Letter about AKL refurbishment starting 5 January 2016

[ford91exploder]

Anyone else get the letter about refurbishment at AKL starting 5 January?, Once again the geniuses at WDW start a refurb in the middle of a major event (WDW Marathon)

Supposedly this is an 'update' of the furniture/carpets at AKL, Anyone want to bet the themed furniture is on its way out to be replaced by furnishings one can find at your local Motel 6? along the lines of the 'de-furbishments' we've seen so far at other DVC resorts.

We all know 'Diznee is a Bizness' but I did not buy AKL to stay in rooms with cheap generic furniture even though this allows the accountaneers to leverage volume purchasing.

The replacement of the themed dinnerware with dinnerware which can be found at the enlisted men's mess was bad enough. Now another so called 'refresh' is under way.

 

[Tom]

When, exactly, should they undertake all the refurbs they do? Should they squeeze every single one of them between the many minor events that are held on property?

A marathon is hardly a reason to not refurbish some hotel rooms. They have to choose a time, and they chose to wait until the holidays are over, which is the right thing to do.

I'm anxious to see what the new interior finishes look like.

 

[ford91exploder]

When, exactly, should they undertake all the refurbs they do? Should they squeeze every single one of them between the many minor events that are held on property?

A marathon is hardly a reason to not refurbish some hotel rooms. They have to choose a time, and they chose to wait until the holidays are over, which is the right thing to do.

I'm anxious to see what the new interior finishes look like.

How about AFTER the huge event like a REAL hotel chain does. You will not find the NYC hotels starting a refurb project on Fashion Week or Thanksgiving week.

Just another indicator that Disney no longer gives a damn about the guest experience.

 

[Bolt]

How about AFTER the huge event like a REAL hotel chain does. You will not find the NYC hotels starting a refurb project on Fashion Week or Thanksgiving week.

Just another indicator that Disney no longer gives a damn about the guest experience.

And here's my money for my stay at DAKL. BUT IM STILL MAD!

 

[Hakunamatata]

How about AFTER the huge event like a REAL hotel chain does. You will not find the NYC hotels starting a refurb project on Fashion Week or Thanksgiving week.

Just another indicator that Disney no longer gives a damn about the guest experience.

I was in and out of different hotels between Dallas, Ft Worth, and OKC between Thanksgiving and last week. Three were just starting renovations.

 

[yepitsandy]

So you have no idea what the actual new stuff is going to look like, but you've already made up your mind so it must be horrible. Gotcha.

 

[ford91exploder]

And here's my money for my stay at DAKL. BUT IM STILL MAD!

When you scheduled it 11 months out and they send you a letter 2 weeks in advance of your stay so you cannot change your accomodations in time yeah I'm mad. And note it's a grand villa so alternate accomodations are not happening in time for the marathon.

Time to sell DVC interests I think for 15 years it's been fun but the past 3 have been hell.

 

[Bolt]

When you scheduled it 11 months out and they send you a letter 2 weeks in advance of your stay so you cannot change your accomodations in time yeah I'm mad. And note it's a grand villa so alternate accomodations are not happening in time for the marathon.

Time to sell DVC interests I think for 15 years it's been fun but the past 3 have been hell.

Yay more availability!

 

[yepitsandy]

Yay more availability!

I think really this all means that Disney should never do any renovations or refurbishments ever, because it might slightly inconvenience any of the 18 million annual visitors.

 

[Zummi Gummi]

I don't work in the hotel industry, so someone correct me if I'm wrong...

If the refurbishment is simply to replace carpets and furniture in guest rooms, how will this inconvenience guests staying there? Presumably they won't sell the rooms they plan to be refurbishing. I have always been under the impression these get done in stages- like one hallway at a time. I highly doubt anyone will be knocking on your door during your stay demanding you empty out the dresser so it can be swapped out.

 

[Hakunamatata]

I don't work in the hotel industry, so someone correct me if I'm wrong...

