OKW Rental vs Value or Moderate

[Holeshot1982]

Taking a family trip in December, will be a first for most of the family going with us. I've explained that while it won't be in the room that much it is nice to have that Disney theme while you are there.....

With that being said, we can get a studio at OKW for the about the same price we can get a standard room at AoA.... Which would you guys do? We've stayed at AoA before and really enjoyed the theme but I'm always up for staying at new places. Does anyone have any pros and cons about OKW? Is there any Disney theme at all?

 

[Hopefully]

Taking a family trip in December, will be a first for most of the family going with us. I've explained that while it won't be in the room that much it is nice to have that Disney theme while you are there.....

With that being said, we can get a studio at OKW for the about the same price we can get a standard room at AoA.... Which would you guys do? We've stayed at AoA before and really enjoyed the theme but I'm always up for staying at new places. Does anyone have any pros and cons about OKW? Is there any Disney theme at all?

I have not stayed at AoA but I have stayed at OKW.
It does NOT have the same over the top themeing as AoA. It is much more "Condo" like with its Key West theme. If you rent points you will not have daily Housekeeping. If you are there for 7 nights or less, you will have your trash emptied and towels changed on day 4.
OKW is lovely, very spread out and fairly quiet.
It is very different.
Good Look

 

[ellie05]

I think it will depend the age of the people in the group. I think kids will enjoy AoA more, but at value resorts rooms are really small and I wouldn't want more than 2 adults and a 1 child max otherwise it will feel very cramped.

 

[scm200]

i would take OKW over AoA any day, the rooms at OKW are large and the resort is very pretty. Its a short boat ride to Downtown Disney area and the bus service is good too. Its a large resort but we love it...

 

[goofyintoronto]

Personally the appearance of OKW doesnt appeal to me. I'd most likely go with AoA instead. Love the theme there. Although I do admit being at OKW puts you close to DTD, that would be really nice.

 

[wdwrich]

i would take OKW over AoA any day, the rooms at OKW are large and the resort is very pretty. Its a short boat ride to Downtown Disney area and the bus service is good too. Its a large resort but we love it...

This! Larger room at OKW, and you are getting a deluxe stay vs. a value.

 

[loves to dive]

I've stayed at OKW and Pop Century but not at AOA. Having said that I would be hard put to decide between the two. I would not stay at Pop again, I didn't like how small the rooms were, the whole resort reminded me of a not so well kept Holiday Inn. The advantage, however, was that there was a decent counter service place to eat. OKW only has a small walk up counter service location with very limited choices. I stayed right across the bridge from the Hospitality House and found it easier to walk there to catch the bus since it was the last stop before leaving. OKW is very large and has a number of bus stops so you can potentially be riding the bus for awhile before you even leave the property. I've stayed twice in Disney Vacation rooms, both times were studios and if it weren't for the fact that the price was lower, I would not do so again. The studio rooms seem a tad smaller than an actual deluxe room but are of course, larger than a value room. As stated earlier, there is no housekeeping except for once or twice, depending on your length of stay. Since they are condos, they do have a microwave, a small dorm like sink and the small dorm fridge that all rooms have. They do not have the Keurig type coffee maker, they have a Mr. Coffee type pot that you have to brew a pot. They provide one pack of coffee, the kind that comes in it's own filter. There weren't a lot of dishes in the studio, I think just coffee cups and possibly glasses. I had to always make sure I brought plastic forks if I was going to be eating. Personally, I suppose, if given a choice at the same price between the two, I would pick OKW just because I don't have small children and it is a little more relaxing.

 

[sparkyboy]

We are staying at OKW in Studio in March with our 2 grandchildren. OKW is one of their favorite places to stay and we typically spend part of each day doing activities at resort and then will go back to a park in the evening. Close to DTD - just a boat ride away. I do bring extra paper products with us to use for snacks and breakfast but that is minor inconvenience.

 

[darkwing818]

Stayed at both, for us it's OKW. We love the additional space & the bathroom is quite large as well.

