Koala warns Wyndham is cancelling reservations based on Wyndham's "updated policy" Anyone know what's up?

[Eric B]

I didn't see anyone else mention it, but my favorite part of the response by Koala was the statement on their website after confirming some bookings I had rented out with them to use up COVID points. It's copied below. I'm betting that they don't have an actual legal department that reviews that sort of thing - good luck trying to enforce it!

The Host shall indemnify KOALA against all liabilities, costs, expenses, damages, and losses (including but not limited to any direct, indirect, or consequential losses, loss of profit, loss of reputation and all interest, penalties, and legal costs and all other reasonable professional costs and expenses suffered or incurred by KOALA arising out of or in connection with:

1. Incorrectly affirming that a confirmed booking has NOT been canceled as a result of Club Wyndham’s updated policy in relation to overlapping reservations that went into effect on April 12th, 2022.

All cost(s) incurred by KOALA due to the host not identifying cancellations as a result of the above policy update will be forwarded onto the Host. Incorrect affirmation of above is considered a breach of contract. Penalties will be applied in accordance with the above clause.

 

[paxsarah]

Not everyone is getting reservations restored.

Considering that they haven't done them yet...

Response from Wyndham as of this morning on the reported issue:

We are reinstating all reservations and that should be completed in the next couple of days. We are prioritizing them by check in date. The first group reinstated are all for this weekend.

...I'm not sure you can really say that yet.

 

[chapjim]

Oh, according to Jim I now have an "agenda"... really laughable coming from Mr. "responsibility" and "pick yourselves up from the bootstraps" guy.

Point is, these things are in the rules. You all know this. I just find it laughable the lengths some of you "law and order" types go to ignore rulebreakers when it fits your own behavior.

I never said you had an agenda. I said you have a narrative, and you play it fast and loose with facts in supporting that narrative.

Not sure where the "responsibility" and "bootstraps" references come from.

 

[chapjim]

Hard to unring a bell! Scary to have this in the competent, cough cough, hands of Wyndham IT.

I would be most worried right now if I had booked a reservation in the last day or two (since the issue was introduced) and was checking in in the next 2 weeks, especially next few days. And no matter if you are an owner or guest or renter, not if Wyndham is going to try to take back what they accidentally gave away. Of course it would also super suck to have had a reservation cancelled.

Anyone hear of extra holidays reservations being cancelled? I would guess not. Wonder if there is a special flag in the system for reservations turned over to EH's, a whatever you do, don't mess with this reservation flag. No conflict of interest, of course.

Happy Easter (nice timing, Wyndham)!

Way back last fall or earlier, I put one week in EH as an experiment. It's May 7-14 at Bonnet Creek, a week that should be sufficiently attractive to someone. Reservation detail does not have the usual options to Modify Reservation or Cancel Reservation. I would hope that the reservation system has similar controls.

 

[rickandcindy23]

I was looking at early June dates for our kids and grandkids because we have a one bedroom for them for four nights that I am waiting and hoping to book at a discount. I see nothing at all for early June this morning, when before the "update" I could see 3 of the four nights they needed. I was waiting and watching for all four nights before I cancel what they have. Not even one day that they need. What happened to the inventory overnight?

 

[Sloane S]

you are breaking the terms of the contract THAT YOU SIGNED! Does your signature mean nothing?

I don't have a dog in this fight, but as a resale-only owner I have never signed a contract with Wyndham (not have I ever actually seen the original contracts).

 

[tschwa2]

I don't have a dog in this fight, but as a resale-only owner I have never signed a contract with Wyndham (not have I ever actually seen the original contracts).

It's also part of the membership guide explaining the rules. That particular rule with the warning that reservations may be cancelled was instituted just under 5 years ago.

 

[WManning]

It's also part of the membership guide explaining the rules. That particular rule with the warning that reservations may be cancelled was instituted just under 5 years ago.

Are all rules subject to change without notice?

 

[Sloane S]

It's also part of the membership guide explaining the rules. That particular rule with the warning that reservations may be cancelled was instituted just under 5 years ago.

Correct. I was just pointing out that there are likely several people this has happened to (as well as people that this particular thing does not affect whatsoever) that have never seen or signed a contract from Wyndham.

 

[paxsarah]

Are all rules subject to change without notice?

Basically.

ARTICLE XI
TRUST PROPERTY RESERVATIONS
11.01 Directory. Set forth below in summary form are certain of the most important features of the Plan. The rules, regulations, guidelines, policies and procedures related to the allocation of Points to the Trust Properties and the use of Points by Members in connection with the Trust Properties and the Plan are fully described in the Directory. In the event of a conflict between the information described in this Article XI and the information set forth in the Directory, the information set forth in the Directory shall be controlling. Wyndham, in its sole discretion, reserves the right to amend the Directory and the provisions therein from time to time as may be necessary to implement the Plan.

