OKW renovations - mini rant

[OKW Lover]

Just to remind everybody; my screen name accurately describes my feelings about OKW. Don't take this mini-rant as a major complaint.

We are in a renovated 1BR unit and there are things I love (the new floors) and things I don't. This is mostly the things I don't:

They moved the HSIA connection from the table area to the couch area. Not a big thing, but the cable is barely long enough to plug into your laptop if you sit right next to the table between the two couches. Easy fix, remember to bring your travel router (which I had forgotten this trip) or bring a longer cable.

They replaced the blinds on the doors to the balcony with solid fabric pull-up type of blinds. Not sure what they are called. But the way they are pulled up is by a very small, plastic beaded chain. Unfortunately, you need to pull these things about 20 times just to raise the bottom by only a couple of feet. We gave up on opening them completely at that point. To add insult to injury on this, there is only a small opening between the blinds through which you can actually reach the mechanism. Somebody should have tried living with this design before inflicting it on all of us.

The new flat panel TV's are nice enough, but its time to replace the island cabinet which is much to large now that the TV's aren't that deep; or even better, put some storage on the back side of it. Similarly, in the bedroom the TV sits a bit too deep in the amorie and its difficult for the person on the "wrong" side of the bed to see the whole picture.

The "odd" chair (sleeper chair) in the living room doesn't match the color scheme and just looks out of place. And don't get me started about the "distressed" finish on the top of the coffee table.

Fortunately a lot of the things that we love about OKW remain unaffected. The refrigerator is full size and still has an ice maker. I wish the other DVC resorts had ice makers in their refrigerators instead of the plastic ice cube trays.

Sigh - OK, back to your regularly scheduled DVC board stuff. Thanks for listening.

 

[oldkey1]

They moved the HSIA connection from the table area to the couch area. Not a big thing, but the cable is barely long enough to plug into your laptop if you sit right next to the table between the two couches. Easy fix, remember to bring your travel router (which I had forgotten this trip) or bring a longer cable.

Great advice - it's always nicer to have wireless anyway, especially when you have mutiple people with laptops. I own an Apple Airport Express and will bring it next time to create a wireless network for the family.

Thanks again

 

[dianeschlicht]

So how did you feel about the bedroom? How about the bathroom? I know I'm going to miss the unique paint treatment that used to be on the master bathroom feature wall.

 

[Chuck S]

They moved the HSIA connection from the table area to the couch area. Not a big thing, but the cable is barely long enough to plug into your laptop if you sit right next to the table between the two couches. Easy fix, remember to bring your travel router (which I had forgotten this trip) or bring a longer cable.

In the studios, the connection is now behind night stand, VERY inconvenient. Wireless routers are now a must. I really can't see any benefit to the new placement, and can only think that the resort MUST be planning on eventually taking everything wi-fi.

And I personally don't like the uncarpeted living room floor, as the sound really echos now into the adjoining studio. Be aware that those folks in the studio can now hear everything anyone in the one bedroom living area says.

 

[Simba's Mom]

In the studios, the connection is now behind night stand, VERY inconvenient. Wireless routers are now a must. I really can't see any benefit to the new placement, and can only think that the resort MUST be planning on eventually taking everything wi-fi.

But what about those of us who are technology challenged? I wouldn't know the first thing about what to do to bring a wireless router. I can go to the store, buy one, and take it out of the package. Beyond that, I'm useless!

 

[Chuck S]

The newer routers are very easy to set up. I bought a Cisco Valet router, and all I really had to do was plug it in, and then use the programming that was on an included flash drive. No need to tether the laptop to the router for initial set up, like we used to have to do.

 

[bumbershoot]

And I personally don't like the uncarpeted living room floor, as the sound really echos now into the adjoining studio. Be aware that those folks in the studio can now hear everything anyone in the one bedroom living area says.

While I love wood or "wood" floors in hotel rooms (ever since I stayed at the Anabella hotel near Disneyland, with wood floors on the first floor, I've been mad for it, just seems so much cleaner than carpet!), it's REALLY Good to know about the sound carrying. We're going to be in a 2 bedroom with extended family in 2 months, and it's good to know that if there's any "venting" about the day that we want to do, it's best to wait until family is gone, LOL. I'll let them know, too, so we don't hear anything sad about ourselves as well!

