OKW pool slide

[Richyams]

They are enhancing a resort

In my opinion they are detracting and cheapening the resort. I just hope its classier that that hideous clown.

The dues are really not the biggest reason, just icing on the cake.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I don't thinkt the slide necessarily "cheapens" the resort, Rich, but it does change the feel of it. For those wanting the nice quiet atmosphere, it could be a BIG change.

 

[colleen costello]

Again, remember that OKW has 3 quiet pools -- more to choose from than any other DVC, I think. I am glad for the slide, but it doesn't seem like it will be that hard for people to avoid it!

 

[DeeP]

Originally posted by dianeschlicht
Yes, but it is already there. Not being added to BCV's dues.

Come on..................BCV dues are paying for the upkeep of the enhanced pool, life guards, etc., just like OKW dues will pay for the same things. Disney is not charging OKW members for building/installing the slide just for the upkeep the same as all the other DVC resorts do with their slide, life guards, additional pool expenses.

 

[DeeP]

Originally posted by Richyams
In my opinion they are detracting and cheapening the resort. I just hope its classier that that hideous clown.

The dues are really not the biggest reason, just icing on the cake.

That is your opinion, obviously other OKW members do not agree with you.

 

[sgtdisney]

Originally posted by DeeP
It makes me laugh when I think back to how many times I read OKW members post that the reason they did not want a slide had NOTHING to do with dues! Well, it certainly does not sound as if that statement is true by what some of these posts are saying!!!!

Well then I don't think you are reading all the posts then. Disney is making alterations to a resort that was sold a certain way to accomodate people who don't own there but have to 'settle' in staying there when their beloved resorts have no vacancy or they are using cash. It is, to me, all about due diligence. Why should a physical change to the resort layout change if they majority of the membership doesn't want it. Maybe they do at this point. We will never know since Disney has decided to do what is best for them and apparently everyone who doesn't pay to maintain OKW.

What if Disney took out that Clown thing at BWV without asking the owners and just said it was for the best of the resort. Who knows maybe some people actually bought there because of that slide.

 

[sgtdisney]

Originally posted by DeeP
That is your opinion, obviously other OKW members do not agree with you.

Who cares what other OKW members think about. Apparently Disney doesn't...

 

[Desperado]

Originally posted by dianeschlicht
VERY well put. My amazement is that non-OKW owners CARE that we do or do not have a slide.

I'm kind of amazed that this kind of statement would be made after the strong case DeeP made in another thread about inequitable demand levels. Non-OKW owners find themselves at OKW because of the greater availability OKW has. The poll
http://disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=477948&perpage=15&pagenumber=2
shows that there are several OKW owners not staying at OKW all the time (certainly that's what the program provides). Certainly any DVC owner has a say in a resort they may be staying at. In my opinion, OKW owners have a say in the bus service at BWV, it should be up to quality standards. If more busses are needed, more are needed.

It's just a slide. The sky is not falling.

 

[DeeP]

It seems from just the people posting on this board that are OKW owners, that quite a few of them seem happy that a slide is being built.

 

[Desperado]

Originally posted by DeeP
It seems from just the people posting on this board that are OKW owners, that quite a few of them seem happy that a slide is being built.

Agreed!!! I've been tempted to cut and paste all the positive replies from people stating how happy they are about the slide, but have somehow refrained. Come on folks, lots of people are happy about this. Some saying they would consider OKW as a destination where they wouldn't previously. Obviously, a slide is a good move by DVC. They didn't ask for a vote when they restricted pool hopping at SAB. They don't need a vote to add a slide at OKW. Frankly, we don't know that they did not take a survey to determine the answer, they well could have.

It's just a slide, the sky is not falling.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I too think there is far more support on this forum now for a slide at OKW than there was in the past. That point has not been argued. The point being argued is that no-one really had a way to input questions before the decision was made.

 

[Laurabearz]

Originally posted by dianeschlicht
The point being argued is that no-one really had a way to input questions before the decision was made.

I know this wasnt directed at me.... Just wanted to pipe in with my thoughts on this... We dont care that we werent asked... and we are thrilled that they are putting in a slide.

We bought into DVC because of Disney, and we trust Disney to keep continue to evolve and grow, better and better..... we may be naive... but that is how we feel. The few cents per point this will cost us, is fine. Dont have a problem with it at all.

