OKW....very disapointed

[Dean]

I think this is a new issue since OKW is the first DVC and is the one in most need of hard refurbishment. I'd love to see if we can get an answer from DVC management as to the plan they have for the long term care of the resorts. If OKW isn't rehabbed soon, then I think it may tell us what to expect as the other resorts age as well. Is this something for the codo meeting? Any other ways to get it answered?

As I said, I've asked that question of several different upper level management type people who acted like it was asked in a foreign language, maybe they didn't understand southern. My impression on all occasions was there was no formal master plan, that it would be handled as things came up. If you get anything else, let us know.

 

[jodifla]

We have stayed at OKW many times and have never had any major problems. Sometimes a light bulb or something small and we call and it is usually fixed right away. Once we had a towel bar in the bathroom come off the wall and we called and they were there to fix it. I

I too think that the level of housekeeping has gone down over the past few years. I think OKW needs new tv's and carpeting. I am really upset over the new beds being so hard. I have called and talked to a manager about this and didn't get too far, only to say they will bring me all the egg crates I need if I get a new hard mattress. I'm still not sure what to do about my reservation for Jan. I called today and can still get AKV at Kidani. Some of us in my party want OKW and some want AKV. I would do 3 in one and 4 in the other, but some don't want to switch resorts. Too many decisions. Sometimes the planning drives me crazy.

Overall I love OKW, but I do think it needs some major improvements. I too don't want the theme changed, but tv's and carpets and tiles in the bathrooms and showers need to be updated.

This is the only true disappointment I've had in 13 years of owning DVC: the LOUSY HARD CHEAP MATTRESS we had in January!!!

I won't stay on a bed like that again. PERIOD.

 

[dhluvsDisney]

We just returned from our fav OKW. We've stayed at least once a year here for a number of years, and must agree with some of the comments. We love it, love it, love it, but there are some upkeep issues that could be addressed. I agree about the comfort of the bed though, quite hard. Our biggest thing, we too, notice, is the level of housekeeping over the last few years is hardly what I would call stellar. DH and I both travel a lot for business, so we are quite in tune with values and cleanliness of many hotel chains. We are constantly receiving input surveys after our stays. Wouldn't it be interesting if DVC would send one out?

 

[dianeschlicht]

Actually, I have always been asked to complete a survey after returning from DVC resorts. It's an online survey, and I usually am very thorough in my answers...both positive AND negative.

 

[katmittens]

I know what you mean about the mattresses. We have reservations for jan of 2010 and I am thinking about AKV instead of OKW. We love OKW but I to refuse to sleep on those mattresses. I can't imagine what someone was thinking when these were purchased.

 

[katmittens]

Ksp, How are the mattresses in building 12. Are they older or the new hard ones. Thanks if you can let me know.

 

[ascardino]

Reading this thread has made me pretty nervous. We are due to arrive at OKW in about two weeks and this will be our first visit. I will say that I have noticed issues of stains, worn carpeting and bedding,etc at other DVC resorts but not "hard" mattresses that are uncomfortable to sleep on. I suffer from a bad back due to several car accidents and will not be too happy if I cannot get a good night sleep.

Can anyone recommend a building to request that might have had a recent refurbishment?

Gina

 

[Anal Annie]

Reading this thread has made me pretty nervous. We are due to arrive at OKW in about two weeks and this will be our first visit. I will say that I have noticed issues of stains, worn carpeting and bedding,etc at other DVC resorts but not "hard" mattresses that are uncomfortable to sleep on. I suffer from a bad back due to several car accidents and will not be too happy if I cannot get a good night sleep.

Can anyone recommend a building to request that might have had a recent refurbishment?

Gina

I also have a bad back & sleep on very low setting on a Select Comfort bed at home but I think that all of the OKW mattresses are pretty much made from steel slabs. Sad thing is that these ARE the new mattresses! Since our stay there I've heard you can request an egg crate topper and they will provide that for you. Not sure how much that might help tho.

 

[nunzia]

I know what you mean about the mattresses. We have reservations for jan of 2010 and I am thinking about AKV instead of OKW. We love OKW but I to refuse to sleep on those mattresses. I can't imagine what someone was thinking when these were purchased.

