Just back from 10 days at OKW

[mmmcq]

Hi all, we're just back tonight from OKW and it was a wonderful 10 days. This is not our home resort, but I booked just under the 7month window and was never able to switch. But I was able to get all my waitlisted nights which allowed us one seamless reservation. I was thrilled. And honestly, I really like OKW - the location, the way the resort is laid out, the staff, the amenities (pools, boats, restaurant, location, etc). This is our 2nd stay there and I'd have to say.....I've really become a fan. We missed the Epcot area and SAB, but OKW is great.

We were in building 56. Our original reservation was for a 2BR near Hospitality House. But with all the waitlists and the need to get one reservation in a dedicated 2BR, we had to sacrifice the location. But we had a car, so it wasn't a big deal. The bus stop is right there, however, so a car is not necessary. We just like the flexibility and the freedom of a car.

Our room was in pretty good shape - despite some minor houskeeping and maintenance issues. But when we had an issue, the staff responded very, very quickly and always pleasantly.

I will say that I wouldn't stay in the lower level again. It was great for ease in and out of the car.....but we had elephants living above us this week who got up at 7am and went to bed at 12 am every night. They felt the need to run the water jets in the tub at 7:15 every am. Heavy things were always being dropped ------ at 6am, 6:30 am. You get the picture. They woke all of us up and we were spread out in the 2 bedrooms and the living room couch. That's a lot of territory to cover in the am. It sounded at times like someone was doing laps. A toddler perhaps? We never saw them.

I would also ask for a unit a bit further down the driveway. It took a few nights of getting used to the sounds of the bus before we could ignore it. Otherwise....it was quiet. And we loved the quiet pool near our building. There was hardly any one it it for the entire 10 days.

We had great weather with only one day of rain - last night for MVMCP....which was a bummer. But we were in the MK until 12:30 this am.....so we still made the best of it.

I'll post a mini-trip report tomorrow when I have more time. I need to go nurse a sore throat now. We all came back with colds. Too much Mickey and Minnie

 

[podsnel]

Can't wait to hear more about your trip- I've heard so many good things about OKW! DH & I are hoping to stay there next fall...

 

[dianeschlicht]

You are right, building 55 is much better than building 56 unless you happen to be on the side of 56 that is nearest the pool. I do think those two buildings are in the "needs to be refurbished soon" catagory, because I know it has been awhile since that area was rehabed. We were in 55 a year ago, and the light fixtures in the master bath needed to be replaced.

 

[mmmcq]

Hi all, I do have more to add....but I have literally been in bed since early last night. I was kind of under the weather Sat and Sunday, but this am I felt like I had been hit by a truck. My DH didn't feel well this am either and I had to keep my DD9 home from school. Both of us were up multiple times last night. I hope the worst is over.

I did take stock of the unit when we first arrived and wasn't thrilled with a few things. But I didn't want this thread to begin on the negative about OKW.

The faucet in our kitchen sink leaked at the bottom and all over the counter and the door to the dishwasher almost fell off (and wouldn't close). They fixed both those issues promptly. The table in the 2nd bedroom was so wobbly that I couldn't let the kids use it. I wasn't happy about the shower in the MBR - the cauking showed a bit of dark especially at the top. And we're highly allergic to mold. But I chose to ignore it. My asthma was bothering me while we were at WDW, but I can't blame it on the shower. Ironically, I haven't had to use an inhaler since Friday.

I do like having a 10 day stay in one unit, however, rather than having to move as we have done several times before when a waitlist hasn't come through. The advantage is that the 2BR was cleaned fully on our 4th full day and then we had a trash & towel day on day 7. I'm not used to getting a full cleaning. I usually have to do more myself. I only had to vacuum the entry way once from a new pair of sweat pants that my DD9 put on that shed fuzz everywhere! I wiped down the bathrooms one additional time, but really we weren't in the rooms that much - except to sleep.

