Just Back from HH and OKW! (kinda long)

[ZerasPride]

We just got back last night from a wonderful trip. We stayed at Hilton Head for a few days and then we drove down to OKW. This was our first stay as DVC members and it was wonderful. Our two bedroom at Hilton Head was spacious and beautiful. My sister and her husband came with us and I was able to upgrade their studio to a one bedroom when we arrived (of course I had to pay the points difference but it was so worth it). They were surprised and very delighted with their villa. They were celebrating their anniversary as were me and my husband and we were delighted and surprised at the balloons and champagne the resort delivered to our villas.

OKW was wonderful too! Our one bedroom unit seemed almost as big as the two bedroom at Hilton Head. We stayed in villa 3611 which was a first floor villa in the Turtle Pond area. The resort was so relaxing and peaceful. The bus service was fantastic! I was a bit worried because it was a holiday week but we waited no more than 10 minutes for buses so we had no complaints there. I have always thought of the boardwalk area as my favorite on property but that has changed. I absolutely loved the OKW area and hope to stay at OKW again in late May or early June.

The parks were packed but utilizing fast pass and avoiding rides with long waits, was really the way to go when the parks are crowded. Some rides would have waits over an hour and others were walk ons with very little waits. For instance, Pooh had a 75 minute wait time but around the corner Snow White had a 20 minute wait. We also walked on to the Jungle Cruise and Pirates of the Caribbean while holding a fast pass for Buzz (which had a 45 minute wait). We did a lot of criss crossing the parks but it was worth it not to have to wait in long lines.

On Thanksgiving evening the wait for Big Thunder was listed as 75 minutes and the fast pass return time was several hours away. We really wanted to ride Big Thunder at night so we bit the bullet and waited in line. Much to our surprise, we were through the line in 30 minutes! That was the longest wait the entire trip.

I learned several things this trip that I thought I would share with the group:

1) DVC is great because it helps you slow down. You don't feel you have to do everything because you know you'll be back. This is the first time I have ever come home from a Disney trip and felt relaxed! It was wonderful having a washer/dryer and full kitchen. We saved quite a bit of money by having breakfast in our room most days.

2) Everyone does not feel the same way about Disney as I do and that's something I just have to accept. My younger brother (age 12) came with us and did not have a good time overall. I tried to make things exciting for him but he found the laid back atmosphere at Hilton Head to be "boring". He also felt our laid back touring strategy was boring. He wanted to go, go, go every minute and we just weren't doing that this trip. On a positive note, my sister and her husband were so impressed with their villa at Hilton Head that they are coming back with us next year and insist on paying cash for their own villa. I can't tell you what high praise that is!

3) I will never ever if I can help it, drive again! The drive down wasn't so bad. We stayed at Hilton Head first (a 12 hour drive) and then did the 5-1/2 hours to Disney. Going home we stopped in Charlotte overnight before arriving home yesterday about 6:00 p.m. We were all cranky and tired and it really put a damper on the trip as a whole. I am not knocking anyone that chooses to drive but I'd rather skip a few character meals or buy a few less souveniers and fly. I went with an open mind and I'm glad we tried driving once.

4) It doesn't hurt to let the staff at your resort or the restaurant where you're eating know you are celebrating a special occasion. We had a wonderful time at 'Ohanas on the night of our anniversary and watching the fireworks was so special. Also the ballons and champagne in our room was a treat too. I know you can't expect special treatment but we enjoyed what was done for us.

5) Finally, I appreciate all the tips I learned from this board. We were able to avoid the worst of the crowds, enjoyed some great meals, and did some relaxing.

DVC is such a wonderful thing! We just got back home and I'm already planning our next two trips and contemplating a small OKW resale or a small add-on at BCV. Thanks so much for reading my ramblings if you've made it this far. If I can answer any questions, please let me know.

P.S. I ran into the nicest copule who daughter and son-in-law were complating buying in to DVC and the wife and I had a nice long conversation about the pros and cons of DVC. She seemed very grateful for my insights so we may have a new family joining us soon. It was wonderful to talk to potential new members and I hope DVC is a good fit for their family.

 

[Granny]

Lisa,

What a nice report! Thanks for sharing your experiences with us.

We are a family that drives about 15 hours to get to WDW...we just like having our vehicle and being able to "overpack"....don't have to make those tough packing decisions that way!


And I think your younger brother will have a better time in a few years when he can cut out on his own and "go commando". Also, he just might not be into the "Disney thing"....this is the reaction I seem to get from some teenagers who think Universal Studios/IOA is the greatest theme park ever....just looking for the thrills!

