OKW and no stairs--what and how to request?

[WDWNewbie]

Hi everyone!

I am very excited because we are renting a week from a friend in October at OKW (2 bedroom). I really don't know much about the units/buildings/locations within OKW. We do have one member of our party who has trouble with stairs.

Here are my questions:
Is is correct there are no elevators and the buildings are 3 stories?

Is it possible to request a ground floor without getting a handicapped unit? (We don't want roll in showers!)

At what point are rooms assigned. I know she has requested non-smoking for us now, but do any other requests go in now, or just before check in.

Any insight on how this all works would be greatly appreciated!!

 

[Margie J]

Some buildings are three floors, others are two. Yes, it is possible to request a ground floor unit and not all are handicapped equipped. Ask your friend to make a request for you, to be noted on the reservation. I believe the assignments are made about 4 days prior to arrival. That's what I've seen posted at least.

 

[Jimmac]

The brand new bldgs. do have elevators.

 

[Pa@okw95]

You can request bottom floor, but be sure to note medical reason. On the other hand the stairs are not really that bad. You go up about 10 steps to a landing then another 10 steps and you are on the second floor. The stairs are easy to walk if it is necessary.

 

[dianeschlicht]

The key is to have your friends request no stairs for medical reasons. They can also note in the request that buildings 62,63,and 64 would also work since they have elevators.

Disneydiane

 

[WDWNewbie]

Thank you for this info!! If I don't want to bother the person I am renting from, can I just call myself and add this request in once I receive the confirmation? She just made the reservation two days ago--or should I call her and ask her to add the room the request in now?

 

[Richyams]

If your name is on the reservation, you can call. You may need the owner's membership number, but as long as your name is on the reservation, you can call.

"From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs", Karl Marx,This has failed every time it has been tried, why do we still have liberals?

 

[Dean]

I only put two requests on my reservations as long as we only have one room. Those are 1. Non smoking for medical reasons and 2. NOT a handicapped room.

I can't remember for certain the number of first floor rooms that are handicapped vs. non handicapped but 60% handicapped seems to stick in my mind. While it's possible to request a first floor non handicaped room (or one with an elevator), that's a fairly restricitive request. If you're further making it for medical reason's, I would think it might be a somewhat hard request to fill. If you get in later in the day, that will further hamper your chances. I'm sure you can get a first floor or elevator unit, just don't be upset if it's a handicapped room.

Dean

 

[chris1gill]

I just wanted to comment, you can request a ground floor room, but it is not guaranteed.

Do NOT request a ground floor room for medical reasons if you do NOT have a medical reason!! You might just take the room from a person like myself! I'm in a wheelchair, and request a ground floor for medical reasons, and I don't want a handicapped accessible room because the rest of my family would have to live with it too!!

Not to get on a soapbox, but unless you have a medical reason, don't request due to one...

 

[JudithM]

I have a knee condition & am not supposed to do stairs. Before our last trip I requested a first floor room or an elevator building for medical reasons. I specifically said I did not want or need a handicapped room. I don't want to take a handicapped room from someone who needs one. Also when I made this request the Member Services CM asked if I would need a wheelchair. I thought that was very thoughtful of the CM. I didn't need a wheelchair because I was already planning to rent an ECV every day we went to a park

 

[Dean]

DVC should (but doesn't) require documentation of the medical situation that affects a request. When I contacted MS and asked how I needed to go about getting medical documenation to them for the request, they said it wasn't needed. They should require medical documentation for this type of request as it is the top priority and would be easy to abuse.

On the other hand to expect a first floor room but not a handicapped room for medical reasons seems a bit much. I would think that DVC would (or at least should) only give the medical priority for first floor to the handicapped rooms.

Dean

 

[Gail Reale]

I always request a first floor room for medical reasons, but I DON'T need a handicap room, nor do I want one. I am not wheelchair bound and would feel horrible if they put me in such a room and then someone who really needed it couldn't get one. I was assigned to a handicap room twice in the 6 years with DVC, and although I tried to change it I couldn't. I just can't climb stairs with my heart problem (which I hope is getting fixed this summer and then they can put me on the 3rd floor!!!)

 

[Dean]

The reality is that there are more handicapped rooms than are really needed at this time. One is not going to be taking a handicapped room from another that needs it, one would be preventing someone that justs wants and request a first floor from getting one, or at least one that is not a handicapped room. I still feel it is unreasonable to expect a first floor but not a handicapped when the request is made for medical reasons The two should go hand in hand. DVC will ensure that those that need a handicapped room and request it will get one; that will leave extra handicapped rooms to be filled.

My wife has knee problems but we never request first floor, simply leave it up to the luck of the draw. Reason is that her problem is not that bad and we don't want to take a first floor from someone like yourself. The other requests (nonsmoking and NOT a handicapped room) are far more important to our family anyway.

As the DVC population ages, this will get to be more and more of a problem. Then there might be enough people that need a handicapped room that this discussion is moot. We'll then be arguing the other way, LOL.

Dean

 

[WDWNewbie]

Wow! You guys are great. Thank you for your insight. Do you think it would be too restrictive to ask for non-smoking any room in building 62,63, or 64 (I think those are the ones with elevator) Are they extremely popular with owners right now because they do have elevators? Thx.

 

[Dean]

I suspect they are popular because they have elevators, their location and the fact they are newer. You can certainly ask. Good luck.

Dean

 

[SueM in MN]

We've been OKW members since 1993 and always request a first floor room for medical reasons because we have a child (now 15 yrs old) who uses a wheelchair and can't walk. The only time we got a handicapped room was when we specifically asked for one. It didn't work out at all for us with the raised toilet for a child.
We just got back from OKW, stayed on the first floor of building 63, which was not a handicapped room. There were no more than 4 handicapped parking spots for that building (I think there were only 2 and one was right in front of our room). I assume there were less than 4 handicapped accessible rooms in that building or they would have had more spots.
We were told that the 3 buildings with elevators were in high demand because people want the elevators, want the newest rooms and they are close to Hospitality House. Y

SueM in MN
Co-Moderator of disABILITIES