OKW Lovers Thread. Part 2

[carlbarry]

Hey Y'all!!

DH and I just decided to book OKW for your January trip to WDW!

Can you all help me get excited?! It'll just be DH and I. We usually stay at AKV but with much convincing I got DH to agree to trying OKW. Looking for information on best buildings, how the buses work, and just more "pros" to staying there so I can keep DH from changing his mind!

Welcome home!
I can't tell you about the buses, as I rent a car.
I've stayed at AKL and OKW both twice.
OKW is much more laid back. As someone with a car, one of the things I like is that I pull right up to my building, instead of finding a place to park, walking across the lot, etc.
One great "pro" is the ferry to Downtown Disney.
As to "best building": I prefer to stay near Hospitality House. Others like to be by Old Turtle Pond, or other areas. It's personal taste.

 

[mercydisney]

What are the differences between HH and Turtle Pond? I am so confused...

 

[OKW Lover]

What are the differences between HH and Turtle Pond? I am so confused...

Location. HH is where the feature pool, restaurant and shop is. Turtle Pond has a quiet pool and little else.

 

[Chuck S]

Location. HH is where the feature pool, restaurant and shop is. Turtle Pond has a quiet pool and little else.

Turtle Pond has a quiet pool, near that pool there is also the Turtle Shack for beverages and pre-made foods, a small video game room, laundry facilities, a childrens play area, a shuffleboard court and located nearby are some tennis courts.

 

[chalee94]

What are the differences between HH and Turtle Pond? I am so confused...

you might want to go back and look at the map on page 1 as well...

 

[Nanajo1]

Although it might be considered a "quiet" pool Turtle Pond can get busy and loud. It doesn't have the organized games but many families like the size.

 

[ohiotodds12]

Tried reading through all the pages of info (some great stuff btw and very excited to be trying this resort in September!) but we do have a question. We have stayed at all the moderates and even a few of the values. I am taking a trip with my parents and two sisters to celebrate the end of my radiation and hopefully cancer free news! Leaving our spouses and kids at home but excited to be doing a trip just the 5 of us. We have a 1 bedroom villa booked through Disney reservations with free dining. The question I can't find the answer to is about the air conditioning in the villas. We had issues with the rooms being too warm in the past at Coronado but on the thread it discusses how to "go around" the system and it worked like a charm. How is the air in the villas and do we need to be concerned about coming back to 75-80 degrees in the room like it was at our previous resort? Thanks so any help and can't wait for our trip
.

 

[BobNed]

Tried reading through all the pages of info (some great stuff btw and very excited to be trying this resort in September!) but we do have a question. We have stayed at all the moderates and even a few of the values. I am taking a trip with my parents and two sisters to celebrate the end of my radiation and hopefully cancer free news! Leaving our spouses and kids at home but excited to be doing a trip just the 5 of us. We have a 1 bedroom villa booked through Disney reservations with free dining. The question I can't find the answer to is about the air conditioning in the villas. We had issues with the rooms being too warm in the past at Coronado but on the thread it discusses how to "go around" the system and it worked like a charm. How is the air in the villas and do we need to be concerned about coming back to 75-80 degrees in the room like it was at our previous resort? Thanks so any help and can't wait for our trip
.

First, best wishes for cancer free news!

OKW villas have two types of sensors. There are sensors on the doors (entry and patio) which automatically shut the system off if the doors are left open. There are also infrared sensors in the main living area and the bedroom which detect actual body heat (not motion) and turn the system off if the villa is not occupied.

It is easy to override the sensors. Simply press and hold the F/C button located on the left side of the thermostat. The display will change to b/p (bypass) which will bypass the sensors for a period of 24 hours. You will need to repeat this around the same time each day. Note that pressing the F/C button also changes the read-out between Fahrenheit and Celsius. To change it whatever you prefer just press the button again quickly.

Have fun!

 

[DanaLTK]

How do I officially subscribe? I just know I'm gonna be an OKW Lover!

 

[carlbarry]

How do I officially subscribe? I just know I'm gonna be an OKW Lover!

Scroll to the top of the page, and look for the "Thread tools." It will drop down and you can click on "receive emails instantly."

 

[micksn]

Just under 3 weeks till we arrive at OKW and starting to get reallly excited. Just wanted advice on the best way to contact prior to stay and request Millers Road. Is there a direct email address I can use? If I phone how long before arrival is best to influence room allocation? Thanks in advance

 

[carlbarry]

Just under 3 weeks till we arrive at OKW and starting to get reallly excited. Just wanted advice on the best way to contact prior to stay and request Millers Road. Is there a direct email address I can use? If I phone how long before arrival is best to influence room allocation? Thanks in advance

If you're a DVC owner, you can call DVC and request. But it is a "request," and a "request" is not a guarantee.
I'd call immediately.

 

[OKW Lover]

How do I officially subscribe? I just know I'm gonna be an OKW Lover!

Ahem. (see my board name) That is taken.

 

[ohiotodds12]

First, best wishes for cancer free news!

OKW villas have two types of sensors. There are sensors on the doors (entry and patio) which automatically shut the system off if the doors are left open. There are also infrared sensors in the main living area and the bedroom which detect actual body heat (not motion) and turn the system off if the villa is not occupied.

It is easy to override the sensors. Simply press and hold the F/C button located on the left side of the thermostat. The display will change to b/p (bypass) which will bypass the sensors for a period of 24 hours. You will need to repeat this around the same time each day. Note that pressing the F/C button also changes the read-out between Fahrenheit and Celsius. To change it whatever you prefer just press the button again quickly.

Have fun!

Thanks so much for this info and for the well wishes!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Although it might be considered a "quiet" pool Turtle Pond can get busy and loud. It doesn't have the organized games but many families like the size.

"Quiet" pools have nothing to do with noise levels at the pools. They are quieter in theming. No slides, no lifeguards. And that is why they are actually called leisure pools by Disney and not quiet pools.

 

[DanaLTK]

Scroll to the top of the page, and look for the "Thread tools." It will drop down and you can click on "receive emails instantly."

Thank You!

 

[DanaLTK]

Ahem. (see my board name) That is taken.

Noted! All the good names are taken, so I'll just stick with my own.

 

[rlmas]

We just got back from our first trip to OKW. We have been DVC owners since 2005 and have been bouncing around all the resorts and doing a few outside trades. Based on all the positive we heard we were really looking forward to it. Olivia's was great the first night for dinner, but the unit building and our room had a lot of issues. Laundry carts were I n the walkways every day, the railings going up the stairs had rusted badly and we even a hole in the soffit of the building that was wide open during our entire stay. The room looked nice and was very spacious, but door hardware, painted surfaces and the sofa mattress in particular did not measure up to our expectations or stays at other resorts. Also, the fountain in the pond out back stopped working the first day and was not on at checkout. The entire pond was covered in moss by that time. I did speak to a manger a couple of days in, but nothing was really resolved during our stay. I would have really liked a new mattress on the sofa rather than the foam and mattress covers offered to us that were just ok. Usually our kids say the Disney sofa sleepers are much better than the rest. The same manager actually met me at the room at checkout to go over everything. My question to all of you OKW experts is whether or not this is typical. I'm sure many of you have stayed many times over the years. We own 200 of our 400 points here and would like some perspective. Many thanks in advance!!

 

[Nanajo1]

I think that the manager came to discus the issues is a positive but I would still e-mail member satisfaction about them.

 

[jndmommy]

I was checking out my online check in. I saw that one of the amenity requests is dual entrance bathroom. I have stayed in both types of entrance before. With kids I'd prefer the dual entrance. Just wondering is there only certain sections that have the dual entrance. Thanks in advance.