Noisy Neighbors - What do you do?

[Lexxiefern]

I just got back from 2 nights at OKW and 4 nights at BWV. At OKW, we were in a lockoff studio (are they all lockoffs?) #5620. Well, one night (our first night) at about 10pm our neighbors in the one bedroom came home. The father had a loud booming voice - I could hear word for word what he was saying. There had to be at least 2 children that sounded like they were literally banging on all the walls. Woke my DD3 up. Anyway, I was willing to ignore all the noise - it lasted for over 30 minutes.

The next thing I hear is someone at the adjoining door to our room. They had opened their door and were trying to jimmy our lock - I KID YOU NOT!! My mom was with me and said "What are they trying to do?" Well I had had enough. I jumped out of bed and went over to the door and banged on it and said "Can I help you????"

The FATHER answered quietly "no". He was right there on the other side of the door! So it was either the father who was trying to break into our room or he was supervising his kids doing it.

Can you believe that?? What would you have done? Anyone ever had that happen to them? I must say it freaked me out a little.

 

[AllyBri]

They were probably trying to see if anyone was staying next door. I would have called the front desk.

 

[dsmith]

Maybe that family had never stayed in a lock off room before and he was just curious about what was behind that strange door?

Yeah, that must be it!

If that happened to me the front desk would hear about it but QUICK!

 

[Disney Doll]

I would assume they were probably trying to figure out if there was anyone in the room next door or what. I would have called Security and had them come screaming over just to make a big scene and embarrass the heck out of my neighbors.

I doubt they were trying to open the door to kidnap you or kill you, but it is irritating just the same, especially on top of the noise thing.

 

[Sammie]

Originally posted by Lexxiefern
I just got back from 2 nights at OKW and 4 nights at BWV. At OKW, we were in a lockoff studio (are they all lockoffs?) #5620. Well, one night (our first night) at about 10pm our neighbors in the one bedroom came home. The father had a loud booming voice - I could hear word for word what he was saying. There had to be at least 2 children that sounded like they were literally banging on all the walls. Woke my DD3 up. Anyway, I was willing to ignore all the noise - it lasted for over 30 minutes.

The next thing I hear is someone at the adjoining door to our room. They had opened their door and were trying to jimmy our lock - I KID YOU NOT!! My mom was with me and said "What are they trying to do?" Well I had had enough. I jumped out of bed and went over to the door and banged on it and said "Can I help you????"

The FATHER answered quietly "no". He was right there on the other side of the door! So it was either the father who was trying to break into our room or he was supervising his kids doing it.

Can you believe that?? What would you have done? Anyone ever had that happen to them? I must say it freaked me out a little.

What would I have done?

Nothing until after midnight about the noise. I figure while I might not like noisey neighbors at 10pm it is still not that late for some.

As to the attempt to open the other door, I will go with the others. I figure they thought it was a closest and were trying to figure out how to open it. I would have called the front desk and told them the people in the adjacent room were trying to open the connecting door and would they please call them and ask them to stop or you were calling the police.

What about the next night?

All studios at OKW are lockoffs.

 

[kathleena]

For the noise at 10pm - since that might be when people are getting home from the parks that close at 9, I would say that would have to be something to live with - unless it was really excessive.

For the door - at first I was agreeing with the closet theory, until I re-read your post. You said he had opened the door on his side and was now working on the door on your side.

That's no one trying to figure out if it's a closet! Once you open the first door any idiot would know it's an adjoining room door. Nope - I say he was looking to see if he could get into the next room to use it!

 

[DebbieB]

That was my first thought. He thought no one was next door and he could have a free upgrade to a 2 bedroom! If there was any excessive noise after you said something and they knew you were there, I would have reported them.

 

[Nick@ VB+OKW]

Originally posted by Lexxiefern
What would you have done?

 

[Disney1fan2002]

Originally posted by Nick@ VB+OKW

*gasp* such violence on the DIS board!

Just kidding! I am a huge fan of you smilies Nick!

 

[Simba's Mom]

Other people have pretty much echoed my thoughts, but here's what I do as soon as I get into my room if I find out it's a studio. I take big bath towel, roll it lengthwise and put it at the base of the lock-off" door (it looks like a draft-preventer). I don't know if it helps at all, but since I started using that (got the idea from these boards, I think), I haven't been bothered by noise. Just wish I'd known to try it in 2002 when our next door neighbors were World Cup Soccer fans, getting up to watch games at 1:00am and loudly cheering their team.

 

[Nick@ VB+OKW]

Originally posted by Simba's Mom
Just wish I'd known to try it in 2002 when our next door neighbors were World Cup Soccer fans, getting up to watch games at 1:00am and loudly cheering their team.

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[RoyalCanadian]

Originally posted by Nick@ VB+OKW

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Ah -- so it was Nick and the local chapter of the Sons of Rome cheering on Italia!!

Neil

 

[Nick@ VB+OKW]

Originally posted by RoyalCanadian
Ah -- so it was Nick and the local chapter of the Sons of Rome cheering on Italia!!

 

[lenshanem]

YIKES! That wodul have freaked me out a littel, too. Probbaly wodul ahve just let it go, though... I'm sure he was just not thinking!!!

