Beware of villa doors with 2 peep holes -

[crisi]

We stayed in a HA room in October at BWV (and it was hubby, me, 2 preschoolers, and 2 seniors - so it wasn't a middle age woman traveling alone). I don't see what the big deal is. So the trash can isn't behind a door? Big deal. We had plenty of vanity space (I was impressed with the amount of vanity space - more than enough and extra to spare), needed an extra towel in front of the shower and that was about it.

I can see where a HA studio when traveling with small kids would be a problem - no tub and most small children I know don't shower well. But for adults - or families staying in a one or two bedroom - I'm confused as to what the problem is to cause such disappointment. I can understand the disappointment of looking at the dumpster. I can understand the disappointment of booking "preferred view" rooms and looking at the back of the community hall, or the balcony-less room at the VWL, but this one I don't get.

We did have a balcony, didn't notice the bed being any shorter or the countertops (but we cooked eggs and toast - not meals). The shower was really very big - twice the size of my shower at home - and - luxury item in my book - the shower head is on a hose. The barstools at the kitchen bar might have been nice, but it didn't ruin the vacation not to have them.

The room was certainly clean and tidy.

 

[Rence]

Can someone clairfy. Does the HA One Bedroom still have the jetted tub? That would be the single most important item for us. We could live with the rest but after a day in the parks we need to sit and soak!

 

[Chuck S]

Rence, I am not familar with the other resorts, but at OKW all 1 Bdrm and larger units have the jetted tub, including the HA units. The roll-in shower replaces the separate shower stall in the one bedroom units and the shower/tub in the studios. I would assume it is a similar set-up at the other DVC resorts.

 

[Poohs Pal]

I have a question. Can I request and get a 2br where the 2nd bedroom is accessable but the living area and master bedroom is not HA. I need the roll in shower for my son but don't need the rest of the 2br to be HA. Susan

 

[Chuck S]

I don't think there are any 1/2 and 1/2 units, I think if the studio portion of a lock-off is HA, the connecting 1 bedroom is HA. And for dedicated units, the whole unit is HA.

 

[jaysue]

Poohs Pal, thanks for asking, I was going to ask the same question

Cheers
jaysue

 

[CarolynK]

Originally posted by Rence
Can someone clairfy. Does the HA One Bedroom still have the jetted tub? That would be the single most important item for us. We could live with the rest but after a day in the parks we need to sit and soak!

Yes, the one-bedroom at BWV still has the whirlpool tub, it's just the shower that is different.

 

[goofy4dvc]

I had a HA studio at VWL. This was my second trip as DVC member. I was not happy, but made do. I complained to front desk and they said they could move us to BCV. I did not want to switch so we stayed put. They said they could move us into a regular room the next day but we would have to pay a $25 housekeeping fee for them to clean the room after we stayed a night.

While I was not happy with having to stay in the room, I decided that I would suck it up and take my turn staying in a HA room. Odds are that I won't be put in one very often. Hopefully I will never NEED to stay in one. There are probably more HA rooms than are needed right now, but more will be needed in the future as the baby boomers get older.

Yes, it would be nice to have HA/non-HA as a guarantee when we make ressies. Or maybe have HA rooms cost less points than non-HA rooms.

My biggest gripe was that I had to keep my toiletries on the counter over the mini-bar because there was NO counter in the bathroom. If there was some type of cabinet in there it would have helped alot.

I think people, myself included, get too hung up on choosing the exact room we want, down to the room number. I hope everyone tries to be considerate of the CM at the front desks. Most of what they hear are complaints. We should all try to be a little more flexible. After all SOMEONE has to get the dumpster views!! I hope I don't get another HA room, but I guess what I'm tryilng to say is that I won't allow it to ruin my trip if I do.

 

[Bojo]

We had a HA 1br in HH that also included the jacuzzi tub. Were there for a week and didn't bother us that it was HA. Just happy to be on vacation!

I think it may be more of an issue with studio units than 1br or larger.

 

[PKS44]

Originally posted by Chuck S
Daydreamin,

but for adults, will it really make or break a vacation if you have to spend a few hours per day/night in a HA room?

