Sad Story from One Who Trusted without Checking!

[knees2theearth]

This is so sad. I feel terrible for you. I am in a similar situation; however, I haven't sent money yet. I have supposedly "reservations" for la little over a week away. I haven't heard back from the DV owner. She had reservations that she could not use an dthey were for the exact same time I was looking. I thought GREAT! I have been since october 30 trying to finalize this. This is my first time doing this and I was a little concerned for the reasons that happened to you. Time is getting close and my husband and I have talked that we can not get on a plane (more like 2 or3 because of where we live) and show up at the Disney counter and they have nothing for us. The reservations were switched to our name ( I have confirmation of that) , but she could have changed that again! We are thinking that we will have to canceal our flights . We have to check in to this. We are thinking we will lose this as they were seat sale tickets. Our children will be so disapointed as this was a part of thier christmas gifts.

 

[knees2theearth]

First, I must concede that I acted monumentally stupidly in this sad (expensive) story...arguably it's entirely my fault for being so unqualifiedly trusting. Since trust is a huge element in rent/transfer transactions, I thought it might help others to hear my painful experience...

Just yesterday, I impulsively jumped on an R/T board offer to rent 160 BCW points (I've talked to our mods, who are WONDERFUL...very sympathetic!--and they remind me I must not "name names")...I PM'ed the poster who offered the points, providing my phone number and email address.



This is so sad. I feel terrible for you. I am in a similar situation; however, I haven't sent money yet. I have supposedly "reservations" for la little over a week away. I haven't heard back from the DV owner. She had reservations that she could not use an dthey were for the exact same time I was looking. I thought GREAT! I have been since october 30 trying to finalize this. This is my first time doing this and I was a little concerned for the reasons that happened to you. Time is getting close and my husband and I have talked that we can not get on a plane (more like 2 or3 because of where we live) and show up at the Disney counter and they have nothing for us. The reservations were switched to our name ( I have confirmation of that) , but she could have changed that again! We are thinking that we will have to canceal our flights . We have to check in to this. We are thinking we will lose this as they were seat sale tickets. Our children will be so disapointed as this was a part of thier christmas gifts.

 

[dianeschlicht]

This is so sad. I feel terrible for you. I am in a similar situation; however, I haven't sent money yet. I have supposedly "reservations" for la little over a week away. I haven't heard back from the DV owner. She had reservations that she could not use an dthey were for the exact same time I was looking. I thought GREAT! I have been since october 30 trying to finalize this. This is my first time doing this and I was a little concerned for the reasons that happened to you. Time is getting close and my husband and I have talked that we can not get on a plane (more like 2 or3 because of where we live) and show up at the Disney counter and they have nothing for us. The reservations were switched to our name ( I have confirmation of that) , but she could have changed that again! We are thinking that we will have to canceal our flights . We have to check in to this. We are thinking we will lose this as they were seat sale tickets. Our children will be so disapointed as this was a part of thier christmas gifts.

Explain what it is you have done to pay for the reservation. Has ANY money exchanged hands? If not, I would be surprised if you actually have that reservation.

If you are within a week of your trip, try calling the resort directly to see if they have your name on the ressie. I guess I would try to do a backup plan at this point as well, but I would NOT cancel the trip. Be sure you have your confirmation slip and number and take that with you as well. Not that it would necessarily help, but if you can't contact the owner within a week of travel, I'd make other arrangements.

 

[Lewisc]

When you rent points you pay the DVC owner, you don't pay Disney. Some owners want to paid in full after they make the reservation. Some want half at the time of the reservation and the other half 30-60 days before your trip. I don't know of any owner that normally accepts payment a week in advance or even after the trip.

I don't know if the problem is with you or the owner but I expect that since you didn't pay the reservation was either cancelled or transfered to a renter that paid. You can try to call the owner but at this point the owner would be justified in asking you to FEDX a bank check. Even then the owner might be afraid of being scammed. The trip is two weeks away and you still haven't paid.

There isn't any reason to cancel the trip, call Disney and see if you can book a value resort like POP.