As for the kids... I wodul feel sorry for the parents. I ahev a hard time getting my kids wound down myself after we first check in. Usually the rest of the trip they are too tired to make any noise! LOL

We take one of thsoe noise makers (white noise, rain, etc.). It works WONDERFULLY.

 

[twinmomplus2]

We just had a lockoff at the BWV in December and being in the master bedroom, I never heard a sound. However my brother who was on the pullout heard plenty. It seems there was a family from New Jersey, How did I know? The accent I can say this because it is second only to Bostons!!! as far as recognizable. Dad was very, very loud. And they had a little one that was about 18mts from the sound of things. who was apparently not sleeping well and doing a bit of screaming at 3m. every single night. Now to me I wouldn't have given another thought other than. Commiserated with them over the little ones trouble. However my kidless brother was not amused or sympathetic. And they apparently had the pak and play against the connecting door... Somthing like that I would never consider complaining about. your situation, I would have called asap. fiddling with the door would have bugged me. Of course now anyone that wants to join my twins at dinnertime is welcome to come on in!

 

[Lexxiefern]

Thanks for all the replies. I was most disturbed by the jimmying of the door. I guess it really disturbed my mom, because later that night she had a nightmare someone had broken into our room and she was standing in the middle of the room shouting "get out of here!"

So maybe they heard that at 1am and we got them back

When we switched to the BW, ours too (like yours twinsmom) was a lockoff. We were on the end of the building (the bedroom was) so we heard no noise. Although mom did say that at one point when she was watching tv in the living room, someone did try to open the connecting door again. But they only tried once, they did not try to break in

 

[rocketriter]

I think a lot of people, particularly first timers in a DVC lockoff, are curious about the adjoining door. They decide to "take a peek next door" without thinking through what they're doing. What matters is that your neighbors apparently backed off after they realized there were humans on the other end of their monkeying around.

For me, the harder problem in hotel accomodations is noise. You never know who or what is causing it, and whether or not you're being a grump if you object. When I was little, I remember my father banging on the wall in a NY hotel room because some idiot kept scratching at a violin all evening. The next morning we learned it was Yehudi Menuhin practicing for Carnegie Hall. On the other hand, we've all had obnoxious neighbors who can suck the dollar value right out of an expensive room. Since I can't always tell whether I'm being fair or not, I usually let the front desk figure it out. If there's really a concert violinist or somebody giving birth next door, they can tell me to get used to it. Otherwise they can tell the other party to pipe down and I'm not the bad guy.

 

[robinb]

Having opened a connecting door in my adult life, I would have done exactly as you did, except gently. I would have knocked (not banged) on the door and said "Hello?" or "Can I help you?" Wouldn't it have been a hoot to open up your side?!? OK, never mind .

There is something about the OKW lock-offs. The noise from the 1 BR travels easily to the studio. The worst stay we had noise-wise was in an OKW studio. We were woken up in the afternoon during our nap and late in the evening when the family next door returned from the parks. Herds of elephants were quieter.

I will remember the towel idea next time I stay in a lock-off studio.

 

[Margie J]

I had a very similar situation happen on my last night at HH. New neighbors came home late and there was one child and two women (that I could hear). The kid was running, hitting walls, falling down, crying, trying to open my door, etc. well past midnight. The women were screaming at him which caused more crying. The noise would then settle down for awhile and start right back up.

I called the Front Desk and not only complained about the noise but the possible abuse of this child. They took note but couldn't (or wouldn't) do anything.

The next morning when I was leaving I removed the "Do Not Disturb" sign from their door. It was the only way I could get some justice in the deal. I also prayed that that child was ok but I fear not.

Another time at OKW the people upstairs were swearing and partying late into the night OUTSIDE on the porch. They disturbed everyone around us, even in other units. Many people called the Front Desk that night. The answer I got was that someone knocked on their door but nobody answered. Of course not. They were outside with the music blasting! They finally stopped, well into the early AM.

In neither case did the CM's do much, unfortunately. I suppose unless another Guest is actually trespassing or about to cause you actually physical harm or threatening to they don't get too involved beyond a knock on the door or a call to the Guest. At least that's my experience.

 

[wdw1972]

Originally posted by Simba's Mom
Other people have pretty much echoed my thoughts, but here's what I do as soon as I get into my room if I find out it's a studio. I take big bath towel, roll it lengthwise and put it at the base of the lock-off" door (it looks like a draft-preventer). I don't know if it helps at all, but since I started using that (got the idea from these boards, I think), I haven't been bothered by noise.

Thanks for the tip - I may try that. Since I'm usually in a studio, and tend to be very quiet myself, I frequently have noisy neighbors. I've called plenty of them - politely asking them to PLEASE stop the yelling, keep the kids quiet, turn down the tv, etc - whatever the "noise" happens to be. I'll usually turn up my tv a little first, but I can't stand blaring tv's and refuse to play those games to drown out a noisy neighbor. I figure if the people next door can hear you, you're TOO LOUD and need to quiet down.

Someone I used to know had a noise problem on the Disney cruise. Each morning around 6am the kids next door were bouncing off the walls, shreiking, etc. So, each night around 2-3am they'd come back to their cabin and have the loudest, most exaggeratedly noisy sex they could manage <g>. That's the kind of one-upsman ship where nobody wins. They might have had better luck calling their neighbors at 6:10 and asking them to keep their brats (well, maybe not choose *that* word) quiet.