 

[Sandi Bo]

Are all rules subject to change without notice?

That's one thing you CAN count on.

 

[Sandi Bo]

I was looking at early June dates for our kids and grandkids because we have a one bedroom for them for four nights that I am waiting and hoping to book at a discount. I see nothing at all for early June this morning, when before the "update" I could see 3 of the four nights they needed. I was waiting and watching for all four nights before I cancel what they have. Not even one day that they need. What happened to the inventory overnight?

Kind of same for me. I need some nights mid June and was waiting for the discount window. I've been watching inventory, for which there was plenty - til this morning - now nothing. Sure am glad those owner priority rules are working for us. Although I'm guessing it'll be back once they get this fiasco under control.

 

[Sandi Bo]

Way back last fall or earlier, I put one week in EH as an experiment. It's May 7-14 at Bonnet Creek, a week that should be sufficiently attractive to someone. Reservation detail does not have the usual options to Modify Reservation or Cancel Reservation. I would hope that the reservation system has similar controls.

Isn't that conflict of interest though? Much safer, from a renters perspective, to book with EH?

 

[WManning]

Basically.

Why are so many disgruntled if this is the case?

 

[Sandi Bo]

“THE SKY IS FALLING! THE SKY IS FALLING!”

Oh, it only affects those with overlapping reservations? And those reservations are being restored? Oh, Never mind.

You really think this is okay? If I understand correctly, these are rooms in OWNERS name, errorneously cancelled. What made it a rental issue? Someone (cough cough) wanting that boogie man megarenter to somehow be responsible. When it seems perhaps an IT issue with the algorthim used to determine overlapping reservations? Always nice to have a fall guy.

If you had a reservation for Easter weekend and it got cancelled by a system error, the sky would be falling. Maybe your sky isn't falling or my sky isn't falling, but someone's sky is falling. We all should care and hold Wyndham responsible.

Rule of thumb, always, if Wyndham is working to fix the issue, Wyndham is the one that caused the issue, passively accepting the responsibility.

 

[Rolltydr]

You really think this is okay? If I understand correctly, these are rooms in OWNERS name, errorneously cancelled. What made it a rental issue? Someone (cough cough) wanting that boogie man megarenter to somehow be responsible. When it seems perhaps an IT issue with the algorthim used to determine overlapping reservations? Always nice to have a fall guy.

If you had a reservation for Easter weekend and it got cancelled by a system error, the sky would be falling. Maybe your sky isn't falling or my sky isn't falling, but someone's sky is falling. We all should care and hold Wyndham responsible.

Rule of thumb, always, if Wyndham is working to fix the issue, Wyndham is the one that caused the issue, passively accepting the responsibility.

Yes, this is okay. I worked in IT for 30 years and almost without fail, there would be a few problems with any system update of any size. And in the post you are responding to on this specific issue did I say anything about mega-renters? I said it's only affecting those with overlapping reservations which is what I understand to be the case, and those reservations are being restored. Until you can show me evidence that owners are actually losing their reservations for this weekend, you're just spouting off "what ifs" that have no basis in fact.

Believe me, I know that Wyndham IT has issues and I have criticized them many times in the past. This, however, is not a big deal, especially if the few owners who are affected do not lose their reservations. Is it an inconvenience? Yes. But, if this is the worst thing that happens to you this week, you've had a pretty good week.

 

[paxsarah]

the few owners who are affected

I'm not sure we can judge this. I know online owners in forums like here and on FB are the minority, but it's been a long time since I've seen a single issue affecting so many owners literally overnight all at once in the FB groups. And that's only the ones who happened to stop by the group yesterday when it all unfolded - because they didn't get notified by Wyndham, they only found out by checking their account (often after hearing it from other owners). And I've seen at least one trusted owner on FB state that they lost a reservation when the overlapping reservations were split between her and her husband, and another owner (that I can't vouch for or not) who stated a non-overlapping single (non-guest) reservation was also cancelled. So we don't know how far it extends. Hopefully Wyndham has all the records they need to put everything back the way it was, and if so, there should be very little lasting damage. But I'm not sure we can describe the extent of the situation as "few."

 

[Rolltydr]

I'm not sure we can judge this. I know online owners in forums like here and on FB are the minority, but it's been a long time since I've seen a single issue affecting so many owners literally overnight all at once in the FB groups. And that's only the ones who happened to stop by the group yesterday when it all unfolded - because they didn't get notified by Wyndham, they only found out by checking their account (often after hearing it from other owners). And I've seen at least one trusted owner on FB state that they lost a reservation when the overlapping reservations were split between her and her husband, and another owner (that I can't vouch for or not) who stated a non-overlapping single (non-guest) reservation was also cancelled. So we don't know how far it extends. Hopefully Wyndham has all the records they need to put everything back the way it was, and if so, there should be very little lasting damage. But I'm not sure we can describe the extent of the situation as "few."

