Wilderness Lodge Villas

[Cruella 66]

For our visit starting July 8th we decided to step out of our BLT box and visit other DVC resorts. We are a party of five, 2 adults and children 17, 12, and 10. I made my party size very clear when booking our rooms through DVC using our membership.

I initially booked Animal Kingdom both Kidani and Jambo House concierge then called back to add a couple days at the front of our trip. I was given several choices for one bedrooms that sleep five and decided to go with Wilderness Lodge Villas.

We checked in early in the morning, not expecting a room to be available but to store our luggage while we hit MK for the day.

By the time we got to WL, had dinner at Whispering Canyon, and up to our room it was after 9 p.m. I was surprised to find one hand towel, bath towel and wash cloth for only four people. We called housekeeping, they brought more, and we went to the pool. When we got back we started pulling out the beds and we surprised to find the chair wasn't a pull out bed! We only had sleeping for four! I called housekeeping, the said they'd bring a portable bed. Then they called back to tell us it would be a $15 fee per night!!! I was a bit upset as I clearly told Member services when we booked the rooms our party size and ages. I called the operator and was transferred to the manager who then went into an explanation about DVC opening the one bedrooms to parties of 5 before they've had their refurbishing. She said they had decided to allow DVC members to have the portable bed without charge and she would have housekeeping come up and set it up for us. This consisted of the housekeeper coming up to the room, handing my husband a 2" air mattress, telling him to plug it in to blow up, and here are the sheets.

Quite frankly, if I had been told when booking my accommodations that one of my children would be sleeping on the floor on an air mattress, I would have said no thank you, and booked a more appropriate room. Has anyone else had this experience? Were you told your fifth person would be sleeping on the floor?

Our other two DVC resorts were at Animal Kingdom and they all had the pull out chair and queen pull out sofa. Wonderful accommodations and what I was expecting at WV. Jambo House concierge was my favorite, loved the location and service and would absolutely stay there again!

 

[disneynutz]

You need to visit the DVC Member website and check out the resort and accommodation info prior to booking. You will find that MS makes mistakes and that you might be better off booking online.

The older smaller room resorts don't have the room for the pull out chair.

I suggest that you share your experience with Member Satisfaction.

Bill

 

[Cruella 66]

Yes, I did share with customer satisfaction. I guess the first address I sent my note to was not a valid one so I came here to find another. I was interested to see if anyone else had this happen too while I was here.

 

[MEK]

I honestly didn't know the VWL slept 5. Well, not really I guess. I stayed in a lock off 2BR there and the LR in that particular unit was HUGE. It was a corner room and would easily have fit a pull out chair. Perhaps that should look at the corner rooms and put the pull out chairs in there.

I am not exaggerating. I have stayed in all the DVC resorts now and that LR was quite large.

 

[bakerworld]

We'd stayed in the Lodge and loved it - stayed in DVC area 2010 ... and never returned. I understand the room we had was an 'odd ball' but it irritated me to have no safe and no closet - sweeper sitting in the corner of the room next to the floor lamp.

People tell me that they love WL - I love the lobby

 

[PatMcDuck]

I had that huge corner 2BR once at WLV! It was great!

With a family of 5, and kids those ages, staying in a 1BR, I would stick to the 1BRs that have 2 bathrooms. BLT and Kidani. That 2nd bathroom is a godsend.

 

[gonzalj1]

What's interesting to me about this situation is that, according the the DVCMember website, the 1BR in WLV sleeps 4. I am surprised you were able to get the room with 5 adults the way you did. Are you sure you gave all 5 names when you made the reservation?

 

[rlovew]

I think you were very lucky to be able to get the things you did from DVC. They are normally clear that while you can have 4 in those 1 bedrooms you are responsible for bringing both bedding and all the linens so they actually provided you with a lot more than they are even supposed to provide. If you are looking for a 1 bedroom for 5 only OKW, BLT, and AKV provide actually sleeping spots for 5.

 

[Deb & Bill]

What's interesting to me about this situation is that, according the the DVCMember website, the 1BR in WLV sleeps 4. I am surprised you were able to get the room with 5 adults the way you did. Are you sure you gave all 5 names when you made the reservation?

And the points book we all get mailed to us also says "sleeps four". DVC has allowed five in those one bedroom villas that only have the king sized bed and queen sized sleeper sofa, but they always say you must provide your own bedding and towels for the fifth person. Those are VWL, SSR, BCV, BWV. VWL has a few rooms that are bigger than the others, but most of them couldn't fit the sleeper chair in the room. And it would be difficult to make a category of "sleeps five" and "sleeps four".

