The Pool makes a difference

[sters]

The only thing holding me back from OKW is the pool. My kids LOVE pool with slides. We just returned from POR, which completely eliminated my "location" objection to OKW. I'd thought OKW was "too remote" but passed it on our drive to the theme parks. I didn't feel isolated at POR, so I can't say I would at OKW. But the Old Man Island pool area, while no SAB, was exciting for my kids, and one of the highlights of thier trip. Their eyes nearly POPPED when they saw SAB and now I'd like to get BCV, but the dues and the costs per point are so high. And we were just saying... if only the OKW had a good pool area, we'd be so sold on it and would never even think to switch from home. I'm sure if you go every year, the pool area becomes more important as the years roll by.

 

[DeeP]

Just curious but have you ever stayed at the Epcot or MK deluxe or DVC resorts?

 

[amandaC]

You can always pool hop (but not to SAB or AKL pool). If you have young children I would find this inconvenient but older children might find it fun to check out other pools.

 

[Chuck S]

I agree, if you are pool people and feel a pool slide is a requirement, do not purchase at OKW. On the otherhand, if you want the most spacious rooms and relaxed atmosphere, OKW is the place to be. It all depends on what is important to your family.

 

[jaysue]

Agreed with ChuckS, nor do I see OKW getting an "attraction" pool anytime soon if at all

thanks
jaysue

 

[DaveH]

I understand if kids really want a pool with a slide, that OKW is not the place. From what I understand the folks who own at OKW do not want to have thier dues incresed to change one of the pools to add a slide. As a VWL owner I do not want my dues to gog up to add a slide at OKW either. Unless there is a change in the views of the OKW owners I doubt there will be a slide there.

 

[Kelly Nelly]

I really do not understand why people on this boards act like they cannot stay any where else but there home resort it seems so strange. I own at BCV , BWV , HH, and now SS and to tell you all the truth I have never used the 11 month window yet and it turns out that we like VWL the best and we stay there the vast majority of time with no problems at all to get in.So if you buy at OKW as long as you are not vacationing during peak times you will have no problem getting into BCV I gurantee.

 

[pmcpmc]

We bought at Disney because my wife does not like the sand on the beach.
Guess which resort we do not stay at.
However We have left the kids behind in sept-nov time and walked the beautiful beaches of HH AND VB.
When our kids were younger we often pool hopped to all the other resorts and Delux Hotels.
Its part of our fun or quiet days to visit other Hotels and Resorts.
The slide at boardwalk is good enough for me even though the water does leave the pool on entry LOL

 

[sters]

Actually, this was supposed to be a response in another thread, I didn't mean to start a new one, but having said that, the Grand Villas make a dfference!

We've been trying to decide between.... BCV or OKW? Since someone did ask, I've stayed at the Dolphin near the Epcot and LOVED the location over that of POR (which was right next to OKW). And that is part of the dilemma. Here's how the choice stacks up for me.

BCV- ideal location for theme parks, dining, hotel awesome pool complex... major drawback is no GV. I've heard that the GV at the OKW are HARD to come by.

OKW- value more space, GV... major drawback, no pool slides or lifeguards.


My point was, that if OKW beefed up their pools, the choice would be much simpler for me. I'd do the OKW because I'd overcome my location issues with this resort when I stayed at POR.

 

[pmcpmc]

is themed differently to give variety and they are all dvc for all our use(Except SAb)

 

[Cruelladeville]

There is really not much difference, cost-wise, between OKW and BCV, since both need to be purchased thru resale, and the costs on resale are pretty much the same. Now dues are quite different, but on a 150 pt contract they amount to about $60 more per year if you buy in at BCV. That's very little difference--if it is a large difference to you, then you need to reconsider if you can really afford DVC. You will be making payments for more than a year, and dues are an every year thing. It could be that you will be happier paying cash every three years or so for a vacation, rather than taking on the responsibility of monthly payments for dues and so forth. It's true that those of us who belong to DVC are happy taking regular vacations in luxury resorts, but it's not for everyone.

