OKW 2BR Refurbishment Photos - Building 39 “Turtle Pond”

[Simba's Mom]

I would have LOVED to see that second picture as how OKW was refurbished.

 

[lovin'fl]

This isn't Love it or List it where we can all go "List it" if we don't care for the renovation.

Sure it is, sort of. I could list my OKW contract. I'd actually love to but DH likes to hold it since it was a cheap buy of 200 points. We mostly use them for everywhere BUT OKW. Have stayed at OKW a total of 12 nights since we bought it in 2006. The reno looks nice. We did stay there over New Year's and had an un-renovated room and it was very very worn and dingy. So I do prefer this clean reno to that. BUT I like the theming. It is what makes deciding on a resort, to book for a trip, fun and makes split stays fun as each resort should be different. But these renos are making all the resorts the same.

 

[DenLo]

I would have LOVED to see that second picture as how OKW was refurbished.

It is very attractive. However it is not practical with the white chair and the white seats on the dining room chairs. Even the light green couch could show stains. DVC members seem to be a messy bunch with many not cleaning up after themselves and letting children eat on the couch and walk on it sometimes with their shoes on. With that atmosphere light colors do not do well.

BLT really showed that with a light colored couch and bright blue ottoman. The couches in the studios were a mess with in a few years. The ottoman lasted longer because it was a washable outdoor fabric, but after 5 years some of them looked grubby.

 

[Chuck S]

It is very attractive. However it is not practical with the white chair and the white seats on the dining room chairs. Even the light green couch could show stains. DVC members seem to be a messy bunch with many not cleaning up after themselves and letting children eat on the couch and walk on it sometimes with their shoes on. With that atmosphere light colors do not do well.

BLT really showed that with a light colored couch and bright blue ottoman. The couches in the studios were a mess with in a few years. The ottoman lasted longer because it was a washable outdoor fabric, but after 5 years some of them looked grubby.

And yet, rather than the plaid print sofa fabric OKW had, the new decorator chose solid beige.

 

[rg35]

I think it looks fine. My grandparents bought OKW early on so I stayed there in the 95 and 97. Have also stayed in non-renovated rooms in 2016 and 2015 on our own points (we own AKV) and they definitely felt dated.

I'm not sure the rooms felt "key west" in the 90's as much as they felt "90's vacation home decor". I think in a lot of cases people just get used to what they're used to

 

[Deb & Bill]

I think it looks fine. My grandparents bought OKW early on so I stayed there in the 95 and 97. Have also stayed in non-renovated rooms in 2016 and 2015 on our own points (we own AKV) and they definitely felt dated.

I'm not sure the rooms felt "key west" in the 90's as much as they felt "90's vacation home decor". I think in a lot of cases people just get used to what they're used to

So when they renovate AKV and remove all the Africa from them, you won't mind, right? They make them 50 shades of gray like Chuck said and that would be fine.

They could have renovated OKW and kept the colors in the rooms instead of just making them beige and gray. Just a little color would have helped. Pale yellow walls, pale green walls, wood-like floors are fine.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Sure it is, sort of. I could list my OKW contract. I'd actually love to but DH likes to hold it since it was a cheap buy of 200 points. We mostly use them for everywhere BUT OKW. Have stayed at OKW a total of 12 nights since we bought it in 2006. The reno looks nice. We did stay there over New Year's and had an un-renovated room and it was very very worn and dingy. So I do prefer this clean reno to that. BUT I like the theming. It is what makes deciding on a resort, to book for a trip, fun and makes split stays fun as each resort should be different. But these renos are making all the resorts the same.

But I don't want to sell. I just hate these sterile renovations. Even BCV got a little color in the villas.

 

[Mousewerks]

It looks clean, but totally boring and bland now. No Key West left at all. They look sad to me.

I miss the drawers in the bathroom vanities. I used them all the time. I wish they would add a few more towel bars in the bathrooms to hang up the towels.

Do not stay in the new Hilton brand: Tru. No drawers anywhere.

 

[rg35]

So when they renovate AKV and remove all the Africa from them, you won't mind, right? They make them 50 shades of gray like Chuck said and that would be fine.

They could have renovated OKW and kept the colors in the rooms instead of just making them beige and gray. Just a little color would have helped. Pale yellow walls, pale green walls, wood-like floors are fine.

I don't derive any vacation enjoyment at WDW from room decor, nor was it a primary factor in deciding to buy DVC. I actually don't love the AKV room decor. I find the rooms to be pretty dark. Overall I love the resort but the room decor isn't one of the reasons why.

 

[sleepydog25]

They could have renovated OKW and kept the colors in the rooms instead of just making them beige and gray. Just a little color would have helped. Pale yellow walls, pale green walls, wood-like floors are fine.

