OKW Check in Troubles--Long

[LisaR]

My impression from reading the boards, etc. is that so many guests are making requests for "medical reasons", the sheer number of these requests likely exceeds a resort's capacity to honor them.

I agree that more requests for medical reasons are being made. A lot of this could EASILY be prevented if Disney could guarantee non-smoking rooms. I absolutely hate saying that I need "non-smoking for medical reasons." Both of my kids have asthma. They will NOT die if they stay in a room where someone has been smoking. However, they WILL have an asthma attack if we spend enough time in a room that smells of smoke. If they have to sleep on the pillows or a mattress and inhale that smell all night, they will have an asthma attack. Plain and simple. I could easily provide a note from a doctor, if needed. But that isn't the point. There is a simple fix for this. Any place I have EVER stayed has always guaranteed non-smoking. Disney is the only place I've ever been that can't do that.

Lisa

 

[jarestel]

Debby7, the room assignment process that DVC uses is, IMO, extremely crappy. Please make sure you pass along your concerns to MS. If enough of us are asking for changes in the way they hand out rooms, it stands a good chance of getting changed eventually.

 

[Mary Ellen]

When checking in recently, the CM noted that we had 'NS due to medical'. I mentioned that our last visit was the 1st time I'd requested that AND the first time I didn't need to go to an Urgent Care Clinic. I made through 2 weeks this time without a visit to the UCC too.

Unfortunately boards (like this) while giving people useful and important info, have also told others of 'key words' to get what they WANT, but don't necessarily NEED.

 

[Pumbaa_]

After the last few trips arriving late on Friday night (to get an early start the next day ) we have had some very not great rooms assigned. When you check in at midnight, you get the last room no one wanted. (I have seen enough of the VWL dumpster to last me a lifetime)

So from now on, we will stay either at the all stars the first night and move in the morning or more likely start arriving Saturday morning and taking the early flight instead. I hate doing that, much prefer arriving late and then waking up in my happy place, but when I am there a week, I want a good view from my room.

So we will just have to change how we travel it seems to be able to get what we want. We have done the stay the weekend in a studio and then move to a 1 bedroom for the week, but am tired of packing and moving. next time we go for a week, we will arrive on Saturday instead of Friday night and check into the 1 bedroom. I figure 2 studio weekend nights = 1 1 br weekend night.

 

[Sammie]

The main problem is when you go during peak season it is very hard to please everyone that checks in.

The requests the OP stated were legitimate, and should have been honored. But when you have hundreds of other guests wanting their legitimate and medical requests met, then I am not sure there is an easy resolution.

As stated the later you check in the more likely a problem will occur. During peak times I will stay off site, knowing that I will probably have to move the next day anyway due to room assignment confusion.

The change to room ready was highly requested by guests who wanted a room just as soon as they arrive. All you have to do is read these forums to see how many want a room as early as 8am. So it was not changed just to benefit the resorts.

As much as the Internet has helped many plan vacations it has also caused some problems and provided many with too much info about how to work the system to get what they want and hollering the "medical" wolf is one of them. It makes it real hard for those such as the OP to get what they want and need.

 

[FLYNZ4]

Another condo association that I belong to (WorldMark) is also a point based system like DVC. They have similar room classifications as DVC (studio, 1BR, 2BR, etc)... but they also have special needs versions of the same rooms (1BR SN, 2BR SN etc) that are explicitly booked. Hence, if you need a SN unit, then that is what you get... and if you do not want a SN unit... you will never get it.

They have also gone 100% non smoking in the units across all 55 or so resorts that they own.

From experience... I would say that this system is infinitely better than DVCs.

/Jim

 

[wdwprincess_keli]

Looks like you contradicted yourself in your own post.

How did I Contradict myself ? Just because I won't judge an individual doesn't mean I have to turn a blind eye to a larger problem. As another poster stated " Don't judge an individual because you don't know the specifics ".

