2 people listed on dvc res through rci exchange

[owentc]

I booked a 1 bedroom at SSR using HGVC points through RCI and just called Disney to link it to my MDE profile. it only let me link 2 people to the account. the DVC rep said that he couldn't change anything and I had to call RCI, since It might be more points. is it more points? I assumed that a 1 bedroom wouldn't limit me to 2 people (especially now since renovated dvc living rooms have 2 pull down beds)

 

[bnoble]

It sounds like you are trying to do two different things: set up your MDE account, and list occupants for the reservation. So, separate the steps. Call Member Services to (a) get the Disney reservation number and (b) provide the names of the guests that will be in the unit.

Then, after that is done, if you still are having problems dealing with MDE, use their help line not DVC.

 

[owentc]

It sounds like you are trying to do two different things: set up your MDE account, and list occupants for the reservation. So, separate the steps. Call Member Services to (a) get the Disney reservation number and (b) provide the names of the guests that will be in the unit.

Then, after that is done, if you still are having problems dealing with MDE, use their help line not DVC.

I already have the MDE account (we've been dvc since '09). when I linked the reservation, it matched me with the name found on the reservation and only let me add one other person. I asked the dvc rep on the phone and he said it was an RCI problem, and that they received a reservation for 2 people from RCI.

 

[mdurette]

I'm not sure I understand you question. I assume in your MDE account you have friends set up: mom, dad, son, daughter. Are you saying you can only add say mom & dad and they won't let you add say son & daughter? That doesn't make sense, I would call back and talk to another person.


I'm also curious if they will let you add a 5th person. Although the rooms now fit 5, RCI is still calling it 4 for occupancy.

When you look at your RCI confirmation, what does the occupancy say?

 

[Janann]

I recently did the exact same thing (HGVC - RCI - Disney). My husband and I own the HGVC unit, but my adult daughter and I will be going on the Disney trip.

I talked to Disney just yesterday, after being on hold for 45 minutes. Disney will look up your reservation with your last name, and the first name of the first owner listed with RCI. (I mention this because they couldn't find my name, but found my husband's name.) Disney mentioned that my husband's name can not be removed from the reservation, which is fine. Then I gave Disney my daughter's name, to add her to the reservation. Be sure to get the Disney reservation number, which is not the same as the RCI number. After the call is done, sign into Disney's MDE. Connect the Disney res. number to your account. Then choose the people who are going on the trip. My reservation shows three people, but the reality is only two of us are going.

If you have not previously created the people on the trip in your MDE account, you need to do that before adding the res. number (I think).

 

[bnoble]

I asked the dvc rep on the phone and he said it was an RCI problem, and that they received a reservation for 2 people from RCI.

Ignore this; this is possibly a new CM learning the role.

Call back and tell the MS rep that you speak with that you are an RCI inbound, and you would like to provide the names of the guests staying in the unit. RCI automatically sends over the name(s) of the owners, but as long as one of them is the lead guest, it doesn't matter who else is on the reservation as long as you are not over the unit's capacity.

Disney mentioned that my husband's name can not be removed from the reservation, which is fine.

This could be because you were the one making the call instead of him. My wife and I are co-owners, but I am listed as the lead guest by default. On a stay a few years ago when she was traveling but I was not, I was able to remove myself from the reservation and have my wife listed as lead guest.

 

[TheHolleys87]

Yes, as above, the information RCI sends to DVC is based on the RCI account. I booked at SSR via an RCI account owned by myself and my sister, and when I called DVC to get the Disney confirmation number and add my husband’s name, the CM asked about my sister by name. I just told him she wasn’t coming and that only my husband and I would be checking in. The CM had to put me on hold for a few minutes to get the confirmation number, which I then entered into my MDE account. I can’t remember clearly how MDE handled the two guest names - I think I had to clarify who was coming by matching the names to individuals listed in my MDE.

 

[rickandcindy23]

I booked a 1 bedroom at SSR using HGVC points through RCI and just called Disney to link it to my MDE profile. it only let me link 2 people to the account. the DVC rep said that he couldn't change anything and I had to call RCI, since It might be more points. is it more points? I assumed that a 1 bedroom wouldn't limit me to 2 people (especially now since renovated dvc living rooms have 2 pull down beds)

Further proof that DVC people have no clue what they are talking about these days. Lots of clueless people answering the phones. I have had similar issues. No, it doesn't cost more points to add up to 5 people. That's ridiculous. But if your name is not the first on the room, you could have problems with that because Disney will require that you pay RCI for a guest certificate.