 

[Disney Doll]

I am an owner of two contracts at OKW, and I don't thikn we will be getting a pool slides anytime soon, as far as I know. I have not received anything in any mailings regarding making that change.

There are 2 trains of thought. The first is "buy where you want to stay". That is the one I live by, because, while it is true 99% of the time that you will be able to stay in a resort which is not your home resort, that 1% chance is enough for some folks not ot want to take the chance.

The there is the other train of thought that, in general, availability is pretty good most of the time, so if you can live with occasionally not being in your 1st choice resort, then go for the cheapest dues etc, which is OKW.

Remember, you will own DVC for a long time, so don't necessarily make the decision based on your kids for the next few years. A lot depends on the ages of your kids. If they're 10 and 12, for example, then you will probably only be certain of vacationing with them for the next 6-8 years, and after that, who knows????? Perhaps take that into consideration as well.

When DH and I were buying, we aksed ourselves one questions when choosing our home resort(then a choice between BWV and OKW)...if we could never stay anywhere else again besides OKW, could we be happy there? The answer was yes, so we bought there. I have never had trouble getting space in any of the other resorts, except for recently when I wanted to try and book either BWV or BCV for the Epcot F&W Festival. They were booked solid, so we ended up at OKW.

 

[spiceycat]

as has been stated - buy where YOU will be happy - if that is OKW then buy there - the member goes until 2042 - your kids certain won't be around that long - you can pool hop to every pool at WDW except AKL and SALB (bc/yc/bcv) - so if you want to go back to the slide at PO - you can not a problem -

OKW is not going to add a slide - even now with younger members - this site did a survery awhile ago - the majority of member do not want this to happen - so it won't.

a few years ago DVC send out a survery and asked the OKW members if they wanted a slide with a pool - their annual fee would go up - (one of the reason you stated you like OKW was the lower fees). - No was the answer - My niece and nephew were younger so I vote yes - today I would probably vote no - they get bore with most of the slides (including SALB) - they want the slide at Blizzard Beach..... I don't think any WDW resort will ever had a slide like that.....

your kids won't be young enough to enjoy the slides but for a few year - you will want a place that you feel comfortable with for the years - don't do short term. look at the long term.

BCV will always have higher fees - lifeguards are expensive - the upkept on the pool is expensive - room services (oh how I wish OKW had this), valet parking - not to mention the boats - all come out of your fees.

 

[DeeP]

Originally posted by sters
Actually, this was supposed to be a response in another thread, I didn't mean to start a new one, but having said that, the Grand Villas make a dfference!

We've been trying to decide between.... BCV or OKW? Since someone did ask, I've stayed at the Dolphin near the Epcot and LOVED the location over that of POR (which was right next to OKW). And that is part of the dilemma. Here's how the choice stacks up for me.

BCV- ideal location for theme parks, dining, hotel awesome pool complex... major drawback is no GV. I've heard that the GV at the OKW are HARD to come by.

OKW- value more space, GV... major drawback, no pool slides or lifeguards.


My point was, that if OKW beefed up their pools, the choice would be much simpler for me. I'd do the OKW because I'd overcome my location issues with this resort when I stayed at POR.

I am the person that asked if you had ever stayed in an Epcot or MK deluxe/DVC resort.
Since you loved the location of the Epcot resort and also an enhanced pool is a big consideration for your family, I think you have answered many of your concerns.
Although POR was not as remote as you thought and OKW is the same distance the point is.................was POR as convenient to major parks, restaurants, nighttime fireworks, etc as your stay at the Dolphin was???? OKW is just as conveniently located to parks, etc as POR is BUT POR is a moderate resort and OKW is supposed to be on the same level as a WDW deluxe resort not as a moderate resort!!!!
I am just pointing out facts but if a convenient location to parks, fireworks, restaurants AND an enhanced pool with pool slide and lifeguards is important to you...........You do not want OKW.
The 1 BR villa is the only unit noticably larger at OKW, in all other units the few extra missing sq footage is not even noticeable, especially in the studio which appears smaller due to the 2 queen beds.
As others have said, I sincerely doubt OKW will enhance it's main pool or add a pool slide or really add on any additional amenities to this resort. Many owners are very against any type of enhancements to resort amenities.
As for OKW GV's.........GV are hardest to book at OKW during the 1st two weeks of Dec, any other time other than this you should be fine with the 7 month booking window.