We are siked about our first trip home with the new slide!

 

[crisi]

No, but with a membership that size (even just the OKW membership) its hard to make a decision that feels inclusive. And, there is expense involved as well. They didn't ask us about swapping out the VCR players. They didn't ask us if we were willing to pay for wireless (gee, now I don't have that convienent excuse to not work). If they decide to redecorate the rooms and change the color scheme, they won't be sending out swatches. They pulled the placemats, flowers, and salt and pepper from the rooms without asking us.

They are having a member event where all the events start at my kids bedtimes - they didn't call and say "gee, what would you like from a member event." (Not that we'd go anyway).

Perhaps our expectations of "ownership" are a little high.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I can understand why you are psyched about a trip to OKW with a slide! You have little ones who will truely enjoy it for many years yet. The process is what is being questioned here. It just seems strange to those of us who remember the last DVC poll on this that there was no attempt to contact members this time as well. As I have said numerous times, I really don't care one way or the other if there is a slide, because I wont be using it. I just find the process disturbing.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Originally posted by crisi
No, but with a membership that size (even just the OKW membership) its hard to make a decision that feels inclusive. And, there is expense involved as well. They didn't ask us about swapping out the VCR players. They didn't ask us if we were willing to pay for wireless (gee, now I don't have that convienent excuse to not work). If they decide to redecorate the rooms and change the color scheme, they won't be sending out swatches. They pulled the placemats, flowers, and salt and pepper from the rooms without asking us.

They are having a member event where all the events start at my kids bedtimes - they didn't call and say "gee, what would you like from a member event." (Not that we'd go anyway).

Perhaps our expectations of "ownership" are a little high.

None of those things are as major as a pool. I think sometimes we do feel too much expectation of "ownership"

BTW, I HATED the new fabric they put on the occational chairs at OKW when they redid them. Not because the fabric wasn't nice (it was), but because it no longer matched the rest of the room or looked like it was OKW themed. I felt strange about mentioning it before, but your post reminded me of it!

 

[Jimbo]

It seems to me that if Disney wanted to unilaterally make changes to 'fix' a resort, they would make changes to housekeeping and bus service at the Epcot DVC resorts.

Without doing a scientific study of recent trip reports, I'd conclude that there were far, far more posts by people that were unhappy with their stay at either BCV or BWV. I honestly can't remember a single post in the last few months from someone that had a crummy experience at OKW. In fact it's just the opposite: people have been 'converted,' or say 'now I get it.'

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Especially when there <u><i>are</i></u> things that are broke elsewhere. It just makes sense to fix those things first.

 

[sgtdisney]

Originally posted by crisi
They didn't ask us about swapping out the VCR players. They didn't ask us if we were willing to pay for wireless (gee, now I don't have that convienent excuse to not work). If they decide to redecorate the rooms and change the color scheme, they won't be sending out swatches. They pulled the placemats, flowers, and salt and pepper from the rooms without asking us.

Everything you mention is either a wear item or a revenue generator. Not something that is added to the existing resort which will incur additional expense. The DVC is a membership and typically any membership has to vote on additional expenses that are incurred out of the members pockets. My Father belongs to a Country Club, when they decided to put capital improvements into the club and add an additional dining area the membership voted on it. As others have stated, maybe there is a majority of OKW owners who want the slide. If so great, I would not have an issue with it then. As Diane so eloquently stated, it is the process, not the slide, that I most have an issue with. Just wait until Disney does something along these lines at another DVC resort. Then we shall see who is fine with unilateral decisions being made such as this.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I agree, Jimbo. The pool or no pool thing pales in comparison to the complaints about buses, cleanliness, front desk staff, view requests etc. that we hear about BCV and BWV. Those things are NOT broken at OKW. We have had MANY stays at OKW, and I have never had a situation like that or anything wrong that wasn't corrected to my satisfaction.

 

[Jimbo]

I guess the difference is that the slide will show up in marketing brochures. You take things like service and cleanliness for granted, so there's no need to put them in the brochures. It's really just all marketing, probably.

 

[dianeschlicht]

True, but many of us (me included) have always though Disney had the cleanliness and customer service thing down to a science. I think the loss of a lot of customer service all over right now (including Disney) is part of the problem.