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Recent modification to display of inventory availability

Sandi Bo

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Apparently they attempted to address the issue of unbookable 1 night availability showing up. On the positive side, it'll keep people from clicking and then getting the message about nothing be available. I find it confusing, but perhaps it'll just take some getting used to.

Maybe it's as simple as understanding that whenever we are looking at the calendar showing availability, there is actually an extra night there. If I see Oct 11 and 12 as available, so is Oct 13. So now instead of showing me all available nights, it's showing me all booking start dates.

The other day I wanted to add one night to an existing reservation. Nothing showed on the calendar. Yet I was able to go into my upcoming reservations and select to modify the reservation. There was 1 night available and I was able to add it on. Makes for more painful modification experience, but doable.

Also doesn't give me warm fuzzies they plan to bring back 1 night stays anytime soon.

I'm sure there are some that like this, me, no thank you.
 

Eric B

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Also doesn't give me warm fuzzies they plan to bring back 1 night stays anytime soon.

@HitchHiker71 had posted recently that his contacts confirmed they don't plan to bring back one night stands at present; WorldMark restored them the other day after getting a lot of feedback from owners on the subject. If we want them back, we need to start giving them that feedback.
 

paxsarah

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This was mentioned in this thread about the most recent website update. I still think it's an overall positive change, but I hadn't considered that it would inconvenience people checking the availability calendar prior to to adding a single night to a reservation. It's still of much greater benefit to the masses trying to book from the availability calendar but finding numerous single nights that don't lead to viable stays.
 

Eric B

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This was mentioned in this thread about the most recent website update. I still think it's an overall positive change, but I hadn't considered that it would inconvenience people checking the availability calendar prior to to adding a single night to a reservation. It's still of much greater benefit to the masses trying to book from the availability calendar but finding numerous single nights that don't lead to viable stays.

Thanks for remembering where it was! I couldn't find it to post a link and was being a bit lazy.

As far as the lack of single night display on the availability calendar goes, IMHO it would be a waste of my time looking there rather than going straight to the modify reservation function because of the need for the availability of the single night to be a specific unit type and the limitation on filtering the availability calendar display only to the number of bedrooms. I like that the availability calendar is optimized for initial booking.
 

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Thanks for remembering where it was! I couldn't find it to post a link and was being a bit lazy.

As far as the lack of single night display on the availability calendar goes, IMHO it would be a waste of my time looking there rather than going straight to the modify reservation function because of the need for the availability of the single night to be a specific unit type and the limitation on filtering the availability calendar display only to the number of bedrooms. I like that the availability calendar is optimized for initial booking.

Ditto - if I want to add a night to an existing reservation - then I use the intended function Add Nights. I don't attempt to use another function that wasn't explicitly intended for that use. As a trained engineer - I can be a bit of a stickler for "using things as intended", but that's me. :cool:

As I posted in the other thread - the recent change to the monthly availability calendar is likely a step toward richer functionality based on the same logic that may be introduced at a later time. I've seen a mock-up of a "Length of Stay" option for the monthly calendar view where you'll be able to select the length of your stay - just like the current calendar is displaying now for two night minimums - and the calendar would then display all starting dates where that length of stay is actually available based upon the other filtering criteria already selected. This may or may not actually come to fruition to be clear - but IMHO this would be useful added functionality for the monthly calendar.
 

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Hmmmm, this just reminded me that I wanted to add a night to a reservation. It tells me there are no nights available of my type, but there the night is when I search the resort for a new reservation.
 

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Hmmmm, this just reminded me that I wanted to add a night to a reservation. It tells me there are no nights available of my type, but there the night is when I search the resort for a new reservation.

This is why searching for currently available inventory via the availability search feature isn't the same as using the Add Nights function. An existing reservation tied to reserved/allotted inventory is not the same as searching for net new inventory. What you observed is showing you, for the inventory explicitly tied to your existing reservation, that there's not any available nights directly adjacent to the start date and the end date for the inventory allloted to your current reservation. What it's not showing you is that there is other currently available inventory that stands apart from your existing reservation. When you "Add nights" you are literally adding a night to an existing reservation tied to specific allotted inventory. The Add Nights function is not a disguised cancel/rebook in other words.
 

Ty1on

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This is why searching for currently available inventory via the availability search feature isn't the same as using the Add Nights function. An existing reservation tied to reserved/allotted inventory is not the same as searching for net new inventory. What you observed is showing you, for the inventory explicitly tied to your existing reservation, that there's not any available nights directly adjacent to the start date and the end date for the inventory allloted to your current reservation. What it's not showing you is that there is other currently available inventory that stands apart from your existing reservation. When you "Add nights" you are literally adding a night to an existing reservation tied to specific allotted inventory. The Add Nights function is not a disguised cancel/rebook in other words.

