Old Key West???????

[chip37]

We thought of going to Old Key West instead of Poly Concierge. The reason is the amount of room. We are getting a 1 bdr. for 3 nights with a code for 783.00 tax included. Now, can anyone who has stayed at this resort offer some tips and suggestions. Are they very nice and is it a good place for 2 juniors to have a good time. Any info. would be appreciated! Thanks, Chip.

 

[MinnieGi]

Chip, we are also staying at OKW for the first time. Just FYI you may want to look at the DVC trade/rent board and rent points from a DVC member instead of trhough Disney. For example I am renting points for a 5 night stay at $720.00. $8.00/point and needed 90 points. The same stay would have cost me $1500.00 through Disney and that is with my DC discount already included.

We are really looking forward to the spacious accomadations. Love the idea of having a kitchen for breakfast and snack options. Plus the w/d will be useful and the jacuzzi tub will be very nice! We have a toddler and just wanted the extra space for her to run around.

It looks like they have a nice pool/marina/recreation area. If you haven't already, look at wwwOur laughing Place. They have wonderful pictures of the resort and the villas. They also have a Winnie-the-Pooh character breakfast that I know we'll do b/c DD just loves Pooh and the crew.

Have fun!

 

[stacy6552]

we stayed there and loved it!

when requesting your room, ask for a room close to the peninsula bus stop. its the first stop for pick ups and a very short walk to the lobby stop which is the last. so if you just miss your bus you can probably beat it to the lobby and skip the wait for the next one.

hop the boat to DD in the evening, very nice!

have the ravioli at olivias.

request a room with the second bathroom entry. the first rooms only had entry off the bedroom. the second entry is great if you put the kids to bed earlier than your prepaired to, so you dont wake them running to the bathroom.

if you find when your packing that you need to add another suitcase for only one days clothes (you know you cant quite fit it all), leave them home and use the washer and dryer!

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

Definitely rent points! It's way cheaper than going through CRO.

 

[darlene walker]

We stayed @ OKW last year and found the resort to be excellent. Our room was in good shape, close to the pool , buses were never full and it's nice to have your car right outside your door. We also rent from members and have 2 studios reserved for 5 nights for $740.00. We're splitting our stay between 2 resorts but have'nt decided where else we want to stay. I recommend OKW. Have a great vacation.

 

[DebbieB]

request a room with the second bathroom entry. the first rooms only had entry off the bedroom. the second entry is great if you put the kids to bed earlier than your prepaired to, so you dont wake them running to the bathroom.

Buildings 30 and up have the second bathroom entrance through the laundry room (1 bedroom and up).

http://www.wdwinfo.com/resortmaps/okwmap.jpg

Warning - once you stay in a 1 bedroom, you willn't want to go back to a regular hotel room. I ended up becoming a DVC member about 6 months later!

 

[Kimkimba]

I'm in the same boat! We have ressies for the Poly Concierge and I'm debating the home away from home thing. I wish someone could just choose for me instead of me rethinking my decision for another 5 months!

 

[catheren]

We tried OKW for the first time last year and loved it! Prior to this our stays have been at the Poly, and BCYC. I was wondering if I would miss staying at a deluxe resort. This was not the case.

We loved how quiet the resort was, how spacious the 1-bedroom was. I recommend staying near the Turtle Crawl Pool. Also, if no one in your party as issues w/ climbing stairs, ask for a top floor (either 2nd or 3rd floor depending on building) the views are better.

 

[mktiggerman]

Originally posted by MinnieGi
They also have a Winnie-the-Pooh character breakfast that I know we'll do b/c DD just loves Pooh and the crew.

the breakfast was discontinued last september

 

[MomofTMK]

We stayed at OKW last August and loved it! We had a 2 bedroom which was beautiful! It was so nice having a full kitchen (not that I did any cooking) but we were able to have our breakfasts there. With 5 of us that was a big savings. I also liked having our own washer and dryer.

The resort was beautiful!!!! We loved the quiet, laid back atmosphere. We had heard that the bus service was not that great, but we did not find it to be any problem at all. Our villa was right by the Peninsular Road stop which was great, as mentioned in another post, because if we did happen to just miss a bus, we could go across the street to the stop by the hospitality booth and catch it there after it went around the resort.

Another nice perk was the boat to Downtown Disney. It was a nice change of pace from the bus once in awhile. Can you tell we had a wonderful time? I think you will be very pleased with OKW.

 

[MinnieGi]

MKTiggerman - Thanks for the update on the breakfast. What a bummer though!

 

[KAM2]

We stayed there 2 years ago. Very spacious and beautiful.

