OKW renos

[Nanajo1]

Thanks for the great pix. I'm trying to stay calm and reserve judgement until our next OKW stay. But somehow the breezy, carefree tropical feel appears muted, overwhelmed by the new darker wood. The headboads and the bathroom mirror seem out of place. I hope to be pleasantly surprised by the changes when I see them.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Well, we have our GV for June 3 at OKW so I'll get to see the changes, too.

 

[stitchfan18]

I'm staying there for the 1st time at the end of September/ beginning of October. Should I put in a request for a refurbed room, or specific building numbers?

 

[Vickis3js]

Does anyone know what has been refurbed and what is being refurbed now? Just wondering if we will have a chance to see what they new rooms look like when we are there for Christmas. We are booked in the HH catagory.

 

[OKW Lover]

I'm staying there for the 1st time at the end of September/ beginning of October. Should I put in a request for a refurbed room, or specific building numbers?

As far as refurb goes, most of the units will be done by then so you really won't have much of a choice. For building numbers, I guess that depends on what you want. Please tell us what is important to you.

 

[SueM in MN]

[/QUOTE]

This sofa sleeper is a whole lot less comfortable than the older ones with the bar. The thin foam pads on the platform are pretty hard. My son gets the sleeper sofa all the time and he didn't like this style. He did like the ones at BCV where the cushions flip under to support the foot of the bed.

Maybe they realized that this type with the platform isn't that comfortable and have gone back to the one with the real mattress.

I guess which is more comfortable for sleeping is in the eyes (?back?) of the sleeper.
My oldest DD was the one who mostly slept on the sleeper. She thought this one with the platform was much more comfortable than the older kind with the bar. She always felt the bar and didn’t feel the mattress on that one was that comfortable.

The one thing we all agreed on though, was that the newer style was very uncomfortable to sit on. The cushions are too solid and slippery. They are never quite in the right place.

Thanks for the great pix. I'm trying to stay calm and reserve judgement until our next OKW stay. But somehow the breezy, carefree tropical feel appears muted, overwhelmed by the new darker wood. The headboads and the bathroom mirror seem out of place. I hope to be pleasantly surprised by the changes when I see them.

I agree totally. The dark colors, especially the dark wood look totally out of place. This is not a breezy Old Key West beach place!
I liked the light wood and the light floral print on the dining chairs. These look cheap.
The studio looks especially cold with the blue and dark colors scheme.

I do like the granite and I like the floors. I can see why they got rid of the carpets. They were stained and I know that the Housekeepers often had surprise need to clean carpets.

 

[stitchfan18]

As far as refurb goes, most of the units will be done by then so you really won't have much of a choice. For building numbers, I guess that depends on what you want. Please tell us what is important to you.

I didn't realize the refurb was so far along, I thought it just started.
I just want to check out the refurbed rooms to see if my family would like it. We're planning a big family trip in January 2012, and no one in my family has stayed there before.

I'm meeting my SIL down there and we are having an R&R trip, so no parks most likely. I don't really care about location so much.

 

[Deb & Bill]

...The one thing we all agreed on though, was that the newer style was very uncomfortable to sit on. The cushions are too solid and slippery. They are never quite in the right place.....

I will totally agree with you on that one. The newer platform ones were very hard for sitting and the fabric was very scratchy. And the back cushions were too wide at the bottom if you wanted to lie down on the sofa to watch TV. It was a very narrow seat.

 

[Cinders Mum]

Thanks Val, the studio looked lovely from what I saw. I don't think the buildings you have requested will have been done though when you go.

I would be pretty hacked off too

Caron xx

I am cool with it, either way we will win out in my mind.. either we get the location we want OR we will get refurb'd room.... glass half full chick.

As for the rest, well... stuff happens, LOL better this way than last year's options i say, but no doubt I am in the minority with that opinion.

 

[Vickis3js]

I didn't realize the refurb was so far along, I thought it just started.
I just want to check out the refurbed rooms to see if my family would like it. We're planning a big family trip in January 2012, and no one in my family has stayed there before.

I'm meeting my SIL down there and we are having an R&R trip, so no parks most likely. I don't really care about location so much.

I didn't realize that either. I thought that only a few buildings had been done. I thought I had read it wouldn;t be done until Spring 2011 sounds like they are ahead or I read wrong. Which, if true, is good for both of us!

 

[danissmart]

A couple comments and a question.

- I really like the "wood" floors. The old style with the carpet covering the entire floor was so out of date.
- As far as the darker color scheme, that I do not like one bit.
- I actually prefer the bed minus the footboard.

Now my question:

I will be taking a long weekend trip for F&W in early november, and staying in a studio to save points. With these new renovations did they make any of the studios into a 1 King setup?

 

[Deb & Bill]

...I will be taking a long weekend trip for F&W in early november, and staying in a studio to save points. With these new renovations did they make any of the studios into a 1 King setup?

That is never going to happen. Studios will always never have king sized beds.

 

[danissmart]

That is never going to happen. Studios will always never have king sized beds.

Ugh, any reason for this? For a couple going on vacation the 1 king room is so much better. That is the only think about OKW that bothers me.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Ugh, any reason for this? For a couple going on vacation the 1 king room is so much better. That is the only think about OKW that bothers me.

Because none of the studios have a king sized bed. If they did, DVC would require more points for the villa. It's a perk for staying in a one bedroom villa. All the other studios have one queen bed and one double sleeper sofa.

 

[Chuck S]

Ugh, any reason for this? For a couple going on vacation the 1 king room is so much better. That is the only think about OKW that bothers me.

I would guess a studio at OKW will always be two queen beds, and not a queen/sleeper sofa combo, because legally it would substantially change what was represented and purchased. And honestly, you have 6 other onsite resorts to choose from if you must have a queen/sleeper set up in a studio.

I actually love the 2 queen set up. As it is usually just Mom & I travelling, we each get a real bed. With a one bedroom, I take the sleeper sofa, but the trade off is in-room laundry and kitchen, so that is good, too.

 

[castleri]

The other issue is that studios are supposed to sleep 4 and with a king bed there most likely would not be room for anything more than one of the sleeper chairs in addition to the bed.

 

[dianeschlicht]

As others have said, OKW was set up with 2 queens in the studios, and that's what they will always be. Actually, one of the reasons we get a 1 bedroom is because of theking bed. Of course, having the laundry room and Jacuzzi help too. We ony use a studio occationally for a first or last night when we are trying to conserve points.

 

[La2kw]

I really like the renos. I like how they picked up the green in the kitchen tile and used it throughout the living room. I also like the black accents in the table, wall shelf, headboard, and bathroom mirror. I love wood (or simulated wood) for flooring because it is much easier on my allergies and you can see dirt so much easier. I really like the new headboard as well. The granite countertops are a definite step up, and it's about time the tv's get replaced (although tv at WDW is a joke). It definitely looks more updated, though after almost 20 years of staying at OKW it's going to be a bit strange to stay in this new version, but I'm all for changing things up a bit.

 

[llygoden]

We're off to OKW soon and would like to get a refurbished room if possilbe (to prevent my sons from having to share a bed in a one bed). Does anyone know which buildings have be refurbished? does it help to fax the resort prior to arrival?
many thanks for your advice,
Llygoden

 

[dianeschlicht]

We're off to OKW soon and would like to get a refurbished room if possilbe (to prevent my sons from having to share a bed in a one bed). Does anyone know which buildings have be refurbished? does it help to fax the resort prior to arrival?
many thanks for your advice,
Llygoden

We are specifically asked to NOT fax the resort. Your best bet is to call MS now and make your request that way.