Thank you for a very reasoned response. I'm not on fb so I'm not seeing those posts but it would be logical for there to be more complaints there. My only quibble with what you stated is that nobody, as far as I know, has "lost" anything yet. The reservations are being restored. Until somebody can show me that someone is not being allowed to check in because of this issue, I still see it as an inconvenience to a few people who do have to go through the process of ensuring their reservations are restored.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Nothing really affected us in any way. The lack of early June dates did come as a bit of a surprise. I asked our daughter-in-law if Cypress Palms would be okay for their four nights. I think it would be fine with them. They are not picky, and it's much less expensive than Bonnet Creek and mostly available. When you just use the room for sleeping and eating breakfast, BC is nice but not mandatory.

 

[Sandi Bo]

I'm not sure we can judge this. I know online owners in forums like here and on FB are the minority, but it's been a long time since I've seen a single issue affecting so many owners literally overnight all at once in the FB groups. And that's only the ones who happened to stop by the group yesterday when it all unfolded - because they didn't get notified by Wyndham, they only found out by checking their account (often after hearing it from other owners). And I've seen at least one trusted owner on FB state that they lost a reservation when the overlapping reservations were split between her and her husband, and another owner (that I can't vouch for or not) who stated a non-overlapping single (non-guest) reservation was also cancelled. So we don't know how far it extends. Hopefully Wyndham has all the records they need to put everything back the way it was, and if so, there should be very little lasting damage. But I'm not sure we can describe the extent of the situation as "few."

So maybe only a few owners not going on vacation Hopefully the worst thing that might happen to any of us this weekend. (Personally not staying in Wyndham this weekend, phew, the 5 hour layover in Chicago (which includes a 3 hour delay) must have been my penance).

Glad I'm not the one having to piece this back together. If people booked the reservations that were cancelled, and a resort is sold out, it doesn't sound like much fun to have to go to the new owner of those nights and ask for them back. A while back, Wyndham came to me, by calling me, and took back a reservation that a VC accidentally deleted and I subsequently booked. So they do do it. (Do do, haha).

 

[Rolltydr]

So maybe only a few owners not going on vacation Hopefully the worst thing that might happen to any of us this weekend. (Personally not staying in Wyndham this weekend, phew, the 5 hour layover in Chicago (which includes a 3 hour delay) must have been my penance).

Glad I'm not the one having to piece this back together. If people booked the reservations that were cancelled, and a resort is sold out, it doesn't sound like much fun to have to go to the new owner of those nights and ask for them back. A while back, Wyndham came to me, by calling me, and took back a reservation that a VC accidentally deleted and I subsequently booked. So they do do it. (Do do, haha).

Again, all "what if's"? What if every owner who is constantly irate with Wyndham gets rid of their ownership so they won't have anything to be mad about any more?

 

[r4rab]

As I see it, the big no-no here is the lack of cancellation emails with reason for cancellation that is the real issue. Anyone who had non-overlapping reservations cancelled should have them restored by Wyndham. Overlapping reservations that were cancelled were correctly cancelled.

 

[rickandcindy23]

As I see it, the big no-no here is the lack of cancellation emails with reason for cancellation that is the real issue. Anyone who had non-overlapping reservations cancelled should have them restored by Wyndham. Overlapping reservations that were cancelled were correctly cancelled.

I agree with this very succinct explanation.

 

[HitchHiker71]

Another update from our Wyndham contacts related to this recent change as follows:

Recently an update was deployed to the Club Wyndham website to enforce an existing Overlapping Reservation rule. This update is to support the existing program rule that a Guest Confirmation must be added within 48 hours of a reservation if the dates overlap, or the second reservation will be cancelled. Reservations that were impacted due to the early launch will be systematically reinstated within the next 2-3 days.

So while it appears Wyndham will correct this due to an early launch - this will become normal expected behavior moving forward with regard to overlapping reservations in the same name.

 

[paxsarah]

So while it appears Wyndham will correct this due to an early launch - this will become normal expected behavior moving forward with regard to overlapping reservations in the same name.

So I guess the question is, will there be a general notification letting people know and get their accounts in order before this deploys for real? While the policy hasn't changed, owners had obviously become accustomed to the system not properly enforcing it and deserve a chance to get things right with their reservations before this hits again. And then once it's deployed for real, at least the policy and system will be in agreement going forward.