What is your worst DVC experience?

[Andrea964]

My worst experience was our last trip. I am a big fan of SSR, I just love that area because we stayed in the Fairway Villas over there before it was even the Disney Institute. So excited for this trim and but when we came in late around the first night we walk into the studio in the Paddock area and all we could smell was smoke and mildew. It was disgusting and I was so disappointed because we stayed in the Grandstands the last time, and LOVED it.

We walked over to customer service the next morning to change rooms, but they said the were booked. However, the best CM could get us a new room the second night (she was super sweet and helpful) and she was going to send someone over to clean out the smoke smell. After being at the parks all day, we come home to smell febreeze throughout the room (not very helpful!)

We did get to change rooms for the third and fourth night, still in the Paddock area (which I would definitely request the Grandstand area next time), and while it wasn't the best room, we were happy that it didn't smell like smoke!

[wdwmom]

Originally Posted by OttawaMum

Yeah, I've had this problem on most of my DVC stays, some versions have been worse than others.



I really wish there was a system that allowed you to call and say, "we're leaving and the room is now available for cleaning". On our last trip OW called Bell Services to help take our bags up to the Hospitality House and they came 30 min before we'd asked for them -- plus, we'd asked for them to come earlier than they needed to because we didn't want to be worrying about being late for the ME bus.

About 20 seconds after she (and the bags) left mousekeeping banged on the door and came in (without any pause) shouting "mousekeeping". Well, OttawaBoy and I had stayed back to walk up closer to the bus since he was asleep at the time. I was not impressed!

In some ways I get it, though, the fact that Bell Services had come was an indicator and since it's the only way for them to get possible information they use it. But, it's not good enough info. Why not just create an extension you can call and leave a message that says "room XXXX is ready to be cleaned". Yes, there are people who call mousekeeping to say this, but, mousekeeping operates on the assumption that they don't know and are interupting all kinds of people before they want to be bugged.


I think that my worst experience, as I think about this right now, is likely the overnight spent vomiting followed by the vomiting 6 month old and the two of us lying around the room while OW was bored and trying to take care of us.

There is a way for the front desk to know your arrival and departure time - It's called online check in. When you check in on-line they ask for your arrival and departure times. Since on-line check in, we have had our rooms ready when we arrive; usually around 11am. They also know when we are leaving and should be able to clean our room shortly after we leave which is always before 11am.

We have only had 2 DVC related "bad" experiences. Neither made us feel our trip was ruined but definitely learned a few things.


The first one was our very first DVC trip. We rented points ($3/pt) from DH's boss. OUr first 2 nights were in a 2 bdrm at OKW. Imagine how much room we had with a 1.5 yo, 3 yo and 6yo. We loved it there and were sad to leave. Then we moved to a 1 bdrm at BWV. What a let down as far as size of room. Now the bad parts. At OKW the dish soap is kept above in the upper cabinets. At BWV it is/was under the sink. While I was unpacking DS1 took a nice chug of dish soap (DH was in charge) and we had to call Poison Control. No harm, just some weird poop was to be expected. Then the breaker panel door fell on same said DS a couple days later. He had a couple cuts on him, but nothing we needed to seek treatment for. We had a double stroller and we were on the top floor last room on the end. Furtherest point from the elevator. It took us forever to get anywhere and we couldn't use the stairs. And because we were unfamilar with DVC, we didn't know we needed to take care of our trash and we had 2 boys in diapers and no one came to take care of our trash. Now that is on us, but after the incidents with DS and all the walking we had to do, we were not happy. On the last full day I was in the lobby and saw a comment card and filled in out and turned it in. Later that night cookies and milk showed up in our room. This was in 1998 and bought our own DVC on that trip at OKW. We have never been back to BWV either.

The other experience we had was with KTTW cards at OKW. We were in a 2 bdrm and had family staying with us and that was coming and going. We put everyone on the room with check out days. Well, every time someone checked in or out, the rest of our keys wouldn't work for charging or to get in our room. Now we didn't connect to dots until the end of our stay but the front desk should have. I think we were at the desk just about every other day with cards not working. I finally got so mad after my card was declined a WL while pool hopping. The manager there was very helpful, but couldn't really do anything since we were not staying at his resort, although we did get new cards there. Then I went back to OKW and let them know how mad I was and how agraviting and time consuming this had been. They offered us VIP seating for Illuminations, but we no longer had park tickets we could use. He then gave us enough one day tickets for our party to use also. At the time I was OK with that, but looking back we really deserved more for the hassle it caused us all over the World.

