Boardwalk vs. Old Key West

[courtneylauren]

These are our pros/cons for deciding which DVC hotel we will stay at for the first week of our July 2013 trip. Staying at BLT the second week.

Any opinions??

BOARDWALK
Pros: Theme, restaurants, entertainment, pool
Cons: Shared bus, having to walk/boat to DHS and Epcot

OLD KEY WEST
Pros: Slightly bigger room, has its own bus
Cons: Lack of an exciting theme

 

[Wood Nymph]

These are our pros/cons for deciding which DVC hotel we will stay at for the first week of our July 2013 trip. Staying at BLT the second week.

Any opinions??

BOARDWALK
Pros: Theme, restaurants, entertainment, pool
Cons: Shared bus, having to walk/boat to DHS and Epcot

OLD KEY WEST
Pros: Slightly bigger room, has its own bus
Cons: Lack of an exciting theme

The walk to DHS is relatively short. I would call that a pro. Besides, you don't have to walk. You can take a boat to Epcot or DHS. The boat stops at all the resorts in that area.

You only have to take a bus to MK. At OKW you have to take a bus to MK, Epcot and DHS. Everyone has to take buses to AK and DTD, so that doesn't really count.

 

[amg35]

I think walking to EPCOT or DHS should be in the pro column. That's one of the main reasons we love Yacht/Beach Club. A HUGE plus.

 

[courtneylauren]

The boat is a con because my sister is not a boat person

 

[KatMark]

We've only stayed at OKW (Boardwalk does not appeal to us--not a fan of the pool or decor); we've stayed three times now and love it. It is very charming, quiet and laid back. Love the boat to DTD.

 

[bcrook]

The boat is a con because my sister is not a boat person

I was going to add the boat ride to DTD as a pro, but...

Not a big fan of the pool at boardwalk.

I prefer OKW rooms and I enjoy the feel of that resort. Plus I like Olivia's.

The walk to DHS is pretty long I think, I only did that one time.

But all of this is trumped by the relatively easy walk to Epcot! I love the boardwalk area because of that,

I have found that OKW is a good base if you are driving a lot also. Parking is convenient by the room.

 

[Pakey]

The walk to DHS from BWV is no more than 15 minutes and can be shorter depending on where your villa is.

I'd say Dinjng options at BWV location is a definite plus with 5 hotels and 2 parks within walking distance.

I like the pools, villas and balconies better at OKW.

 

[lbv7]

Rooms at OKW are large, but only the three newest buidings have elevators.
If you don't get a ground floor room lugging suitcases and groceries up to the third floor, and constantly having to walk up and down stairs leaving and going back to my room is not my idea of a vacation.
Also, if you are close to either Bonnet Creek Parkway or Buena Vista Drive you are going to get a lot of highway noise, which is something to consider.

 

[goofy4tink]

I stayed at OKW for just one night...that was all I needed. We were in a bldg that was a quick walk to the main areas, but I almost got hit about 5 times by cars whizzing around!!!
And, the ride back from Epcot was awful. It took longer to get to our stop, once on OKW property than the actual ride back from Epcot!!!

Now, I love BWV. I love being able to walk to both Epcot and DHS....8 mins to Epcot, 15ish to DHS. I love the theming.

 

[OKW Lover]

We've stayed at both resorts multiple times. They are both wonderful for different reasons. We love the huge rooms and the laid-back, away from it all feel of OKW. Its like getting away from the hustle and bustle of the parks. We love Boardwalk (although we love BCV even better) because of its location since we spend most of our time in Epcot.

I stayed at OKW for just one night...that was all I needed. We were in a bldg that was a quick walk to the main areas, but I almost got hit about 5 times by cars whizzing around!!!

Oh, that was you?

 

[sharadoc]

Is it just the two of you? Are you staying in a studio?

BWV and OKW are both equally favorites of ours. I'll give you our take.

A studio at BWV will have one bed and one sofabed, at OKW you'll have 2 beds. Does that make a difference?

