OKW vs. All-StarMovie Resort

[spaddy]

I am considering renting points for the vacation in August to stay at OKW. I was wondering if this would be better than staying at All Star Movie Resort. I was hoping to get feed back from someone who has stayed at both. Are the rooms bigger at OKW? Can you add the Disney dining plan when you arrive?

Thanks.

 

[Granny]

First of all, as this is your first post, WELCOME to the DIS Boards!

Wow, comparing OKW to a value resort? I'm assuming you are talking about a studio? Well, OKW will have a larger room and a kitchenette. Not to mention a balcony probably overlooking water or a golf course.

At OKW you will not get daily maid service. If you are there less than 8 days you won't get any maid service except for a trash pick up and towel swap out on the 4th day.

I am sure that others will talk about the charms and beauty of OKW, and that's certainly true. But if you are talking about room amenities, I think I've summed up most of the points.

Keep in mind, renting points involves risk on the part of both parties, but especially the one buying the reservation. If you have a problem trusting an individual from the internet (remember, Disney has NOTHING to do with the transaction), then renting points might not be a good idea for you. Just want you to be aware of the pros and cons.

Can you add the Disney dining plan when you arrive?

This has to be booked by the member before you arrive. You pay for it when you check in.

Good luck!

 

[DisneyMama27]

If you are there less than 8 days you won't get any maid service except for a trash pick up and towel swap out on the 4th day.

Actually, we were there for 6 nights and had towel/trash on the 4th day (counting arrival day). We have other trips booked for less than 8 days and our confirmation letters included dates for towel/trash. Not trying to be particular, but this detail could be important to someone staying 6-7 days. (And sorry, but I AM a teacher! Can't help it!)

Good luck with your decision. Granny's advice is right on. There IS a sit-down restaurant at OKW, but not at ASM. ASM has a food court and OKW has a couple of snack bars - good, but small and outdoors. (Since you mentioned DDP, I figured food was important too! )

 

[JMLBrats]

Totally depends on the kind of feeling you want while on vacation.

AS has a feeling of big bold "wow, I sure am at Disney world" and the rooms are much smaller. But they do have the food courts which are handy especially if you have small children. The pools don't have slides but are still quite nice.

At OKW, the feeling is much more laid back kind of like "oh I'm at Disney but I feel very relaxed". Can take a boat to DTD and the pool area is very cool. Downside is there is no food court. The rooms are spacious.

check out the pics on www.allearsnet.com if you haven't already done so, that will give you a better idea.

 

[dvcbrad]

Another aspect to consider is what do you want out of your vacation? If you are going to be gone almost all day long, every day, then ASM is fine - you don't need the extra value of being at a nicer resort. If you want to spend some time at your resort and enjoy the atmosphere of that resort, then OKW would be a much better choice.

We personally have never stayed at any of the AS resorts, so it's difficult for me to draw much more of an assessment than that above. From what I know, though, it's very difficult to compare a DVC resort to an AS one, since the two groups by their very nature are so very different. DVC's are much more upscale and condo-like feeling while the AS's are certainly much more value-oriented and hotel-type feeling. Good luck!

 

[Pennyguy23]

Actually, we were there for 6 nights and had towel/trash on the 4th day (counting arrival day). We have other trips booked for less than 8 days and our confirmation letters included dates for towel/trash. Not trying to be particular, but this detail could be important to someone staying 6-7 days. (And sorry, but I AM a teacher! Can't help it!)

I think what granny was saying if you are staying less then 8 days you ONLY get trash/towel on the 4th day. Other services are at or after day 8. Can't remember?

 

[DVC Grammy]

One other thing that OKW has is fairly short boat (or bus) access to DTD, plus the boatride is just lovely and relaxing!

 

[Deb & Bill]

If you stay 7 nights or less, you get your trash removed and towels replaced on day 4. If you stay 8 nights or more, you get a full cleaning on day 4 and your trash removed and towels replaced on day 8. The cycle repeats as you add days. Beds are not made, items are not picked up, the room is not vacuumed on trash and towels day. These only happen on full cleaning day. You will not be provided extra towels unless you pay for them. You get four bath towels, two hand towels and four face cloths in a studio or one bedroom.

Value resorts have double beds. DVC studios have at least one queen bed and one double sleeper sofa. OKW studios have two queens. One bedrooms have a king sized bed and queen sized sleeper sofa.

OKW does not have a food court, only counter service at the main pool (during pool hours) and a table service restaurant.

 

[Disney Fanatic]

As you can see from my signature, we have stayed at both and there is no contest...

stay at OKW!!!!

There is a difference in just about everything.

The one thing we found about the value resorts was the food courts were so crowded and there was no sit down restaurants. The rooms are very basic and you will have to pay for a fridge at the all star movies.

