Just Back From OKW First DVC Trip....

[prez65]

Hi, I just got back from OKW using my DVC membership for the first time. I just wanted to share my experience with everyone.

Me my DW and 2 DD ages 3 and 9 arrived at OKW on Sunday at 6 PM. We used DME from the airport to OKW which was wonderful...no bags to lug around. The bus left within 5 minutes of getting on and we where at check in a few minutes later. This was all after a 30 min delay on our flight which made things seem so much brighter.

Our room was ready a 1 bedroom in section 34 on Turtle Pound Road. This was a ground floor room which we were very happy about, being that we would not have to lug tired kids bags and stroller up steps. We had only one request when we made our ressies for a non-smoking room which we received ground floor was a plus for us.

Being that it was our first trip to OKW we needed directions on how to get to our room we where told we can get a ride at bell services but there was a 40 minute wait so we decided to walk even though it was raining.

We got to our room 10 minutes later and were very impressed when we first walked in...the room was huge.

Than we noticed something strange: The kitchen sink and counters were low and so was the bed. We checked the bathroom and noticed we were in a handicap room. The shower was a walk in shower with no door and a seat was mounted on the wall all the handles were low on the wall and there was a bad leak on the wall that was painted over recently and bubbling. Also the toilet was higher than a regular one. This was a bad situation with a 3 year old.

I called the front desk and very pleasantly asked if our room can be switched. I was told that there are no other rooms available and that it is no big deal that we are in a Handicap room there is not much difference in that and a regular room. I explained the situation with my 3 year old and that she could not get on the toilet and can reach all the appliances on the counters. I was then told I should just keep the bathroom door closed and keep an eye on her.

Now I was starting to get upset but still kept my cool, I asked if they can check with the other resorts and find me another room....she told me there was a room a BWV I said fine I will take it...she then told me that it was for 1 night only and then I would have to come back to OKW and they might have another room for me....I asked for a supervisor!

The supervisor said they will have a different room for me in the morning...it was now 7:30 and I had dinner ressies so I said fine I will stay the night. The next morning they came and got our bags at 10:00 and drove us to check in.

Check in told me they have a room but it will not be ready until after 4 PM and there is a $35 room change fee, so just go to the parks and enjoy the day. I blew my top....it was pouring outside and they wanted me to enjoy the day with 2 kids in the pouring rain. I asked them to call every hotel in Disney and get me a room...anywhere Non DVC. I was told I will lose my points...I told him I did not care..I was ready to just go home and sell my membership anyway.

I guess I got a bit loud and a manager came over. I explained my situation and he managed to get me a room right away, along with a ride to take us there. He also waived the room change fee. Now I do not understand why I had to get angry to get the situation taking care of. I was on Vacation at the Happiest place on Earth. I guess the squeaky wheel gets oil.

Now for our new room which was also on the ground floor....I did not realize but this room came with coffee, sugar, paper towels, soap and shampoo, which were not in the other room something I realized after we saw what a room supposed to have. If a person needed a handicap room and got the one we where in they would have had their complaints about all the missing items which were overlooked by me because I was busy fighting a different battle.

Considering all that and all the rain we managed to have a nice stay after all. The best part was my 3 year old saying she wanted to go home meaning our room after we went out.

 

[littlestar]

I feel for you. Our first trip as members we had 2 studios at VWL and we got 4533 (no balcony) and a dumpster view room at the end of the 3rd floor.

Those toilets are high in those handicap rooms. It would be like a bird on a perch for a 3 year old.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I'm wondering now if they know who the new members are. On our first trip "home" (VWL), we were given a HA room without being told and then told we'd have to pay the room change fee, too. Then when we were complaining at the DVC sales center, we met other new members who got the only balcony-less room at VWL for their first time home. Yet, a few years later, when we got a HA room again, without being told, they moved us the next day without question and didn't even mention the room-change fee. I'm sure it's not true, but sometimes it seems we really get our "trial by fire" as new members. I really feel for you, prez65 and littlestar. We seriously thought of selling our membership after that first experience, but after 4 years, boy I'm so glad we stuck with it!

 

[jennymouse]

Geesh, what a nightmare. We're going to OKW for our first time in a couple weeks and hope they don't put us in a HA room. My 2yo DGD would think that the stove was a toy one just for her because she has one at home she loves to play with. Not only that, she doesn't do showers, only bathtub. I better call MS and put non-HA on our ressie... Glad you had a good trip otherwise!

 

[byoung]

Sorry you had problems, so far we have had no problems with DVC.

