I don't know about other
DVC resorts, but at BCV, the first time I went to use the laundry that I'd been told was free, it had coin slots there like I was supposed to put money in. "But I thought these were free?" I thought. So I finally just pushed the coin thing in as if there were coins in it, but there weren't. Voila! The machine started. So don't be surprised if the machine looks like it needs coins (as I thought). Just push the slots in.