My vote is to stay at OKW and go visit the All-Star Movies if you want to see it.

Hopefully you won't be like us and once you stay at OKW, you will always want to stay at a DVC property!!

Good Luck with your decision.

 

[MiniGirl]

I like that the DVCs have bigger beds. At the Values and Mods, you generally get 2 double beds. DVC studios have 1 queen and a double sleeper sofa. Of course, OKW has the 2 queens. You just have more space, and you also have a fridge and a microwave that you won't have at AS. The theming and Disney"ness" is more obvious and "in you race" at the All-Stars and the atmosphere is exciting in a hectic sort of way. OKW is just a lot quieter and more subtle. Both are great. They're both Disney after all. It just depends on what you're looking for.

 

[Granny]

Actually, we were there for 6 nights and had towel/trash on the 4th day (counting arrival day). We have other trips booked for less than 8 days and our confirmation letters included dates for towel/trash. Not trying to be particular, but this detail could be important to someone staying 6-7 days. (And sorry, but I AM a teacher! Can't help it!)

As pennyguy23 mentioned, I think I said exactly what you are saying. For stays of less than 8 days, you only get trash/towel service on the 4th day. Did I say it incorrectly?

 

[spiceycat]

if your stay includes a fri or sat - go with ASmo - if it doesn't then OKW is definitely more relaxing.

MiniGirl, I love the bigger beds!

oh forgot a big one. OKW now has a slide - a castle slide. so if you have kids they will definitely love it.

 

[spaddy]

Thank you all so much for all the feedback. I want to buy into DVC but I am still talking my DH into it. Maybe I can give him this information to help convince him.

If you pay the $10 do you get trash/towel service or cleaning?

 

[dianeschlicht]

Thank you all so much for all the feedback. I want to buy into DVC but I am still talking my DH into it. Maybe I can give him this information to help convince him.

If you pay the $10 do you get trash/towel service or cleaning?

$10 per day trash and towel no matter what size unit you are in. If you want a full cleaning each day, it will be $25 per day for a studio.

 

[Caskbill]

As for costs, remember that at AllStars you need to add tax, which is about 11.5%.

If you stay at a DVC resort (by renting points), there is no additional tax.

Some other things:

I consider bus service at the DVC resorts much better than at the values.

If you have a car, at OKW you can park right outside your villa.

Have you considered SSR? It's not a lot different in points, and the Studios there have a bed and sleeper sofa. When the sofa is closed, it feels more like a Studio to me. At OKW, with the two beds, the 'Studio' still feels a lot like a hotel room.

 

[byoung]

A value over OKW no way.

 

[jdvm]

Be aware that once you stay at Old Key West---particularly in a one bedroom, there's no turning back.
John

 

[Mom B]

Our experience might be different than a lot of people's, but here's my point of view from our January trip this year: no question, stay at OKW! Before this trip, we had stayed at both OKW and the All Stars before; this trip we decided to try POP for the first and last nights (being that they were on the weekends and more 'economically feasible') and stay at OKW (on banked, borrowed, and transferred points) during the week (S - Th nights). (This was a large family group so we needed 4 studios at POP, a 2BR and 2 studios at OKW.) Now, granted, this was Disney marathon weekend, but I have to say that I would rate our experience as the "checkin from h***!" We spent almost 2 hours in line and though the cast members AND guests were all great, friendly and patient, it was WAY too much (even WITHOUT having any small children in line with us). The rooms at POP were great, the location we had was great, the pool was wonderful but...when it came to the end of the week, there was NO WAY I could tolerate the thought of going back to POP to stand in that checkin line again. We ended up cancelling our reservations at POP and extending at OKW. No way will we do that again! The difference in checkin experiences alone (OKW is like a walk in the park!) have changed my point of view entirely! (For what it's worth...)

 

[rigsby25]

Actually, we were there for 6 nights and had towel/trash on the 4th day (counting arrival day). We have other trips booked for less than 8 days and our confirmation letters included dates for towel/trash. Not trying to be particular, but this detail could be important to someone staying 6-7 days. (And sorry, but I AM a teacher! Can't help it!)

Good luck with your decision. Granny's advice is right on. There IS a sit-down restaurant at OKW, but not at ASM. ASM has a food court and OKW has a couple of snack bars - good, but small and outdoors. (Since you mentioned DDP, I figured food was important too! )

Disneymama: I don't think you noticed the word "except" in Granny's post. One word can change the whole meaning of a sentence.

 

[kocar]

No contest- OKW- ALL THE WAY! You don't necessarily need a food court since you have the counter service, sit down restaurant and SSR or DD and DWS just a short boat ride away.