No freezer in Poly Studio refrigerators?

[Perdita&Pongo]

We own at BWV and have also stayed at AKV, OKW, BCV. Always in a studio because that is what works for us. AFAIK, all studios we've stayed at had a freezer in the fridge. Why not Poly studios?!? We plan a stay there next July, but that means no frozen waffles for breakfast in the room, No freezing water bottles, etc.

Does anyone have any insight into why they changed the "standard" fridge model in these new units?

Not looking forward to McGuyver-ing a mini freezer out of an ice bucket contraption.

 

[disneynutz]

Probably cost, there have been reports that all replacements don't have the freezer section.

Bill

 

[n2mm]

Keep in mind, just because some of the resorts have a frig with a freezer, it doesn't always work. Our last few stays at both BCV and BWV this year I've had a frig with a freezer, but they were totally worthless. Neither would even freeze a bottle of water. I think they are getting rid of the frigs with freezers and moving towards the type that are in the newer additions. I like being able to freeze my water bottles, so would miss not having a small freezer.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Probably cost, there have been reports that all replacements don't have the freezer section.

Bill

Or simply an appliance buyer who doesn't think people make use of the small freezer. Everyone who doesn't like this does need to let DVC know they want units with freezers or they'll think it's just fine.

 

[hakepb]

Our refrigerator at a VWL studio this summer also didn't have a freezer section ... But then I found out that parts of it were cold enough to freeze our water bottles

 

[LauraLea]

VGF studios do not have freezers either.

Laura

 

[rlovew]

As far as I can tell from posts I have seen here as the studio fridges break they are replacing them with freezer-less models in all the DVC studios. They did not put freezers into Poly of VGF as mentioned above.

 

[PammyK]

In 2013, I think, I encountered my first freezer-less studio fridge - it was brand new, having been installed just prior to them sending me my room ready text message. When I expressed my dismay to the resort cast members, their response was that the powers that be at DVC told them the change was made in response to guest feedback that the freezers took up too much room from an already small refrigerator and were rarely used. I hate not being able to freeze water bottles or make my own ice blocks for my coolers. The frozen bottles and ice blocks that I used to be able to make didn't melt in 20 minutes like a bag of ice cubes from the ice machine do. Not a deal breaker by any means, but still frustrating and annoying.

 

[HereIGo]

I never really thought about whether there was a freezer or not. I wonder if these types of decisions are made at some of those meetings I never attend or if they just go by complaints? I hope they don't just make policy changes like that based on complaints since only "no freezer" people will complain when the freezer is ther and then only "freezer" people will complain when they're not...

 

[BWV Dreamin]

We are here now in a Poly studio. No freezer in the mini fridge.

 

[TiffBiff]

At OKW right now & there is no freezer in the mini-fridge. Heading to the Poly tomorrow... Disappointed the lack of small freezer. We like to freeze our water bottles for park days.

 

[rlovew]

I never really thought about whether there was a freezer or not. I wonder if these types of decisions are made at some of those meetings I never attend or if they just go by complaints? I hope they don't just make policy changes like that based on complaints since only "no freezer" people will complain when the freezer is ther and then only "freezer" people will complain when they're not...

I would guess these policies are made more by the cost of mini fridges with or without freezers or maybe more importantly if the freezers/freezer doors tend to be a high maintenance items. I believe they use "guest complaints" as a good excuse rather than that they really have a bunch of people calling and complaining there have been freezers in the mini fridges. I don't really believe that is a make or break items that people would have complained about enough over the years for complaints about having the freezer being the real reason.

On the other hand the freezer compartment doors on those models tend to break easily and I can see many people who wanted to use the freezer complaining if their door had fallen off and asking for it to be fixed and them considering that a complaint about freezers or simply a problem they want to eliminate.

 

[JWG]

These freezers actually worked for folks? The "freezer" in a mini-fridge never seemed to really freeze for me.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

These freezers actually worked for folks? The "freezer" in a mini-fridge never seemed to really freeze for me.

Usually, yes.

 

[bpadair32]

I really don't think it was about cost. I have bought several mini refrigerators over the years some with freezers and some without and the cost was always about the same. My guess would be that they got a lot of complaints about them because in my experience the freezer in these things doesn't work very well and tends to take up a decent amount of space in an already limited size fridge.

 

[DenLo]

I too am disappointed at the removal of the freezers. However, didn't the freezers have to be defrosted manually and housekeeping never did that either, so often there was very little room in them anyway.

 

[patches4me]

Probably cost, there have been reports that all replacements don't have the freezer section.

Bill

You are correct. We were in updated Wilderness Lodge studio and the new frige does not have a freezer like the older ones. I assume all studios on property will be the same.

 

[chartle]

I too am disappointed at the removal of the freezers. However, didn't the freezers have to be defrosted manually and housekeeping never did that either, so often there was very little room in them anyway.

I've seen many of these mini fridges that have "freezers" be totally frozen over.

As for defrosting them, how many people here have ever defrosted a unit like this? Its easy but not at all quick. You of course have to remove everything but then figure out a way to melt the ice without making too much of a mess. No way this could be done in the few hours a room is vacant between guests.

The only way I could see this happening is if they had spares and swapped them out and took the frozen ones to some room with a drain and just let them melt.

 

[Simba's Mom]

In 2013, I think, I encountered my first freezer-less studio fridge - it was brand new, having been installed just prior to them sending me my room ready text message. When I expressed my dismay to the resort cast members, their response was that the powers that be at DVC told them the change was made in response to guest feedback that the freezers took up too much room from an already small refrigerator and were rarely used.

I also have heard that comment from DVC, that it's due to "guest feedback" Yet, I never heard any guest who gave such feedback and I've heard from lots of guests, including me, that hate not having, even a little freezer. I had my first freezers refrigerator in 2010 in a value studio at AKV. Maintenance came to try to replace it with one with a freezer, but was unable to because of an odd height of the counter. At that time, they were very apologetic.

 

[disneynutz]

I also have heard that comment from DVC, that it's due to "guest feedback" Yet, I never heard any guest who gave such feedback and I've heard from lots of guests, including me, that hate not having, even a little freezer. I had my first freezers refrigerator in 2010 in a value studio at AKV. Maintenance came to try to replace it with one with a freezer, but was unable to because of an odd height of the counter. At that time, they were very apologetic.

Guest feedback doesn't mean that guests provided feedback.

It's a person who's first name is guest, his middle name is member, and last name is feedback. His job at Disney is to set policy and order everything.

That way when Disney changes policy, food, furnishings, they can say that guest or member feedback is responsible.

Bill