The good the bad the ugly of OKW renovations (update pg 13)

[dianeschlicht]

We appreciate the two beds in the studio portion, but that's just what works best for our family. I can see how a sofa and bed would be much nicer for a couple.

But changing that part of OKW now would be a HUGE mistake. People who want that configuration can either book elsewhere or get a 1 bedroom at OKW. The few times we have stayed in a studio at OKW, we have always made good use of the two arm chairs and really didn't feel the second bed was an inconvenience.

 

[dianeschlicht]

We seem to be getting off topic. This is not supposed to be a discussion about IF OKW should have 2 beds in the second bedroom or not.

For those of you who have mentioned that you prefer the new decor, are you OKW owners and if so, how long have you owned?

 

[Supermom3]

We checked in last Friday (checked out on Monday). We were originally assigned bldg 18 - I asked if it was renovated and the CM said no. I asked if any reonovated rooms were available. She pulled out a map of renovations and gave me choices of buildings. It said 79% completed. I will have to pull out my notes and type which buildings were not completed. I quickly took notes for my Dis friends.

We ended up in building 39 (Turtle Pond), and overall liked the location.

Thanks! Can't wait to see the list.

 

[Lost in Neverland]

We seem to be getting off topic. This is not supposed to be a discussion about IF OKW should have 2 beds in the second bedroom or not.

For those of you who have mentioned that you prefer the new decor, are you OKW owners and if so, how long have you owned?

Yes I am an OKW owner but and this is a big but ....we have only owned for 2 years and came in when it was obvious there were repairs desperately needed in some of the villas. I guess that is why it is so easy to fall in love with the new version of the villas. Oh yea and you are right I did not read the entire thread until after I had posted about the shades....Busted LOL.

 

[Happy@OKW]

We seem to be getting off topic. This is not supposed to be a discussion about IF OKW should have 2 beds in the second bedroom or not.

For those of you who have mentioned that you prefer the new decor, are you OKW owners and if so, how long have you owned?

I'm one of those folks who likes the new decor (except the table), and a member since 1995. I agree about the shades, but since we were on the canal, and no one was sleeping on the couch, we just kept them open. I also cannot remember the last time I had a dishwasher with 8 wheels on the bottom rack, but doesn't that add to that "home away from home" feeling???

And, if I can add my 2 cents re the studio/2nd bedroom: I think the dedicated 2 BR units should have the beds. However, it would be nice if the studios could have the bed/couch combinations. The one time we stayed in a studio we chose to stay at SSR, for that very reason. DH has had 3 back surgeries - needs a comfortable place to sit.

 

[MELSMICE]

And, if I can add my 2 cents re the studio/2nd bedroom: I think the dedicated 2 BR units should have the beds. However, it would be nice if the studios could have the bed/couch combinations. The one time we stayed in a studio we chose to stay at SSR, for that very reason. DH has had 3 back surgeries - needs a comfortable place to sit.

I like that idea!

 

[dianeschlicht]

I'm one of those folks who likes the new decor (except the table), and a member since 1995. I agree about the shades, but since we were on the canal, and no one was sleeping on the couch, we just kept them open. I also cannot remember the last time I had a dishwasher with 8 wheels on the bottom rack, but doesn't that add to that "home away from home" feeling???.

You must have been in one of our favorite buildings! Buildings 45 and 46 are our absolute favorites.

As for the wheels on the dishwasher. I have NEVER had a dishwasher at home where the wheels were off, so no, it doesn't remind me of home.

I still don't understand why a major renovation would NOT include appliance replacement.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I like that idea!

I hate that idea.

 

[SusieBea]

FWIW, we just returned yesterday from OKW. We were in a 1 bdrm in bldg 54, and the unit had not been rennovated. I didn't mind - it was one last opportunity to stay in the (mostly) original decor. (I had forgotten how loud the appliances and the toilet were, however!)

 

[dianeschlicht]

i hate that idea.

me too!

 

[dianeschlicht]

You know, thinking back on it now that I have stayed in two renovated units (both a 1 bedroom and a 3 bedroom GV), I think one of the things I'm most bothered by is the loss of the metal bed frame in the master. I HATE having to retrieve blankets from the floor, and at least that foot board kept things from falling on the floor.

Colors I can get used to (even if I don't like them), and the ugly coffee table is what it is as are the fabrics on the master bedroom chairs and living room sleeper chair.
My list of things that disappoint me most are:
-Loss of the bed frame
-Stupid mechanism on the roman shades
-Not replacing appliances with new ones
-Not at least repairing and repainting cabinets
-Not updating the bathrooms more
-Using that cheap looking vinyl flooring
-Horrible paint job on the coffee table
-Hate the bedspreads looking like Beach club instead of Key West
-Not replacing hardware to make it uniform
-Not refinishing the furniture with finishes that will last (we already had a lot of chips on the painted furniture items in both units)

Things I liked best are:
-The granite countertops in the kitchen
-The roman shades themselves if the mechanism were different
-The new blinds are nice.
-Like the colors on the dining table and new fabric on the chairs
-Like the new drapes in the bedrooms
-Like that they are using energy efficient light bulbs
-Like the new comfy beds
-Most of all I like that they kept the footprint the same.

 

[Chuck S]

Diane, I would add a couple of dislikes to your list.

While I like the sleeper chair in the living rooms, the fabric color selection was not the best.

