....particulary by the repeat clientele.

Not so in the post "disney decade"...one rife with executive stock options and downsizing the bottom in an attempt to increase the profit margin.

Let's be serious: maybe we get a call now and then (the salesmen are required to complete a certain number of follow ups)...maybe some like doing this and are better than others....

but the only time we usually hear from DVC after the sale is with the constant bombardment of material and calls for upselling. I wish i had saved all the "new interest" pamphlets over just the last 3 years....as i probably could have rebuilt a tree from scratch.

But when things slump...and disney needs a fanny to warm....they throw ads at the general public that visits much less than DVC....instead of (to be realistic...they could do both) perhaps giving the DVC a few good deal opportunities for a limited time basis that might not be as large of influx of cash...but would be a nice gesture of gratitude to the small percentage of clientele that has shown the HIGHEST level of support to Disney.

there's no question: that's the DVC (and weddings....and former employees going back repeatedly after they've seen the wizard)

...guess i'm all 3

[DizneyRox]

Do other's guides still call when you visit? I was expecting the "Welcome Home" on our recent trip and didn't get it. Not a big deal, but kindof reinforces the he's already paid, so no big deal mentality...

[lockedoutlogic]

Do other's guides still call when you visit? I was expecting the "Welcome Home" on our recent trip and didn't get it. Not a big deal, but kindof reinforces the he's already paid, so no big deal mentality...

it's sporadic....

that used to be a policy of the front desk agents at WDW resorts long before DVC...to call at least a decent percentage and check up on the stay....but it went by the wayside long ago...
we get call maybe 1 outta 4 trips....and i expect that to end unless we "hurry! before the points go up (monthly)" and buy 100 points at Animal Kingdom

[Donald A]

I am getting into this discussion a little late but must say I see both sides to the original posters complaint. First, member services does not deal with non-members ..... period. That is just the way it is. I sorta see why because our dues pay for MEMBER services. On the other hand, Larry could have been a bit more kind and sent an email back with a link to the correct people to contact. Certainly a "canned" reply can also be created to re-direct non-members. Truth of the matter is Larry probably is not paid to answer the emails and if he doesn't see a member number he just sends out a response asking for it.