OKW Grand Villa with scooter

[Peter Johnson]

We're taking the kids and grandkids to OKW for Christmas week , and we're staying in a GV for the first time. I understand that the GVs are almost all second-floor entrances. My DW and possibly one or two others will have a scooter. She/they can go up a flight of stairs to the entrance, so that's not a problem. But what do we do with the scooters when we're in the GV?

Thanks!

 

[Ensusieasm]

We're taking the kids and grandkids to OKW for Christmas week , and we're staying in a GV for the first time. I understand that the GVs are almost all second-floor entrances. My DW and possibly one or two others will have a scooter. She/they can go up a flight of stairs to the entrance, so that's not a problem. But what do we do with the scooters when we're in the GV?

Thanks!

Last year a member of our party had an electric scooter and we were told to park it on the first level wherever we could find an electrical outlet. We did find one (there aren’t many) and parked it there every day for a week. It was right next to someone else’s door! And that made it seem rude to park it there. It was covered by a roof overhead but still it was outdoors and exposed to wind driven rain. Finding outlets for two scooters will be challenging. You should bring a huge plastic covering for it. We didn’t have that.
Saratoga grand villas are much better for those with scooters because even though they are two story both levels have an entrance to the hallway, and can be reached by an elevator.

 

[mom2missmous]

Last year a member of our party had an electric scooter and we were told to park it on the first level wherever we could find an electrical outlet. We did find one (there aren’t many) and parked it there every day for a week. It was right next to someone else’s door! And that made it seem rude to park it there. It was covered by a roof overhead but still it was outdoors and exposed to wind driven rain. Finding outlets for two scooters will be challenging. You should bring a huge plastic covering for it. We didn’t have that.
Saratoga grand villas are much better for those with scooters because even though they are two story both levels have an entrance to the hallway, and can be reached by an elevator.

Having to park right next to someone ELSE'S door- yes that would make me uncomfortable if it was my scooter as you mentioned ( and annoyed if I were the family having to go in and out my villa around it!) Wish Disney could find a better solution - maybe make a very nearby parking alcove for scooters with plugs even if it means adding on a little sheltered covered piece to building . No one should be put in the awkward position you were in.

 

[🍀TwinsMom]

We literally JUST toured OKW GV,, and my husband uses a scooter. Our guide showed us building 62's GV. It does enter from the 2nd floor, but they have an elevator. If I recall correctly, 64 also has an elevator, but IDK if they have a GV. If you can call as soon as you book and let them know you have two scooters, they should be able to hook you up.

The OKW GV is AMAZING. Not only is it huge, but it feels so restful with the layout. We did a one-bedroom for the first time over July 4th in building 12, first floor with a scooter, and it was so close to HH/pool/Good's/Olivia's, etc. 62 is right around the landscaping by the bell services, so not far to get to everything, either.

 

[Ensusieasm]

We literally JUST toured OKW GV,, and my husband uses a scooter. Our guide showed us building 62's GV. It does enter from the 2nd floor, but they have an elevator. If I recall correctly, 64 also has an elevator, but IDK if they have a GV. If you can call as soon as you book and let them know you have two scooters, they should be able to hook you up.

The OKW GV is AMAZING. Not only is it huge, but it feels so restful with the layout. We did a one-bedroom for the first time over July 4th in building 12, first floor with a scooter, and it was so close to HH/pool/Good's/Olivia's, etc. 62 is right around the landscaping by the bell services, so not far to get to everything, either.

A few buildings do have elevators. We requested one with an elevator and told them about the scooter. However it is only a request and never guaranteed. They could not accommodate our request

 

[Her Dotness]

After seeing three unsupervised kids (approx. age range 3-7) playing on a scooter parked in a VGF hallway, I am very much on the side of don't do it.

One kid had a cup and splashed something on the foot platform and seat. The others were fiddling with the controls and trying to climb onto the steering mechanism. Essentially, they acted like it was playground equipment.

I agree it's unsightly and potentially is a safety hazard should there be a need to evacuate.

Additionally, trying to cover a scooter in case of rain is ill-advised. Splash-up or windblown rain can damage batteries.

 

[Simba's Mom]

We're taking the kids and grandkids to OKW for Christmas week , and we're staying in a GV for the first time. I understand that the GVs are almost all second-floor entrances. My DW and possibly one or two others will have a scooter. She/they can go up a flight of stairs to the entrance, so that's not a problem. But what do we do with the scooters when we're in the GV?

Thanks!

We've also stayed in a 3 BR GV at OKW, and I use a scooter. The only GV's which are second-floor entrances and not in the elevator buildings are HA ones, so that's what we reserved. There are only 3 HA GV at OKW-one in Southpoint area, either building 47 or 48 (I forget which), and the other 2 in building 63. We were in building 63, second floor, a perfect location and perfect view. The elevator was big enough for 5 of us to go in (one was a baby in a stroller, so we had an ECV as well as a stroller and the 5 of us) and the other 2 took the stairs. The downstairs has 2 showers, one of which was HA, but otherwise not much difference from non-HA GVs.

 

[Chuck S]

We had a scooter in our party a couple of years ago. Knowing the GV situation, I reserved an HA GV about a month prior to what we needed and walked the reservation forward daily to be sure we had it for our travel dates. Knowing that ADA laws have changed since 1990, when OKW opened, I'm still a little surprised more consideration wasn't given to scooter/wheelchair needs during the design phase of the resort in the late 1980s, given how good Diisney has historically been at accommodating guests on wheels. My Mom needed a wheelchair for many years at OKW (she was a small woman, pushing a manual chair was no problem) and we never had issues getting a first floor unit, sometimes they put us in HA, but we really didn't need it. You'd think someone would've thought of that either in the design stage or the early building phase, like when they changed the bathroom door to the laundry room in newer buildings. They could have retrofitted a handful more GV buildings with elevators.