Okw - Big Disappointment!!!!!

[jacalynt]

I have only been a member since Oct. 2004 but have been visiting OKW for a number of years with my husband's brother and family. I absolutely loved this resort and the other resorts. The last two times I was there (Beginning of August and end of Sept.) I was very disappointed. The first time in August - the main was concern was the way we were treated at the front desk and the condition of the room. I called them right away and they changed our room. Also - that visit - the park employees just weren't as kind as they used to be. This is my story about the late September trip. Arrived late on 9/29 at OKW studio. I asked to be near the hospitality house. I know it is not guaranteed - but they put me about as far away as they could. We stood at the counter for 25 minutes and the lady kept finding other rooms - but only handicapped rooms close. She said to check in the morning because then they would know who was checking out.(They should know the night before). The room was very dirty. Sand on the bedspread, hairs in the bathroom, a hand towel that looked like someone had wiped grease all over it, the rug was all stained, etc. We figured that we would go in the morning and tell them we would take any other room so we didn't call to complain. We were at the front desk at 7:00 the next morning and were informed that a studio right across the street was available (which I'm sure was available the night before) and we would have to pay $25.00 fee for changing the room because they would have to clean it again. I informed the lady that it wasn't cleaned the first time. Without going into great detail - they were not very nice but did agree to change our room - but informed us that "if it happens again you will HAVE to pay the $25.00". I felt like I had committed a crime. The last day of our trip I came down from the third floor room and at the bottom of the steps was a puddle. I slipped and landed on my chest and my arm. Was a little light headed (have had a headache for 5 days now) but got up and went across the street to the hospitality house where I informed them very nicely that I had fallen and a man named John came around the counter and before he asked me if I was okay said - "well that's because you have those flip flops on". I was shaking and found out later that my blood pressure was sky hi. He said that they would call the paramedics was very nasty and said "well are you prepared to go to the hospital and wait several hours because that's what they will want you to do". I think he was worried if it was on record that I might sue them. That's not the kind of person I am - but he could have offered me a seat or a drink of water. I was afraid I wouldn't get my boarding pass printed in time so I waited in line while in pain and he didn't even offer to get the pass printed for me. The paramedics came - while I was in line and they looked at me like I was crazy - being in line after just taking a bad fall. While they checked me out - John then offered to get the boarding pass printed. The person I came with was at the pool - which I told them but they didn't offer to get her. She didn't know where I was for one and a half hours. I went to the pool to relax and a man came up to us - it was weird - and told us that if we wanted to report this incident to send an e-mail to wdw.guestcommunications@disneyworld.com. Or talk to a man named Lee Cockerell - executive vice president of WDW operations. Sorry this is so long - but the man tending to the pool even agreed about the maintenance at the resort. He said they sub it out now and have only half the crew they used to. We pay alot of money in maintenance fees so why are we getting less for it? Thank you for reading my lengthy post - I'm am very frustrated. We have a big family trip planned for November and am anticipating a dirty room.

 

[jaysue]

I have only been a member since Oct. 2004 but have been visiting OKW for a number of years with my husband's brother and family. I absolutely loved this resort and the other resorts. The last two times I was there (Beginning of August and end of Sept.) I was very disappointed. The first time in August - the main was concern was the way we were treated at the front desk and the condition of the room. I called them right away and they changed our room. Also - that visit - the park employees just weren't as kind as they used to be. This is my story about the late September trip. Arrived late on 9/29 at OKW studio. I asked to be near the hospitality house. I know it is not guaranteed - but they put me about as far away as they could. We stood at the counter for 25 minutes and the lady kept finding other rooms - but only handicapped rooms close. She said to check in the morning because then they would know who was checking out.(They should know the night before). The room was very dirty. Sand on the bedspread, hairs in the bathroom, a hand towel that looked like someone had wiped grease all over it, the rug was all stained, etc. We figured that we would go in the morning and tell them we would take any other room so we didn't call to complain. We were at the front desk at 7:00 the next morning and were informed that a studio right across the street was available (which I'm sure was available the night before) and we would have to pay $25.00 fee for changing the room because they would have to clean it again. I informed the lady that it wasn't cleaned the first time. Without going into great detail - they were not very nice but did agree to change our room - but informed us that "if it happens again you will HAVE to pay the $25.00". I felt like I had committed a crime. The last day of our trip I came down from the third floor room and at the bottom of the steps was a puddle. I slipped and landed on my chest and my arm. Was a little light headed (have had a headache for 5 days now) but got up and went across the street to the hospitality house where I informed them very nicely that I had fallen and a man named John came around the counter and before he asked me if I was okay said - "well that's because you have those flip flops on". I was shaking and found out later that my blood pressure was sky hi. He said that they would call the paramedics was very nasty and said "well are you prepared to go to the hospital and wait several hours because that's what they will want you to do". I think he was worried if it was on record that I might sue them. That's not the kind of person I am - but he could have offered me a seat or a drink of water. I was afraid I wouldn't get my boarding pass printed in time so I waited in line while in pain and he didn't even offer to get the pass printed for me. The paramedics came - while I was in line and they looked at me like I was crazy - being in line after just taking a bad fall. While they checked me out - John then offered to get the boarding pass printed. The person I came with was at the pool - which I told them but they didn't offer to get her. She didn't know where I was for one and a half hours. I went to the pool to relax and a man came up to us - it was weird - and told us that if we wanted to report this incident to send an e-mail to wdw.guestcommunications@disneyworld.com. Or talk to a man named Lee Cockerell - executive vice president of WDW operations. Sorry this is so long - but the man tending to the pool even agreed about the maintenance at the resort. He said they sub it out now and have only half the crew they used to. We pay alot of money in maintenance fees so why are we getting less for it? Thank you for reading my lengthy post - I'm am very frustrated. We have a big family trip planned for November and am anticipating a dirty room.

