Originally posted by PinkConch
Actually OKW was named Conch Flats.
The resort was called "Disney Vacation Club". You got on buses that said "Disney Vacation Club" and you made reservations at "Disney Vacation Club". Conch Flats was the "theme" name, if you will. Once at the resort they made you feel you were a resident of "Conch Flats". When they decided that Disney Vacation Club would be too confusing once there were more DVC's at WDW, they had a search for a new name. They came up with OKW. To this day, our paperwork (budgets, dues, etc.) still say only "Disney Vacation Club at Walt Disney World Resort". I think the name change was mostly to avoid confusion. If the official name of every resort was "Disney Vacation Club"; "Disney Vacation Club at Boardwalk"; "Disney Vacation Club at Beach Club", etc. I'm sure they'd have guests getting on wrong buses, etc. all the time. They still have some problems with "Beach Club" and "Caribbean Beach".
Dee, I don't know all the answers to your questions for sure. The thought of "other" resorts that would be able to book at WDW was a bit ominous when we signed the original paperwork. I think a lot of us were concerned with people who would purchase at these unknown outside resorts and take up rooms at WDW. In the end, it has all worked out quite well.
I think the idea was probably to build a network of resorts outside of WDW since the first three they considered were Newport, CA, Vero Beach, FL and Hilton Head, SC. (Newport was dropped and eventually sold to Marriott). My guess is that at some point, Disney realized this would entail having to go full-time into the timeshare and resort business. It's one thing to run resorts at your own theme park, it's another to compete in the outside world of resorts and timeshares. They couldn't just market to Disney families, they would need large scale marketing plans to go after people who would come to the resorts regardless of whether they had any interest in Disney. This would have been expensive and actually a new business for Disney. Instead, they built a network with existing companies and hoteliers to give DVC members outside experiences without having to get into the business themselves.
They also realized they could get guests to help build resorts at WDW. OKW went over so well, they went ahead with BWV. I don't know if you remember, but the Boardwalk area was vacant for a very long time with a big wooden wall saying something like "Boardwalk Opening "19XX" and nothing would happen. At one point they talked about making it a real amusement center with ferris wheels, etc. Finally, the idea for the Boardwalk resort jelled. I think it was a wonderful addition. I guess it also proved how profitable the DVC was for Disney and now they continue to build DVC resorts at WDW. I think it's a win for members as well since now you can have a variety of DVC resorts at WDW to try without having to pay the expensive point premium to stay in a regular hotel rooms around the "World".
I'd love to see more outside DVC resorts but, unless Disney makes the commitment to enter the resort business, I don't think it will happen.
When it opened -- OKW was called "Disney Vacation Club". Next, they opened a resort at Vero Beach followed quickly by Hilton Head Island. Next, up was Boardwalk Villa. With two resorts at WDW, they renamed "Disney Vacation Club" as "Old Key West". The rest of your order is correct -- VWL, BCV and SSR. They did announce a resort at the Eagle Pine Golf Course prior to deciding to build SSR on the old DI property. That resort may still come to pass.