My end date is 4/16. I can book 4/17 to 4/23, for example, same room type.

Or do you mean that my specific assigned unit isn't available for 4/17? If that's the case, it's a ridiculous system, because my "assigned unit" likely won't end up my unit anyway.
 

paxsarah

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My end date is 4/16. I can book 4/17 to 4/23, for example, same room type.

Or do you mean that my specific assigned unit isn't available for 4/17? If that's the case, it's a ridiculous system, because my "assigned unit" likely won't end up my unit anyway.
By "end date" do you mean your check-out date is 4/16? If so, then you need 4/16 to be available, not 4/17.
 

Sandi Bo

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Ditto - if I want to add a night to an existing reservation - then I use the intended function Add Nights. I don't attempt to use another function that wasn't explicitly intended for that use. As a trained engineer - I can be a bit of a stickler for "using things as intended", but that's me. :cool:

As I posted in the other thread - the recent change to the monthly availability calendar is likely a step toward richer functionality based on the same logic that may be introduced at a later time. I've seen a mock-up of a "Length of Stay" option for the monthly calendar view where you'll be able to select the length of your stay - just like the current calendar is displaying now for two night minimums - and the calendar would then display all starting dates where that length of stay is actually available based upon the other filtering criteria already selected. This may or may not actually come to fruition to be clear - but IMHO this would be useful added functionality for the monthly calendar.
Haha. If the system were performant, I would agree with you. Before wasting my time using the Add Nights function, it was more efficient for me to check the availability calendar. If there was availability, I would filter for my room type -- for example see if there was a 2 Bedroom Deluxe. If there was a 2 Bedroom Deluxe - I could quickly toggle the accessibility option and tell if the 2 Bedroom I were seeing were accessible or not. Although still not 100%, I would at least know if it were worthwhile to go through the process of checking upcoming vacations, scrolling through those lovely pictures and reservations 3 per page, etc, etc, before eventually getting to the Add Nights function and finding out whether or not I could add a night. Sad they won't make the basic stuff work properly and efficiently and instead spend their time on this type of stuff.
 

HitchHiker71

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My end date is 4/16. I can book 4/17 to 4/23, for example, same room type.

Or do you mean that my specific assigned unit isn't available for 4/17? If that's the case, it's a ridiculous system, because my "assigned unit" likely won't end up my unit anyway.

Yes, that's what I'm saying. When we make reservations - we're doing so from a pool of available inventory at a moment in time - when we actually make a reservation that inventory we selected is set aside as reserved inventory - both on the online reservation system and the resort reservation system. This has been the case since mid-2017 - though it's not very well known by anyone IME. The statement you make about an assigned unit not being your actual unit is an assumption on your part about how the system works. Most folks here on TUG are under the impression that the online reservation system doesn't "download" to the resort until around 30 days before the start date of the reservation - this is patently untrue. When a reservation is processed for any CWP resort - it's immediate. You can contact the resort same day and make a room request for example - the resort will "see" that reservation on the same day you make it regardless of how far in advance that reservation is made.

Either way - my point stands. If you want to search for net new availability - just understand that's not the same type of query as the Add Nights function - so there will be times when you might see availability in the monthly calendar view that won't be accessible via the Add Nights function - two different functions.
 

Sandi Bo

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Yes, that's what I'm saying. When we make reservations - we're doing so from a pool of available inventory at a moment in time - when we actually make a reservation that inventory we selected is set aside as reserved inventory - both on the online reservation system and the resort reservation system. This has been the case since mid-2017 - though it's not very well known by anyone IME. The statement you make about an assigned unit not being your actual unit is an assumption on your part about how the system works. Most folks here on TUG are under the impression that the online reservation system doesn't "download" to the resort until around 30 days before the start date of the reservation - this is patently untrue. When a reservation is processed for any CWP resort - it's immediate. You can contact the resort same day and make a room request for example - the resort will "see" that reservation on the same day you make it regardless of how far in advance that reservation is made.

Either way - my point stands. If you want to search for net new availability - just understand that's not the same type of query as the Add Nights function - so there will be times when you might see availability in the monthly calendar view that won't be accessible via the Add Nights function - two different functions.
I think you mean that the other way around? You might see availability in the Add Nights function that won't show in the monthly calendar. If there is only one night available, it won't display in the monthly calendar, but it will show in Add Nights (if it's exactly the same room type). If 2 or more nights and exactly the same room type, it should show in both functions. Unless it's less than 3 (even though they say 2) nights from checkin. So maybe the statement is really 'or vice versa'. It's the same inventory, different rules apply to both functions resulting in what shows available. Sorry, it's the QA person in me, always looking for the checks and balances and ultimately for things to makes sense.

