No washer in Studio - what do you do?

[SleepyatDVC]

I've been spoiled always staying at condo style accommodations with washer/dryer. And with 2 kids under 3 a washer seems like a must! Not only that, since there is no maid service with DVC (and other timeshares), we usually do a load of towels every day.

After blowing a whole bunch of points staying 3 nights over a weekend at the Beach Club (just me & dh) and 10 nights in a 2 bedroom at OKW in Nov/Dec., we were thinking of saving on some points by reserving a std.studio at BWV for 9 nights for the week of Memorial Day. This way we'll have enough 2001 points to fit in another trip later on in 2002 without borrowing too many points from next year. (Dec use year)

I would probably never stay in a studio at OKW - the spacious condo style is it's appeal. I thought a studio at BW would be tolerable since it has a more hotel like appeal. It'll be our first stay at BW - bought a resale there.

Where are the laundry facilities? By the pool? What do other DVCers do about laundry when staying in a studio for 9 nights (or more)? Bring enough clothes to not do laundry, bring more clothes in order to do minimal laundry, do laundry every 2 to 3 days while using the pool?

Also, what about towels? Do you find yourself hanging up your towel more carefully on your side of the towel bar after each shower , making a run on the laundry room daily, or ordering towel service? Can you get towels without maid service? How much is it?

So many DVCers say how after staying in a 1 bedroom, you'll have a hard time going back. Totally agree. But after making multiple trips a year, do you have a hard time limiting your trips to one long trip? We are not weekend savers - hate to move around! Dh's vacation days are precious - so we go Fri to following Sun.

I could live without the king bed and the jacuzzi. It's the washer/dryer I'll miss . Trying to decide whether to go for the 1 bedroom while there's availability during the 11 month window.

What would you do? Besides buying more points! Guess we could always start borrowing...

Yeah, planning another trip!

 

[Geubux]

I thought there were laundry facilities available at no cost for DVC members at BWV? You might want to check on that. true, not in room convenience, but the right price.

 

[jimh13432]

We'd usually do laundry every 2 - 3 days while we're in the pool (facilities are generally near the pools).

With the kiddies in tow, you may want to consider paying for extra maid service to handle the towels, sheets, etc. and to offload your burden.

Or............buy more points!!!!!!

 

[PamOKW]

You can get just extra towels without full maid service. It's $6 but I'm not sure if that's for one set (bath, hand wash) or a complete set for the unit. You might want to pack a few mroe clothes since it certainly isn't as convenient using the laundry room (and sometimes you have to wait for a washer).

I agree with your reasoning about doing the studio at BWV vs. OKW. You get your hotel fix at BWV.

 

[janiejo]

At the BWV, the laundry room is on one, just near the elevators. There is no charge to use the washer/dryer - you will just need to purchase your own soap. You can pay housekeeping $25 to clean the studio, which would give you new towels. I am sending my girls for their spring break, first time staying in a studio, and I've decided to order the extra towels, plus pay to have the studio serviced for housekeeping three times through the week. That way they will always have clean towels daily - and it won't cost that much extra! The $6 charge for towels includes 4 bath towels, 4 washcloths, 2 hand towels, and 1 bath mat. Hope this helps! Enjoy your first stay at BWV.

 

[cseca]

When we stayed at OKW we did our laundry at the laundry place near the pool, no charge, just have to bring soap.
Have fun!

 

[DisneyHumbug]

We very carefully hung our towels so they would dry while we were out during the day. And with 3 teens it was no problem telling them to pack extra so we wouldn't have to do laundry!! But I like the idea of $6 for extra towels - I will definitely do that next time! Do you need to order that ahead of time?

 

[Lisa F]

We stay in a studio most of the time at the BWV, and sometimes for stays of up to two weeks. In the winter when it sometimes gets very cold, we can blow through a whole week's worth of clothes in 3 or 4 days just by layering.

My husband and I have no problem using the BWV washers and dryers. As someone mentioned before, it's on the first floor near the elevators which is also conveniently located to both the boardwalk and the Luna Park pool. I don't know if this will work if you have kids, but we like to do our laundry in the evening. We toss our stuff in to the washers, synchronize our watches and head out to the BW to hang out, get an icecream, shop, catch whatever shows are happening. Then we switch our stuff to the dryers and go back out and do more of the same. Before you know it, your clothes are done and you've spent a lovely evening at the BW. Maybe we'll have to try the pool next time, I didn't even think of that (but it's usually too cold for the pool in january!)

