OKW Lovers Thread. Part 2

[Lost boy]

It is open (was in November…), no there is no security check on the Westside. You have to go in by the busses.

I believe it's open dawn to dusk, we were there in December, we would go in through the I think it was the orange garage, you ended up by the Coke building, we also entered by Cirque.

 

[wendlle]

Hi everyone.
I'm booking 10 nights for May 2025 and thinking of splitting my stay between OKW and SSR
We are 2 Adults and 2 Kids aged 9 and 6, I can't afford a 1BR (sad) so will be getting studio's at both.
I've never stayed at either resort before.
What things should I know about OKW ? What will we love and what isn't to be missed while staying there?

 

[Chuck S]

Hi everyone.
I'm booking 10 nights for May 2025 and thinking of splitting my stay between OKW and SSR
We are 2 Adults and 2 Kids aged 9 and 6, I can't afford a 1BR (sad) so will be getting studio's at both.
I've never stayed at either resort before.
What things should I know about OKW ? What will we love and what isn't to be missed while staying there?

OKW studios are all lock-offs, so if the resort is busy, there will be another party in the connecting one bedroom. All OKW studios have 2 queen sized beds, no fold out couch, and thus no "sitting" area, other than a couple of chairs and a small table.

OKW does not have elevators, except in 3 buildings, because most of the resort was built prior to ADA Changes, so if you have trouble climbing stairs, be sure to request a ground floor unit.

OKW is spread out, if you are near the back part of the resort and want to go to the Check-in Hospitality area, hop on ANY park bus, the hospitality area is the last stop before heading to the parks. To return to your room, walk across the bridge from hospitality, and again, hop on any park bus. The exceptions are the Disney Springs busses, they are supposed to double as an internal route bus, but it is much easier to use the park bus strategy. There are 5 bus stops throughout OKW, the normal order of stops is:
1) Peninsular Road,
2) South Point
3) Old Turtle Pond
4) Miller's Road
5) North Cove Rd./Hospitality/Check-in

 

[cmbr]

Hello y'all, I'll be renting DVC points for the first time to stay at OKW (also for the first time!) in May 2025. The earlier posted things to know are helpful, but I wanted to ask about how concerned I should be about the buses, and how walkable the resort is. The number one thing I see people listing as a con in my research is the bus situation. However, it'll just be me and a friend visiting in May, both in our mid-twenties and able bodied, and unless the property is just so sprawling that possibly needing to walk to a further bus stop would be more of a chore than its worth I'd like to avoid having to possibly compromise our currently decided trip dates just to book near Hospitality.

Basically, is the bus thing that big of a deal, or am I allowing a molehill to become a mountain here? Otherwise, I'm really looking forward to checking OKW off my resort bucket list!

 

[Chuck S]

Hello y'all, I'll be renting DVC points for the first time to stay at OKW (also for the first time!) in May 2025. The earlier posted things to know are helpful, but I wanted to ask about how concerned I should be about the buses, and how walkable the resort is. The number one thing I see people listing as a con in my research is the bus situation. However, it'll just be me and a friend visiting in May, both in our mid-twenties and able bodied, and unless the property is just so sprawling that possibly needing to walk to a further bus stop would be more of a chore than its worth I'd like to avoid having to possibly compromise our currently decided trip dates just to book near Hospitality.

Basically, is the bus thing that big of a deal, or am I allowing a molehill to become a mountain here? Otherwise, I'm really looking forward to checking OKW off my resort bucket list!

Everyone I've taken to Disney over the years, even staying at different resorts, prefers OKW for the more relaxed atmosphere, and extra 5 to 10 minutes for the bus is no big deal. All resorts can have bus delays because of traffic or special events like Run Disney.

 

[ILoveMyDVC]

Everyone I've taken to Disney over the years, even staying at different resorts, prefers OKW for the more relaxed atmosphere, and extra 5 to 10 minutes for the bus is no big deal. All resorts can have bus delays because of traffic or special events like Run Disney.

ssshhhh don't tell anyone else

 

[ILoveMyDVC]

Hello y'all, I'll be renting DVC points for the first time to stay at OKW (also for the first time!) in May 2025. The earlier posted things to know are helpful, but I wanted to ask about how concerned I should be about the buses, and how walkable the resort is. The number one thing I see people listing as a con in my research is the bus situation. However, it'll just be me and a friend visiting in May, both in our mid-twenties and able bodied, and unless the property is just so sprawling that possibly needing to walk to a further bus stop would be more of a chore than its worth I'd like to avoid having to possibly compromise our currently decided trip dates just to book near Hospitality.

Basically, is the bus thing that big of a deal, or am I allowing a molehill to become a mountain here? Otherwise, I'm really looking forward to checking OKW off my resort bucket list!

It is walkable AND it is super cheap to Uber/Lyft (Not the Minnie vans) to the parks or to the other resorts for dining.

 

[miksicnarf]

Hello y'all, I'll be renting DVC points for the first time to stay at OKW (also for the first time!) in May 2025. The earlier posted things to know are helpful, but I wanted to ask about how concerned I should be about the buses, and how walkable the resort is. The number one thing I see people listing as a con in my research is the bus situation. However, it'll just be me and a friend visiting in May, both in our mid-twenties and able bodied, and unless the property is just so sprawling that possibly needing to walk to a further bus stop would be more of a chore than its worth I'd like to avoid having to possibly compromise our currently decided trip dates just to book near Hospitality.

