First Floor at OKW?

[sgtdisney]

Ok, so we're planning a trip this summer to WDW and are planning on staying at OKW. (I'm anxious to see how much I love the rennovations and wondering if they brought the peach towels and green placemats back.. )

Anyway, we really need a first floor room this year, as we're travelling with my father who is now in his late 70s and is extremely mobile, but would prefer a first floor room, as well as another person who fell about a year ago and has RSD (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome) and can walk fine, but stairs are still a challenge. We do not need a handicap accessible room, as the stairs are really the only challenge, but would take one if it was given to us. In years past we've preferred a 1st floor room (simply because we just like being lower) but didn't "need" one and usually got them, and if we didn't we could manage it.

This year when I booked our reservation, MS told me I would be better off reserving an HH area room. He noted on our reservation that we needed either a first floor room or an elevator room and listed the limitations on the reservation (or so they said). I asked MS, I had never been told we needed to reserve HH before and he said it was more risky for us to book a non-HH area room as we may not get the first floor, but with the HH booking, he could assure us the 1st floor (or elevator bldg) due to medical needs. He made it sound like the only way we'd get an elevator room (in our circumstance) was by booking HH. None of this made sense to me, so I thought I'd as my DIS friends. I've been away from the boards for a while, since I had nothing to plan for the last two years.

So, has anyone had any experience around this kind of request. I am fine with the HH area, but it isn't something we really need per se. (We always preferred 45-48) If it gets us on the first floor (or in in elevator building) that is wonderful. I just thought I'd check as this seemed strange to me in 19 years of booking OKW trips, unless something's changed with the reservations system lately?

 

[dianeschlicht]

Interesting that they told you HH would get you access to the elevator buildings. Unless they are changing the buildings in that category, buildings 62,63, and 64 are NOT in the HH booking category, but they ARE the only elevator buildings at OKW. This is not the first time we have heard of people being told this, so I think some investigation is in order.

 

[RobDoc]

Every Building at OKW has villas on the first floor - not just those in the HH category - so it makes no sense why that should make any difference. I would just emphasize that you need a ground floor villa for medical reasons, but do not need a HCA villa.

As Diane already noted, only Buildings 62,63 and 64 have elevators and they are NOT included in the HH category - which is Buildings 11-14 and 23-26.

This is another situation where I'd call back and try again with another MS rep.

Good luck! I think you'll be fine getting this request made.

 

[DVCconvert]

Diane wrote:

Interesting that they told you HH would get you access to the elevator buildings. Unless they are changing the buildings in that category, buildings 62,63, and 64 are NOT in the HH booking category, but they ARE the only elevator buildings at OKW.

I checked in to OKW last week. I had requested a ground floor. I was given a 3rd floor in #62. The interesting thing is when I asked (at checkin) if my room was 1st floor, the response was 'no, but it has an elevator and its here at the HH'

 

[rlovew]

We have stayed at OKW 4 times now. We have never requested anything as it has never mattered but 2 times we were in the South Point Area on the first floor and the 1 time we were at HH we were on the second floor. I don't know about the other time as I never asked DH were the room was. We always stay in studios (I didn't see what kind of villa you had- that may make a difference but I have no idea). I can't believe it would be harder to have a 1st floor room in one building over another.

 

[sgtdisney]

We have a 1 bedroom booked for part of one week, and then when more family comes we have a two bedroom and a studio booked. The studio can be on any floor. I just, in all my years of requesting a first floor unit, was never told I would have a better chance at getting one by booking the HH category, or told me that is what I'd have to book to possibly get an elevator building. I am wondering if it is, as others have said, based on the who answered the call. I don't really mind being in the HH section, it's just not all that important to me, and I have heard that there can be some parking problems in 11-14 (We'll have two vehicles)

When I pressed the MS person, they said I could book non-HH area, but there are only 2, 2 bedroom units on the 1st floor (???) and my chances were all but guaranteed by booking HH and much riskier by booking non-HH. I may call them again, just to make sure it is at least all on the reservation.

We have been staying at OKW since we joined in 1992 and I have never heard this before, but I didn't have to say it was for medical reasons before, so I thought maybe that made the difference. I know that buildings 62-64 are usually reserved for people with medical conditions, so that's maybe that's why the MS guy was grouping it with HH for this requests

 

[Kathi OD]

We always request a first floor unit at OKW for medical reasons and so far have always gotten our request. I have it requested again for our trip in April. We're arriving late and certainly hope we get it. There's no way my father can do stairs.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I know that buildings 62-64 are usually reserved for people with medical conditions, so that's maybe that's why the MS guy was grouping it with HH for this requests

As Diane mentioned bldgs 62-64 are in the non-HH category unless something has changed. In Dec 2008 we had a Ded 2BR non-HH and needed ground floor or elevator bldg. We placed that request "due to medical reasons" and received a ground floor 2BR in Bldg 62.

From Maps of OKW it appears that there are approx 103 1st floor ground level Dedicated 2BR's in the non-HH category and and additional 10 upper level in the elevator buildings. I only come up with 18 Dedicated 2BR's on the first floor in the HH area. I think the CM you spoke to was smoking a little something that day.

If bldgs 62-64 have been changed to HH then that changes the numbers to 35 Ded 2BR's either on first floor or reachable by elevator in the HH category and 96 1st floor in the non-HH.

