Could OKW use a new bridge?

[ariel & eric]

Hmm, if the problem seems to be the number of people along the main walkway from the HH bus stop to the snack bar, in front of the front desk entrance, there is a much less costly alternative. They could open a short cut foot path through the delivery/receiving area. It would go from the HH parking area directly to the pool area by cutting behind Olivia's. I'm sure they'd need to dress is up a little for show, as it is the main receiving area for deliveries to the resort, but doable.

We talked about that area, but it really isn't capable of handling any kind of traffic and I'm sure people don't want to be walking EVEN FARTHER to go around all those buildings from say South Point during the times when congestion is high. We have over 400 points and usually travel to WDW 2-3 times a year. Mostly during the slow times. But even then, Weekends are busy and congestion is high around HH. If they were to make the area around the basketball court prettier, it may also have to be wider to let more people through both ways. We call it the ghetto of OKW since it usually looks worn down. Plus, then you would have to retrain us oldies to go around. And as we have all seen here on the DIS, we don't like change to much or atleast like to complain about it. Not necessarily talking about this thread, but in general.

And as far as talking about the cost, we did not. I didn't even think of it and no one else brought it up so my guess it wasn't an issue with the people we were sitting with or they realized we were all just chatting for the sake of something to chat about. Although, I would have welcomed the topic of cost, it just wasn't an issue to any of us at the time.

 

[ariel & eric]

I didn't read all the posts so it may have been said. I'm not sure that bringing all that traffic through the pool area is a good thing for the relaxation factor that you get at OKW. It is currently separated out and has a very nice feel. My $.02

Jim

The traffic we are talking IS going to the pool or pool area anyway, so it wouldn't be any additional traffic to the pool. It would just be coming in from another way. Atleast that is my take on it.

 

[jade1]

Frankly, with how tall they would have to make a bridge, you would be doing a lot MORE walking than just following the provided sidewalk. I have walked from buildings 51 & 55 at South Point and from building 38 at Turtle Pond to HH in less than 10 minutes. I timed it once from building 55, and it took me exactly 8 minutes. It takes me that long to walk down to my mailbox here at home, so not a big deal.

I agree-walking at WDW is just part of it. For perspective this distance is about the same as the BWV pool to DHS, or the BLT entrance to the Walt statue in MK, BCV to the EPCOT fountain-IGW would be about 1/2 this from BCV.

 

[tor]

In truth, the dressing up would be a nice touch, but really optional, if you are going for function over ambiance. Many times in recent years we've exited the theme parks or shows through backstage areas, so Disney is kind of placing less emphasis on "the show."

I was kidding about the cost

 

[Chuck S]

I agree-walking at WDW is just part of it. For perspective this distance is about the same as the BWV pool to DHS, or the BLT entrance to the Walt statue in MK, BCV to the EPCOT fountain-IGW would be about 1/2 this from BCV.

The current walk from bldg 29 to Good's to Go is about the same walking from BLT to the beginning of the MK bus covers. Not all the way into the MK. And less than half the distance from the BWV quiet pool to DHS. Again, using Google Earth path measurements.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I agree-walking at WDW is just part of it. For perspective this distance is about the same as the BWV pool to DHS, or the BLT entrance to the Walt statue in MK, BCV to the EPCOT fountain-IGW would be about 1/2 this from BCV.

I think you mean from the last room in the hallway on the second floor of the BWV to the BWV pool.

 

[La2kw]

If nothing was ever improved just think of how far behind WDW would be. I think it would all be just like the carousel of progress. My favorite ride but desprately needing updating.

I'm all for improvements. Adding a bridge and detracting from the original vision of the resort is not an improvement, IMO.

 

[La2kw]

The way I see it, some people like improvement, other don't like change. It's all in your perspective (I mean "your" as in anybody not PP)

I love OKW. The only time we don't stay there is when we can't get in (actually happened one trip) or when we want to try a new resort and only stay at the new the last 2 nights of our trip. Haven't found any place I want to stay for 10 night more than OKW. We have owned since 1998 with around 20 trips under our belts. Our kids have had more WDW/DVC trips than birthdays So please don't tell me your solution is for me to find another "home". I find that very offensive that you would propose for a family to find other place to stay, because you don't want something changed.