Our Shell account only has Rick and me on it, so I have to put me in our son's room and our daughter-in-law and granddaughter in the other room with Rick. Then we just have one magic band to open the door, which can be a problem, when our granddaughter has to go back for rest and we want to stay longer. I have to remember to give our daughter-in-law my magic band to open their door. Yeah, that even sounds confusing to me. If I forget, I have to make a dash for the bus area to give it to her.

 

[TheHolleys87]

I have to remember to give our daughter-in-law my magic band to open their door.

Don’t you have extra MBs from previous trips, so you could give her one to keep in her bag? Even the oldest ones would still work to open doors - no battery needed for that.

 

[Inhislove]

We have regularly added names (up to five people total) in a one bedroom RCI exchange.
Agreed that the lead name on the reservation has to make the additions. My husband and his sister share a timeshare, and it takes many hours on the phone to make it all correct.

 

[bnoble]

I'm also curious if they will let you add a 5th person. Although the rooms now fit 5, RCI is still calling it 4 for occupancy.

DVC will allow five in most 1BRs, but advise you that in those without a third sleeping surface that you are responsible for your own bedding. AKV-Value is one exception with a hard limit of four, but will never be deposited to RCI. There may be one or two others that I am forgetting.

 

[TheHolleys87]

DVC will allow five in most 1BRs, but advise you that in those without a third sleeping surface that you are responsible for your own bedding. AKV-Value is one exception with a hard limit of four, but will never be deposited to RCI. There may be one or two others that I am forgetting.

For some 1BR, e.g. SSR & BWV (I can never remember the others), cash reservations are limited to 4 but reservations made with DVC points can have 5 if the guests provide their own bedding, linens and towels for the 5th person. SSR is in transition - the newly-renovated 1BR sleep 5, but because not all buildings have been renovated yet, the official 1BR capacity is still 4. So guests booking online for cash aren’t allowed to book 5 in a 1BR at SSR. Once the renovations are complete, that official capacity will be updated.

 

[montygz]

The DVC rep can and should put up to five people on your reservation so everyone can use their Magic Bands can open the door and get access Disney perks, if they return, like Early Magic Hours.

Disney can only do this on the DVC side, as the hotel side limits occupancy to four people. The DVC side (the timeshare side) lets you have five people in a room. It is perfect legal. You have to bring your own bedding, but it is perfectly fine. The remodeled Saratoga rooms even have five sleeping surfaces now. The entire resort should be completed fairly soon.

Anyway, when you call, you have to make sure you are talking to the DVC side and someone who knows what they are doing and can do the proper linking.

We have five people in our party and have stayed at DVC five times. The only time we had an issue is when we forgot to call ahead to add all of us. The people at the Saratoga Springs front desk, who work on the hotel side, could not do it. The computer would not let them. It has to be done on the DVC side.

These days it really isn't a big deal, since there is no EMH, but that could return in the future I suppose.

As for what happened, it is likely a training issue. Perhaps the cast member was from the hotel side and confused. I have read that many DVC members are suffering from long waits for service, so perhaps they are having issues.

 

[TheHolleys87]

Yes, montygz reminded me of something - there are many new CMs at WDW now, including at DVC. @owentc, if you haven’t resolved this yet, call DVC again and tell them you need to add the names of all the people who will be staying in the villa. If the CM again tells you you can’t add anyone, ask politely for them to get their supervisor on the line. I honestly don’t know whether exchanges into SSR 1BR are limited to 4 people or allow 5 - they should allow 5 because it’s essentially a DVC points booking, but I don’t know what the policy is. One good thing to know is that all SSR 1BR available now actually do have sleeping surfaces for 5 - the last two buildings, containing the last 1BR villas with only 4 sleeping surfaces, are closed for renovations now.

 

[Merbears]

Yes, montygz reminded me of something - there are many new CMs at WDW now, including at DVC. @owentc, if you haven’t resolved this yet, call DVC again and tell them you need to add the names of all the people who will be staying in the villa. If the CM again tells you you can’t add anyone, ask politely for them to get their supervisor on the line. I honestly don’t know whether exchanges into SSR 1BR are limited to 4 people or allow 5 - they should allow 5 because it’s essentially a DVC points booking, but I don’t know what the policy is. One good thing to know is that all SSR 1BR available now actually do have sleeping surfaces for 5 - the last two buildings, containing the last 1BR villas with only 4 sleeping surfaces, are closed for renovations now.

