2 Rooms at POFQ or 2-bedroom at OKW?

[Happy Duck]

Any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated!

My family of 4 adults is arriving together but not leaving at the same time. My brother and I are staying for 4 days and then Mom and Dad are staying for an additional 3 days. We also just received a pin code offer, valid for one room.

Currently we have 2 POFQ rooms booked: 1 standard + 1 king. The king room is booked for the length of the whole trip so that my parents will not need to switch resorts or rooms. We put in the reservation to be connected by a door. The pin code will save us a small amount.

Pros for POFQ are the size of the resort (my Dad has trouble walking far distances) and its generally reliable bus service. Cons for this option are that we aren't actually together in the same space and risk being separated and not trying a new resort (we've stayed here multiple times before and the opportunity to upgrade would be fun.)

Another option is to use the pin code to get a 2-bedroom at OKW for the first part of the trip, and then my parents would switch to a King bed at POFQ for the last few days. The cost is basically the same between Option #1 and Option #2.

Pros are the size of the room and the ability to spread out with a dedicated living room area and guaranteed to be together. We tend to tour in the morning, have 3-4 hours to relax in the afternoon, and then head back out in the evening. Having the space during the afternoons would be great. Cons are no guarantee of being close to the Hospitality House, not getting a first floor (again, mobility issues), and concerns about the bus transportation (read fairly poor reviews about the bus system at OKW.) Transferring is not a huge deal...we've had split stays before with few issues.

Which of these options would recommend? And/or do you have any additional ideas?

Thanks!

 

[unrequited23]

If I were in your shoes, I'd stick with POFQ. Your parents won't have to pack up and switch rooms. The resort is compact. The rooms have been recently refreshed (laminate floors, new soft goods, more USB.)

I always like a bit of separation when traveling with extended family. Our last trip we stayed at POR and the grandparents were at POFQ--this was the perfect amount of space for our family.

 

[Quellman]

You are correct that the Bus system is a bit more wonky at Old Key West. There are multiple pick ups and drop offs. Not terrible, but it isn't the most easily navigated place. But the rooms there are some of the biggest on property.

You can work with Old Key West about mobility concerns. There aren't many elevators there, so that could be a concern.

If you plan on spending more time at the resort as a family, then the split stay sounds more appealing to me.

 

[Wood Nymph]

We stayed in a two bedroom villa at OKW and we really enjoyed having the big living room to relax in with our extended family. We found the buses to be pretty good as far as coming regularly and not being crowded. We weren’t crazy about the five stops that the bus made. But other than that the bus was fine.

Our villa was on the second floor which wasn’t too bad.

 

[meggiebeth]

I would probably go for the two bedroom villa at OKW just because it is really nice to have the extra living area/ kitchen space to relax in and socialise in. Realistically, in two rooms, this would be a lot harder.

That said, moving resorts is a definite downside. Have you thought about renting a studio for your mum and dad? That might be easier than having to change resorts.

 

[MulanMom]

My vote is for the 2 bedroom villa at OKW. We owned DVC there for 20+ years and had many family trips. The 2 bedroom was always nice when we brought our parents along. The living room, kitchen area are spacious, very much like a home or an apartment. The deck/patio has a larger table with 4 chairs. Always nice to sit out there if the weather's nice. The 2nd bedroom is usually a studio lock-off, with a few units being a dedicated 2 bdrm. The lockoff is nice as it has it's own separate entrance. Perhaps your parents can remain in the studio for the last few days without having to move.

 

[maxiesmom]

I'd stick with POFQ because of the size of the resort. So easy to get around with no fuss.

 

[Happy Duck]

I happened to show my Mom a map of OKW. That was all it took for her to say, "Let's just stay at POFQ." I think she was a little overwhelmed just looking at it! So for now, I think we're going to stay there UNLESS a 2-bedroom opens up at AK Villas or WL Villas. We already discussed how having the space would be absolutely fabulous...she just can't justify the massive-ness that is OKW. Thanks, everyone, for your insights!