Lisa

 

[RweTHEREyet]

While at OKW over July 4th week, we did laundry after being there about 4 days. There are washers and dryers for use at no charge by the swimming pools. We went to the Parks that morning, came back for break. I filled up all the washers, hopped in the pool and relaxed while everything was washing and drying.

We have only stayed in a studio and are not used to having the convenience of a washer and dryer in the room with us.

 

[PamOKW]

I filled up all the washers,

Hence my comment about sometimes having to wait for a washer to be available.

 

[RweTHEREyet]

We were at the quiet pool, and all the washers consisted of 2. I probably would not have filled up all the washers if there had been signs of other people doing laundry. However, no one was doing laundry when we got there and no one entered the room to even get ice when we were there.

I wonder if there are more than 2 washers around at the big pool?

 

[Mickey527]

I stayed at the WL Villas in June and loved everything about it. I always wind up doing a load of laundry no matter how much we bring with us because someone always seems to spill on their favorite clothes. It is never the old ugly things that get the ketchup stains is it?
I went to the arcade and stocked up on quarters. I had packed the little Tide caplets,and my little samples of Downey that I save for travel. What a suprise it was to have free laundry facilities. That was great.
And I never hang any of my clothes, everything I bring fits into the dressers, so I hang our towels up on the hangers in the closet. The ones with the little clothespins for skirts and slacks work great. You can either transfer these towels to the bathroom while you are at the parks and leave the fan/light on to circulate the air, or hang them in the closet. Or if you are lucky enough to have a balcony you might be able to hang them outside to air dry.
I used the closet and I never had a wet towel the next day. Peggie

 

[ErinC]

Where are the laundry facilities located at VWL?

 

[SnowWitch]

My boys and I just had our first stay in a studio in June. We have always stayed in 1 and 2 bedr but hubby had to leave early so I couldn't justify having a1 bedroom without hubby there. We used the washers on the first floor, I believe there are 3 washers and 6 dryers. It wasn't that bad of a hassle. Something else I noticed at VB abd the BWV's we recieved towels on day 3 inside of day 4, for the 3 of us it worked fine. Save the points and have a great trip!

 

[Denine]

We do laundry 2 times usually during a 10 day stay. we coordinate it with a nice relaxing morning at the pool.

 

[dumbo33]

We stayed at BWV this past July. The washer and dryer are on the first floor with two washers, actually three, one was a heavy duty washer, but didn't work. They have 6 dryers and all are free, just need to supply the detergent. We did laundry twice in 9 days, and had no trouble. However some people came in behind us and had to wait to use the washers.
As far as towels, yes we did hang them up carefully after use. If we needed more we took towels from the pools. Hope no one minds, but it gave us extra towels since some of us like to use two towels to dry off. Have fun

 

[msdis]

We hang our towels up each day on the retractable clothes line in the shower. I bring clothes pins from home and it works great. I too have hung them up in the closet on the hangers with pins and left the fan going. The laundry facilities are a great solution to packing less if that's what you accept but they can also be an inconvenience too since there are only a few and timing is not always good. We use them for long trips since we also cart a lot of food since we do not rent a car. The extra bag we would have used for clothes now carries food. I also know that at the end of a long trip I only have to wash 1/2 as many clothes when I get home.

 

[SleepyatDVC]

Thanks for all your responses!

I am sure we're going to keep our studio reservation and not try for a one bedroom. Saving up those points! They give you trash & towel service on the fourth day? We should have no problem reusing our towels 'til then.

We'll probably be spending lots of time by the pool with the kids so I'll have plenty of time to do a load of laundry if needed. Guess I was obsessing too much. It's not if we'll have tons & tons of laundry!

Time for me to obsess and worry about something else now! Lol

 

[prncssjas]

Instead of buying more points, which is costly, how about buying more clothing and never washing a single thing?! LOL!!! A new reason to invest a larger wardrobe! LOL!! In all seriousness, good luck with the washing and drying.

 

[Reigate]

We have never stayed at the Wilderness Lodge Villas but will be there for 11 days in January. Where are the laundry facilities located and are they free of cost also?