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View Full Version : Laundry Situation-FREE to ALL??



DisneyWhirled
06-19-2007, 08:53 PM
We had our first DVC stay at WL last month. We stayed in a studio and had to use the laundry facilities.

I ran into a woman while doing laundry and decided to strike up a conversation. I said something to the effect that, "you must be a DVC member also?" She replied that she was not and that she was originally booked at another resort and her travel agent found a great rate on a one bedroom unit @ WL.

Now, I understand that CRO has inventory available to travellers, but, should a person booking a cash rate be eligible to use DVC FREE laundry??

I thought that Free laundry was a "perk" for DVC members? If that is the case, they should have a key card entry to the laundry room (maybe swiping your member id or entering your member id#), or, provide the DVC member with special coins to operate the machines, based on proving their membership.

I realize that some people rent their points to non DVC members, so I am not exactly sure the proper way to police this, but I am sure something could be put into place.

Do you think that our member dues is paying for FREE laundry?

wendy*darling
06-19-2007, 09:44 PM
The first thing I find odd about this situation is that all of the 1 and 2 bedroom villas have a washer/dryer IN the villa. There is no reason that she needed to come to a community laundry room!

I have not used the laundry while staying in a studio yet. I guess I thought they did need a keycard access. I think that would be a good idea.

Raye3201
06-19-2007, 10:12 PM
I've used the laundry at BCV when staying in a studio - and was surprised to see no key access. I found out about the laundry here on Intercot and had stayed many times before and paid to do laundry.
I agree that it should be card access for DVC members only. It seems that Disney is forgetting about the DVC members lately and making all sorts of perks for everyone but us. We met a couple on our last trip and they said that when they first joined DVC as OKW members, the perks were much better. :mickey:

locodemickey
06-19-2007, 10:19 PM
I think it's OK for someone staying at the Villas to use the complementary laundry but I don't like the fact that anyone can use them without an ID etc. For example, someone from the BC could come over to the Villas and do their laundry for free. Or from the WL to the VWL. Why should I care??? This would make the few machines that they have, difficult to be available. I don't want to have to wait for non-Villa people to do their laundry. Maybe they could give you some tokens to use in the machines...

kakn7294
06-19-2007, 11:51 PM
I don't belong to the DVC and I didn't know that laundry was free - nice little perk. However, if I were either paying cash or renting points at any DVC resort, I would expect that I too could use the laundry facilities for free since I would be paying for the use of all the same amenities as a DVC member is paying for. That said, I can see the point that without resort ID access to the facilities, anyone could come in and use them so I agree that access should be tied to your resort ID to prevent unauthorized use of the facilities. For myself, I would have to be really financially strapped to want to haul my laundry to a DVC resort to do laundry for free though!

DisneyWhirled
06-20-2007, 08:53 AM
Maybe I misunderstood, and she was in a DVC studio unit. Nonetheless, they were not DVC members...

locodemickey
06-20-2007, 09:27 AM
I don't belong to the DVC and I didn't know that laundry was free - nice little perk. However, if I were either paying cash or renting points at any DVC resort, I would expect that I too could use the laundry facilities for free since I would be paying for the use of all the same amenities as a DVC member is paying for. That said, I can see the point that without resort ID access to the facilities, anyone could come in and use them so I agree that access should be tied to your resort ID to prevent unauthorized use of the facilities. For myself, I would have to be really financially strapped to want to haul my laundry to a DVC resort to do laundry for free though!

This is why I mentioned BW & BWV, WL & WLV, BC & BCV, AKL & AKLV. They are very close where one could easily access the free laundry. I don't want the facility to be too busy for me to use because people who are not supposed to be using them are doing just that!

minnie1956
06-29-2007, 09:23 PM
I agree that if you are paying to stay at our resorts, you should be able to use all the facilities.
As far as "others" using, remember you have to get past security. Do you think they'll let someone in to "do their laundry"? If they don't have a valid reason I don't think they're going to get in.
I love the ability to do laundry, that way I only have to pack half the clothes I used to!

hubbyofadisneyholic
06-29-2007, 10:04 PM
I love the ability to do laundry, that way I only have to pack half the clothes I used to!

Which is STILL plenty!!!;)

Catzle
06-29-2007, 10:58 PM
I am not a member but did just stay in a studio at WL in May. We were treated as the people whom owned that DVC membership. We had no housekeeping and no clean towels. I didn't know there was even a place to wash our clothes, I wish I knew. If these people had the same situation than I would think it would be fair to let them use the laundry facilities. But if they were given full housekeeping and clean towels and not treated as DVC members than I would say no.

peemagg
06-30-2007, 06:47 PM
Something that is not mentioned in this thread is that those who are paying cash for their room, is not in the same boat as those of us from the DVC. Those people do get full housekeeping service on a daily basis. There really is a lot of quirks to this whole topic.

Seasonscraps
06-30-2007, 08:11 PM
I think if you are staying in a villa you should have access to the free laundry room - that's one of the amenities for staying in the villas whether you pay with points or cash. But I also think the room key should be necessary for access.

MaizeNBrew
07-04-2007, 12:02 AM
I just got back from a trip where we stayed in a Studio (on our DVC points) and got Free Laundry. I don't know about the other resorts, but somebody would have to be really hard up to walk their laundry all the way from the the Lodge to the 2 free laundry machines in the Villas.

To me, this is a non-existant problem, or at the very least, would cost more to prevent somebody using free laundry than it would just to have a few people slip through the cracks. Installing a key reader on the 7 resorts costs a bit of money -- having the software that grants entry based on a DVC or non DVC member probably isn't written and would cost a lot of money. More money than the any possible illegal laundering going on ;) I'd rather my dues go towards the 3 loads of laundry being done a day by non DVC members than money going towards preventing it.

I for one, will just be happy that I didn't have to go through 200 quarters to get laundry done.

Fortgoofy97
07-10-2007, 02:53 PM
In all the trips we have taken, we have never run into anyone doing laundry that was not staying at that resort. We do our laundry at least once each trip. The night before or day of leaving we do our laundry, pack clean clothes so when we get home it does not have to be done. It is funny to see the first timers try to put money into the machine! Then you explain its free and the look of wonder you get!

Maleficent's Dad
07-11-2007, 10:19 AM
The "free laundry" perk is one we always take advantage of. It's very nice to pack for three days when you're staying for 10 - especially with young kids!!!

In all our experiences, we've never found there to be a back up at the laundry machines. Never had a problem with others doing their laundry there, either (meaning guests who are not staying at DVC).

I don't really have a problem with guests who aren't members using the facilities - assuming they're staying at the resort. It's just not a big deal to me. To be honest, I'm not sure why all the fuss. :confused:

The only rooms this affects would be studios, anyway. Sure we've stayed in studios numerous times. My point is that I don't really find it to be that much of a problem...

locodemickey
07-11-2007, 01:30 PM
We were just there last week in a studio and had a very difficult time finding the washing machines open (there were only 2 of them). I don't know if everyone there doing their laundry was actually staying at the BWV because I didn't ask but it would be fairly easy for the regular BW guests to come use it...

tinkerbell04
07-11-2007, 04:57 PM
:mickey:The laundry at the BW was the only one that I have ever had trouble with availability wise. I went early in the morning however and there was no one else there.