OKW experts - which building(s) to request?

[MickeyMagic]

I am a new DVC owner (VWL). We were lucky enough to get reservations for a 2 BR at OKW for spring break. We would like to be near a pool and close to a bus stop (but not so close as to hear the continuous noise of the buses).

How many bus stops are there within the resort? I think I would like to be near the first or second bus stop in hopes of getting a seat. Are these also the first stops to be dropped off when returning from the parks? Do buses ever fill up and bypass later stops?

Hoping some OKW experts can give me advice on which building(s) I should request. Also looking for suggestions on which floor and view.

Thanks so much for your help! I am so psyched about my new DVC membership and can't wait for my first stay using points!

 

[Werner Weiss]

For a map of OKW, see http://www.wdwinfo.com/resortmaps/okwmap.jpg

Call Member Services. Ask them to bring up your reservation and ask them to append it with, "We would like to be near a pool and close to a bus stop (but not so close as to hear the continuous noise of the buses)." That's much better than asking for a specific building which may or may not have availability when it comes time for them to assign a room to you.

We've stayed all over OKW, and when the front door is closed, I really haven't heard the busses driving by -- with one exception. The only time I've heard busses is when they turned around directly in front of our building (building 20).

Regarding floor and view, that's really up to you. Except for building 62, 63, and 64, the OKW buildings don't have elevators. So for some guests, a 3rd floor unit is an ordeal, especially when lugging luggage up and down the stairs or returning tired after a long day at a theme park. For other guests, a 3rd floor unit means a wide open view and nobody walking around above you.

As the map shows, the folks who planned OKW did a really nice job laying out the complex so that all balconies would have views of the golf course or water or woods or some combination thereof. (There are some end units, mainly studios, that are close to a road and may not be as wonderful.)

The more requests you make, the less chance you'll have of getting them all satisfied. For our stay last month, I think I made only a single request: non-smoking required. We were assigned to building 27. The location was great. The view was wide open. We were on the second floor, but we couldn't hear any noise from the people above. There was no bus noise. There was no smell of stale smoke.

And we've had many other equally good rooms all over OKW.

 

[Caskbill]

We never request a specific building as we like our stays to be varied from one trip to the next. Make it a different experience every time.

To answer your questions, you will be 'near' one of the bus stops and one of the pools no matter where you are.

There are 5 bus stops in this order:

Pennisular
South Point
Turtle Pond
Millers
Hospitality House

The busses generally travel this route consistently so if you got on at for example South Point, you would sit through 3 more stops before leaving OKW for your destination. However on the return, you would be the 2nd stop coming back.

I've never considered bus noise an issue no matter where we've stayed. At South Point and Millers the busses have a turnaround point that makes a circle right by the front of some of the villas, and even here the noise is not excessive.