Is it really such a big deal for the CM to take the 20 seconds at the time of check in to NOTIFY a guest when they are being assigned a HA room?

 

[Daydreamin]

My point exactly....the 20 seconds the CM takes at check in helps to alert a guest before they walk into their room that there will be differences. It also may save the front desk and manager quite a bit of time later dealing with someone that is upset and possibly unreasonable. The fact that there are major differences in the room set ups should be a reason enough to routinely notify us before we walk into the HA room uninformed.

Okay Chucks, substandard may have been a bit strong, but less than what we contracted/purchased isn't. If you re-read what Poolgirl wrote originally, it appeared that there was no tub in their 1 bdr at BCV, only a shower. She described it as a "fancy bathroom at a hospital" - I thought I paid for something different than that. She also indicated that there was just a window off of the bedroom rather than a terrace/porch, that there was less seating & storage than a normal 1 bdr to accomodate the wheelchair. Others indicated that the studios definitely don't have tubs (SAMR) and/or that the condition of the shower curtains was poor (this may be cleanliness issue). It was these statements that got me started on asking Disney to look at their HA designs and ways to upgrade or improve them. I think that this is an opportunity to improve their HA accomodations if taken the right way.

 

[Nanajo1]

After a mix up by the room controller we ended up in a 1BR HA room last month. I need a first floor but I do not need an HA room. But I decided it was "my turn" to have the HA room. The problem as I see it with HA rooms is that they are so generic that they don't meet many of the needs. The toilet was so high that we needed a step stool for our DGD and I found it uncomfortably high as well, I couldn't get my ECV into the laundry area, or close enough to the dishwasher to do anything from it. The entry door was very heavy, it should be power assisted. I won't feel badly about requesting no HA room in the future because it doesn't help me at all.

 

[tigger2esq]

although not DVC-- the last time we staed at the All Star resort DH and I ended up with a HA room. At the time it was actually a little bit of a plus because it was LARGER than the room our friends got, had a king bed (rather than 2 doubles/queens) and a huge bathroom (although the roll in shower was a bit awkward and doesnt keep in the heat/steam that I like with my morning shower) now that we have a little one--having one of those types of showers rather than a tub will most definitely NOT work for us so it is good to know to make sure at check in next week that our room is not HA.

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

I got an HA studio my first time in a DVC unit. I thought the bathroom was beautiful but that the way they choose to accomodate toiletries was lacking....I think the TV unit is extra large to accomodate this sort of thing but its a distance away. However I LOVED the room because I loved the VWL decor.

I will also add that I thought it was a "give it to the single woman she won't complain thing". As for notifying people in advance...I don't think this is so much a customer service thing as avoiding unnecessary problems. If for whatever reason the available inventory (as opposed to the full inventory) includes a lot of HA rooms warning the guests they are being assigned to a HA room is going to create greater problems than letting those who can't live with it come back, complain, and get moved.

 

[LIFERBABE]

As for notifying people in advance...I don't think this is so much a customer service thing as avoiding unnecessary problems. If for whatever reason the available inventory (as opposed to the full inventory) includes a lot of HA rooms warning the guests they are being assigned to a HA room is going to create greater problems than letting those who can't live with it come back, complain, and get moved.

It is my understanding that once assigned a room, you are subject to a cleaning fee if you request to be moved. This is why I say they should notify you in advance or at least at check in if you are assigned a HA unit.

It's "my turn" to pay dues yearly so I prefer not to stay in a unit that does not meet the needs of my family. If I wanted just a place to sleep, then I would not have purchased DVC. We are paying a premium for the next 50 years so accomodations are VERY important to us, if they were not there are plenty of places we could stay for $49 a night.

I understand about being polite and courteous to CM's at checkin, but they are not handing out free rooms, we are paying for our accomodations and they should at least inform you at checkin if they are assigning you a HA unit (if you did not request it). I really don't see why the member should have to physically return to the desk and complain as that is really not customer service.

When they build the models, they really need to build a HA unit and show that also. There are members that require HA units so it would let them know what's available and for the members that don't need it, they would know that this is considered as part of the DVC inventory and if they purchase they may be assigned one of these units.

