OKW Pools/other stuff

[keaster]

We are booked in a 1-bedroom at our AKL home resort for March 2016 but thinking of switching to a 1-bedroom at OKW to save some points. Just wondering if our 12 yr old DD would enjoy it? What's the pool situation like? Hubby also asking if all the rooms overlook the golf course?

Thanks!

 

[spiceycat]

not they do have golf views, wood views and my favorite water views - you can look at a map and see all the water views

here is a map

http://www.wdwinfo.com/resortmaps/okwmap.htm

the main pool has a sandcastle with Mickey on it.

here are some pictures


http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/showgallery.php/cat/908

 

[nalajms]

The main pool is really small. We were there for the first time in early May and it was packed. Hardly any place to sit.

People always talk about the Epcot resorts being out dated. If anything OKW felt really out dated to us. We will pick SSR over OKW for a DTD hotel. You'd only be saving 6 points a week by switching to OKW in Magic (from a Standard AKV room). I'd waitlist for a Value room to save points or consider 1 night in a studio then move to a 1 bedroom.

 

[SusieBea]

We are booked in a 1-bedroom at our AKL home resort for March 2016 but thinking of switching to a 1-bedroom at OKW to save some points. Just wondering if our 12 yr old DD would enjoy it? What's the pool situation like? Hubby also asking if all the rooms overlook the golf course?

Thanks!

OKW is our home resort - because it was the only DVC at the time we bought. It is a little dated, but they have replaced all of the soft goods. We love it because of the amount of space, including the larger porches, and the quaintness of the property. If a golf course view is important to you, you will need to request a fairway view. There are four pools, three of which are "village" pools. The pool in the Turtle Pond area is a little larger than the other two and has a snack shack that's open seasonally. The feature pool is nice, but not like the two at AKL. There is no zero entry or play pad. The boat ride to DTD is nice, and with the mess down there now, I'd rather ride the boat than drive or bus anyway. If you go to allearsnet, there are many pictures of the units and the common areas. Oh, and you get a full-size washer and dryer in an actual laundry room.

 

[keaster]

Thanks for the info so far!

Right now we are booked 1-bdrm savannah view at 272 points (we always do Savannah as that's the reason we bought there!) The 1-bdrm at OKW would be 222 points, and we would bank those extra 50 into our 2017 UY as we are planning to go to either Aulani or Grand Californian in 2017. Thanks SusieBea for the tip on the fairway view request, that would definitely be something we would like!

 

[kddlm]

My DD (15) has always loved OKW, especially when she was in your DD's age range. She loved all of the organized activities they have daily by the pool (trivia contests, dancing/music, games, etc..). Our home resort is SSR but stay at OKW most of the time for the larger accommodations and best value of points! Love being able to hop on the boat over to DTD. AKL is a bit off the beaten path IMO, but very scenic and amazing with the animals! You can't go wrong either way, but banking the 50 points is the way I would personally go!

 

[cedricandsophie]

We stay at OKW often. Always reserve one or two bedroom close to hospitality house. We have a adult daughter with down syndrome and always bring her friend on our vacations. They have a blast at OKW. The pool staff is wonderful and it seems to be the liveliest for the pool games. The lifeguards open the pool with a pirate game to put the flag at the top of the slide. The community hall has a lot of activities throughout day. We love to play tennis and the courts are very accessible as are shuffleboard, bikes, basketball court. We rarely go to parks so dpend all our time at the pool. And it's a quick boat ride to downtown Disney for movies and dinner. We own at AK too but I much prefer OKW

 

[amym2]

We stayed at OKW when our kids were 10 and 8, and they loved it! The poolside activities were the best of any resort we've stayed at (ice cream drop, family treasure hunt), and we love to eat at Olivia's. We stayed at AKV for the first time last October and loved it as well. I agree that OKW is a little more dated than AKV, but we really like the laid back Florida feel of the resort. I'd say give it a try!

 

[jimandami]

When DS was 10, we did a split stay at BC and then OKW. I was a worried the kiddos would be disappointed with the move, but it was the opposite. Even DS loved the huge rooms and he declared the sandcastle slide to be better than the pirate slide at SAB!

 

[abner1776]

OKW is our favorite but not our home resort. This past March I was in bldg 18 third floor with a great balcony view of the golf course as well as looking across the golf course to Hospitality house. Not all of the bldgs are on the golf course so do a bit of research before arriving and make a request for the fairway view including even requesting a particular bldg if possible.

 

[Deb & Bill]

OKW was our first home and we have stayed there the most. Our son never minded staying there and using the pool. They have daily pool parties if your daughter likes those. The Community Hall has lots of activities, too. Many of the villas do overlook the golf course. I think you can request golf course view on online check in. You can take a boat to DTD, too. I never have seen it look outdated. It is themed (still), not like the renovation at BCV that has totally destroyed the theming. I almost hate to see what they do to AKV when they do renovations there if the same designer does them as the BCV.