Pros and Cons of OKW

[bsjs0708]

We are in the early stages of planning our next visit (yay!!) We will probably be 5 women so we want space and somewhere more adult oriented ( I know we're at Disney ) We were thinking OKW because the rooms are huge and if we get a 2 bedroom we will have 2 bathrooms. I realize that a 1 bedroom sleeeps 5 but nobody really wants to sleep in the fold out chair..What so y"all think?
Are there other options you would suggest?
What are the pros and cons of this resort? TIA

Julie

 

[bobbiwoz]

I do not know the buildings, but some of the earlier ones have the person sleeping in the living room going through the master bedroom to use the bathroom. Except for 3 buildings, the buildings do not have elevators. I was on the second floor last week, and it was hard for me to pack up the car. I was alone, and do not know if bell services are available.

I think OKW 2 bedroom would be a good choice since you get 2 queens, I king as well as the sleeper sofa & sleeper chair. The point costs are good. Just be aware of the limitations of the resort.

 

[Disneypapa]

I own at this resort and love it for many reasons. Park at the door, huge rooms, feel and look of a Florida resort, instead of a hotel.

But with 5 women, I would seriously consider a 2 BR villa at AK - Kidani Village since it has three bathrooms!!!!!!!!

 

[BEASLYBOO]

But with 5 women, I would seriously consider a 2 BR villa at AK - Kidani Village since it has three bathrooms!!!!!!!!

I agree, all kidding aside, I travel with (2) 16 year old, an 11 year old and 3 to 4 adults, getting out of the villa morning and night is quite the feat! Kidani is a beautiful resort and the 3rd bathroom is a big plus!

But OKW is my favorite resort, we enjoy Bldg, 15, 45, 46. Those have excellent views, I've stayed at so many of the buildings I can't honestly keep up with which building has which type of bathroom entry! However, stay away from the bldgs. near the quiet pools (42,43...) if you want a more adult area because they aren't so quiet or adult!

We really enjoy OKW's proximity to DTD, it's lovely to take the boat there! There are many good restaurants there, the Dine in theater as well, or simply to just walk around. The boat ride at night is gorgeous!

The main con I hear is the complaint that the resort is too wide spread, but personally I love to walk and the luxurious landscaping of OKW only adds to the experience! And, I have no issues with bus transportation!

It's a beautiful resort, I hope you enjoy your trip!

 

[DisneyRegulars]

The patios at OKW are also huge and would be great to hang out on with a group of 5 women.

 

[rmcildw2m]

I agree kidani is a better choice for 5 women.

 

[Candace]

To me, the only con at OKW is most of the buildings don't have elevators. I don't mind being on 2nd floor, but I really don't want to be on 3rd at any time. I love it for the size of the living/dining/kitchen area and the huge outdoor balcony with a big table and four chairs. I love parking outside my room and I really love taking the boat to Downtown Disney. Be sure to get a two bedroom for 5 women!

 

[jimmytammy]

Im not sure there are any cons at OKW
I cant advise you on the 2 bed as we have only stayed in a 1 bed at OKW, but we love it. I would ask for a ground floor as the stairs can be a bit of an issue for people with knee/leg issues. We love the Turtle Pond area, but if being near the front where restaurant, store, etc. are, keep in mind TP is about a 10 min. walk.

 

[BabsBunny]

We stayed in a two bedroom at OKW summer before last with two adults and four teens. I'd consider it for a girls' trip. We were near the hospitality house which meant you had to walk through the master bedroom to use the bath, but it was no big deal. It was totally worth it to be so close to the pool and buses, etc. when it was hotter than Hades.

Pro's -
- Large villa
- Low points
- Relaxed tropical theming with nice pool
- Boatride to DD
- Large balcony

Con's -
- Only one restaurant option onsite
- Only two bathrooms

Kidani is nice with the three bathrooms, but then again Jambo puts you in the same building as Jiko, Boma and Victoria Falls Lounge (is that the name?) It also has a larger pool.

Either way, have a great time. I'm envious.

 

[bjakmom]

DH and I just stayed at OKW for the first time over marathon weekend. It was the perfect time for us to try it out since we were alone. We loved it, especially for adult trips. We were in bldg 51 and it was lovely except that the buses pulled through the parking lot there to turn around - pretty noisy at night - and we had a few early to bed evenings for the runs. That was really the only con I can think of for us.

+++We LOVED Olivia's - ended up having one lunch and 2 dinners there - awesome service and awesome food in a very low-key setting.
+ the boat ride to DTD was really nice and relaxing and lets you off right by Ragland Road - another new fav for us.
+ we spent our afternoons at the quiet pool - loved it.
+ we found it an easy walk up to the HH even though we were all the way in the back of the resort - of course DH is a marathon runner lol - but I enjoy walking too and did I mention all the great food I ate at Olivias and Ragland Road?? Needed to walk. Could have taken buses back and forth but walking was just so easy and the resort is lovely.
+ even the studio had tons of room and a great layout

OKW would prob not be our first choice when taking all the kids and grands because we prefer BWV/BC/AKV/BLT type setting where you take the elevator right down to the pool and the bus stop instead of walking/schlepping all the kids and stuff or driving to the pools and stops - but we would def stay there again for an adult trip. Enjoy!!

