Anyone ever had this problem?

[snyderla]

Has anyone ever booked a room through member services, points only...not cash...and then ended up with the room being charged to their credit card and points?

When I checked in at BCV I was told our room was ready, but there was a problem in the computer. After a few minutes the cm gave us a key to get into the room and said we could get settled in and they would call when the room keys were ready. I gave him my credit card so he could add tickets to my grandkids keys, he entered the info and gave the card back and off we went...very happy and confident that whatever the issue was, it would be fixed. Just as we finished unpacking, we received a phone call that the keys were ready, so we went down to get them. I asked the cm if the tickets were on them for the grandkids, since it was someone different than who I talked to before. She checked, they weren't, so she added them. She made a comment to another cm about something being wrong, the other cm asked if we were changing rooms and I jokingly replied "I hope not, we just unpacked!" She gave me back the keys and said we were all set. We were happy as could be and set out to play at SAB.

The next morning there was a message on the phone from the cm saying she hoped the grandkids enjoyed their day at MK! That was so nice of her. We headed off to MK, had fun, then came back around 3 for the kids to nap. There was another message, this one said "we have your credit card on file, but need you to stop by and sign for the room charges and taxes!" This concerned me greatly...since as I mentioned this was a DVC points stay...points only as every DVC stay I have ever had has been. The points had been subtracted months earlier and there should be no charges to the card for anything but the tickets. I went immediately to the front desk, said who I was and why I was there. I was very calm and pleasant. I said there should be no charges for the room, as it was DVC points. The cm said for some reason we had 2 ressies, one cash and one DVC...no idea at all how that happened...I had nothing to do with it. She said she would make a note that my credit card was not to be charged and someone would fix it. I was satisfied the problem would be resolved and thanked her. The next morning there was another message..."call the front desk as soon as you get this message." I called, the cm said she didn't know why I had recieved the message...she put me on hold then came back and told me "they are still working on the problem and just wanted you to know that noone would be calling about it while they continue to work on it"...weird I thought, but ok. I went off with my family and tried not to think about it and mostly I didn't. After all, I had been told they would not charge my card, and why would they? I had "paid" with my DVC points!

The next morning I didn't have any messages, but just to make sure it had been resolved I called the front desk and was told "there are no charges pending on your room". I thanked her and said "now I can relax!" About 20 minutes later it hit me. That did not mean they hadn't charged my card. As a matter of fact, it could me they did! So I called Disney Visa and sure enough, my card had been charged for the room! I was in tears...I had dealt with this issue everyday and I had not created this problem in anyway. I was patient and confident that Disney would resolve it (a CM is a Disney representative, and I had spoken with about 6 all together, so I feel ok writing this). Now I didn't have enough open on my card to pay for a hotel and emergency incidentals on the trip home. I went to the front desk and very discreetly and quietly asked to speak to a manager in private...I didn't want anyone to see my tears or witness this very unmagical experience. I quietly explained to the manager what had happened and he took my credit card #, cell # and DVC member# and said he would call me when he knew something. He also apologized. About 20 minutes later he called and said he didn't think he could get the charges credited before we left the next day, so he would pay out the charges and I would have the cash if needed. And whatever I didn't need I would mail back to Disney Visa myself. I agreed at this point that would help make sure we had funds available for the trip home if needed. I went back to the BCV front desk, got the money and thanked them for helping to finally resolve the issue.

I have no idea how this happened, but I sure don't want to give them my credit card number anymore! And you know what, other than the manager saying "so you have dealt with this everyday, I'm sorry", nothing. At first all I wanted was for the problem to be fixed, but as I think about it too much of my vacation time was spent dealing with this. I'm going to say it, so here goes my flame proof suit...I think compensation of some sort should have been offered. Not just giving my money back that should never have been charged in the first place...but how about a meal voucher or something. Oh yeah, and we didn't get our trash and towel service on day 4 or any housekeeping services at all. OK...what do you think? Has it ever happened to you? How was it resolved?
Lori

 

[DisDaydreamer]

I have never had this problem (with Disney). Sounds almost like it was fate.

