yet another pot stirring for OLCC

[NativeCracker Member Find all posts View Profile Close NativeCracker]

I feel for the poor honest soul RCI rep at OLCC who has now, unbeknownst to her, been not-so-subtly threatened by SWSRN. That's gonna be ugly.

[tonyg Goomba & Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tonyg]

The impression one gets of a resort is the total resort experience. Negative comments come from people that had a bad total experience. Sometimes the resort starts off on the wrong foot, but with good service and good employees the whole experience can be turned to a good one. It has become apparent in the past few years that some things have changed at Orange Lake, making the experience for exchangers tend towards being negative. If owners go on the offensive, attacking those who post negatively, it does nothing or makes the criticism even more stinging. All resorts will get some negative criticism and if it's justifiable, owners should contact the resort and complain to get the situation corrected. Bad press makes it less likely that exchangers will choose the resort and if the status doesn't improve, demand for the resort will fall and eventually affect the trade power or rating. It looks like this is where Orange Lake is heading.
Ants are common in Florida, they joined us for 3 Weeks at Westgates and even visited our ground floor unit at Cypress Harbor. No ants at Summer Bay(ground floor), the Spas of Resort World (ground floor) or Liki Tiki. If we go to Orlando again, Orange Lake and Westgate will be low on my list of desireability(and not because of ants alone). When you are in an area of about 100 resorts to choose from. service and quality are more important if you wish to be at the top or in the running in percieved quality.

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

What is SWSRN? You guys use too many abbreviations. I am lost here.

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

Tony, when did you go to Celebrity Resort World Spas? Was it recent and how was the experience? That was our first Orlando resort back in 1991 and it was awesome! I heard it has been remodeled. I was thinking of trying it, since they do have the items we require: washer/dryer, whirlpool tub for two and a king bed.

I thought you loved Orange Lake, Tony. Don't let the rest of us talk you out of it. If you really like the resort, you should return.

[tonyg Goomba & Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tonyg]

It was around 1995 and I saw another favorable review recently. We had no complaints-it was quiet and in good shape. I've never stayed at Orange Lake-we toured it in the late 80's and last year(during hurricane Wilma). Post # 30 defined SWSRN as "She Who Shall Remain Nameless". I previously thought it was an abbreviation for something else.

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

To say it once again, I am not a HOL, although that has been implied previously.

It is possible that I may be a HOLOL.

Actually, I think you are an HOSWSRN.

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

The impression one gets of a resort is the total resort experience. Negative comments come from people that had a bad total experience. Sometimes the resort starts off on the wrong foot, but with good service and good employees the whole experience can be turned to a good one. It has become apparent in the past few years that some things have changed at Orange Lake, making the experience for exchangers tend towards being negative. If owners go on the offensive, attacking those who post negatively, it does nothing or makes the criticism even more stinging. All resorts will get some negative criticism and if it's justifiable, owners should contact the resort and complain to get the situation corrected. Bad press makes it less likely that exchangers will choose the resort and if the status doesn't improve, demand for the resort will fall and eventually affect the trade power or rating. It looks like this is where Orange Lake is heading.
Ants are common in Florida, they joined us for 3 Weeks at Westgates and even visited our ground floor unit at Cypress Harbor. No ants at Summer Bay(ground floor), the Spas of Resort World (ground floor) or Liki Tiki. If we go to Orlando again, Orange Lake and Westgate will be low on my list of desireability(and not because of ants alone). When you are in an area of about 100 resorts to choose from. service and quality are more important if you wish to be at the top or in the running in percieved quality.

I completely agree with you. It may be that the new management team does not know how it is perceived. Since the CEO is from HGVC, I would assume that he cared about the resort's reputation for customer service.
Then again, maybe the problem is bigger in our minds than it actually is. It would be interesting to read the surveys.

Based on what I've been reading, a couple of changes could go a long way to improve things. The first thing they could do is completely remodel the checkin area. As soon as you walk in, you enter a cold an unwelcoming sight. They should soften the feel and add some greaters to help direct people and make them feel more welcome. They should also provide some customer service training to the front desk area so that people feel more welcome when they get there.

