I LOVE LOVE LOVE OKW....but

[Deesknee]

Please no flames.

I love OKW. We usually stay in a 2 bdrm. Last trip & this trip we splurged & got GV.

We said it didn't matter where, but would prefer we couldn't see/hear the main street traffic...if possible.

I can't remember the room #, dh has it written down somewhere. I'll try to post it later.

We walked thru the door, me first with bell hop behind. I immediately commented on a musty smell. I walked in further and it didn't seem quite so bad, but still lingering.

By the time bell hop left & all my family was in, the smell was really starting to bother me. I should add, I don't have allergies, but I have migraine related vertigo, and my senses are hightened. So if it was a smell, I might have to deal with. I could just be me.... This is what was going thru my head. Then my son mentioned a smell. Within a short time my throat began to feel weird & it felt like it was closing. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't having trouble breathing, just like swollen glands, that kept getting worse.

So, we called the front desk, and loooonnnnngggg story short was eventually moved to a 2 bdrm for the night, then into a GV.

My son best described the smell as a "mushroom" smell. As in fungus mushroom freshly dug up.

I must say the new room was nearly perfect. And the rest of our trip was nice.

I just thought I'd post, as a FYI.

 

[castleri]

Was it a newly renovated room? Maybe there were some lingering fumes, odors for putting down the new floors or adding the new blinds or furniture. Sometimes the chemicals have some weird smells. I know that furniture and rugs have formaldehyde in them that takes awhile to disapate but didn't think they are doing much with rugs or furniture.
Am glad you were able to be moved to a villa that did not give you additional problems.

 

[dmoore22]

This is actually a common problem, though not at Disney, in apartments and condos due to the climate and humidity. AC is a must have mainly to dehumidify to fight mold and mildew.

 

[disneynutz]

We usually experience that same smell at OKW. It seems to go away after you run the AC for awhile.

Bill

 

[Deesknee]

We usually experience that same smell at OKW. It seems to go away after you run the AC for awhile.

Bill

hmm... the cast member I initially spoke with did say guests seemed to be using heat rather than air, and she was wondering if that had anything to do with it. She was going to send a maintenance person out to clean the filters, but we never saw one. We did however have a cast member show up with Febreeze, that did not help. Even the cast member was confused as to why they sent her out. She mentioned that it would only mask odors. We laughed, and commented on not showering just using cologne. She was very nice, sprayed where she was told the odor was primarily. Asked if we would like her to spray additional areas.

I keep thinking of the smell. I am wondering if they had been digging and planting in the area. If so, it must have been alot. The smell was in the foyer, living room, kitchen. Although, my son & I both smelled it the strongest close to vents, so maybe it is coming somehow from the vents. Although it was darn cold when we arrived...high40's-mid 50's!

Funny thing, we had spent the 1st night of the trip at BLT, and DD & I were joking that this was a set up to make us want to stay at BLT on future trips & purchase points for there. ...(which I would do in a heart beat if I could afford to... then again I do have the add-on bug).

 

[disneynutz]

hmm... the cast member I initially spoke with did say guests seemed to be using heat rather than air, and she was wondering if that had anything to do with it. She was going to send a maintenance person out to clean the filters, but we never saw one. We did however have a cast member show up with Febreeze, that did not help. Even the cast member was confused as to why they sent her out. She mentioned that it would only mask odors. We laughed, and commented on not showering just using cologne. She was very nice, sprayed where she was told the odor was primarily. Asked if we would like her to spray additional areas.

I keep thinking of the smell. I am wondering if they had been digging and planting in the area. If so, it must have been alot. The smell was in the foyer, living room, kitchen. Although, my son & I both smelled it the strongest close to vents, so maybe it is coming somehow from the vents. Although it was darn cold when we arrived...high40's-mid 50's!

Funny thing, we had spent the 1st night of the trip at BLT, and DD & I were joking that this was a set up to make us want to stay at BLT on future trips & purchase points for there. ...(which I would do in a heart beat if I could afford to... then again I do have the add-on bug).

These are older buildings and lets face it, they were built on a swamp. Being next to a water way and surrounded by dense vegetation, I think that the musty smell is a common issue. By turning on tha AC the smell either goes away, or we get used to it.

Think of it as part of the theming.

Bill

 

[spiceycat]

when you have air conditioning that turns itself off
you will get mildew and mold. You are in Florida - not the north.
florida is hot and humdity all the time. Not just when guests are in the room.

disney knows this and they still went with the turn off function for the air conditioning.

so both OKW, SSR and maybe AKV will be more likely to have this problem - because they more than likely to have unused rooms.

as long as the resort is filled up - this shouldn't be a problem. but even one day w/o a guest - is enough in the Florida climate for mildew and mold to start.

sorry this happened to you - but believe me it won't be the last time it happens.

Disney does not seem to remember all the problems it had with Polyn - to even consider doing this to all the resorts.

 

[Sammie]

We travel with a small air purifer/ionizer. Works great and we simply plug it in when we arrive and when we come back, clean air. Never travel without it, regardless of where we go.

Also if people have just begun to turn on the heat you are going to get musty smells until it runs for a few days.

We also carry a can of Oust with us, it will kill odors instead of covering them up.

The air system does not completely turn off, it simply resets itself to a temp that is higher than artic blast that many want to leave it on. We never have to adjust the air when we stay at SSR or OKW as it always cool enough for us.

We do the same at home in order to save on energy use.

 

[dmoore22]

These are older buildings and lets face it, they were built on a swamp. Being next to a water way and surrounded by dense vegetation, I think that the musty smell is a common issue. By turning on tha AC the smell either goes away, or we get used to it.

Think of it as part of the theming.

Bill

Most of the land that Walt Disney bought for the "Florida Project" was swamp land that has since been reclaimed. No wonder he got it so cheap. It's surprising that this (mold/mildew) has not become more of an issue.

when you have air conditioning that turns itself off
you will get mildew and mold. You are in Florida - not the north.
florida is hot and humdity all the time. Not just when guests are in the room.

disney knows this and they still went with the turn off function for the air conditioning.

so both OKW, SSR and maybe AKV will be more likely to have this problem - because they more than likely to have unused rooms.

as long as the resort is filled up - this shouldn't be a problem. but even one day w/o a guest - is enough in the Florida climate for mildew and mold to start.

sorry this happened to you - but believe me it won't be the last time it happens.

Disney does not seem to remember all the problems it had with Polyn - to even consider doing this to all the resorts.

How true.

 

[Deesknee]

The air purifier is a good idea, as I love OKW and would like to continue to stay there. ...another reason to consider owners locker I suppose.

As to it being a constant problem. We've stayed OKW 7-9 times in studio's 2 bedrooms and GV's. We usually stay in the fall, but have stayed in June & July as well, and this is the only time I remember smelling this type of smell. I know there is always a vegitation smell, that doesn't seem to bother any allergies/asthma.

Thanks to everyone. We stayed in BLT for the first time the 1st night. It was beautiful and I really enjoyed it, but for a family vacation, I love OKW. Sitting around the table playing games. chillin. Love OKW.