OKW - Give me the good, bad and ugly

[latexscooter]

We're renting points from a friend for a very good rate in May. We had wanted to stay at something else but nothing was available except SSR which isn't desirable.

I haven't been able to find any reviews anywhere that have been recent or talk about the "everyday Joe/Jan" staying there.

If anyone has stayed in the past year I'd love to hear about your experience from both the good and bad points of view.

Thanks!

 

[Pkdcoastrs]

My family rented points last minute about three summers ago at OKW ....and we REALLY liked it. From when you first pull in, it without a doubt has a very laid back feel. Our 'studio' room was fairly near the main building/pool so I can't give an honest review of the layout..... but from the places we walked and stuff it was great.

I guess negatives would be the busses, if you are in a far building you might be the last pickup or stop. If I remember correctly, there was no food-court so you were stuck with the stand outside near the pool or eating sit-down.

Otherwise the layout and size of the rooms were great, the golf course running through provided great views, and the boat ride to Downtown Disney and Port Orleans resorts was fun!

 

[Connears]

Sorry to hear OKW was a last choice for you. We have been dvc members there since 1994 and have had many wonderful stays. We were just there for xmas and we stayed in 1 bedroom on Turtle Pond road and the unit was in excellent condition, 2nd floor unit with outdoor porch overlooking one of the greens of the golf course where we often had coffee in the am and watched the golfers. Bus service was good, although we only used it for MK, because we drive from Boston and it is very convenient to have your car parked right in front of your unit. We have stayed in most of the areas and really like Miller Rd area and its a quick walk to Hospitality House with main pool and other services. We feel there is no bad area and all busses will take you to main pool area if you don't want to walk. The downside of being in building 11-14 is that you have to catch all busses at the main HH and you may have to stand or wait for another bus at very busy times of the year(not always).We love the space and having a full kitchen and washer-dryer is the best. We find the cms very friendly and love the boat rentals and the dvc rentals at the community hall. Main pool is nice with the slide ,but at the quiet pools you are often alone for a swim. Studio folks can do laundry for free at the quiet pool areas. Olivias TS is good choice, but there is no food court. The take-out has your average fair. Wehave stayed at BCV, BWV, but really prefer OKW for the size and laid back atmosphere.

Connears

 

[babs711]

We just got back from our trip a week ago. We stayed at OKW Deluxe Villas in a two bedroom. My MIL and FIL were in a one bedroom. We were all very happy with our stay. I honestly have nothing bad to say other than to allow yourself enough time to wait a few minutes at the bus stop and for the ride to the park. But it's a very nice resort - very laid back and clean.

 

[sajetto]

OKW is our favorite resort! In fact we just added on points there because we love it so much. The grounds are very lush and well kept and we love the community feel it has.

 

[Safari Queen]

We love OKW for the huge villas (especially 1-3 BR) and laid back atmosphere. There are lots of pools, bikes, boats, fishing and other activities. Downside as compared with others? There's no food court, just one TS and CS fast food. There are several bus stops to wait through, but you don't stop at other resorts like at the Epcot properties. It also doesn't feel quite so integrated with the parks as the Epcot or monorail resorts, but that's a plus for people who want to get away from the hubbub. BWV is our favorite, but OKW is a lovely experience.

 

[DebbieB]

The 1 bedrooms & larger are awesome. Lots of room, full size washer/dryer in a separate room, nice views. Studios are equivalent to a deluxe resort with a kitchenette. If you have a car, you park very close to your room. The downside is only 1 restaurant and a small snack bar. No park within walking distance or monorail, several bus stops (I always drove everywhere).

 

[gailanncreates]

There is far more good than bad or ugly.
We rented points as well for our stay the week after Thanksgiving 2007. The rental transaction was exceptionally smooth; and so was check in, and requesting a "quiet" room. We had a studio at the South Point bus stop, which was wonderful; we were the first ones on the bus to the parks (always a seat) and the second stop off on the way back. It was worth sitting through the other stops since we ALWAYS got on the bus! The studio was spacious and not far from a quiet pool. Since we had a fridge, microwave and coffeemaker, we didn't need to go out for breakfast. Room was very, very quiet, and although it was very dusty, the bathroom area was certainly clean with lots of room and cupboard space to spread out. My family loved it, and we would certainly stay there again.