You should be able to add people up to 5 total. We did this before the renovation. Enjoy! The new rooms are great!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[rickandcindy23]

Don’t you have extra MBs from previous trips, so you could give her one to keep in her bag? Even the oldest ones would still work to open doors - no battery needed for that.

I didn't know that. I have a drawer full of the "free" old gray magic bands with our names inside. I figure those will be collectible someday. Disney isn't giving anything away anymore.

 

[TheHolleys87]

I didn't know that. I have a drawer full of the "free" old gray magic bands with our names inside. I figure those will be collectible someday. Disney isn't giving anything away anymore.

Any of those old gray ones that are listed as Active in your MDE (if shown as Inactive, you can click to activate again) will work to open any resort room door that you can unlock. The touch functions (unlocking doors, tapping into parks) don’t require a battery and will work “forever.”

 

[Inhislove]

We did run into an interesting issue with 5 guests in a room- the door lock can only hold about 30 codes- and our most recent magic band purchases didn't make the cut! We had to take them to the front desk, where the cast member made them work for us. We thought it was funny he was like "you have SO many bands on your account!" Don't they want you buy those extra fun ones?

 

[TheHolleys87]

We did run into an interesting issue with 5 guests in a room- the door lock can only hold about 30 codes- and our most recent magic band purchases didn't make the cut! We had to take them to the front desk, where the cast member made them work for us. We thought it was funny he was like "you have SO many bands on your account!" Don't they want you buy those extra fun ones?

Yes of course they want you to buy those extra fun ones! Whether they’ll open your door or not is irrelevant. Besides, you can easily inactivate the ones you’re not bringing with you on a given trip - just open your Magic Bands and Cards list on MDE.

 

[rickandcindy23]

I don't know if this has been discussed in this thread or other threads, but is Disney giving Magic Bands for RCI exchanges into DVC? I know they no longer give them with AP's, which is disappointing.

Our kids are going in January (with us) and have never had bands. They are hoping to get the free ones. If they don't come free with stays anymore, it would be a good Christmas gift idea. I don't want to spend $80 on bands and then find out they are included in January's trip.

 

[bnoble]

No, but they are (modestly) discounted if you order in advance connected to the room.

 

[dioxide45]

I don't know if this has been discussed in this thread or other threads, but is Disney giving Magic Bands for RCI exchanges into DVC? I know they no longer give them with AP's, which is disappointing.

Our kids are going in January (with us) and have never had bands. They are hoping to get the free ones. If they don't come free with stays anymore, it would be a good Christmas gift idea. I don't want to spend $80 on bands and then find out they are included in January's trip.

I don't even think they give complimentary magic bands anymore for paid hotel stays, just discounted bands. I think it amounts to a $10 discount on each band purchased. We didn't get them for free on DVC point based stay earlier this year.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Thank you @dioxide45 and @bnoble I was pretty sure they wouldn't get them in January. I am thrilled we can get discounted bands, however. That will be great for Christmas.

I have quite a collection of bands, and we took some to Guest Relations for this last trip, and they couldn't attach any of them to our kids and grandkids. Once they have the bands, they will have them forever, and I like that.

 

[montygz]

Disney is phasing out Magic Bands because most people carry around a magic smartphone and that will do the same thing.

Like many people who take multiple trips, we have a large collection of bands. It's a lot of waste.

I do like the concept, but we don't need any more of them and we don't need landfills full of them.

 

[dioxide45]

Disney is phasing out Magic Bands because most people carry around a magic smartphone and that will do the same thing.

Like many people who take multiple trips, we have a large collection of bands. It's a lot of waste.

I do like the concept, but we don't need any more of them and we don't need landfills full of them.

I have found that new technology isn't necessarily better. Sure *most* everyone carries a smartphone, but for some reason they don't realize they need it to pay for something or to get into the park until they are the front of the line. Then they are frantically swiping to find and open the app, perhaps enter their password. Disney's app doesn't keep you logged in forever like many others. Then it never seems to scan the first time, they then they swipe around some more. So far I have not seen a situation where someone got into the park ahead of me faster with their smartphone vs me using my Magic Band.

I also doubt that Disney will eliminate the Magic Bands. They now charge for them and their cost to manufacture is actually quite low and their margins are pretty high. Using a smartphone is simply another option.