The removal of the internet access plug from the table area (studio) and buffet cabinet (one bedroom) making us plug in behind the nightstand (studio) or corner table in the living room (1 bedroom). For any sort of convenience, now you really do need to bring a wireless router, the location of the outlets for wired service (and to plug in your router) is horrible.

 

[dcamdad]

My biggest complaint other than the obvious stray from the original OKW feel and the cheapened feel the villas now have is the thermostat operation and location.

In the 2 BR the thermostats were originally in the hall leading to the MBR near the return air grill as they should be. The renovated location is now in the living room, away from the return and is now influenced whenever the front or patio doors are opened. The thermostats are also now auto changeover for a/c or heat operation and whoever programmed them has the changeover dead band set too close. It appears that it was programmed with a 1 or 2 degree deadband causing the system to heat one minute then cool as soon as the room reaches the heat set point. This may not pose a problem during the summer but during our trip in early December it was a real problem so much so I reprogrammed the deadband to 5 degrees as it is programmed from the factory.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Diane, I would add a couple of dislikes to your list.

While I like the sleeper chair in the living rooms, the fabric color selection was not the best.

The removal of the internet access plug from the table area (studio) and buffet cabinet (one bedroom) making us plug in behind the nightstand (studio) or corner table in the living room (1 bedroom). For any sort of convenience, now you really do need to bring a wireless router, the location of the outlets for wired service (and to plug in your router) is horrible.

I totally agree with both of those, Chuck. I forgot to mention them, but we had so much trouble with the internet even with the wireless router this trip, that we ended up using our phones as a hot spot instead.

My biggest complaint other than the obvious stray from the original OKW feel and the cheapened feel the villas now have is the thermostat operation and location.

In the 2 BR the thermostats were originally in the hall leading to the MBR near the return air grill as they should be. The renovated location is now in the living room, away from the return and is now influenced whenever the front or patio doors are opened. The thermostats are also now auto changeover for a/c or heat operation and whoever programmed them has the changeover dead band set too close. It appears that it was programmed with a 1 or 2 degree deadband causing the system to heat one minute then cool as soon as the room reaches the heat set point. This may not pose a problem during the summer but during our trip in early December it was a real problem so much so I reprogrammed the deadband to 5 degrees as it is programmed from the factory.

We were frustrated with that same issue, and in the GV, the master bedroom roasted while the living room froze. We finally discovered the reason was that when the heat turned on in the living room, the air conditioning came on upstairs. STUPID!

 

[Chuck S]

Oh yes, I do not like those new thermostats. In early December we simply turned the system completely off whenever we weren't in the room. In our one bedroom, the living room would be cold, and the master bedroom hot. I wish they had put some drapes in the living room like they use in the bedrooms, it would provide a little more insulation than those slat blinds.

If I was comfortable sleeping in the LR, mom was roasting in the master bedroom. I finally wound up going to Walgreens and buying a heating pad.

 

[dcamdad]

Diane, I forgot about that scenario, I think someone in charge forgot physics 101, hot air rises and cold air falls.

Chuck, someone also forgot HVAC 101, the thermostat should always be as close to the return as possible and never in line with outer openings such as doors or windows.

With the systems cycling as they are now we can all look for the added electricity costs to be passed on to us.

EDIT* I just looked at photos of the studio my daughter was in last week and the thermostat was located next to the door that connects to the 1 BR unit and it appears that a supply air vent is blowing directly on the thermostat.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Diane, I forgot about that scenario, I think someone in charge forgot physics 101, hot air rises and cold air falls.

Chuck, someone also forgot HVAC 101, the thermostat should always be as close to the return as possible and never in line with outer openings such as doors or windows.

With the systems cycling as they are now we can all look for the added electricity costs to be passed on to us.

EDIT* I just looked at photos of the studio my daughter was in last week and the thermostat was located next to the door that connects to the 1 BR unit and it appears that a supply air vent is blowing directly on the thermostat.

Yes, they certainly aren't hiring engineers, and Florida must not have very good housing requirements. Stuff like that would never pass inspection around here.

 

[DVCconvert]

....The removal of the internet access plug from the table area (studio) and buffet cabinet (one bedroom) making us plug in behind the nightstand (studio) or corner table in the living room (1 bedroom). For any sort of convenience, now you really do need to bring a wireless router, the location of the outlets for wired service (and to plug in your router) is horrible.

I agree with this 100%

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

My biggest complaint other than the obvious stray from the original OKW feel and the cheapened feel the villas now have is the thermostat operation and location.

In the 2 BR the thermostats were originally in the hall leading to the MBR near the return air grill as they should be. The renovated location is now in the living room, away from the return and is now influenced whenever the front or patio doors are opened.

Why would they even bother to move the thermostat? Were there previous complaints about the heating and cooling?

I also think it's strange they would announce a 90% remodel and not change the appliances. They did at BWV during their refurb and that wasn't even considered to be as extensive. And leaving broken cabinets and mismatched hardware? I just don't get it and hope this isn't what the norm will be at all the resorts for their major updates.

I must admit I can't wait to see these blinds - I just can't imagine what it's like that it gets so many comments. We hoped for a refurbed room in Dec (just to see it) but were in bldg 56 which hadn't been done yet.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I must admit I can't wait to see these blinds - I just can't imagine what it's like that it gets so many comments. We hoped for a refurbed room in Dec (just to see it) but were in bldg 56 which hadn't been done yet.

It isn't the blinds that are the issue. It's the mechanism on the roman shades. The shades are beautiful, but they are such a PITA to open and close, that it seriously hinders the enjoyment of the porch.