New criticism of OLCC on TUG

[BocaBum99 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close BocaBum99]

If you'll look at the Tripadvisor rankings I put together, OL falls in the middle on all of them. I ranked those reviews by Most Lowest (%) Ratings, Most Highest (%) Ratings, and by Tripadvisor Popularity Index (compared to other hotels in the same area).

OL was neither good, nor bad, just in the middle, certainly not a place that deserves all the attention it gets.

JLB,

I disagree that OLCC is in the middle of the pack. Reading these threads and most people would conclude that it is in the bottom 50%ile. I go to Orlando every single month. And, I honestly believe it is in the top 25%. I liked it so much, I bought there.

If I created an objective evaluation criteria, I believe strongly that it would score in the top 25% of resorts in Orlando. It has certain features that just are not available at most resorts. That helps to make it special. Sure it has its problems. I say let the good and bad come out and let people decide for themselves.

At this point, I don't believe that a reader can take your comments as unbiased. You're posts on these boards are clearly colored by your animosity toward Vickie. Why don't you simply drop your vendetta with her and just post facts that you've experienced about the resort. That's all that's required. And, it will give your posts more weight.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

I swear, Mr. Bum, you can be exasperating.

Your advice to just post my opinion of OL is about the most ill-advised advice one could receive. It's as if you have not read what the others have said, or simply do not care, and want to see me get my goose cooked royally.

As far as facts go, there's no sense letting my opinion, your opinion, or anyone's opinion cloud them, taint them, change them, do anything to them other than let them stand by themselves.

In the Tripadvisor Kissimmee Hotel Popularity Index, OL is 15th of 190. That isnear the top.

But, surprisingly, in both the percentage of reviews that rated it the lowest and the percentage of reviews that rated it the highest, OL is 19th out of 45 timeshares reviewed.

That is definitely middlish, not the type of ratings one would expect for a resort that gets so much hoopla.

But, did you notice what those same owner(s) said about the Tripadvisor info?


That sort of information, from other sources that do not have a dog in the fight, should play better than JLB giving his thoughts. Perhaps you have not been around long enough, or paid attention close enough, to notice what has happened in the past, when I did post things I saw at OL firsthand. Even in those posts I made it clear that I/we did not feel the same way, but I got the same insultive response as the others are saying.

I guess I'm saying that folks are getting tired of the undeserved overhyping and the censorship by sniping.

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

I have said this before and I will say it again. I have been to OL a few times and loved it each time. When I am there I do not look to go to Disney. I just want to stay in OL. I look foward to going there again but hope I end up with a room like I have in the past. OK back to the topic.

[shopgirl Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close shopgirl]

Those of you that have had good exchanges were not in the older units.

The older units have 6" turquoise tiles in the kitchen, hallway and baths, not the white 12" that others describe as being "in all the units." OLCC defenders keep telling me that I am wrong about the layout and tile color. I have been told that all units have hair dryers, not so. I was also told that all units have screen on the patios. Then I am supposed to "agree to disagree????" When you are talking facts, there is no reason to agree to disagree. Either the tiles were turquoise or I am a liar. I am not a liar.

We will go again and check in early in the day. It will be interesting to see how different an early check in will make. We also checked in around midnight, having driven from Ft. Lauderdale. Cheap airfare from here, but not worth it with the price of gas to/from Orlando.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

There really may be something to this~~~checking in early. With unit quality and cleanliness complaints being so repetitive, don't you think they know they have problem units or staff problems?

Units are preassigned, apparently by crapshoot lottery, but if you check in early, if someone cares to please you they can switch you to a better unit if you get a bad one, and they can give someone that shows up later your problem unit. Hopefully they will have passed that problem onto the late shift.

We will go again and check in early in the day. It will be interesting to see how different an early check in will make. We also checked in around midnight, having driven from Ft. Lauderdale. Cheap airfare from here, but not worth it with the price of gas to/from Orlando.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

That seems to be precisely the problem. Even those who love the place have come to believe that not everyone receives the same great vacation. It's that percentage that does not receive a great vacation that needs to be addressed.

Repeating myself, repeating myself, repeating myself, we too, have never gotten a bad unit at OL, but we have talked with others when we were there who were most unhappy.

Is that the way a resort should be?

I look foward to going there again but hope I end up with a room like I have in the past. OK back to the topic.

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

IMO I would like to know as far as percents goes. What percent are unhappy. For OL to maintain a GC rating through all these years i am sure that the people that are unhappy is very few.

[shopgirl Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close shopgirl]

Frank, they are still building and developing that land.

It would not be wise of RCI to downgrade the resort to Silver Crown. They turn a blind eye to criticism. OLCC shouldn't take the criticism lightly, though, because if the units continue to deteriorate, the resort needs to act-- and quickly.

Think of the business OLCC provides to RCI every year. RCI always get their money, even getting that full exchange fee for the 7500 point exchanges, so what do they really care? I could not believe that Shoney got her exchange back. I should have done that myself.

I personally thought the front desk was very rude. Also, when one of the salespeople called about the fifth time, we answered the phone (again) and told the last guy that we would never even consider buying into a resort that allows their units to get into this condition before doing anything about it. I am not believing the soft goods replacement every six years story either. Even if they did replace furniture and draperies that often, what good does it do to put that stuff into an old unit? It still looks old.

