OKW renos

[DenLo]

Thanks for posting the pictures!

Unfortunately, now I'm seriously bummed, because it looks even worse than I was expecting. It was hard to tell from that dark video, but I really do NOT like that they replaced the floor tile in the kitchen with the vinyl. UGH...it looks so stark! You would have thought they could at least put an area rug under the coffee table or something to break up the monotony. I'm not loving the new colors in the living room either, and sorry, but I want the metal bed with the footboard back! I can just tell that bedspread is going to be heaped on the floor every morning, and be a royal PITA!!!

Sorry that the changes are freaking you out Diane. But I thought the renovations looked nice. The flooring makes sense, but could cause more noise in the villa. And personally I'm glad for my 5' 11" husband that thet got rid of the footboards. He has trouble enough with a bed without a footboard as his feet hang over the end of the bed.

The victorian look is not that popular of a style for hotels these days so finding replacement furnishings is probably hard to come by. I have to admit that every time I see photos of OKW, BWV and BCV I always think someone's grandmother decorated them. So I guess I can see why you would get sentimental over the old versus the new. I would imagine that Disney has gotten many complaints that the rooms don't look updated enough for the younger generation so they are trying to compromise. I also would think that granite countertops are much easier to clean and maintain than tile with grout. BTW, I would think any slippery fabric bedspread would end up on the floor. Maybe just fold it up and move it to the chair for the night and save yourself some aggravation.

 

[cush1]

Thank you so much for the pics and video! We are going in September and hope to get a renovated Villa.

 

[barrysprot36]

The flooring looked like laminate flooring not vinyl although as we don't have either at home (carpets) we couldn't be sure. We were aware that the floor could be noisy so made an extra effort to try to be quiet and aware of those underneath us.

The bedspread is very thick and heavy (good quality) and we folded it up and placed it on the chair during our stay.

The air conditioning worked extremely well although too much in the bedroom as it was freezing blowing down onto the bed yet the living area was a comfortable temperature. The ceiling fan in the bedroom was extremely noisy.

The hairdryer was in the same place on the wall next to the shower cubicle, I didn't take any photos of that room.

Caron

 

[holidaygirl]

Thanks for the photo's, I can now book OKW and not be worried about the state of the rooms. Personally I prefer the updated decor.

 

[downontheBW]

Thanks for the link to the video and posting the pics. We've only stayed in a studio at OKW and are really looking forward to a 2BR there in April. Hope all the rooms will be renovated by then. Does anybody know when they expect all to be done?

I do prefer the new look. Although I like carpeting, the laminate makes sense. I don't care for mysterious spots on hotel carpets; no matter how nice the resort is, they're sometimes there. The previous metal bed was nice but I like the new decor - beach-y is nice. Love the fact that the "wood" blinds are still there and roman shades. Can't wait to see for myself!!

 

[dcmmgw]

I HATE, HATE, HATE the new bed in the Master... I SO loved the metal head and footboard. And I agree, what were they thinking with the dark dining table?? It doesn't go with anything and will definitely show every scratch and mark

 

[Chuck S]

Those laminate floors are NOISY, and with no carpet, there are no soft goods to absorb sound. We were in a renovated studio this month and could hear everything said in the one bedroom next door. Honestly, what were they thinking?

 

[inmyis]

We are heading to OKW in two weeks. We have always like our stays there before and are wondering if we should ask for a renovated room. . Living in New Hampshire we love the hard wood floor look. Much better than rug. Any rooms been done near Hospitality House? We do love that pool area!

 

[vandy]

The flooring looked like laminate flooring not vinyl although as we don't have either at home (carpets) we couldn't be sure. We were aware that the floor could be noisy so made an extra effort to try to be quiet and aware of those underneath us.

The floors are not a wood laminate. They are a commercial grade rubber/vinyl like composite with the wood laminated layer on top. These come like the regular wood laminate in strips that are glued to the floor. While they are slightly softer to walk on than the wood laminate, they were not as good looking in my opinion. In the room we had, one of the strips by the dining table even had the corner starting to curl up on it. And yes, they do amplify the noise by quite a bit. Those staying above us didn't take extra care and I could even hear them talking and laughing. This was a very bad idea in my opinion.

 

[barrysprot36]

Thanks for the link to the video and posting the pics. We've only stayed in a studio at OKW and are really looking forward to a 2BR there in April. Hope all the rooms will be renovated by then. Does anybody know when they expect all to be done?

I do prefer the new look. Although I like carpeting, the laminate makes sense. I don't care for mysterious spots on hotel carpets; no matter how nice the resort is, they're sometimes there. The previous metal bed was nice but I like the new decor - beach-y is nice. Love the fact that the "wood" blinds are still there and roman shades. Can't wait to see for myself!!

The CM at the Resort said they were hoping for all the villas to be finished by March next year.

Those laminate floors are NOISY, and with no carpet, there are no soft goods to absorb sound. We were in a renovated studio this month and could hear everything said in the one bedroom next door. Honestly, what were they thinking?

Oooh, hope you weren't next to us. We were in 3021 from 1st June for 7 nights.

