What does everyone love about OKW, because I can't find anything to love...

[dianeschlicht]

With all the heated and unnecessary bashing of SSR over the years I am a little surprised that an SSR owner would so generally bash another resort based on a single experience.

I would be a little worried at this point that Diane has NOT responded.


Just kidding. I have learned to ignore wild complaints about VB and let other "not as attached" members respond.

LOL! I saw it, but it's been too darned cold here to do much responding! I'm sitting in my office right now where it is only 61 degrees, but it's still better than the -28 my outdoor thermometer says, and a whole lot better than being out in those temps with the windchills in the -45 range.

OKW studios are not really my favorites either. That's why we always stay in 1 bedrooms or larger. Frankly NONE of the DVC studios fit the bill for me. I even think the OKW studios are far better than the layout at SSR, BWV, BCV, or VWL. I absolutely HATE that multi door issue with the bathroom/dressing room area at the other resorts, and even an OKW studio layout is superior to those.

Now for my Richyams imitation....
At least at OKW you can't sit in the living room and still reach your beer in the fridge without getting out of your chair!

We love the space, theme, Florida look, Townhouse style, easy access to your own unit (studios excluded here), and the magnificent views and calm and quiet at most of the villas.

Sure, there will always be a villa here or there that is need of rehab (hey, most houses are like that after 16 years), but for the most part, OKW does a good job of keeping up with that. Sometimes we encounter a less than detail oriented housekeeper who can't understand a word we say, so she can't fix it, but in too many stays there to remember, I can honestly say that has only happened once or twice.

I would never chastise an entire resort for one bad stay either. We stayed at SSR once....only once...it was okay except for that blasted door arrangement to the bathroom, but there's nothing that can be done about that except to stay at OKW, AKV or now BLT.

 

[jodifla]

Sorry you got a bum room.

The glory of OKW is in the one bedrooms and higher. We leave shortly for an 8 day stay at OKW in a 2 bedroom...CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[december14disney]

This past stay at Port Orleans Riverside we got one of those pizza advertisements. Glad to pay that over the overpriced room service at Disney!

 

[crk1971]

OKW was the first DVC resort we stayed at and we loved it, and that was why we bought into DVC because of that Memory. Then I forced the wife to try SSR and she had read the negative reviews as well but she loved that resort after the stay, then last year we stayed at the AKV, and now that is our next place to purchase points, needless to say she loved that place. This trip which I leave for in the morining at 5am (BLAH) we are driving down and staying at OKW 1br as their are 5 of us now, a 4yo and twin 2yo and this place will accomodate us nicely. We will be at OKW for 5 nights then switch to SSR studio (shrinkage) for 4 nights. But I can say we were one of the INFAMOUS SSR people who found crap in the sofa! So needless to say I will be presenting the white glove before all check-ins. I like OKW because it is nice and mellow.

 

[MinnieFan4ever]

I have not stayed at OKW yet, but would like to give it a try. We have friends that live in Florida who don't do Disney. (I know, gasp, and we are still friends with them.) Anyway, we thought OKW would be a great place to stay with them. They love to cook and BBQ.

Does anyone know when OKW is up for rehab?

 

[dianeschlicht]

I
Does anyone know when OKW is up for rehab?

OKW is constantly undergoing rehab. In the 12 years we have owned, I don't think we have ever had a trip there when at least on part wasn't being rehabed. They will close whole buildings at a time to do interior rehab, and some of the minor things like exterior painting etc will be done while guests are still there. Once we were there about 2 years ago when they had one whole section of Turtle Pond buildings closed for rehab, including the parking areas, interiors and landscaping!

 

[RCharnay]

WE just got back from 6 days in a 2 bdrm in the South Pointe area and we loved it. okay, there was a stain on the carpet and a few scratches on teh coffee table but-the view from the veranda was to die for! WE got up early every morning just to sit outside and watch the birds flying by the 3rd story and catching fish from the river. I find OKW to be so relaxing. I enjoy running around the parks but even more I enjoy retreating to OKW and just sittin' around watching the day go by-boats pass, joggers chug by, kids running to the pool. And I love to park right outside my unit. WE don't drive much at WDW but it's nice to se the car and be able to run out when you need something.
I haven't tried all the others yet, but I do love OKW.

