OKW Lovers Thread. Part 2

[Deb & Bill]

Hey everyone, I have a big family trip planned for October next year and am looking into renting DVC points to accomodate our group. Were a group of 16, 14 adults and 2 children. Does anyone have any experience with booking 4+ studio rooms? Are they generally easy to get? Should I book them right away at 11 months? Any advice would be appreciated! TIA!

October 2015 or October 2016? 2015, not likely since it is Food & Wine time. 2016, probably at seven months out. But you know none of them will connect. They don't have a murphy bed or ability to sleep a fifth person. There is usually only two per floor on the smaller buildings and four per floor on the larger buildings. Usually at the ends of the buildings and where the larger buildings bend, you'll find another.

 

[vrajewski10513]

October 2015 or October 2016? 2015, not likely since it is Food & Wine time. 2016, probably at seven months out. But you know none of them will connect. They don't have a murphy bed or ability to sleep a fifth person. There is usually only two per floor on the smaller buildings and four per floor on the larger buildings. Usually at the ends of the buildings and where the larger buildings bend, you'll find another.

Yes we're looking for 2016. The only room that will have more than 4 will have 4+1 infant and that's actually one of the main reason we're looking at OKW for the extra square footage. I don't need them to be connecting, hopefully in at very least we can try to get them in the same general area.

 

[sharadoc]

October 2015 or October 2016? 2015, not likely since it is Food & Wine time. 2016, probably at seven months out. But you know none of them will connect. They don't have a murphy bed or ability to sleep a fifth person. There is usually only two per floor on the smaller buildings and four per floor on the larger buildings. Usually at the ends of the buildings and where the larger buildings bend, you'll find another.

Hi. Touring Plans has the layouts of the buildings that you can look at and see where you'd like to stay. Usually the studios are at the ends, then 1 BRs next to them (so they can be connected to make a 2BR), then dedicated 2BR in the middle. The size of the building dictates how many of each are in the building.

You will most likely stack on top of each other. Like a smaller building has studios on each end, 4 total, so you'd have all of the studios on one building. South Points buildings 55 and 53 are like that, I think. And they are close to a quiet pool and laundry facilities. Really nice area.

 

[bigdreams]

I read on trip advisor that someone could see the epcot fireworks from their room at OKW? Can anyone confirm that and what building you would need to be in?

 

[Simba's Mom]

I read on trip advisor that someone could see the epcot fireworks from their room at OKW? Can anyone confirm that and what building you would need to be in?

We could see the high fireworks from our room at OKW. If I remember correctly, if you listened closely you could also hear the music. But just the highest fireworks. This was on Miller's Road, on an upper floor. I think it was either building 16 or 18.

 

[Nanajo1]

Hey everyone, I have a big family trip planned for October next year and am looking into renting DVC points to accomodate our group. Were a group of 16, 14 adults and 2 children. Does anyone have any experience with booking 4+ studio rooms? Are they generally easy to get? Should I book them right away at 11 months? Any advice would be appreciated! TIA!

If you can I would book at 11 months. It is during W&F. It is easier to cancel a ressie than get one. When you book ask that they be listed as traveling together so they will be close.

 

[vrajewski10513]

If you can I would book at 11 months. It is during W&F. It is easier to cancel a ressie than get one. When you book ask that they be listed as traveling together so they will be close.

I completely forgot about F&W, thanks for the heads up! 3 out of our 4 plan on booking right at 11 months, hopefully our last group makes their desicion by 7 months at least. Unfortunately with the rental site we're using once we're booked the sale is final so we can't cancel.

 

[Nanajo1]

I didn't realize you were renting. I just saw a rental site that allowed changes. I don't have the info just now. I'll look for it.

 

[vrajewski10513]

Thanks! I know dvcrequest.com doesn't. And I know with dvc rental store you can purchase a protection plan. I'm not too worried about it though. The 3 rooms we are booking at 11 months are definitely going. And hopefully the 4th group will know for sure by the 7 month mark.

 

[bigdreams]

We could see the high fireworks from our room at OKW. If I remember correctly, if you listened closely you could also hear the music. But just the highest fireworks. This was on Miller's Road, on an upper floor. I think it was either building 16 or 18.