This is so sad. I feel terrible for you. I am in a similar situation; however, I haven't sent money yet. I have supposedly "reservations" for la little over a week away. I haven't heard back from the DV owner. She had reservations that she could not use an dthey were for the exact same time I was looking. I thought GREAT! I have been since october 30 trying to finalize this. This is my first time doing this and I was a little concerned for the reasons that happened to you. Time is getting close and my husband and I have talked that we can not get on a plane (more like 2 or3 because of where we live) and show up at the Disney counter and they have nothing for us. The reservations were switched to our name ( I have confirmation of that) , but she could have changed that again! We are thinking that we will have to canceal our flights . We have to check in to this. We are thinking we will lose this as they were seat sale tickets. Our children will be so disapointed as this was a part of thier christmas gifts.

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

I don't understand...you have a reservation in your name for a stay that you haven't paid for yet. Do you have some indication that the owner is dishonest or has mislead you in some way? Why are you so worried this isn't going to work out?

 

[dianeschlicht]

Okay, so something is REALLY fishy here! Click on Knees2theearth to see all posts. Only 1 shows up, yet there is a 13 listed under the name as number of posts.

 

[Tamar]

Okay, so something is REALLY fishy here! Click on Knees2theearth to see all posts. Only 1 shows up, yet there is a 13 listed under the name as number of posts.

And, in addition to the one that shows up, there are 2 in this thread that don't. I suspect there's some kind of a technical glitch.

 

[aprince&princess]

Aren't the number of posts the ones that you have started? I think knees2theearth lists 1 for the post that was a new thread, but the 13 represents the number of posts made by that person.

Also I took the post to mean that they only requested to rent the points yesterday and that is why it hasn't been paid for yet. The other person had a reservation that they aren't going to use and switched to the new name. So it could be verified with MS and then paid for since the date is so close?

 

[Lewisc]

Aren't the number of posts the ones that you have started? I think knees2theearth lists 1 for the post that was a new thread, but the 13 represents the number of posts made by that person.

Also I took the post to mean that they only requested to rent the points yesterday and that is why it hasn't been paid for yet. The other person had a reservation that they aren't going to use and switched to the new name. So it could be verified with MS and then paid for since the date is so close?

A google search, current site, shows the rest of her posts. I mis-read her post. If the reservation was only transferred in the last few days she'll have to have a degree of trust. I'd think the owner would want funds wired, FEDXed bank check or some kind of credit card.

 

[LisaS]

Okay, so something is REALLY fishy here! Click on Knees2theearth to see all posts. Only 1 shows up, yet there is a 13 listed under the name as number of posts.

Within the past couple of days, a change was made to the "Find all posts by [user]" functionality. It now hands off the request to Board Tracker which only knows how to do "Find threads started by [user]". So we no longer have the ability to find all posts. A few of us have posted about this on the Technical Support forum but I haven't seen any official response yet as to whether this is a short-term technical glitch or a permanent change.

So it would appear that 12 of "knees" 13 posts were replies on existing threads. You would have to use an outside search engine such as Google to try to track them down.

 

[LisaS]

A google search, current site, shows the rest of her posts. I mis-read her post. If the reservation was only transferred in the last few days she'll have to have a degree of trust. I'd think the owner would want funds wired, FEDXed bank check or some kind of credit card.

But in her post she states:

I have been since october 30 trying to finalize this.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

Also I took the post to mean that they only requested to rent the points yesterday and that is why it hasn't been paid for yet. The other person had a reservation that they aren't going to use and switched to the new name. So it could be verified with MS and then paid for since the date is so close?

No, "knees" stated this in the OP:

She had reservations that she could not use an dthey were for the exact same time I was looking. I thought GREAT! I have been since october 30 trying to finalize this. The reservations were switched to our name ( I have confirmation of that)

Looks like "knees" has been involoved with this since October, and has not sent payment. It really would not surprise me if the owner cancelled the reservations.

Why knees would assume she still had a reservation that has not had a payment applied to it.....

