Wound up at OKW due to booking error but loved it!

[dkddis]

I originally booked our recent trip with three nights at OKW and three at SSR. I was on a wait list for BCV to replace our OKW nights. The confirmation for BCV came in and I filed it away. The day before the trip we realized MS gave us BCV for the first three nights and bumped our OKW to the last three nights. I do not know if this is a mistake on their part or do the try to squeeze in your first request at the expense of any part of your reservation? To make a long story short we loved OKW. We had a 1BR and we like how it felt as if you had your own home due to the spacious room and the layout versus BCV. It was also nice to have a few mellow days after BCV. BCV was fun, but packed and although people complain about OKW transportation it was better then the long walk it takes from BCV to SAB.

 

[MomsGoneGoofy]

So glad you enjoyed OKW.

We always enjoy our visits there. We're looking forward to our trip in August so we can check out the new slide.

 

[lllovell]

Isn't it fantastic when something doesn't work out the way you plan and then you are extra happy with the new experience?

 

[DBBN]

How nice to hear you enjoyed your stay at OUR home resort. We love each of the resorts but OKW is our favorite. It sounds like your attitude allowed you to make lemonade (OKW) out of lemons (reservation mistake/problem). Good for you. This problem would have ruined the vacation for some. I hope you get to enjoy OKW again soon. Travel safe.

 

[dkddis]

We liked it so much that next trip we will not split our stay, but will spend the whole trip at OKW. I am in a post vacation slump, after returning two days ago and using my snowblower on my driveway today.

 

[AJKMOM]

Gald it worked out. I would love to try OKW sometime.

 

[Laurajean1014]

We own at a few DVC locations and we love and go to OKW! It is our favorite resort by far! The bell service and customer service is top notch, too!

Glad you had a great time.

How was the new slide? How many Smiles Up did it get?

 

[MomsGoneGoofy]

It sounds like your attitude allowed you to make lemonade (OKW) out of lemons (reservation mistake/problem). Good for you. This problem would have ruined the vacation for some.

I agree.

With all the negative posts lately it's nice to see such a positive one.

 

[Alice Sr.]

We love OKW, I think the more times you go the more you appreciate it! I'm glad it worked out for you.

 

[ColoradoBelle1]

Old Key West is the only DVC resort I've stayed in, and I have such fond memories....I had reserved a Ft. Wilderness cabin and when I saw it was really a trailer my heart almost stopped beating. (THis was 7 years ago and it cost about $260 a night. It was late when we checked in, but I went back to the front desk and sheepishly told the CM that it wasn't at all what I expected and was there anything she could do? Well dang if she didn't get us into Old Key WEst one bedroom. WOW....I was so thankful and so impressed!

Then, last year I stayed in a studio unit with a friend who was an owner there. I really loved the conch fritters (an addiction of mine) and the friendly CMS. I never made it to the pool either trip (both in the winter) but I remember touring OKW when it was first marketed....and I thought the finish work was so well done cmpared to the modular Poly rooms.

After weighing all the resorts,, I decided to try for a resale at BWV. I'm not good at booking at 11 months out....or even 7 months out but I am flexible, so we will see what happens! I expect that I'll want to 'mix it up' and stay everywhere, just not all on the same trip!

Glad you enjoyed OKW. Me too!
Colorado Belle

 

[Dean]

I do love OKW but I'm interested in exactly what happened. From your post It looks like you had OKW first and BCV second then got BCV for the last 3 nights. If that happened, you should have been set. I guess my concern is that you actually had both OKW and the BCV for the last 3 nights and thus will lose those points. Regardless, what was MS explanation?

 

[justjudy]

I know how you feel. We originally booked OKW for our January trip because of the relatively low points required for the trip, and we ended up falling in love with it!! The spacious rooms, the friendly CMs and the quiet, laid-back atmosphere made this the perfect breakaway spot for us. We can't wait to go back next January!

 

[rie4630]

dkddis,

Which building did you stay in? What type of view did you have. We are staying at OKW for the first time in September and really looking forward to it.

 

[dkddis]

Dean - I verified that I was not double booked so my point were used correctly. They did not give me a good explanation as to why it happened. I think I will call them now that I am back to find out if it was a mistake on their end or a mistake in the way I requested my desire to get into BCV for three nights. (I asked for an automatic switch.)

 

[Dean]

Dean - I verified that I was not double booked so my point were used correctly. They did not give me a good explanation as to why it happened. I think I will call them now that I am back to find out if it was a mistake on their end or a mistake in the way I requested my desire to get into BCV for three nights. (I asked for an automatic switch.)

The way I read your post you already had 3 days BCV booked, was that the case? If so, it means they cancelled part for some reason.

 

[kpk89]

That's awesome! I think your attitude probably had a lot to do with it ... many people will let a mistake like that ruin their whole trip. We're trying OKW for our first DVC trip in May, primarily because it has the lowest points, and we have no expectations based on a "favorite" resort yet. Looking forward to it even more now, thanks to your report!

 

[dkddis]

RIE4630 - I was in a 1BR on the first floor of building 40 on Old Turtle Pond road. It was a good building beacause it was close to the Turtle Pond bus stop and a short walk to one on the small pools that has a snack bar called the Turtle Shack. This was convenient, but DD11 wanted to use the main pool for the slide. The view overlooked a small pond, but in the distance you could see the highway, but very little sound so it was still relaxing on the deck.

 

[robinb]

To make a long story short we loved OKW. We had a 1BR and we like how it felt as if you had your own home due to the spacious room and the layout versus BCV. It was also nice to have a few mellow days after BCV. BCV was fun, but packed and although people complain about OKW transportation it was better then the long walk it takes from BCV to SAB.

I'm glad you liked OKW . How was the new pool? You are the only other person (other than myself) who has mentioned the looooonnnng walk to SAB. We ended up in the quiet pool quite a bit because I didn't want to have to walk back through the lobby dripping wet.

 

[spiceycat]

you saw the highway from building 40 - boy a bunch of trees are down....

we are going next week - I am thinking about trying that slide! of course I will probably need to go to POFQ and do the baby slide before it.

 

[dkddis]

Dean - I called MS today and they processed the wait list request correctly. I just told them to replace the wrong days as I had the hotel order wrong in my head. My original res was first three nights SSR last three OKW and they have in the system that I wanted to replace SSR with BCV, which they did. My wife thought she heard me tell them to replace OKW, but I think I just told them to replace the first three nights not realizing those were the SSR nights. The MS rep said in the future I could ask for a call, rather than the automatic switch I requested, to reduce surprises.