 

[disney-super-mom]

We stayed at SSR last year, but made our way next door (on the boat) to check out OKW. It certainly is a lushly landscaped resort with a very cool looking sandcastle pool slide! The kids and grownups were having a blast!

Of course all my hubby wanted to do was go golfing.

But after walking around a bit, we both felt we would love to stay there sometime. (And we're not DVC members, but just your typical, "everyday Joe/Jan". ) It definately has a wonderful, laid back, Key West feeling.

(I just wanted to say, we LOVED SSR!)

 

[mom22boys]

We loved OKW! We rented points from a DVC member. We were in a studio in building # 20. We loved our proximity to a bus stop, quiet pool, hot tub, and laundry. We enjoyed our beautiful view from our balcony. We also thought the queen sized beds with the great down pillows were very comfy! The main pool has a fun water slide and a great sand play area for the little ones. The kitchenette was great for keeping breakfast foods and snacks handy. We also enjoyed the boat ride to DTD. We ate at Olivia's only once and found the food to be decent. My only complaint about the resort was the lack of counter service food choices. I can understand why they don't have a typical food court, but a few more choices would be nice.

I am sure you will have a great stay!

Oh and by the way, we thought the buses were awesome. I did time it to see how long it took to do the whole loop through the resort (we were the last stop for drop-off) and it only took about 7 minutes. Considering we were at Disney sitting peacefully in an airconditioned bus, we didn't think it was that big of a deal to just sit and relax an extra couple of minutes.

 

[WDW LifeLong Fan]

Another OKW fan here. We love this resort, one of our favorte WDW resorts!!

 

[Deb & Bill]

We're renting points from a friend for a very good rate in May. We had wanted to stay at something else but nothing was available except SSR which isn't desirable. ...

What do you find wrong with SSR?

 

[stacy6552]

Its all good. No bad, no ugly. Spacious rooms. Very quiet resort: great place to decompress from the craziness that can be WDW. Excellent service. Good Good Good. Disclaimer, though, this review comes from someone who likes SSR better.

 

[DisDee]

Does OKW have a gift shop where snacks and drinks can be purchased?

 

[smola09's mom]

OKW is our favorite resort at this time. We stayed in a 2 BR last July and are going there again this July. The rooms are huge. The convenience of a washer and dryer was great. We thoroughly enjoyed the pool and the golf course. Everything about this resort is laid back and truly says "vacation." I hope you enjoy your stay.

 

[latexscooter]

What do you find wrong with SSR?

Its nothing particuar about the resort itself. Its just that we're from Upstate NY and have spent many a weekend getaway at the real Saratoga Springs. Its just not appealing to us on those grounds.

 

[latexscooter]

Thanks everyone for the feedback! I'm excited about this stay but wanted to make sure I was well versed on what to expect.

 

[MickeyNicki]

We are staying there for the first time the first week in April...it was the only deluxe open with the 40% off postcard, $189 a night. DH is super excited about trying it out, the grounds and rooms look gorgeous and it seems to be super quiet which is the main reason we want to go to WDW this trip, relax and hang by the pool.

 

[Cee]

Its all good. No bad, no ugly. Spacious rooms. Very quiet resort: great place to decompress from the craziness that can be WDW. Excellent service. Good Good Good. Disclaimer, though, this review comes from someone who likes SSR better.

I'm with Stacey. Love everything about it. Oh, and I'm a 'Skins fan too!

 

[Hopefully]

OKW is great!!! It has the largest rooms on property. The Living area is tryly spacious. Having a full size washer and dryer is very convenient.
I loved the themeing and sitting on the balcony in the morning with my coffee and watching the golfers. It is very convenient to park nearly at your door.
I think you will love it there.