Old Key West pics and tips

[wizards8507]

Going to Old Key West for the first time in July. Hoping for any useful tips and tricks from OKW regulars. I'd love to see room pics if anyone has them. The variety in pics on the Disney website leaves a little to be desired.

 

[xdan0920]

Old Key West is my home resort, so I can give you a couple quick tips. Request a room near the hospitality house. Makes a big difference for going to the store, Olivia's and the main pool. If you plan on going to DTD, take the ferry. It is wonderful. Grab a drink at the gurgling suitcase. Avoid the counter service food next door to the Gurgling Suitcase, if you must eat at the resort spring for the sit down meal at Olivia's.

Here is a photo gallery.

http://allears.net/acc/okwss.htm

 

[bgraham34]

OKW is a great resort. I prefer the Turtle Pond area. Overall the resort is pretty quiet. Taking the boat to Downtown Disney is very relaxing especially at night.

 

[stratman50th]

Request a room near the hospitality house. Makes a big difference for going to the store, Olivia's and the main pool.

We stayed there back in 2008, in the Turtle Pond area. It was a quick walk to the pool, and we were a couple of parking spaces away from the bus stop. We really liked it there but never went to Olivia's, the main pool, or the store. I was going to request the same area this time, but your comment interests me. Can you sell me on the main area?

Avoid the counter service food next door to the Gurgling Suitcase, if you must eat at the resort spring for the sit down meal at Olivia's.

Is Olivia's any good, and what's wrong with the counter service?

To the OP, we really liked it, it's great to have the washer and dryer in the room, as well as the kitchen. We did frozen Pizzas, and TV dinners when we weren't eating in the parks or a restaurant. Never cooked a full meal there, but it is capable. The last time we were in a two bedroom. My parents in the master, my family of 3 in the second room, and my nephew on the fold out couch in the living room. Lots of space and it was a really nice resort. Bus stop, a pool, and a little snack shack at the pool in the area where we stayed.
We're going again this June, but staying in a one bedroom villa. I was going to request the same area we were in the first time, but this made me have second thoughts about requesting the hospitality house area.

 

[wizards8507]

To the OP, we really liked it, it's great to have the washer and dryer in the room, as well as the kitchen. We did frozen Pizzas, and TV dinners when we weren't eating in the parks or a restaurant. Never cooked a full meal there, but it is capable. The last time we were in a two bedroom. My parents in the master, my family of 3 in the second room, and my nephew on the fold out couch in the living room. Lots of space and it was a really nice resort. Bus stop, a pool, and a little snack shack at the pool in the area where we stayed.

Yeah it's going to be just my fiancee (then-wife) and I in a one bedroom villa. They have some kind of restrictions on where inbound RCI transfers are allowed to stay, and I think the 5 or 6 buildings that are closest to the hospitality house are off limits.

@xdan0920 If possible though, would being closer to the hospitality house be more important than getting one of the renovated buildings?

 

[Pioneer Hall]

Yeah it's going to be just my fiancee (then-wife) and I in a one bedroom villa. They have some kind of restrictions on where inbound RCI transfers are allowed to stay, and I think the 5 or 6 buildings that are closest to the hospitality house are off limits.

@xdan0920 If possible though, would being closer to the hospitality house be more important than getting one of the renovated buildings?

I think the renovation project is now complete, so everything should be redone.

I stayed there for the first time in November when I used my DVC points for the first time. I was also in a 1br villa and really enjoyed it. I was in the turtle pond area in building 33 which was about halfway through the resort. It took me about 7 minutes or so to walk to the main area there in the mornings to fill my mug. I personally think that the resort is a bit different than a normal Disney resort. It honestly feels like it is meant to be a vacation community as opposed to most of the resorts. I was a fan though, and wouldn't hesitate staying there again.

 

[stratman50th]

Last year we stayed at the Poly. My daughter brings a friend, and even with the rooms being larger there we were still pretty cramped by the end of our 7 day stay. Two teenage girls and all their assorted junk, clothing makeup, Towel usage is very high and no matter what you do, threats included everything ends up on the floor.
We decided this trip we just wanted more space so we decided on OKW again. The alternative was POFQ and get two rooms.
The one bedroom you're going to think is great, and if you end up at the Turtle Pond area, you'll love that too. Enjoy!

 

[xdan0920]

We stayed there back in 2008, in the Turtle Pond area. It was a quick walk to the pool, and we were a couple of parking spaces away from the bus stop. We really liked it there but never went to Olivia's, the main pool, or the store. I was going to request the same area this time, but your comment interests me. Can you sell me on the main area?

Is Olivia's any good, and what's wrong with the counter service?

Olivia's is pretty good. Breakfast is the best meal of the day there, and Lunch is usually nice and quiet, with good solid food. As far as the counter service spot goes, the options are very limited, and it is about the quality of the worst in park CS. If you plan on spending any time by the pool, the main pool is so much nicer then the quiet pools. It is prettier, larger, has a slide, is just overall more fun to hang out by. The store can be useful for picking up little things for the room, and if you have to walk 7-10 minutes to get there, or take the internal bus, it sure does make it a lot less convenient.

Yeah it's going to be just my fiancee (then-wife) and I in a one bedroom villa. They have some kind of restrictions on where inbound RCI transfers are allowed to stay, and I think the 5 or 6 buildings that are closest to the hospitality house are off limits.

@xdan0920 If possible though, would being closer to the hospitality house be more important than getting one of the renovated buildings?

Well, as someone else pointed out, all the rooms are now renovated. If you can not get put in the hospitality area, then try for the buildings near the ular bus stop. Buildings 23-26. These are a very short walk to the main pool area. And on the positive side you will be the first drop off coming back from the parks, and if you walk to the hospitality in the morning, you can be the last pickup going to the parks. It is kind of nice to not have to sit on the bus taking the whole resort loop before you get on your way to the parks. I'd be happy to answer any other questions you have.

 

[611williamsj]

We have stayed at old key west since 1995 and have never stayed at another resort it's quiet and tropical all the pools are nice and the general store is ok but exspensive if you have a car go to the local wallmart or "cross roads" the rooms have all been renovated last year and a realy nice here is a link to some pictures http://allears.net/acc/g_okw.htm