What i liked about Old Key West

[FrostyNaples]

The landscaping....

I'm not trying to be mean or regretful, we like to try new resorts each time we visit, but i'm in no rush to come back to this one.

Anyone who's been here feel like this isn't even a Disney resort?

From the lack of food options, the ridiculous bus route, and simply out dated accommodations I don't see how they get the rates they get DVC or not.

"FOUR!" Yes, the fairways looked nice. The aroma of the jasmine absolutely filled the air along the walkway to the hospitality building. Some cute hidden mickey cutouts mixed in with the bright exterior painted rooms. Yes your in Key West, surely didn't feel like Disney though.

Did you say Beige?

-Stayed in a 1bd villa - stained jacuzzi tub, lop sided toilet, cockroach on its back..

 

[Courtney6682]

The landscaping....

I'm not trying to be mean or regretful, we like to try new resorts each time we visit, but i'm in no rush to come back to this one.

Anyone who's been here feel like this isn't even a Disney resort?

Same...we like to try and stay new places each time we go. Stayed at OKW for the first time in Feb of 2014. I felt the same way you do...nothing said ''Disney'' for me! I did however love the marina area and the smell of the lobby lol. My husband LOVEDDDD the resort.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

You've never been to Key West, have you? I suspect much of what you consider "outdated" are actually deliberate design choices. I'll agree about the lack of dining options being a problem. I think they fell into a trap assuming that DVC guests would want to cook a lot more than they actually do.

Sorry you didn't feel "Disney" at the resort. Maybe DAAR is more your speed.

 

[FrostyNaples]

Same...we like to try and stay new places each time we go. Stayed at OKW for the first time in Feb of 2014. I felt the same way you do...nothing said ''Disney'' for me! I did however love the marina area and the smell of the lobby lol. My husband LOVEDDDD the resort.

...I may have also been soured when the check in CM didn't offer us any balloons... one of the thousands they had behind the counter giving away to every other guest checking in - i think the hint was when the CM asked if we were celebrating anything, and we had enough items on the list for 3 buttons... nope, still not balloon for you! lol

 

[FrostyNaples]

You've never been to Key West, have you? I suspect much of what you consider "outdated" are actually deliberate design choices. I'll agree about the lack of dining options being a problem. I think they fell into a trap assuming that DVC guests would want to cook a lot more than they actually do.

Sorry you didn't feel "Disney" at the resort. Maybe DAAR is more your speed.

Items that are literally falling apart due to age are not deliberate design choices - I married an interior designer (not decorator, yes there is a difference), she knows what up, and I know when something is simply broken/neglected.

Some day we will get down to the real keys

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Items that are literally falling apart due to age are not deliberate design choices - I married an interior designer (not decorator, yes there is a difference), she knows what up, and I know when something is simply broken/neglected.

That's not "outdated." That's just poor maintenance and poor maintenance is definitely concerning. "Outdated" is when something is in perfectly good repair but doesn't fit contemporary design sensibilities.

 

[FrostyNaples]

That's not "outdated." That's just poor maintenance and poor maintenance is definitely concerning. "Outdated" is when something is in perfectly good repair but doesn't fit contemporary design sensibilities.

Maybe i should rephrase this a bit for you.

Dated meaning the last time it was refurbished. Not by design sensibilities...

OKW = not Disney's typical magical experience IMO

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Dated meaning the last time it was refurbished.

I believe it received a full hardgoods refurb in the 2010-2011 time frame. I think the normal cycle is five years for soft goods, ten years for hard goods. Not sure about carpets.

 

[DVCOwner]

The one thing I really like about Old Key West is the size of the rooms. Was there a couple of months ago and I really felt that it lived up to the Disney Vacation Club "welcome home". I did feel it was a golf resort condo and not a hotel room.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I did feel it was a golf resort condo and not a hotel room.

Isn't that the whole point of timeshares? Isn't that how it's marketed and sold? "Welcome home" and all that? No housekeeping. Full kitchens. It's not supposed to be/feel like a hotel room. I've traveled with my in-laws in their Hilton timeshares a number of times and it's the same with all of them.

