First OKW stay, good and bad

[Mississippian]

We recently returned from a three-night stay in a grand villa at OKW, which was followed by four nights at VBR. I thought I would share my views of OKW, both good and bad.

I had some reservations up front because of the location, and in fact the poor location did cause some problems. But more on that later. Also, please note that our OKW grand villa only cost 51 points per night. At BWV a grand villa would have been 108 points per night, and a 2 BR at BWV would have cost 40 points per night. So any complaint I have about OKW should be taken with that grain of salt.

The grand villa was in outstanding condition, except for the beds in one of the bedrooms. There was a small stain on the sofa, but other than that the place was spotless and in good condition.

The swimming pool is nice, and the slide has a corkscrew that will make you dizzy and almost certainly push you under the water. My children said they preferred the Clown slide better, but the OKW slide was good.

OKW is really spread out, and no information was given to us on how to use the buses to get around. We were in the back (building 51), which was too far for the children (10 and 9) to walk to the Hospitality House. When they wanted to go to the arcade I put them on the bus and asked the driver to make sure they got out at the main building. They couldn't figure out how to get a bus home, and got lost trying to walk, so they called my and I drove up and brought them home. At BWV there is no problem with the kids going to the Arcade on their own; at OKW, it's a problem. (They did not like the OKW arcade).

I really can't complain about the bus service; it was quite good. BUT, the bus took 20 minutes after picking us up just to drive around the resort and pick other people up. Add in the wait time and the drive to the park, and you're looking at 1.5 hours lost each time you go to EPCOT (roughly 45 minutes each way). This is just something to consider.

My daughter and I ate lunch at Olivia's. My ceasar salad was great, and my daughter liked her grilled chicken kid's meal. I had the crab cakes appetizer as an entree and was not at all impressed. My impression of Olivia's is that it's a good solid place to get a good meal, but it's better because it's there. Most people wouldn't travel to eat there.

For me the bottom line is that it is a pretty resort, but the spread-out nature of things and the bad location is a problem for me. Of course, I do like the low point prices.

I still have a strong preference for BWV, but I'm glad I visited OKW. I would not stay again for three nights, and really don't think I would want to stay for fewer than five nights. The transportaion problems just force one to go at a slower pace and spend more time around the resort. That's fine, but you need to take it into consideration before booking.

By the way, about the beds I mentioned. The "third" bedroom in the grand villa had two or the worst double beds I've ever seen. They were troughed out so bad that the sides were about two or three inches higher than the middle. Because of the way our trip worked out, my wife couldn't make the WDW part of the trip, and I let our friends stay in the master bedroom. I would have been embarrassed to offer them these lousy beds. I can't understand why they don't put a queen and a set of bunk beds in this third bedroom.

Here's a pic of one of the beds. Both of them in this bedroom looked like this. The "curve" is NOT caused by any wide angle of the lens. That's the way the bed looked.

 

[Sammie]

Did you call and complain about the state of the mattresses?

As to the analysis of the buses to Epcot, that is probably the worst case scenario of the longest possible time. It is not always going to be that way.

Many times just as we have walked up to the bus stop, the bus arrives and we have no wait. Also there have been times we do not stop at each bus stop along the way.

It is a given that BWV are convenient to Epcot and the Studios but not so to MK and AK. Also there are times that one can spend a great deal of time walking to Epcot from the BW and the boats are definitely slow. Some of my longest bus rides were from BW to MK.

It is good that there are many DVC resorts to choose from so that everyone can pick what fits for them.

Location is relevant to what one likes, and no location is bad for everyone. BW obviously fits your needs and that is good, OKW fits the needs of many and that is good too.

 

[Tozzie]

I always travel just to go to Olivia's it is one of my favorites.

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

This is good to know. We're staying there for a week in July, and were debating keeping our rental cars for the week. I guess we will, due to the bus issue. I'd been leaning that way anyway, for convenience and going off-site.

 

[Mississippian]

Did you call and complain about the state of the mattresses?

As to the analysis of the buses to Epcot, that is probably the worst case scenario of the longest possible time. It is not always going to be that way.

Many times just as we have walked up to the bus stop, the bus arrives and we have no wait. Also there have been times we do not stop at each bus stop along the way.

It is a given that BWV are convenient to Epcot and the Studios but not so to MK and AK. Also there are times that one can spend a great deal of time walking to Epcot from the BW and the boats are definitely slow. Some of my longest bus rides were from BW to MK.

It is good that there are many DVC resorts to choose from so that everyone can pick what fits for them.

Location is relevant to what one likes, and no location is bad for everyone. BW obviously fits your needs and that is good, OKW fits the needs of many and that is good too.

I didn't report the mattresses. Probably should have, but that seems to me to be something that should be taken care of according to a calendar or inspection by management, not a phone call.

