Hilton Head One Disappointment

[Worktoplay]

We have gone to Hilton Head Disney about 7 times over the past 12 years, we love the resort and everything about it. However, we just came back from a long weekend and quite frankly I was a little embarrassed. It was an adult trip and my friends are Marriott owners. The first evening sitting on the couch, we noticed it slants down and you litterally slide off! I tried remaking the pull out couch, the cushions have a curve type thing and I made sure it was snug in but it still slide out and you slide off. My friends took great pleasure in laughing at the poor quality of the couch. I will say it was either new or at least had new fabric. It was very disappointing. Also, the table off the kitchen was tilted so badly it was a disgrace. I really hope it was a fluke only at our room. I would hate to think Disney would use such subpar furniture on purpose.

 

[Connears]

We have gone to Hilton Head Disney about 7 times over the past 12 years, we love the resort and everything about it. However, we just came back from a long weekend and quite frankly I was a little embarrassed. It was an adult trip and my friends are Marriott owners. The first evening sitting on the couch, we noticed it slants down and you litterally slide off! I tried remaking the pull out couch, the cushions have a curve type thing and I made sure it was snug in but it still slide out and you slide off. My friends took great pleasure in laughing at the poor quality of the couch. I will say it was either new or at least had new fabric. It was very disappointing. Also, the table off the kitchen was tilted so badly it was a disgrace. I really hope it was a fluke only at our room. I would hate to think Disney would use such subpar furniture on purpose.

We have been HHI members since 2002 and go each summer and on the way back to Boston from wdw during xmas week. The couches have always been that way..we joke about the slide, but just take the back pillows off and its fine. The villas have been in very good shape with no issues with furniture(last trip 6/11). Did you report the table or ask for assistance? I would certainly do this if it was that much of an "embarrassment". We have had visitors with us the last 3 summers and have only had rave reviews about the resort.

Connears

 

[WolfpackFan]

I absolutely hate those couches. They are very uncomfortable. What we do is take the back cushions off and use pillows to sit.

 

[Worktoplay]

It doesn't make sense to have to rearrange the pillows in order to be comfortable. This was our first adult only trip and it doesn't seem right for the furniture to be subpar. I guess in the past traveling with kids in the summer time I probably never sat. Now the kids are older and I plan on more adult only trips and a sliding couch in unacceptable in my opinion. It's not a holiday Inn, I have 600 DVC points spread out through various resorts paying over $2000 a year in dues and I feel I pay for furniture to be better than a discount hotel.

 

[Anal Annie]

Those sofas are a joke. I had heard they were pretty bad before we went last summer so we brought an air mattress for our DS to sleep on & we just left it in the floor in front of the couch & sat on that in the floor the whole week rather than even mess with the dumb sofa.

 

[jekjones1558]

A DISer posted a report referring to the sofa as the "ejector sofa." I thought that was pretty apropos and also funny.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

It was an adult trip and my friends are Marriott owners. The first evening sitting on the couch, we noticed it slants down and you litterally slide off! I tried remaking the pull out couch, the cushions have a curve type thing and I made sure it was snug in but it still slide out and you slide off. My friends took great pleasure in laughing at the poor quality of the couch. I will say it was either new or at least had new fabric.

A DISer posted a report referring to the sofa as the "ejector sofa." I thought that was pretty apropos and also funny.

Thankfully the "sleeper chair" has been added to some resorts, it's the best thing to sit in but there's only one!

I sympathize with you, we do however have the same problem at OKW. Even after the refurb. the old tilting sofas were recovered with the same slippery fabric! Why? As my son says, "Very uncomfy!" I'm sure the fabric wears better but I've never understook why since it's all under DVC is there such a difference in overall quality of furnishings.

The sofas at BWV, AKV, SSR, WLV, BCV are totally different, in fact most are better to not only sit on but work better as a pull out bed!

 

[Simba's Mom]

A DISer posted a report referring to the sofa as the "ejector sofa." I thought that was pretty apropos and also funny.

That's exactly what we always call the couch.

The CMs at HHI seemed to be just as embarrassed about the couches. Apparently it was the decision of Disney to send them those couches-they were not bought by HHI. Or at least that's the way they presented it to us. Another decision they made plain that was not the decision of the resort was the decision to remove that cute little bird feeder area behind Building #18. (Sorry, this is the only photo I have)-

 

[Sammie]

The problem with all DVC couches is the fact they are sofa sleepers. I have never sat on a sofa sleeper that sits as well as a non sofa sleeper.

