Accessible rooms at OKW...

[2angelsinheaven]

I reserved a room today at OKW and this will be our first time staying there. One member of our party is unable to climb stairs of any sorts and so we would like a room on the ground floor. We are booked in a 2bd villa and when I called the rep seemed to think all units have up and downstairs, I explained that I was looking at a DVC book and the 2bd were all single story rooms only the 3bd was up/down stairs. It doesn't matter if we have a roll in shower, etc, just the fact that if there are no elevators if we are on a second story would be a huge issue.

Do any of the buildings have elevators and if not there are 2bd on the ground floor right? Thanks in advance.

Also is there a prefered building thats close to the pool and the parking lot as she is unable to walk long distances or atleast close to a parking lot.

 

[OKWMom]

Yes, there are both: 2br villas on the ground floor and those in elevator buildings. You need to call back and note you need a ground floor or elevator building for medical reasons and have this put in the request section of your reservation. You may also add the request for a building close to transportation and/or a pool.

You may be told that the only way to guarantee a first floor or elevator building is to request a HA unit. I have been told that as well, and that is technically correct, but I haven't yet had a problem simply by requesting one for medical reasons (we have a party member unable to climb stairs).

 

[dianeschlicht]

Yes, there are both: 2br villas on the ground floor and those in elevator buildings. You need to call back and note you need a ground floor or elevator building for medical reasons and have this put in the request section of your reservation. You may also add the request for a building close to transportation and/or a pool.

You may be told that the only way to guarantee a first floor or elevator building is to request a HA unit. I have been told that as well, and that is technically correct, but I haven't yet had a problem simply by requesting one for medical reasons (we have a party member unable to climb stairs).

This is good information and all true, but I would probably NOT ask to be near a bus stop or a pool. The more requests you add, the less they know what is most important for you. I would specify ground floor or elevator building for medical reasons and leave it at that so they know that is a VERY important request, and no other request can trump it.

 

[OKWMom]

This is good information and all true, but I would probably NOT ask to be near a bus stop or a pool. The more requests you add, the less they know what is most important for you. I would specify ground floor or elevator building for medical reasons and leave it at that so they know that is a VERY important request, and no other request can trump it.

Diane, you are absolutely right and I wouldn't have added that part at all if I had correctly read her question. Thank you for the correction. I thought the original post asked about a villa near "the pool or transportation" implying they wouldn't have a vehicle. I should have looked more closely.

That is exactly what I do for my room requests as I don't want the really important request to be diluted by the lesser important ones. And FYI, it was your advice to another poster which prompted me to do it this way.

 

[SueM in MN]

We have never had a problem with getting a 1 or 2 bedroom or studio villa at OKW on the first floor or in one of the elevator buildings by making it a request for Medical Reasons (it should say something like that on your confirmation sheet).

The only exception to that is Grand Villas at OKW. They do have 2 floors and the majority of them are entered on the second floor of the building (so you do need to climb one flight of stairs or be in a building with elevators to get into them). There is one that has a first floor entry (it is also handicapped accessible) and there are 2 in one of the elevator buildings (one of them is handicapped accessible; I don't know about the other). For GVs, you really do need to reserve a handicapped accessible one if you can't climb stairs.
For studios, 1 or 2 bedroom units, there are many first floor ones available, so just requesting first floor should be all you need.

Also is there a prefered building thats close to the pool and the parking lot as she is unable to walk long distances or atleast close to a parking lot.

Unlike the other resorts, each building has its own parking lot and you can park very close to your villa. There are also quiet pools and bus stops scattered through the resort.Here's a link to the OKW resort map.
If she has trouble walking and doesn't have her own wheelchair or scooter, you may want to look into renting one for her. There is information in the disABILITIES FAQs thread near the top of the disABILITIES Board.