I'll also be there in January...a bit nervous after hearing all these reports! First trip there, so we shall see.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Don't worry, you will find the rooms very nice. If you get a bad unit, you can always request a different one, and as long as you haven't unpacked and go back to the front desk right away, you should be able to change without being charged. The beds are hard at OKW, and always have been. The new mattresses are no better than the old ones, just newer and maybe harder. Just ask for teh egg crate to oput over them, and your back should be fine. I have back issues too, and just adding something soft over the firm mattress helps a lot. I remake the beds at all DVC resorts anyway. I HATE that they tuck the blankets in with both top and bottom sheets together, so I remake the bed and mitre the bottom sheet so it stays on.

 

[littlestar]

We were disappointed over the past year at all Disney DVC. They are letting them run down. OKW, BWV and BCV all had big issue problems with dirty carpet, wore carpet, old damaged furnitre. We own at Marriott and have never run into such conditions. I think Disney is letting all resorts fall apart before they fix it up. Then when thy do, the don't replace all the furniture. We are very dissapointed. WE go all the time and this is getting worse.

Pete

I've been hearing that every section of Sheraton's original Vistana resort by January of 2011 will be completely rehabbed. To stretch our DVC points after we left OKW last fall, we stayed on an RCI Last Call ($243 for the whole week) in a one bedroom and the unit we stayed in was in the Lakes section and it had new cherry cabinets, flat screen TV's, new tile, new appliances, new tub, vanity, sinks - it was unbelievably nice for the price we paid. My family talked about wondering what kind of refurbishment schedules were in the works for the older DVC's when we did that split stay.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I'm confused...How did a question about OKW turn intoa Marriot sales pitch?

 

[Deb & Bill]

We didn't stay at OKW for this trip, but I don't remember the king sized bed being bad last summer. Our BCV king sized bed was very comfortable on this trip - nothing close to my own mattress, but I really don't expect that. We have a very, very nice mattress at home.

 

[Debbie H]

Yes, we were in building 62 and it was disgusting! The carpets were so dirty when you got in the shower, all you saw was dirt. We took pictures. The grout is filthy. We had something dripping down (black) on to our toilet from the fan above. We called, they came and looked at it and left. Never heard what it was or if it got fixed but we had it dripping on the toilet, and on us. Not what we paid for!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Yes, we were in building 62 and it was disgusting! The carpets were so dirty when you got in the shower, all you saw was dirt. We took pictures. The grout is filthy. We had something dripping down (black) on to our toilet from the fan above. We called, they came and looked at it and left. Never heard what it was or if it got fixed but we had it dripping on the toilet, and on us. Not what we paid for!

They are renovating that building right now. It had scaffolding all around it and it was completely fenced in.

 

[disnefile]

I'm confused...How did a question about OKW turn intoa Marriot sales pitch?

Its not a Marriott sales pich. It is a comparison. I am sorry to say Disney does not keep its properties to the standard of Marriott. I own both and I can make this statement. You raeally should not speak to this if you have no basis to compare. Also, by the way,Vistana is Starwood not Marriott.

 

[RobDoc]

I did alert the onsite management and today I sent an email to member satisfaction. I don't know what they'll do, but I do hope they acknowlege the issue. ...

What response did you receive from "onsite management"? To whom did you address your concerns?

The few times we have reported any maintenance or housekeeping issues at any DVC resort they have always been addressed within minutes. Hopefully you reported your concerns immediately after arriving at the resort so they would have opportunity to correct the issues in a timely fashion during your stay.

 

[5forDiz]

Its not a Marriott sales pich. It is a comparison. I am sorry to say Disney does not keep its properties to the standard of Marriott. I own both and I can make this statement. You raeally should not speak to this if you have no basis to compare. Also, by the way,Vistana is Starwood not Marriott.

Nice attitude . btw, where is Diane "comparing" ? that post merely

asked how this thread turned into Marriott discussion, her other posts here

addressed OKW.

 

[Dean]

I'm confused...How did a question about OKW turn intoa Marriot sales pitch?

Diane, I'm sure you've seen me compare DVC components to other timeshare many times and IMO, this is a perfect situation to do so.

 

[RobDoc]

Diane, I'm sure you've seen me compare DVC components to other timeshare many times and IMO, this is a perfect situation to do so.

Dean, IMO - providing anecdotal information proclaiming another timeshare to be flawless is a bit off-topic for this DVC Forum. The thread is about complaints about maintenance and housekeeping at OKW and is not really the proper venue to offer personal praise for another timeshare which is not even presently available via DVC programs, IMO.

There are many who can offer similar complaint about Marriott, but this is not the venue for that either.

Diane's comment was spot on, IMO.