OKW lovers thread !!!

[glaserjm]

Thanks for the tips everyone! I'm so excited to just get there. We don't even have kids but DH and I still tell ourselves that we now have "two sleeps" to go! That disneyrunning.com has been very useful! Thanks for posting it wdwfan!

 

[WDWMom]

Early some one mentioned that re-fill mugs do not work well at OKW. I disagree. Been buying mugs for years. We usually have been their about 4 to 5 weeks in a year spring/fall. It opens up at 7am and can get drinks till 10pm. Never had any issues. We would do our morning workouts and get coffee and get what ever doing the day. Walk down if were home for a late coffee and visit with other guest. We have a fine collection of mugs from the years and pick up new ones each visit. Enjoy

If you spend a lot of time at the pool or anywhere near the HH, mugs are worth it. Our boys shoot hoops everyday and most days we spend at the pool so they are worth it to us. Now if I didn't use the main pool, I doubt I would get mugs.

 

[glaserjm]

Live report here from OKW. To say that we are in love would be an understatement. I can't believe the atmosphere here, it is fantastic! We are in building 25, just a short walk to HH but quiet and secluded with a few of the golf course and lake. It's just beautiful. Everyone here has been so friendly, we made quick friends at the Gurgling Suitcase over some Turtle Krawls.

I could keep gushing over and over but most people on here already know how great OKW is! I'm a convert, at this point I think we've found our home. Now we're trying to figure out a way to swing a September trip!

 

[WDWMom]

Live report here from OKW. To say that we are in love would be an understatement. I can't believe the atmosphere here, it is fantastic! We are in building 25, just a short walk to HH but quiet and secluded with a few of the golf course and lake. It's just beautiful. Everyone here has been so friendly, we made quick friends at the Gurgling Suitcase over some Turtle Krawls.

I could keep gushing over and over but most people on here already know how great OKW is! I'm a convert, at this point I think we've found our home. Now we're trying to figure out a way to swing a September trip!

Shhh, you really need to keep quiet how great the resort is. If we get too many people converting, than those of us who are used to getting a ressie 5 weeks out are never going to get in. Yes, I just booked a ressie for the week before Easter. I had to wait list 2 days, but they came in less than a week later. We leave in 24 days!

I also just booked a 2 bdrm for Memorial Day weekend. Had a 1bdrm but my parents are now coming with us and needed to upgrade. I can't believe we will be going to OKW twice in 2 months. I can't wait!

 

[Tybalt]

DH and I are going to OKW for the first time ever for a week this July and August, so this thread has been a perfect way for me to get my late winter Disney fix! I just finished reading the entire thing tonight! (It took me 20 days of intermittent internet putzing in between grading essays.)

I am SO excited about going to OKW! This is our second year as DVC members, and we LOVE it. We are bringing my mother-in-law, father-in-law, and my SIL and BIL as well as their spouses/ significant others. We have booked HH and have decided to request the cul-de-sac buildings (23-26) with 2nd/ 3rd floor views.

Thanks to everyone who posted helpful maps, exciting pics, and informative lists of which buildings included which room-types in which places. I love the humor on this thread, and I just know we will feel at home with all the OKW lovers when we visit this summer for our (and my MIL and FIL's) anniversaries. You guys rock!

 

[jimmytammy]

We have been in bldg. 64 since Fri last week and it has been great! We laugh as each time we return in our van, we keep getting the exact same space, over the span of a week, at least 10 times this has happened.

We have gone to a few Braves games, been over to the Darkside 4 days, (non WDW parks trip) but just being in the World surrounded by the lushness of OKW, enjoying coffee and computing on the balcony every morning, this is the life!!

 

[Deb & Bill]

We have been in bldg. 64 since Fri last week and it has been great! We laugh as each time we return in our van, we keep getting the exact same space, over the span of a week, at least 10 times this has happened.

We have gone to a few Braves games, been over to the Darkside 4 days, (non WDW parks trip) but just being in the World surrounded by the lushness of OKW, enjoying coffee and computing on the balcony every morning, this is the life!!

So, Jimmy, do you have a new favorite or is VWL still Number 1?

