pros/cons OKW 1st vs. upper floor

[baloo722]

Hi. going to OKW for the 1st time in august. we had to cut our trip in june short due to a family emergency, & our DVC agent really helped us out by saving our points in a holding account....long story... anyway, i was wondering if people could give me their pros & cons of a 1st floor studio vs. an upper floor studio. We have 3 little girls, & we want to be near the pool & HH. I'm thinking building 13. Now, I want to stay in an upper floor (view, balcony, no bugs, etc.... My wife suggests a lower floor. her friend said it was good for the kids that way. why? I don't know. is there access to the room from the 1st floor?

Any way any help would be appreciated.

 

[DeeP]

The majority of the OKW buildings do not have elevators and I don't think building 13 has an elevator. If you are going to have strollers and tired kids to deal with the stairs to the upper floors can be a lot! The down side of a OKW 1st fl studio is many of the studio balconies are very heavily covered with foilage and the lower floors can have very little view. I would definitely stay near the HH and pool because the store, restaurant, and Community Hall is also there. They have some very nice activites for kids at CH and it is nice to be able to just walk over to the store, snack bar, pool etc. Also there are washer/dryer in the laundry room off the main pool which will be very convenient with 3 little ones. Enjoy your trip!

 

[nisiemouse]

I guess it just depends on who is above you. We stayed in a 2 bedroom in Nov first floor and never heard a sound from above (it was Thanksgiving week so I know the resort was full). We had a lovely water view from our patio. It was nice for the kids not to have to climb the stairs at the end of the day. We never saw any bugs.
We did not request a floor but just requested close to hospitality house and nonsmoking (we got both). It was more important for me to be near the hh than have a certain floor.
I know there are lots of people who request top floor for the reasons you mentioned and I am sure you will get some feedback from them.
If you don't mind me asking did you just call your guide when you had the emergency and had to check out early? We leave in a week and my dh's dad is in hospice care and there is always the possibility that we would have to leave early and would love to be able to have points placed in holding instead of just losing them.
Have a great trip!

 

[AZKathy]

Are you taking a stroller? It is a pain to climb the stairs after a long day in the parks with a stroller. Kids can feed the ducks better from the first floor and have a better view of them.

Tiny little pitter pats of "widdow feet" can be annoying when you are on the first floor. The views can be obstructed with the foliage on the first floor especially with the small balcony porch.

 

[PamOKW]

The only con to an upper floor is having to climb the stairs. They are graduated so there is a landing before you reach the top so you can rest or stage brining in groceries/luggage. It's true they can seem troublesome when you are bringing in the luggage or when you are tired but they really aren't a big deal. My dad was a 70-something on chemo and he handled them.

 

[baloo722]

Thanks for the input, keep it coming!

When we had to leave BWV, we called our agent. we got the call from home at 6:00, & we were packed and on I-4 by 8:20...not bad for 20 bags (2 & 1/2 week vacation). I called him as we were packing. He said no guarantees, because it is not policy. we said thanks for the effort, & weren't expecting anything. a few days later he called & said the points were in a holding account & had to be used by the end of our use year (april 1) as a teracher, we had to use them this summer, so we tried everywhere & the only place available was OKW.

 

[baloo722]

bump

 

[nisiemouse]

baloo722: Thanks for the reply. I hope you enjoy OKW.

 

[baloo722]

bump.

 

[spiceycat]

I only get a first floor when traveling with my mother - she is 81 and can't do the steps - or my brother he has had hip surgery - so steps are a problem for him.

now when I go with friends or alone - the higher the better - the views are much, much better - there is no comparison.

You can have a lovely view on the first floor - but you can not see it because of the over grown shrubs or worst yet - the air-condition units.

they try to hide these behind the shrubs - but alot of the first floor studios are right next to these things.

So no unless you need a first floor for health reasons go higher.

also the first floor studio could be handicapped - no tub and with kids you are going to want a tub. the toilet is also higher in a handicapped room - mother hates this and I don't think your kids would like it either. there is also less cabinet space - so the wheelchair can fit under.

I like the water view - OKW has some of the most lovely water view - and yes I have stayed in the Polyn with a lagoon view and the Contemporary with both seven seas and bay lake view - I happen to love OKW views better.

some people like golf views - some like wood views - OKW has all 3 - you can also request - near bus stop, near a pool (OKW has 4), or near the HH (Hospitality house).

i happen to love building 55 or 18 - both have lovely water views.

 

[baloo722]

thanks spicey...very informative!

 

[MiaSRN62]

We had requested a 1st floor last year due to my mil accompanying us---she had had brain surgery 4 months prior and was going through chemo. We did have a 2 bedroom and I will say that our studio patio was pretty heavily foilaged, but we did have a view of the water. The other patio, off the living room, came almost right to the water's edge and my kids LOVED being so close to the ducks, swan and rabbits---oh yes, and a frog. We loved being so close to the water. This was building 43, so it wasn't that close to the HH. It was in the Turtle Pond area which we really like.
We also like the upper floors because you get more of a wide view of the area and don't have the floor traffic noise overhead. Had it not been for my mil, we most likely would have requested a top floor because the stairs aren't a bother at all, but we were quite happy with the 1st we had last year.
Have a nice trip !

 

[mborgetti]

With little kids. Take the first floor. I have three children and I dreaded carrying the strollers and kids up those stairs. You won't be in the room much anyway. We always shoot for the first floor.

 

[llp479]

We've stayed in first floors, second floors, and third floors, and other than having to climb the stairs with bags, haven't really noticed any difference. When we stay at OKW we have a car, so I leave the stroller in the car, and just get it out on the way to the bus.

The one bad thing that happened last year in the first floor unit was that someone staying above us had put their laundry out on the balcony. We came back from the park to find their clothes all over the grassy area just off our patio.

 

[DebbieB]

I've stayed on all 3 floors. As Pam said, the big con to the third floor is dragging the luggage and groceries up the steps. When I take my mom, I now request first floor because not only do I have to drag my luggage, I have to drag hers too. We request water view and she gets a big kick out of seeing the ducks and birds up close in the morning. Anywhere else I would rather have a top floor for more quiet and better view.

 

[colleen costello]

We love the first floor, and with my parents along on most trips, we NEED it! I joke that they should give the upper floors to the fit singles, not the out-of-shape families unused to steps! It's so much easier with the kids and all their junk. It's also great access to the animals. My kids love the ducks and bunnies and they are RIGHT THERE when you are on the 1st floor.

Someone posted here they had a snake in their 1st floor room once. We laugh because now my kids ask "Will a snake come to our room?" They'd love it!