Invited friends in 2-beroom BWV; a few questions...

[beattyfamily]

Originally posted by KathyR
I just called the BW front desk as I am curious , and the man at the front desk said he believes you can request to have the rooms keyed differently via member services when you make the reservation, so I would give MS a call and see what they can do.

I just called MS and she said she couldn't answer my questions about the key/door issue or the credit card issue and that I had to ask the front desk of the resort. She said she thought they could though.

 

[TroyWDW]

BeattyFamily,

We shared a 2-BR at the BWV this past Xmas with our friends.

1) All of the 2-BR units at the BWV consist of a 1-BR unit next to a Studio unit which are connected by a double lock-off door. There is a door on the Studio unit side and a door on the 1-BR unit side (see the map above near the "TV's"). Think of a fat doorway with one door that opens inward (towards you) and then another door that opens outward (away from you, I hope that makes sense). Both lockoff doors have a manual deadbolt. The frontdesk has nothing to do with locking or unlocking these doors. The occupants of the 1-BR and Studio manually lock or unlock these doors. Both doors must be unlocked and open for the occupants to move from the studio to the 1-BR and vice versa.

2) There are two public hallway entry doors. One leads into the Studio unit and one leads into the 1-BR unit. You will not be able to have different room keys. Each person will have a single room key (looks like a credit card) that unlocks the hallway door into the Studio unit and the 1-BR unit. Or stated differently both entry doors will be keyed the same and opened by the same room card. I know someone suggested getting the rooms keyed differently, but the frontdesk will not do this. If this is an issue for you then call the Boardwalk Villas directly and ask whether this is possible. I have asked this question before and consistently been told no.

3a) You can have the frontdesk restrict the charging privileges to the room. You can select which room keys have charging privileges and which don't. You cannot have your room keys charge to your VISA card and your friend's room key charge to their VISA card. Even easier, don't have any of the room keys with charging privileges.

3b) If you get a separate reservation for your family and another reservation for your friends then you could get different room keys. Study the point charts and you will see that it costs significantly more points to have separate 1-BR and a Studio reservations versus a single 2-BR reservation (which consists of a 1-BR and Studio unit).

4) There are four beds for sleeping. A queen bed and pull-out sofa in the Studio. A king bed in the master room of the 1-BR and a pull-out sofa in the common middle area of the 1-BR. I would suggest plotting out the sleeping arrangements and see if everyone is ok with the plan.

For us, things went very well. At night, our friends closed their side of the lockoff door and we left our 1-BR side open. We used the middle room as a common area. When they wanted privacy, they could shut their lockoff door. They had their own bathroom and shower, so no conflicts there. We would meet in the morning in the middle room for breakfast. We had a great time with our friends and will do it again.

Have fun!

Troy

 

[Regina]

As other's have said, it's not a big deal about charging back to the room, and MS has no involvement in that.

When you check in, they'll ask you how many resort ID/room keys are needed. They'll also ask how many you'd like to authorize to charge back to the room. It's as simple as that.

Your friends can simply use their credit card instead of the room key to charge with.

 

[KathyR]

Pretty typical I guess LOL Maybe make a call to BW and ask for a supervisor at the front desk. I did not do that. That should be your definite answer.

I can verify that you can choose the number of cards w/charging as I have done that. Did it last trip, but probably won't do it again as I always have my wallet which has my cc's in it, so there is no point for us to put it on there But I know they can do it.

 

[spiceycat]

Okay I have done this -

you get a 2-bedroom lockout - this is a 1-bedroom and a studio - you tell member services that you wish the doors to be locked. then as has been stated your key fits the 1-bedroom only, and theirs fits the studio only - they have charge priviledges and so do you.

You do not need a 1-bedroom and a studio to do - these are more points - just ask Ms to do it!

If you want everyone to have the same key - then put the charging priviledges only on your and your husband key - don't put it on anyone elses.

I think it is easier to let them have their own studio - but everyone is different (that what makes DVC great).

 

[ClarabelleCow]

Based on all the things you brought up, I would spend the extra 17 points and get them their own room, or get them a 1 bedroom and have them pay the difference for the time. If you are concerned with privacy, kids together, etc, then you shouldn't be sharing rooms. If I was the guest, even though I "mooched" the trip, I would be very offended if the doors were locked and I wanted to go to the kitchen, even though they have their own little "kitchen". Also you know kids that age will want to sleep together, so if they are seperate rooms, then it won't be an easy option. Tell them there was a messup, use the points toward an additional 1 bedroom, and explain to them they will have to pay the difference. Or set it up for them to rent points for the difference and maybe it would be less expensive.

 

[LR_BCV]

Looks to me that Troy is saying he was told "no" about the exact thing spiceycat said she was able to do. Troy was told "no" by the front desk.

basically, spiceycat was able to get a studio and a 1 BR for the same point cost as a 2 BR. Through MS. So you should be able to call MS and ask for exactly what spiceycat detailed.

Let us know!

