OKW with wheelchair and ECV

[tink15823]

I’m sure this has been addressed and sorry for asking again . We are new to all of this our home is Rivera. How ever we would like to book 2 studios at OKW . My son insisted we are unable to stay their as they are not handicap accessible . I find it hard to believe that Disney would make units non wheelchair accessible. Any tips or hints would be great . We have only stayed in one DVC and it was Boardwalk .

 

[MICKIMINI]

Yes, there are handicap accessible villas at OKW and all DVC resorts and villa sizes. Check the box "Show me rooms with Full Availability Only" when you make the reservation and keep your fingers crossed. Waitlist is an option. You should also call OKW directly and they will help you with room requests for your situation. I always request first floor and a walk in shower and close access to a bus stop. I also bring a suction cup grab bar with me (get at any hardware type big box store) in case I have to step into a tub and even a non accessible walk in shower. You can request a shower chair, which is handy in the bathroom even if you don't use it in the shower. I have found the CM's incredibly understanding and they will go out of their way to help you get what you need to have a safe and enjoyable stay. Have a great visit!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Most of the buildings do not have elevators, so you would either need a first floor studio (and most are located at the ends of the building, so don't plan on them being close) or you would need a studio in one of the three buildings with an elevator. Don't book Near Hospitality House category if you need an elevator. There are none in that category.

If you try to call OKW directly, you'll get the call center. If you are booking through MS, tell them you need a first floor or elevator building since you have a wheelchair and scooter. If you need HCA, you need to book that. You will get a shower with a fold down seat, but no tub in that studio. All studios at OKW have two queen beds, no sleeper sofas.

 

[tink15823]

Thank you everyone we have a few mo . As our home is Rivera an we want to go in October.

 

[BillPA]

You should book at RIV now and see if you can switch later.

 

[Chuck S]

I pushed my Mom in a manual chair in the parks for years. We always stayed at OKW. We never had a problem getting a ground floor unit and made sure it was the first priority listed in our requests with Member Services. Sometimes we were given HA modified units, which we didn't require as she was ambulatory in the room, sometimes we were given non-HA rooms on the first floor. It just depends what is available.

You shouldn't have a problem at OKW...that said, there are occasional glitches.

Our requests, in order of priority, were always:

1) Ground floor or elevator building
2) Near Transportation
3) Personal favorite area Bldgs 30 to 35

Got ground floor 100% of the time, never got an elevator building.
Near Transportation about 85% of the time
Requested buildings about 70% of the time

 

[Spridell]

As mentioned above DO NOT book "near hospitality"

I travel with someone who can not walk up stairs but does not require an actual "accessible room".

I book online and then call MS and tell them to put a note in my reservation "due to medical reasons need a first floor".

Have never had any problems by doing that.

 

[Simba's Mom]

1) Ground floor or elevator building
2) Near Transportation
3) Personal favorite area Bldgs 30 to 35

Got ground floor 100% of the time, never got an elevator building.
Near Transportation about 85% of the time
Requested buildings about 70% of the time

View attachment 461946

So glad to hear that you got first floor every time. I've been hesitant to stay at OKW since I need an ECV, and my knees won't allow me to walk up stairs. I wasn't happy that at OKW, the need for first floor is a request, not a requirement. Yet, we only got an elevator building once-and that was when we were moved because we complained about our first room. I wonder what the secret is to getting an elevator building!

 

[Novatrix]

I think the problem is too many guests want the elevator buildings, whether they really require them or not, leading to a lot of demand with not much supply.

I know with OKW, they will not guarantee a ground floor reservation even on medical grounds if you have not booked a wheelchair accessible room. Not a risk I've been willing to take when my mother travels with me.

 

[Chuck S]

I think the problem is too many guests want the elevator buildings, whether they really require them or not, leading to a lot of demand with not much supply.

I know with OKW, they will not guarantee a ground floor reservation even on medical grounds if you have not booked a wheelchair accessible room. Not a risk I've been willing to take when my mother travels with me.

Weird thing is, on my trip last month, I traveled with a friend that has bad knees and also needed ground floor, we got both ground floor AND elevator building 64. Convenient location, as we always have purchases sent to the gift shop from the parks. For the foreseeable future, I will probably be traveling with friends that are ambulatory, but can't do stairs, so as long as we get ground floor we'll be happy.

Yes, they aren't guaranteed, but remember, more than 1/3 of the rooms at OKW are ground floor, so the odds are always excellent you will get one if needed...the exception being Grand Villas, only ONE grand villa has a ground floor entrance, and there are two with elevator access in building 63...so only 3 GVs at OKW are good for people that can't use stairs...and even then the 2nd floors of the GVs still have stairs. I can also tell that in a few years, my knees won't like stairs anymore, either. For now, I do OK, as long as I can take the time and remember to step up with the good leg, down with the bad. The right leg, that was bitten by a rattlesnake several years ago, is gradually getting worse from both nerve damage and plain ol' fashioned aging.

 

[BobNed]

In all my many stays at OKW there has only been one time we did not get ground floor (after requesting it for medical reasons). The CM at check-in said the request was noted and he worked enough magic to get us moved without question. Now we did have to wait a while, but that was not a problem.

 

[Simba's Mom]

In all my many stays at OKW there has only been one time we did not get ground floor (after requesting it for medical reasons). The CM at check-in said the request was noted and he worked enough magic to get us moved without question. Now we did have to wait a while, but that was not a problem.

Thanks so much-it makes me feel better. OKW is DH's favorite resort by far, and I feel kind of guilty that my situation (needing first floor or the uncommon elevator at OKW) makes me reluctant to stay there.

 

[wdwsue]

We just stayed at OKW, our home resort from Dec. 30 to Jan 5th. We were staying in a grand villa and I requested a elevator building or first floor. We did not need a handicapped room just that my husband couldn't climb stairs due to breathing problems. I received a call about a week before our stay and was told they could not give me our requests. My husband ended up not going because of this. We have been members since 1995. When my daughters went to the front desk to get charging privileges straightened out on their account they ended up speaking to a manager and told him they were not happy about not getting our request. The manager told them that the original owners from 1991 are "cherished friends" and they get the rooms they want. It was very disheartening to hear this. I guess since we didn't buy until 1995 we are just garbage.

 

[Chuck S]

We just stayed at OKW, our home resort from Dec. 30 to Jan 5th. We were staying in a grand villa and I requested a elevator building or first floor. We did not need a handicapped room just that my husband couldn't climb stairs due to breathing problems. I received a call about a week before our stay and was told they could not give me our requests. My husband ended up not going because of this. We have been members since 1995. When my daughters went to the front desk to get charging privileges straightened out on their account they ended up speaking to a manager and told him they were not happy about not getting our request. The manager told them that the original owners from 1991 are "cherished friends" and they get the rooms they want. It was very disheartening to hear this. I guess since we didn't buy until 1995 we are just garbage.

I'm sorry you had issues getting a Grand Villa without stairs, but there is an explanation, and it has nothing to do with being a member longer.

Grand VIllas are a totally different animal. There are only 3 Grand Villas that would meet your needs. 1 is a ground floor unit, and the other 2 are in elevator building 63. And you traveled during the single busiest time for Walt Disney World. And all three of them are in the handicap modified booking category and need to be specifically booked as a handicap unit at the time of booking. All other GVs are entered via the 2nd floor of buildings with stairs.