OKW Room Location

[LorraineH]

Hi All

Couple of queries about requesting specific rooms/locations....

We have never requested specifics before in any hotel we've stayed in, we've always thought that most rooms would have benefits/disadvantages.

However, I have a couple of concerns re OKW.... I stupidly read a thread on the DIBB about bugs (in particular spiders!) in Florida, and even though Ive been twice before, and never seen a spider, I am now quiety panicking that some of the rooms at OKW have "Woods View" and I am thinking that those rooms near woods would be where spiders or other "wildlife" would be lurking.....??

Also, we are staying in a studio, and I've also read that you shouldnt really request a ground floor room for the same reasons..!!

So what I want to know is - where should we request??!! Proximity to bus stops or swimming pools or hospitality is not a concern.... proximity to spiders IS!!!!

I am thinking asking for the highest floor, overlooking the golf course??!

Any thoughts from a very silly scaredy cat!!!

Lorraine x

 

[JohnnySharp2]

I think wherever you stay there is some risk of insects appearing, that's the nature of a tropical climate.

I would suggest not being on the ground floor, where you are more likely to have problems but the main thing is keeping your villa food in the fridge.
Never leave food out in the open, irrespective of where you are staying and if you follow this in most cases you will be perfectly fine.

Julie is terrified of spiders and anything else that crawls, apart from our first villa rental (where to be fair the home was an absolute disgrace and a bug nightmare), we haven't had many problems, apart from a few ants, and these will appear anywhere if you leave food out in the open.

It's natural that wildlife will be more apparant in woodland and conservation areas, however if your accomodation is kept clean you should be okay.

 

[igk]

I generally ask for a high floor as the view is better and if you're on the top you won't get people thumping about above you (which we had last year a bit at OKW when we stayed on the ground floor - it wasn't a problem but you could tell when they came in and were going to bed, which was usually just after we did!).
I don't think OKW will be any worse for bugs than any other WDW resort that is set in natural grounds. We stayed in FT Wilderness Cabins a couple of times and they are in much more of a 'rustic' setting but never had any insect problems in the room. Within OKW I don't think the location or view will make any difference, on balance a high floor might be better. As Johnny says, keep food etc. away and you should be fine.

 

[disneyholic family]

so i guess i shouldn't mention the really big cockroaches should i...
the ones you could saddle up and ride...
or the snakes....although i've never seen any snakes at OKW....now blizzard beach is another story....and i won't bring up the poisonous water snakes we've seen on our guided fishing excursions....nope...better not to mention those..

it is florida....land of the swamps and everything that lives in them..

but getting back to the cockroaches...the super giant ones (not the ugly little ones that you see in new york...the really really really big ones you see in florida and texas).....i have seen a few dead ones....at all of the resorts....never ran into a live one, which indicates that they must fumigate the place like mad....

so what's a few spiders in the grand, yucky scheme of things...

oh...and have you seen the alligator who likes to hang around the beach club resort?

 

[wayneg]

We had upstairs OKW studio last year. I had to go up 1st and clear bugs, Karen and Matt would follow me, with the light on outside the room it attracts them, just the usual things flying about, lizards & frogs. Don't recall seeing any spiders. Saw plenty of them up in Georgia as big as my hand.
Karen does prefer internal hotel rooms but thats not an option at OKW.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

If you really want to see creepy-crawlies do what we did many years ago and drive fron Naples to Miami across the Tamiami Trail at night - dear me, it was 'orrible.
Sorry Lorraine if this doesn't exactly help.

 

[LorraineH]

hahaha!!

You lot have been NO HELP at all!!!

Massive cockroaches, spiders as big as your hand, snakes and alligators!!!

Wish I'd never asked!!!!!


So my one request will be high floor and keep food in fridge.


Thanks guys!!

xx

 

[fuse04]

, just the usual things flying about, lizards & frogs. .

Gosh Wayne, never seen those flying frogs, will keep an eye open for them

 

[wayneg]

Gosh Wayne, never seen those flying frogs, will keep an eye open for them

When I read it back to myself I thought some smart Alec will comment on that.