[Holly Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Holly]

I'm Afraid

All this talk is making me want to cancel my 2007 exchange into OLCC while I can.

[shopgirl Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close shopgirl]

Holly, please don't do that.

You have a good chance of getting a nice unit. We checked in late and that will never happen again. I will also tell the front desk that we stayed in an old unit before and do not want that experience again. I will ask kindly to be placed into a new area.

Rick doesn't even want to try OLCC again, but I do because I think I can get something better next time. If you consider the size, you should be able to avoid the older units with a simple request. Let's face it, most people don't know about TUG and this forum and have no idea what areas to request. If you show up right at 4:00 or a little after, you will almost be guaranteed a new unit and requesting that will clinch it.

There are lots of resorts that are nicer than OLCC, but none of the others has the land and the on-site activities that OLCC has. So if you get a newer unit, this could be a great exchange for you.

If you cancel your exchange, I will feel guilty, so don't do it.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

All this talk is making me want to cancel my 2007 exchange into OLCC while I can.

If you have a 3 bedroom you are pretty much guaranteed not to have a problem.

We stayed in a 2 bedroom golf villa on Orange Lake Blvd. Walking distance to main West Village pool and club house and it was fine. Nothing fancy but clean and functional.

It was all in the very high level of expectation that we were disappointed.

[4ARedOctober Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close 4ARedOctober]

Orlando top 25%...for owners maybe but not exchangers????

From all that I have read if this is in the top 25% for Orlando then I don't even want to go to Orlando (which is low on my list anyway)......there will always be differences of opinion and I have no dog in this fight either...but if I went to Orlando it would be through an exchange and never as an owner. If the chances were high that exchangers get these crappy units then I would avoid the resort all together no matter how much some owners love and defend the place.....I am happy that it is discussed and the truth be told....as it should be.

[4ARedOctober Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close 4ARedOctober]

Gold Crown shmold crown...

You got that right......I have seen the extremes in all the so called Gold Crown, RID or Silver Crown RCI ratings......a lot of variance and not really a strong standard IMHO......if the developer is still in sales then I am even more suspicious.

Edit: Oh and that goes for II ratings as well.

It would not be wise of RCI to downgrade the resort to Silver Crown. They turn a blind eye to criticism. OLCC shouldn't take the criticism lightly, though, because if the units continue to deteriorate, the resort needs to act-- and quickly.

Think of the business OLCC provides to RCI every year. RCI always get their money, even getting that full exchange fee for the 7500 point exchanges, so what do they really care? I could not believe that Shoney got her exchange back. I should have done that myself.

I personally thought the front desk was very rude. Also, when one of the salespeople called about the fifth time, we answered the phone (again) and told the last guy that we would never even consider buying into a resort that allows their units to get into this condition before doing anything about it. I am not believing the soft goods replacement every six years story either. Even if they did replace furniture and draperies that often, what good does it do to put that stuff into an old unit? It still looks old.

[shopgirl Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close shopgirl]

Kat, I have not seen a critical word from JLB on OLCC.

I think JLB is honest in his assessment of OL. He enjoyed the units he had and in the last year I have been a member, I have never seen him say he was unhappy with his own experience. He thinks the golf course is average and too expensive, but he has not had a dirty or rundown unit.

The simple fact is that JLB's honesty makes owners angry, but really only one owner is angry about his posts. As far as the BBQ grills are concerned, elitism can be a very hurtful thing, when you actually tell people that you are "not the BBQ type of people." I asked the moderator what type of people are BBQ types? He deleted the rudest part of that post, then she modified it herself so that no one would know that her rude post was edited. It was more rude than any she has ever posted because she continued with her description of BBQ types! UGH!

JLB voted, on the OLCC site, on the smoking issue and announced that the rest of us could vote as well. That made her angry because she felt that only owners should vote. But I voted. Our unit had cigarette odor and that was not pleasant, so I voted.

Being an advocate of your resort is one thing, but defending every issue to the end and then berating people for their opinions is another. The fact is that she may have stayed in the building we were in at some point, like when the units were brand new, but she would not be happy with our unit's condition. She couldn't even describe the unit as we knew it, so she has no idea what our experience was. How can someone insist that tiles were white, when in actuality they were turquoise, or that the jetted tub is big enough for two, when it was only a regular-sized tub? Even Tony emailed me privately to say that he used to own near the unit we were assigned and the tub was regular sized.

If you are saying that JLB criticizes OLCC, I would say he is just sharing his opinion, take it or leave it. Everyone is entitled to their opinions, even the OLCC Defender, bless her heart, but you can't tell people they are liars or too fat to fit two people into the tub, which is what she said to me. Ridiculous.

[4ARedOctober Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close 4ARedOctober]

I don't agree.....some resorts may be a 'crapshoot' depending on the resort and the exchanger....sounds like OLCC is but that will be seen as others report back about checking in early etc.

I know many of 'us' that ask and know how to work any system to get the best exchange units available...that is one reason we are here and why these forums exist....if it is just a 'crapshoot' then I will avoid it...but if I know I have a good shot at a decent unit as an exchanger and what I need to do to get it....then I will make those moves....and let the uneducated and/or unmotivated take the 'crapshoot'.

Any exchange is a crapshoot at any resort, not just OLCC. Read the section here on Harborside Atlantis (one of the fanciest resorts in the world).