There also seems to be a lot of issues with housekeeping. Leaving the trash outside of units is common practice by the housekeeping staff. It never bothered me, but I can see how it would bother others. To me, it just feels like trash pick up day. I personally haven't had an issue. I wonder if they are average or below average relative to other resorts. It's hard to say.

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

Cindy: It's a history lesson. As we have discussed, before your time.

Mr. Bum: H would be a pretty strong word in my vocabulary. I don't H often, or many. Even those I do really H, I feel compassion for. Maybe SD (Strongly Dislike), or PSWOHMSO (Prefer She Wouldn't Open Her Mouth So Often.)

In general: What makes me uncomfortable, what I don't understand, is the refusal to admit that some people just flat out have a lousy time at OL. Some units are obviously crappy (and I'm sorry to have to be the messenger again, but in one tripadvisor review you can take that literally), guest services sucks, and there's a lot of lying to guests going on. The immense size, the impersonal nature, and the lack of ambience, make it a bad experience for some people, even if all goes well.

OL is, in the simplest of terms, an Orlando Vacation Mill. It is the Golden Corral of vacations.

There's no need for an owner to apologize, because it is not their fault, but why do they have to tell those who report the facts that they are wrong, when those people know what they saw, and then tell them to go stay somewhere else?

How does that help the person who had a bad experience? How does that endear people to their resort? Would that not incite people who are offended by that kind of conduct, as it does me?

Even if I didn't know anything about the resort, which is far from the truth, I would still feel compelled to make comments about people who treat other people that way. That's why I say that for me it is about people, not the nuts and bolts.

As in my neighborhood, where some neighbors focused on the nuts and bolts of rebuilding the dock, they could not see that the problem was how they were treating us.

Rebuilding the West Village, or letting all exchangers stay in River Island, would not change the way I feel about how some people are treating other people badly.

What is SWSRN? You guys use too many abbreviations. I am lost here.

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

I have an idea if anyone wants to discuss it privately.

That means by email, not by PM.

[tonyg Goomba & Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tonyg]

Jim, I resent you comparing OL with Golden Corral- GC is pretty darn good for a chain buffet- even the one nearest OL.

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

I know what you mean.

When I reviewed what I said, I thought the same thing. The Golden Corral in Branson purports to be the largest in the world. The place is a zoo at 6 PM when a half-dozen tour buses pull up.

They even have a live show going on.

And the food is still pretty decent, although it is hard to limit yourself. Well, maybe I'll have just another sugar cookie and bowl of ice cream!

I guess the comparison that I was trying to make is that OL puts out a somewhat adequate product for the number they are trying to serve, but there certainly is no feeling of personal service. I can think of several incidences of what I mean, how we have been treated abruptly there, but I have never gone into that on these message boards.

Jim, I resent you comparing OL with Golden Corral- GC is pretty darn good for a chain buffet- even the one nearest OL.

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

I knew it!

You guys are having too much fun without me.

NO WI-FI at Sea Time.... BUT we have ice cream scoops!

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

We finally got a Golden Corral in Thornton a few years ago, it's sitting right next to Sam's Club. They have the best green beans and spinach at GC. I love their desserts but try to avoid that section. GC is by far the busiest restaurant in Thornton. I thought it was because it is new, but not the reason at all. It is good. Now I make sure to hit one of them near Orlando, the one near Bahama Breeze over by Downtown Disney, off of the interstate. Very good, better than the others.

Anyway, I told Josh and his friends about the cost of innertube rental, they were not terribly upset about it. I hadn't really done the math before. There could be as many as 7 in their group. They are going to go next month anyway. Now I have to grab a three bedroom for October 21st, if I can find one.

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

Until I saw it, it did not hit me. GC. Gold Crown, isn't it!?

GC is by far the busiest restaurant in Thornton.

[gjw007 Member Find all posts View Profile Close gjw007]

Just curious, I'm heading to Orlando to stay at the HGVC Tuscany (I-drive) this weekend (Friday - just in time for Ernesto to make the trip interesting). Is there anybody else that will be in Orlando next week? If so, you can stop by and say 'Hi'.