Fab thankyou so much

 

[UDFlyer12]

Subbing in! My parents recently purchased a resale OKW contract and I am so so excited! We typically are only able to afford moderate, however, after visiting every single year for almost 10 years and going 3 times just this year, they made the plunge! We also bought APs for the year. So excited to be joining you guys as I haven't stayed at OKW since the mid-90s.

 

[Wenny]

I will bring my own teabags (being a Brit) - but does anyone know if they provide milk? I had to ask someone to bring it out for me at AoA in March, and it was such a faff that I ended up buying my own!

I don't believe they have milk out. They have half n half creamers at best. I feel your pain, as I drink my hot tea like a Brit. The proper way.

If you're staying in a studio, it might be worth bringing an electric kettle if they're allowed, and skip the refill stations entirely. I've never been a fan of the hot water at those stations. If you're staying in a larger suite, even better. You'll have a stovetop.

 

[jnsma]

This might be a silly question for this thread, but can anyone tell me why the GV on OKW is so much cheaper than any other 3 bedroom on site?
The only negative I see is that OKW is a bit further out than I’d like, I have the same comment about SSR and AK. Having doubles in one of the bedrooms is not an issue for us, the kids will be happy to have real beds as opposed to the sofa.

I just reserved in Feb for my family + grandparents. We aren’t sure how many grandparents are coming or for how long so having the GV gives us so many options without having to nail down everyone for dates. We’ve stayed in every other DVC resort except GF, so I am looking forward to trying OKW and was happy to see the difference in points.
Just curious if I’m in for a (unhappy) surprise. Thanks!

 

[Chuck S]

This might be a silly question for this thread, but can anyone tell me why the GV on OKW is so much cheaper than any other 3 bedroom on site?
The only negative I see is that OKW is a bit further out than I’d like, I have the same comment about SSR and AK. Having doubles in one of the bedrooms is not an issue for us, the kids will be happy to have real beds as opposed to the sofa.

I just reserved in Feb for my family + grandparents. We aren’t sure how many grandparents are coming or for how long so having the GV gives us so many options without having to nail down everyone for dates. We’ve stayed in every other DVC resort except GF, so I am looking forward to trying OKW and was happy to see the difference in points.
Just curious if I’m in for a (unhappy) surprise. Thanks!

OKW was the very first DVC resort. As with all resorts, the total number of points available is set at the time sales begin. So while points can be rearranged within seasons and unit sizes, the overall total for the resort can not change. Disney did not know if DVC would be successful, and in fact sales were rather slow in the very beginning, given the terrible reputations of many timeshares. Once DVC became a well known brand, and they gained a good reputation, the newer resorts, as you've noticed, have much higher point requirements overall.

 

[Toffeewoffy]

I don't believe they have milk out. They have half n half creamers at best. I feel your pain, as I drink my hot tea like a Brit. The proper way.

If you're staying in a studio, it might be worth bringing an electric kettle if they're allowed, and skip the refill stations entirely. I've never been a fan of the hot water at those stations. If you're staying in a larger suite, even better. You'll have a stovetop.

Well, we're in a 1-bedroomf villa, but can't bring a kettle - we're coming from the UK! I made tea in our coffee maker at AoA and took it up to boiling point in the microwave. I did NOT use the tap water, though - Florida water is horrible. I actually bought a couple of 3l bottles of Zephyhills water for $1 each, and the tea made using that water was almost like drinking tea at home. Soooo much nicer.

The milk is a problem because I only have it in tea and I certainly don't want a 2 pint bottle of milk for one week! The only place I found a small carton of milk was in the food hall (where I paid $1.69 for it) or a 1 pint carton or bottle from Walgreens - when I could find it (I have skimmed milk at home).

 

[Wenny]

In the one bedroom you'll have a stove top and can boil water in a saucepan. Much better than a microwave. I also use bottled water rather than tap.

We buy groceries through We Go Shop and always include a half gallon of milk for DD, so we're set. But I'd be more than willing to spend $1.69 for a pint from the gift shop if that were my only option.

 

[Brian Noble]

If you return regularly, it might be worth getting an Owner's Locker, in which you can store both a kettle and a water filter/pitcher.

 

[Dee77]

If you call housekeeping when you arrive, they will bring you a kettle.. they are the stovetop kind that whistle.

 

[Nanajo1]

Since the first tea party here in the states I believe milk is optional.

 

[suefly]

Is the turtle shack open most of the time? Says open "seasonally"