 

[spiceycat]

Checked in to OKW studio on Monday morning after 3 separate stays at SSR. I feel like I downgraded to a glorified motel room...the walls and ceilings are SO thin. The people above us right now sound like they are marching instead of walking! We seem to hear everything that moves, every word that's said. The grout on our bathroom floor and the bathroom tile is severly neglected (sticky and an old band aid behind the door when we first got to our room) and the air conditioner vent was COVERED in dust and cobweb looking collections of "ick". We called guest services about both cleanliness issues and it was remedied the next morning.
When we pulled in, the buildings looked beautiful but the inside did not match at all. The carpet has big stains and I was "lucky" enough to find a little black hair in one of the bedsheets (which was immediately stripped and we used the other bed - which creaks with every toss or turn, but at least the sheets were clean). Room 4410 for anyone interested. Close to a pool and a bus stop, which is nice - but there is nothing I can say positive about this resort...Flame me if you wish - but I will choose to stay at home rather than check in here again if another resort is not available next time we wish to travel.
Oh, and I got a little pizza flyer shoved through the side of our door and it actually made it all the way inside of our room. I thought it was private property and couldn't imagine Disney allowed this sort of thing! I did call guest services about that too.
Anyway, I felt like I had to vent and I would also be interested in hearing what it is that others love so much about this place.

so sorry you have noisey neighbors.

would you consider a room change? if so call the fd and say your room is unacceptable to you - and list the reasons (like in this thread).

see if there is a better studio that you can change too.

would you consider the third floor - so you would be at the highest point.

Sometimes if you are below a GV - it has wooden floors and yes it is very LOUD.

if noise from the connecting 1-bedroom is bothering you - go to the pool bring back two towels. open the connecting door - but down a towel - make sure it gets into the cracks. close and lock the connecting door back.

then put the other towel on the outside of your door - it won't stop all the noise - just some of it.

happen to love OKW - but even I got tired of the bad service - so sold my OKW to buy BLT.

call the front desk and tell them your room is unfit and then if they can't help you - demand (you have to demand at OKW lately) to speak to a manager.

now had to go to the front desk to do this - could not get one over the phone.

he/she (can't say at OKW - they have 12 mangers between both resorts it shares with SSR - now that is a system bound to fail - big time fail.) will at least try to make you happy.

then do me a favor and other owners of OKW - when you get back right a complaint letter to DVC. Until enough member actually complaint to DVC - OKW will never improve.

so sorry.

Only can say too bad you didn't try it back in the 90's or even early 2000's.

now I agreed - OKW is going downhill and fast. Sorry to say this about my one time favorite and I mean favorite resort. We loved the place - preferred it above all the other DVC resorts. Now....

this was one of the best DVC resorts. Now it is the worst - my opinion.

happen to love studios! they are nicer than the hotel rooms and cheaper than the 1-bedrooms.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

We had a dedicated 2 bedroom in Dec for our first DVC stay and absolutely fell in love with OKW. To us it felt like Hawaii - very tropical, lush and secluded. Because DH had to use a scooter this trip we were on the first floor and we both had concerns about that (actually, they placed us in bldg 62 with the elevators, but on the first floor - cracked me up) but we never heard a sound from any of the neighbors unless we happened to be out on the balcony at the same time they were - and that only happened once.

The 2 bedroom was amazing - it was bigger than most places I've lived in! I also had zero complaints about the condition of the room(s). We'll definitely have more stays at OKW.

We then moved to BCV and actually the rooms there showed greater wear (but still nothing I would complain about) even though they supposedly had just been rehabbed. I really don't think our room had been yet even though I've read several times they were working from the top down and we were on the fifth floor.

 

[WDWLVR]

Each resort isn't for everyone. We stayed at OKW back in 2004 and I honestly was disappointed. We then went back in 2006 and had a great time. I'm really glad we gave OKW a second chance.

I still prefer my Boardwalk home but I would not hesitate to book at OKW again.

 

[Sammie]

I have to agree that DVC studios are not the best of what DVC has to offer. Deluxe rooms to me are much better than any DVC studio.

What is best about DVC and OKW you find; as others said, in a one bedroom or larger unit.

