Just booked a 1 bed room at Old Key West

[worldtraveler]

Ok, so I just booked a week at OKW for November. I have never been to this resort, not once. Are there any OKW vets or somebody who has just one stay. I typically stay at the Poly, but the rate was too good to pass up. What do I need to know, I am looking for anything. This is a whole new resort for me and I hate to be unprepared for when I get there. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[BransonJ]

The resort is awesome. Depending what building you get you may need to do some walking to the nearest bus stop. But it is all worth it. Very peaceful and quiet. The main pool is nice with a sauna and bar near by along with Olivia's (dinner spot) have stayed there twice in the villas and it is def. in my top 3 resorts.

 

[worldtraveler]

I'll be bringing Magical Express in, so I will not have my own vehicle. How possible is it to get a room close to the main building?

 

[BransonJ]

You may be able to ask when you arrive. On outlast visit we were away from the main house, but a brisk 2 min walk to the nearest resort bus (cycles around the resort before heading to its destination. So even if you didn't get close to main house, you can still hop on a bus to it.

 

[Gabe1]

It is a very lovely resort. When you are there it is tranquil, similar to Florida pre theme park era, relaxing without the hype of an abundance of tourists in your resort. It gets a bad rap for being spread out, which is actually what makes it peaceful, the loop bus takes care of that and is a non issue.

 

[luv]

The 1-bed at OKW is one of my favorite rooms of all. If they didn't charge an arm and a leg for it, I'd have gone back more. I love the set up, colors, furnishings. It's very relaxing, IMO. There are some very pretty views, too, of grass, water, wild stuff growing.

The tuna sandwich at Good's To Go is very good.

I found that I end up driving exceptionally slowly at OKW a lot, because we were always getting stuck behind little housekeeping carts. So, prepare to drive patiently.

It's a big place, so if you're far enough away, you may want to drive to the main areas.

Decent pool. We rented a pontoon boat once and that was a good deal of fun.

I really like OKW and think you will, too.

 

[MorganKelly]

We're pretty biased in favor of OKW - LOL. The rooms closest to the main area (Hospitality) are wonderfully convenient, but there is an internal bus system. Walking is also a pleasant option, but the resort is quite large, so it would depend on where you're located. Olivia's is wonderful, especially for breakfast. There is watercraft service to DTD, a great perk IMHO. The resort has a relaxing vibe and the service is terrific.

 

[worldtraveler]

I believe I am going to this trip solo, so I am really thinking close to the Hospitality House would be best. From what i'm gathering, there is an outdoor style food court, food to go?

 

[shuflemstr]

We love OKW. I just got back last night from 7 nights there. It's my favorite resort. Buildings 11-14 and 62-64 are closest to the main building. We always stay in 6231 but that is a two bedroom villa. You will love it. Olivia's is great for breakfast and dinner. I can't wait to go back

 

[luv]

I believe I am going to this trip solo, so I am really thinking close to the Hospitality House would be best. From what i'm gathering, there is an outdoor style food court, food to go?

Good's To Go. And unless they've re-done it, it is less "food court" and more "sandwich counter". But they have a nice selection.

 

[RonAnnArbor]

Plus: Gorgeous property, great rooms, really beautiful landscaping, quiet and peaceful. Boat to DTD is nice.
Cons: Very spread out - add 20 minutes to every single thing you do anywhere in the resort OR going to any park. The busses run about half as often as at the other resorts, since its a DVC property and most people there have cars and have longer stays. There really isn't a food court -- there are snacks available.
Overall, I'd recommend it -- but would strongly recommend you have your own car while there. I stayed there once and wouldn't stay there again, since the LAST thing I want to do on vacation is drive.

 

[kimberlymautz]

I really really loved OKW when I went in 2010. There are a LOT of pools, not just the main one, which is nice if you want to get away from the chaos. We had a room on the ground level and it was BEAUTIFUL. There isn't a food court or anything (They do have a restaurant though), but there's a mini fridge and microwave so you can bring some stuff along with you. We had an adorable little balcony outside that looked right out on the water. BEAUTIFUL! Just watch out for gators... I saw one our last night there. Not something I was prepared for. Haha. ENJOY!

 

[bonofuzz]

I'll be bringing Magical Express in, so I will not have my own vehicle. How possible is it to get a room close to the main building?

To get a room close to the main building, call the direct line to the front desk 10 days before your arrival (1-407-827-7700). Request to be in either building 62 or 63, which offer proximity to the main building, elevator access, convenient parking, good distance away from noisy major roads, and the One-Bedroom Villas have a second door to the bathroom. The third floor of any building is ideal because it affords the best possible view and there won’t be any noise from people walking around above the room.

If you are looking for privacy and quiet, request buildings 45, 46, 53, 54, 55, or 56. These buildings are also very close to a quiet pool (but not the main building) and bus stop.

I would avoid buildings 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 49, and 50 if possible because they border the busy Bonnet Creek Parkway, do not offer notable views, and aren’t particularly convenient to any points of interest.

 

[bonofuzz]

I enjoyed my last trip to OKW so much this past fall that I will be returning there again next month. It's quiet, very spacious, and feels less themed than other resorts. That is, you don't feel like you've necessarily been transported to another world but rather you feel like you are in a comfortable resort. I previously stayed at the poly but find OKW to be better on many levels...particularly the pocketbook! (Although Poly has much better dining options and watching Wishes from the beach can't be topped for me).

I'm local so I will have my own car, which is really helpful at this resort - as RonAnnArbor mentioned. If you do use the bus system, just know that you may have to wait 20-30 minutes for a bus. Once they arrive, it takes about...

Hollywood Studios by Bus: about 20 minutes
Epcot by Bus: about 15 minutes
Animal Kingdom by bus: about 20 minutes
Magic Kingdom by bus: about 20 minutes
Downtown Disney by boat: about 10 minutes