I've usually gotten an express bus from BWV to the MK, and on those occassions when I'm running late I simply take a cab to the Poly. I find the star-shaped pick-up route from BWV to be less time consuming than the drive down every cul-de-sac at OKW. As for the walk from the Boardwalk to EPCOT, I've found it takes about the same time to walk it every time, and that the distance to the World Showcase is shorter from the lobby of BWV than it is from the bus stop in front of the park. So every minute spent on transportation to EPCOT is a lost minute, and the same is true to a lesser extent to DHS.

As I said in my original post, OKW offers a good value for the points spent, but for me it's a trade-off I'm not sure I'm willing to make. Certainly I wouldn't want to do so on a three- or four-night stay. For a longer stay I might, but I would want to be near the Hospitality House.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

OKW is my favorite resort for many of the reasons you mention above. I really enjoy Olivia's and the GV's are top notch for the points. The layout and it's lush landscape of the resort is what first attracted me to DVC. I truly love the get away feeling once you get off the bus after a day at the parks.

With that said, BWV is also a favorite if you want to be close to Epcot and also in the thick of things. Every once in a while my son and his friends need the boardwalk & the clown slide, that's why this June that's where we will be.

To answer your statement that maintenance should just know when things should be fixed is somewhat deceiving, they should know but it will get done quicker if people actually complain and keep complaining.

DVC serves my purpose in full, sometimes I need the savanna, sometimes the boardwalk and most of the time the lush tropical feel of Key West. The Best of all worlds at the World!

 

[magicaldisney]

This is good to know. We're staying there for a week in July, and were debating keeping our rental cars for the week. I guess we will, due to the bus issue. I'd been leaning that way anyway, for convenience and going off-site.

Please remember, that is just one person's opinion on the bus service at OKW, there are many others who feel differently. I for one thought the bus service at OKW was excellent. Have you ever taken a bus to MK from BWV, now there's a long bus ride!!,

 

[colonialtinker]

Please remember, that is just one person's opinion on the bus service at OKW, there are many others who feel differently. I for one thought the bus service at OKW was excellent. Have you ever taken a bus to MK from BWV, now there's a long bus ride!!,

I agree We have only had a few issues with the bus service at OKW and that was from us not knowing there was a resort bus.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Please remember, that is just one person's opinion on the bus service at OKW, there are many others who feel differently. I for one thought the bus service at OKW was excellent. Have you ever taken a bus to MK from BWV, now there's a long bus ride!!,

If the bus even stopped for you at the BWV. The one time we stayed at the BWV, the bus often came from the BC/YC and other resorts nearly packed.

Never had any problem with the buses at OKW. And 45 minutes from South Point to Epcot? That has to be the worst case scenerio.

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

Please remember, that is just one person's opinion on the bus service at OKW, there are many others who feel differently. I for one thought the bus service at OKW was excellent. Have you ever taken a bus to MK from BWV, now there's a long bus ride!!,

I know that, and I take that into account. You can have people in the same resort, same week, and one will rave about the bus service while the other one complains.

From our perspective, we have 4 kids (ages 3-14), and splitting up throughout the day is our norm. We plan to have 2 compact rental cars (cheaper than one minivan--go figure!), free parking, AAA passes. Right now, I'm pretty peeved at WDW restaurant quality/prices--not trying to start a debate, they've just reached my personal tipping point, KWIM? So, buying groceries and eating off-site are figuring into my planning.

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

P.S. We never stayed at BWV. We're also staying off-site for our first week, which is new for us. And we've never had a rental car on-site, either. So, it'll be interesting to gain some differnt perspectives. We have also never been in July before--stupid kids and their stupid honors programs and high school sports!

 

[BEASLYBOO]

We have also never been in July before--stupid kids and their stupid honors programs and high school sports!

I long to go to Disney in April or May (when it's not so stinking hot)! Maybe when DS is in college!

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

Yeah, on the good side, though, is she does band, too. And they travel to WDW. So, I'll get to go down for that, and probably bring my younger two kids (currently 6 and 3).

But I still haven't forgiven her for wrecking my mid-January "walk on all the rides" trips!

 

[dwelty]

I agree with some of your points about OKW but there is one I don't quite understand. What is wrong with the location? It is literally right across the highway from EPCOT. You can even see the fireworks from many parts of the resort. I understand that BWV is right next to EPCOT, but if that is your benchmark, most other DVC resorts cannot compete on location with BWV and BCV.

