OKW Building Request Advice

[jbish]

My family of 5 is booked for a stay at OKW (waitlisted at BWV and AKV) and this is our first time staying there. I did not request a room near HH - I don't think that's needed for us. My little ones are 6 years old. While they have lots of energy, I could see them being tired lumps by the end of the day. So I'm thinking requesting a building near a bus stop will be key. Our trip is the second full week in June (13-18th), so 7s on the EasyWDW calendar. Should we try and be on the early part of the bus route to ensure we get on? Do the buses ever fill up to the point of just passing by the later stops?

Ultimately what are your building request recommendations? Should I try and request that now?

Thanks!

 

[magicaldisney]

You can not request a room near HH, that is a booking category. So that leaves you at looking at the rest of the buildings. Not all OKW buildings have elevators. If you need an elevator to get up to the 3rd floor with children, strollers, etc then you will want to request building 62,63, or 64. Remember it is just a request so you might want to request first floor if you don't want to lug up stairs.

Personally I have never stayed at OKW when buses just passes by a stop because they were filled. We'll see if others have more experience with that.

Have you seen a map of the resort? Do you want to be close to a pool?

 

[DebbieB]

Is it a one or two bedroom? If one bedroom, I would request building 30 or higher for the second bathroom entrance.

 

[magicaldisney]

Here's some good info on the resort:

http://**************.net/2014/12/22/review-disneys-old-key-west-resort-3/

 

[jbish]

Have you seen a map of the resort? Do you want to be close to a pool?

I have a map of the resort. I think being without an elevator will be okay, since we don't have to bring a stroller. Other than the main pool near HH which looks like a very cool pool, are all of the other pools just "regular" pools? No theme/rectangular shape? My kids will likely want to be near a pool. (I'd rather be at the parks all day - we'll see who gets what they want! )

Is it a one or two bedroom? If one bedroom, I would request building 30 or higher for the second bathroom entrance.

1 BR. Thanks for the suggestion!

Here's some good info on the resort:

http://**************.net/2014/12/22/review-disneys-old-key-west-resort-3/

This is a fantastic resource - thanks!!!

 

[magicaldisney]

Other than the main pool near HH which looks like a very cool pool, are all of the other pools just "regular" pools? No theme/rectangular shape? My kids will likely want to be near a pool.

Yes, they are considered quiet pools. If you're looking for the slide you need to be at the main pool.

 

[Goofy G]

Agree with the 30+ building suggestion. That extra door makes a difference.
We have been 'skipped' by a bus at OKW but only once and we got a later start than we planned. If you want to get to the parks for rope drop you shouldn't have any trouble.

 

[Deb & Bill]

If you do online booking, you'll want Turtle Pond or South Point to get the door through the laundry room to the bathroom. So the kids won't be bothering you and your husband all night long.

 

[Nanajo1]

You can catch any bus to ride to HH and main pool. Turtle Pond pool seasonally has a snack bar and refillable mug station. Main pool has afternoon games.

 

[Anal Annie]

We haven't stayed at OKW since our very first ever (and very, very far from magical) DVC stay in 2007. I swore I would never go back - BUT am currently considering it for an adults only trip in the latter half of September. Since this idea just started churning in my head and we don't have anything booked yet the availability is already slim bcuz of F&W. AND since this would be a quickie 4-day trip on the cheap for just the 2 of us I was considering OKW to save points (it's the cheapest). The only availability right now for the dates I'm looking at is either SSR (which we just stayed at in January and we like to resort hop from trip to trip), OKW (HH is already gone tho) or AKV Kidani with a Savanna view (1) we don't care for Kidani studio layout and 2) we don't want to spend savanna view points) so this sorta leaves OKW at the top of the heap. The last time we stayed there was before the HH booking category was created - I always said IF we ever went back I'd only go if I could get HH - but it's not an option. SOOO now I'm breaking 2 things I said I'd never do. I was wondering which buildings are actually IN the HH booking category? I usually put in a room request of some sort for our stays but I wasn't sure which ones I couldn't look at. Anybody know which buildings are in which section? I'd really like to avoid the same mess with the location we had the last time (I know where we were the last time so I know what I DON'T want). Also, can somebody tell me what stop order the buses run in there? THANKS!!

 

[Nanajo1]

Building 27 is close to HH and right by Peninsular bus stop. We liked it.

