OKW experts - tell me why I will love it!

[classicpooh]

Renting points from a friend who is a DVC owner. Please tell me why you all love OKW so much! We were originally staying @ the Beach Club and then added a 6th person to our group, and now we are staying in a 2 BR @ OKW. Looking forward to your input!

 

[spiceycat]

the bigger rooms, the patio/balcony you can eat on, the wildlife, relaxing in the whirlpool tub after a hard day at the parks...

 

[wdwsos]

Originally posted by classicpooh
Renting points from a friend who is a DVC owner. Please tell me why you all love OKW so much! We were originally staying @ the Beach Club and then added a 6th person to our group, and now we are staying in a 2 BR @ OKW. Looking forward to your input!

My favorite reasons:

*sigh* Coffee on the balcony - nothing like it...

Dotti

 

[bom_noite]

Not only is it spacious but it is very private. The way the building is arranged you will almost feel like your family is there and no one else is at the resort.

The common area is very well done. Very quaint and utterly relaxing.

I have spent about 25 nights in the OKW resort. I feel as much at home there as I do here! It is a wonderful place that I think you will enjoy.

Please search other posts for good buildings / rooms. I prefer being close to the main area: Conch Flats. The pool is nice and it makes everything very convenient.

The only negative I have is the workout facility - which is very below par. No problem, I drive over to BCV while the family sleeps and get my workout in.

Have fun and please let us all know how it works out for you?

 

[dianeschlicht]

I have to agree with the other posters. We love the large accommodations, privacy, wildlife, huge deck, full laundry room in the unit, parking outside your door, no interior hallways, fiendliness of the CMs, the quiet pools and hot tubs, the sunsets and sunrises, the quiet, the boatride to DTD, the walkway to DTD, neighborhood feel of the place, the themeing, and most of all...the vacation HOME feeling!

We like every location we have had, but prefer the South Point area most because it is far from the HH, and has a great quiet pool and is the 2nd bus stop coming in, so you don't spend a long time riding the bus either way, and there is always room on it! The only negetive thing is if you get a unit that is under a GV! The reason is the hardwood floors in the GV echo into the first floor 2 bedroom below.

 

[KNWVIKING]

No Bed Bugs

 

[mnlovesdisney]

We have DVC at OKW and love it because of its homey feel. The individual buildings are smaller and spaced out so it feels more like a small town community instead of a big major hotel complex. UTTERLY RELAXING AND COMFY COZY! Have a GREAT time.

 

[BWVDee]

WDW is like any other vacation destination--- there are many different variables, that different people value to varying degrees. Most people tend to have the same type of resort preferences, regardless of where the vacation is. Are you a family that normally will go for the higher priced room in order to have the convenience of being within walking distance of the major area attractions and fine dining spots; even if these rooms may be somewhat smaller than a hotel room 10 minutes away? Is a resort with full resort guest amenities like room service and valet parking important to you? Do you want to be a walk away from a wide variety of restuarants, nighttime entertainment etc? If these are the types of resorts you normally book for a vacation ; then I would strongly suggest you staying at either BCV, BWV or VWL.
If being in the heart of things is not a priority and you normally pick the resort that provides bigger room square footage at lower prices and also provides a more secluded and private atmosphere; with the trade off of it also requires a car or another form of transportation to reach the attractions, restaurants, etc. Then I would suggest OKW.
I have found WDW to be excatly like all vacation destinations everywhere. The closer you are to the main hub and the more the resort offers; then the higher the price will be and usually the smaller the accommondations will be.
It all depends on what your family wants on vacation and where your preferences and priorities lay.
I just recently booked a family vacation in SC. One of our trip destinations is Charleston, SC. Charleston like all major vacation destinations has accommondations that vary greatly in price, size, amenities AND most notably price and avialability, according to where it is located in relation to historic/downtown Charleston. To be in a resort located in historic Charleston is a much more pricy and a harder get resort, than a resort that is literally a 15 min drive from the main hub.
All WDW resorts are the same as Charleston and all vacation destinations. It all depends on what are your preferences, spending budget (whether it be cash or pts), etc.
Only your family knows what is right or what you desire for your family.
My suggestion would be to really research the various DVC resort options and then pick the best match for your family and your desires.
Have a great trip!!!

 

[Candace]

You will love it because 6 people in a 2BR at any other DVC resort at WDW would be *really* close - too close for an enjoyable vacation. This is not meant to start a debate - it's just my opinion after staying in all of the DVC resorts. I love my space, especially on vacation!

 

[AZKathy]

I guess I totally misunderstood the OP's post regarding wanting input on OKW.

Please don't think you are going to be staying "budget" when you stay at OKW. Also, do not think you are away from everything there is. OKW is not far from any place unless you want to walk it. You can take a wonderful boat ride to Downtown Disney which offers a multitude of places to eat. You also can just hop on a bus and in around 5 minutes, get to Epcot and hit all the wonderful restaurants there at World Showcase. You can also take your car to any resort destination for a wonderful meal.
The only thing OKW does not have is "valet parking"...don't need it cuz you are parked right outside your villa and room service. Oh, no slide yet, but getting one by the end of the year.

OKW is a lovely resort with beautiful grounds and views from your balcony or porch. The villas are large and spacious with all amenities of home. The grounds are filled with lovely wildlife and the scenery is splendid from your porch when sitting outside from a long hot day in the park. The boatride to Downtown Disney is wonderful and you also can take a stroll to Downtown Disney if you want. The villas are nice and quiet and you can park right outside your villa rather than taking a long walk from the parking lot.

