Treatment of DVC members

[MG814]

"Woe is me", get real. All we wanted was a comfortable room and bathroom. Not the tidal flood that occurs when you shower in a shower intended for HA people. I think people forget that we all paid and continue to pay each year for the DVC, we dont hinks its unreasonable to expect a non HA room. I can now appreciate your screen name.

 

[crisi]

If you got a tidal flood, you didn't figure out how to use the shower. There is no reason for a tidal flood (it did take some practice, but by the third shower, we didn't even get the floor wet, much less flood the bathroom).

Where is the health issue in needing to stay in a non-HA room?

And no, they can't move you over to BWI. DVC "owns" the BWV rooms. Disney Resorts owns the BWI rooms. They are both owned by the parent company Disney, but are seperate subsidiaries with seperate profit and loss statements. Unless they set up an agreement, in which DVC would "purchase" resort rooms for this eventuallity (and they who pays - it has to come out of dues or some other DVC income - not the resorts income), it won't happen.

People seem to be missing this about Disney - its a big company. They can't "give" you the Disney channel because the quality of ABC programming has gone down hill. They aren't going to be handing out copies of Disney movies because your theme park dinner was cold. The people responsible for profits on Disney movies aren't going to want to make that deal with the people running the restaurants.

 

[robinb]

Inferior is in the eye of the beholder..... And by saying this it appears that you behold those who need those rooms as "inferior".

Well, Carol, you would be wrong.

For those of you that are new... I love my DVC.. Yes I have stayed in the HA room and NO it was not inferior.

I also love my DVC. I have also stayed in a HA room (a studio at BCV) and for me the room was inferior. There was no place to put toiletries in the bathroom and I had to store them on the floor. The area around the sink was so tiny that I was afraid that the glass would be knocked off and shatter on the floor. There was no place for our toothbrushes. The roll-in shower allowed water to go everywhere in the bathroom. The microwave was on the counter, leaving almost no counter space to prepare foods. The rest of the room was fine for us and the location, right around the corner from the elevators was exceptional.

The repeated annoyances of digging your toiletries out of a pile in the corner, mopping up the floor with pool towels and preparing food somewhere other than the kitchenette makes the HA room inferior, IMO. Maybe that stuff just doesn't bother you .

When we checked in there was no mention that our room was HA. When I returned to the front desk I was given the choice of a HA room and a smoking room. I visited the smoking room and it was too stinky, so we settled for the HA room. We were offered a free room change, but after one night we decided that we didn't want to pack things up and move so we stayed the week.

I think that the current method of assigning rooms is fine. When the resort is full, guests have to stay somewhere. However, I also think that the CMs should tell guests that the only room available is a HA or smoking room at check in and offer a free room change the next day. I joined DVC just before the charges for room change, extra towels and extra soap went into effect. I always though the room charge was to encourage people to keep a less desirable view. I do not think that a room change for a HA or smoking room would be an abuse of the system.

 

[Sherri]

So does the Disney side that is not timeshare related have a better way of pleasing their guests? I was just wondering this because it seems that there seems not be a thread where the cash guests have had this problem.
Surely they have a system that works just fine for them.
Also although seperate i'm not so sure if someone checking into the BWI desperatly needed a handicap room that there wouldn't be some arrangment to put the over at the villas where there seems to be plenty. If there was a mistake made at someone checking in to the BWI absolutly needed a HA room and they had them available at BWV then I can't believe they would be turned away just because they are different departments in Disney.

 

[marlouwrig]

We were assigned a wheelchair accessible room last year at BCV for our 11 night stay. The requests on my confirmation were ns (due to DS chronic asthma) and a high floor. Both of these requests were met.

I was a bit taken aback to find no tub but as we mainly take showers did not feel that this would be enough of a problem to go to the bother of requesting a different room.

What I did not realise until the next day was that

a) there is nowhere in the bathroom to store all toiletries needed by 3 people.

b) I was continually having to 'steal' pool towels to mop up the overflow from the shower stall which flooded the bathroom floor.

c) danger - the hairdryer right on top of the bathroom sink - one day I managed to drop this into the sink where the water was still draining away - I am an adult - how dangerous if there are little ones about.

d) no proper hanging rail in the closet - the only rail is less than waist height which meant that all our clothes trailed on the floor mixed up with the vacuum cleaner, ironing board etc.

e) no counter space due to microwave being on the counter next to the sink.

