OKW vs. SSR

[kermit116]

Looking at two bedroom villas for an upcoming family trip, comparing OKW and SSR. Any advantage to one over the other?

 

[FantasiaMagic]

I have stayed at both twice and really liked both.

OKW - has a nice pool w/ slide, good restaurant, not much QS, boat to DTD

SSR - has many nice pools (2 with great slides), at least 2 others, good QS, I hear good restaurant, boat to DTD

They are both very nice resorts. If I had to pick between the two I would pick SSR, for the more amenities. (Ask for the Springs area - near everything)


Have a great time choosing!

-FantasiaMagic

 

[kermit116]

Okay, good to know. It looks like the two bedrooms are bigger in OKW than SSR - not sure if anyone has noticed a really big difference based on this.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

. . . Any advantage to one over the other?

1) OKW has bigger rooms than ANY other DVC.
2) The resort is far more varied at OKW.
3) The buildings are better themed than SSR.
4) The food at Olivia's is better than at SSR.
5) Their is a marina at OKW and none at SSR.
6) A terrific sauna at the OKW main pool, and none at SSR.
7) More bars at OKW.
8) A reading room at OKW.

9) The only advantage at SSR, that every building has an elevator.

 

[Sammie]

Personal opinion, both are great resorts.

OKW definitely has larger rooms.

SSR has newly rehabbed rooms in Congress Park and Springs area, what have the Disney Fox and Hound theme and Disney horses.

More children's play areas at the pools at SSR and more slides.

SSR is closer to Downtown Disney, you can either walk over or take the boat.

While I like Olivia's at OKW I do not find it better than the Turf Club at SSR and SSR has a very nice inside area with seating for quick service at Artist's Pallette

Goods to Go at OKW is walk up with outdoor seating.

The Spa at SSR is fabulous.

Here is a nice video about SSR: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cb683iujftE&feature=related

And photos of the new rooms: http://allears.net/acc/g_ss_refurb.htm

 

[Sammie]

1) OKW has bigger rooms than ANY other DVC.
2) The resort is far more varied at OKW.
3) The buildings are better themed than SSR.
4) The food at Olivia's is better than at SSR.
5) Their is a marina at OKW and none at SSR.
6) A terrific sauna at the OKW main pool, and none at SSR.
7) More bars at OKW.
8) A reading room at OKW.

9) The only advantage at SSR, that every building has an elevator.

Where is there a reading room and where are there more bars?

 

[Miss Mo]

I am looking at these two too!!

Can you walk to DTD from OKW?

Thanks

mo x

 

[dmdelight]

they're both really nice-stayed at okw-then ssr the following year.

our personal preference is okw-that's not to say we yearned for okw whilst at ssr-it just suited us better.

the gym is bigger at ssr
-but you could feel room size was better at okw-we stayed in 2 bed villas also.

breakfast at olivias was delicious-we went several times when at okw and ssr.

i know you can walk from ssr to dd-not sure if there's an actual route from okw.

 

[MinnieGirl33]

OKW rooms are huge & you will have 2 queen beds in the 2nd bedroom, even if you are assigned a lock-off as OKW is the only resort with 2 actual beds in a studio. The living room area is also much larger & more open BUT it has has hardwood floors - can be a pro or a con depending on personal preference.

Artist Palette at SSR is very nice & now you can get burgers/fries at the Paddock Grill.

Not sure what PP means about more bars at OKW but SSR has bars at The Turf Club, On the Rocks (High Rock Spring pool) and both the Grandstand & Paddock pools (albeit limited hours). OKW has The Gurgling Suitcase (attached to Olivia's & Good's to Go) & you can get bottled beer/wine at Turtle Shack.

Arcade is better at SSR. OKW has one themed pool, SSR has 2 (3 if you count Grandstand).

Both resorts are great. I think its just a personal preference.

 

[chalee94]

also, OKW is a better value in terms of point costs, but its theming is less luxurious IMO (OKW is more beachy casual).

Can you walk to DTD from OKW?

Thanks

mo x

yes.

the first link is a little dated. (the path is not lit at night, BTW):

mousesteps link

more recent pics of the trail

 

[vicki_c]

I think both are great resorts - we own at SSR and have stayed there a few times, and just stayed at OKW over Easter this year.

The larger room size alone at OKW is a big plus to me - we had a 1 BR and it just seemed huge.

However, I thought the CS options at OKW were really subpar and prefer SSR for that.

If I cared about the spa, SSR would get an edge for that.

In trying to think about it objectively, I think that SSR actually has a lot more on the plus column than OKW relative to location (walk to DTD) and resort amenities. For the rooms, OKW wins.

 

[fitzperry]

I've never stayed at SSR, but we stayed in a 2 bdrm villa at OKW a few years ago and loved it. It was HUGE, and as we were a group of 6 (dh & me, our 2 kids, and my parents), the 2 queen beds in the 2nd bdrm were a big plus. Plenty of space for all of us, and no one had to sleep on a pullout. We had Thanksgiving dinner at Olivia's on that trip and enjoyed it very much.

I think some people aren't too jazzed about the theming at OKW because it's a Florida theme in Florida, but it's a pretty resort.

 

[Pakey]

We have stayed at both. The OKW villas are my favorite rooms at WDW. They are so big and I love the arrangement of villas and balconies within each building. I love the way this large resort has a feeling of privacy.