 

[cruiseletters]

that,s an issue I never thought about. From now on I,ll be making my resevations with a note that I don,t want a ha room. Thanks for posting your story I know you won,t be sorry if you hold onto your points.

 

[smjj]

Thanks for the info. We have never had that problem. The one we have fought 2 out of the 4 times we have been to OKW is getting a NS room only to have had a rule breaker who smoked in it anyway. OKW moved us both times but not until I raised a big stink. They have never charged us a room change fee. If they tried, I would argue until the cows came home over it. Now if I did not like the location , view or something like that, well thats a different story and the fee would be justified....smjj

 

[Deb & Bill]

Just remember that requests are just requests and are not guaranteed. You did not even request a non-handicapped villa. Someone is goig to get one if it is not requested for medical reasons.

 

[prez65]

Just remember that requests are just requests and are not guaranteed. You did not even request a non-handicapped villa. Someone is goig to get one if it is not requested for medical reasons.

I would have never even thought of putting a Non-Handicapped room as a request. I think the Handicap rooms should be used for People who need them just like Handicap Parking spots...If there are no other parking spots left I do not use a Handicap Parking Spot.

I think the same should go for room situations....If the resort is full except for Handicap Rooms than they should not take the ressies if that is not needed for you. I would also hope that if someone requests a Handicap Room that needs it because they are in a wheelchair, that the resort would not book it to have that person get there to be given a Non-Handicap Room on a 3rd floor walk up....what would be done then?

I think certain things should be considered requests that may or may not be honored like...a specific section or view. Somethings should be considered a need...like handicap rooms.

I also believe if you request non-smoking you should be able to get that also...that should not be an option for the Powers That Be to decide if you get one or not.

I recently had to go away for business and had to book 2 rooms at a hotel....I was told that all that was available was 1 non smoking and 1-smoking room and they left the decision to me if I wanted the rooms...they did not wait for me to get there and then say sorry here is a smoking room.

I just do not understand how this can not be handled by Disney!
Do I have to worry about this happening all the time?

 

[Deb & Bill]

Since we are talking timeshare here, occupancy is based on the points sold. They don't ask prospective members about their ability, so rooms are built as accessible, or not, based on ADA and other requirements. Rooms can't just be left vacant.

Same thing goes for smoking habits. We weren't quizzed as to our smoking preference when we joined. If they had, we might be in trouble since my husbandgave it up during the last nine years of our membership (he always smoked outside before that, so our initial preference would have been non-smoking). But until WDW adopts the same smoking attitude as DL, smoking optional rooms will exist and be left over for the late comers. Or available for the people getting there early.

Requests are still just requests.

 

[prez65]

Requests are still just requests.smoking optional rooms will exist and be left over for the late comers. Or available for the people getting there early.

Thats still iffy about the smoking issue.....I am a smoker but never smoke in my room or house and car for that matter. I know they do not want to leave rooms empty but they should take ressies on availability and one of the questions should be smoking or non-smoking.....if they know that non-smoking rooms are not available you should have the option of not making the ressie. I have heard so many complaints about people smoking in Non-smoking rooms...so I do not see how they can put a non-smoker in a smoking room...apparently the smoking rooms must fill up first....

This was not a smoking non-smoking issue..There have been so many posts on this matter.....it was more of the Handicap Room or Non-Handicap Room.....That should definately be a non issue....If you do not REQUEST a Handicap Room you should not be given one...and more importantly If you do REQUEST a Handicap Room you should most definately get one. I think this should not be that hard for Disney to do!

So if I get to check in before someone in a wheelchair and want the handicap room because it's in a better location and on the ground floor....the person on line in back of me in the wheelchair can't have it because he was beat to the check in desk...that is unthinkable....

 

[LVSWL]

Our last stay at VWL we were put in a handicapped studio. It was such a problem for us. We checked in at 12:30am and I guess that was all that was left but the CM did not make us aware of it at check in. Our biggest problem with it was that there was no safe so every time we left to go to the park we would have to take our valuables to the car and lock them up. Also the shower is level with the bathroom floor and overflowed into the bath and soaked my traincase because it was sitting on the floor because there isn't anywhere to put your toiletries. We called the front desk to make them aware that we had 2" of H20 on the floor, which we used all of our towels to clean up, but that we were very unhappy with the room, and got the party line of you can change for $25. What a crock! Fortunately, we were moving the next day into a one-bedroom villa and my much calmer husband spoke to a manager and was reasured that we would have the non-smoking water view we had requested. He also said that he would not have made us pay the $25 to move. I personally think that it is a terror tactic. We always try so hard to be polite and considerate to the CMs but the squeeky wheels sure do usually get the grease.

