OKW Room Request - help!

[*NikkiBell*]

I'm confused. I have a studio booked and there is an option to submit a request for an area near HH when I go to online check in. Would this not be the same?

[utahkennedys]

Originally Posted by MinnieVanMom

We usually request to be on the Miller road but not overlooking the pool or at the bus turn out.

It is a short walk to the HH and pool, also there is a dirt path to POFQ that we take to get those lovely fried bread with powdered sugar things. It is about a 10 minute walk and not a public area but we saw it on google maps and have used it many times.

I would love to know where this path starts!!

[Chuck S]

Originally Posted by *NikkiBell*

I'm confused. I have a studio booked and there is an option to submit a request for an area near HH when I go to online check in. Would this not be the same?

They made "Near HH" an actual booking category a few years ago . As far as the online check-in request, it would probably mean they will try to place you in some building that are still somewhat close to HH, but are not considered part of that specific booking category.

[mmtravel]

By luck of the draw, we wound up in building 39 - we were supposed to be in 35, but 39 was available right away when we checked in at 11am so we decided to take it. Not much of a view, and very close to the road, so if you need it super quiet, it's not a good building. We loved the location in Turtle Pond and spent some great time at the pool there, despite the cool weather.

Loved the resort, loved Olivia's, loved the whole vibe and the room (even our little studio was great). We also spent good quality time in the HH playing pool, doing a shark's tooth necklace, renting DVDs, and just generally hanging out. We were there during the crazy storm that hit on Sunday when we arrived and everyone came running in from the pool. What a way to start the vacation!

Thank you all for your tips! We were very glad we'd rented a car but did use the transportation for our MK/AK day and were glad we did.

[luvsvacations]

I was wondering - do the quiet pools have hot tubs ??

[Chuck S]

Originally Posted by luvsvacations

I was wondering - do the quiet pools have hot tubs ??

Yes, there are hot tubs by every pool at OKW. There is a small sauna in the base of the lighthouse near the main pool.

[luvsvacations]

Thanks - I love the hot tub at night - we wont have a car so now I guess I would mind where we end up at so much.

[dianeschlicht]

Originally Posted by luvsvacations

Thanks - I love the hot tub at night - we wont have a car so now I guess I would mind where we end up at so much.

You might want to rethink that if you read my thread about what I got from a Disney hot tub.

[Jeremy&Susan]

We just got back from HH and hopefully you have better luck with that resort than we did.
Resort is really amazing from layout to overall feel of how it was laided out. I love the the way they make you feel liek you could be in south south south Florida.

We booked near HH and when we arrived, they acted like any room was good enough. First two rooms way out by the main road on the backside of the property, then a third floor room in a building with no elevator at another corner of the property, when they could see we had two very small children and strollers. When I insisted we booked near HH to allow the kids to enjoy the main pool (they only themed pool there), the restaurant and the community hall; the nice cast member just shrugged her shoulders.
I needed to insist we get the category we booked or we get moved to another resort, final that seemed to light a spark with the team at the front desk (a very dim spark). OVER ONE and ONE-HALF hours later (now past 7PM), we were booked into a room in building 26 (more on that lovely room below). What could possibly have taken that long to find and book a vacant room ???

The nice cast-member did agree to set up a morning birthday greeting for our daughter for later in the week. Very nice thought, too bad they screwed that up as well. No call. When I called asking if the call was coming soon, the front desk cast member replied, just put her on the phone now and I will wish her a happy birthday. Ah the MAGIC keeps coming at OKW.

Now to the room. We get into our room and quickly found why it took so long for OKW staff to locate it as open and assign it to us........ THEY JUST BUG BOMBED IT!!! The smell and residue from the bug bomb was still overwhelming in the kitchen. We were so frustrated and the kids so hungry, we just left the doors open, yes even the front door and went to dinner, hoping that by the time we returned the rooms would not smell so bad.
By the time we returned, the smell was pretty much gone, we did need to spend the next hour plus washing all the dishes, coutntertops and furniture to remove the residue left over from the bug bomb. Now around midnight with two very tired and cranky kids we went to bed.
The next morning we had the joy of getting a better view of the rooms and, by far, the most disgusting bathroom I have ever encountered (except at South of the Border).
I will not post photos unless you all really want me too, but after a renovation, Disney ought to be thoroughly embarassed with the bathrooms at OKW. Mold is coming out from behind the grout, grout is missing, windows and doors on the shower are corroded and actually pulling away from they frame due to the corossion, mold has been chaulked over with mold now pushing the chaulk away from the corners and joints. Let's not ever put a foot in the whirpool tub!!!! One swipe of a jet with a wet washcloth and the washcloth comes back BLACK. That's real healthy.