SSR has the short walk to DTD and a nice spa.

For me, all other points are fairly equal between the two resorts.

 

[Sammie]

Since Rusty has not come back, does anyone else know where the Reading Room is at OKW and how many bars there are?

 

[kermit116]

Thanks for all the good feedback. We are taking a few family members with us on this trip, so I think being in a larger room and having a larger living room will be a benefit to us. We're only going for a few days, so we probably won't get to do that many of the resort amenities, so I'm thinking OKW is our preference at this point. But it definitely sounds like SSR would be a great option for a trip when we'll have time to try the spa!

 

[amcnj]

I am guessing the reading room at OKW is in the Hospitality House, the area to the left of where you check-in. It is set up like a library room and I have seen people sitting there reading.

 

[MinnieGirl33]

Since Rusty has not come back, does anyone else know where the Reading Room is at OKW and how many bars there are?

"Papa's Den" is to the left as you enter the check in area.
http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/disney-27s-old-key-west-resort/p44410-old-key-west-resort-26.html
http://allears.net/acc/okw/okw11a39.jpg
http://allears.net/acc/okw/okw11a38.jpg

The Gurgling Suitcase is the only full service bar at OKW. Packaged beer/wine/spirits can be purchased at Conch Flats & the Turtle Shack (at Turtle Pond pool) offers bottled beer, wine & sangria but no mixed drinks.


From AllEars:
IS THERE A BAR/LOUNGE?
The Gurgling Suitcase is located along the pier on Turtle Krawl, next to Goods Food to Go. Note that the Gurgling Suitcase is very small. Guests can sip drinks at the tables outdoors or there is limited seating inside. Hours are 11:30 a.m. to midnight. Drinks can also be found at Good's Food To Go, the Turtle Shack, and of course at Olivia's. The Conch Flats General Store carries a varied choice of wine, beer and spirits to take back to your room.

 

[Amy&Dan]

Coming from the viewpoint of a repeat guest (to both resorts) I find both resorts very appealing and more or less equal overall.

I think OKW units are great. For a family a studio at OKW is preferable since it has two queen beds vs. one queen bed and one double sofa bed. The one and two bedrooms are larger and have a much larger balcony. The space in OKW one bedrooms is amazing and just not found anywhere else. SSR units are still spacious and nice.

OKW one and two bedrooms have full sized washer and dryers in a laundry room, vs. the stackables in a closet. The kitchen at OKW is very large and spacious.

I prefer the pools at SSR. There are three themed pools at SSR, the main pool slide is better than OKW (as far as my kids are concerned lol) and the zero entry is really nice. OKW does have the enormous hot tub and sauna which is nice.

SSR is hands down better for counter service. It has two locations, three drink refill stations and indoor seating vs. a few picinc tables at Goods to Go. There is so much more variety for cs at SSR.

SSR has a bar in the Turf Club, a bar at the High Rock Springs as well as bars at the Paddock and Grandstand pools. So it actually has more bars than OKW, not less.

As for TS, I do love Olivia's and love the way it has all three meals. However, I find Turf Club one of the better table service for dinner in all of WDW. Both have outdoor seating and I really enjoy that at both. But it bums me out that they have discontinued lunch at Turf Club and breakfast at Olivia's is a huge perk.

I prefer the tropical grounds at OKW but do think SSR's grounds have matured and are very pretty.

Both are peaceful and quiet.

SSR is much more walkable to DTD. OKW has a walking path but its a longer walk and that walking path is closed at dark.

Both are great when you have a car since you park right outside your building at both. Both have multiple bus stops but we have great bussing at both.

SSR has the spa which is nice for many.

I don't think you can go wrong at either. We have stayed at SSR six times and OKW three times.

 

[Sammie]

"Papa's Den" is to the left as you enter the check in area.
http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/disney-27s-old-key-west-resort/p44410-old-key-west-resort-26.html
http://allears.net/acc/okw/okw11a39.jpg
http://allears.net/acc/okw/okw11a38.jpg

The Gurgling Suitcase is the only full service bar at OKW. Packaged beer/wine/spirits can be purchased at Conch Flats & the Turtle Shack (at Turtle Pond pool) offers bottled beer, wine & sangria but no mixed drinks.


From AllEars:
IS THERE A BAR/LOUNGE?
The Gurgling Suitcase is located along the pier on Turtle Krawl, next to Goods Food to Go. Note that the Gurgling Suitcase is very small. Guests can sip drinks at the tables outdoors or there is limited seating inside. Hours are 11:30 a.m. to midnight. Drinks can also be found at Good's Food To Go, the Turtle Shack, and of course at Olivia's. The Conch Flats General Store carries a varied choice of wine, beer and spirits to take back to your room.

Thank you, so the area to the left, Papa's Den is very similar to the nice seating area with couches between check in and Artist's Pallette at SSR

And since SSR has the Turf bar and 3 pool bars, not sure why Rusty thinks there are more bars at OKW.

Maybe he will come back and explain that

 

[MinnieGirl33]

Thank you, so the area to the left, Papa's Den is very similar to the nice seating area with couches between check in and Artist's Pallette at SSR

Yes, exactly.

FWIW, I totally agree with all of Amy&Dan's points.