Basically, is the bus thing that big of a deal, or am I allowing a molehill to become a mountain here? Otherwise, I'm really looking forward to checking OKW off my resort bucket list!

I’m 66 and able-bodied and I’m always confounded when people say OKW is too big, too far to walk, etc. You’re never far from a bus stop, they’re located throughout the resort. I have never had an issue walking to the HH area from any other part of the resort. We walk around the parks all day, walking around OKW is nothing in comparison. And frankly, I don’t think many of the other hotel-like resorts involve any less walking…when you consider walking through the hallways and lobby and out to the bus stop.
Some people just don’t like buses; I have no problem with them. Enjoy your trip!

 

[Tigger's ally]

Hello y'all, I'll be renting DVC points for the first time to stay at OKW (also for the first time!) in May 2025. The earlier posted things to know are helpful, but I wanted to ask about how concerned I should be about the buses, and how walkable the resort is. The number one thing I see people listing as a con in my research is the bus situation. However, it'll just be me and a friend visiting in May, both in our mid-twenties and able bodied, and unless the property is just so sprawling that possibly needing to walk to a further bus stop would be more of a chore than its worth I'd like to avoid having to possibly compromise our currently decided trip dates just to book near Hospitality.

Basically, is the bus thing that big of a deal, or am I allowing a molehill to become a mountain here? Otherwise, I'm really looking forward to checking OKW off my resort bucket list!

Stayed here many times and have no problems whatsoever with the busses. Always up and running early morning and often we are first on board even though we are at the Turtle pond area. Yeah, occasionally you get a long ride due to congestion on the roads but no big deal. One aspect of the busses that nobody talks about is when you drive and park your car in one of the behemoth lots, you come back to a very hot car. Me, I step into an air conditioned bus. Really, the only place we drive too once we park the rental/personal car is to the water parks. Just more convenient to drive there.

 

[cmbr]

Thanks for the input, everyone! I personally don't mind a longer bus ride at all, that's when I find myself getting hyped up for my day at the parks. We'll just be flexible and see what works best for us based on wherever our room is!

 

[softballmom3]

Hi all! We will be arriving mid December and will not have a vehicle (traveling by Mears Connection probably since it's later at night). There's an internal bus system that will get us to our room if it's too far to walk to it isn't there? We are DVC but haven't ever stayed here before. I have a waitlist for AKV, but I highly doubt we get it since it's Christmas season. Thanks!

 

[bcuinohio]

Hi all! We will be arriving mid December and will not have a vehicle (traveling by Mears Connection probably since it's later at night). There's an internal bus system that will get us to our room if it's too far to walk to it isn't there? We are DVC but haven't ever stayed here before. I have a waitlist for AKV, but I highly doubt we get it since it's Christmas season. Thanks!

Are you booked in Hospitality House area? If so, your room will be close to the check in area. If not, Bell Services would probably take you.

 

[OKW Lover]

Hi all! We will be arriving mid December and will not have a vehicle (traveling by Mears Connection probably since it's later at night). There's an internal bus system that will get us to our room if it's too far to walk to it isn't there? We are DVC but haven't ever stayed here before. I have a waitlist for AKV, but I highly doubt we get it since it's Christmas season. Thanks!

Bell services will bring you and your luggage to your room

 

[softballmom3]

Thank you both. No we aren't in Hospitality House area. It wasn't available.

 

[Chuck S]

Thank you both. No we aren't in Hospitality House area. It wasn't available.

Once Bell Services get you to your room, and you're settled in, if it is too far to walk to/from hospitality, and you need something from that area:

OKW is spread out, if you are near the back part of the resort and want to go to the Check-in Hospitality area, hop on ANY park bus, the hospitality area is the last stop before heading to the parks. To return to your room, walk across the bridge from hospitality, and again, hop on any park bus. The exceptions are the Disney Springs busses, they are supposed to double as an internal route bus, but it is much easier to use the park bus strategy. There are 5 bus stops throughout OKW, the normal order of stops is:
1) Peninsular Road,
2) South Point
3) Old Turtle Pond
4) Miller's Road
5) North Cove Rd./Hospitality/Check-in

 

[miksicnarf]

Once Bell Services get you to your room, and you're settled in, if it is too far to walk to/from hospitality, and you need something from that area:

OKW is spread out, if you are near the back part of the resort and want to go to the Check-in Hospitality area, hop on ANY park bus, the hospitality area is the last stop before heading to the parks.

One caveat: If the bus is full it may not stop at the HH so tell the driver when you board that you want to get off there. My daughter and SIL ended up at MK when they wanted to go to Conch Flats!

 

[Diamond_Girls]

Hello! Do the OKW studios coffee makers accept the old fashioned filter and ground coffee combo? I want to bring my own but sometimes found coffee makers only accept the "packets" (if that makes sense).

I apologize for not finding this in the thread when I did a search. Thank you!

 

[Chuck S]

The current OKW Coffee makers use the cone type filters and ground coffee. You can aslo use the pre-paks of Joffery's that are supplied...but I agree, your own favorite is better.

 

[jess2022]

We recently stayed in a studio and while we really liked the resort, the curtains were an issue. We couldn’t possibly sleep past daylight. Do the 1 and 2 bedrooms have better curtains that actually cover the full window? We’d like to try it again in a bigger room but we do late nights so I need to know we can sleep in a bit.

 

[mculpepper]

What size cone filters for coffee maker?
TIA