[newtodvc55]

Being fairly new to DVC(hence the name), I have not had any negative experiences at all in any of my DVC stays. I have only stayed at BLT, SSR, and BCV. All were great, except the BCV view was horrible and we had a crane/workers outside our window the entire time. That is the only thing I can think of, hardly enough to classify the trip as negative. I can think of one stay at the Poly that comes in that catagory though.

[OttawaMum]

Originally Posted by wdwmom

There is a way for the front desk to know your arrival and departure time - It's called online check in. When you check in on-line they ask for your arrival and departure times. Since on-line check in, we have had our rooms ready when we arrive; usually around 11am. They also know when we are leaving and should be able to clean our room shortly after we leave which is always before 11am.

I'm glad that works for you. But, it's clearly not working as the system for mousekeeping to know or else they wouldn't keep walking in on people. (Believe me, the recent post-bell services walk in is not the only one we've experienced. The worst was at VWL when we were asleep and they entered the room before 8am when we were booked on a ME bus around 2 in the afternoon.)

Plus, online check-in only allows me to check in for stays booked with one of my membership numbers. For the other one it tells me that I have no reservation with that number booked with my first membership number. (To which I say, "yes, but, what about the other membership number, and what about the fact that I got here by clicking on the reservation?!")

[hurricaneb]

The only bad experience (other than people getting sick) was at Boardwalk. In our room you could hear every time anyone flushed a toilet or used water. The pipes were LOUD!!!! It made it hard to sleep.

[MuppetMom]

Last July while our family was staying at BCV I decided to spend the afternoon on the balcony while DH, DD3 and DS7 had their afternoon nap. I never saw the bug coming, but something bit me. In a matter of minutes I my arm was swelling. Woke up everyone and got help. (DH decided that we should walk to Epcot for help - my arm was huge by the time we got there) I ended up on steroids for the next 10 days of our trip - great part you can get prescriptions delivered to Disney for you.

I am staying away from the balconies at BCV in the future.

[mikron]

didn't get in the room until 10 PM. That isn't bad for all the years we have been going to Disney.

[OttawaMum]

Originally Posted by mikron

didn't get in the room until 10 PM. That isn't bad for all the years we have been going to Disney.

We had one of those. We checked in at 7am, but, they never assigned a room to us. It was after 1am before we had a room. We probably should have gone back the next day when a manager would have been on duty, to complain, but, it didn't occur to us at the time.

[Disnydad]

Originally Posted by Bmwdsny

My Worst DVC experience was: At Old Key West!! We had a 1 Bedroom villa and our 1st night sleeping in the BR, i sneezed all night long..couldn't stop!! Never happened to me like that before!!
It was discovered that the bed posts and under the bed, behind the tv, behind dressers, were caked with DUST, unbelievable!! I could sworn it was an inch HIGH!! We demended to switch rooms but it all booked so the housekeeper spent the entire day cleaning the whole villa-- top and bottom..had the cleanest room ever for rest of stay!!!!

Had a room like that once, but it was at the Polynesian.

[wdwmom]

Originally Posted by OttawaMum

I'm glad that works for you. But, it's clearly not working as the system for mousekeeping to know or else they wouldn't keep walking in on people. (Believe me, the recent post-bell services walk in is not the only one we've experienced. The worst was at VWL when we were asleep and they entered the room before 8am when we were booked on a ME bus around 2 in the afternoon.)

Plus, online check-in only allows me to check in for stays booked with one of my membership numbers. For the other one it tells me that I have no reservation with that number booked with my first membership number. (To which I say, "yes, but, what about the other membership number, and what about the fact that I got here by clicking on the reservation?!")

Yes it is working for us, and I am guessing this is the reason. Before on-line check in, we always waited until 2-3 pm to get our room. Since on-line check in, we have always gotten in when we arrived. We always stay at OKW, so maybe they use the online as a guide or we have just been lucky.

If they are not using it, they should! It is a great tool for mousekeeping to be able to use. They know when people are leaving so they shouldn't bother them, and they know who is arriving when and have the rooms cleaned using the system. But who knows. I am very efficiency minded and this all makes sense to me, but I have no idea if Disney uses it to their benefit to the fullest.

We have 2 membership numbers too. We have 2 trips coming up each using different numbers. I will have to check and see if we have this problem. As far as I know we don't. I think I would call MS and have them connect you with IT if possible to straighten it out.