I think the 30 day BS or wait a few days before something shows up is throw-back to pre-voyager. I've heard that thrown out as an excuse here and there when something wasn't working correctly. But it was because things weren't working correctly :)
 
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HitchHiker71

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Haha. If the system were performant, I would agree with you. Before wasting my time using the Add Nights function, it was more efficient for me to check the availability calendar. If there was availability, I would filter for my room type -- for example see if there was a 2 Bedroom Deluxe. If there was a 2 Bedroom Deluxe - I could quickly toggle the accessibility option and tell if the 2 Bedroom I were seeing were accessible or not. Although still not 100%, I would at least know if it were worthwhile to go through the process of checking upcoming vacations, scrolling through those lovely pictures and reservations 3 per page, etc, etc, before eventually getting to the Add Nights function and finding out whether or not I could add a night. Sad they won't make the basic stuff work properly and efficiently and instead spend their time on this type of stuff.

As long as you understand that the two functions you're using to accomplish what you're trying to accomplish are apples and oranges - using different queries - one against existing reserved inventory and one against net new inventory - then "you be you" so the saying goes. I always recommend using functions as they are intended as a best practice, but for those who may have a LOT of existing reservations - I can at least understand the efficiency argument you're making here as well. We've had enhancement requests in the queue for over a year now asking for improvements to the ability to organize and view reservation and transaction data on an owner specific basis - but haven't seen any real movement on these items yet. The issue is that for the vast majority of owners that only have 5-10 reservations at most at any one time (if that) - these aren't problems that demand attention.
 

paxsarah

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I always recommend using functions as they are intended as a best practice
I think this is best in the current environment - and if the function doesn't work as intended, then feedback feedback feedback to Wyndham (both directly and here - a layered approach). But it's also good to remember that there is a long history of using workarounds in the Wyndham system and it's a tough habit to get out of. The credit pool especially was the source of a lot of creative ways of getting various things done (including the infamous contract stripping but also many more innocuous things). So owners, at least the high-information/savvy TUG owners, are always looking for the best way to accomplish their ends, even if it's not the intended way.
 

Sandi Bo

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I think this is best in the current environment - and if the function doesn't work as intended, then feedback feedback feedback to Wyndham (both directly and here - a layered approach). But it's also good to remember that there is a long history of using workarounds in the Wyndham system and it's a tough habit to get out of. The credit pool especially was the source of a lot of creative ways of getting various things done (including the infamous contract stripping but also many more innocuous things). So owners, at least the high-information/savvy TUG owners, are always looking for the best way to accomplish their ends, even if it's not the intended way.
There is a lot of difference between finding the most efficient way to do something with what we've been handed and the credit pool abuse of earlier years. Honestly I don't know you can compare the two. I provide feedback at every given chance, here, on surveys, on the feedback tab. But doesn't mean I'm not going to find the most efficient way to do things in the mean time.

I also use the bucket list to get to the monthly calendar in the most efficient manner. I'm sure there are other atrocities I'm unknowingly doing!
 

Eric B

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I also use the bucket list to get to the monthly calendar in the most efficient manner. I'm sure there are other atrocities I'm unknowingly doing!

That is definitely not what the Bucket List is for - it's a marketing tool to collect information on what resorts you would prefer so that they can try to sell them to you! Any other functionality is coincidental and using it might be bogging the system down, undermining its ability to allow other owners to efficiently make reservations.... I'm sure there are other atrocities there, too.
 

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There is a lot of difference between finding the most efficient way to do something with what we've been handed and the credit pool abuse of earlier years. Honestly I don't know you can compare the two.
I wasn't trying to compare it to the abuse, I was trying to compare it to a lot of innocuous things we all did.
The credit pool especially was the source of a lot of creative ways of getting various things done (including the infamous contract stripping but also many more innocuous things).

I specifically phrased it that way to acknowledge that when people hear credit pool, they immediately think of Ron and contract stripping, but there were many, many more mundane things that many, many owners did with the credit pool that were arguably not its original purpose, but made all of our ownerships work better. Apparently I wasn't clear enough about that.
  • I used the credit pool to "borrow" from a future year outside of the Express period.
  • When I had points in the credit pool which were ineligible to be deposited to RCI, I made a dummy reservation, then canceled it to get canceled points, then I could deposit those canceled points to RCI.
  • I used the credit pool to spread my biennial contracts over multiple years - in those days, biennial contracts were functionally equivalent to annual contracts (if you were willing to pay $39 every two years) - that is no longer the case.
  • Not involving the credit pool (I don't think - but I didn't have this situation so I don't remember), but making and canceling reservations would allow owners with multiple use years to roll points forward kind of indefinitely?
That's what I was trying to say. We're a community trying to find workarounds, using tool A for function B if it happens to work better. 99% of the time, it was innocuous and for personal use.

