OLD KEY WEST

[Disneygrammie1953]

we are thinking of staying here in 2017. How are the rooms I am hearing they are in desperate need of upgrading??? We will have very small children so they may be going back for naps. So may be spending more time in room. What's thoughts. Or where else maybe to stay

 

[T00dles]

We love it! It can show its age, but the rooms are huge (not an understatement) and is great for small kids. Nice big table on your own deck...can't beat it

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I have to ask: What appeals to you about Old Key West? It is a classic theme and the rooms are fine. They're due for at least a softgoods refurbishment, but I wouldn't expect to see one announced until next year's DVC annual meeting at the soonest.

 

[Chrelaine]

We stayed in a one bedroom last May with DD4. We Loved it! I swear the room was bigger than my first apartment. The bathroom does show some signs of age, but nothing that took away from our trip and it definitely didn't take away from the large room and beautiful resort. It really isn't a bad choice.

 

[cedricandsophie]

We love OKW and will be there in Mwrch for a week. We always get a DVC one or two bedroom close to the hospitality house so my adult disabled daughter and her best friend can walk to the pool. We love the pool. The tennis courts, the ability to get on the boat to Disney Springs. We even like Olivia's. The suites are huge and we have always had a golf course view off our balcony. The kitchen is great for cooking meals. The laundry room is bigger than mine at home. It's comfortable, well done and always feels like coming home.

 

[Disneyhenry]

We stayed in a 2 bedroom, 4 adults and 2 kids (cousins age 6) here is a small review
Pros - huge rooms! Love the kitchen! Love having washer and dryer right there! Love the boat to what is now called Disney Springs (we stayed in January 2015) pool was wonderful! We rented a minivan so parking right out side the door was so nice, love the patio , very quiet resort
Cons - it is a large resort so there is a need to request near the hospitality building (if your going to use it), only 1 small counter place to eat at, yes the bathrooms could use an update but they where huge and not horrible, it was a good walk to the pool
I would stay there again if we were going with my sister's family or if I took my older kids (they are adults now) Have fun!!!

 

[FreeTime]

OKW is great if you are looking for a laid back, quiet resort. When we stay here we usually plan the majority of meals in the room since the options are limited. We liked the turtle crawl area when our kids were younger as we walked right out to a pleasant quiet pool.

 

[zorro77]

Coming home in a few weeks. Anything new at OLD KEY WEST. We left there last end of Oct. I believe the mugs have changed and thats all i know. We are excited for some warm weather and relaxing by the small pools.

 

[DizneyLizzy]

I stayed at OKW for the first time last fall. Before that trip, I honestly couldn't see the appeal. I only stayed there with some girlfriends bc a friend rented us her points for what ended up coming to $120 per night for a studio. Now, it's one of my favorite resorts, and I'm going back with my husband and son next month.

For my family of 3 (two adults and a just-about-to-be-2 year old) I chose this resort bc:
1. The price for a studio was the cheapest deluxe level resort room for our nights - and with a toddler we neeeeed a deluxe room so we have a balcony/place to go when the tot naps.
2. The resort is a super quiet/relaxing place to go in between park time.
3. The rooms are HUGE.
4. The main pool is great, has a water slide, and plenty of seating.
5. The resort is a 5 minute bus ride (once the bus leaves the resort) from both the MK (thanks to the back road) and Epcot. DHS isn't far away either. AK is FAR, but it's far from most of the resorts.
6. You can minimize bus time by getting on the bus at the hospitality house and off the bus at Peninsula Road. Try to request a room in a building near one of those stops if you are relying on the buses.
7. Because a lot of people use cars here (I'm assuming this is the reason?) we found the buses to be less crowded than at other resorts we've stayed. It was the first Disney trip in probably 10 years where I haven't stood on a bus. Not even once.

The main drawbacks I see would be getting a room in a section really far away from the hospitality house (if you don't have a car and want to hang at the main pool a lot), and the lack of quick service options. Good's to Go didn't have the great operating hours or options of the food courts.

 

[TagsMissy]

OKW did a full renovation 4-5 years ago so they shouldn't be so bad and in dire need of anything major. I'm sure you'll love it there with the large villas

 

[loves to dive]

It reminded me of the old hotels back in the 60s on the beach in Florida. The rooms are huge and even though it is older than the other DVC resorts and is showing it's age, it really wasn't bad. Were I not going to the parks and just wanted to hang at the resort most of the time, I wouldn't hesitate to stay there again. Or if I were used to staying in the moderates and having to ride a bus everywhere, I'd stay there in a heartbeat. I tend to stay in the Epcot resorts so the having to ride a bus to all the parks got kind of old for me. I did have a car and could have driven but I don't drive at Disney, it's a rule. I had a studio that looked across the road to the main pool and hospitality house. It was the building right next to the first bus stop so I'd sit on my balcony in the mornings and drink my coffee, when I saw the bus I wanted, I just sort of take my time and get everything ready I was taking, rinse out my cup and walk over to the hospitality house and catch the bus there. It was never so crowded I couldn't sit. On the way back from the parks, I'd just get off at the stop next to my building. You can't beat the size of the rooms and having that big full balcony is great. It was a little noisy where I was since it was on the main road and you did hear the buses all night until they stopped running. I did get on the bus at my stop the first time just to see how long the ride was, and while it was a nice ride around the resort, it really was long, I'm not sure how far the walk is from the very back up to the hospitality house but that might be an option for those middle stops.

