Helpful Hints wanted for my first time at OKW

[njtinkmom]

Hi Guys, we are staying at OKW for the first time and I was looking for some tips... I have stayed at Saratoga and find that to be toooo spread out - it's ok for me and hubby, but when we bring the kids - well way too much walking just to fill up a mug or go to the main pool.

So with this said, I would like to know the best areas to stay that would be close to the main pool and being able to get drinks, etc. I did wait list the section close to the main house, but if that does not come through what should I request as we get close to that precious 10 day on line check in date! My biggest problem is my 9yo dd who does not mind walking in the Parks (imagine that) but gets awful sluggish around the resorts...

Any other useful tips are always appreciated!!

 

[chalee94]

for OKW regulars, the best areas are farther from the "hospitality house" area (the main area with the lobby, pool, gift shop, boat dock and olivia's).

remember that all buses stop at the HH area before they leave for the parks so just hop the first bus that comes to the nearest bus stop and get off at the HH stop.

you could request millers road as a near-HH option, though...

 

[Disneypapa]

I love OKW, but I'm not fond of Olivia's limited menu (my opinion). I do like the relaxed atmosphere, the decor, the large rooms, etc. of the resort and it feels more like Florida than the large condo expanse known as Saratoga.

 

[iluveeyore]

Our favourite building was 26 when we stayed near HH - just got off on the first stop at Peninsular road coming back from parks and walked a few steps to our building - had a gorgeous 2nd floor view of water and golf, fed ducks from our patio, it was wonderful, and just a quick walk across the bridge to the main house/pool. And to go to the parks, just walk to HH and get on the bus there so you don't have to ride all the way around the resort.
When we don't stay near HH, our favourite spot is Turtle Pond, building 33 - great views from 2nd and third floor of water/golf, and the quiet pool is actually quite large and nice, with a beverage refill right at the Turtle Shack. Either way, you will love it there, so relaxed, beautiful and easy to get around. Anywhere you end up, just catch a bus to the front if you don't feel like walking. Although it is a nice walk from anywhere in the resort. Make sure you take the gorgeous boat ride to DTD - takes about 20 min but so relaxing and pretty.

 

[vicki_c]

We just returned from a stay at Bldg. 36 in Turtle Pond - it was a wonderful location. We didn't have refillable mugs, so I can't speak very well to that, other than to echo the poster above that there is a refill station at the Turtle Pond pool which was not too far.

I found it a long walk to the HH - I'm lazy - and we only did it once. We used the internal buses other times, and that worked very well. We're not big bus users, but we found the buses at OKW to be great.

We chose a building numbered 30 or higher due to the bathroom access issues in the lower numbered buildings.

We loved OKW - it's right up there now on my favorite resorts - I can really see what people love it there.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I don't think you have to worry about walking any farther than the nearest bus stop. ALL buses stop at HH last, so any bus will get you there quickly. As for favorite area....It is NOT necessarily the HH category. I hate the fact that there isn't the extra door to the bathroom in those units. My favorite buildings are 45 and 46. If you look at the map, you can see that they are on the canal (great views), and are a quick 5 minute walk to HH. I often see the bus coming, but by the time I get to HH, the bus is still somewhere behind me.

Interesting that someone loved building 36. We were in that one a couple of trips ago, and our 1 bedroom unit was on the end of the building nearest the bus stop. Our "view" was of the next building....I never used the balcony once that trip because of that.

 

[vicki_c]

Diane - our view from 36 (3615) was of the pond/golf course - it was beautiful.

 

[soulmates]

We were there last Aug. Stayed very close to the HH. We were a 2nd story unit so there was quite a bit of trekking up and down getting allll our "Stuff" inside but we loved the room. Perfect view of the golf course, very peaceful. We loved the pool, LOTS of fun going on EVERY day ALLLL day long! We took the boat a few times but mostly drove to the parks. Because the resort is way out there...the car was much quicker!

 

[dianeschlicht]

Diane - our view from 36 (3615) was of the pond/golf course - it was beautiful.

Yeah, it looked like the other units would have good golf views, but ours certainly didn't.

 

[njtinkmom]

Oh hearing all these comments I can't wait to go! If your not near the HH wear do you fIll your mugs?

 

[Bainzy28]

Fantastic thread!!!!

Staying at OKW in Nov for our honeymoon and parents are bringing out DD. So excited now after seeing these posts. My new hubby is desperate to play golf and have a view of the golf course and I've got lung cancer so walking lots was a big worry for me but by the sounds of it even if we don't get somewhere close to HH its a bus ride away!

 

[dianeschlicht]

We took the boat a few times but mostly drove to the parks. Because the resort is way out there...the car was much quicker!

Boy, I find that statement hard to believe. First of all, it's only "way out there" if being next door to Epcot and Downtown Disney is "way out there". I think of AKL as "way out there", but not OKW or SSR. I'll admit that it is faster to drive to AK from OKW because that bus stops at BB on the way. I KNOW though that you can't go to MK quicker by driving unless you are parking illegally at one of the monorail resorts. It's a quick us ride right to MK, and if you drive, you have t o deal with TTC . That means a tram ride plus a ferry or monorail ride AFTER you park. The bus drops you right off in front of MK. Epcot might be a wash to drive though. It's very close to OKW, but I suspect if you drove there right away in the morning so you got a close parking spot, you would likely gain something on taking the bus. I'm not so sure that would be true later in the day though.

We find the bus service from OKW to be exceptional, and mostly use it.

 

[DebbieB]

Boy, I find that statement hard to believe. First of all, it's only "way out there" if being next door to Epcot and Downtown Disney is "way out there". I think of AKL as "way out there", but not OKW or SSR. I'll admit that it is faster to drive to AK from OKW because that bus stops at BB on the way. I KNOW though that you can't go to MK quicker by driving unless you are parking illegally at one of the monorail resorts. It's a quick us ride right to MK, and if you drive, you have t o deal with TTC . That means a tram ride plus a ferry or monorail ride AFTER you park. The bus drops you right off in front of MK. Epcot might be a wash to drive though. It's very close to OKW, but I suspect if you drove there right away in the morning so you got a close parking spot, you would likely gain something on taking the bus. I'm not so sure that would be true later in the day though.

We find the bus service from OKW to be exceptional, and mostly use it.

I once timed a trip driving from our front door at OKW to the turnstiles at MK, 22 minutes. That was driving to the parking lot, tram to TTC, express monorail. Bus may beat that if it comes when you are walking up to the stop but we never seemed to be that lucky.