Okw?

[fuse04]

Would be interested to here your views of OKW?

We have stayed at AKL, AKV, WL, VWL and POR and for next year thinking about trying OKW using the current offer of free DP in August.

DW wants a brighter/lighter accomodation this time round and we like the look of the 1 Bed. We will probably not have a car but will have an 12 year old DD.


interested to here pro's and cons of OKW?

 

[eeyorefanuk]

Hello all the experts will be along shortly

We have booked Saratoga for next year ... it was there or OKW but we thought Saratoga looked brighter.

I do believe the size of the rooms are bigger at OKW though.

 

[StephenKay]

Hi there,

OKW is a hidden gem of the Disney World resort inventory. The rooms are almost half the size again of any other DVC resort, e.g. Wilderness Lodge, Beach Club, Boardwalk or Saratoga.

Whilst the resort is very spread out, it is excellent and we have never had a bad location yet. I would request a room near the hospitality house (resort centre). You can park right at your door, which is really handy and the busy system has been much improved over the years.

There is an excellent, reasonably priced, fast food take out and the various pools and hot tubs spread around are fantastic.

There is also a free ferry to Downtown Disney.

Overall, it is an excellent resort, well worth the prices, although we are DVC members, and having stayed at over 12 of the WDW resort hotels, we enjoy this resort immensely and return every couple of years.

Regards.

 

[wayneg]

Hi Rob
We really liked OKW this August, more than likely booking it again this August at £100/night(studio) incl regular DDP its great value. For us a studio is more than big enough but I know many like the extra space of a 1 bed. I posted pics of our studio here http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1894622&page=7 about 2/3 the way down.
Some don't like it being so spread out, no problem for us with a car but I know you use the transport, we were offered a studio close to the centre but on ground floor, we wanted upper floor so opted to be further away.
Only thing Karen was not thrilled with was all the foliage around the rooms, never seen so many frogs, lizards, bugs etc, I love that sort of thing but Karen not so much

 

[2Tiggies]

Is it doable without a car? (OP not expecting to have the use of one). Anyone have experience of buses from this resort? That would be a major consideration for me.

 

[igk]

We just got back from OKW - hadn't been for several years, but had a great time. We were in BLDG 20, which is one to avoid according to the UG, but glad I didn't avoid it - it is a bit of a walk to the Hospitality House but near a lovely pool, and our room had great views over the gold course/lake with fountain. We booked a 1BR but got upgraded to 2BR (that's the first time that has happened to me so wouldn't expect it again!).
We were on the ground floor which was nice, though a few times we heard some clumping about above us, but not enough to worry about.
We used our car during the day for convenience as we had one, but tended to use the buses in the evening. I'd say it's definitely doable without a car. In fact, a few cars parked outside our building seemed not to move all week (though most of them seemed to have driven from New Jersey so that's probably why...).
Before I went I had wondered about how well maintained the place would be but everything was great (the jacuzzi bath wouldn't empty but an engineer came within 30 minutes to fix that). There was a team of painters doing the outside of the building - and to be honest it wasn't particularly in need of doing, so I was impressed at the standard of maintenance.

We'll be back next year if we can find some reasonably priced flights

 

[howlongtillsummer?]

We are booked next year for our first time onsite. The free dining offer and cheap studio price seems to be an excellent deal!

 

[igk]

We are booked next year for our first time onsite. The free dining offer and cheap studio price seems to be an excellent deal!

21 nights of the DDP? I'd explode

 

[wayneg]

21 nights of the DDP? I'd explode

Thats what we are planning next August.
21 nights free DDP at OKW that is, not explode.

 

[howlongtillsummer?]

I just might explode!

Biggest laugh I have had all day - thanks!

 

[howlongtillsummer?]

Thats what we are planning next August.
21 nights free DDP at OKW that is, not explode.

And I am still giggling at Wayne not exploding.

Once something makes me laugh I laugh for ages... I know .... easily amused

 

[eeyorefanuk]

21 nights of the DDP? I'd explode

That's what we have planned at saratoga .... i think by the end of the second week i might actually by ordering salad

 

[steve101]

Don't mean to hijack the thread but is the concensus that the OKW/SS August deal is an extremely good one? Is it advisable to book the accomodation and wait for flights to come down in price? Flights still seem extremely expensive.

As with others on this thread we would be going without a car so transport links would be important(we would definately be going to Universal a few times also is this easy enough without a car?)

 

[wayneg]

Don't mean to hijack the thread but is the concensus that the OKW/SS August deal is an extremely good one? Is it advisable to book the accomodation and wait for flights to come down in price? Flights still seem extremely expensive.

As with others on this thread we would be going without a car so transport links would be important(we would definately be going to Universal a few times also is this easy enough without a car?)

To stay at OKW/SSR with free DDP for 3 of us (upto 4) will cost us £100/night. To buy the same on Disney.com would be $295+tax/night =$332 + $120/night DDP Total $452 (£272) They could possibly offer free DDP on .com site but usually doesn't start as early as .co.uk offer, maybe mid August.
Main differences on .co.uk you have to buy minimum of 5 day tix, but can book upto 21 days.
.com only have to buy a 1 day ticket, I believe limited to 14 days(not certain)
So yes for us its an extremely good deal.
I still have not booked it, waiting for flights, some have booked before flights, your choice. You can cancel at £50pp if you couldn't get flights at right price.
I have no idea about getting to Universal without a car, wouldn't goto Florida without one. If you are going a few times would it be better booking Universal hotel and getting front of line access, we are doing this for 3 nights.

 

[Hilary]

Is it doable without a car? (OP not expecting to have the use of one). Anyone have experience of buses from this resort? That would be a major consideration for me.

I would say it is definitely 'doable' without a car, BUT I would try to be located near Hospitality House.

For me, getting to/from the parks wouldn't be a problem from anywhere in the resort, as the buses all make a through route to pick up/drop off, but some of the further rooms would be too far for me to want to walk to the HH complex for the store, dining, DD ferry, etc.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

.... but some of the further rooms would be too far for me to want to walk to the HH complex for the store, dining, DD ferry, etc.

I think that would be the one thing that would put me off, the distance from some of the rooms to the centre of the resort, though having said that we haven't ever been there so it's wrong of me to judge. If we felt we had to drive that wouldn't be for us really.

Ultimately for somewhere like OKW I would prefer to have a look around before we book ideally, personally anyway.

 

[casinocolin]

As with others on this thread we would be going without a car so transport links would be important(we would definately be going to Universal a few times also is this easy enough without a car?)[/QUOTE]

Mears run a bus to universal every day pick up from your disney resort every hour from 7am and returns every hour until 2.15am You can either book your return time when you book or phone them 2 hours before you return, cost is $18 per person or a taxi is about $70 return.

Mears 407 423 5566

 

[steve101]

Thanks, had heard something about Mears but didn't know they were that flexible.

And thanks for the info Wayneg, it seems a very good deal.

 

[fuse04]

I think that would be the one thing that would put me off, the distance from some of the rooms to the centre of the resort, though having said that we haven't ever been there so it's wrong of me to judge. If we felt we had to drive that wouldn't be for us really.

Ultimately for somewhere like OKW I would prefer to have a look around before we book ideally, personally anyway.

think the furthest room is 6 mins walk, based upon what I have read in one of the guide books.

 

[wayneg]

think the furthest room is 6 mins walk, based upon what I have read in one of the guide books.

We were not quite the furthest but close to it. Could probably be walked in 5-6 mins briskly but not something I would want to do in August heat. Bus stop was 1 min away with buses to hospitality building every few minutes.