Upset DVC member

[Aly]

Hi there - I just want to rant a bit having spoken to member services.

I rang them to alter my second week (3rd June to 10th June) from Saratoga Springs(home resort) to Vero Beach. Having cancelled the second week at SSR he proceeded to tell me off that I couldn't do it as I hadn't reached the 7 month point and that I should ring back again on Friday and book 1 night, then Monday and book 3 nights, then Tuesday and book 1 night ........ and so on until I had booked a full week! He then had to go back in and reinstate my 2 weeks at SSR. I told him that we had reached the 7 month point - November. no one had ever told me that it had to be to the actual date of the holiday, just that it had to be the month.

Now call me stupid, but what if I manage to book a couple of nights at Vero Beach and then they run out of availability, we'll have to pack up and return to SSR - doesn't this sound a bit inconvenient?

I was told that there is not a lot of availability for 2 bedrooms for the week I want - but having spoken to my parents and DH have decided to leave it for a full week before ringing again.

Worst case scenario (which isn't actually that bad!) we spend 2 weeks at SSR, but it would be nice to have a 2 centre holiday. I just find this policy to be rather stupid.

[OKWTink]

Yeah, it is an inconvenient policy, but I do know its been in effect for quite some time. It's all well and good to say to call and make reservations day by day, they don't have to pay the phone bill, eh? :rolleyes:

I know many folks do that though. I'm with you. I'd wait until I was seven months out from the LAST day of my Vero Beach dates and then call.

It is nice to have a two part holiday and I hope it works out for you. Vero Beach really is quite popular and can be tricky to get sometimes. (Especially the weekends).

Good luck! :luck:

[Aly]

Thanks OKWTink - I think I just needed to get that off my chest last night. Feeling much better today - still think it's a daft policy though!

[OKWTink]

I do agree with you. :yes: On the other hand, I guess there has to be a "cut off" policy at some point. :shrug:

Ach. At least now that you are familiar with it, you'll be able to work around it, eh?

Have a grand time! :excited:

[susieh]

We were told we could only book 11 months to the day from the date of check out so I have always booked our vacations day by day. Yes it is a pain but it has always been like that (since 1996 anyway).

[Scoootch]

Unfortunately, that has always been the policy to my knowledge as well and I've been a member for 8yrs now.

This is precisely why it makes me so crazy that so many of the guides sell DVC with the "Oh yeah....SSR (or whatever resort they may have been selling at the time) will be your home resort but you can stay anywhere....No problem":hissy: They conveniently fail to mention that certain resorts and certain times of the year can be quite difficult to book at the 7month mark. Vero beach is one of them during late spring / summer months sometimes. OKW in a GV is tough certain times of the year as are certain catagories at BW or BCV's and VWL just because they're smaller. But if you ask the DVC guides they make it sound like you would never have a problem:grrr: I know of many people who've posted that to get VWL for this Dec. they booked day by day right at the 7month mark. It's the smallest of the DVC resorts and it falls in a low pt. season. The only way to really get certain ressies is to either have that resort as your home resort or to do the day by day booking:shrug: Not such a big deal if it's a once in a while thing but if it will be having to book day by day every year because it's not your home resort, it makes you really wish you'd been armed with more info. before buying in.

Anyway....hope you get the ressies you're looking for. If all else fails you can always waitlist and hope for the best. Lots of people will book 8 to 11 months in advance and then call and cancel or change their exact dates when it gets closer for all different reasons so ya never know.:fingers:

[Aly]

Thanks all - Scoootch I didn't know that you could go on a waiting list, so I'll do that if I can't get the full week.
Cheers
Alyson