Anyone else being forced to change a booking at the Grand Floridian this January?

[Genie+]

There’s only 6 of this room at VGF. All 6 of the Grand Villas are Lake View.

How many nights have you booked?

I’d try to hold my ground and request that if someone is to be bumped, it should be the last person to book the dates. If they still continued pushing cancellation on us, I’d ask about how the other 5 rooms were booked - cash or points, and if any of the cash reservations were asked to give up their booking.

 

[JackosinDIS]

This is awful! So sorry for you and if I were in this situation I would be furious!
I actually think I would be personally knocking on each GV door and asking when they booked?! (Ok, maybe not as this probably classes as psycho behaviour…)
Seriously hope they can make this right for you. Perhaps the 2 penthouse villas on the top floor or Poly could work. Absolutely push for something good to compensation for this utter balls up.

 

[Counting Stars]

There’s only 6 of this room at VGF. All 6 of the Grand Villas are Lake View.

How many nights have you booked?

I’d try to hold my ground and request that if someone is to be bumped, it should be the last person to book the dates. If they still continued pushing cancellation on us, I’d ask about how the other 5 rooms were booked - cash or points, and if any of the cash reservations were asked to give up their booking.

This is really great information! And Genie+ has offered good advice. I would keep trying, phone, chat, e-mail.
I am so very sorry this has happened to you. This is such a bad look for Disney and DVC. This is also the kind of customer service that makes lots of DVC owners angry on your behalf and nervous that we could receive the same callous treatment.

 

[JulieBeeRN]

There’s only 6 of this room at VGF. All 6 of the Grand Villas are Lake View.

How many nights have you booked?

I’d try to hold my ground and request that if someone is to be bumped, it should be the last person to book the dates. If they still continued pushing cancellation on us, I’d ask about how the other 5 rooms were booked - cash or points, and if any of the cash reservations were asked to give up their booking.

Do they use the GV on the first floor for their offices still?

 

[Brian Noble]

This is almost certainly a maintenance problem, which explains why it's a last-minute notification.

You can insist on getting the room, but you can't force them to give it to you. If it were me, I'd be thinking about the range of things I would consider as a reasonable compensation for this.

 

[Mouseforward]

The issue with GF GV is it is the only 4 br ( counting the media room) unit. All other units have 3 sleeping rooms

I would go for 2 Island tower penthouses to make up the 4 rooms

 

[FlyingDonut]

That just seems absolutely crazy they wouldn't know ahead of time. I would imagine the GVs at VGF are pretty much all booked at 11 months, right?

We're DVC, but VGF is not our home resort. We booked a 2 night weekend stay for September last year at 7 months. I even had to call member services to buy a few OTUPs. I did do it right at 9AM on the first possible day though.

If I remember correctly, we would have been able to get 1 other weekend in September at 7 months, and 2 were taken before I'd have been able to book.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Beyond livid is what I would be- but you are stuck OP. I would pick the best of the crappy alternatives offered quick before you lose those too.

 

[muppets3d]

Adjoining bungalows at Polynesian, or adjoining cabins at Copper Creek maybe? Not sure what would be comparable. Nothing really is.

 

[Doingitagain]

Get a refund of your points AND ask them for VIP tour at all the parks you are planning to visit AND get other accommodations.

 

[Doingitagain]

Do your dates happen to cross over Jan 22-26? I did a quick Google search and the Southern Anesthesia Seminars has a conference at the Grand Floridian Jan 22-26, 2025. Wonder if that conflicted somehow?

 

[Genie+]

Do your dates happen to cross over Jan 22-26? I did a quick Google search and the Southern Anesthesia Seminars has a conference at the Grand Floridian Jan 22-26, 2025. Wonder if that conflicted somehow?

Maybe one of the seminars is how to knock people out without anesthesia: cancel their GV 10 months after booking

 

[FlyingDonut]

Did it seem like MS knew if it was maintenance / the reason? It's not right, but in the interest of getting the villa, could you tell them you'd take the villa with something missing? I'm thinking the villa without a functional stove, fridge, oven, washer / dryer, or even closed bathroom (there are 4 in there.)

Also not ideal, but could you split stay, with at least some of your nights in the intended villa?

 

[gottalovepluto]

Get a refund of your points AND ask them for VIP tour at all the parks you are planning to visit AND get other accommodations.

Seriously? The same DVC* that turned 1 bd BWV reservations into a standard room at YC + $50 with no refund of points is going to pony up to that? Keep OP in the world of reality.

*not technically of course but overall, the same company

 

[gottalovepluto]

Did it seem like MS knew if it was maintenance / the reason? It's not right, but in the interest of getting the villa, could you tell them you'd take the villa with something missing? I'm thinking the villa without a functional stove, fridge, oven, washer / dryer, or even closed bathroom (there are 4 in there.)

Also not ideal, but could you split stay, with at least some of your nights in the intended villa?

Two different CMs told OP “overbooked”

 

[AstroBlasters]

Oh, and if they overbooked, how come you are being pushed out when no ne could have booked before you. They should remove the last party booked.

Honestly, the 3 bedroom GV at GF is the premium accommodation and I can’t think of anything better they could offer you.

They could give him the Princess Diana Suite at the Grand Floridian on the hotel side…..

 

[SL6827]

I wouldn't dismiss it being a high roller of some sorts at all. You just don't really know. Regardless, it's awful.

 

[FlyingDonut]

Two different CMs told OP “overbooked”

ugh. Sorry I missed that.

I'd love to learn more about this at a DVC quarterly meeting. How is this supposed to go?
I feel awful for @bdrex28, but this hurts all owners too. We all might have a bit more doubt booking a difficult to substitute room category now. Also, where is the compensation (and @bdrex28 should get substantial compensation) going to come from? Points can't just be brought magically into existence. Is Disney (not DVC) going to give their points, or will compensation basically be cash based? If it's cash is this from dues?

 

[bdrex28]

Two different CMs told OP “overbooked”

Does anyone really believe that for 10 months and 14 days all was good but now they're "overbooked"? For one of only six?

I've got some fantastic ocean front I'd love to show you up in Arizona. It's truly a beaut Clark...

 

[bdrex28]

ugh. Sorry I missed that.

I'd love to learn more about this at a DVC quarterly meeting. How is this supposed to go?
I feel awful for @bdrex28, but this hurts all owners too. We all might have a bit more doubt booking a difficult to substitute room category now. Also, where is the compensation (and @bdrex28 should get substantial compensation) going to come from? Points can't just be brought magically into existence. Is Disney (not DVC) going to give their points, or will compensation basically be cash based? If it's cash is this from dues?

FYI it's not me, it's @Augusto Saboia Neto
But yes, he deserves compensation.

It would almost be worth a lawsuit just to get the discovery and subpoena when and why they were chosen.