 

[bsjs0708]

Thank you all so much for the advice and comments. I will be sure to check out the map so I can request a first floor level at a building close to HH. We will have one with us who has a bad knee..Thanks again..

 

[Simba's Mom]

I own at this resort and love it for many reasons. Park at the door, huge rooms, feel and look of a Florida resort, instead of a hotel.

True to Disney, it looks EXACTLY like Key West. Although I've never been to Key West, recently I was watching "House Hunters", where they were looking for a home in Key West. They pulled up in front of one town home place, and DH screamed out "OMG! That looks just like Old Key West!"

 

[Caren90]

Also, if you have runners or early morning walkers and nature lovers, OKW has some great paths along the canal that are quite peaceful in the morning.
Stephen

 

[gdrj]

I do like OKW due to size of Units. However I would probably lean more towards BWV's. More dining/beverage and shopping options on Boardwalk, Swan, Dolphin and Yacht/BeachClub, more people watching if you want to escape the room for a bit. Plus avoid busses for two parks.

 

[lovin'fl]

We stayed at OKW twice. Once near HH and once near turtle pond. The villas in the HH section have the bathroom that you have to go through the master...the Turtle Pond villas had a door in the laundry room that led into the bathroom (I liked that). When we stayed in the HH section, my MIL and FIL were in our 2BR with us so I requested the 1st floor as MIL has a bad knee. We got what I requested. I also booked MIL and FIL in a 1BR in the HH section a couple Januaries ago and requested 1st floor and they got it. You can tell them it's for a medical reason and they will make note of that.

I like OKW because the villas are large and set up very well. I like the pool and the poolside CS and bar. I like that you can take a boat to Downtown Disney. I like that you can park right at your building. I like that they have large balconies to sit on and pretty nice views. I like that it's quiet and quaint.

I don't like the new hard wood flooring throughout the villa...you can hear every dropped item and footfall above you (would be good to get top floor, but that would be a problem for person with the bad knee). I don't like having to take buses to EVERY park and having to sit on bus as it stops throughout OKW (we would get off at Penninsular and walk over to our HH building). I don't like that there aren't more food options super close by.

 

[Brian Noble]

Pros:
* The units are very large.
* The balconies are extremely spacious
* You can probably fit all five of you around the table.
* In-unit ice maker and blender
* Parking right outside your unit
* Very lush landscaping
* Units are offset providing a little extra privacy
* Boat to DTD for plenty of drinking/dining options
* Among the least expensive point-wise

Cons:
* Not close to any particular park
* Can have a room that is quite far from central services
* Counter service restaurant is poor---possibly the worst at any Disney hotel
* No indoor lounge (mostly)
* No elevators (mostly an issue with 3rd floor units)

 

[stitchineeyore]

Had to chime in, as I was sitting on a patio at Old Key West less than 48 hours ago. First, what is your primary goal for this trip? If everyone is a huge Disney fan and is looking forward to a great deal of park time, yep, you might want to consider another resort with more park proximity. Time of year of your trip is another significant factor. That said, I was absolutely ENCHANTED by Old Key West. Can't imagine why we never stayed there before in going on 14 years in DVC. We moved after the first night (we were near the hospitality house initially and frankly didn't like the noise levels and the bathroom entry situation). We moved to Turtle Pond, building 42, in a ground floor unit. Wonderful! The patio was huge, faced the water, and was sooo relaxing for early morning coffee. I never heard anything but the birds, the greenskeepers, and the occasional golf swing. We never had bus issues, in fact got to parks more quickly than bus rides from BWV and Contemporary in previous years. (Admittedly, we were down during one of the slowest times of year.) Loved the ferry to Downtown Disney. Olivia's restaurant is a gem. If this trip is primarily to hang out with your friends, I would think Old Key West would be perfect. (And BTW, that sleeper chair is more comfortable than the queensize sofa bed. Better mattress). If you make the point that one of you has a bad knee and can't climb, I would think you would have no trouble securing a first floor unit. Have fun!

 

[lovin'fl]

Pros:
* The units are very large.
* The balconies are extremely spacious
* You can probably fit all five of you around the table.
* In-unit ice maker and blender
* Parking right outside your unit
* Very lush landscaping
* Units are offset providing a little extra privacy
* Boat to DTD for plenty of drinking/dining options
* Among the least expensive point-wise

Cons:
* Not close to any particular park
* Can have a room that is quite far from central services
* Counter service restaurant is poor---possibly the worst at any Disney hotel
* No indoor lounge (mostly)
* No elevators (mostly an issue with 3rd floor units)

3 buildings have elevators.

 

[dfarner]

I know this has been asked and answered probably 100 times on the DVC boards, but have all the rooms been refurbed? I've lost touch with the boards and have missed so much info!
Also, about how long is the pool slide? Would you consider it "exciting"? We stayed at OKW years ago, but didn't pay much attention to the slide.

 

[SueM in MN]

I know this has been asked and answered probably 100 times on the DVC boards, but have all the rooms been refurbed? I've lost touch with the boards and have missed so much info!
Also, about how long is the pool slide? Would you consider it "exciting"? We stayed at OKW years ago, but didn't pay much attention to the slide.

Yes. All have been renovated.

I don't know about the pool slide - it depends on what someone thinks is exciting. Maybe seeing some pictures would help.