 

[mikki.young]

I have stayed at OKW numerous times since 1992. I don't recall ever seeing any spiders, big or small. I do prefer higher floors for the view. There are lights right outside the doors so if you come in at night shut the doors quickly because lights do attract flying insects.

No building is that far from a bus stop but I do like the ones near Hospitality House as it gives you options on the buses (as near the first and last stop).

I did see a cockroach one year but it was a long time ago. Generally speaking I have less problems at OKW than other non Disney timeshares in orlando for bugs etc.

Hope that is a bit more helpful and reassuring!

 

[crabbie1]

Hi Lorraine
What a bunch of teasers eh.Dont worry you will be fine. I stayed there dec 2008 when they had a really hot december.We asked for building near hospitality and got block 25 which was a superb location.5min walk to the hospitality house and our rom was on the 2nd floor looking over the golf course. Just ask for near hospitality house and you will be fine.Beautiful resort you will love it.Only downside were the buses were few and far between from DTD back to the hotel.Waited 45 mins one night.Anyway enjoy.

 

[2Tiggies]

Hi Lorraine

Higher floor is a good idea. Also aside from packing food away, don't leave doors and windows open - rather make use of the aircon. It will be fine.

 

[UKDEB]

Sorry to hijack your thread, Lorraine, but this has reminded me of two horrendous bug encounters. The first was in Pleasure Island many, many years ago when one of the aforementioned mutant cockroaches climbed up the inside of my skirt. Cue: hysterical screaming on my part and huge hilarity by everyone else. The second was outside the entrance to Epcot one morning whilst our group contemplated our plans for the day. One of the girls started pointing frantically at Matt's shorts, so paralysed with fear that she was unable to speak. As the rest of us cottoned on one by one and ran away screaming, Matt was left with the awful realisation of the 10 inch grasshopper casually acquainting himself with his anatomy.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

I don't know about making Lorraine nervous, but I am itching like mad here now too, and I haven't mentioned the scorpion Joshua nearly stood on back at our first villa rental. The house should have been demolished it was that bad.
Why I didn't get the camcorder out I don't know.

 

[LorraineH]

Heehee!

At least you are all making me chuckle away here!!

OK I am going to request high floor near hospitality.

And if I dont get it when I check in I will beg and plead with them! I am a single mum after all..... can I play that card??! Will it help me??!!!


xxx

 

[LorraineH]

Forgot to ask.....

How do I actually request a preferred location?!

I've read that you should state preferences at the time of booking.... but I booked last September!

I've read that you should fax the resort a couple of days prior to arriving?

I've read that you should email the resort?

Can someone explain?!! Do I go back to WDTC or direct to OKW?

Thanks again guys!

x

 

[2Tiggies]

I also booked through WDTC and made a room request - actually just a building request - through them. I asked them to note it on my invoice and they sent a new one out and it states my request. When you get to check in, reiterate your request. They actually say at the time of booking or as soon as you can. It isn't too late. Details and requests are held by the reservations office and are only passed to the resort 10 days prior to your arrival. You can always phone and ask for the email address and email as well if it makes you feel better. Tell them you have a phobia about creepy crawlies!

Also, if it makes you feel any better, they do seem to spray the rooms from time to time. I know some disgruntled person complained that Mousekeeping emerged from cleaning their room with a "suspicious looking cannister", obviously implying bug killer. Florida has a climate that hosts hoards of insects. I don't belive they spray because they see bugs - I think they do it from time to time to keep them away. Try not to dwell on it. I find spiders in my bath in Scotland in summer, but never saw one in Disney.

 

[Hilary]

I find spiders in my bath in Scotland in summer, but never saw one in Disney.

Now I think about it, we've seen far fewer spiders anywhere we've stayed in Florida than we see on a regular basis at home LOL!

One thing about requesting a location near HH in OKW - on DVC points these rooms are a specific category (a bit like a preferred view room might be in another resort, although the cost is the same), so may have already been allocated. I don't know exactly how this works but, when I booked our studio for April, I was asked if I wanted a room near HH because there was one showing available, and I understood it to be a guaranteed location rather than a request as would usually be the case. However, I booked using DVC points, so it may well be different for cash reservations.