OKW our Standards Slipping

[BillandChris]

We've had nothing but excellent services and great rooms for all the dozens of times we have stayed at OKW. A few minor items like burned out light bulbs, etc., have been our only reason to call maintenance.
Overall, we think it's the best.

Bill and Chris

 

[goldilocks_63]

I thought Disney as a whole slipped a bit around 9/11. (i.e. less clean bathrooms, less CMs, less friendliness, etc).

But I also think the past year or so it's been making a comeback.

I don't like the cold pools, or the dining changes, but these are Disney issues as opposed to DVC.

I still think DVC is one of the best vacations around.

So if I see something I don't like, I immediately express my concern to management. More often than not, it is fixed within a day or so... Unfortunately, it may take more than one phone call to fix, so I start as soon as I see the issue. That follow-up is my only comment for improvement.

So no, I don't think OKW is slipping, and we're going there next May (changed from our usual March vacation because of the cold pool issue I'm expecting to resurface).

Goldi.

 

[Sammie]

Actually if enough DVC members contact DVC and let them know they are not going to support Olivia's due to changes they will listen. However if enough people, members or not, do not mind the changes, as I have said many times at Disney; majority rules.

 

[SueBill]

I am a fairly new member so I did not vote on the poll because I have nothing to compare OKW past/present. I will say that I stayed there this summer and absolutely loved it. The room was spotless and the staff was wonderful too. I plan on staying there again in the future.

 

[Alexander]

.....I don't like the cold pools.....
Goldi.

Yeah, I gotta agree with you on that one. We can't stand the cold pools, but it's not truly a DVC issue. If you hop around the pools at OKW, you will find that they all seem to be different temps.

 

[yo-ho-yo-ho]

Just had a PM from someone who had major problems at OKW in the past few weeks, only when Sonya the General Manager got involved did things get sorted.


I hope this member posts her experience !!!

 

[diznyfanatic]

I didn't vote either because we've only stayed there twice, both times in the last 9 months, so really have no knowledge of anything prior to that.

Having said that however, we have only had a couple of issues during our most recent stay in October, and each was handled while we were there after reporting them to the front desk and Goods To Go.

The T.V cabinet in our 1 BDR was broken and was reported to the front desk and fixed within a few hours.

The other issue was not maintenence related but had to do with OKW running out of their own Refillable Mugs to sell at Goods To Go and were instead handing out Epcot Mugs. I questioned at the time if we would have problems refilling these Epcot Mugs at the Turtle Shack since our room was at Turtle Pond and was assured that it wouldn't be a problem.

As you can probably guess, when I went to refill the mug at the Turtle Shack the next day, I was initially treated like one of the notorious RMA's (Refillable Mug Abusers) we read about here and was curtly informed I could not refill an Epcot Mug at OKW.

When I offered an explanation and asked them to call GTG to verify, the CM declined and begrudingly refilled the mug.

I then advised GTG and the Front Desk of the situation in person in case other guests encountered the same problem.

We had a wonderful time and really enjoyed both of our stays so far at OKW.

 

[Chuck S]

Again, don't put too much faith in an open internet poll unless you can guarantee that the target demographic is all that can cast a vote.

Plus, I really wouldn't claim that 129 votes in a non-restrictricted poll is anywhere near a true reflection of 300,000 DVC members, nor even only the owners at OKW.

 

[yo-ho-yo-ho]

Now theres a big word demographic !!

sure Chuck we already know this is Straw Poll, it doesn't mean there's no problems at OKW.


Lets face it Disney aren't spending the money they use too, whether its on the DVC or the whole of WDW.

 

[Chuck S]

Lets face it Disney aren't spending the money they use too, whether its on the DVC or the whole of WDW.

I don't know about that...Expedition Everest, Nemo musical, Nemo ride, Mosters Laugh Floor, all are new at WDW this year.


Dues, which reflect resort expenses, are up, so there has to have been some increased spending at the resorts...employee wages and benefits have gone up, even if the number of emplyees was constant. They just repaved and repaired the entry/exit area at OKW. So maintenance is ongoing.

 

[Lady SnowElla]

We just stayed at OKW the week after Christmas. The people in the shop & front desk were great. I was disappointed in the Housekeeping Service but certainly did not let it affect our trip. This was our second stay at OKW as we own at BCV & WLV.

 

[yo-ho-yo-ho]

I don't know about that...Expedition Everest, Nemo musical, Nemo ride, Mosters Laugh Floor, all are new at WDW this year.