Are you park all day people or do you want to spend time around a pool? Do you want major activities or quiet? OKW is very laid back, has multiple quiet pools and is much more relaxed. Both resorts have daily activities and a nice pool slide at their main pool, but generally OKW is less crowded in our experience.

OKW has a great little bar, the Gurgling Suitcase, at the pool area. Great place for a leisurely drink any time of day. Boardwalk has more options.

By "not a boat person" do you mean phobia or seasick or what? My DH describes the boats from BW as buses on the water. They are very solid and don't feel like you're on the water, they don't bob up and down a lot or anything.

The buses from OKW were the best we've ever experienced. The stops at the parks are usually the first or second one, they come quickly and multiple buses especially in the mornings. You can use the bus for internal transportation to the main pool area whereas at BW you can walk everywhere. The bus to MK from BW can take a while but other folks have suggested walking over to the Dolphin, which is the last stop before leaving for MK so you won't feel like it's taking forever.

The rooms at OKW are HUGE compared to BWV if you're talking 1BR.

The Boardwalk has a lot more options for eating and drinking. All the hotels in that area have great places, but if you're not able to take the boat, it will be a LOT of walking. At the very least, you have Big River Grille, ESPN club, Flying Fish and Kouzzina which is a lot.

Good luck deciding. Both are great, but VERY different. We stayed at BWV for our last Christmas trip and it was perfect because we spent a LOT of evenings at DHS for Osborne Lights.

 

[Deb & Bill]

What sized villa?? That makes a big different between OKW and BWV.

 

[Disney Doll]

BWV-location
OKW-villa size

Those are the 2 biggest pros of each resort.

Pools are comparable...OKW has a nice main pool & a couple of quiet pools. BWV has a nice main pool & a couple of quiet pools.

OKW has stairs to walk if your unit is the 2nd or 3rd floor. BWV has the long hallways if your unit is WAY out near Atlantic Dance.

Boardwalk is more in the "thick" of things, so maybe a little busier. OKW is a bit off the beaten path, so perhaos a slightly more relaxed pace.

 

[DebbieB]

I've stayed at both. I consider the walk or boat to Epcot & DHS at BWV to be a pro. I don't know if I'd call the own bus for OKW to be a pro considering there are 5 stops within the resort. I usually stay at Turtle Pond and it seems to take forever to get around to all the bus stops. I do love the size of the 1 bedrooms at OKW. I always request water view 1st floor and usually get a nice quiet view with a large porch to sit on.

 

[pigletto]

I've stayed at both in the same trip. We loved the quiet and relaxation of OKW and the larger room size. We didn't want to leave. But then we got to BWV and loved feeling in the middle of things with so much to see and do within walking distance. IMO you can't beat OKW if you want to feel away from it all, and you can't beat BWV if you want quick and easy access to two parks
Both are great choices. If I were choosing again right now I would choose BWV. However if you asked me when I was really needing a quiet relaxing trip.. then the answer would be OKW. Also, it's just personal preference but I would not be interested in staying at OKW without a car unless I knew we'd be in a location where it was an easy walk to the pool and main buildings.

 

[nkereina]

If walking/boating to DHS and Epcot is a con for you, then I don't think Boardwalk is for you. People pay big bucks to stay there solely for the location and not having to take the bus to two of the four parks. This is a pro for many people who stay there so if that's a con for you, I don't think it's worth the price for you IMO.

I don't know much about OKW but I do know it's slightly out of the way compared to BW. For me when I stay at a deluxe, I don't mind paying the premium price because of the resort's central location and multiple transportation options. IMO, since OKW lacks this, it's not entirely worth the price to me.

 

[goofy4tink]

We've stayed at both resorts multiple times. They are both wonderful for different reasons. We love the huge rooms and the laid-back, away from it all feel of OKW. Its like getting away from the hustle and bustle of the parks. We love Boardwalk (although we love BCV even better) because of its location since we spend most of our time in Epcot.


Oh, that was you?

Bad Jeff...very bad Jeff!!!!!