Warning VWL no follow thru for those with special cleaning

[zumbergc]

Just a warning to others who need utilize special cleaning in the rooms for allergies and breathing problems.

VWL gets a big F. I stayed in the villas section as I'm a DVC member.

Called to have things noted on reservation.

Called the day prior to travel to make sure notes were still on ressies (as sometimes they are not entered correctly or disappear).

That CM called the VWL directly to make sure things were noted etc at the resort. Found this out on check-in night when they were trying to tell me my DH called the day before at such and such time. When they told me the time I knew the guide had called the hotel.

DH called the resort directly to confirm again things were noted day of travel.

I asked if things were done before check-in.

Assigned room not cleaned correctly....
Moved to new room. Cleaned correctly at around 11-11:30pm.

First nights in the room were on DVC points as a points stay.
Last night in room. The last night was a cash night.
Housekeeping came in the room at some point on my last day.
They sprayed things I was allergic to in the room, and giving me towels that were obviously not cleaned with unscented detergent.

Call to speak with manager when I got into room at around 8:30-9pm. Manager claims nothing was sprayed...given unscented towels...after long battle sends me towels i can use. Still claims nothing sprayed in room. He didn't even think it was in the realm of possibility that his staff had made a mistake. Chalking up the fact we do this type of cleaning for so many other people, implying to me to shut up and stop complaining.

So if you have allergies to regular cleaners... I would avoid the VWL.
If your a sensitive individual and would be impacted by this then avoid the VWL.
Management doesn't get this issue. They have a problem some place in their staff, and they play the denial game.

I'm just warning others out there that have health issues that are affected by these items.

I had many other issues with the VWL, and had the worse trip ever. It is known as the "trip from hell" although many more things happened to contribute to the trip from hell besides the items above.

As I'm still having breathing problems today after being exposed to those chemicals.
I have reactions to the VOC in the cleaning products, my body does not process them. So my lungs are still having issues, asthma meds do nothing for them, so I'm just frustrated. A trip that was to suppose to relaxing, turned into a nightmare.

 

[bidnow5]

Sorry to hear you had problems. Disney has messed up our reservations many times. I always call 2 weeks before a week before then the day we leave. Still they messed up a couple of times. Thank goodness they never sprayed the room while we were there

I don't think people realize just how much of a problem it can be. I can have problems breathing for days after being exposed to some chemicals.

I would write to guest services so someone other then the hotel knows

 

[Bete]

bring some signs with all the NO NOs listed and tape the signs to the out door, both sides. I would do the signs on orange paper. Do the same for the bathroom and the room itself. I would go as far as doing it in Spanish, too. I would perhaps even stay around to talk to housekeeping personally, who may be near by. Going directly to the housekeeeping person would be the best. I would tip the person right then and there, too for the extra consideration. I know it wouldn't be enjoyable to do this everyday, but maybe, you could find out if it will be the same housekeeper for the week. I know you shouldn't have to go to those extremes, but I would do whatever not to have a problem. I would even bring my own towels and such. I would go as far as not having housekeeping come into the room during my stay.

I know you shouldn't have to be on the defense to this degree, but I'd rather be safe then sorry. Also, I'm trully suprised you can handle the parks considering all the products that must be used in them everywhere.

If you can use a face mask, I think I would consider it in some instances if that could help you.

I would become pro-active very fast. I never liked depending on strangers for anything.

As the old saying states, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. This is just me, but it's how I would handle it especially after having a problem.

 

[livndisney]

bring some signs with all the NO NOs listed and tape the signs to the out door, both sides. I would do the signs on orange paper. Do the same for the bathroom and the room itself. I would go as far as doing it in Spanish, too. I would perhaps even stay around to talk to housekeeping personally, who may be near by. Going directly to the housekeeeping person would be the best. I would tip the person right then and there, too for the extra consideration. I know it wouldn't be enjoyable to do this everyday, but maybe, you could find out if it will be the same housekeeper for the week. I know you shouldn't have to go to those extremes, but I would do whatever not to have a problem. I would even bring my own towels and such. I would go as far as not having housekeeping come into the room during my stay.

I know you shouldn't have to be on the defense to this degree, but I'd rather be safe then sorry. Also, I'm trully suprised you can handle the parks considering all the products that must be used in them everywhere.

If you can use a face mask, I think I would consider it in some instances if that could help you.

I would become pro-active very fast. I never liked depending on strangers for anything.

As the old saying states, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. This is just me, but it's how I would handle it especially after having a problem.

WOW!
I for one an not "trully suprised" they can handle the parks. We do it every week. One major difference is the large part of the parks is out doors and your hotel room is not. If cleaners are sprayed on a bench in a park, unless the guest is right there when it is sprayed or sits on the bench right after, most likely they will not be affected. However chemicals sprayed in a closed room would have an affect even hours later as the chemical has no where to "go".

 

[SueM in MN]

Probably the last cash day was a big issue. Once something is in their computer (in this case, that you were checking out), it is hard to get it corrected. We've run into this a number of times when we needed to change our scheduled cleaning.
In fact, on our recent trip, we noticed they missed spots on the eating area floor (OKW with the vinyl meant to look like wood). We asked them to re-clean the floor and they came on day 3 of our stay to clean the floor, but also gave new towels, took out trash and made the beds.
We called and said they did not need to come on day 4 (the next day) for a full clean. They asked twice if we really wanted to cancel the full clean and expected it would be cancelled. Wrong - they arrived on day 4 and did a full clean.
I think this is the kind of issue that may have happened in your case. The instructions may have been on the computer, but may not have made it all the way to the person who actually cleaned your room.

I doubt that they actually use any scented products for towels or sheets. I have been in large commercial hospital laundries and imagine they use the same sort of facility for Disney. The washers are huge (not just giant versions of home laundries, but a hundred of feet long) and commercial laundries don't use the same types of products as home laundries do. I know they hospital I work at does get complaints from time to time from patients that they can't tolerate the scents and bleach used on the towels, but I know for a fact that our laundry cooperative doesn't use them.
I do think that towels can pick up the scent of cleaning products (anything with cotton can pick up and hold scent) and I think that is what some people are able to smell. So, they may be correct when they told you they did not give you scented towels.

I'm not clear if you talked to the resort manager or the Housekeeping manager. I would probably direct letters about your complaints to both and Member Satisfaction.

The same kind of problem could happen in any resort, since it was probably a communication problem.
I think that adding signs in English and Spanish might be a good idea for future trips. If it were me, I would probably also call Housekeeping once you are at the resort. They can tell you from the computer which days Trash and Tidy and Full Clean are.
Another possibility would be to call Housekeeping and ask for clean towels and sheets that meet your specifications, but refuse cleaning. If you put up the Privacy sign, they will not come in to clean. If they don't clean, at least you won't have a chance of them spraying products.