 

[Cinders Mum]

Coming home in a few weeks. Anything new at OLD KEY WEST. We left there last end of Oct. I believe the mugs have changed and thats all i know. We are excited for some warm weather and relaxing by the small pools.

The only things I have seen new since Oct, are new patio furniture which looks great, and also the transportation screens at the bus stops giving live time updates, which gets a huge thumbs up from me.

 

[Wakey]

Some guy just did a review on Tripadvsor saying that they have started renovating the rooms a block at a time. I have emailed him to see if he has any more details. Anyone else heard of this (I am going late August)?

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Some guy just did a review on Tripadvsor saying that they have started renovating the rooms a block at a time. I have emailed him to see if he has any more details. Anyone else heard of this (I am going late August)?

Hasn't been announced to DVC members. So I am highly dubious. They have rehabs going at AKV, BLT, BCV and BWV. I doubt they're doing an unannounced renovation at yet another resort right now.

 

[Wakey]

I'll let you know what he says- you are right it seems strange- but why put on they are renovating if he hasn't seen them doing it- unless he has got confused. If I hear back I will put it on here, but if anyone is going please ask a few questions/ keep your eyes peeled and let us know what you see/ hear- thanks.

 

[Wakey]

Well I just heard back from the guy who very promptly emailed me. He said he was staying on Millets Road and a block was entirely boarded off. Guys had machinery and windows, and roofing materials and he saw plumbers etc- the whole block was undergoing substantial refurb- he was sure of this. I had heard that someone else had said the bathrooms were going to be refurbed- with the plumbers there I wonder if it could be this?

 

[Deb & Bill]

Well I just heard back from the guy who very promptly emailed me. He said he was staying on Millets Road and a block was entirely boarded off. Guys had machinery and windows, and roofing materials and he saw plumbers etc- the whole block was undergoing substantial refurb- he was sure of this. I had heard that someone else had said the bathrooms were going to be refurbed- with the plumbers there I wonder if it could be this?

It could be the studios. They are notorious for having AC leaks near the kitchenette.

 

[Wakey]

There are now multiple reviews of OKW from different people saying blocks are being cordoned off and renovated. Hard to believe 3 people recently have all said this and its wrong. It isn't announced it is been done by Disney though which is weird.

 

[Wood Nymph]

Well I just heard back from the guy who very promptly emailed me. He said he was staying on Millets Road and a block was entirely boarded off. Guys had machinery and windows, and roofing materials and he saw plumbers etc- the whole block was undergoing substantial refurb- he was sure of this. I had heard that someone else had said the bathrooms were going to be refurbed- with the plumbers there I wonder if it could be this?

There are now multiple reviews of OKW from different people saying blocks are being cordoned off and renovated. Hard to believe 3 people recently have all said this and its wrong. It isn't announced it is been done by Disney though which is weird.

We stayed in a 2br villa last Feb 2015 and they had rooms blocked off. It looked like they were painting the interiors of some of the villas.

To answer the original poster - we loved our stay at OKW. The huge rooms and quiet atmosphere were the main reason we liked it. And it seemed like we never waited more than ten minutes for a bus and they were never full. The two drawbacks are the annoying route the bus has to take to travel through the resort and the lack of really good counter service. We had breakfast in the villa every morning, which was great, but we ate our other meals out since it was very tricky getting back to our villa in the Turtle Pond area.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

OLD Key West is one of the hidden gems of wdw. The theming is excellent, The landscaping beautiful and mature. The bus service is excellent a loop around the resort. It is a easy 15 min walk one end to the other. Wonderful main pool with kids sandbox play ground and.a dry sauna as well.

Olivias the main resteruat, is great, theme, food a.bit.different that most wdw eating spots. Service wonderful.as.well. yes there is limited selection of places.to.eat, but you have to.remember OKW was.built as the DVC, with most.units having full.galleis for family meals. We always stock the.gallay with Basicly breakfast and.light lunch and dinner foods.

The units have the biggest rooms anywhere and the larger until have 2askers and dryers.


The.best is turtle.crawl.that has a great large qiuet pool, snack.bar.and.small alcohol bar. There is also tables and BBQs. We always take1.evening and.BBQ with the family and.relax and.gear.up for.the.rest of the trip.

The.boats.run to a disney springs.all.day and.evening.

Try it you will.love it


AKK