For this year I have requested non ha and I will check this out with the CM at the desk before accepting the room assignment. I am quite prepared to go on the naughty list.

I do not expect everything to be perfect and I do not have unreasonable expectations. I am willing to accept minor inconveniences with good grace and a smile - there is no point in stressing out over these and ruining what should be a happy time. However for a ten day stay I DO need adequate storage for my toiletries, room to hang my clothes and counter space to prepare my breakfast.

 

[MG814]

Glad to see that someone felt the same way. No I did not flood the bathroom because I couldnt figure out the shower it is not meant to shower a standing person, I guess you are short? It just seems that DVC is overbooking and it comes down to that.

 

[jmminarik]

"Woe is me", get real... I can now appreciate your screen name.

My screen name is my name, slightly abbreviated. My tag is probably to which you are referring. Maybe I shouldn't post after figuring out how much more I owe in taxes to pay for pork barrel entitlements, but my sentiment remains the same. On the cosmic scale of things, this ain't that big of a deal for most people. But maybe I'm just in that group of people who, when handed lemons, finds a salt shaker and a bottle of tequilla.

-Joe

 

[donaldbuzz&minnie]

I don't expect Disney to be the Ritz, but as someone who travels a lot, I do expect them to hit the standards of the average Marriott. If they do, I'm happy. If they don't, I wonder why.

It seems to be an industry standard now to guarantee a smoking/non-smoking room at the time of reservation. If a non-smoking room might not be available, tell me when I make my reservation, not when I check in and it's too late to make another choice of where I will stay. There is no excuse for treating a guest who complains about that issue as a pariah.

As far as the disabled-accessible room issue is concerned, Disney is known for imagination. I think they could create their way out of this problem and make just about everyone happy. We've stayed in an accessible DVC room, and while it certainly wasn't a vacation-ruining experience, the room did seem to give an impression that the architect was just begrudgingly doing what had to be done. Not a very nice message to send disabled guests who must request what comes across as a second-class accommodation, and an ongoing headache for the CM's who must daily - and until at least 2042 - shove disgruntled currently able-bodied guests into rooms they don't want.

Why not slowly reconfigure the disabled-accessible rooms to be some of the nicest, not some of the worst? Do grab bars have to look like they came out of the nearest hospital? Does being disabled mean you don't need shelf space in the bathroom to put you toiletries? Is there absolutely no way to put in a small bathtub for kids, and a nice shower that anyone would enjoy? Disney should aim to design their way into a situation where guests hope for an accessible room! A little thought would go a long way in those rooms.

Solving these two issues would leave just the view-request thing - a real non-issue. If you get your preferred view, great, if not live with it. Guests who come unglued about that issue deserve their place on the naughty list!

 

[Chuck S]

While I agree that the standard grab bars aren't particularly attractive, they are designed for function. There are only so many options available to make a smooth, round cornered, strong bar able to support body weight.

 

[crisi]

Glad to see that someone felt the same way. No I did not flood the bathroom because I couldnt figure out the shower it is not meant to shower a standing person, I guess you are short? It just seems that DVC is overbooking and it comes down to that.

You know it has a telescoping rod? At least in our room. My husband is about 6'. I'm fairly average height for a woman at 5'7"

DVC is overbooked. Its designed to operate at 97% occupancy, 3% of the rooms pulled from maintainance. Anything less and they would have needed to have sold points for more money. They didn't. What do you suggest, that someone not use their points?

 

[Sherri]

Again I fnd myself puzzled that according others, the Marriott and other nice excahnge programs don't have these issues, why? I know we have Westgate as our other, never had a problem staying there or any of the many other places we traded to go. Perhaps Disney should try and see how these other places seem to manage keeping everyone happy, or atleast with what they asked for.

 

[barb45]

Donaldbuzzminnie - I agree so much!! I have stayed in HA rooms at other hotels and didn't mind one bit. They were bigger overall, the bathrooms were huge and you had absolutely no reason to complain. I've been thinking all along about handicapped people needed counter space too! I'm afraid to get a HA room at Disney now because I thought no tub - no big deal. But to me it is a big deal if I flood the bathroom every time I take a shower and there is no counter space in the bathroom or the kitchen area.

