Help me decide: OKW or POP

[bawamz]

We are a family of 8: me, DH, and kiddos ages 15, 14, 12, 9, 4, 2 by trip date. We are going in Oct 2019 and I'm looking at either 2 studios at OKW or 2 standard rooms at POP (would love a 2 bedroom villa, but the budget doesn't allow it). Price-wise, with renting DVC points, they are coming out basically even. I like the pool, space, and quieter atmosphere at OKW, but POP has me intrigued because the skyliner should be in by then. We'd avoid buses for HS and EP, if I'm understanding correctly, and that is very attractive to me.

Any thoughts? Or other issues I should consider? TIA

 

[Moliphino]

The OKW studio is quite a bit larger than a Pop room. At Pop you could request connecting rooms (I don't think there are connecting studios at OKW, studios can connect to 1BR).

 

[Sparkly]

OKW. Nicer resort, you have a small microwave and toaster in the room so easy breakfasts, boat to Disney Springs.

 

[bawamz]

The OKW studio is quite a bit larger than a Pop room. At Pop you could request connecting rooms (I don't think there are connecting studios at OKW, studios can connect to 1BR).

Yeah, I have to weigh larger rooms+balcony/patio space against having rooms that are adjoining. Does anyone know how likely it is to get 2 studios in proximity to one another?

OKW. Nicer resort, you have a small microwave and toaster in the room so easy breakfasts, boat to Disney Springs.

Yes the microwave and toaster are a selling point.

 

[CarolynFH]

Yeah, I have to weigh larger rooms+balcony/patio space against having rooms that are adjoining. Does anyone know how likely it is to get 2 studios in proximity to one another?



Yes the microwave and toaster are a selling point.

You can probably get good answers to your questions re OKW on the DVC Resorts board OKW thread, https://www.disboards.com/threads/okw-lovers-thread-part-2.3113113/.

 

[Wood Nymph]

You won't be able to get connecting studios at OKW. And it is extremely unlikely that you would get two studios near each other. For that reason alone I would get two rooms at Pop.

 

[Miffy]

Also, you can book your rooms at POP through WDW and have the usual cancellation policies in effect. If you rent DVC points, you have to pay upfront and the cost is nonrefundable.

 

[Dawn68PA]

We own at OKW and love it but with your situation, I would do POP. Studios are not close together and you have kids of all ages. I would want the rooms next to each other. POP is an awesome themed resort that kids love....and adults! I would go to POP and request adjoining, or rooms next to each other.

 

[CarolynFH]

I’d request connecting rooms at Pop even though they’re not guaranteed. You might get them (especially given the ages of your children), but if you don’t get connecting rooms you’ll likely get adjoining (next to each other) or at the very least very close to each other.

I don’t have experience booking two or more rooms online, but I’m thinking it might be better to call so that your two rooms are linked from the get-go and the importance of connecting rooms is very clear when the room assigner sees it.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Studios at OKW are usually located at the ends of the buildings. So if you were on the same floor, you might have five villas between you. Plus, with two studios, you and your husband would have to split up for the entire trip as none of your kids are 18 or older. At least one guest must be 18 yrs old in the villa. A two bedroom villa at OKW would fit your family perfectly, plus give you a full kitchen and a full sized washer and dryer. You'd have one king bed in the master, two queen beds in the second bedroom, one queen sleeper sofa in the living room and one twin sized sleeper chair in the living room (that sleeper chair could not be moved to one of the bedrooms because it is very heavy and wide). Plus a pack and play if you needed it.

Two studios at just about all the DVC resorts would not work for your family since they only connect to a one bedroom villa and would not connect. Only the Polynesian studios have a possibility of connecting to another studio. And that would be a request, not guaranteed. But highly likely.

 

[bawamz]

We've had to split rooms before and, while we don't love it, we're willing to since we will be renting a beach house after the Disney portion of the trip. As long as we could reasonably hope for the same floor and hallway, I think we'd go with OKW, but it doesn't sound too likely. Thanks everyone. This was really helpful.

 

[Amy&Dan]

Love both of these resorts and have stayed at both! If you could do a two bedroom, hands down I would say OKW. But given your situation, I'd have to say Pop. They are used to larger families booking two rooms and do their absolute best to get connected or at least adjoining rooms. As others have said that's impossible at OKW. Also OKW has no elevators in most buildings.

The potential for being very separated in such a large resort would keep me from booking OKW. Chances are very good you'd be in the same building but you just never know.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Love both of these resorts and have stayed at both! If you could do a two bedroom, hands down I would say OKW. But given your situation, I'd have to say Pop. They are used to larger families booking two rooms and do their absolute best to get connected or at least adjoining rooms. As others have said that's impossible at OKW. Also OKW has no elevators in most buildings.

The potential for being very separated in such a large resort would keep me from booking OKW. Chances are very good you'd be in the same building but you just never know.

With eight of them and only one being under the age of three, they would have one too many for the family suites. Those only sleep six. As I said above, the chances of being in the same building at OKW might be slim with the way the studios are set up. The two bedroom is the only guarantee that they would be in the same spot and the parents could sleep together.

 

[bawamz]

Just booked POP. Thanks for the discussion. It made the decision easy. Hey, we'll be at WDW, it will be great no matter what!