Wow, offended for someone offering a reasonable suggestion?
Since you are putting it that way, I find it offensive that you are so willing to propose making this owner and all the other owners pay for a new, unnecessary, and potentially unsightly bridge when there are plenty of other solutions such as taking the bus, walking further, or staying at a different resort that works better for your needs.

 

[jade1]

The current walk from bldg 29 to Good's to Go is about the same walking from BLT to the beginning of the MK bus covers. Not all the way into the MK. And less than half the distance from the BWV quiet pool to DHS. Again, using Google Earth path measurements.

The quote from Diane was from bldg 51-not 29, but I also went to the pool.

BLT entrance to the MK gate is about 900 yards even if the "shortcut" is gated (then you go down by the boats and around, otherwise it 800 yards). Bldg 55 at OKW is about 1000 yards to Goods to Go, so about 7 min walk for Diane from BLT to MK.

If the shortcut is open (it is always at closing) its a little under 1,100 yards from the Walt Statue to the BLT entrance. The entrance to Bldg 49 at OKW to the pool is about 1,100 as well-just for comparison.

 

[Chuck S]

The quote from Diane was from bldg 51-not 29, but I also went to the pool.

BLT entrance to the MK gate is about 900 yards even if the "shortcut" is gated (then you go down by the boats and around). Bldg 55 at OKW is about 1000 yards to Goods to Go, so about 7 min walk for Diane from BLT to MK.

That's about right, Google Earth path shows a little more 3,300 ft from bldg 51 to Good's, about 6/10 of a mile, the equivalent of 1/2 way around World Showcase.

 

[dianeschlicht]

That's about right, Google Earth path shows a little more 3,300 ft from bldg 51 to Good's, about 6/10 of a mile, the equivalent of 1/2 way around World Showcase.

Glad to know my distance measuring instinct is still working! I have a very long driveway (10th of a mile), so I get pretty good at guessing walking distances.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Glad to know my distance measuring instinct is still working! I have a very long driveway (10th of a mile), so I get pretty good at guessing walking distances.

When I lived in Montana, my mailbox was 1.5 miles from my house. So a little walk from Bldg 55 to the themed pool is nothing.

 

[WDWMom]

When I lived in Montana, my mailbox was 1.5 miles from my house. So a little walk from Bldg 55 to the themed pool is nothing.

Yes, but did you walk it several times a day? Or even once a day? If you didn't, then it really has no bearing on this topic.

 

[WDWMom]

Wow, offended for someone offering a reasonable suggestion?
Since you are putting it that way, I find it offensive that you are so willing to propose making this owner and all the other owners pay for a new, unnecessary, and potentially unsightly bridge when there are plenty of other solutions such as taking the bus, walking further, or staying at a different resort that works better for your needs.

Yes I am offended. You wrote "why not choose a different resort that has a closer pool area? Seems like the best solution to me," . A solution to what???? You're not wanting something??? It's not a solution to me; I own at OKW and that is where we stay 98% of the time because we love it there. We don't love any other DVC resort. Like some, tolerate some, but no others do we love. This is the resort that works the best for our needs. Since you don't know us, how can you propose our changing resorts as working better for our needs??? As much as I love OKW, change is good sometime. Try new things, change them up a bit. Someone earlier posted (I can't remember who) about adding another counter service or making Good's larger. I think that would be a great change to OKW since the orignal idea was people would not need such services because they would cook in the rooms. Turns outs they were wrong because they didn't do that so much with the other DVC properties.

And I have yet to see one post where someone is making you pay for or proposing you pay for something. This started out as an intelligent discussion on a topic and immediately got defensive. And it could have stayed an intelligent conversation but several posters took that away, but some (on both sides of the issue) have tried to keep it intelligent. And seriously, the crap about potentially unsightly and an eyesore? Even my 19 year old daughter said "really, it's Disney". What has Disney built that is an eyesore? That argument just doesn't fly. Yes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but you really think they are going to build "anything" that doesn't match the theming of where it is built. I may not like the theming of somethings (BLT), but I certainly don't think it is an eyesore or unsightly.

And as I've stated before, the buses are NOT ON OPTION going through OKW for our family. 1. they make me sick and stressed out the way they are driven, around Millers Rd especially. Makes me sick to me stomach even thinking about it now. I'm not going to ruin my vacation because of it when I can walk. 2. I'm not spending precious vacation HOURS waiting for the buses to drive me around OKW, especially from HH stop to the back of the resort.

 

[Chuck S]

OK folks, after 2 warnings, I need to closed this thread.