 

[gblast123]

DMKEDM - I may have some extra points I could give you for a short vacation. They will have to be used by the end of January. I was going to give them to an undeserving relative, but I think that your plight is worthy of a charitable undertaking. Contact ASAP if you can go by the end of January.

 

[alldiz]

DMKEDM - I may have some extra points I could give you for a short vacation. They will have to be used by the end of January. I was going to give them to an undeserving relative, but I think that your plight is worthy of a charitable undertaking. Contact ASAP if you can go by the end of January.

wow.....these boards are awesome
kerri

 

[DMKEDM]

Gblast123: Thank you so much for your offer...it warms my heart...but I can't accept...as a general matter, it just wouldn't be right--undeserving tho your relatives may be (grin), they should get priority over me! Especially since I am just fine w/my Disney'ing...in fact, I'm here at WDW (BWV) as I type this (and loving it, of course)...and even talked to our guide a couple of days ago about the possibility of adding on...

But I can't thank you enough for thinking of me...

Dani

 

[4formickey]

wow!

 

[MaryKatesMom]

DMKEDM - I wanted to let you know I appreciate what it must have taken to warn everyone. You didn't have to put yourself out there but you did and HAVE taken your advice to heart.

Thank you for being so graceful.

 

[kend58]

I have yet to rent and might easily have followed a similar path under similar circumstances as these are by the nature of the rules private matters between the owner and the renter no 3rd party oversight is involved.

I am not certain how I would have reacted but shame would likely have been my largest reaction and I am uncertain I could have lived my problem out in such an open and forthright manner.

Dani thanks and pixie dust to you forever
Stacey I am glad your outcome was good and financial resolution was reached.

The entire "cast" of supporting characters in this real life drama amaze me and I am humbled by the restraint and reserve shown by one and all during the entirety of the events.

I only recently started focusing on retirement vacation planning and considering my options re DVC as a component in that mix. Renting at 1st blush looked fast, easy and simple but I am certain fast & easy is not how it will work for me now. I after reading the thread am still willing to be a renter but will now definitely be using renting the same way I would owning i.e. only where a long lead time exists and the owner and I have the chance to mutually resolve the method of the transaction and answer questions and concerns ... renting is not a method I would consider for short term or relatively impulsive trips any longer as the easy and fast paths required for short notice rentals are where the scammers if they are here can hide i.e no time to get a ressie confimed before payment is sent etc because there is insufficient lead time before the ressie dates.

There is no reason in my circumstances to play in that arena IMHO the possible savings are far outwieghed by the potential problems and the doubts I would have about the whole thing would steal the majic from my trip. (By this I mean sometimes it appears renting can save 50% over a deluxe hotel stay but I could just stay at a mod or value or offsite or the Swan on points or something and avoid the quick turn around payment required immediately no time to think / verify before making payment or before asking the owner to take an irrevesible action scenarios)

All that said I can still forsee an owner needing to rent at times because of a shortage of points after banking and borrowing for all of a trip or to get in a second trip after using points and having had the 1 transfer for the year occurr to book the 1st trip.

Obviously any non-owner (my current status) looking for the DVC experience and trying to save money has only the rental option unless they can get themselves designated by some owner as the lucky unworthy relatives of the year . I just won't ever think of it as something easy and fast (unless maybe it was a repeat rental situation with someone).

References and contract signings even with overnight US mail, faxes and emails as the delivery methods take more time than the easy and fast route it all looked like to me a few weeks ago (i.e. days and weeks of time elapsing not minutes and hours).

Again thanks to all involved for posting to this thread and thanks to DOC for making it very hard for a new R/T thread browser to ignore it.

 

[dpuck1998]

I can't believe I read the whole thing...

And Tom Roxs! I bought my DVC contract from him and
HIGHLY recommend it!!

 

[Tinkerbellcrafter]

To kend58 and all...I joined this board as the one situation was in progress and it made us nervous since we were DVC owners needing extra points for a grand gathering in May 07. Happily we rented additional points and had a great trip for my DM's 75th bday at BWV. Do your homework and don't be impulsive. Most people are good. Thank you for all who have shown a generous spirit in this thread!