We stay at OKW all the time and don't even think about staying at other resorts for the marvelous charm and atmosphere it offers when we vacation. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

Happy planning and enjoy your stay at OKW!!!!

 

[Candace]

Perfectly said, AZKathy! Your description has made me *Home*sick!

 

[BWVDee]

Please don't think you are going to be staying "budget" when you stay at OKW. Also, do not think you are away from everything there is. OKW is not far from any place unless you want to walk it.

All WDW resorts from value to DVC resorts, are priced/valued etc the exact same way as resorts at any major vacation destination are. For further explanation, see my recent experiences in booking a room in Charleston, SC., in above post.

The villas are nice and quiet and you can park right outside your villa rather than taking a long walk from the parking lot.

If self parking your car close to your WDW accommondations is a high priority, the best resort for this is really the cabins at FW. Can't get a much quieter resort than FW and to sweeten the pot even more....your car could not get any closer. Definitely the "close self parking" advantage would have to go to FW cabins, hands down! And they are even in the "home away home" resort category!

 

[PamOKW]

One of the most expensive factors in any business is the cost of the employees and the benefits that must be paid to them. These costs are passed on in what a business charges for their products.

A resort that offers room service and valet parking has a larger staff that must be paid (including benefits) than a resort that does not have these services. That resort has higher operating costs than a resort that does not have to pay that number of employees. This may be a factor in why BWV/VWL/BCV dues are higher than OKW. It may also contribute to why the general public pays more to stay at these resorts.

To compare OKW to any other current resort at WDW is to compare "apples to oranges". (The resort that will come closest is SSR once it has opened.) Granted, there are many factors that go into the pricing of a resort and location may very well be one of them.

The original poster has been given some great thoughts on OKW as well as the reminder that it is not possible to walk to any major park (you can't walk from the GF, Poly or AKL to any park either) and that full room service is not available.

To the original post -- The beauty of OKW, to me, is that it allows you to have two vacations in one. You get to enjoy the spectacular beauty of OKW in the morning when all the birds and other wildlife are on the grounds. You can head back to your villa and unwind and regroup for the next adventure. You can enjoy drinks, meals, whatever on the full size balconies that have overhead fans and lights. You can relax by one of the many pools. (Currently, there is no slide -- one will be in by January 2005). Play golf, bike ride, play a game of tennis. And when the relaxing is done, hop on a bus or jump in your car and you can be to any park in a matter of minutes. (Someday we'll have to time it, but I'm guessing the time it takes to drive to Epcot or MGM in your own car is not much longer than it would take someone leaving their room at BWV or BCV to walk to those parks.) Sometimes descriptions of OKW lead people to think it is in some remote part of WDW -- As a frame of reference, it is fairly centrally located on the property and is very near to BWV/CBR/PO/TL/DD if you are familiar with any of those properties.

 

[DVCTiff]

Ooooohh, I'm getting so excited to be there in just however many days it says below. Thanks for all the great descriptions!

 

[Shadeaux]

A few pictures taken last June at OKW:
http://www.pbase.com/shadeaux/wdw_2003

I love OKW so much that every year I tell my family I'd be perfectly happy if they'd drop me off at our unit when we get there and come pick me up when it's time to go home. Who needs the parks when you can sit on the balcony and watch the golfers, the rabbits, birds and ducks, and the gorgeous foliage? Next month will be our 10th stay at OKW since joining in '94. We love it so much, we've not stayed anywhere else while at WDW since joining.

 

[OneMoreTry]

I have lots of reasons but will only mention my #1, which is a very strong sense of an exclusive home and retreat from the crowds at WDW not accessible to the majority of guests. A getaway.

WDWOS: Which building is that in your picture?

 

[wdwsos]

Originally posted by OneMoreTry
I have lots of reasons but will only mention my #1, which is a very strong sense of an exclusive home and retreat from the crowds at WDW not accessible to the majority of guests. A getaway.

WDWOS: Which building is that in your picture?

I honestly don't remember - sorry!

I have building numbers on all my other allearsnet.com photos (http://www.allearsnet.com/acc/g_okw.htm), but this one somehow escaped me.

Dotti

 

[dianeschlicht]

I'm going to guess the building in WDWSO's photo is either 45 or 46. We have stayed in both of those and also in 55, and that view looks like it is toward 46 from 55.

 

[BWVDee]

One of the most expensive factors in any business is the cost of the employees and the benefits that must be paid to them. These costs are passed on in what a business charges for their products.

While the cost of staffing etc for valet parking and room service do have an effect on room pricing in the hotel/motel industry the main factor in pricing of ANY type of real estate is location. The additional cost for full deluxe resort amenities is no where near the top factor in the pricing of rooms. It is all about location. This a a very well known and accepted fact of both real estate and hotel/motel/resort pricing.

To compare OKW to any other current resort at WDW is to compare "apples to oranges". (The resort that will come closest is SSR once it has opened.) Granted, there are many factors that go into the pricing of a resort and location may very well be one of them.

Why is that? There are many variations of resorts at WDW. From cabins and tent sites in the woods to luxury suites that command thousands of $ per night. All are WDW resorts, why would OKW be in it's own class? Because it is a resort that offers accomondations that consist of kitchen, lr, etc and is located away from the parks in a secluded area? The trailers at FW (now cabins and the condos at the old Disney Village are both resorts that offer these things and they have both been around long before OKW was even thought of. And they are/were both very much considered a part of the WDW resorts and not anything unusual.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Get over it Dee, the OP simply asked why we liked OKW. There is no debate here. It is simply answering what is good about OKW.