 

[lostpro9het]

I don't care to visit OKW again either but I will say the size of the room and ability to park so close to your room were two big pluses for us. The buses and lack of feeling like we were in the bubble were two big minuses. Granted, the lack of Disney theming was probably part of the deliberate theming of the resort but its still not for us.

 

[Tinkeroo]

we love OKW, and whilst I do 100% agree on the lack of dining options, the feel of the resort (for us) is perfect. We've stayed in every resort category some have more "Disney" theming than others, but for the dynamic of our family right now, OKW ticks the boxes, and we enjoy coming back from the parks and chilling out, with a more laid back feel to the place. When we want the full on Disney 24/7 then we choose a different resort to stay in.
Val

 

[meganwdw]

We have stayed at OKW twice. Once in a studio and once in a grand villa with some extended family who are DVC members and OKW is their home resort. Anyway, we really enjoy the resort. Yes, it's QS spot is kind of a bust, but Olivia's is really good and you can't have a bad time at the Gurgling Suitcase!! I like the charm of OKW. It feels like old Florida! As soon as you drive through the gate you are transported to old Key West or a sleepy beach town on the Gulf Coast!
Yes, we did have some long waits for the bus but we usually waited on them at the main house so we didn't ride through all the stops and the boat ride to "Disney Springs" is a reason we chose OKW. My DH loves the darn boat rides!! Sooooooo, I guess you can say I'm an OKW fan. Takes me back to my 8 yr old self when we'd spend a couple weeks on Sanibel Island every summer!! It's not covered in Disney, but it's still a treat.

 

[Blairnicol]

OKW is my home resort, so it feels very "Disney" to me. Part of it is really your vacation style. Part of it is also learning what part of the resort to request & the trick of the bus stops. Sometimes I like staying in the DVC units like OKW and SSR, sometimes I prefer something more along the lines of BW or WL. It really depends on what you are looking for in a vacation. OKW is incredibly relaxed and built for you to spend more time at the resort and on property. My aunt and uncle also love it for golf trips when they don't go to the parks. I understand why people don't LOVE it, but it's more of a villa/condo style situation than a hotel, IMO.

 

[polynesiangirl]

My mother LOVES this place. She's also the type to want full days at the pool and once said something like "I could skip magic kingdom next time" -- -- so she's obviously much more a beach vacation-type person. In that regard, I think they nailed the theming.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

Please, anyone unhappy..........don't go back..............more room for us. We love OKW, its the hidden gem of WDW and is just a little bit slower paced. The units are large and themed as OKW as well. We never found one in poor condition after some 14 trips. The building theming along the lines of KW is great and the landscaping beautiful.

Yes there is only a few standing food service and Olivia's which is great with a excellent menu. The limited food service was planned like that is because the units have kitchens and was built as a DVC and most guests do use the kitchens a lot.

The main pool and kids areas is wonderful with a great slide and dry finnish sauna and well as hot tubs. During the day there are various activities for the adults and kids.There are 3 other pools as well. We love the far end , Turtle Crawl with a large , generally quiet pool and the snack bar and fruity drink bar. There are BBQ and tables as well. We always had 1 night in the middle of our trips as a relaxed night and we BBQ there.

The bus service is excellent and well layed out with various stops and rarely a delay. You can park right at your door. Don't forget the Boat to Disney Springs.

AKK

 

[worldfanatic]

Different strokes for different folks. I definitely feel "in the bubble" when staying at OKW. The laid back vibe provides a different Disney feel which I appreciate every few trips.
On my 2 stays there, I've done a split stay where I combined OKW with the "busier" Boardwalk Resort.

 

[DABIGCHEEZ]

Our top 3 DVC resorts are SSR, OKW, and AKL Kidani Villas. Mostly for the reason of after spending all day in the parks... they provide somewhat of a break from all the DISNEY puff and fluff. Not everyone wants to choke on pixiedust 24/7.