 

[OKW Lover]

Resurrecting an old thread to do another mini-rant and to update some internet stuff, prompted by my stay in a studio unit at OKW earlier this week.

First the mini-rant. Whoever specified those foolish cloth blinds for the patio/balcony doors should be condemned to live the rest of their lives with them. These things require an unbelievable number of pulls on the plastic chain just to get them half-way up. Add to that the fact that the chain is behind the blinds and the door jam is adjacent so you can hardly get your fingers around them and you quickly decide you didn't want to see outside anyway.

As far as the internet stuff goes, there is now (free for all) wifi in the units. I had no trouble at all connecting multiple devices (MBP, iPhone, iPad). Speeds were good.

 

[normr]

You can buy a factory refurbished airport express from the Apple online store, for $69 you can easily set it up, from a computer or an iPad, they have a utility that will walk you through setting it up, or you can call Applecare for help setting it up, since you just purchased it, you only need to set it up once, then you just take it with you,nplug the Ethernet cable it and plug it right into the wall.

It is secure because on your initial setup, you just need to set it up with a password that you'll remember.

Then you have Internet everywhere in your unit, I usually have my morning coffee on the balcony with my iPad or computer.

 

[normr]

Yes those blinds are maddening, it takes forever to open or close all of them, they look great but forget trying to get those things closed if you're pushing time towards a reservation.

Is the wireless available throughout the resort now, that would be great to have wifi at the pool so I can use my iPad or computer ?

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

OMG, I hate those shades! Love OKW, but whomever thought they were a good idea really needs to use them!

WiFi at the pool? Not sure. Didn't try to use it there. Would be nice to know, though.

 

[jagson]

My wife scraped her hand somehow opening the shades, as well as got a workout opening them; and I noticed there is a space between the corner of the shades and the door frame where someone outside could look in. I had to put a cushion up against the shade to shut the "peep hole".

 

[CarolMN]

I hope those of you who dislike the new shades provide feedback to Member Satisfaction.

It's the only way to get them changed, if not for OKW right now, at least for other resorts where they might be considering them.

Thanks!

 

[Meriweather]

Just returned home last night
2 weeks in a studio. Only opened those blinds once!! They are a PITA. Scratched up my wrist a bit too.
Love the wireless internet though.
Lovely stay....can't wait to go back!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Actually, I like the Roman shades. It's the mechanism to operate them that I hate. The short cord is surely a childproof mechanism because my Roman shades at home have a long cord that I can pull with one pull and open them all the way up.

 

[OKW Lover]

I wonder if perhaps they mounted the mechanism backwards. Having the cord behind the shades makes it very difficult to grasp.

I've taken CarolMN's suggestion and just sent an email to DVC. Will let you know what they say.

 

[Pootle]

First the mini-rant. Whoever specified those foolish cloth blinds for the patio/balcony doors should be condemned to live the rest of their lives with them.

I couldn't agree more. I'm also going to contact MS as I meant to do so after my last trip but Christmas got in the way and then I forgot. Off to do it now

 

[DisneyRegulars]

I agree about the blinds to the patio, they are a pain. But I was more annoyed by the othe blinds in the living area. 3 of our windows were installed one way while 2 wereinstalled opposite. Mwhat I mean by this is that on 3 windows the pull to lift them is on the left and the pull to rotate them is on themright. The other 2 windows are the other way around. But we are loving OKW.

 

[ddhoeg]

Is the wireless available throughout the resort now, that would be great to have wifi at the pool so I can use my iPad or computer ?

We were able to get wifi at the main feature pool during our Christmas trip, but didn't have good luck with wifi at the turtle pond pool. It may have just been where we were sitting.

 

[drommer0]

We are currently at OKW spending 12 nights here. On our first night my wife found out how slippery the new floors were. She slipped walking from the island to the dining table and ended up flat on the floor. Being a mature women, I was afraid that she might have broken something, but she only ended up with a bruise the size of a basketball. She now walks very carefully in the living room area. The carpet gave her much more sure footing.