I did make full use of the laundry daily. And if we had known (and believed) that it was going to be as warm as it was - we would have packed less clothes. Two years ago when we were at OKW & Beach Club it was frigid. This year we were in shorts most days with jackets/sweaters a few nights on the front end. We were in the pool 6-7 days at least whereas last time we went in twice under duress. We were so lucky with the weather.

We ate at Olivia's twice - once for dinner and once for lunch. We thought the food was good, but the service was a bit slow both times. And it wasn't busy the 2nd time. Both times we had ADR's, but I'm not sure they were necessary. We could have walked up both times.

We had counter service breakfasts from Good's four mornings that my DH picked up and brought back to our unit. My kids loved the cheesy potatoes and the cinnamon buns (the latter counts as a snack on the dining plan). The eggs and sausage were great as well. The other mornings my DH cooked. He loves to cook.......it's just that it starts our days off so much further behind! I have teens and it's difficult enough to get them up before 10am. We ate cheeseburgers from Good's twice and they were okay - but nothing to write home about.

I thought the CM's did a great job at the check-in area and I really appreciated the help of one particular CM at the Concierge desk who's name I wish I had written down to thank. I had my ADR's from 180 days out, but we were pretty off schedule by the end of the week (mainly the lagging teens!) and I had to cancel a number of ADR's.

The decorations went up on Monday before Thanksgiving including wreaths on the poles over the bridge, in Olivias, the lobby etc. It wasn't quite as decorated as some of the other resorts that we happened through, but the common areas are susbstantially smaller than some.

I liked the main areas at OKW and spent more time in them on this trip, however. And despite how busy the resort was.....and it was nearly full all week .....the lobby, the pools, the shop, Good's, Olivia's all were reasonable. It never felt crowded.

We took out water sprites at two different times one day. I took one out with my DD9 and my DD19 and DD17 took one out later. We both drove over to Downtown Disney and saw SSR from the back side. There was quite a bit of chop in the canal near the DTD lagoon...and I kind of wished for the more open waters near the Poly - but it was fun. I thought SSR looked lovely from the water.

I think they need a better system for handling the bookings for the water craft. They were a little crabby at the rental desk because there was so much interest in the vehicles (and a waiting line) during two of the days that were especially warm. It took multiple trips from the dock to the desk both times to ascertain if there was a boat and if we could take one or if we had to wait. They seemed confused and gave us the wrong info both times. It wasn't a big deal. I just think they need to iron the kinks out of their system.

Enough for tonight. Back to bed with more advil and tea.

 

[mmmcq]

I thought I'd keep the OKW details here, but post a full TR on the main board.

Here's the link if you're interested.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=29003347#post29003347

 

[mmmcq]

I know I'm mainly talking to myself at this point.....(so what else is new?) ....but I did forget to add that I really like the "central" location of OKW. Perhaps it was just where we had to be this trip, but it was very convenient to HS, MK, Epcot and Wide World of Sports where we watched basketball games played by our alma mater in the Old Spice Classic. It seemed like it only took us 10 mins tops by car last week to get any where.

The pools were reasonably warm - but I would have loved them to be warmer some of the afternoons when the air was getting chillier. It might have just been us, but the spa didn't seem as warm by the end of the week in the quiet pool area. But the pool was very clean and as I mentioned before, we were only with other guests maybe twice. It was like having a private pool. The proximity of our room to the pool was also great.

What bugs me about OKW is that there is no direct sidewalk from the pool back to rooms on the same side of the street - nor on the other side. You have no choice but to walk in the parking lot behind cars to get to the walkway near your room. You end up jay walking in several different directions.

Several times we had trouble backing our car out because of groups of folks coming back from the pool or heading to the bus. When it's dark in the those lots.......it's a bit dangerous. We nearly got hit by a cargo van driven by a CM one night. He was flying through the lot. I noticed they do that a lot.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I'm glad you had a nice time at OKW! I've never rented the boats from there, but I have admired the view of SSR from DTD, it's a pretty sight indeed!
Bobbi

 

[dianeschlicht]

Interesting comment about the pools. We always think they are a bit too warm at OKW...especially the one at South Point.

Was the South Point hot tub in working order? That has had a serious problem the last two trips we have been there.