Should they drop the "O" from OKW?

[JasonDVC]

I don't own any points at Old Key West nor am I trying to bash the resort. I'm sure it's great!

I was just thinking about the name. Does the word "Old" come with some type of a stigma? They don't call it Old Saratoga Springs, or Old Boardwalk. Doesn't the name Disney's Key West Resort sound nicer? or does that name give people the wrong impression as to where the reort actually is? (Orlando as opposed to Key West)

I was just thinking and now I guess I'm thinking aloud.

Do you agree? Any thoughts? Should I just get back to work and stop thinking so much?

 

[littlestar]

Nah, now, if they called it Old Old Key West - that would be different.

 

[Granny]

OKW was originally called Disney Vacation Club. When they decided to build more resorts they needed to rename it. My guess is they called it "Old" to differentiate it and avoid confusion with Key West resorts in Florida.

I agree with littlestar and as long as they don't call it Old Decrepid Key West or something like that, I'm good with it as it is!

 

[dallastxcpa]

I think it should remain Old Key West. To me the name invokes an idea of a simpler time when people knew how to slow down and take it easy. The name makes me think of being on island time. Like you drive through those gates, hear the welcome home, and are magically transported back in time.

 

[dianeschlicht]

The "Old" in OKW refers to the turn of the last century vibe of Key West. When Key West was in it's hey day. That is the theme of the resort, so why change its name??? Papa Hemmingway would have loved our resort!

 

[dwelty]

Actually, When we visited last I thought the "Old" was quite appropriate. However, now that they are doing an extensive remodel that is starting to change. I like the name the way it is.

 

[Checkers]

I think it should remain Old Key West. To me the name invokes an idea of a simpler time when people knew how to slow down and take it easy. The name makes me think of being on island time. Like you drive through those gates, hear the welcome home, and are magically transported back in time.

!

 

[Dizny Dad]

The "Old" in OKW refers to the turn of the last century vibe of Key West. When Key West was in it's hey day. That is the theme of the resort, so why change its name??? Papa Hemmingway would have loved our resort!

Exactly! Just like visiting Old San Juan in PR!

 

[JasonDVC]

Exactly! Just like visiting Old San Juan in PR!

True, but Old San Juan is...well, old.

Doesn't the Boardwalk harken back to the glory days of the New Jersey Boardwalk? Isn't the Grand Floridian built like an old Victorian Hotel? Doesn't the Beach & Yacht Club take you back to Old New England? But they don't call those resorts "Old...."

My question was basicly if the name "Old" comes with a stigma that those who are unfamiliar with the resort might be turned off by even though they may not know much about it and what it has to offer.

I get the arguement that they would not want to confuse travelers by just calling it Disney's Key West Resort because that might make some people think it is actaully in Key West similiar to Disney Hilton Head an Vero Beach Resorts being in those towns, respectively

 

[Shadeaux]

Actually, When we visited last I thought the "Old" was quite appropriate. However, now that they are doing an extensive remodel that is starting to change. I like the name the way it is.

You must be visiting a different OKW than I've been staying at since '94. The OKW we saw in November was anything but old.

 

[spiceycat]

okw was in a time before Disney's appeared before the name.

they needed 3 initals - remember before it was Disney Vacation Club, Key West would not work - so OKW.

that was before the hotels in kissimmee and orlando were copying their names. So now a Disney hotel has Disney in the name.

 

[bumbershoot]

My question was basicly if the name "Old" comes with a stigma that those who are unfamiliar with the resort might be turned off by even though they may not know much about it and what it has to offer.

I still have not been there, but have read lots about it, and at one point I was entirely unfamiliar with it...and it has never had a stigma for me. My family has lived in FL, and I've visited Key West...the "old" just signifies that it isn't *current* Key West, but rather the earlier days. Sounds romantic and nice to me.

 

[MomsGoneGoofy]

Please don't change the name again. I'm too "OLD" now to remember to call it something different. It was hard enough to remember to call it OKW and not the Vacation Club when I was younger.

Old Members since 1992

 

[carlbarry]

I've never noticed--does Disney trademark or servicemark the names of the resorts? If so, they probably could not register "Key West," as it is not unique, but could register "Old Key West."

 

[Simba's Mom]

Please don't change the name again. I'm too "OLD" now to remember to call it something different. It was hard enough to remember to call it OKW and not the Vacation Club when I was younger.

Old Members since 1992

 

[Deb & Bill]

It beats Key West Retirement Village.

 

[OKWAnneMarie]

Really?

 

[sissy_42]

True, but Old San Juan is...well, old.

Doesn't the Boardwalk harken back to the glory days of the New Jersey Boardwalk? Isn't the Grand Floridian built like an old Victorian Hotel? Doesn't the Beach & Yacht Club take you back to Old New England? But they don't call those resorts "Old...."

My question was basicly if the name "Old" comes with a stigma that those who are unfamiliar with the resort might be turned off by even though they may not know much about it and what it has to offer.

I get the arguement that they would not want to confuse travelers by just calling it Disney's Key West Resort because that might make some people think it is actaully in Key West similiar to Disney Hilton Head an Vero Beach Resorts being in those towns, respectively

The word old does not carry a stigma for everyone. I live in Omaha and we have a section of town called Old Market. It is an older part of town, but it is filled with shops and restaurants and bars. It is a tourist favorite. Many big cites have an "old town" section. People understand a word like old when it is part of the name. The negative stigma comes when people start adding the descriptors. And yes, the other resorts you mentioned have the feel of days gone by as well, but it would be quite odd if Disney put the same word at the beginning of all the resort names. Well, unless that word is Disney.

 

[Granny]

I've never noticed--does Disney trademark or servicemark the names of the resorts? If so, they probably could not register "Key West," as it is not unique, but could register "Old Key West."

I don't know if they trademark their resort names but since some resorts have generic names like Beach Club and Yacht Club I guess they could have let it be Disney's Key West resort if they really wanted to. My guess is that the posters were right who indicate that they wanted the theming to harken back to older times.

 

[Shamus]

OKW was originally called Disney Vacation Club. When they decided to build more resorts they needed to rename it. My guess is they called it "Old" to differentiate it and avoid confusion with Key West resorts in Florida.

I agree with littlestar and as long as they don't call it Old Decrepid Key West or something like that, I'm good with it as it is!

With the above mentioned new resorts being named for their location (Disney's Vero Beach Resort and Disney's Hilton Head Island Resort), I can see why they did not just call it "Disney's Key West Resort".

Even so I personally know a few people who have still been confused by this and thought that Disney had a resort located in Key West.