I don't agree with comping every complainer either as mentioned by some of the posters - we all pay for that. BUT to have a pleasant CM at check in costs us nothing and I don't think it is asking too much to be informed ahead of time that you are going to be put into a HA room or a smoking room or whatever. I have not always been happy with our view but I don't really care and would never complain about such a thing. That is the luck of the draw. You could also check in early and be given a room that is ready only to have someone check in later and get a better room that became ready later. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. I think smoking/non smoking should be guaranteed and if they only have handicapped rooms left at time of booking you should be asked if that is acceptable. Maybe that would please everyone. I'm sure Disney could figure this out if they wanted to.

 

[Simba's Mom]

For this year I have requested non ha and I will check this out with the CM at the desk before accepting the room assignment. I am quite prepared to go on the naughty list.

You should know that the CM at the front desk doesn't always tell you the truth. We asked if our room was handicapped (my exact words were "As long as it's not handicapped-accessible, it'll be OK") and although it was, the CM didn't tell me. And one member said that he was told "No, it isn't", even though it was. That's why now I try to know which rooms are HA from the room reports through the years. That way, I don't depend on the CM to tell me-I already know if the room assigned is HA.

 

[robinb]

You should know that the CM at the front desk doesn't always tell you the truth.

I think the CMs hope to avoid a confrontation. I suspect a percentage of the people, like Carol, would just go to their room and say "Oh, well". If they tell everyone in advance that the room is Smoking or HA the "Oh, well" people may also kick up a fuss.

 

[Sherri]

Simba's Mom- I was wondering in your experience once they told you or implyed that you it was a non handicapped room, did you go back down and say something about it? I was telling my husband all that we may have to look forward to when checking in on Sunday (next week), he said if that is an issue then we can go over to Saratoga Springs and talk to our sales rep. That never showed us a handicapped room when giving us our tour.
Also- Our cats both drink from the sink, I found that fasinating that yours does to. We thought we had some unique guys here (lol).

 

[crisi]

Sherri, I don't think your sales rep will be able to do a darn thing. You are now in "you should have read your contract" territory.

 

[jarestel]

Sherri, I don't think your sales rep will be able to do a darn thing. You are now in "you should have read your contract" territory.

Can anyone point me to the specific language in the "contract" regarding smoking and HA rooms?

Thanks!

 

[lenshanem]

I was given false information about our H/A studio at OKW last October. I flat out asked and was told it wasn't. A matter of fact they left the front desk for a few minutes to come back out from the back and tell me again it wasn't. That it indeed did have a tub. Get to my room and VOILÀ it was. Called down and was told they had nothing else available. I don't like being lied to. I would rather they tell me they are sorry that is all they have left, then to be told false information.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Simba's Mom- I was wondering in your experience once they told you or implyed that you it was a non handicapped room, did you go back down and say something about it? I was telling my husband all that we may have to look forward to when checking in on Sunday (next week), he said if that is an issue then we can go over to Saratoga Springs and talk to our sales rep. That never showed us a handicapped room when giving us our tour.
Also- Our cats both drink from the sink, I found that fasinating that yours does to. We thought we had some unique guys here (lol).

Although I didn't go back to the front desk, I called, and boy, did I say something about it! If only they'd told me. Like lenshanem said, I don't like not being told the truth. When I called, the front desk manager told me that they had nothing else that night, but would gladly move me the next day and gave me my choice of 3 rooms. No, I didn't have to pay the room change fee and yes, they did have to clean the room, but if only they'd been up-front with me at the front desk, I would have gladly stayed there and not complained. Twice previous I've gotten HA rooms, stayed there, and been happy. Why? Because they nicely and politely volunteered the information at the front desk and offered to move me if it was unacceptable. Their attitude went a long way to making it acceptable.

 

[Ksp]

So I can get the wish right, do you want good luck or bad luck? I've friends who wouldn't have any luck if it weren't for bad luck.

-Joe

That reminds me of a song, Joe. Maybe back from the old Hee Haw TV show