Has anyone tried using a balloon...

[jdkdorn]

I have been reading some threads that said the AC at BCV does not stay on when the room is unoccupied. Has anyone tried letting a balloon float around the room to keep the motion detectors working. It would seem an easy solution. I can understand some peoples irritation with this kind of AC. I have a hard time breathing in stuffy closed up room. I am asthmatic and need the AC to sleep at night. I don't have a problem outside as long as it is not 100 degrees. This is why we love traveling in the off seasons. Very little crowds and great weather for me.

 

[CaptainMidnight]

That might be worth a try. There's got to be some trick or contraption to fool that sensor into keeping the air moving all night. If someone is interesting in marketing a gadget, I'll bet there would be buyers, I'd buy one.

 

[WDWCRAZY32]

During our stays at the CR we put a mylar baloon right in front of the sensor, cut or tie the string to get the right height. It works fine until the maid moves it. Ceiling fan has to be on to keep it moving around.

 

[Terry S]

Just make sure you either secure the balloon or don't turn on the fan. We had to tie my kids balloons down because the kept going towards the fan.

 

[disney4me4ever]

We had also thought of the mylar balloon but didn't try it this trip. Looks like that will be the strategy next rip, along with bringing something from home to keep it weighted.

Nancy

 

[karebear1]

Oh GOODIE!!!! Now I have absolutely legitimate reason for buying that mylar ballon from Main Street! Have to tell that one to my DH .... at least it's an excuse- I could never really justify it before!

 

[Disney Doll]

You know, we stayed in a 1BR in Ocotber and a 2BR in January, and I never noticed the AC thing. The room always seemed comfortable to me. Of course, maybe the time of year(cooler outside) makes a differnece.

In any event, the mylar balloon thing seems like a good idea.

 

[BobH]

I looked around in our 1 bed room unit at OKW and failed to locate the temperature sensor. I admit I was fairly lazy in my search because I firmly believe in doing nothing on vacation if I can get away with it. However it got cool a couple nights when we were at OKW the 2nd week of February and it semed like I couldn't get the room to warm up and stay warm at night when we were asleep. Can anyone give me a a short course on the operation of the A/c and heat and the sensor locations. thanks

 

[Pumbaa_]

We were at the BCV in Jan and we ended up moving the second day. The first room, the lowest that the air could be lowered was 68. The second room could be lowered to 64. So check your room and see how it is set. It seems like some rooms can be/have been lowered.

 

[Regina]

At OKW, the thermostat for a 1 bedroom is located on the wall outside of the laundry room.

From what I understand, some of the OKW thermostats have been changed out, some not. (By this I mean, motion activated.)

There is a heat setting as well as A/C.

 

[Dean]

Someone reported trying a baloon at BCV and said it didn't work. Something about the head and not just motion I think. It's been reported that maint can come and disable the motion part, I'd talk to maint when you get there.

 

[BobH]

I had a 1 bedroom unit and it didn't look like the thermostat had anything on it that would be a motion sensor. I wish big brother
Eisner would not have the thermostats set so they require constant motion up and down the hallway to get your "home away from home" more comfortable.

 

[CaptainMidnight]

If the baloon doesn't correct the problem, there's got to be another contraptoin or gadget that will work to fool that sensor. Any other ideas?

 

[BIERMUGG]

I am in the Heating and Cooling Industry. These Thermostats called Ocupancy Thermostats by one manufacturer operate when body heat is sensed, not the movement of a room temperature ballon. When you wake up to see if the ballon trick is working then the thermostat is sensing body heat movement just like a motion sensor for a Security alarm in a home. They are many makes of this particular thermostat all have a way of bypassing the room sensor but only for a short time cycle 8-24 hours. Get the name of the thermostat and we can find the bypass just like maintanance people will use if you call them.

George

 

[MdmMim]

Get the name of the thermostat and we can find the bypass just like maintanance people will use if you call them.

During one of my stays at the BCV, I called maintenance twice asking if they could bypass the settings and was told "NO." I spoke with the supervisor and was told the same thing.

I would love to be able to sleep in comfort! The rooms are just too hot for me. I'll be watching this thread, hoping for a solution, other than sleeping in the ice bucket.

 

[BobH]

****** - I can't recall the brand of thermostat but it did have settings for cool, heat and an emergency setting. You switch between them by manually sliding a button to the left, middle or right position. At Old Key West 1 bedroom unit they are located in the hall just outside the bedroom and it is a 15 foot hall and a turn to get to the living area. Would this in affect leave the darn unit off most of the time even when you are in the unit? I don't see how it could sense you around the corner in the living room and if you shut the bedroom door there is no way it could sense you in there at night. It would seem DVC has effectively taken total control of the heating/cooling system away from us by virtue of the thermostat location. Does this seem logical to you?

 

[BIERMUGG]

In the BCV one bedroom there is a sensor built in the Thermostat, the little white plastic cap and one sensor in the bedroom in the corner up by the ceiling.

George

 

[morphi]

I've thought about using those hand/mitten warmers. They are about the size and feel of a family-size tea bag and contain a sand-type substance that generates heat for 8 hours when exposed to air. Could you tape one directly to the thermostat each night so that it thinks it's really warm in the room and keeps the AC going?

By the way, I've tried setting-up an iron under the thermostat in a non-Disney hotel before to do this same thing. I don't recommend this due to fire hazards, etc. It didn't really work because the iron had auto-turn-off.

 

[Terry S]

BIERMUGG.. I will be going to BCV in 16 days, I will try and remember to write down the model name and number and post here when I get back and would like to take you up on the offer.

 

[BIERMUGG]

The thermostat senses body heat but after time ( Several hours ) if there is no movement, like when people are sleeping it goes in to the set back mode to a Higher preset temperature setting. Once people start moving the thermostat senses body heat movement and switches back to the temperature set on the thermostat.

George