But you made a great point about DVC ownership. I think there are two great benefits that make DVC worth it to me. First, it "forces" me to take quality family vacations that I might otherwise rationalize away. And second, the trips are so much better because we got rid of the "got to do it all in one trip" mentality that made vacations at WDW so draining. You're right...the DVC vacations were the first true relaxing vacations we've had at WDW.


Thanks again.

 

[ncligs]

Lisa,

Glad you(fellow buckeye ) had a good trip.Thanks for the excellent report. We agree with you about flying down. It is much more relaxing taking a 2 hr flight.
Glad you enjoyed your OKW stay also.We were at HH in summer of 2001 and enjoyed it very much.

 

[PamOKW]

Glad you had a great trip and a belated "Happy Anniversary" to you both.

As for the 12 year old brother.....I've found that most 12 year olds don't like much of anything. My own niece had a real attitude when she was 12 and on a WDW trip. Luckily, she quickly outgrew that stage....your brother will, too.

 

[TIdoublegaER]

Zeras,

I read in your other post that you stayed in building 18. Is that right? We requested that building (one of the 5 options for the GVs) for next summer. What did you think about that location? Was the view of the marsh nice?

Thanks,

Tig

 

[Pig Pen]

Thanks for posting. I cannot wait for my first trip "home" to VWL in May. I am trying to choose between OKW and BWV for our September trip. We stayed at the Dolphin and loved the Boardwalk area, but I think we would like to try OKW...decisions, decisions.

My DH always insists on driving - it's a 2 full day trip for us and that's pushing it. This means that we need 2 full weeks for a one week WDW stay. Since we started staying onsite, we never drive our car once we arrive so it really seems to be a waste of precious vacation time.

After the last trip I put my foot down and said no more driving!

So in May we are flying and hopefully he will be convinced it's the only way to go.

 

[benhannah's mom]

TIdoublegaER-
We stayed in building 18 last summer and loved the location. It is in the middle of things. A short walk everywhere. It looks like me might be there at the same time. We check in on 6/7 I think.

 

[ILuvDVC]

Lisa,

What a great report! You feel for the charm of OKW.....not hard to do! It's my favorite of all the DVC Resorts. But, there is something special about each of them.

Glad you had a great time, and don't worry about your brother, he's 12, he'll come around!

 

[nisiemouse]

Great trip report Lisa! We were at OKW that week for the first time and absolutely loved it. I am battling a cold and haven't done a report. DH was especially pleased with every detail of the unit. He was the reluctant one to join DVC in the first place so I was very happy to see his positive reaction. We were in 1513 (a 2 bedroom with a view of the golf course and a fountain). I also much prefer flying although the Lexington airport was closed due to high winds on our way back so we were actually bused back from Cincinnati. I am so glad we did not fly through Atlanta on the way back. Anyway, your report included much of what I would write. So glad you had a wonderful trip.

 

[ZerasPride]

Thanks so much everyone for the comments about my trip! I wanted to do a full blown trip report but thought the highlights would do just as nicely.

Tidoublegaer - I was a bit disappointed that we did not get building 31 which we had last year when we stayed on cash but building 18 was great! The resort is so compact that I don't think any building would be bad (except a pool view - it could get pretty noisy with all the kiddos splashing around having a good time). Our marsh view was a bit obstructed by the trees but if you were out on the balcony it was just fine. My only complaint would be you have a bit of a distance to walk to your car when you want to leave property because there is no direct parking for building 18 but it really wasn't a problem. Have a great time in your GV!

To all those who made comments about my brother - thanks! He did not seem to like anything about the trip and I know deep down it's his age. He recapped the trip to my Mom and told her he had the best time (go figure - he complains for 10 days to me but gets home and says it was the best). I hope to take my sister (age 11) on a short trip this spring (she actually cried that she could not come with us) so I am looking forward to that.

I think each DVC resort is special in its own right but I was not prepared to fall in love with OKW the way I did. I just can't seem to stop thinking about it. I loved the little details like the shells imbedded in the cement as you walked to your villa, the bright cheery colors of the villas, the white picket fences, the waterways, the Hospitality House, the little woodland critters we would see hopping out the shrubs, the lush trees and plants everywhere. And the activities, renting boats, the pools, basketball, tennis and my favorite, lounging around on your patio reading a book! I could go on and on so I'll just stop. I feel so fortunate to be able to go back there and hope to make it soon (did I mention that I will be flying next time? ).

 

[TIdoublegaER]

Behenna's Mom,
We will just miss you ... we check in on 6/1 and out on 6/6. I'm ready!!! We bought at HH in 2000, and missed going last year. It's amazing how much we've missed it!

Thanks for your report Zeras.

Tig