As to OKW the resort, love the decor of the buildings, the quiet, restful atmosphere, Olivia's, the main pool with the very cool slide, the otters, the walkway to Downtown Disney parking close to my unit, the landscaping, the music.

As to housekeeping cleaning issues, someone has complained at one time about every Disney resort, sadly housekeeping is lacking at Disney lately, so that is not an OKW exclusive problem.

 

[Sabor]

...Yep - Rich would be proud of this statement...

Yep .. Rich was one of my favorite posters , and at the time of only OKW and BWV at WDW , I would always be there to second his opinions ( had a different screen name with 1,000s of posts back then that got lost somehow)

 

[jekjones1558]

Let's not forget the bargain GVs. They are what prompted us to add-on OKW points.

 

[LisaS]

I have to agree that DVC studios are not the best of what DVC has to offer. Deluxe rooms to me are much better than any DVC studio.

One exception might be AKL/AKV. AKV studios are larger than AKL hotel rooms. You lose the large closet but gain a kitchenette. You lose the second queen bed/bunk beds but gain a couch which makes the room more spacious and comfortable, particularly if you don't need to use it as a pull out. You don't have the option to get a king bed however. Having stayed at AKL a few times we found our AKV studio very familiar and more functional and comfortable due to the kitchenette and the couch.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

Fell in love w/ OKW in 1998 and it grows and grows with each stay. The lush landscaping, the tropical music, the Grand Villas, the 2 bedrooms, the laundry room, the relaxed atmosphere, the quiet pools... well, I could go on and on!

Different strokes for different folks, I personally don't care to stay at SSR again nor at BCW and I don't much like the noisy environment of BWV but at the end of the day, if my favorite resort isn't available I'll stay anywhere they make room for me. This summer the kids wanted BWV, not my personal choice but hey, so be it!

The resorts each have their own charm and though I've had minor issues at all of the resorts, M&M's between the sheets in the pull out at AKV, Lipstick ( let me point out that it wasn't mine)on my BCV coffee cups, and dirty carpets @ BWV but none of these issues would stop me from staying there again. As previously stated, all of the resorts are under some sort of constant refurbishment and as long as maintenance and housekeeping deal with those issues on a timely basis when they occur, I have no gripes.

In the end, the more OKW disatisfied customers there are, the more room for me!

 

[Mickeygolf]

I miss Rich too. He could tell you exactly why OKW was far superior to every other DVC property. And all the other DVC owners would bite every time. He could get people so riled up it was amazing. I could just hear him snickering as he typed.

My favorite thing was already posted by Diane "BWV are the best because where else can you reach into the fridge from your balcony for another beer" or something along those lines. He was a classic.

OKW is THE original DVC and that will never change...

 

[spiceycat]

OKW is THE original DVC and that will never change...

now that everyone can agree with - still remember when Riche had to confess he was actually staying in BWV....

1-bedroom are great - but hey folks nothing is wrong with studios. when you have to take a studio or not go - you take the studio.

go too often to get 1-bedrooms.

 

[DebbieB]

I agree the studios are nothing special. But the 1 bedrooms and larger are spectacular! I never considered DVC until I stayed in a 2 bedroom with friends. I also love the water views. My Mom loved OKW (she has since passed), she loved watching the rabbits, ducks & birds in the morning.

 

[LisaS]

I agree the studios are nothing special. But the 1 bedrooms and larger are spectacular! I never considered DVC until I stayed in a 2 bedroom with friends. I also love the water views. My Mom loved OKW (she has since passed), she loved watching the rabbits, ducks & birds in the morning.

I agree about watching the animals and birds! We had a water view on our last stay and there was no need for an alarm clock because there was one particularly loud duck who woke us up every morning. What a great way to wake up in the morning! We also had a great blue heron just feet away from our balcony most days.

 

[DisDaydreamer]

I agree about watching the animals and birds! We had a water view on our last stay and there was no need for an alarm clock because there was one particularly loud duck who woke us up every morning. What a great way to wake up in the morning! We also had a great blue heron just feet away from our balcony most days.

You are speaking to my heart... We have a rooster in our neighborhood and I am sure it irritates some, but I just love hearing that creature announce daybreak... even on the weekends.