I hesitate to share this, but on our very first trip as DVC members to our home BWV, all was going well. Our trip there got us in just at 4pm just as planned and we had almost no wait in line, but when it was time to get our room keys the key printers were not working and were likely to be down for a little while longer. DW asked if we could buy our park tickets there and we could spend some time at the parks. The CM said "yes you can... in fact we're going to give you your tickets" I am not joking... 2 adults and 2 children... 4-day park hopper passes.

I don't know if it was because the CM could see it was our first trip or what, but we were very, very happy

Keep in mind this was 9 years ago. Now a days 4pm is "after 4pm".

 

[snyderla]

OMG! Boy, were you lucky! I do tend to believe things happen for a reason, but I sure don't know why I experienced what I did at BCV. DH has said he never wants to stay there again, but I said it could have happened anywhere most likely.

 

[gracelrm]

I've never had a problem of that magnitude (thank goodness!). I did have a small problem this year using my Disney Visa Rewards Card. We were at DTD at World of Disney. DH tried to use our rewards card to pay for a couple of things. The CM said it wouldn't work, although we had just verified that we had $$$ on it on the way to DTD. No big deal, DH just put the purchase on our Debit card. A few weeks later we got our statement showing we had used the rewards card for the purchase and our bank statement showed they had charged our Debit card. Two charges for the same merchandise. I called Disney, no one anywhere could help me with anything. I was transfered numerous times and it was never anyone who could help. My bank couldn't help without receipts. We had the receipt for the debit card transaction, but there was no receipt for the other transaction (because the lady told us it didn't go through). Called Disney Visa Rewards - they couldn't help. They said once the reward money was spent - there was no way to get it back. Disney Visa said they couldn't help. I was so aggravated ( and it was a small amount compared to what OP is talking about). After many phone calls back and forth to all involved parties - I spoke with a lady at Disney Visa who listened to my whole story. Put me on hold, figured out what happened and had Disney credit my Debit card back. I'll be forever grateful to the lady at Disney Visa who apologized over and over again that it took so much time to fix.

 

[Dean]

I don't recall ever hearing of this ever happening. I've seen and heard of a number of other billing issues including billing the entire stay twice and any number of wrong and duplicated charges for restaurants, etc. Did you have a cash reservtion for the same dates at any point along the way?

 

[Machta]

We had a similar problem some years ago. We were at BCV on rented points for our first trip to WDW on January 1, 2005. They had just changed over to the new ticketing system, and ours were the first that the cast member at the front desk had ever done. She tried to get it right, but apparently screwed up royally. For some reason, my ticket would just not work to get in to the parks, so *every* time we went in, I would have to go to guest services and try to get it straightened out again.

After about four tries, we were getting pretty angry and frustrated. Instead of going into Epcot we turned around and went back to the room, with my husband vowing to never go back to WDW. I called the manager and explained how much trouble we had been having, and how unhappy we were, and that I thought some compensation was due. Within five minutes of hanging up, a CM knocked on our door with five one-day park hopper passes.

If you think about it, it was a *very* smart move on their part. If we returned, which we did, chances were that we'd have a better time and spend more money. If we never went back, since the passes were nontransferable, they lost nothing. In the long run, our second trip we had a much better time and eventually bought DVC. In three years we've made five trips (next one scheduled for Jan of 2008), are DVC members and annual passholders, so their "gamble" paid off handsomely.

My take on the "moral" of this story is, if you think you have a legitimate complaint, get a hold of a manager immediately (i.e., while you're still onsite) and very nicely ask a) for it to be fixed, and b) for some compensation. It costs them much less to get you to come back than to "recruit" a new visitor to WDW.

 

[Paulieuk1969]

Has anyone ever booked a room through member services, points only...not cash...and then ended up with the room being charged to their credit card and points?

Had just this problem last month at SSR, I had a 14 night reservation using points and had requested the Disney Dining Plan when making the reservation. I received the confirmation letter which clearly stated that DDP had been added to my reservation and that it was to be paid for at check in.

Anyway when I checked in at SSR, I had agreed to have the option to charge things to my room key & had given them my Visa card. I then asked about payment for the DDP, the Cast Member said it was not on the reservation so I showed her the confirmation letter and she said they would have to cancel the existing reservation and create a new one to resolve the issue. She then disappeared into the office and returned a few minutes later saying it had been sorted. We completed the check in and went to our room.