Is that better?

EDIT: And the whole point of mentioning our communal long history of workaround-using was not to scold the people who did and are still doing it, but to provide needed context for people like Hitchhiker who are extremely knowledgeable and helpful in the present day, but don't have the history of just how long and omnipresent the different types of workarounds are. If someone was new here, based on recent heated discussions they'd think it was all contract stripping and VIP cancel/rebook, but there were really lots of different, minor workarounds going on even among the smallest owners (of which I consider myself).
 
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HitchHiker71

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I think you mean that the other way around? You might see availability in the Add Nights function that won't show in the monthly calendar. If there is only one night available, it won't display in the monthly calendar, but it will show in Add Nights (if it's exactly the same room type). If 2 or more nights and exactly the same room type, it should show in both functions. Unless it's less than 3 (even though they say 2) nights from checkin. So maybe the statement is really 'or vice versa'. It's the same inventory, different rules apply to both functions resulting in what shows available. Sorry, it's the QA person in me, always looking for the checks and balances and ultimately for things to makes sense.

I think the 30 day BS or wait a few days before something shows up is throw-back to pre-voyager. I've heard that thrown out as an excuse here and there when something wasn't working correctly. But it was because things weren't working correctly :)

Yes it could be either-or - you might see availability in the monthly calendar (for two nights minimum) but not see the same availability in Add Nights, or you might not see availability in the monthly calendar but do see availability in Add Nights.
 

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That is definitely not what the Bucket List is for - it's a marketing tool to collect information on what resorts you would prefer so that they can try to sell them to you! Any other functionality is coincidental and using it might be bogging the system down, undermining its ability to allow other owners to efficiently make reservations.... I'm sure there are other atrocities there, too.
If they'd fix the search and give us the ability to save our favorite searches, I wouldn't have to use the bucket list. In all seriousness, I think I use less system resources using the bucket list. Every time you use the search it first executes the search you last executed - what a waste of system resources and my time. Then you can play with the parameter fields and they may or may not clear out as they should. Then you can execute the search you came for. I also saved Midtown in my bucket list because it wasn't showing up when you executed a regular search. It may not be what they designed the bucket list for, but I am thankful to have it available. If they are using it as a sales tool, it's an accurate representation of resorts I book the most, I constantly update it for what is most relevant for me at the time.
 
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I've seen a mock-up of a "Length of Stay" option for the monthly calendar view where you'll be able to select the length of your stay - just like the current calendar is displaying now for two night minimums - and the calendar would then display all starting dates where that length of stay is actually available based upon the other filtering criteria already selected. This may or may not actually come to fruition to be clear - but IMHO this would be useful added functionality for the monthly calendar.

This would be a huge time saver. It would be ideal if we could select multiple "Length of Stay" days. I wish this was an option for "Suite Type" as well. The ability to filter the calendar to show starting dates that have 2 or 3br for 4 or 5 nights would be a dream come true.
 

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This would be a huge time saver. It would be ideal if we could select multiple "Length of Stay" days. I wish this was an option for "Suite Type" as well. The ability to filter the calendar to show starting dates that have 2 or 3br for 4 or 5 nights would be a dream come true.

Off the cuff I'm not sure allowing multiple selections like this for the monthly calendar view would work. There would be no way to "see" the particular duration for any one date on the calendar when allowing multiple selection criteria. What I mean is, if you allow 3/4/5 days to be selected, how would the calendar display which date range applied to that particular start date that shows as available? How would the calendar indicate that any one date may have multiple matches for the date ranges selected? Features like this are what the date range required availability searches are meant to provide for via the "Flexible on dates" checkbox for example. I've asked for a "Flexible on duration" checkbox many moons ago but it's not come to fruition yet.
 

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This would be a huge time saver. It would be ideal if we could select multiple "Length of Stay" days. I wish this was an option for "Suite Type" as well. The ability to filter the calendar to show starting dates that have 2 or 3br for 4 or 5 nights would be a dream come true.

That seems like a very odd, niche request that not many people would even want or need, so I doubt they would waste any time on that request. Especially considering how much they already have to fix...
 
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