Aagh! In a panic! - OKW questions

[wdw_nutz]

Hi everyone,

I'm in a total panic because I've just realised I've messed things up with my reservations...

I have fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome and so travel in a manual wheelchair and rent an ECV whilst in the World. I made reservations for my trip at the beginning of the year and we arrive on November 4th, for 2 weeks at OKW.

I was convinced I had sorted out the accessible room. I was so sure that I had mentioned it when I called them but it seems that they have no record of the request at all and now I'm in a panic! I don't need loads of adaptations but the roll in shower with the fold down seat in it helps loads, and the main thing is that I need space for both a manual chair and an ECV in the room and so a King bed room works best for us.

Memory issues and brain fog are a huge part of my condition and I can't believe we're at 101 days out and I haven't sorted this out. What do I need to fix this?? We're staying in a studio and I very much doubt I can find the cash to upgrade to a 1-bed. We are in the UK and so I don't know if we can phone the same numbers as everyone else?

Thanks for any words of wisdom!

D
x

 

[SueM in MN]

Hi everyone,

I'm in a total panic because I've just realised I've messed things up with my reservations...

I have fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome and so travel in a manual wheelchair and rent an ECV whilst in the World. I made reservations for my trip at the beginning of the year and we arrive on November 4th, for 2 weeks at OKW.

I was convinced I had sorted out the accessible room. I was so sure that I had mentioned it when I called them but it seems that they have no record of the request at all and now I'm in a panic! I don't need loads of adaptations but the roll in shower with the fold down seat in it helps loads, and the main thing is that I need space for both a manual chair and an ECV in the room and so a King bed room works best for us.

Memory issues and brain fog are a huge part of my condition and I can't believe we're at 101 days out and I haven't sorted this out. What do I need to fix this?? We're staying in a studio and I very much doubt I can find the cash to upgrade to a 1-bed. We are in the UK and so I don't know if we can phone the same numbers as everyone else?

Thanks for any words of wisdom!

D
x

OK. Take a deep breath.
We are DVC members at OKW since 1993, so have stayed there many times.
You will still have plenty of room for an ECV and a wheelchair in a studio.
These are some pictures of an OKW studio:

If you need more room, you can move this small table and chairs around a bit to make room. The doorways are wide enough to fit a wheelchair or ECV thru in a regular room.

The tubs have fairly low sides and if you are not able to get one with a roll in shower, you can request a bath bench or bath chair. You can set the bath bench/chair into the tub and then sit down with your legs outside of the tub. Once you are securely seated, you can swing your legs into the tub.

There is a phone number in the disABILITIES FAQs thread to call for Special Reservations:
Special Reservations Line: (407) 939-7807
You should be able to call that number from the UK, as long as you have the correct country code for the US. They assign the accessible rooms, so should be able to sort it out for you.
You will need to have your reservation number when you call.

 

[KPeveler]

I agree - call the reservations line or the Special Services number and they should be able to sort you out.

Something to note - my online reservation did not say I had reserved an accessible room - I had to call to double check.

Hopefully things work out for you.

 

[hainerfamily]

Don't be afraid to ask for things like a table/chair if they are in the way to be removed from your room if you find they are making things tight for you once you arrive.

We do this all the time with extra chairs, coffee tables, etc.

We travel with my son's wheelchair. BTW, we have also stayed at OKW Studio and found it had great space (non accessible room).

Lynn

 

[wdw_nutz]

Hey,

This is probably a dumb question but I thought I would ask it anyway...

I got my problems with the room request addressed, it hadn't been added to the reservation but now it has. Hurrah!

The guy on the phone said I would definitely have a roll in shower, with a king sized bed, and it's a studio I've booked. There can't be all that many that fit that description, right? So does anyone have any information about the location of these particular rooms?

Also, if it's noted on my reservation and he said it would definitely be honoured, am I safe to assume that's the case or is it still just a request?

Thanks everyone!

D
xx

 

[wdw_nutz]

Thanks everyone - your info really helped.


I called today and they have now got the information they need noted on my reservation.