Exactly. There are ways to extend thematic elements without spending a ton. However, that takes more imagination than DVC apparently is willing to extend, and perhaps, the 50 shades of beige/gray was a less expensive option. I don't mind darker furnishings at a place like AKV or VWL--it's appropriate. I would like brighter colors at OKW or BCV. Alas, Disney has opted for homogeneity.

 

[DenLo]

And yet, rather than the plaid print sofa fabric OKW had, the new decorator chose solid beige.

At least the beige is a darker shade and not the very light beige at BLT. I do wish they would not go all neutral. If the walls are neutral then the upholdstered furniture should have another color and not be neutral. And at OKW the colors should be warm, not cool shades. It is suppose to be Key West inspired although none of the room designs including the original look like any generation of Key West to me.

But I do not see anything wrong with the picture of Minnie and Mickey enjoying the view in the old fashioned Adirondack chairs.

 

[rg35]

The chair is blue. The window treatments have color. The dining room chairs have red cushions. The rug has a lot of color. Sure, the walls are not vibrant and the bathrooms muted but I think that's simply more of a modern aesthetic.

I don't think these choices are necessarily a matter of cost, at least when it comes to color. Painting a room in a bold color doesn't cost any more than painting it beige. Ordering thousands of patterned couches and chairs wouldn't be a huge cost difference vs. ordering a thousands of plain couches. I can't imagine at this scale that any cost differences would even be perceptible. It's not like they went from leather to cloth.

 

[sleepydog25]

The chair is blue. The window treatments have color. The dining room chairs have red cushions. The rug has a lot of color. Sure, the walls are not vibrant and the bathrooms muted but I think that's simply more of a modern aesthetic.

I don't think these choices are necessarily a matter of cost, at least when it comes to color. Painting a room in a bold color doesn't cost any more than painting it beige. Ordering thousands of patterned couches and chairs wouldn't be a huge cost difference vs. ordering a thousands of plain couches. I can't imagine at this scale that any cost differences would even be perceptible. It's not like they went from leather to cloth.

I understand what you say, but my thoughts are more along the lines that to be thematic to each resort would require smaller purchase quantities. You want darker (or rugged, woodsy, etc.) for VWL/CCVC, then that would be a separate purchase from, say, colorful ensemble pieces for OKW. On the other hand, if you purchase bulk couches, chairs, et.al., the buying theory goes that would save money. To be fair, I may be way off the mark--wouldn't be the first time. Even so, while muted is fine for some, I (and apparently many others) prefer better, more imaginative thematic elements. For whatever reason, Disney has chosen this--for me--boring route, and I don't particularly believe that it's because people are clamoring for "muted and modern." What generally moves the needle for Disney is money, so I'm wondering if this modern move doesn't somehow save them a fair amount. Otherwise, why not be more imaginative?

 

[mickey&minniealways]

It looks clean, but totally boring and bland now. No Key West left at all. They look sad to me.

I miss the drawers in the bathroom vanities. I used them all the time. I wish they would add a few more towel bars in the bathrooms to hang up the towels.

Agree about the colors. Liked the original colors. Going in September so I can't comment on the drawer or towel racks. Am dissapointed though to hear it.

 

[mickey&minniealways]

I don't derive any vacation enjoyment at WDW from room decor, nor was it a primary factor in deciding to buy DVC. I actually don't love the AKV room decor. I find the rooms to be pretty dark. Overall I love the resort but the room decor isn't one of the reasons why.

The dark rooms at AKV are the reason we are not going back there for our September trip. We went with OKW not just for the low points but primarily for the bright sunny rooms. The only thing I like now are the pastel doors and outside paint and the big rooms.

 

[nursemelis374]

Ohh, I really like it!

 

[Ian.Whiteley]

I like it but others won’t. I like seafood but others don’t. I understand if it’s not your taste today but who knows what the next refurb may bring?

 

[Deb & Bill]

I like it but others won’t. I like seafood but others don’t. I understand if it’s not your taste today but who knows what the next refurb may bring?

Wouldn't you be disappointed if you walked into a restaurant that appeared to be a steakhouse and it only had seafood? That's what they did to OKW. It looks like Key West from the 1900's on the outside, but walk inside and it's Hampton Inn 2018. I bought the outside and thought the inside would reflect the same.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

They look sad to me.

I miss the drawers in the bathroom vanities. I used them all the time. I wish they would add a few more towel bars in the bathrooms to hang up the towels.

I have to agree, gray vanity, really? Though I do love the bathroom design, the frosted glass etc. At BLT, the 1bd bath has so many of those round hooks for the towels, a really handy way to air dry them!

 

[DenLo]

Wouldn't you be disappointed if you walked into a restaurant that appeared to be a steakhouse and it only had seafood? That's what they did to OKW. It looks like Key West from the 1900's on the outside, but walk inside and it's Hampton Inn 2018. I bought the outside and thought the inside would reflect the same.

Didn't you always have that problem since it looked like a 1980s home inside?