When does the reservation modify name option disappear?

[Snippy]

We live in Arizona. We got caught once 2-3 years ago when Wyndham locked out modification at Midnight on day of check in, which was 9pm for us. Today we found out that we were not able to modify at noon on day of check in. Our family frequents Starr Pass, Sedona, Flagstaff, and Grand Desert semi regularly. Today we were heading to Grand Desert - with account owners coming from different places. Mid day we were all on the road and car #1 was going to arrive a couple hours ahead of car #2. The reservation was in the name of an owner in car #2. I logged in at about noon to change the traveler name to one of the people in car #1, but the modify option was GONE! Has anyone figured out when the modify option disappears? I'd love suggestions on how to convince Wyndham that last minute changes do not equal renting. What would happen if we were not paying attention and put the wrong owner name on the reservation as it does not show unless you drill down to the details? I am aware you can see the reservation names on the app easier, but I'm a desktop fan. Or, if the reservation person got sick and decided to stay home.

 

[Sandi Bo]

You are 100% right, but both the website and the app are screwed up -- more so than ever after the last 'maintenance' on March 15 or so. I'm not sure what Wyndham's goal is -- and likely IT doesn't either (defending developers - hard to know what to program when you don't know the requirements). My guess is that the logic for guest allowances combined with guest confirmations and perhaps bonus time logic has created a very screwed up mess in the programming (for both the website and the application) for updating travelers names (changing owners as well as adding a guest confirmation).

My advice -- be sure to understand how things are supposed to work and be sure you have the names how you want them (the day of checkin) while the phone support (VC's/Owner Resolution) lines are open. You may have to explain to a VC how it should work, and you might get transferred to Owner Resolution -- but they can properly update a travelers name. But you have to understand the rules and explain (insist) to the VC's.

@Snippy, you could have called and a VC could have updated the traveler's name to the owner showing up first (that's pretty simple to have a VC take care of (owner name changes) but it is a phone call (if it's after noon or so on the day of checkin).

Name changes at checkin are dicey. Name changes to anyone after midnight Eastern Time are really hard -- and depending on the resort -- may be impossible. Many resorts do not have 24 hour desks, and prepare the paperwork for expected checkins before the front desk leaves for the day. You basically have a security type person checking you in -- they are not going to have the knowledge or ability to change the name (even from one owner to another) once it's after hours.

And I'm not sure anymore what timezone the website or the app uses.
- My sister in ET can book bonus time an hour earlier then me (CT).
- This noon shut off of updating the traveler's name using the app is kind of unexplainable. Coupled with since Mar 15 you can't modify it at all on the website the day of checkin (so not sure when it is shutting off on the website)
- Adding days to a reservation - you are supposed to be able to up until 2 days. But that's not true, It's somewhere between 2 and 3 days (again, I suspect a time zone issue),

And comically it gives the sales force more fodder for talking you into attending a presentation - they'll actually use 'come see how to fix things, you really need to know what's going on'.

Also comically, maybe, I worked for years on a system that scheduled appointments. We'd have people in Arizona scheduling for an event in Chicago, for example. It takes diligence and understanding to get this stuff right. I wonder what time zone the development staff for Wyndham is in.

 

[HitchHiker71]

You are 100% right, but both the website and the app are screwed up -- more so than ever after the last 'maintenance' on March 15 or so. I'm not sure what Wyndham's goal is -- and likely IT doesn't either (defending developers - hard to know what to program when you don't know the requirements). My guess is that the logic for guest allowances combined with guest confirmations and perhaps bonus time logic has created a very screwed up mess in the programming (for both the website and the application) for updating travelers names (changing owners as well as adding a guest confirmation).

I've never had an issue altering the owner name using either the website or the app - and I've done this several times over the past several months - but then again I'm never making same day changes either - we know pretty well in advance who is going to be checking in first. I guess I'm more of a planner that way, waiting until same day seems like a failure to plan for someone like me, but if someone were to get sick or something, which to date has never actually transpired same day, then I can see the use case.