2 comments/complaints though. We had requested a downstairs room so we would not have to lug a stroller upstairs. Nobody told us that all downstairs rooms were all handicapped which meant NO tub for the kids.......just a handicapped shower. Not to mention a commode that was so high off the ground my 3 year old fell off of it!!! :O
Secondly, we had to wait FOREVER for every bus. Maybe it was just us but the whole 5 days we were there we never waited less than 20 minutes for a bus.....many times it was MUCH longer. We were told by other guests that many DVC members do not frequent the parks as much and that not as many buses service the resort. I don't know if that was true or not but we finally gave up and drove everywhere by the 4th day!!! After we started driving we were much happier there.

The beds were very comfortable, resort very quiet and peaceful and the kitchen was a plus....although we never cooked!!


1988 Offsite (Honeymoon)
1998 Disney Institute
3/2000 OKW/Dixie Landings
12/2000 Fort Wilderness

 

[Janet2k]

Chip, I love OKW. It's a great resort. To find out more about it, please visit the Dreams Unlimited Travel's "Old Key West" Information Webpage (Dreams Unlimited Travel is the owner of the Dis website). There is even streaming video of the resort on that webpage (look on the left-hand side). Also, don't forget to check out the Dis' DVC Board.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Chip:
We love OKW and you will be pleased with the one-bedroom. I would echo all the positive comments you have received, but just add two comments:

1. If your kids like an exciting pool (slides, etc) they may be disappointed. The pool at OKW is about as exciting as the whirlpool tub in your room. The main pool is pretty, but compared to most other Disney pools, it's a putz!!
2. I always try to get a top floor room. I don't believe the buildings are sound conditioned very well, and you can hear the people above you walking all the time. It sounded like a herd of cattle in the room above us last time we had a lower floor, and it was only 2 little kids running around up there.

 

[niks81]

I stayed in an OKW 2BR back in '97 and I really enjoyed it. The resort is very large though The units are absolutely huge...plenty of room to move around--I cannot complain there. Renting points is a great bargain!!

For room requests I would suggest asking for something near either the hospitality house (the main area where the restaurant and a few shops are), in one of the newer buildings, or at the very least, near a bus stop. For some of the villas, getting to the bus stop can be quite a journey in itself.

 

[DebbieB]

Nobody told us that all downstairs rooms were all handicapped which meant NO tub for the kids.......just a handicapped shower.

I don't believe all the 1st floor rooms are handicapped, just some. When I fax my request to the room controller at OKW, I request 2nd floor and I also say that our next choice would be 1st floor but not handicapped.

 

[chris1gill]

DebbieB is correct, only some of the first floor units are handicapped accessible (actually very few are)... so just request NOT to have that type of unit....

We liked OKW, it's very quiet, we liked sitting on our porch overlooking the golf course & creek, that was great! But, having said that, if you aren't looking for a quiet environment, you might not care for OKW... it's quiet & relaxing!!!

The amenities can't be beat however... full kitchen, huge whirlpool tub & washer/dryer right in your unit, it's great!

 

[SueM in MN]

Nobody told us that all downstairs rooms were all handicapped which meant NO tub for the kids.......just a handicapped shower.

This has been posted a number of times on the boards, but it is not accurate. (It may seem like it, if you don't want one).
A while back, I emailed DVC Member services to clarify. There are 709 rooms total, since there are 3 floors, that means about 236 rooms (give or take a few) are on the first floor. According to Guest Services, there are 20 wheelchair accessible 2 bedroom units and 19 lock offs in the whole resort. I don't know if any of these rooms are on the 2nd or 3rd floors of the buildings with elevators. If all are on the first floor, that means around 16% of the first floor room are wheelchair accessible.
So the chances of getting a regular room are much greater than the chance of getting a wheelchair room.
It's also possible that not all the wheelchair accessible rooms have the roll in shower (I didn't ask that question). The other WDW resorts have some handicapped rooms with roll in showers and some with tubs, since some people with disabilities need an accessible room, but also need a tub.

Member Services suggested that if someone wants a first floor room, but really does not want a handicapped room, make that one of your requests. Even without requesting it, chances are good that you will get a regular room.

 

[SueM in MN]

I almost forgot, the question about tubs really only affects the studio rooms.
The one and 2 bedroom units have a shower in the master bathroom and a whirlpool tub in the sink area off the master bedroom. The fully wheelchair accessible 1 and 2 bedrooms still have the whirlpool tub.

 

[AZKathy]

We have asked for a first floor room every trip and never got that handicapped room; I did not even know those existed!!!!