The Couch Question

[SueM in MN]

From the Public Offering

"The Condominium units will have furniture, appliances, equipment and accent furnishings substantially similar to or of equal quality to those shown in the model and on the plans and specifications. Since the models and materials are for display purposes only, the DVD reserves the right to make substitutions of equal or better quality."

From another post

SueM, the key word in that phrase is QUALITY. If DVC equiped the model with high QUALITY products, they can't fill the rooms with bargain basement junk....Again,QUALITY. Replacing a high quality queen bed with a high quality sofa bed shouldn't be a problem.

I respectfully disagree that they are talking about just QUALITY. The model, plans and specifications for OKW showed 2 queen size beds, actual beds. The models, plans and specifications are part of the offering. They are there to prevent the seller from substituting something that may be of similar quality, but is not the same thing as was sold to you. For example, the DVC 1 and 2 bedroom units have a whirlpool tub in the models. If this language only applied to quality, they could substitute a high quality regular tub for the high quality whirlpool. In fact, they could probably find a regular tub that costs the same as the whirlpool tub that is in the units. A tub for a tub. Same as a sofa bed for a bed.

Again, I'm not saying they could not put sofa beds in the OKW units, just that I DO think the contract doesn't allow it unless the owners vote to do it.

 

[CarolAnnC]

CarolAnnK,

Try not to be sooo long winded with your posts

Yup, direct and to the point, that is me, LOL!! Plus, I know I can count on you KNWViking to carry on the discussion here.

 

[PamOKW]

We'll see where this ends up, but currently 22 of 34 OKW owners who responded want to keep it as is. That's 65%.

It's funny how the informal polls we do on the questions that were asked in the DVC survey of quite a few years back tend to still reflect the results of those surveys. Our discussion sometimes seem to indicate that a change is desired but when a poll is taken, the results closely match the results of a few years back -- leave the beds and don't add a slide. Personally, I'm really surprised how they come out.

 

[vernon]

In the past the DVD has altered the units and taken away some of the bits and bobs of what was in the models and promotional material, I don't think there is anything that stops the DVC management from exchanging a bed for a sofabed in say 25% of the units any more than downgrading shower curtains, shower heads, doing away with ornaments, coasters, etc etc which have all been done. Disney wrote itself maximum flexibility into it's contracts so it has a lot of room to alter the specifics of the rooms and it has no legal requirement to ask the members for their agreement.

One can argue the semantics of a queenbed, bunkbeds and a sofabed being "substantially similar to or of equal quality to those shown in the model". I have no doubts that the types of lawyers Disney uses would not have any problems persueing the arguement that the DVC units are a hotel room and that for the purpose of sleeping four gusts all of the above options cover that basic requirement. You only need look at the rough poll here to see that a reasonable number of the membership would have no problem with altering the basic offerings, indeed by broadening the choice Disney could argue they are enrichening the guests experiences.

 

[SueM in MN]

I would argue though that changing the shower curtain , shower head or coasters doesn't have the same impact on the use of the unit that changing the sleeping accomidations. Those things are also not included in the specifications and plans like the beds are.

 

[robinb]

I own at OKW (and soon also at BWV) and we are a family of 3. We have stayed in OKW studios and also recently at VWL in a studio. I really, really, really liked having the extra room when the couch was folded up. My DD could spread out and play with her toys. We could sit or lounge on the couch and stretch out our legs. IMO, a couch instead made the room a lot more open, more comfortable and more flexible. When I stayed at OKW I felt there was really nowhere to sit and relax. Sure, there are table and chairs in the room and there is the porch, but I guess I really like couches .

I would love it if some or all of the studios were changed over to a sofabed configuration. I actually ended up sleeping on the sofabed one night because my 2 year old insisted that I sleep with her. It was not that uncomfortable .

 

[DeeP]

I can see where a family that was using the studio as the 2nd BR would definitely prefer the 2 beds vs the sofabed but for small parties of 1-3 people it is really nice to have the extra room when the sofabed is folded up. It also makes the room feel so much bigger and more like a studio apt vs a BR. It would be nice if there could be a choice of either 2 beds or 1 bed and a sofabed but I think Disney has enough problems trying to accommondate guest's requests without having this additional request to worry about. I also think Disney could very easily switch from 2 beds to 1 bed and a sofabed without violating any rules, etc. The studios are supposed to sleep 4 people. as long as bedding for 4 people is provided they are not violating anything. We might own DVC memberships but they own the resort.

 

[Lesley]

Having stayed in an OKW studio and a BWV studio with my family of 4....I must say I prefer the OKW studio! Playing with the fold out every day wasn't fun! But my opinion of the BWV studio is a bit clouded, I'll admit, because we spent 4-5 days sick in there!

I can see where someday dh and I might stay in a studio by ourselves and a sofa will be preferable...and it will certainly be nice for my parents when they come with us in December (in a 2br....they get the studio portion).

Actually I think its nice to have the 2 beds option at OKW and the sofa/bed option elsewhere...just one more factor that goes into choosing which resort to stay at!

 

[PamOKW]

Actually I think its nice to have the 2 beds option at OKW and the sofa/bed option elsewhere...just one more factor that goes into choosing which resort to stay at!

I agree.

 

[SueM in MN]

I agree with Pam and Lesley.
The last time we were at WDW, we stayed in a 2 BR for part of the time at VWL. My MIL and FIL were in the "studio" part and it was nice for them to have a couch. If there were 4 people staying in that room though, it would be nicer to have 2 beds. My DD and a friend slept on the fold out couch-bed in the living room at VWL and when we switched to OKW. They didn't really like having to unfold their bed every night and fold it back up in the morning.
I would rather know before I check in what sort of arrangement there is, so it is nice in that was that OKW is different. I suppose if they do change, you could always specify which is your preference, but that's not a sure thing.

 

[Deb & Bill]

The OKW Studios have lots of floor space - probably even more than the BWV, VWL and BCVs do with the sofa bed closed up. We have the majority of our points at OKW (300) with 100 each at VWL and BCV. If we ever have so few points we can only stay at the VWL or BCV studio, we will stay in an OKW studio or one-bedroom instead. I want my two queen sized beds. I'd hate to have one of the queen beds removed and replaced with a double sofa bed. They couldn't fit a queen sofa bed in the same space. That is probably the real question. Not so much the quality of the sofa bed vs the quality of the queen bed, but the size of the beds.