What is the reported issue specific to the mobile app that you're referring to? Please post it into the mobile app thread here: https://tugbbs.com/forums/threads/s...enhancements-and-requests-posted-here.372893/

My advice -- be sure to understand how things are supposed to work and be sure you have the names how you want them (the day of checkin) while the phone support (VC's/Owner Resolution) lines are open. You may have to explain to a VC how it should work, and you might get transferred to Owner Resolution -- but they can properly update a travelers name. But you have to understand the rules and explain (insist) to the VC's.

@Snippy, you could have called and a VC could have updated the traveler's name to the owner showing up first (that's pretty simple to have a VC take care of (owner name changes) but it is a phone call (if it's after noon or so on the day of checkin).

Name changes at checkin are dicey. Name changes to anyone after midnight Eastern Time are really hard -- and depending on the resort -- may be impossible. Many resorts do not have 24 hour desks, and prepare the paperwork for expected checkins before the front desk leaves for the day. You basically have a security type person checking you in -- they are not going to have the knowledge or ability to change the name (even from one owner to another) once it's after hours.

Good advice.

And I'm not sure anymore what timezone the website or the app uses.
- My sister in ET can book bonus time an hour earlier then me (CT).
- This noon shut off of updating the traveler's name using the app is kind of unexplainable. Coupled with since Mar 15 you can't modify it at all on the website the day of checkin (so not sure when it is shutting off on the website)
- Adding days to a reservation - you are supposed to be able to up until 2 days. But that's not true, It's somewhere between 2 and 3 days (again, I suspect a time zone issue),

I've always been under the impression the Club Wyndham website uses ET, while the Worldmark website uses PT. I can ask the Wyndham IT folks for clarity on any questions we have on the website and/or the app - just give me an explicit list of questions and I'm happy to follow up. I'm also under the impression that the modify function is no longer available within 48 hours of the start date of the reservation.

And comically it gives the sales force more fodder for talking you into attending a presentation - they'll actually use 'come see how to fix things, you really need to know what's going on'.

LOL - I've never had them attempt this - but then again I'm not having any website or app specific conversations with these folks either.

Also comically, maybe, I worked for years on a system that scheduled appointments. We'd have people in Arizona scheduling for an event in Chicago, for example. It takes diligence and understanding to get this stuff right. I wonder what time zone the development staff for Wyndham is in.

Arizona is especially challenging given that state doesn't honor DST at all. Our boss lives in AZ, so whenever we drop into or out of DST, all of his meetings shift on our calendars. It's a real PITA. Most of the Wyndham developers are in the Orlando area from what I know - though I believe they are also using offshore resources for some development these days in the name of cost savings - but the Wyndham IT folks I work with - they are all located in the Orlando area.

 

[Snippy]

I've been in Arizona for a long time, I have staff that spans California to Florida The standing meetings I set up shift for them. The standing meetings they set up shift for me. A royal PITA for us all

We often have 2 or 3 or 4 rooms. Today, the owner that was supposed to arrive first had a 3 hour plane delay. The other sharing their room would have had to sit around for a couple hours waiting. Not an issue as they just joined us in the room we checked into yesterday. I did not mention that yesterdays issue was caused by a car crash - car #2 was planned to arrive first, but stuck in a long traffic delay. That puts our well arranged plans for both rooms out the window in 2 days. yesterday a traffic delay. Today a plane delay.

I just don't follow why these restrictions exist. The GA looks solid in the software now. What is Wyndham's motivation?

 

[Shiba]

The last time we were at the Grand Desert I asked the question about why both owners are not listed on the reservation for check in,in case one was arriving later. I was told they can always look who the actual owners are and they would allow you to check you in. Since you're there ask if they actually do this.

 

[Sandi Bo]

The last time we were at the Grand Desert I asked the question about why both owners are not listed on the reservation for check in,in case one was arriving later. I was told they can always look who the actual owners are and they would allow you to check you in. Since you're there ask if they actually do this.

This must be resort dependent. I have found that it differs by resort (and it changes - I don't know if it's the resort management or the sales people on site trying to make it harder to bypass them during checkin). Some resorts will update the owner name for you - some insist you do it (and since now you can't you'd have to call a VC).

