Lock Off vs. Non Lock Off

[River Country]

Ok I am not new here but I guess I never had the need to book a 2br before, we have always booked studios or 1BR. What is a lock off? why would I want one? why wouldn't I want one?

we will be only 5(4 adults 1 8yo but 3 women) we need 2 bathrooms. Yes I know the 1 BR in BLT has 2 Baths.

Thanks

 

[nalajms]

This is my view....
Lock off = 1bedroom + studio
Pros: 2 separate AC controls, 2 separate entrances, kitchenette in studio (ie extra mini fridge), can shut the connecting doors, may have the additional murphy bed
Cons: another exit door to guard if you have little kids that like to escape, sofa bed instead of 2 q beds, 2 separate entry doors may cause MB issues, slightly less storage space**.

** Some of the 2 bedrooms have a closet where the entrance would be in the 2nd room. Also no kitchenette = more closet space.

 

[erionm]

A lock-off 2-bedroom is made up of a 1-bedroom & a studio with an interior connecting door. The studio becomes the second bedroom and will have a queen bed and a sleeper sofa (except at OKW where all studios have 2 queen beds). There will be two entrances into the villa (1 each in the 1-bedroom & studio).

A dedicated 2-bedroom will have 2 queen beds in the second bedroom (except at BCV where some have a queen & sleeper sofa). There will be only 1 door in/out of the villa.

 

[River Country]

interesting....

thanks for the info. I guess the dedicated would be better and the same amount of points too

 

[MAO]

I believe you can request a dedicated 2 bedroom, but there is no way to guarantee you'll get one as far as I know. (Just so you're not totally flummoxed when you get there and realize you've got a lockoff 2 bedroom.)

 

[supersnoop]

I believe you can request a dedicated 2 bedroom, but there is no way to guarantee you'll get one as far as I know. (Just so you're not totally flummoxed when you get there and realize you've got a lockoff 2 bedroom.)

Incorrect. Lockoffs are a booking category and you get what you book.

 

[kristenrice]

Incorrect. Lockoffs are a booking category and you get what you book.

Well....you're supposed to...

We booked a 2BR lock-off back in 2010 at Kidani as the second part of a split-stay with my parents. They wanted a studio and we generally prefer a 1BR so I booked the lock-off because it is less points and we'd be guaranteed to be near each other. We checked out of our first rooms and then went to Epcot for the day, returning to Kidani around 8pm...to find they'd assigned us a H/A dedicated 2BR. Of course, I went to the front desk and explained that we were not satisfied with our room assignment because we did not get what we'd booked. My dad required an internet connection for work (this was before wireless was installed) so he needed access from the "studio" portion. My parents also have differing schedules than my family and they wanted the ability to come and go as they pleased, or make some food/beverages, without worrying about disturbing the kids on the couch. Since it was Easter week, they could not move us that night, but we were able to get into a lock-off the next day. The manager apologized profusely for the inconvenience and gave us a $200 room credit for our troubles. When we got home, I sent a very polite e-mail to member satisfaction to let them know about the communication barrier between DVC member services and the room assigners at the resort, who also did not realize that a 2BR lock-off is a guarantee, not a request. Member satisfaction called me back within a few days and returned the points for that night (45!) back into my account. That was so nice, because we only have a 100 point contract and we'd banked and borrowed to make that trip happen. The 45 points they returned were banked into the next year for me and we were able to take a spring break trip to HHI which was never on the agenda. It worked out well for DVC since we turned around and bought a 50 point HHI contract direct.

 

[disneynutz]

Well....you're supposed to...

We booked a 2BR lock-off back in 2010 at Kidani as the second part of a split-stay with my parents. They wanted a studio and we generally prefer a 1BR so I booked the lock-off because it is less points and we'd be guaranteed to be near each other. We checked out of our first rooms and then went to Epcot for the day, returning to Kidani around 8pm...to find they'd assigned us a H/A dedicated 2BR. Of course, I went to the front desk and explained that we were not satisfied with our room assignment because we did not get what we'd booked. My dad required an internet connection for work (this was before wireless was installed) so he needed access from the "studio" portion. My parents also have differing schedules than my family and they wanted the ability to come and go as they pleased, or make some food/beverages, without worrying about disturbing the kids on the couch. Since it was Easter week, they could not move us that night, but we were able to get into a lock-off the next day. The manager apologized profusely for the inconvenience and gave us a $200 room credit for our troubles. When we got home, I sent a very polite e-mail to member satisfaction to let them know about the communication barrier between DVC member services and the room assigners at the resort, who also did not realize that a 2BR lock-off is a guarantee, not a request. Member satisfaction called me back within a few days and returned the points for that night (45!) back into my account. That was so nice, because we only have a 100 point contract and we'd banked and borrowed to make that trip happen. The 45 points they returned were banked into the next year for me and we were able to take a spring break trip to HHI which was never on the agenda. It worked out well for DVC since we turned around and bought a 50 point HHI contract direct.

A word of caution. When the resort makes a reservation change for DVC, they sometimes don't know what they are doing. Twice over the years they have changed our reservation and caused our points to go into holding. When they booked the new reservation, they didn't use the holding points.

This caused use to clean the mess up after we got home and realized what they had done.

If the resort changes your reservation, check your accounts!

Bill

 

[MAO]

Huh. The points charts don't have that as a booking category and I own at Boardwalk - where there are no dedicated 2 bedrooms. So I never knew it was possible to 'guarantee' a lock-off or dedicated. Learn something new every day!

 

[nalajms]

Huh. The points charts don't have that as a booking category and I own at Boardwalk - where there are no dedicated 2 bedrooms. So I never knew it was possible to 'guarantee' a lock-off or dedicated. Learn something new every day!

Boardwalk does not have dedicated 2 bedrooms. Same with AKV-Jambo.

 

[Dean]

interesting....

thanks for the info. I guess the dedicated would be better and the same amount of points too

It really depends on how you'll use it. For families the dedicates is often better due to the extra storage, lack of outside access and 2 queen beds in most locations. For multiple adults the additional access, fridge, coffee and the like can be a plus.

 

[bumbershoot]

returning to Kidani around 8pm...to find they'd assigned us a H/A dedicated 2BR

AKL strikes again.

and gave us a $200 room credit for our troubles

Shocked at the amount! Wait, no I'm not. That's what AKL management gives when they mess up. SSR management, too, actually. Wish they just wouldn't mess up....


OP, when we have an extended family trip we tend to book dedicated. I think the extra little fridge would be helpful in the studio portion, but DH feels that it might make our family feel separate, like we don't want them with us. To me that makes no sense, but it's how he feels about it. Worth thinking about if that makes sense or not to you.

 

[Spencerfamilynj]

We had a very lovely 2 bedroom lockoff at BWV this summer. We usually get a 2 bedroom dedicated at SSR. Was surprised that when we ordered food from Disney, they put the food in the studio, not the 1 bedroom. They said because it was the "lower numbered room." Had to move the food we ordered to the main kitchen. Kinda annoying but now I know for next time to make that request in advance. I thought it would be apparent that we would want the food in the 1 bedroom villa kitchen since it's a real kitchen. Just a quirk I guess.