If the refurbishment is simply to replace carpets and furniture in guest rooms, how will this inconvenience guests staying there? Presumably they won't sell the rooms they plan to be refurbishing. I have always been under the impression these get done in stages- like one hallway at a time. I highly doubt anyone will be knocking on your door during your stay demanding you empty out the dresser so it can be swapped out.

Absolutely correct. I travel for business @ 180 hotel nights a year. Usually one side/end of one floor at a time. About the only time there is any impact on customers is when common areas are being updated. Usually guest check in will be moved to the first guest room on the first floor next to a side exit while lobby areas are updated.

 

[wdwmagic]

When, exactly, should they undertake all the refurbs they do? Should they squeeze every single one of them between the many minor events that are held on property?

A marathon is hardly a reason to not refurbish some hotel rooms. They have to choose a time, and they chose to wait until the holidays are over, which is the right thing to do.

I'm anxious to see what the new interior finishes look like.

Yep it is sandwiched in between the end of the Christmas season and the Spring period. The entire refurb project including the Concierge Lounge redo will be 7 months.

 

[ScoutN]

I don't work in the hotel industry, so someone correct me if I'm wrong...

If the refurbishment is simply to replace carpets and furniture in guest rooms, how will this inconvenience guests staying there? Presumably they won't sell the rooms they plan to be refurbishing. I have always been under the impression these get done in stages- like one hallway at a time. I highly doubt anyone will be knocking on your door during your stay demanding you empty out the dresser so it can be swapped out.

Not to mention it is nothing for a flight of stairs on a DCL vessel to be down at any given time during a port day (NASSAU included which still has high volume on ship as it is better than NASSAU most times), evenings or mornings, and other random times replacing carpets. I cannot complain about carpets being changed vs letting them get ragged until the utmost low traffic time. In DCL's case, all you have to do is look at the ship in port beside other lines to see it does pay off.

 

[MonorailLover]

I don't work in the hotel industry, so someone correct me if I'm wrong...

If the refurbishment is simply to replace carpets and furniture in guest rooms, how will this inconvenience guests staying there? Presumably they won't sell the rooms they plan to be refurbishing. I have always been under the impression these get done in stages- like one hallway at a time. I highly doubt anyone will be knocking on your door during your stay demanding you empty out the dresser so it can be swapped out.

You're absolutely correct, no ones getting kicked out of the room, and there aren't any jack hammers ripping up the building, this shouldn't necessarily inconvenience the guests already in a booked room. Worst case, they'll move you mid vacation, but that's only happened to me twice, and the first one I got 2 nights free, and the other one, I got the whole hotel payment paid in-full.

 

[Marlins1]

You're absolutely correct, no ones getting kicked out of the room, and there aren't any jack hammers ripping up the building, this shouldn't necessarily inconvenience the guests already in a booked room. Worst case, they'll move you mid vacation, but that's only happened to me twice, and the first one I got 2 nights free, and the other one, I got the whole hotel payment paid in-full.

Wow - sign me up for that deal!

 

[hpyhnt 1000]

Less concerned about the timing (as has been said ad nauseam on here - there is no clear quiet season anymore) as I am about what the new updates will look like. AKL is just about the "perfect" Disney resort in terms of theming and ambiance; would be a shame to see it lose any of that.

 

[jakeman]

I thought this guy was going sell his 5 trillion DVC points three vacations ago?

 

[Marlins1]

Less concerned about the timing (as has been said ad nauseam on here - there is no clear quiet season anymore) as I am about what the new updates will look like. AKL is just about the "perfect" Disney resort in terms of theming and ambiance; would be a shame to see it lose any of that.

Very true - it is one of the best resorts I have ever stayed in, not just in theme parks but anywhere.

 

[jaklgreen]

So people complain about how Disney needs to refurbish things but then complain that things are getting refurbished? So what you are really saying is that they need to keep things new and fresh on your schedule and the way you like it only. Geez, it doesn't sound very good when I say it that way does it?

 

[Goofyque']

My guess would have been that now is the time, based on what I would assume will be an uptick in reservation once RoL starts.