I figure it just the price you pay for having it be a sleeper.

 

[CruznLexi]

We did not have a problem with the sleeper we slept on it for 6 nights and will do so again next August.

 

[jekjones1558]

That's exactly what we always call the couch.

I think it was on your post a while back that I read this and laughed so hard!

 

[dwelty]

The problem with all DVC couches is the fact they are sofa sleepers. I have never sat on a sofa sleeper that sits as well as a non sofa sleeper.

I figure it just the price you pay for having it be a sleeper.

Yeah, but these couches are different. You would have to sit on them to understand why they are un-usable. Much DIfferent than their counterparts at WDW.

As to being embarrased, I would not be, the resort is in a stunning location, and compares quite favorably to the Marriott properties on HHI.

 

[Caren]

We had the same problem with the BLT couch and figured it was because it was too full of bedding. We were going to take out the bedding but never got around to it to see if that improved matters.

 

[Sammie]

Yeah, but these couches are different. You would have to sit on them to understand why they are un-usable. Much DIfferent than their counterparts at WDW.

As to being embarrased, I would not be, the resort is in a stunning location, and compares quite favorably to the Marriott properties on HHI.

I have stayed at every DVC resort, so I have set on them. I don't think they were any worse than any other sleeper sofa. None of them sit good.

 

[DisDaydreamer]

Yeah, but these couches are different. You would have to sit on them to understand why they are un-usable. Much DIfferent than their counterparts at WDW.

Correct. Not only do they slop down... the material is some commercial slick material. It is almost impossible to relax and not have your bum slide out from under you. Almost like they have 10 applications of Scotch Guard on them.

 

[DVC SSR Owner]

When was the last refurb at HHI done and what improved?

 

[Simba's Mom]

I remember reading here that there was a major refurbishment in the plans at HHI in the next few months. We'll be at HHI next week for Thanksgiving and I'm definitely planning to ask them about it.

 

[Dean]

We have gone to Hilton Head Disney about 7 times over the past 12 years, we love the resort and everything about it. However, we just came back from a long weekend and quite frankly I was a little embarrassed. It was an adult trip and my friends are Marriott owners. The first evening sitting on the couch, we noticed it slants down and you litterally slide off! I tried remaking the pull out couch, the cushions have a curve type thing and I made sure it was snug in but it still slide out and you slide off. My friends took great pleasure in laughing at the poor quality of the couch. I will say it was either new or at least had new fabric. It was very disappointing. Also, the table off the kitchen was tilted so badly it was a disgrace. I really hope it was a fluke only at our room. I would hate to think Disney would use such subpar furniture on purpose.

I'm curious if your friends made a comparison to the Marriott's they've seen and shared it with you. Historically my view was that DVC measured up from a resort standpoint compared to the top HH Marriott's but not from a location standpoint. As Marriott has upgraded their options on the island and the DVC resort has aged, I'm not sure that's still the case.

 

[WolfpackFan]

Going back to the original question - has anyone come up with any "creative" ideas for improving the slippery couch issue? To me this is a big problem, especially if you are staying in a Studio where the only other sitting option is the bed. What we did on past trips is take the big cushions off the back and use the pillows as a cushion. But that is still not very comfortable plus frankly it looks kind of tacky IMO. I've also thought about taking a folding type chair to use in the room, but they aren't that comfortable either. I've wondered about putting some kind of blanket or something on the cushions so it isn't slippery also.

 

[Worktoplay]

I'm curious if your friends made a comparison to the Marriott's they've seen and shared it with you. Historically my view was that DVC measured up from a resort standpoint compared to the top HH Marriott's but not from a location standpoint. As Marriott has upgraded their options on the island and the DVC resort has aged, I'm not sure that's still the case.

My friends....well....the wife...she took the opportunity to let me know her decision to by Marriott was far better than mine to buy Disney. However, although she's been to disney with me in Hilton Head and in Disney World, she has never been a Disney fan. It was just one more time for her to gloat. Maybe I should just leave her home next time? I guess I'm a slow learner!