 

[Deb & Bill]

We haven't stayed at OKW since our very first ever (and very, very far from magical) DVC stay in 2007. I swore I would never go back - BUT am currently considering it for an adults only trip in the latter half of September. Since this idea just started churning in my head and we don't have anything booked yet the availability is already slim bcuz of F&W. AND since this would be a quickie 4-day trip on the cheap for just the 2 of us I was considering OKW to save points (it's the cheapest). The only availability right now for the dates I'm looking at is either SSR (which we just stayed at in January and we like to resort hop from trip to trip), OKW (HH is already gone tho) or AKV Kidani with a Savanna view (1) we don't care for Kidani studio layout and 2) we don't want to spend savanna view points) so this sorta leaves OKW at the top of the heap. The last time we stayed there was before the HH booking category was created - I always said IF we ever went back I'd only go if I could get HH - but it's not an option. SOOO now I'm breaking 2 things I said I'd never do. I was wondering which buildings are actually IN the HH booking category? I usually put in a room request of some sort for our stays but I wasn't sure which ones I couldn't look at. Anybody know which buildings are in which section? I'd really like to avoid the same mess with the location we had the last time (I know where we were the last time so I know what I DON'T want). Also, can somebody tell me what stop order the buses run in there? THANKS!!

We just got back from a five night stay at OKW in a studio (plus two nights in an AKV-KV one bedroom - Savanna view and one night CM discount at AKL-JH standard view) and had a great stay as usual. We avoid HH area because parking tends to be poor there and you get a lot of bus noise at the area right at HH (Bldg 11, 12, 13 and 14). The other four buildings are 23, 24, 25 and 26, across the bridge from HH (better parking, not as much bus noise). If you are heading to the HH, just hop any bus to get there. They all stop there last. And to get back, just walk over to the Peninsular Road bus stop (right next to 23, 24, 25 and 26) and hop a bus there to get back to your area. Even if you decide to walk, it's not that far, maybe ten minutes from South Point to the HH. If you want to be close to the HH area, you might try Bldg 27, 28 and 29 which are on the opposite side of the bus stop from 23-26. And right across the bridge (and Trumbo Canal) from the HH.

Bus order is Peninsular Road, South Point, Turtle Pond, Millers Road and HH. For the Internal and Disney Springs bus, it goes HH, Millers Road, Peninsular Road, South Point, Turtle Pond and HH again).

Make sure you eat at Olivia's. The Southernmost Buttermilk chicken breast is very good. As is the cheese cake. Bill also like the scallops. And breakfast was really good.

 

[Anal Annie]

We just got back from a five night stay at OKW in a studio (plus two nights in an AKV-KV one bedroom - Savanna view and one night CM discount at AKL-JH standard view) and had a great stay as usual. We avoid HH area because parking tends to be poor there and you get a lot of bus noise at the area right at HH (Bldg 11, 12, 13 and 14). The other four buildings are 23, 24, 25 and 26, across the bridge from HH (better parking, not as much bus noise). If you are heading to the HH, just hop any bus to get there. They all stop there last. And to get back, just walk over to the Peninsular Road bus stop (right next to 23, 24, 25 and 26) and hop a bus there to get back to your area. Even if you decide to walk, it's not that far, maybe ten minutes from South Point to the HH. If you want to be close to the HH area, you might try Bldg 27, 28 and 29 which are on the opposite side of the bus stop from 23-26. And right across the bridge (and Trumbo Canal) from the HH.

Bus order is Peninsular Road, South Point, Turtle Pond, Millers Road and HH. For the Internal and Disney Springs bus, it goes HH, Millers Road, Peninsular Road, South Point, Turtle Pond and HH again).

Make sure you eat at Olivia's. The Southernmost Buttermilk chicken breast is very good. As is the cheese cake. Bill also like the scallops. And breakfast was really good.

Thanks!! I was thinking if we book this I might request buildings 15, 16, 62, 63 or 64 just based on proximity to both the Miller's Rd. bus and HH. Would probably follow those with 27 & 28 on Peninsular Rd. We won't have a car so parking is not an issue. We attempted to eat at Olivia's once when we stayed there the first time but we eat late and it was closing the time we tried so it never happened. We got take-out from either the Gurgling Suitcase or Good's to Go or something a couple of times when we were at the pool - I remember the service wherever it was was the slowest I'd ever seen in my LIFE. From where we were located (Bldg. #22) eating on site didn't feel worth the schlep up to HH. We also had poor bus service on that trip (waited for OVER 1 hour once for a bus to MK). LOL I remember late one night we tried to walk back from the HH area to our villa and we thought we could maybe cut across the golf course (we HATED the walk there). Anyway, we didn't have a flashlight and ended up getting caught in a swampy area after trying to dodge the sprinklers when they went off. It was NOT the shortcut we'd envisioned.

 

[Nanajo1]

We like to boat to DS to eat. I believe the boat runs late. Here's hoping you have a much better experience.