 

[MoreTravels]

Physically, it is possible to sleep 3 on the king size bed. In some cultures, adults do that. In other cultures, a bed is only occupied by a couple.

 

[CarolMN]

....(snip).......Quite frankly, if I had been told when booking my accommodations that one of my children would be sleeping on the floor on an air mattress, I would have said no thank you, and booked a more appropriate room. Has anyone else had this experience? Were you told your fifth person would be sleeping on the floor?......

Only AKV, BLT & OKW have 1 bedrooms that officially sleep 5 (plus an infant 2 or under in the Pac 'n Play).

All of the other WDW DVC resort 1 bedrooms officially sleep 4 (plus an infant 2 or under in the Pac 'n Play). MS allows 5 in these 1 bedrooms, but as you found out, you are on your own to provide a bed & linens for the 5th.

I'm sorry that MS did not tell you that when you made the reservation. They are supposed to review that with you. They always have for me.

Now that you know, you can make future reservations with that in mind.

 

[Cruella 66]

I made the reservation THROUGH member services, they had the children's ages and gave me several options. They had my other reservation pulled up, they knew we were adding days, and that I wanted a one bedroom that sleeps five and everyones age. Having always wanted to stay at VWL, I chose that option. NOTHING was said about bringing my own anything!

I can assure you all, I was NOT trying to scam DVC or shoe horn my children into rooms not large enough for my family. I was simply trying out new to us resorts this visit and opted for VWL that was offered. In previous visits we had only stayed BLT, where we are owners. That was my frame of reference with the pull outs. Had I been told I had to bring my own linens and furniture for the kids' to sleep on, I would have said NO, I don't think so! While a second bathroom would have been nice, like I said, we were trying out new places so one bathroom for 2 nights wasn't an issue for us.

We stayed Jambo House and Kidani the rest of the visit but those rooms were booked at the 7 month mark as we wanted to do the Sunrise Safari and had to book concierge at Jambo and then finished our stay at Kidani. Both those units were terrific and had plenty of room for us.

And I expect DVC guest services to know enough about their product that they can guide me as their customer to units that will fit my party size. Clearly my expectations are too high.

 

[LisaS]

OP: MS should have made you aware that while they allow five in all 1BRs now except the Value 1BRs at AKV, they don't supply a bed, linens or towels for the fifth person in those resorts that don't have a sleeper chair. It's getting confusing with all the different configurations: sleeper chairs at some resorts but not all, an extra bathroom in 1BRs in some buildings at some resorts but not all, etc. It's unfortunate that this happened but at least you now know that not all resorts have the sleeper chair in the 1BR villa and can avoid this problem in the future.

We'd stayed in the Lodge and loved it - stayed in DVC area 2010 ... and never returned. I understand the room we had was an 'odd ball' but it irritated me to have no safe and no closet - sweeper sitting in the corner of the room next to the floor lamp.

It sounds like you had an HA studio because the HA studio we were assigned on our first stay at BWV was just like that (no closet, no safe, vacuum and pack'n'play piled in the corner of the room). I can understand the lack of a closet due to the space taken up by the larger bathroom but the lack of a wall safe is inexcusable and we found it to be a major inconvenience. With the resorts operating at full occupancy most of the time, many of us end up in an HA room that wasn't needed or requested. Fortunately, in all of our DVC stays this was the only time we were assigned a room without a safe.

 

[CarolMN]

Cindy -

I don't think anyone thinks you were trying to scam or over stuff the villa. The policy I mentioned above has been in effect for quite some time, several years at least. Most of the regulars here on the DIS are very familiar with it. It really was a mistake on the CM's part that they did not review it with you prior to the end of your call. It happens. Sorry it happened to you.

 

[Sandisw]

Cindy -

I don't think anyone thinks you were trying to scam or over stuff the villa. The policy I mentioned above has been in effect for quite some time, several years at least. Most of the regulars here on the DIS are very familiar with it. It really was a mistake on the CM's part that they did not review it with you prior to the end of your call. It happens. Sorry it happened to you.

I agree and it sounds like a CM who failed to remind the OP of the rules. But, I also think that members have a responsibility to understand the limits of villas in terms of occupancy. Having said that, I am glad that they at least did give the air mattress and bedding to alleviate the situation somewhat.

It's the same thing with 2 bedrooms now...they will allow 9 in most but if there is no sleeper chair, then the guest is responsible.

 

[Deb & Bill]

They just need to go back to four plus one in the villas that officially sleep four and five plus one in the villas that officially sleep five.

 

[CarolMN]

Those who want to further discuss occupancy policies are invited to do so in the Occupancy Thread. Thanks!