 

[bumbershoot]

In December we had two reservations at OKW. For the first, a 2 bedroom, I requested a one bedroom due to my aunt's knee problems. Got it. the room was in the south point area, or something like that. Second room I had made NO requests, as my aunt wasn't with us by then (only a 1 bedroom), but we were given a lockoff on the first floor anyway. That was in the Turtle Pond section.


When I made my reservations for our second trip in the last week or so, each time it felt like they pushed the HH section. "would you like me to make that in the HH section?" I thought it was odd. Both of our rooms in those sections were perfectly fine, and the transportation was about the same in both sections.

 

[ABE4DISNEY]

Interesting that they told you HH would get you access to the elevator buildings. Unless they are changing the buildings in that category, buildings 62,63, and 64 are NOT in the HH booking category, but they ARE the only elevator buildings at OKW. This is not the first time we have heard of people being told this, so I think some investigation is in order.

We were also told on our OKW June 2010 trip that these buildings were part of HH. I debated this with the CM, and he was adament that it was HH. Also, upon returning I started a thread about this, but we all came to the conclusion that it was probably due to the construction going on. Now I'm not so sure. . .

 

[Disneywedding2010]

Ok, so we're planning a trip this summer to WDW and are planning on staying at OKW. (I'm anxious to see how much I love the rennovations and wondering if they brought the peach towels and green placemats back.. )

Anyway, we really need a first floor room this year, as we're travelling with my father who is now in his late 70s and is extremely mobile, but would prefer a first floor room, as well as another person who fell about a year ago and has RSD (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome) and can walk fine, but stairs are still a challenge. We do not need a handicap accessible room, as the stairs are really the only challenge, but would take one if it was given to us. In years past we've preferred a 1st floor room (simply because we just like being lower) but didn't "need" one and usually got them, and if we didn't we could manage it.

This year when I booked our reservation, MS told me I would be better off reserving an HH area room. He noted on our reservation that we needed either a first floor room or an elevator room and listed the limitations on the reservation (or so they said). I asked MS, I had never been told we needed to reserve HH before and he said it was more risky for us to book a non-HH area room as we may not get the first floor, but with the HH booking, he could assure us the 1st floor (or elevator bldg) due to medical needs. He made it sound like the only way we'd get an elevator room (in our circumstance) was by booking HH. None of this made sense to me, so I thought I'd as my DIS friends. I've been away from the boards for a while, since I had nothing to plan for the last two years.

So, has anyone had any experience around this kind of request. I am fine with the HH area, but it isn't something we really need per se. (We always preferred 45-48) If it gets us on the first floor (or in in elevator building) that is wonderful. I just thought I'd check as this seemed strange to me in 19 years of booking OKW trips, unless something's changed with the reservations system lately?

I just was at OKW for this past Christmas. I had to make a request for a first floor room because I have a blood clot in my left leg so walking up and downstairs makes my leg flare up. I find what the cast member told you kind of odd because they never said anything remotely similar to what you were told. They simply put in the request and then of course said 'You know this isn't guranteed." We got to the resort and I had the room that I had requested.

 

[NancyDVC]

My co member has mobility problems and can't do steps well. My Mom who has been with us several times in the past also can not do stairs because of a heart condition. We always have requested a first floor room and gotten it. Granted I have been a member since very early in DVC when things were simpler.
Now we simply ask them to put on the request that one (or more) members of the party have mobility problems and that is why we need a first floor.
We also request the Old Turtle Pond area because we like it.

I never have been told that I needed to request a handicapped accessible room or one near HH. On one trip we did get a handicapped accessible room but that was just a coincidence.

 

[micminnieapolis]

Because of arthritis, we were told years ago to request a first floor for medical reasons. One time they put us in a handicapped room and we requested out because of the shower. That's when we were told to use the word "medical" (but I like the mobility wording I'm hearing here). They may be suggesting the HH area becasue of the buses! It is easier to insure a seat from that area than any other! Go for those new buildings with the elevators and you're all set!

 

[sgtdisney]

Ok, just to update this... I called MS the other day because one of the people's names on our reservation was spelled wrong. This time I got a different MS person. She seemed very knowledgeable and was very helpful. In fact she told she used to be a room assigner before. She told me that the HH area was not something that was necessarily needed to have a better chance of getting a first floor room. She also confirmed what others have said here that the buildings with the Elevator access are not in the HH booking category...

So after some discussion with MS, she suggested we leave the HH category in place because it was convenient to the buses, etc. I am fine with that, we've never stayed in any of those buildings before, so it will be something new. She did suggest to take off our other "requests" like water view, etc. if first floor was of paramount importance to us (as it is) as it can make the room assigner be less sure of what is really most important to a guest. I know I have heard that before as well, the more requests, the more confusion the room assigner has. She said she'd note on the reservation that the 1st floor was for medical reasons (as many here suggested) and she said we should be ok. So thanks to all for the comments, I guess now we'll just see what happens.

 

[jngwright]

We made our first reservation at OKW, not knowing which end was up (so to say). I reserved in the Hospitality House category. The MS rep asked if I had any specific building requests, and I said I wasn't familiar with what was in that category. He told me 11-14, 23-26, 16, and 62-64. So I requested 62-64.
After getting feedback on here about 62-64 not being HH, I emailed and asked about it. This is the response I got today...

"Only Buildings 11-14 and 23-26 are considered part of the 'Near the
Hospitality House' category. If you wish to stay in Buildings 62-64, we
would need to change your reservation to accommodations that are not in
the 'Near the Hospitality House' category."

I know it is not relevant to the OP's question, but saw the questions about it on here, and thought I'd contribute today's answer from MS