room requests at OKW due to mobility issues

[wfbnancy]

We are staying in a grand villa during our upcoming trip. When we called to request one of the buildings with the elevators due to mobility issues of my father (stairs are a major issue) the reservation agent said that she can request a building but not why.I understand that the grand villas have stairs in them but he will be using only the main floor of the unit. Has anyone else had luck noting on their reservation that there is a health concern? I offered to send a letter from his doctor but she said that they accept no documentation of any health issues or needs. Any suggestions? I would hate to have our trip ruined with a fall down the stairs by Grandpa. Thanks

 

[dianeschlicht]

To guarantee that you get an elevator building or the handicapped GV, you need to call MS and tell them you need it for medical necessity. Then they will direct you to a separate person who will specifically book a handicapped villa for you.

 

[wfbnancy]

Since I have already talked to an agent do I call back again and say that I need the elavator building for medical reasons.

 

[M5ward]

We are staying in a grand villa during our upcoming trip. When we called to request one of the buildings with the elevators due to mobility issues of my father (stairs are a major issue) the reservation agent said that she can request a building but not why.I understand that the grand villas have stairs in them but he will be using only the main floor of the unit. Has anyone else had luck noting on their reservation that there is a health concern? I offered to send a letter from his doctor but she said that they accept no documentation of any health issues or needs. Any suggestions? I would hate to have our trip ruined with a fall down the stairs by Grandpa. Thanks

I'm not positive, but I think only one of the elevator buildings houses a grand villa. Isn't there a Special Needs Dept. at WDW? Maybe they could help you.
I also thought the grand villas at OKW were on the second and third floor of the buildings.
Usually if you make a request, they do everything they can to fulfill it.

 

[wfbnancy]

I did call the special needs line first. (Which I learned about on the boards). They can not do anything with DVC reservations. We were in building 53 our last visit and watching him climb the stairs was nerve wracking and sad. He hates to be a bother. Thanks for everyone's help and suggestions.

 

[dclfun]

You should contact member services. They should then call special reservations and block the GV. Hopefully you'll be the first person to make the request. I know when we booked a GV they noted that I have a power wheelchair. I'd have had no option if we'd been assigned a room with stairs.---Kathy

 

[SueM in MN]

You should contact member services. They should then call special reservations and block the GV. Hopefully you'll be the first person to make the request. I know when we booked a GV they noted that I have a power wheelchair. I'd have had no option if we'd been assigned a room with stairs.---Kathy

Agreeing with Kathy.

There are 2 GVs that can be accessed without climbing stairs. One is in building 48 at OKW and the other is in one of the elevator buildings (I can’t remember off-hand which building).
When we booked a GV, we contacted Member Services and stayed on line while the MS CM talked with Special Reservations.
Special Reservations can’t make reservations (at least for DVC because the last time I talked with them, their computer can’t show the DVC reservations). They will work with the reservations staff to block what a guest needs so it is reserved for that guest.

Since there are only 2 GVs that are not on 2nd and 3rd floor, there is a better chance to get one, the earlier you can. If you are too late,that else will have already gotten a guarantee and you will be out of luck.

 

[wfbnancy]

That is what I thought would happen and I guess that is why I was so shocked that the agent did not talk to anyone else and told me that there was nothing that was done for reservations except put down building requests with no reasons.

 

[SueM in MN]

That is what I thought would happen and I guess that is why I was so shocked that the agent did not talk to anyone else and told me that there was nothing that was done for reservations except put down building requests with no reasons.

Call back and say that you need it for medical reasons.
I think the agent did not understand that you had a specific need and meant they don't put a reason down for things like, I want a specific view.
Be aware though that the Grand Villa in building 48 is entered on ground floor from the outside, but once inside, there are stairs to go to the 2nd floor. When we stayed there, we had 2 people with bad knees who were sleeping upstairs. Both of them found the stairs were not that bad because they are a good rise and had good handrails so they had little trouble.
Our final member with mobility concerns was DD who uses a wheelchair and is not able to walk at all.
We hoped to get the GV in the elevator building, but when we got there, we were in building 48. I know the one assigned to us originally was probably not 48 because we also had a studio reservation linked to our GV. When we got to check in, our GV was 48, but our studio was in one of the 60s buildings and we had to get it changed to closer to 48 since the other GV was occupied.
Even with a guarantee for handicapped access at OKW, there is no guarantee which of the 2 buildings you will get. If there is another person with a guarantee who is blocked for building 48 arrives before you and doesn't like the location, they may get switched to the one blocked to you. That is what we are quite sure happened to us.

If you really need access by elevator to the 2nd floor of the GV, you may want to check out another resort. You will have many more villas that fit that need.

 

[bunkkinsmom]

The other GV is in building 63. We were in that unit 2 years ago and it is FANTASTIC! Directly across from HH. Perfect location with elevator access, the main floor of the GV is on the second floor of the building. We requested that building specifically noting medical/mobility issues. We did not speak to anyone special, it was noted. We knew there was no guarantee, but we did get it! We loved the location so much that we requested bldg 62 or 63 on our last trip, with no medical attached. We got 62. This year we have requested any bldg 62-64 for the elevator access with mobility/medical attached. I will let you know in 8 weeks if we got it!