In my eyes thats just to get people through the gates. You have a good look at any park bar AK and you'll see that money isn't being spent on upkeeping.


Maybe this is the stuff the member who PM'd meant

Quote

"No I haven't simply because of all the hate mail if you can call it that that has been recvd before when posted problem"

"To bad that we can't have an open forum where voices can be heard without a lot of hassle when people are trying to help"


I had asked this member why she hadn't posted her/his views on this thread and that was the reply.


Now come on folks if someone has a different view from you don't just jump on them. By all means agrue your point but don't attack anyone.

 

[Chuck S]

In my eyes thats just to get people through the gates. You have a good look at any park bar AK and you'll see that money isn't being spent on upkeeping.




Maybe this is the stuff the member who PM'd meant

Quote

"No I haven't simply because of all the hate mail if you can call it that that has been recvd before when posted problem"

"To bad that we can't have an open forum where voices can be heard without a lot of hassle when people are trying to help"


I had asked this member why she hadn't posted her/his views on this thread and that was the reply.


Now come on folks if someone has a different view from you don't just jump on them. By all means agrue your point but don't attack anyone.

1) No one is attacking anyone.

2) I thought PMs were PRIVATE Messages. Do you think it is appropriate to reference them in the forums? Sort of like gossip?

3) Whether (in your opinion) the addition of attractions is just to get folks "through the gates" or not, does indeed indicate that capital investments and improvements are being made to the parks, doesn't it?

 

[yo-ho-yo-ho]

2) I thought PMs were PRIVATE Messages. Do you think it is appropriate to refernce them in the forums? Sort of like gossip?

They are, i haven't mentioned anyone's name. And yes i do think its ok to mention it, if a member is being send rude PM's they should report which i've told this member to do.



Lets get back on track with the Straw Poll and remember DVC'ers keep reporting back on your visits.

 

[Chuck S]

They are, i haven't mentioned anyone's name. And yes i do think its ok to mention it, if a member is being send rude PM's they should report which i've told this member to do.

Lesson learned, don't send a private messages to some people as they may wind up in public forums.

 

[dumbo71]

Lesson learned, don't send a private messages to some people as they may wind up in public forums.

Is it your assertion that the PM on this board are private? I find that hard to believe even though I'm not sure. Seems like those would be monitored by the mods just like any other post. Am I wrong?

As far as Yo Ho Yo ho posting something communicated in a PM, yes that is wrong in my eyes. If that poster wanted it public they would not have used the PM feature.

Yo Ho Yo Ho,

This is an internet discussion forum. Not all of the discussion is going to be glowing reviews of DVC and WDW. If that is what this forum becomes, we might as well all leave now and stop posting. Differing views shouldn't be seen as arguing.

Back on topic. Yes, I've noticed the standards slipping at OKW and WDW. Really sad and I hope it goes back the other way and soon.

Results of the poll so far seem to validate Yo Ho's assertions.

 

[Chuck S]

If I were very unhappy with the quality of DVC, and after trying to correct the problems through appropriate channels within DVC, if I were still extremely unhappy, I would sell.

However, it is certainly appropriate to post about problems one has experienced. It is not appropriate to state opinion as fact, for instance, if someone makes a statement to the effect that an overall decline in quality is an undeniable fact.

 

[Chuck S]

Going off topic here, but:

Is it your assertion that the PM on this board are private? I find that hard to believe even though I'm not sure. Seems like those would be monitored by the mods just like any other post. Am I wrong?

Moderators can not monitor PMs. Even if we could, who would have the time, given the sheer volume of PMs sent daily? I believe they do pass through the boards automated filter, for language, etc, just like board posts, but I'm not sure...I know they do on a game site where I have admin rights.

Now, back to the topic of OKW, please.

 

[yo-ho-yo-ho]

Chuck why should i after 12 good yrs with the DVC leave ? i want standards brought back up again. I'm also paying over $1,000 a year for the upkeep of the place.

So why should i leave a place i've loved for 12yrs, i'd rather fire the managers

 

[Chuck S]

Chuck why should i after 12 good yrs with the DVC leave ? i want standards brought back up again. I'm also paying over $1,000 a year for the upkeep of the place.

So why should i leave a place i've loved for 12yrs, i'd rather fire the managers

Yeah, well, good luck with that. To "fire" Disney as the managers, it would require a fully documented (and expensive) vote of the resorts members. It would also withdraw that resort from the DVC system, and not allow us to trade our points for the other DVC or Disney resorts, cruise line, DL Paris, Disneyland, etc.