OKW with an ECV

[MulanMom]

My DH has been using an ECV in WDW for close to a decade now. We are DVC owners at OKW but due to some past issues with that resort, we've used our points to stay at resorts on the monorail. For this coming Xmas, we will try staying at OKW again...which means relying either on buses or our own transportation. We bring our own ECV and will have a carrier on back of our vehicle for it.

Have any of you stayed at OKW recently? How has it been with the buses? I recently did online check-in and requested ground floor (have already addressed "medical issue" via phone with member services) and canal view. Now I'm wondering if we should try to get a location within the resort that is near one of the first bus stops.

Looking forward to hearing suggestions/thoughts. Thank you in advance!

 

[Nanajo1]

We have been OKW members for 17 years. We have stayed in the Turtle Pond area, Miller's Road and HH. I have used a wheelchair the entire time. We prefer HH area or blds 27,28.. If we see a bus go by that we want we head over to the HH to catch it. I don't remember being unable to get on a bus with my chair. Sometimes there is another chair or scooter but I have always got on. Have a great trip.

 

[SueM in MN]

We've been members at OKW since 1993, so many stays.
We use the buses a lot and can't remember more than a few times when we could not get on the bus with wheelchair or ECV.
we prefer the Miller Road area, so we are getting on at the next to last stop.

A lot depends on when in the day you are going. If you are going for rope drop, being at the first stop (Peninsular Road) is an advantage because the bus will be empty.
If you are trying to get on the bus when people are leaving the parks, being one of the first stops is a definite disadvantage because the bus will very likely be too full to get on even if there are no other guests using the wheelchair spots.

 

[MulanMom]

We have been OKW members for 17 years. We have stayed in the Turtle Pond area, Miller's Road and HH. I have used a wheelchair the entire time. We prefer HH area or blds 27,28.. If we see a bus go by that we want we head over to the HH to catch it. I don't remember being unable to get on a bus with my chair. Sometimes there is another chair or scooter but I have always got on. Have a great trip.

We've never had an issue with buses and ECV at OKW in the past. We have had minimal while at BLT when we've had to take a bus to parks. Either with full buses and no room for ECV, or we've had multiple ECV users ahead in line. Made me wonder if the bus situation at OKW might've changed for ECV/wheelchair users.

Thank you so much for your response. I do look forward to having a fun family trip!

 

[MulanMom]

We've been members at OKW since 1993, so many stays.
We use the buses a lot and can't remember more than a few times when we could not get on the bus with wheelchair or ECV.
we prefer the Miller Road area, so we are getting on at the next to last stop.

A lot depends on when in the day you are going. If you are going for rope drop, being at the first stop (Peninsular Road) is an advantage because the bus will be empty.
If you are trying to get on the bus when people are leaving the parks, being one of the first stops is a definite disadvantage because the bus will very likely be too full to get on even if there are no other guests using the wheelchair spots.

Hi SueM. We've been members since 1993 as well.

The only "on season" time we've been at OKW with the ECV has been summer. Never for Xmas or New Year's and wondering with the resort at full capacity, if the bus situation is different. We'll only do rope drop on Xmas and maybe one other day. Otherwise, we're sleeping in and entering parks in afternoons and evenings.

I think some of our bus experiences at the monorail resorts have us a bit gunshy about returning to a resort that primarily relies on bus transportation. Thank you for providing reassurance!

 

[SueM in MN]

Hi SueM. We've been members since 1993 as well.

The only "on season" time we've been at OKW with the ECV has been summer. Never for Xmas or New Year's and wondering with the resort at full capacity, if the bus situation is different. We'll only do rope drop on Xmas and maybe one other day. Otherwise, we're sleeping in and entering parks in afternoons and evenings.

I think some of our bus experiences at the monorail resorts have us a bit gunshy about returning to a resort that primarily relies on bus transportation. Thank you for providing reassurance!

OKW being totally full doesn't always come during the times when you would expect. Because of lower points per night, it can be full during non-peak times. When we were just there in late October, early November, they were full to capacity and we have been other times too when they were full. We have always had good bus service at OKW and haven't noticed any changes.

Our worst bus experiences have been at Saratogo (many more rooms) and the Boardwalk area resorts (because they share buses). I think the issue with the monorail resorts is also shared buses.
If I was staying at a monorail resort, I would choose Contemporary because there is a walking path to MK and, with the new bus service, you can get a bus from MK bus station to the other theme parks

 

[MulanMom]

OKW being totally full doesn't always come during the times when you would expect. Because of lower points per night, it can be full during non-peak times. When we were just there in late October, early November, they were full to capacity and we have been other times too when they were full. We have always had good bus service at OKW and haven't noticed any changes.