 

[Debbie H]

The system I liked BEST was the old "members-check-in" where we could call the front desk, give them our credit card, and our room keys and packet would be waiting for us when we arrived.

Aww, the good old days when they really treated members "special"!! Now they can't because there is way too many of them....I remember when the original DVC was OKW and that was going to be the only one!

 

[Claudia1]

We just returned from a 5-day President's weekend at OKW and checked in at 11:25pm. DH has asthma and I always request a non-smoking room (medical). When we arrived, the OKW computer had us listed as smoking optional. I showed them our confirmation letter with the non-smoking listed and the CM was stunned that my ressie had been altered.

After 30 minutes of discussion and another 30 minutes of waiting, they "found" a non-smoking 2BR. I'm guessing that they changed someone else's ressie. They made a comment about how many guests had not yet checked in.

This smoking issue has many sides but I think DVC would be better served to only allow non-smoking ressies for the number of available rooms. I can recall years ago, when making ressies at BW, MS telling me that only smoking rooms where available. I changed resorts to get a non-smoking room and I appreciated the option.

 

[lenshanem]

Same thing happened to us Claudia1 earlier this month at VWL.

I'm actually a little worried about our OKW spring break trip as we won't be arriving until around six I'm guessing. My daughter is having a time right now, school nurse calls me almost everyday.

If there is a problem with abuse I think they need to request a medical note be on file. I'm totally cool with that if it means I don't have to worry about checking in and getting a smoking room.

 

[jmminarik]

This smoking issue has many sides but I think DVC would be better served to only allow non-smoking ressies for the number of available rooms. .

If you're saying make DVC non-smoking in all rooms, I think you and other non-smoking room requirers would be better served. It wouldn't serve me and all of the people I bring to tell them "yes, this is my Home...but I've no choice in the matter, you must go outside".

I think the membership would be better served with guaranteed smoking/nonsmoking reservations as well as guaranteed HC reservations. Like you've said, knowing in advance means being able to exercise the right to choose.

-Joe

 

[DVCLady]

Delete

 

[Pa@okw95]

I am affraid that OKW suffers from being over popular just like BCV, OKW because of the points and BCV because of the pool. I was there in January and found OKW to be crowded but the parks were not. I am sorry to say that this situation will only get worse and will show up at check-in and condition of the rooms. I too long for the days when members were treated special and DVC was just OKW.

 

[Claudia1]

jmminarik, I should have made my point clearer. I believe we are in agreement but thanks for letting me revisit my point.

I am not saying that the resorts should be smoke-free. I am suggesting that MS be given an inventory of smoke-free rooms and only make ressies that can be accomodated within that smoke-free inventory. If a smoke-free villa is not available in the configuration that I need (i.e. studio, 1-BR, or 2-BR), then I can choose a different resort, a smaller or larger room, or make a choice to stay in a smoke optional room. We could not personally make the latter choice but others might.

I guess I'm saying that I want the right to make the choice, not to be forced into a villa that makes my husband ill and alters the magic of a Disney vacation for us. We did not spend thousands of dollars to stay in a marginal hotel room. We spent the money for a "home away from home".

We often travel in the evening, so I think we will take your suggestions and stay elsewhere on the first night. It takes more time out of our vacation to move but we would make check-in easier.

 

[colleen costello]

Until all rooms are accessible by elevator and non-smoking is guaranteed, there will ALWAYS be problems with "medical" requests. Zillions of people in our polluted world have allergies and rightfully don't want to be assigned to a room that will make them miserable (although most not life-threatened) during their vacation. As the popluation ages, more folks will have trouble with rooms that are three stories up. Something has got to give. DVC needs to realize that these requests are serious to the vacationer. Mom has asthma and if all that was available was a smoking room, we'd GLADLY select another resort! Same with the upstairs room -- let me know there is no ground-floor and we'd switch resorts.