If I didnt read these boards, I wouldn't know how prevalent the issuance of these rooms are. Yes I understand these rooms exist, but you normally purchase based on what's shown to you by the guides (of course we read the contract too) and during our tour the differences of HA units was not even mentioned. The thought never crossed my mind, as that would have been a consideration for purchase. To us DVC meant always having at least what was shown to us on the tour.

 

[Poohs Pal]

liferbabe;
I agree about having a HA room available for show. I just purchased SSR in December and would have liked to at least seen some pictures. For us look's arn't as important as workability. It does sound though that the room's could have been made a little nicer looking and stiil be fuctionable. My son's bath at home is HA and we managed to make it work and look nice. He also has ton's of counter space and we can get his big chair up to the sink with no problem. You also don't feel the need for a step stool to use the toilet. We have stayed in regular hotels here in Michigan just for weekend trip's and HA rooms are way to small, we always have to get a suite. So even though we haven't stayed HA DVC.I think they do a good job from what i'm hearing. I think DVC need opions from real people not some guideline book telling them how a room should be. The guidline rules IMHO are generic and don't meet the everyday needs of HA. Susan

 

[Poohs Pal]

liferbabe;
I agree about having a HA room available for show. I just purchased SSR in December and would have liked to at least seen some pictures. For us look's arn't as important as workability. It does sound though that the room's could have been made a little nicer looking and stiil be fuctionable. My son's bath at home is HA and we managed to make it work and look nice. He also has ton's of counter space and we can get his big chair up to the sink with no problem. You also don't feel the need for a step stool to use the toilet. We have stayed in regular hotels here in Michigan just for weekend trip's and HA rooms are way to small, we always have to get a suite. So even though we haven't stayed HA DVC.I think they do a good job from what i'm hearing. I think DVC need opions from real people not some guideline book telling them how a room should be. The guidline rules IMHO are generic and don't meet the everyday needs of HA. Susan

 

[colleen costello]

Part of the problem is that they are supposed to "warn" you at check-in that you are going to a HC room, but they often don't!This happened to us this summer at the Lodge, and I certainly DID ask to be moved. In a 1-bedroom or larger I probably wouldn't have cared as much, but cramming a family of 4 into a HC studio would have been a nightmare! The bathroom is one big room, no separation (so someone on the potty doesn't also tie up the sink). There was NO closet because of the giant shower. No bathtub for the kids and virtually no storage space due to lower counters and no under-sink cabinets.

When I called down they apologized and moved us for FREE. The manager on duty said the clerk is supposed to let you know it's a HC room so they did NOT charge us to move. Keep this in mind, everyone -- and try to remember to ask at the desk "Is this a HC room?"

 

[nickglover]

We were placed in an HA studio on our last visit to VB. We made reservations many months in advance. I had the feeling our reserved room went to someone checking in earlier under the "first come - first serve" policy I have heard about but do not understand.

It reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where he tells the rental car person: "Anyone can TAKE a reservation, but it's HOLDING the reservation that counts"!

Our showerhead was broken and the bathroom flooded several times, until we used all our extra towels to build a dam. Not our idea of a great room!

This was not mentioned to us on check-in, and I think it should have been.

Nick

 

[Lexxiefern]

Thank you for the heads up on the handicapped rooms. We were assigned one on our first trip home to BCV. Thankfully I asked at check-in and was then told yes it was. We were in a studio and our then 2 year old needed a tub. We were assigned a different room, but were told the only room available was on first floor (our only request was high floor). My DH was not happy, but I said let's go look at it. It was the absolute farthest room away and right on the road. So we trekked back to the front desk and miraculously a new CM gave us a choice of 3 studios on the 4th floor. There was no mention of the change fee.

My understanding of it is the fee is to clean the room. If you go and look at the room and find it is unacceptable (whatever you deem unacceptable) and you don't touch anything in the room - why would they charge you? Maybe I am wrong on this.

I am very glad to hear that the 1 and 2 bedrooms still have the tubs so I will only need a non HC room if I am in a studio.