That is horrible - sorry no one had the decency to offer you the level of service and human empathy that one would expect at a resort that is "owned" by the members

Interesting on the mtce being subbed out comment

Cheers
jaysue

 

[jacalynt]

One more comment on my trip - An hour and a half later the water was still at the bottom of the steps and I had to walk through it again. My niece called maintenance and demanded that it be cleaned up and it was. Thanks for your comment.

 

[6IrishDisneyKids]

Interesting about the subbing... we were there two weeks ago and were awakened one morning to the lawn mower man mowing at SEVEN A.M.!!!! This was definitely *not* a magical moment!

 

[jacalynt]

When we were there in August someone mowed the lawn near our unit and four days later they cleaned up the grass clippings or it just blew away. Not a real problem - but not the way it used to be.

 

[Disney Doll]

Sorry about your bad experiences. Thankfully, we've always had a good experience at OKW.

 

[manning]

OK everyone, get your cameras out and start posting!!!!!!!

 

[mommary]

I am getting nervous. Going to OKW next week for the first time as DVC member. I am bringing my sisters and have told them how great its going to be. I hope we're not disappointed!

 

[NMW]

So sorry your trip was less than magical. Hope next time is better!

 

[jmminarik]

OK everyone, get your cameras out and start posting!!!!!!!

Granted, any photograph, especially digital, can be doctored,but why do we as a species never take photos of the deplorable conditions we come across on vacation, only the good ones?

-Joe

 

[rocketriter]

I don't mean to imply that anything that happened to you was your fault. I do recommend that when any of us have an experience this bad, we complain immediately and keep on complaining until we've gotten some kind of satisfaction. If enough members are squeaky wheels (we're owners, after all) then the rocket scientists who decided that outsourcing to a half-sized staff was a good idea will have to rethink their brainstorm.

 

[manning]

Granted, any photograph, especially digital, can be doctored,but why do we as a species never take photos of the deplorable conditions we come across on vacation, only the good ones?

-Joe

Thanks for giving me credit for being that good. I'm the one in first grade who had the crayons taken away and advised never be an artist!!

 

[manning]

Yes, the squeaky wheel does get the grease!!!!!!!

 

[OneMoreTry]

I am getting nervous. Going to OKW next week for the first time as DVC member. I am bringing my sisters and have told them how great its going to be. I hope we're not disappointed!

Odds are way in your favor of having a great trip.

 

[chrissyk]

Very interesting about them subbing out the maintenance...are they doing that at all DVC resorts now? Maybe that explains why I am suddenly noticing cleanliness issues in our unit on every visit.

 

[DisneyAunt]

After reading these posts I too am getting nervous going to OKW. This will bee my first DVC trip and am bringing the whole family and its my Birthday. I want it to be real special. I'm wondering if I should change back to SSR.

 

[jacalynt]

Not sure if every resort is subbing out. This information was given to by a maintenance person who happened to be near our table by the pool after I had fallen. He volunteered the information - I didn't even ask. He mentioned that he was considered just a regular maintenance person and he was in charge before the subbing out took place. Again, anyone with problems or issues at their resort can e-mail Executive vice-president Lee Cockerell at wdw.guestcommunications@disneyworld.com
Thank you for all your responses

 

[Paul in CT]

We have had some maintenance issues from time to time since we joined in 1995 - mostly burned out light bulbs, leaky faucets, wear and tear, but we had cleanliness issues only once. Ironically, it was on our very first visit to OKW. They assigned us to a room that had not been cleaned at all. They "comp'ed" us for dinner at Olivia's while they cleaned it up. It took them a while (after 6:00 PM) so I was not happy about it and wondered what I had gotten into with DVC, but since then we have been very satisfied with the level of cleanliness and wished we had joined sooner when the points were cheaper.

 

[xterratri]

We just spent the weekend at OKW(4 nights) and had a good experience. I didn't notice any cleanliness problems nor did we have any problems with CMs. We were also there 7 nights in May/June and will be back for another 7 nights in December. I'm sorry that the OP had a bad experience but it is not necessarily respresentative of the experience that is being had by all there.

 

[Chuck S]

It rains a lot in Florida, subbing or not, in all the years I've stayed at OKW, I never saw a maintenance CM go around drying up puddles on the sidewalks. I'm sorry the OP fell and was injured, but rain happens and puddles are normally left to dry naturally.