I usually stay in the deluxe resorts but have started branching out to trying the mods for a day or two with a split stay lately. I've stayed at both POR and OKW in the same trip.
They are very much alike, OKW seemed a lot bigger to me, I walked the entire loop around POR and over to POFQ every morning and it didn't take longer than 15 min., I wouldn't have attempted that at OKW.
I stayed in a studio at OKW, a corner room in Magnolia Bend at POR. The studio is bigger than other
DVC studios but very dated, reminded me kind of like old hotels back in the 60s. The room at POR was smaller and of course, since there are outside corridors, the view doesn't really matter since you aren't really going to be there looking out your window at the people who pass by.
I had a huge balcony at OKW, I was in a building right across the street from the backside of the check in building and one building from the bus stop. It was the first bus stop on the route so I would sit on my balcony enjoying a cup of coffee in the morning and when the bus I wanted pulled into the bus stop, I would take my time getting my stuff together and walk over to the main building, which is the last bus stop, that way I didn't have to ride the bus around the entire resort. On the way back from the parks, I'd get off at my stop since it was first. There was a bus stop right behind the building I stayed in at POR, I'm thinking it was the second to the last stop. I would walk over to the main stop in the morning and catch the bus there, not even a 4 min. walk, since it was the last stop. On the way home from the parks, I would get off at the stop behind my building, which meant I did have to ride it through a couple of stops.
Speaking of coffee - OKW is DVC so you get a Mr. Coffee coffee maker with the pod thing that makes a full pot, unless you bring your own and a filter you are making a full pot. I was solo when I was there so a full pot was a waste so I'd make it and save it to reheat the next day. Not the best solution. I was renting points so I didn't get Mousekeeping every day so getting more wasn't an option (I probably could have had I wanted to bother to ask). POR has the single cup brewer with coffee and tea provided. A positive in my mind.
There is a tiny QS stand by the pool at OKW, very slim offerings but enough for breakfast, which is all I ever eat at the resort and there is a TS restaurant. POR has a huge QS and a TS restaurant.
I liked the grounds better at POR, there were all sorts of places just to stop and sit and enjoy, I'm sure these places exist at OKW but again since it was so big I didn't explore it as much.
Both have boats to DS.
Given the choice between the two, I'd probably choose POR just because it's less. OKW did not feel like a deluxe to me so the price wasn't worth it, especially since I had to ride the bus everywhere (I did drive and did have my car but I can drive at home, don't cook, drive or do laundry on vacation). I actually was sad to leave POR and go to OKW and wished I'd just stayed at POR the entire trip, but live and learn.