 

[scm200]

if housekeeping is an issue you can always pay and have daily service, we find that we don't miss it and the trash and towel for a week or less is fine. As for the coffee maker, we bring our own coffee and filters and you can always get plastic from the quick service location. the reason for the paper goods at the studio units is there is no dishwasher, hence no real dishes. you do get a microwave, small fridge and toaster as well as coffee maker. remember that there is a laundry that is "free" also (DVC includes laundry for studios). I love staying in a studio and they are much bigger than any value resort. Also they have activities near the main pool including table tennis and basketball courts ( I think you can borrow equipment from the Community Hall)

 

[tcherjen]

Have stayed at AOA and love it! So cute. I wanted to stay at OKW, but because we will have 6 in our party the room is a lot per night. We are staying at FWC when we go. My husband enjoys the full size kitchen or else I would love to stay at AOA again.

 

[scm200]

the Fort Wilderness Cabins are a great choice for a family, we loved staying there before we were a DVC family

 

[Holeshot1982]

I guess it would have helped if I went into more details.....

We would have 2 studio rooms, it's more cost effctiave that way... We will have 2 kids, ages 5 and 8. Also concerned about the bus stops.... How many are there at OKW? Counter service doesn't seem that good at OKW but then again, we'll be on the meal plan and probably won't at the resort, if we do, their options are fine.

What I'm torn between is the Disney theme for the kids and the right price for the adults.... (Not to mention POP warner will be in town when we go so I'd rather not deal with that)

 

[scm200]

I would look into a 1 bedroom at OKW or AKL also, there are about 6 stops at OKW (maybe 5) two studios cannot connect, they connect to a 1 bedroom to make a 2 bedroom unit - - AKL Kidani or Jambo are a great choice for DVC rentals and have lovely pools and of course the animals

 

[Wood Nymph]

Pop Warner doesn't usually stay at AoA. They usually choose an All Star and a moderate like Caribbean Beach. There really isn't any Disney theme at Old Key West, or any moderate or deluxe resort. Usually just the value resorts have that.

 

[KatMark]

I've stayed at OKW four times now and always willing to go back. They have a hidden gem in Olivia's for sit down, and the food at the counter service by the pool is pretty darn good. Great themed pool for the kids with a great themed kiddie area as well.

 

[wdwrich]

Pop Warner doesn't usually stay at AoA. They usually choose an All Star and a moderate like Caribbean Beach. There really isn't any Disney theme at Old Key West, or any moderate or deluxe resort. Usually just the value resorts have that.

The deluxe and moderate resorts (with the possible exception of CR) are highly themed. They just aren't in-your-face Disney character/giant logo themed. We actually prefer the theming at the deluxe and moderate resorts.

 

[Wood Nymph]

The deluxe and moderate resorts (with the possible exception of CR) are highly themed. They just aren't in-your-face Disney character/giant logo themed. We actually prefer the theming at the deluxe and moderate resorts.

I agree. We love the non-Disney themes at the deluxe resorts with WL having our favorite theme.

I get enough Disney in the park. I want to escape it when I go back to the resort.

 

[Pjsatc86]

We stayed at OKW in a 1 bedroom and loved it. OKW is a very relaxing resort with nice pools and activities.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I guess it would have helped if I went into more details.....

We would have 2 studio rooms, it's more cost effctiave that way... We will have 2 kids, ages 5 and 8. Also concerned about the bus stops.... How many are there at OKW? Counter service doesn't seem that good at OKW but then again, we'll be on the meal plan and probably won't at the resort, if we do, their options are fine.

What I'm torn between is the Disney theme for the kids and the right price for the adults.... (Not to mention POP warner will be in town when we go so I'd rather not deal with that)

That could be a problem. Studios do not connect to one another and you might be on different floors or different ends of the buildings. So you and your spouse would have to split up, one with each child. Each OKW studio has two queen beds, so the four of you would fit in one studio. Or you could book one one bedroom villa. It would have one king bed in the master bedroom and a queen sleeper sofa and twin sleeper chair in the living room.

There are five bus stops at OKW. Peninsular Road, South Point, Turtle Pond, Miller's Road and Hospitality House. All the theme park buses stop in this order. The Internal Bus (also DTD bus) stops first at HH, then Millers Road, then Peninsular Road, South Point, Turtle Pond then again at HH.

Like the name suggests, OKW is themed after Key West, Florida. Not much Mickey Mouse or other cartoon décor in the resort. The railings on the porch and the stairways will have Mickey head cutouts on them.

Goods to Go is the counter service at OKW and it is very limited. Nothing like a food court. More like poolside dining. Olivia's is a nice table service restaurant.