Our worst bus experiences have been at Saratogo (many more rooms) and the Boardwalk area resorts (because they share buses). I think the issue with the monorail resorts is also shared buses.
If I was staying at a monorail resort, I would choose Contemporary because there is a walking path to MK and, with the new bus service, you can get a bus from MK bus station to the other theme parks

Staying at BLT has us spoiled! In order to take advantage of our 11 month home resort booking, we decided to try OKW again.

 

[50surgeries2012]

I love Old Key West. I was there in January over the Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend with my mom, and friends, and had a great time. I was a little worried about the buses especially since I was bringing my own wheelchair, and half the time I was on my own. I can walk for really short distances pushing my wheelchair as well as pushing myself in it

We stayed at the last building that was on the last route of the bus stop. It was OK, but sometimes the wait was long. Yes, sometimes the bus was pretty crowded. But, I didn't mind. During one ride back. I got to talking with a guy my mom's age who was at Disney World with his family, and they were from Minnesota. I got excited about that because I go to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester every two years for my hip replacement checkup in both of my hips, and have been to other parts of Minnesota as well that are wonderful.

 

[MulanMom]

I love Old Key West. I was there in January over the Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend with my mom, and friends, and had a great time. I was a little worried about the buses especially since I was bringing my own wheelchair, and half the time I was on my own. I can walk for really short distances pushing my wheelchair as well as pushing myself in it

We stayed at the last building that was on the last route of the bus stop. It was OK, but sometimes the wait was long. Yes, sometimes the bus was pretty crowded. But, I didn't mind. During one ride back. I got to talking with a guy my mom's age who was at Disney World with his family, and they were from Minnesota. I got excited about that because I go to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester every two years for my hip replacement checkup in both of my hips, and have been to other parts of Minnesota as well that are wonderful.

Thank you for the feedback, Samantha! Sounds like your experience was good for the most part. I'll keep my fingers crossed for a good location.

 

[sharadoc]

OUr last stay at OKW was 2 years ago, but we stayed at South Pointe and that was the first stop in the morning, so we always had an empty bus. We've always had good bus experience there, although we usually only took it to Magic Kingdom and drove everywhere else.

 

[shoes99]

We are staying 3 nights pre-cruise at the end of January 2015 in the HH area. I have near elevator and first floor hard coded into my reservation. DH will have a rental scooter and we will have a rental van. DH prefers taking the car. Hope having contradictory requests won't mess up my reservation. Near HH would be my first request, and if we have first floor then we don't need an elevator.

 

[NancyDVC]

I have been a member at OKW since they first opened. (When we joined the resort ended at the bridge!) My best friend & DVC co member uses a scooter at WDW because of joint replacements. We have never had a problem with the buses at OKW. Two years ago we went with my mother who uses a wheelchair for long distances or a walker and my sister, niece her husband & kids & friends. We were at South Point and my only complaint was that the accessible 2 BR was way too far from the bus stop. My sister & company were in the accessible Grand Villa which is right across from the bus stop.
We did have one issue the day we were having breakfast at Chef Mickey's. The bus driver loaded the wheelchair & scooter with no problem but somehow got one of the straps caught around the wheelchair. It took my nephew's help to get GG (great grandma) untangled and on her way at the MK stop.. I should mention that it is a "transport" wheelchair with the small wheels front & back. Easy to get in & out of a car but tough to push in the parks.
In January we are staying at OKW with 2 friends one of whom will also be using a scooter because of limited mobility. I don't anticipate any difficulty.

 

[MulanMom]

I have been a member at OKW since they first opened. (When we joined the resort ended at the bridge!) My best friend & DVC co member uses a scooter at WDW because of joint replacements. We have never had a problem with the buses at OKW. Two years ago we went with my mother who uses a wheelchair for long distances or a walker and my sister, niece her husband & kids & friends. We were at South Point and my only complaint was that the accessible 2 BR was way too far from the bus stop. My sister & company were in the accessible Grand Villa which is right across from the bus stop.
We did have one issue the day we were having breakfast at Chef Mickey's. The bus driver loaded the wheelchair & scooter with no problem but somehow got one of the straps caught around the wheelchair. It took my nephew's help to get GG (great grandma) untangled and on her way at the MK stop.. I should mention that it is a "transport" wheelchair with the small wheels front & back. Easy to get in & out of a car but tough to push in the parks.
In January we are staying at OKW with 2 friends one of whom will also be using a scooter because of limited mobility. I don't anticipate any difficulty.

Your note is reassuring! Thank you!!!