A couple of days later I get a message on my cell phone from my banks fraud department querying a $5519.64 charge! I go to the front desk and speak to a cast member who calls up my room account and cannot find any trace of the charge. I suggest that they look up the cancelled reservation on the system which after a few minutes he managed to find and low & behold I have been charged the full rack rate for 14 nights and for the DDP that wasn't on the reservation!

The cast member consulted with the desk manager who then credited the full amount back to my card.

I decided to check my Visa account a few days later online (after paying Disney $9.95 for the privilege) and sure enough the credit was showing but since my account is in the UK, the exchange rate and conversion fees meant I was out of pocket by nearly $400.

Several more trips to the front desk & I finally managed to get them to make an additional payment to cover the loss, but if my bank had not contacted me it would have been very difficult to resolve this when I got back home.

From now on I will be very reluctant to give them my credit card at check in and will insist on a copy of the account should they ever need to cancel or amend any part of the reservation in future.

 

[Chuck S]

I have never had that problem on a DVC stay, but I did encounter a similar problem with a one night cash stay at POP.

The CM was in the middle of checking us in when the computer "glitched" and she lost our reservation. The manager had to "rebuild" the reservaton in the system. I had made the reservation earlier in the day, while stopped at a rest area near Ocala It was, of course, pre-paid since it was a same day arrival.

Anyway, they charged me the original charge (at AP rate) then another charge at rack rate. The next day, we checked-in for a point reservation at OKW, and. like always, I called the CC company (as their fraud dept seems to flag Disney Rooms and they put a hold on my account) and found the duplicate charges.

I returned to POP and they credited the error, no problem, and gave me a copy of the credit receipt. It did take a couple of days for the CC company to process the credit, though.

To the OP, given your situation, I agree with you, I don't think some minor compensation, like a meal voucher is out of line.

 

[snyderla]

There are 2 things that come to mind that I've learned from this #1-always talk to a manager once you realize the problem was not fixed the first time; #2-never give my credit card at the front desk. I've written a letter to Guest Communications, but stressed that the experience will not keep us from going back to WDW...so I don't expect any kind of compensation will be offered.

To answer Dean's question, I haven't ever had a cash trip with a DVC trip. I did make reservations months earlier for our December trip to Pop Century...we will stay there the first few days of Mousefest, then move to OKW. Other than that, there were no cash reservations made at all.

gracelrm, I'm glad you eventually got someone to credit you.
Paulieuk1969, thank God they didn't charge me that much. It's so frustrating to take so much time out of your vacation to deal with someone else's mistake. I know everyone makes mistakes sometimes, but it just drug on so long...

Machta, I made sure I was the one dealing with the issue and not my husband, I was afraid he would make a scene. I suppose if he would have taken care of it the scene may have led to some compensation of some sort!

Chuck S, thank you. Honestly, I was 1/2 expecting that everyone would say something to the effect of "how dare you criticize Disney...you were lucky to be there and should have been happy to pay for your trip twice!"

 

[Entropy]

...
Now I didn't have enough open on my card to pay for a hotel and emergency incidentals on the trip home.
...
About 20 minutes later he called and said he didn't think he could get the charges credited before we left the next day, so he would pay out the charges and I would have the cash if needed. And whatever I didn't need I would mail back to Disney Visa myself. I agreed at this point that would help make sure we had funds available for the trip home if needed. I went back to the BCV front desk, got the money and thanked them for helping to finally resolve the issue.

I have no idea how this happened, but I sure don't want to give them my credit card number anymore! And you know what, other than the manager saying "so you have dealt with this everyday, I'm sorry", nothing. At first all I wanted was for the problem to be fixed, but as I think about it too much of my vacation time was spent dealing with this. I'm going to say it, so here goes my flame proof suit...I think compensation of some sort should have been offered. Not just giving my money back that should never have been charged in the first place...but how about a meal voucher or something. Oh yeah, and we didn't get our trash and towel service on day 4 or any housekeeping services at all. OK...what do you think? Has it ever happened to you? How was it resolved?
Lori

That's why I have a "spare" credit card. I once rented a car for a couple of hundred bucks. The rental agency charged my card but left out the decimal place. The ~$200.00 rental was charged at ~$20,000 and the card was useless until I got it cleared-up a few days later.

BTW, you shouldn't put the compensation request at the end of your letter, it doesn't look good.