 

[prez65]

Our last stay at VWL we were put in a handicapped studio. It was such a problem for us. We checked in at 12:30am and I guess that was all that was left but the CM did not make us aware of it at check in. Our biggest problem with it was that there was no safe so every time we left to go to the park we would have to take our valuables to the car and lock them up. Also the shower is level with the bathroom floor and overflowed into the bath and soaked my traincase because it was sitting on the floor because there isn't anywhere to put your toiletries. We called the front desk to make them aware that we had 2" of H20 on the floor, which we used all of our towels to clean up, but that we were very unhappy with the room, and got the party line of you can change for $25. What a crock! Fortunately, we were moving the next day into a one-bedroom villa and my much calmer husband spoke to a manager and was reasured that we would have the non-smoking water view we had requested. He also said that he would not have made us pay the $25 to move. I personally think that it is a terror tactic. We always try so hard to be polite and considerate to the CMs but the squeeky wheels sure do usually get the grease.

I feel your pain!
It is true that the squeeky wheel gets the oil. I tried to be very calm with my complaint...with several different people...the things that bothered me most were the remarks I got...like I should just watch my child...and keep the doors closed.....and there is not much differance between handicap rooms and non-handicap rooms so what is the big deal..and the kicker was telling me to be out of the room by 10am and then telling me a room will not be ready for me until sometime after 4pm......After hearing comments like that and the final kicker... it was hard to keep calm......I hope everything worked out for you as it did for me...we ended up having a great time after all was said and done!

 

[Deb & Bill]

..and the kicker was telling me to be out of the room by 10am and then telling me a room will not be ready for me until sometime after 4pm......

But that is standard for moving into a new room??

 

[Cruelladeville]

Marriott manages to assign rooms for non-smokers, handicapped, and by floor, so Disney should too! When I called a month before arrival to ask about accommodations, Marriott said,"Mrs. C, in bldg. 54 we can give you a non-smoking room, but we can't get you the 6th floor. Will the 3rd floor be OK?" At Disney, handicapped people sometimes can't get handicapped rooms. I asked for one when I hurt my leg, and was in a wheelchair, and I couldn't get one.

 

[LVSWL]

But that is standard for moving into a new room??

I'm not sure but I think her point might be that she wouldn't have to move if she hadn't been put in a HA room which she did Not request. It did seem that the CM did not make her feel very "welcome". Fortunately for us our week did improve when we moved into our one-bedroom villa, but the HA was a pain and we will ask before we leave check in from on to try and avoid this problem.

 

[prez65]

But that is standard for moving into a new room??

Yes that would have been fine if I was switching do to the fact that the view was bad or I wanted a different floor..or wanted to switch from a 1BR to a Studio..But the fact they gave me a HA room then told me to come down at 10am (checkout is 11am) because they were going to have another room for me..after several talks with different people....I had the right to complain and not have to wait till sometime after 4pm....You also have to understand that we could not take showers or give the children showers...so we were upset especially when we were told we can shower by the pool. Give me a break...They were wrong and it seems that you keep defending them....I guess you have never had a problem with a room....

 

[prez65]

Marriott manages to assign rooms for non-smokers, handicapped, and by floor, so Disney should too! When I called a month before arrival to ask about accommodations, Marriott said,"Mrs. C, in bldg. 54 we can give you a non-smoking room, but we can't get you the 6th floor. Will the 3rd floor be OK?" At Disney, handicapped people sometimes can't get handicapped rooms. I asked for one when I hurt my leg, and was in a wheelchair, and I couldn't get one.

Thats because I was in that room......

 

[prez65]

I wonder how often this has happened to DVC members....People who need Handicap Rooms not being able to get them once they arrive....Or people who do not need one getting one once they arrive.....Maybe this should be a new thread....or maybe it should just be dropped because they are just requests and Disney does not have to honor requests...So when you request a 1 br and get there maybe they should just stick you in a Studio and claim the 1 BR was just a request....Sorry I am starting to get Sarcastic.....I will stop now!

 

[Allan]

We had to learn to request a non HA room the hard way. We were assigned a HA 1br at VB one time, the resort was full so the only thing they could do was let us move the next day. It apparently doesn't bother some people but we absolutely do not want a HA room-it affects the enjoyment of our trip. Now I make sure to request non smoking and non HA.