old key west .. what can you tell me..

[Deb & Bill]

Deb & Bill you are correct that the name of the pool is South Point pool but technically if one is on Peninsular Road and stays on Peninsular Road it becomes South Point Road. There is generally no confusion where the HH/feature pool is located, even for most newbies. The pools at OKW are nicely spaced into this resort. No matter where one stays at OKW, it's not too far to a pool.

That may be true, but the South Point pool isn't even on South Point Road. It's off one of the side streets at the very end.

 

[PlutoFan10]

I'm used to walking to amenities such as the resort store or restaurant, so it is an adjustment to perhaps be a bus ride away. As others have said, we enjoyed the boat ride to DS. Olivia's has a nice breakfast. Park bus was a bit crowded by the time it got to our stop first thing in the morning.

 

[NancyDVC]

Even though Old Key West has been open since December, 1991 and many of us have been members since that first year it doesn't make it a retirement community. (That would be a dream of mine. Retire at WDW? Yahoo!) My niece and her husband joined several years ago and have OKW as their home resort because of many of the things we love. Yes you can get breakfast at Goods to Go.
Of all the DVC resorts I have stayed at it is the one where I feel most at home.

 

[Lee Matthews]

I cant wait to stay at OKW for the first time next year. When we're having 3 solid weeks of Disney Parks, Universal, Seaworld, Bush Gardens ect i think a nice quiet resort like OKW will be perfect for me. My partner and I will be both 28 when we go so Im not hoping for it to be like a retirement home lol

 

[Deb & Bill]

I like sitting on the porch watching the golfers or the boats go by (depending on the location). It's nice to get away from all the Disney at OKW.

 

[Alice Sr.]

It's called OLD Key West because most of the clientele are on the older side.

LOL

Love OKW, it's a great place for everyone. I wanted to buy there but they sold out just before I was ready to purchase (so I was stuck with BWV). I would say it is tied with AKL for our 2nd favorite place to stay if BWV is not available, which of course is always is since it is one of our home resorts. It's a very casual comfy place to stay. If your family ever went to cottages or cabins for summer vacation that's what it reminds me of (in a good way). I would suggest a car but mostly because I'm just not a fan of any of the WDW buses. They have excellent CMs, a nice little bar and counter food at the main pool, a lot of wildlife (ducks, otters, birds, not to be confused with hotties at the pool). Love walking to Disney Springs from there, one of the best walk/run paths on WDW property. I would say it's a hidden gem.

 

[Alice Sr.]

IMO tends to have higher mold issues, not much insulation in the walls so you hear your neighbors if they are loud, if your unit is close to the road you hear the buses,

I guess we have been lucky, we have stayed probably a dozen times and never experienced those issues. Maybe compared to all of the little kids running, screaming and crying up and down the halls at BWV I didn't notice the noise at OKW.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I guess we have been lucky, we have stayed probably a dozen times and never experienced those issues. Maybe compared to all of the little kids running, screaming and crying up and down the halls at BWV I didn't notice the noise at OKW.

Same with us. We've been at OKW maybe 16 times so far (just got home from OKW a week ago).

 

[3 Hobbits 2 Disney]

So we are just returning from OKW, and we're SSR owners. We found the resort big, bigger to us than SSR. This could be caused by 2 things -- 1. We don't have cars at WDW. We drive enough in our real world that we do not drive on holiday so we used boats, taxis, and buses. 2. It was abnormally hot and sticky so walking anywhere was a trudge to us. The other negative, though not exclusive to OKW, was having the hair dryers fixed in the same bathroom as the shower so it meant planning your hair drying around another person's shower.
On the plus side we loved the layout of the "great room" with the kitchen, DR/LR. The patio was lovely with a full size table and chairs for 4. The full sized W/D beats the stackables hands down.
OKW was lovely, and I would stay there again, but it made me miss home so next trip will be SSR.

 

[sharadoc]

Love it. Best rooms, nice quiet pools, great bus service - we drive to parks but at OKW we actually like taking the bus. Boat to Disney Springs is fantastic, avoids the parking nightmare. Love the main pool area and Community Hall for activities.

We always bring cereal and bagels and coffee and do breakfast in our room so we don't miss a qs restaurant.

 

[MikeRa]

I love OKW because of the size of the rooms, and my parents usually stats at Buildings #34 or 35 because of being close to a bus stop. We usually drive down whenever we stay at OKW

 

[Murron]

My very first timeshare way back when. Nice resort overall, but just boring for me. If you want laid back, this is definitely the place. I like a bit more excitement - people watching or animal watching. A bit more theme. That being said -- if you have a hectic, stressful life and want rest...this is the place.

 

[Maryann W.]

LOL

Love OKW, it's a great place for everyone. I wanted to buy there but they sold out just before I was ready to purchase (so I was stuck with BWV). I would say it is tied with AKL for our 2nd favorite place to stay if BWV is not available, which of course is always is since it is one of our home resorts. It's a very casual comfy place to stay. If your family ever went to cottages or cabins for summer vacation that's what it reminds me of (in a good way). I would suggest a car but mostly because I'm just not a fan of any of the WDW buses. They have excellent CMs, a nice little bar and counter food at the main pool, a lot of wildlife (ducks, otters, birds, not to be confused with hotties at the pool). Love walking to Disney Springs from there, one of the best walk/run paths on WDW property. I would say it's a hidden gem.