 

[sters]

My kids are 3, 5 and 7... so slides are likely to be an issue for a while still. I hadn't thought about just going to the water parks to scratch that particular itch as they get older (leaning closer to OKW) and I wasn't aware you could pool hop, either! Of course, not at the SAB. That's a policy that's subject to change I am sure. I'm concerned about the lifeguards. I was at the Poconos at a very busy pool, with a mini slide, and saw them drag a kid out unconsious. I was frightened for his family and heard later that he was okay, but it got me to thinking that all resort pools should have at least one lifeguarded area.

I appreciate all your imput. It's helping.

 

[spruce]

I agree with the way this thread is going. Buy for yourself, share with your children and family. You'll use the place many more times then your children will. Is the slide important to you?
I understand the desire to give all you can to your children and a slide can add to their enjoyment for a few years and then won't matter to them until they have children.
Our son loves WDW but and has become used to a vacation lifestyle that evolved from no vacations to the Jersey Shore to a week at my parents timeshare in Florida and finally to our owning multiple timeshares and multiple DVC contracts. I wonder if we have set him up to a lifestyle that took us years to aquire and how will he maintain that lifestyle as he moves off on his own?
He has said that He'll just keep coming with us...........that is yet to determined........spruce

 

[DeeP]

I'm concerned about the lifeguards. I was at the Poconos at a very busy pool, with a mini slide, and saw them drag a kid out unconsious. I was frightened for his family and heard later that he was okay, but it got me to thinking that all resort pools should have at least one lifeguarded area.

I am ALWAYS amazed when this is not a much bigger concern for families with children staying at ANY resort, located ANYWHERE. We are well beyond the stage of needing a life guard at our resort pool for the kids, but I still feel much safer with life guards when I am at the pool regardless or whether I am with or without kids. Sort of like the smoke detectors in your house---you never want to need them but it is awfully nice to know they are there!!!!!!

 

[della]

We originally were planning to purchase at BWV and then beside being undecided for a while, chose to purchase at BCV because it is my favorite hotel and SAB provides some of my oldest child's happiest Disney memories. Well, so much for great planning. Oldest child has become old enough to go on her own and after the last trip decided she likes OKW best because she likes to sleep in on vacation now! The younger kids...2 of them can't stand the sand on the bottom of SAB!! This was my oldest childs favorite part! But they do love the slide. And they are excited to hear that I promised them one trip to Luna Park this Dec.! Still they don't understand why I won't rent a car just to drive them to their favorite slide at Vero Beach!

 

[PamOKW]

Originally posted by DeeP
I am just pointing out facts

One person's "fact" is another person's "opinion". My fact/opinion is that OKW is in no way, shape or form a moderate resort. Before the creation of the "Home Away from Home" category it was classified as a Deluxe.

 

[DeeP]

Originally posted by PamOKW
One person's "fact" is another person's "opinion". My fact/opinion is that OKW is in no way, shape or form a moderate resort. Before the creation of the "Home Away from Home" category it was classified as a Deluxe.

Very sorry, if I somehow misused/over extended the meaning of the the word "fact" in this post. I was using the OP's opinion regarding how OKW was not any more "remote" from major parks, restaurants, etc., etc., than POR was. The reference to "fact" in the OP's meaning of physical location on WDW property was solely the reference to any "fact" I was making. The fact of the lack of life guards at OKW pools, the lack of optional food service options etc., that the moderate and value resorts have that OKW does not offer their guests, I was not in any way referring to in my reply to this thread. My reply was solely addressed to the OP's opinion regarding essentially the same location that POR a moderate resort and OKW a home away from home resort have for proximity to the parks at WDW. The general consensus is: POR and OKW are located equally accessible to major parks at WDW!