 

[mouseketeer70]

Who better to ask than OKW lovers?
We have ressies for the first week of June in a 2 bdrm. We've had this booked since our 7 month window opened up. I checked our ressies online and was upset to discover we aren't booked HH category as requested at the time we booked. I should have double checked sooner I know. A call to member services resulted in being told that they would note our request but at this point nothing is available in that booking category. The lady wasn't even sorry and actually acted very put off with all of our questions.
Anyway, any suggestions from you experts out there as to which buildings we should request since we didn't get the booking category? We have only stayed once and we were in building 23. Our kids definitely want to be close to the HH area/main pool and we don't want to have to drive there. We spend a good deal of time at the resort as we always take mid-day breaks. We will use the boat to DTD often, as we do when at SSR. Our daughter loves the pool games and our boys enjoy playing basketball, tennis, volleyball, any sport actually. They all love the pool slide! My husband loves the views of the golf course but I wouldn't mind water views.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[TheIncredibles!]

Who better to ask than OKW lovers?
We have ressies for the first week of June in a 2 bdrm. We've had this booked since our 7 month window opened up. I checked our ressies online and was upset to discover we aren't booked HH category as requested at the time we booked. I should have double checked sooner I know. A call to member services resulted in being told that they would note our request but at this point nothing is available in that booking category. The lady wasn't even sorry and actually acted very put off with all of our questions.
Anyway, any suggestions from you experts out there as to which buildings we should request since we didn't get the booking category? We have only stayed once and we were in building 23. Our kids definitely want to be close to the HH area/main pool and we don't want to have to drive there. We spend a good deal of time at the resort as we always take mid-day breaks. We will use the boat to DTD often, as we do when at SSR. Our daughter loves the pool games and our boys enjoy playing basketball, tennis, volleyball, any sport actually. They all love the pool slide! My husband loves the views of the golf course but I wouldn't mind water views.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Buildings 62, 63 and 64 are very close. We were in building 21 for our stay and honestly we loved it there. Close to the bus stop and quiet pool and it was only one stop on the way to HH. On the way back it was long but it was not too bad at all.

 

[Pirate Granny]

You'll find bldg 15 & 16 not to far away from HH, besides 62-63-64. Also I think 27 & 28 are pretty close also.

We have HH reservations for June...2 bedroom, have HH want 23-26 second or third floor....can't wait.... 96 more sleeps.

 

[WDWMom]

I second 27 and 28. 29 is not bad either, just make sure you ask for the 3rd floor. Not much in the way of view from the first floor in 29.

We have stayed in 27 and 28 and found them to have nice view and are just a minute or 2 away from 23-26.

 

[Tybalt]

I have really enjoyed looking at pictures on this thread. Does anyone have any new pictures of OKW? I need my fix since our trip is more than 4 months away. I've never been there before, but I'm REALLY excited about it after reading this thread.

 

[Candy Orlando]

I made a video you could watch. I love looking at photos and videos of OKW when I'm not there.

 

[lauran cameron]

I have really enjoyed looking at pictures on this thread. Does anyone have any new pictures of OKW? I need my fix since our trip is more than 4 months away. I've never been there before, but I'm REALLY excited about it after reading this thread.

Our family got back about a month ago from a 8 day vacation in an OKW grand villa...I'm on my iPhone right now unfortunately can not upload pictures...I'll try and upload some new pics tomorrow afternoon.

 

[queenofthehive]

Do all the studios have balconies? Can you bring your own bikes and if so, are there any bikes rack areas to lock them up? Thank you!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Do all the studios have balconies? Can you bring your own bikes and if so, are there any bikes rack areas to lock them up? Thank you!

All the studios have small square balconies. There are no bike racks if you bring your own bikes so you would have to lock them in your villa or in your vehicle. You wouldn't be able to lock them to the stairs or anywhere close to your villa. You can't ride bikes outside of the resort, but you could ride within the resort.

 

[Woosterguy]

We were there for two weeks in early February and there were two bikes chained to a post on the ground floor of our buildidng the entire time we were there. We were in building 46.

 

[Deb & Bill]

We were there for two weeks in early February and there were two bikes chained to a post on the ground floor of our buildidng the entire time we were there. We were in building 46.

But they shouldn't have been chained there. That's the walkway for all the guests.

 

[Tybalt]

Great video, and I love the walking tour of OKW that was in your favorites too!

 

[Tybalt]

Bump!