 

[beattyfamily]

Originally posted by spiceycat
Okay I have done this -

you get a 2-bedroom lockout - this is a 1-bedroom and a studio - you tell member services that you wish the doors to be locked. then as has been stated your key fits the 1-bedroom only, and theirs fits the studio only - they have charge priviledges and so do you.

You do not need a 1-bedroom and a studio to do - these are more points - just ask Ms to do it!

If you want everyone to have the same key - then put the charging priviledges only on your and your husband key - don't put it on anyone elses.

I think it is easier to let them have their own studio - but everyone is different (that what makes DVC great).

So you are saying it IS possible to have separate keys/charging privlages? When you say MS, you mean I do this on the phone BEFORE I'm down there? I already called MS and she said she couldn't help me; that it was up to the front desk. Do I tell the front desk I want the doors to be locked?

Thanks for helping me!

 

[joepoe]

After reading this thread I think I will be very careful who I invite along with us on our trips. Even under the best of circumstances with the best of friends and family it can be tricky.

We are staying in a 2BR at BWV at the end of March. We are bringing our babysitter and my in-laws. My MIL insists that we take the master BR, but I would prefer that DW and I sleep in the studio with our 9 yr old DD twins. The babysitter could sleep on the pullout in the living area with DD, 6, and my inlaws can have the privacy of the master. But my MIL can be very persuasive, so she and FIL may end up sleeping with the twins in the studio.

 

[ClarabelleCow]

WE are doing this in November, going with My parents, we have a 2 bedroom at VWL, we will be in the master, my parents will be in the 2nd bedroom and if they want the kids, they can have them, (DD 10 and DS3) or they can sleep on the couch. If my Sister and hubby join us for a few days, we will squeeze them in, I think it all depends on how comfortable you are with the group you are traveling with. We went away last year with another couple, we had room for them, but were able to get them their own space. Trips could make or break a friendship, I was glad we did get them their own room, no even a year later, they are divorced, we were close, new their were problems, but not that bad!!!

 

[TroyWDW]

Re: Two different room keys for a 2-BR

Just to be perfectly clear. I have consistently been told "no" by the front desk at BWV. I've never asked Member Services if they have a work around.

If I understand what SpiceyCat is saying, it sounds like one of those special exception policies that Member Services manages.

SpiceyCat, do you remember if you received two separate reservation numbers from Member Services? From what the BWV frontdesk has explained to me, it sounds like the other party would need to have a separate reservation.

Troy

 

[DisneyBB]

In 2001 we went with friends and stayed in a 2 bedroom. Before we went we set up some ground rules. They were staying in the studio section and we had the 1 bed. Each of us has 2 kids. We kept the door locked at night time and first thing in the morning. This gave us the space we needed. Once each family was ready for the day, we unlocked the door. If the door on the other side was open then you could come in. This meant that once the kids were in bed, we could all sit and chat, just locking the door when we went to bed. It worked very well, and there was no offence taken as the rules had been discussed before we went. We were lucky as each of us needed time alone with our families. We only asked that they pay the maintenance on the points they used. I did calculate it as half the 2 bed, as they did have access most of the time. It was still a cheap holiday for them and in fact they are now proud owners at the BCV's.

 

[JR]

We have taken both family and friends to WDW in a 2BR. You can only have one credit card on the room keys but you can restrict the studio keys to not have charge privileges which we have always done. It should be no big deal as all your friends have to do is take a credit card along with them and use it. I believe you can also restrict the room key to just the studio.
You set this up how you want it when you check in at guest services.

JR

 

[spiceycat]

No there are not two separate reservations - well they didn't give us two

You must go through MS - when you are at the front desk checking in - it is too late (it is a computer thing) - tell MS that you want the 2-bedroom to be locked off - 1 bedroom and studio. You must give the other person name (so there may have been another reservation - they just didn't tell me about it).

front desk can't do it - then when housekeeping cleans the rooms they do it (it is on their schedule).

but no if you wait until you are check-in - it much too late - only MS can do it (or that was the situation when I did it)

 

[NJmouse]

Last May there was 6 of us in a 2bdrm at BWV. It was my DS and BIL my BIL's brother and his wife and my DH and myself. My sister and BIL had the studio we had the master bdrm and the the other couple stayed in the living room. We worked it out that the couple staying in the living room used our shower and toilet section of the bathroom we would leave the doors ajar there are two of them to this room one to the master bdrm and one to the kitchen area and when you had to use it during the night you would close them and open them when finished. We scheduled our shower time first this way we could be getting dress and then they could get dressed in our room when they were done. They didn't use the studio because (my sister and BIL are slow) His brother and wife are much faster like us so by time the four of us were showed and dressed my sister and BIL would be done also. We all meet in the living/kitchen and have breakfast (cereal toast english muffins) Whoever was up first would make the coffee. We kept the lock off door open at all times. We are all family. We all had keys to both doors. Also we do not put any charges on the cards we do not like doing that if we want to charge something we would use our own credit cards.

 

[TroyWDW]

SpiceyCat, thanks for the reply.

Your statements are consistent with what I've been told by the frontdesk folks (it's too late at that point). Thanks for sharing the suggestion of working through Member Services if this is something folks really want.

Troy