....owwwww....just the person i'm looking for !!!! I want to walk to Disney Springs when we stay there in May. I know the path is near bldg. 55. Now, do you go thru SS and end up at the marketplace end ? I've walked from the House of Blues end into SS . Can i go either way??? This is my main question about the place, but i'd also like to know which bldg. has: 1. water or pool view ; 2. 3rd. floor 1 bed ;3. i'd like to be near the main or other larger pool; 4. and i'd like the 2 doors to the bath, which i'm told is in bldgs. 30 or higher......thank you for any advice you can give me.

 

[Alice Sr.]

We stayed in 46 the last time and I would request that again. Nice water view, close to one of the smaller pools. If you go to the 1st thread in this forum "The DVC Information Center" (the 1st post has links to info for all of resorts) there are two OKW maps, one aerial and one building location/resort layout. You can see the beginning of the trail by building 55, and scope out the location of the other bldgs near the main or larger (Turtle Shack) pool. As far as the walk goes you come off the trail at the golf course clubhouse near SSR and from there you meander toward the SSR-Congress Parks units to the path along the lake, and then cross the bridge to Disney Springs. You are close to the DS bus hub and new Marketplace dock. HoB is just a little further walk from MP to West Side but all connected along the same route.

 

[Maryann W.]

We stayed in 46 the last time and I would request that again. Nice water view, close to one of the smaller pools. If you go to the 1st thread in this forum "The DVC Information Center" (the 1st post has links to info for all of resorts) there are two OKW maps, one aerial and one building location/resort layout. You can see the beginning of the trail by building 55, and scope out the location of the other bldgs near the main or larger (Turtle Shack) pool. As far as the walk goes you come off the trail at the golf course clubhouse near SSR and from there you meander toward the SSR-Congress Parks units to the path along the lake, and then cross the bridge to Disney Springs. You are close to the DS bus hub and new Marketplace dock. HoB is just a little further walk from MP to West Side but all connected along the same route.

Thank you so much for the info !! I too love BWV or BC and usually stay there, for location alone. However , i'm budgeting my points this year and i've always wanted to stay at OKW. I think i'll shoot for bldg. 41, 42, 43, or 44, as I want to be near the larger pool. I always research the heck out of a place before I stay , as to optimize my vacation experience. And I do love to walk so DS is going to be an every night excursion, i'm sure !!!!

 

[Disney Doll]

I've never seen a mold issue.
I've never heard an inordinate amount of noise.
Every time I've ever been at a pool, there have been tons of kids. They built a slide and a kiddie area at the main pool whic always has kids swarming all over it.
My personal prefernce is the Southpoint area because it is away from the hubbub of the HH area but there is a quiet pool there. Turtle Pond area would be my 2nd choice.
Never missed a quick serve breakfast place because one of the hitngs I delight in is having a nice relaxing morning sipping my tea and eating my breakfast in the room.
The path to DS is a nice walk. There are signs on it recommending that you do not walk it after dark. It does go past some wooded araes that seem a bit remote so being there at night might be a bit dicey....I know it's Disney but there are nuts everywhere.
Love the little boat to that takes you to DS. Depending on what time you go to DS, if it's daylight walk the path and if it's dark by the time you leave, take the boat back.

 

[schoen]

I think that having a car is essential at OKW. You can park right outside your room. The bus system will try your patience, but it is reliable despite it being slow. Seriously though, if you are not driving, rent a car!

 

[DaisyDuck001]

Hi, I'm a solo traveler and considering including maybe three nights at an Old Key West studio, if I can rent some points for this fall. It would be my first time staying at OKW, and in the pictures I like the room décor, but not sure how much I'd like staying there.

Have the studios ever been refurbished? If so, how recently?

Are a lot of people finding the rooms to be worn out, in disrepair, in need of an overhaul? Or are the rooms mostly in good condition?

It looks like several people have mentioned having mold issues there, but others say they did not. I'd want a place without any mold. Are there certain buildings that are mold-free?

Also, I've never been to the actual Florida Keys. For those who have been to the real Key West, how well does the OKW theming represent it?

 

[edk35]

We love OKW. I have stayed there in a studio, one bedroom and 2 bedroom. The rooms/villas are HUGE. Lots of room!! Very laid back, off the beaten path feel. I love how relaxing it feels compared to other resorts. My husband would stay there every time if I let him. LOL The only downside for us is the lack of a better counter service type place. Very limited menu. I wished it was more like SSR. I love being close to Downtown Disney....Disney Springs too. Love staying in the Hospitality House area.

 

[Islamom]

We love OKW for the large rooms & low points. We just got back from WDW & OKW. Two things...there is no indoor seating for the QS Restaurant (Goods To Go) & the units are older. Twice repairs had to be done, but both times they were done right away. (One time they replaced the entire washing machine.) BTW...the washing machines in the 2 bedroom unit are full sized machines..another plus. This time we had an issue with mousekeeping. We found clothes of the previous occupants and the floor was dirty. One visit to the Manager at the front desk took care of those concerns. As far as the buses...I never had to wait more than 10-15 minutes for a bus. Have a great trip! I know you will like OKW.