We are heading to OKW in two weeks. We have always like our stays there before and are wondering if we should ask for a renovated room. . Living in New Hampshire we love the hard wood floor look. Much better than rug. Any rooms been done near Hospitality House? We do love that pool area!

No, I was told HH would be the last area to be done.

The floors are not a wood laminate. They are a commercial grade rubber/vinyl like composite with the wood laminated layer on top. These come like the regular wood laminate in strips that are glued to the floor. While they are slightly softer to walk on than the wood laminate, they were not as good looking in my opinion. In the room we had, one of the strips by the dining table even had the corner starting to curl up on it. And yes, they do amplify the noise by quite a bit. Those staying above us didn't take extra care and I could even hear them talking and laughing. This was a very bad idea in my opinion.

Thanks for the explanation, I don't think we have anything like that in the UK.

Caron

 

[JackandSally79]

Great pictures! I love OKW!

 

[Chuck S]

Oooh, hope you weren't next to us. We were in 3021 from 1st June for 7 nights.

No, we were in building 40.

 

[Inkmahm]

I've never stayed at OKW so I'm looking forward to seeing it for myself in December. I liked the pictures I saw of the metal beds because I have an old fashioned brass bed like that at home so I'm a bit disappointed with the new wood headboard.

I also have a house full of wood laminate so I'm okay with the floors without area rugs. Area rugs are a tripping hazard for older people so I'm guessing that may be why there aren't any in the villas. When my mom fell and broke her neck last year at home, the first thing her surgeon had us do was remove every single throw rug in mom's house before he'd consider letting her go back home.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I've never stayed at OKW so I'm looking forward to seeing it for myself in December. I liked the pictures I saw of the metal beds because I have an old fashioned brass bed like that at home so I'm a bit disappointed with the new wood headboard.

I also have a house full of wood laminate so I'm okay with the floors without area rugs. Area rugs are a tripping hazard for older people so I'm guessing that may be why there aren't any in the villas. When my mom fell and broke her neck last year at home, the first thing her surgeon had us do was remove every single throw rug in mom's house before he'd consider letting her go back home.

Pretty hard to trip on a rug that's under a table.

 

[heathers4um]

keeping in mind that I do not have anything to reference from, those pics got me so excited to get there! It looks beautiful and homey and comfy - thank you so much for the still photos!!

I do, however, wish they had kept the metal framed beds...those have so much character.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

I love dark woods but not for OKW, I think the dark framed mirror in the Mst. bath looks completely out of place, I guess they thought it should match the bed, why?. The floors are fine but without an area rug the whole place looks very stark and unwelcominG. The OKW GV's have hardwoods and they have always had an area rug in the living room. A beige (?) sleeper chair, I guess it would have cost a few more dollars to get a color to match the decor. The entire color scheme looks disjointed, the yellow walls w/ the new couch color?, I'm disapointed that they messed with OKW's very successfull theming.

 

[DenLo]

Pretty hard to trip on a rug that's under a table.

Except it isn't just under the table, it always hangs out several inches or even a foot if around a dining table. You can trip over a corner of a rug, whereas a loose rug can move on you. So I agree with Inkmahm. The DVC does need to consider safety issues.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

Except it isn't just under the table, it always hangs out several inches or even a foot if around a dining table. You can trip over a corner of a rug, whereas a loose rug can move on you. So I agree with Inkmahm. The DVC does need to consider safety issues.

I think it's more a matter of cost rather than safety, as I said earlier, the GV's all have area rugs. Having been lucky enough to stay in them 4 times, with multiple family members of all ages ranging from 2 to 82, I'm happy to report that no injuries were ever sustained as a result of tripping on the living room area rug!

I think rather than safety it's more a matter of thrifty, on DVC's part!

 

[dianeschlicht]

Except it isn't just under the table, it always hangs out several inches or even a foot if around a dining table. You can trip over a corner of a rug, whereas a loose rug can move on you. So I agree with Inkmahm. The DVC does need to consider safety issues.

That's never been an issue in the GVs, and we have always had a rug under the coffee table there.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I love dark woods but not for OKW, I think the dark framed mirror in the Mst. bath looks completely out of place, I guess they thought it should match the bed, why?. The floors are fine but without an area rug the whole place looks very stark and unwelcominG. The OKW GV's have hardwoods and they have always had an area rug in the living room. A beige (?) sleeper chair, I guess it would have cost a few more dollars to get a color to match the decor. The entire color scheme looks disjointed, the yellow walls w/ the new couch color?, I'm disapointed that they messed with OKW's very successfull theming.

I TOTALLY agree with you! I'm still reserving complete judgement until I stay in one of the renovated rooms, but from the pictures, I must say I don't think it fits the theme much at all. That monstrosity they call a pull out chair is the worst. If they would have made it the nice island plaid or something like that to tie it in with the rest of the unit it might have been better.

Frankly, I suspect they didn't even bother to have an imagineer look at it with the OKW theme in mind at all. I think they did the cheapest thing they could do to make it look "new", not fresh with the theme.