I feel bad for the owners of OKW, where are your dues going? If you figure a one bedroom brings in anywhere from $50-75K a year in dues (maybe more I sure someone here has it figured out), where is it going?

When I made the manager (A#####) aware of the bathroom and the bugbomb issue, he was very nice and understanding. He mentioned that OKW was trying to find a way to fund the bathroom renovation and he agreed that it really needed one. He also said we coudl change rooms but could not be sure any other available room would have a better result.

Well we tried OKW, and regretfully will never go back. Love the theme and the landscaping, but they need to completely gut and rebuild those rooms before they become a health hazard or more of a health hazard.

[Chuck S]

Maybe they initially put you in a unit away from HH because they didn't have any available, and were taking the room you finally received in bldg 26 out of service because of the bug problem. I really don't know what you expected the resort to do when a room goes out of service for an unplanned problem like bugs. They were likely going to have that room down for repairs for a few days until you insisted that you be moved to the HH area. If all the other rooms in the area were occupied by guests, there were few options.

[mmtravel]

We also just got home last night. Sorry your trip was unpleasant. We didn't have any issues with our studio bathroom. The fixtures aren't new but everything was clean.

[Jeremy&Susan]

Originally Posted by Chuck S

Maybe they initially put you in a unit away from HH because they didn't have any available, and were taking the room you finally received in bldg 26 out of service because of the bug problem. I really don't know what you expected the resort to do when a room goes out of service for an unplanned problem like bugs. They were likely going to have that room down for repairs for a few days until you insisted that you be moved to the HH area. If all the other rooms in the area were occupied by guests, there were few options.

Chuck, you know that the HH is a booking category, not sure why you are trying to start another debate. The category my family booked and Disney confirmed was not being honored,and the staff at OKW did not seem to even care.

I asked to get moved to another resort if they did not have my booking category, a reasonable request.

When OKW Staff, by some small miracle, then found a room in the HH category, I asked if it had been taken out of service. OKW staff were positive that it had not and that they "just had to move around other reservations" to open up this room.

To answer your question, I expect a confirmed booking category to be either honored or for the hotel staff to make good, I asked for no compensation, just a room my kids would be able to enjoy the resort from.

Not sure why this site is so adamant on always painting DVC with rose colored glasses. We are owners and obvious lovers of Disney. We should show both the good and the not so good to allow Disney to fix these issues and bring things up to the Disney Standard. We all know Disney montiors these sites and in my opinion may respond to criticism from the sites more effectively than through their own reporting systems.

OKW is a very beautiful resort, the conditions of the rooms, especially the bathrooms, makes it one in need of serious attention. The bathrooms and water penetration issues in the villas are a serious structural and a definite health concern. OKW is presently performing a good deal of exterior structural work including waterproofing and painting on the villas at the end of Miller Road, hopefully they are gutting and rebuiding the bathrooms as well.

[Chuck S]

I know it is a booking category...but again, the point is, if a room or building goes out of service in that category unexpectedly for an unscheduled maintenance issue like bugs, what can be done? The options are limited.

Moving to another resort, is not a guarantee you'll be any closer to services.

It is quite doubtful bathrooms at OKW will be gutted and rebuilt anytime soon, the resort went through a major rehab, replacing counters, beds, carpet, paint (including the bathrooms) and some furniture within the last 2 or 3 years. If they had planned to redo the bathrooms and take buildings out of service it would have been done at that time.

[91oldkeywest]

Jeremy and Susan,when did you get the idea that you had a set room or building just by making a reservation.Read the print and it is clear that DVC will try to get you the room or building or area that you would like to be in,but they do not guarantee you will receive that request.

[kato0627]

Staying at a GV in June. Does anyone have a resort map showing the locations of GV??? Thanks