Must the tester in my bones - I pay attention to the state of my reservation - I play around to see how things work so that when I really need to know how they work - they do. Do I change the name everytime on the day of checkin - no - but do I know at what point I can modify or not - you bet I do.

The more I think about it - they recently (maybe the mid-March maintenance) disabled the link to modify the checkin/checkout dates when you get within a few days. I bet that messed up the updates to the travelers names. I noticed you also can't cancel a reservation the day of checkin (on the website, or starting about noon on the app). What if you booked something the day before and should have 24 hours to cancel? You need to be able to.

So, yeah, make sure things sit as you need them to before the call center closes (or they work the bugs out of the website and app).

 

[Sandi Bo]

I've been in Arizona for a long time, I have staff that spans California to Florida The standing meetings I set up shift for them. The standing meetings they set up shift for me. A royal PITA for us all

We often have 2 or 3 or 4 rooms. Today, the owner that was supposed to arrive first had a 3 hour plane delay. The other sharing their room would have had to sit around for a couple hours waiting. Not an issue as they just joined us in the room we checked into yesterday. I did not mention that yesterdays issue was caused by a car crash - car #2 was planned to arrive first, but stuck in a long traffic delay. That puts our well arranged plans for both rooms out the window in 2 days. yesterday a traffic delay. Today a plane delay.

I just don't follow why these restrictions exist. The GA looks solid in the software now. What is Wyndham's motivation?

If we have 2 or 3 or 4 rooms (which we often do) - it is really nice to check everyone in. It increases the liklihood of our rooms being close. Something I really like (and my husband thinks no big deal). Grrrr - our last stay at Wisonsin Dells our kids were 2 buildings down (same floor - but a hike). That is really hard when there are 2, 6, and 7 year olds involved. The front desk cheerfully states it's only a 5 min walk.

My last job, our software was developed in Europe. They go to daylight savings at different times than we do. That was fun, too. Good times! So many times zone gotcha's.

 

[Sandi Bo]

I've always been under the impression the Club Wyndham website uses ET, while the Worldmark website uses PT. I can ask the Wyndham IT folks for clarity on any questions we have on the website and/or the app - just give me an explicit list of questions and I'm happy to follow up. I'm also under the impression that the modify function is no longer available within 48 hours of the start date of the reservation.

* Booking reservations seems to follow ET (new day starts at midnight ET regardless of what timezone you are in (so for me in CT, it's 11pm). That's held true for as long as I can remember. Datestamps get funky for me (they are often a day off), but I don't care.
* Ability to add days to a reservations. My understanding is it's 2 days from checkin. But at what time the day of checkin? I've not been able to figure it out. It's not midnight ET or CT. It might be noonish, Seems like I've tried to play with it (thinking maybe 2 days from the day of checkin at 4pm (since 4pm is checkin time). Anyways, I don't care enough that I can't just assume 3 days. I don't do it often but there are times I couldn't when I should have been able to (IMO).
* Auto upgrades - don't work all the time anyways - but would be nice to know what time of day they use. My recollection is 4 days from checkin they will no longer auto upgrade. Same question as for the ability to add days - what time of day do they use - 4 days before the checkin date?
* Bonus times -- I'm pretty sure I can't do it on the app until midnight CT and my sister can do it at midnight ET. I don't think I could do it on the website either (although I wouldn't swear by that). It would be nice to know how Wyndham says it should work and then I'll validate. Well, I might, my sister is not eager to be up at midnight checking things out. She only checked when she was booking a bonus time reservation for herself. It was worth her while since I suspected she had a one hour advantage on me.

I don't ARP/RARP -- seems like those who do have reported issues regarding when exactly they are able to do so.

I guess that's it, unless anyone can think of other time dependent scenarios?

TIA for any details you are able to provide

 

[Snippy]

Must the tester in my bones - I pay attention to the state of my reservation - I play around to see how things work so that when I really need to know how they work - they do. Do I change the name everytime on the day of checkin - no - but do I know at what point I can modify or not - you bet I do.

This 100% represents me as well. The changes in this latest update caught me by surprise. I'll be looking and messing around for sure on our next trip!