OKW Lovers Thread. Part 2

[skatalite]

Question for those who have recently stayed at OKW: How is the bus situation? Are they frequent enough? Enough space on them?

I'm hoping boat service is available to DS when our trip comes around in early December, but we'll see.

 

[dachsie]

I just booked OKW for my early Dec trip. I am really excited to try this resort out. I rented the DVC points. As the above poster stated, I hope the boats are running by then

ETA: ALso - is there an internal bus loop like at Caribbean Beach?

 

[Tigger's ally]

ETA: ALso - is there an internal bus loop like at Caribbean Beach?

All buses do the loop. Each one stops at the HH before leaving the resort.

 

[Chuck S]

I just booked OKW for my early Dec trip. I am really excited to try this resort out. I rented the DVC points. As the above poster stated, I hope the boats are running by then

ETA: ALso - is there an internal bus loop like at Caribbean Beach?

To clarify, there IS a designated internal bus, but it isn't just the OKW loop, the OKW internal bus also goes to Disney Springs and Typhoon Lagoon, when it is open. The difference is it stops at the hospitality both on its way into the resort, and before it leaves. To get to Hospitality, you can hop on any bus, hospitality is the last stop on all routes. To return to your area, you can cross the bridge and hop on any bus at the Peninsular Road bus stop, instead of waiting for the "not so internal" bus at Hospitality.

 

[dachsie]

Sorry - I have another question. As stated I rented DVC points for my stay at a studio villa. I want to make a request for bottom floor or bldg with elevator - I could not climb to the third floor, may could do a second floor but it would hurt. lol So can I make a request? Where do you suggest I request? And how do I put in a request? Thank you for your help and expertise.

 

[Chuck S]

Contact the DVC Member or agency from whom you rented. The member will need to make that request with Member Services. If you do online check-in do not select any of the requests listed, as that will overwrite any requests that were made with Member Services. I've never had problems getting ground floor when I've requested it, as more than 1/3 of the OKW units are ground floor units. The other option would have been to have the member specially reserve an ADA modified unit. But again, I've always just requested ground floor, with no issues. Sometimes we were given an ADA unit, sometimes just a regular ground floor unit. ADA studio will have a roll in shower and no bathtub, and fewer storage cabinets to allow for a turning radius for scooters and wheelchairs.

 

[M:SpilotISTC12]

I was thinking about getting an add on contract for 30 points at OKW. We never stayed there before but it looks fantastic. We plan on using it for three days in a studio in January. The direct price is $165 where the resale seems to be around $130. But direct goes until 2057. What do you guys recommend?

 

[Chuck S]

I'm guessing it would depend upon your age, now. And how many years you'll be able to use it. I purchased in 1992, so I hope I survive and am reasonably healthy until the original 2042 end date. If you're young, or have heirs you know will want it, I'd probably go for the 2057 contract for the extra $1,050.

 

[M:SpilotISTC12]

I'm guessing it would depend upon your age, now. And how many years you'll be able to use it. I purchased in 1992, so I hope I survive and am reasonably healthy untin the original 2042 end date. If you're young, or have heirs you know will want it, I'd probably go for the 2057 contract for the extra $1,050.

I was leaning that way. I’m 30 so I hope to use it to the end. Just feel weird buying sight unseen. I assume everyone in this thread loves it lol

 

[The Jackal]

It is going to be hard to find a 30 point contract on the resale market to begin with, unless you have found one already. There will probably be more 25 and 50 point contracts than 30. Never mind if you want to match a certain use year. Since it’s a small contract the price difference is easier to swallow. I would go direct.

 

[SecondEventuality]

We ended up buying direct for two small 50 point contracts, Oct 2019. We actually made out better than buying resale since it at the time it was $155 PP and we were also given points for the previous year (which can happen towards the end of the year).

Also, another big part of the other reason we bought OKW direct is that if we ever needed to sell one of the 50 point contracts (or God forbid both!) they have a much better chance of selling since it's extended till 2057 plus being small - a combo much more attractive to buyers!

We were put on a waitlist but it was less than a week until a 100 point contract showed up on our guide's desk.

Have you reached out to DVD yet to put feelers out? Doesn't cost anything to weigh your options!

We also bought blind, but after weighing so many pros and cons, we feel confident that we made the best decision for our family and are still very happy with our decision, so good luck!

HTH!

 

[SecondEventuality]

If you were looking to buy resale for a small contract with the extension to 2057, they are unicorns - I've seen about a total of 2 contracts pop up within the last year with that combo (I stalk 3 resale websites daily), and all were gone within minutes! They appear to teeter ~$120 PP.

There are, of course, small 2042 contracts that do pop up, but I don't recall seeing 30 points, it's usually 25 or 50.

HTH!

 

[M:SpilotISTC12]

We ended up buying direct for two small 50 point contracts, Oct 2019. We actually made out better than buying resale since it at the time it was $155 PP and we were also given points for the previous year (which can happen towards the end of the year).

Also, another big part of the other reason we bought OKW direct is that if we ever needed to sell one of the 50 point contracts (or God forbid both!) they have a much better chance of selling since it's extended till 2057 plus being small - a combo much more attractive to buyers!

We were put on a waitlist but it was less than a week until a 100 point contract showed up on our guide's desk.

Have you reached out to DVD yet to put feelers out? Doesn't cost anything to weigh your options!

We also bought blind, but after weighing so many pros and cons, we feel confident that we made the best decision for our family and are still very happy with our decision, so good luck!

HTH!

I haven't reached out yet. I was going to in a few weeks. I didn't even think that I would get points for 2020 since I have a December use year. These tips are really helping. Thanks everybody!

 

[The Jackal]

If you were looking to buy resale for a small contract with the extension to 2057, they are unicorns - I've seen about a total of 2 contracts pop up within the last year with that combo (I stalk 3 resale websites daily), and all were gone within minutes! They appear to teeter ~$120 PP.

There are, of course, small 2042 contracts that do pop up, but I don't recall seeing 30 points, it's usually 25 or 50.

HTH!

I actually found one site that had a 30, 35 and a 81 point contracts. They were all under contract though. But those are some odd sizes.

 

[Chuck S]

They aren't necessarily odd sizes for add-ons at OKW, considering the original contracts were a minimum of 230 points. We bought a 230, then did 3 add-ons 40, 40, and 35

 

[bcuinohio]

They aren't necessarily odd sizes for add-ons at OKW, considering the original contracts were a minimum of 230 points. We bought a 230, then did 3 add-ons 40, 40, and 35

Did you get free park admission until 2000 with the early contracts? A friend of mine bought OKW when it first opened and I thought he told me that.

 

[Chuck S]

Yes, all except for the 35 point contract, the promotion had ended when we bought that one.

 

[SecondEventuality]

Wow, some 50 pointers landed and 2 of them are extended till 2057! won't be long b4 they disappear, $116 PP!

 

[The Jackal]

Wow, some 50 pointers landed and 2 of them are extended till 2057! won't be long b4 they disappear, $116 PP!

At that price might get a bidding war.

 

[smep013]

I’m not saying to walk on the cart paths, but part of the walking path is used for short distances for cart paths.View attachment 531255

The above path is used as a cart path to get to and from the Clubhouse, this path is not on a fairway. The only other way to walk to SSR is to take the bridge to the Tree House Villas and walk through it to the Grandstand section to the Carriage house. If you could walk on a path at all used for golf you couldn’t even walk on the bridge from South Point to the walking path, because that is used as a cart path for the golf course.

Not sure if you got an answer but this was open when we were there in mid-August.