Room request for Medical reasons

[torismom]

I am booking our trip in the morning. I will be booking a studio and a 2 bdr at OKW. I will have 2 persons in my party using ECV's all the time. We do not need a handicap room but will need first floor room's due to the ecv's and I want to be close to a bus stop and is possible close to a place where food is close by.
I have never stayed at OKW so this will be a first. Where should I request.

Also, how easy is the bus transportation using ecv's? I will be renting them from an off-site company.

Thanks for any advice you have.

 

[PamOKW]

When you are making the reservation, let MS know your requests. Tell them you have two people in ECVs so (I assume) you need a first floor unit. You might also want to let them know whether you prefer smoking or non-smoking. Then request to be near a bus stop. If you feel you'd like to be near the restaurants, add "near Hospitality House" as another request. Also be sure to say you'd like the studio and 2 bedroom near each other (if you do). This will give you the greatest chance of getting what you want, rather than trying to pick a specific building.

I'm unfamiliar with traveling with ECVs.

 

[LisaR]

We take my mom to OKW and she uses a rented ECV also. This is what I always request:

1. Non -smoking for medical reasons (both of my kids have asthma)

2. First floor for medical reasons (I make sure and say my mom is going to have an ECV for the trip. I also make sure to say that a handicap room is NOT necessary and to please save that for someone that needs it).

Sometimes I throw in #3 which is near the HH. Before my mom used the ECV, it was really important. However, with the ECV, she can get to the HH from anywhere on property quickly so I haven't been requesting that.

Whenever my mom is traveling with us, I fax in my requests 4 days before we arrive. I am not sure if it does any good or not but it is really important that we get the first floor with her. If my mom isn't going, I never fax in our requests.

The ECV we rented folded right up and went in our trunk. We never used the busses so I can't comment on that.

Lisa

 

[Dean]

Most of these type requests will get a HC room. Since they book the HC rooms directly, this will not deprive anyone of a HC room that needs one.

 

[JudithM]

Originally posted by Dean
Most of these type requests will get a HC room. Since they book the HC rooms directly, this will not deprive anyone of a HC room that needs one.

Requesting a first floor room for medical reasons does NOT necessarily get you a handicapped room. I have had this request for the last several trips & have had no problems getting a first floor non-handicapped room.

 

[JudithM]

Originally posted by LisaR
We take my mom to OKW and she uses a rented ECV also. This is what I always request:

1. Non -smoking for medical reasons (both of my kids have asthma)

2. First floor for medical reasons (I make sure and say my mom is going to have an ECV for the trip. I also make sure to say that a handicap room is NOT necessary and to please save that for someone that needs it).

Lisa

Lisa, I make the same requests & have never had a problem getting a non-smoking first floor (non-handicapped) room. OKW front desk CMs do a wonderful job meeting guests room requests!!

 

[spiceycat]

your request will be fine

first floor for medical reason (you must give MS the reasons)
non-HC room - they get this alot - however you might be asked to decide at check-in what do you want a first floor HC room or a non-HC on a another floor - if your ECV people are in the studio and you are in 2-bedroom - they can be on different floors - and still be close.

now most of the buses can take 2 EVC on it - however if the bus arrives and it already has one EVC on it - will your entire party wait for that next bus - you need to decide these questions before you leave.

OKW has free wheelchairs - if you get a wheelchair and the place is already taken then the wheelchairs can fold up and be held - I know alot of trouble for you - but it is easier to kept the party togther.

also EVC needs to be practised - my mother tried them once and HATED it - and has refused since - make sure the people in your party who are going to use the EVC get to practise with them for a while first.

hope you enjoy your stay and your guests do too.

 

[Pa@okw95]

All the sidewalks at OKW are handicapped access. You should have no trouble getting arond with the ECV's. The odds of having someone on the bus with an EVC is very low. I would not concern myself with that situation.

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by JudithM
Requesting a first floor room for medical reasons does NOT necessarily get you a handicapped room. I have had this request for the last several trips & have had no problems getting a first floor non-handicapped room.

I agree, but it does increase your chances of getting a HC room significantly.

 

[JudithM]

I just returned from a wonderful stay at OKW. I had two requests on my reservation - non-smoking for medical reasons & first floor or elevator building for medical reasons.

No problem ! We were in building 64 on the third floor - we loved it!! We usually have a first floor room in another area of OKW, but really enjoyed this location. The view was great - water with a fountain, golf course & woods behind the golf course. We watched a children's tournament on the golf course last Saturday. It was so nice to be close to the Hospitality House. We enjoyed the pool & Olivia's, plus the bus stop was very convenient.

I spoke to some front desk CMs who assured me reservations with medical needs are assigned rooms. Our room was preassigned before we arrived. The room was not ready when we checked in about 1:30 p.m. on Friday, May 23. However, the CM did tell us she could put us in a first floor room that was ready. We decided to wait for the elevator building.

Also, the bell staff graciously held our refrigerated foods until our room was ready.

Kudos to all the OKW CMs who made our stay magical!!

 

[SueM in MN]

make sure that it says "First Floor for Medical Reasons" on your reservation confirmation. We have been told numerous times that hey do not guarantee first floor (unless you request a handicapped room), but they DO assign medical needs rooms before rooms with the same request without medical needs. Since most people don't request first floor, that should be no problem. In 10 years of DVC membership the only time we did not get a first floor room was on one of our first stays, when DH had told MS that we needed first floor because DD used a wheelchair, but they just noted it as a regular request on our reservation. I think it was after that they started with the "for medical needds".

 

[SueM in MN]

I forgot to answer about the buses...
Almost all the buses are equipped with lifts or ramps and tiedowns to accomidate wheelchairs and ecvs/scooters. Each bus can hold 2 wheelchairs or ecvs. It is not difficult to load onto the bus and most of the drivers are helpful. Follow the link to the disABILITIES Board in my signature if you wnat more info.

 

[torismom]

Thanks for all the suggestions. This is my father's next goal. I just
know he will make it for this trip!! He has already outlived what the doctors said and continues to make little goals. Thanks again.