 

[RCharnay]

I respect your opinion but I have found OKW a totally different experience. In our stays there, the location is beautiful --dreamy almost--far enough away to feel the escape but close enough to be in the heart of WDW. We watch the birds from the balcony and the landscaping is wonderful. We walk out to the bus stop and within minutes, one arrives. The longest it has ever taken to get to any park from the South Point bus stop was 35 minutes-and that has only happened once. Every other time the bus has come faster than 20 minutes and then the trip through the resort and out to the parks is a total of 20 minutes or less. I suppose if someone had a wheelchair or ECV, that could slow down the process, but it did not take 20 minutes to go to 3 internal bus stops.
We didn't have any issues with the beds, luckily, and we used the pool in the South Point area so getting back and forth to the HH was not an issue. We liked Olivia's for lunch and bought countless items at the store-just hopped on the bus and took them back to our villa. We aren't arcade folks so I can't speak to that at all.
I think I was disturbed by your saying OKW is in a poor location. Perhaps a better description would be "more remote" or "not within walking distance to a park." Then people could have a better understanding of how OKW fits into different vacation styles. Some people really like being away from it all-especially after a day at the parks. But for those who want to walk from their room into the action-you are right!-OKW is not for them. That's a bus ride away. But usually just a few minutes.

 

[LIFERBABE]

I respect your opinion but I have found OKW a totally different experience. In our stays there, the location is beautiful --dreamy almost--far enough away to feel the escape but close enough to be in the heart of WDW. We watch the birds from the balcony and the landscaping is wonderful. We walk out to the bus stop and within minutes, one arrives. The longest it has ever taken to get to any park from the South Point bus stop was 35 minutes-and that has only happened once. Every other time the bus has come faster than 20 minutes and then the trip through the resort and out to the parks is a total of 20 minutes or less. I suppose if someone had a wheelchair or ECV, that could slow down the process, but it did not take 20 minutes to go to 3 internal bus stops.
We didn't have any issues with the beds, luckily, and we used the pool in the South Point area so getting back and forth to the HH was not an issue. We liked Olivia's for lunch and bought countless items at the store-just hopped on the bus and took them back to our villa. We aren't arcade folks so I can't speak to that at all.
I think I was disturbed by your saying OKW is in a poor location. Perhaps a better description would be "more remote" or "not within walking distance to a park." Then people could have a better understanding of how OKW fits into different vacation styles. Some people really like being away from it all-especially after a day at the parks. But for those who want to walk from their room into the action-you are right!-OKW is not for them. That's a bus ride away. But usually just a few minutes.

Great Post!

Some people would have you believe that OKW and SSR are so far removed from everything with long bus rides to everything. I think using the term "poor location" is borderline disrespectful to all those with a different point of view. Especially when you are speaking of the original DVC resort. It's not my favorite either, but it is a gorgeous resort and I would not have purchased any DVC if it were not for how very well done OKW is.

 

[Mississippian]

I think I was disturbed by your saying OKW is in a poor location. Perhaps a better description would be "more remote" or "not within walking distance to a park." Then people could have a better understanding of how OKW fits into different vacation styles. Some people really like being away from it all-especially after a day at the parks. But for those who want to walk from their room into the action-you are right!-OKW is not for them. That's a bus ride away. But usually just a few minutes.

You are right, the location isn't all that bad, it was the long bus ride through the resort that I wasn't fond of. And it's not like it ruined my life; but the time does add up, and I pointed that out.

The location of OKW is no worse nor better than the Port Orleans resort. So you are right, the location isn't what I dislike so much as not being in the middle of two parks.

As I said in my original post, the grand villa was unbelievable. The resort was attractive. But the transportation just caused some problems with me in comparison to my stays at BWV. As I also said in my original post, I don't think OKW is well suited to a three-day stay. I would consider staying again for five or more days, but no fewer.

 

[Caskbill]

It's all perspective. If you had a villa near Miller's then you'd say the bus ride was short. It's probably more the location of your villa within the resort rather than the location of the resort itself.

Walking from BWV or BCV to Epcot or DHS is pretty good, but try going to MK. Just walking to the bus stop from some of the rooms is quite a trek. I find the bus service from OKW to MK to be the best of all the resorts, with SSR a close second.

Everyone has personal feelings. For me, going back to OKW after a day in the park is more like "Going Home". While all the other resorts are very nice, it's more like "Going back to the room". No disrespect intended but the 1-B/R villas at the other resorts just feel more like a small apartment. Not to say I don't like them, they have other great qualities, be it location, amenities, pools, animals, etc.

That's what's great about DVC...Choices!

Looking forward to see what it will feel like going back to BLT, Kidani, or THV's after a long day in the park.

 

[La2kw]

Sounds like you had your mind made up before your stay. Most of the reasons you stated for disliking OKW are the reasons we love OKW. You seem to prefer BWV, so that's probably where you would be happiest. For us, BWV is our least favorite resort. It seems way to big for the property it is located on, and those buses and slow boats drive me nuts. It feels way too crowded over there. Being able to walk to Epcot is not enough to ever get me to stay there again.

 

[Pootle]

Your views are definitely different to mine.

As a long-time member, I own some points at BWV and had another short stay there last year (parking a distance away and buses both inconvenient - we stopped being park commandos years ago!). I don't plan on staying again for some time and my points will be used as additional OKW points at the 7th month window

For every person's preference reported here, you are guaranteed to read of folks who take the opposing view - and I prefer South Point and have no issues with the buses; what's an extra 10 minutes when on vacation?