Looking for feedback regarding OKW during Spring Break

[Julylady]

This week we made the decision to return to WDW during spring break after spending this year in a rental condo at the beach. At the end of our 2016 WDW spring break trip I declared we were going to the beach the next year because I was exhausted fighting the Disney crowds all week. We had fun at the beach, but the crowds followed us there. Traffic was awful and the single heated pool at our resort was swamped all week (Ocean was too cold to swim.)

So we are planning to arrive in Orlando in 2018 at 11pm on Easter night. This allows us to do Easter morning services at our church as well as hopefully avoid the weekend crowds. I have made a reservation at OKW (home resort) for the week, but am already considering switching to another resort at the 7 month window.

Some questions:
1. If we stay at OKW, we will need a first floor unit as my Mom can't do stairs. How likely is a request for a first floor unit honored? We won't get there until 11pm, so I am worried about what happens if we get there and we are assigned to the 3rd floor.

2. I am looking for a resort stay that will feel uncrowded and tranquil, even though we will be visiting during one of the most crowded weeks of the year. It seems like an OKW stay would be a good choice?

3. If I decide to move someone else at 7months (mostly to guarantee an elevator), what resort(s) are likely to be available? Just SSR?

4. What other resorts will give me the tranquility I am seeking?

THANKS so much for your consideration.

 

[aoconnor]

Remember, DVC was designed to be 100% occupied 365 days a year and it pretty much is. The resorts themselves shouldn't be any more crowded than usual that week, but you will certainly notice more kids.

I think OKW and SSR are your best bets since they are spread out and have multiple quiet pools. I also love AKV Jambo because the pool is so large (largest at WDW I think) and there's a lot of secluded seating where you can find a relatively quiet spot.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Make sure you add first floor villa to your reservation for elder access. Then don't do online check in.

 

[Julylady]

Thanks. I am going to go ahead and reserve a non-handicap unit with a request for first floor due to mobility issues. Deb/Bill - Are you suggesting that I not do early check in so that my first floor request doesn't get ignored? I was hoping that with early check in they would text me the room location and we could go right to the room bypassing the front desk (we will arrive about midnight). Couldn't I do early check in and also make my sole request as ground floor room? Just looking for insight.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Thanks. I am going to go ahead and reserve a non-handicap unit with a request for first floor due to mobility issues. Deb/Bill - Are you suggesting that I not do early check in so that my first floor request doesn't get ignored? I was hoping that with early check in they would text me the room location and we could go right to the room bypassing the front desk (we will arrive about midnight). Couldn't I do early check in and also make my sole request as ground floor room? Just looking for insight.

No, just don't make any selections for online check in. You can do online check in, but don't make any requests there. Just add them to your reservation to begin with and leave it at that. Any requests you make on line tend to override any you added to the reservation.

 

[Dean]

This week we made the decision to return to WDW during spring break after spending this year in a rental condo at the beach. At the end of our 2016 WDW spring break trip I declared we were going to the beach the next year because I was exhausted fighting the Disney crowds all week. We had fun at the beach, but the crowds followed us there. Traffic was awful and the single heated pool at our resort was swamped all week (Ocean was too cold to swim.)

So we are planning to arrive in Orlando in 2018 at 11pm on Easter night. This allows us to do Easter morning services at our church as well as hopefully avoid the weekend crowds. I have made a reservation at OKW (home resort) for the week, but am already considering switching to another resort at the 7 month window.

Some questions:
1. If we stay at OKW, we will need a first floor unit as my Mom can't do stairs. How likely is a request for a first floor unit honored? We won't get there until 11pm, so I am worried about what happens if we get there and we are assigned to the 3rd floor.

2. I am looking for a resort stay that will feel uncrowded and tranquil, even though we will be visiting during one of the most crowded weeks of the year. It seems like an OKW stay would be a good choice?

3. If I decide to move someone else at 7months (mostly to guarantee an elevator), what resort(s) are likely to be available? Just SSR?

4. What other resorts will give me the tranquility I am seeking?

THANKS so much for your consideration.

I don't think anything Easter will fit your bill but OKW will likely be the closest though the pools are a little lacking. For future trips that are non WDW, you might consider a good timeshare resort with great pool options and where you don't have to do a lot of driving though everything will be busy at certain times.

 

[jcanary]

you could also call up and have them put that for medical reasons you need one of the buildings with an elevator at OKW, there are 3 of them. that could be your first choice with a first floor unit as your second choice.

 

[drusba]

1. Cannot answer question 1.

2. I cannot imagine anything Easter week being uncrowded, e.g., you mention arriving Easter night to avoid the weekend crowds; crowds are huge the entire time; in fact at parks other than MK on Easter Sunday, the Saturday and Sunday crowds are actually somewhat less than what you get starting the Monday after Easter. OKW, SSR and possibly Kidani provide some tranquility, but expect main pools to be crowded even at those.

3. Likely open at 7 months out besides SSR and OKW will be: BWV pool/garden view, Poly, BLT lake view, AKV Kidani, BRV, VGF (other than studios which will be full).

4. See answer to 2.

 

[las3888]

I think this may have been mentioned but in case not, there are some villa buildings at OKW that have elevators, and that could be a request for you. I will say that for the approx. 12 times we have stayed at OKW, we have USUALLY been able to get a room location to our desire. We are always looking for oddball things, specific floor, shady patio, things like that, and most of the time they will give us a number of choices to choose from. However, we have never arrived at midnight so that could be a little trickier. Your best bet is to put as specific as you can requests in, and maybe follow up as you get closer to...

Spring break is just busy, OKW won't seem any busier than usual I wouldn't think, but the parks will be packed. Do what you ca by 11am because after that the wait times stack up...