OKW Disappointment

[Diz22]

We bought at OKW in the 90's - it was the only option at the time. I loved the atmosphere, never even thought about the lack of qs. Just loved being there. As a family we attacked the parks commando style and it was as our family dynamic changed we tried out other resorts at WDW, travelled to other parts of the world etc etc. making last minute trips staying where we could ( not planners)
About 3 years ago we took my dgs for the first time - stayed over 2 weeks at Kidani, I thought he would be over the moon and while he enjoyed parts of it he was fairly underwhelmed.
8 months later we planned a last minute trip, availability was poor so we did a week at AOA then moved to OKW - he was sooooo excited.
It's his favourite - forever I think. Struggle to get him anywhere else and our recent stays have made me remember why we bought into OKW all those years ago
I hope the refurb doesn't change too much of the atmosphere and character

 

[BillPA]

Great post Annie, let's keep up the bad reviews so no one will want to stay at OKW. Makes it easier for us to get what we want.
I agree, I would NEVER stay in a studio, at OKW or anywhere else. Not much of a vacation feel being jammed in a tiny space.

 

[Anal Annie]

Great post Annie, let's keep up the bad reviews so no one will want to stay at OKW. Makes it easier for us to get what we want.
I agree, I would NEVER stay in a studio, at OKW or anywhere else. Not much of a vacation feel being jammed in a tiny space.

Well bully for you. I appreciate not having you as competition for my studio booking either!!!

As a family of only 3 we bought in with studios as our game plan from the get-go. We could only afford to buy but so many points and we'd prefer to have more trips per year than only one trip a year in a larger unit that we're not even in the room long enough to enjoy. The space suits our needs just fine as I'm not into cooking on vacation beyond toasting a bagel or a waffle for breakfast nor am I planning on doing laundry on vacation except maybe on longer trips. I can literally count on one hand the number of loads of laundry I've done on vacation since we bought DVC in 2006 (2 at Vero, 1 @ VGC and 2 at SSR). Now our DS is in college and we're not sure if and when he'll be with us on future trips. So the studio really is an adequate size for us. But you go ahead and enjoy your larger accommodations. We have way better things to do with our measley allotment of points.

 

[BillPA]

We travel with anywhere from 6 to 10 people, so a studio just won't do it. Usually in a 2 BR or GV. And we tend to go 2-3 times a year. Yes, we have purchased too many points over the years, but glad we did now. With our grandkids it's like new again, watching their faces...PRICELESS.
Annie, no offence intended, sorry if it came off that way.

 

[Diz22]

Isn't that the great thing about DVC - we all have points to use as we please!
We bought in at our affordable point thinking we would add to them as and when. As building and development progressed I longed to stay at each new VC resort, sometimes I did sometimes I didn't. Nowadays I'm happy with maximum trips, be it points or cash.
Like Annie, I don't cook on holiday and if in a 1br or above I crazily find myself looking for things to wash! ( I do have a slight addiction to American soap powder smell )
I have not been fully happy with DVC of late but nothing to do with the resorts.
We are lucky to have a choice of resorts I guess.

 

[Anal Annie]

We travel with anywhere from 6 to 10 people, so a studio just won't do it. Usually in a 2 BR or GV. And we tend to go 2-3 times a year. Yes, we have purchased too many points over the years, but glad we did now. With our grandkids it's like new again, watching their faces...PRICELESS.
Annie, no offence intended, sorry if it came off that way.

Well of course with that many people you wouldn't try to cram into a studio. You maybe should have made that point clear in the beginning as it did kinda come off sounding like you were just too good for studios...and not all of us are blessed enough to be able to afford the points required for GV's...glad you're able to enjoy them.

 

[goofy4tink]

It wasn't the refrigerator that leaked. Studios are notorious for leaking AC near the refrigerator.

Well, who knew?? Thanks. I had no idea.

 

[Lisa F]

Well of course with that many people you wouldn't try to cram into a studio. You maybe should have made that point clear in the beginning as it did kinda come off sounding like you were just too good for studios...and not all of us are blessed enough to be able to afford the points required for GV's...glad you're able to enjoy them.

Funny, I live in a small apartment and I travel alone with my 8 year old. Studios are perfect... especially the recently renovated BWV studios with the pull down bed and the Poly with the same setup. It was definitely vacation and I LOVED the option to leave the couch a couch. My apartment is not much bigger, lol. I do agree that the point setup and the variety in room sizes, types and locations is one of the best things about DVC. I went from owning a ton of points planning to take family etc to sharing a 130 point contract post divorce (down from a high of 350 points total). DVC has always worked for us at whatever stage our life was in... even now divorced it works great for us (though I admit it is because we get along and can share it). One of the best decisions I ever made was to buy in and the flexibility of the system has really allowed us to enjoy it for coming on 2 decades now through some pretty major life changes.

 

[mickeyfanachey1999]

Just stayed there in a 1 BR in the Millers Road section in January...loved every minute of it. Great room, great view, short walk to the HH, good bus service, good burger from Goods to Go...the only disappointment was the half marathon getting cancelled...but at least they had a sign up by 8:45 so I didn't go to bed early

 

[Simba's Mom]

We were also there then, and DH was also scheduled to run the half-marathon. But just think-you're a part of Disney history-as I understand it, that was the first time a race was cancelled like that. We were way down at Southpoint and loved it, although Miller's Road is our favorite area. Right by a golf cart path, so we saw lots of runners that day. Everything in our unit was clean and worked perfectly.

 

[mickeyfanachey1999]

We were also there then, and DH was also scheduled to run the half-marathon. But just think-you're a part of Disney history-as I understand it, that was the first time a race was cancelled like that. We were way down at Southpoint and loved it, although Miller's Road is our favorite area. Right by a golf cart path, so we saw lots of runners that day. Everything in our unit was clean and worked perfectly.

I understand why they had to do it but it was still a kick in the pants. I'm not sure I will ever have the guts to sign up for another 1/2. I may be more cut out for 5k and maybe a 10k