I have two studios reserved at BCV for July and I am a wreck about check-in. I fear smoking and handicapped. A smoking room would see us allergic all week, and a handicapped room means no tub and low beds (ie; back trouble!). It's a shame that the joy of acticipating the vacation is marred by these worries!

 

[lllovell]

I have a son that doesn't do well in a smoking room. I have requested non-smoking. That is enough for me.

I cannot believe all the people here that stress about this for months in advance, thus setting yourself up for having a miserable time before you even leave your home.

If you have a medical reason, have a note from your doctor to back you up. I cannot imagine them not being accomidating. If you are like me and just prefer it, then I hope you are accomidated. If we aren't, we will simply make sure to have antihistimines on hand for my son.

I do wish it was a guaranteed type of situation where you know when you make your reservation. If it is truly important for some, I WANT you to get what you need. If its just a preference, then we all need to try to accomidate more and accept that sometimes you are on the top of the list to be accomidated and sometimes not.

Maybe I am just pretty laid back.

 

[barbarabee]

This thread has been fascinating. I thought I was the only one who had a stressful time at check-in!!! I agree that NS is not a "life or death" request, but it does make my boyfriend miserable. His eyes swell up, his throat swells up, and he gets horrid headaches. We do not go to venues that allow smoking.

We received a NS room at OKW for our ONE visit to that resort, and it was obvious that it had been smoked in. After telling the front desk, they assured us it would be cleaned and be ready when we got back from the parks. Came back from the parks and it was no better. They told us no other rooms were available at OKW or any other DVC resort...I then said that I would take a NS room at ANY WDW resort, because it would be worth it to me to spend the money for us to enjoy our vacation...Within 10 minutes, a studio room miraculously appeared at OKW that met our needs.

Perhaps I was one of those whiners who made someone else get stuck with a bad room, but I think when they saw that I was very serious about needing a NS room, not just that I wanted it, they were willing to work with me.

Not suggesting others go this route, I was fully prepared to pay for a room and lose my points for that reservation in exchange for an enjoyable vacation.

 

[jarestel]

I do wish it was a guaranteed type of situation where you know when you make your reservation. If it is truly important for some, I WANT you to get what you need. If its just a preference, then we all need to try to accomidate more and accept that sometimes you are on the top of the list to be accomidated and sometimes not.

Maybe I am just pretty laid back.

When you're standing at the check-in desk with all of your luggage after some number of hours travelling by car/plane, it can be disappointing to some to hear that the room category they requested isn't available. At that point, the member has no choice but to be accomodating, because there just aren't any other rooms anyway. However, if the member doesn't speak up and let DVC know that some of these things are important to the membership, then things will never change. If the members all remain silent and try to "make the best of it", DVC won't consider changing their room assignment policies, because as far as they know, everyone is happy with them as they are.

 

[colleen costello]

While I will freely admit that I am NOT laid-back (wish I was but chronically a worrier!) I do NOT think that after a 1000-mile drive I should be jolly about a room that my parents can't climb to or breathe in. We shell out a fortune for accomodations at WDW. My family makes it a policy to NEVER patronize businesses that allow smoking. Why tolerate it at WDW?

The HC room issue also seems unique to DVC. In the non-DVC resorts, you are only "risking" a HC room if you want a king bed. In DVC this is not the case. While I would accept a HC room if it was all that was available, for a smoking room we'd have to switch resorts.

 

[Greysword]

Ok, as a new DVC member, I have been listening to this and other threads on a related topic. I have a couple questions from the seasoned veterans

First, will the front desk tell me whether the room is non smoking, handicapped, or whatever if I ask at the desk?

Second, it sounds like DVC changed their reservation policy to meet the demands of their members (early check-in, etc). What exact policies would you like me to ask DVC for? I mean please articulate what exact changes would be helpful for the reservation policy and the comfort of the guests at the resort. For example, the idea of a building or wing just for smoking rooms may be a good one or giving the option to take an HC or smoking room early or wait for a NS room. Please help me word this, so we can send these ideas to DVC for their review.

Thanks!