I'm curious about where the Studio rooms with roll in showers and a king bed are at OKW but realise it's probably something I'll have to go on being curious about until we arrive!

Thanks again. D xx

 

[SueM in MN]

Not a stupid question at all.

My family are DVC members and OKW is our home resort, so we have lots of experience there.

When someone needs a room with a roll in shower, the CM is supposed to contact the Special Reservations Department. The guest is usually put on hold while that call is being made. The booking CM tell the Special Reservations CM the dates needed and the SR CM checks to make sure there is a room for those dates. If there is a room available, the SR CM blocks that room for your reservation.
The guest will usually not be told the location until they arrive - that's just in case that particular room is not available when you arrive and they need to change the location.

In all your contact with them, make sure to say 'acessible room with a roll in shower' or just ' studio with roll in shower'.
This is not just for OKW or DVC, but for all special reservations.

1) Rooms with roll in showers are not located in one specific area. They are scattered throughout the resort.

2) All the first floor rooms have wide enough doorways for a wheelchair to get into the room and the bathroom.

3) All of the studios at OKW have 2 QUEEN sized beds. NONE have a single King bed, only the master bedrooms in one and 2 bedroom villas, and Grand Villas have King beds.

4) Even with 2 queen beds, you will still have room to get around without problem. The other DVC villas have one bed and one sleeper sofa in the studios. The OKW rooms are significantly larger than the other DVC rooms though.

5) A room with a roll in shower IS guaranteed. That is according to the ADA, because guests who need that type of room often can not use a different type of room. If you said at reservation that you needed one, they don't have one for you when you arrive, they are obligated to find one, even if it means looking at a different resort.

6) In our experience recently, the words 'accessible room' are not always printed on the confirmation letter. If you call either the number you used to make the reservation or the Special Needs reservations number, they will be able to confirm it is on their computer. The number for special reservations is in the disABILITIES FAQs thread, in post 7 about room accommodations. That post also includes a picture of the OKW studio roll in shower.
You can find the disABILITIES FAQs thread near the top of this board or follow the link in my signature.
If you call, I suggest writing down the date, the name of the person you talked to and a short note about the conversation. We do that right on the confirmation letter.

 

[SueM in MN]

You had 2 threads on OKW, so I merged them for you.

 

[wdw_nutz]

Thanks so much for the information - that's really helpful. I'm surprised about the King bed thing - he seemed pretty sure that there was definitely a studio with one bed but I'm happier now you've told me a bit more about it.

The location isn't a major thing - I'm just anxious about being really far away from Hospitality House. My stupid illness causes fatigue so it's hard to walk and impossible to walk far, therefore I use the ECV, but by the end of a day using an ECV I have to walk because the pain in my hands and arms from pushing the button and steering all day! Grr. So yeah it would be good if I was close enough to walk to get a drink etc in the evenings but it's no biggie and like you say - no location is comfirmed to the guest until arrival.

And thanks for merging my threads - I'm not sure why I had done it like that and will put it down to brain fog!

D
x

 

[SueM in MN]

Thanks so much for the information - that's really helpful. I'm surprised about the King bed thing - he seemed pretty sure that there was definitely a studio with one bed but I'm happier now you've told me a bit more about it.

The location isn't a major thing - I'm just anxious about being really far away from Hospitality House. My stupid illness causes fatigue so it's hard to walk and impossible to walk far, therefore I use the ECV, but by the end of a day using an ECV I have to walk because the pain in my hands and arms from pushing the button and steering all day! Grr. So yeah it would be good if I was close enough to walk to get a drink etc in the evenings but it's no biggie and like you say - no location is comfirmed to the guest until arrival.

And thanks for merging my threads - I'm not sure why I had done it like that and will put it down to brain fog!

D
x

That's OK. Brain fog is spoken here!

 

[kaytieeldr]

That's OK. Brain fog is spoken here!

And Sue knows that better than anyone.

Signed,
Sue's iPhone Translator

 

[SueM in MN]

And Sue knows that better than anyone.

Signed,
Sue's iPhone Translator

LOL