Old Key West Resort?

[TikiBeckie]

Hi everyone! I am going to be staying in a studio at Old Key West. It is my boyfriend's first time at Disney, and I was looking for some comments on this resort, because it is not too late to change it. I have heard mixed reviews and would love some input. Thanks so much everyone!

 

[gobuckeye@wdw]

Good Choice!!!

I have stayed at OKW over a dozen times and have been in just about every type of room there is. The rooms, in my opinion, are the best in WDW and never show signs of age. Also, the area surrounding the resort is very secluded. The one knock that many people have on OKW is its busing system. Many. including myself, feel that there are too many bus stops within the resort and the busses take to long to get back and forth from the parks. My recommendation: RENT A CAR!!!!!!!!! My family saves at least a half hour by driving our rental car.

Tips for bus system:
- If you are planning to attend Epcot, park at the Beach club parking lot and use the walkway to Epcot to go in through the International Gateway!!! If you are stopped by a security guard before you enter the lot just say that you are going in to the resort to eat, and say that you do not have reservations ( b/c they have a list of who has reservations on each day!!!!)

- If you are planning to attending MGM studios park at the Boardwalk Resort and take their walkway into MGM. It is a bit of a furthur walk that the Swan and Dolphin Resort, but at the Boardwalk they are much nicer about letting you park there if you are not staying at that resort.

- Both Magic Kingdom @ Animal Kingdom: take the bus in! The magic kingdom lot is almost impossible to park in quickly, but one other option would be to try to park at one of the Magic Kingdom Resorts and take the monorail in, but they are VERY strict about parking there!!!!!!!

I hope this helps and if you have any other questions don't be afraid to ask!!!!

-HAVE A GREAT TIME:wave: !!!!!!! AND ENJOY OKW (I WISH I WERE THERE RIGHT NOW)

 

[Buckeye]

We [my wife and two children (ages 1 and 4 at the time) ,my mother, my sister, my brother-in-law, and their kids (5 and 2)] stayed at OKW in June of 2002. We were in a two-bedroom and it was really nice. We were on the third floor and had a great balcony. The villa was so nice and roomy. Even though there were nine of us, we didn't feel crowded. The kids loved the main pool and play area. Depending on where your room is, it can be a pretty long hike to the front desk, the stores, and the restaraunts. The bus service was OK. We were at the last stop for loading and sometimes, the bus was packed. I didn't take advantage of the boat to Downtown Disney, but I've heard that is very nice. Overall, I really liked the resort and would stay there again.

 

[DisneyPhD]

Some people LOVE OKW, live and die by it and only want to stay there. We are DVC members and while it is a nice resort we were not as impressed by it as BCV. Having said that, we were impressed, just not our favorite.

Here are so down points (or things to keep in mind.)

The bus rote is just strange, back and forth, in and out around parking lots. It takes 15 min to go from the 1st stop before you even leave the resort. We were near the 1st stop so we would just walk a bit farther to the last stop and go from there. Only draw back was the bus could be rather full by the time we got on it. People who really love OKW tend to have cars. You can park right next to your room. Also the time we were there I think they were having problems with bus staff and a lot of turn over.

All rooms are not equal. OKW one and 2 bedrooms are great. Better then any other DVC resort. So much room and space. Studios have 2 beds (only DVC that does this.) But aren't that much better then any other DVC resort, and the blacony can be a joke (ours was so full of plam trees you couldn't sit on it.) They just changed it so all 1 and 2 bedrooms have DVD players instead of VCR, and upated funtiture. They are adding a water slide to the main pool. Where you get a room does mater. Ours was so close to the main road it was really noiesy when the busses drove by. Some can be a really far walk out.

The look and feel of the resort is beatiful and laid back. Lots of fun and lots of "Welcome Homes". CM there are great. They have a great community center with games and activities for kids. No food court and the one sit down place is fine, but rather high priced for what you get. (but you can eat in your room, save lots that way. There is a counter service place near the main pool.

I tend to think of it as a mod resort, but so much better. (Because of the layout, it isn't a Hotel with all the rooms having inteiror enteries.) If it is rainy that can be hard, lots of long walks in the rain (a real pain with small kids in strollers.) Even the stair wells aren't covered so you get rain on them too. Many buildings don't have elevators so that can be hard with kids. (both shouldn't be a problem with you.)

If you like PO or CRS you will love OKW. There is a real Florida feeling there and it is lovey. Even a studio is better then a normal resort room because of the acomodations.

Have a great trip. (get a car if you can, my only real advice.)

 

[Kristinakuzko]

is there a dvd player in the studio's? im going on valentines day please reply asap!!!!!1

 

[Nicole]

We did not have a DVD player when we stayed there in October. Also I was surprised at how much we could hear our neighbors through the (locked) connecting door. We heard their tv and their conversations clearly. This is the ONLY WDW resort where I've ever had that much noise coming into my room.

Other than that it was very nice, the rooms were good sized and we had a great water view. I wouldn't pay to stay there again though, for half the price I could get an equally nice room (without the kitchenette which we didn't use anyway) at a moderate.

 

[DisneyPhD]

No, the DVC resorts on WDW property don't have DVD's or VCR's in the studios. All the rooms at Vero Beach have VCR's (or at least used to, they will be updated to DVD players at some point.) That is something I wish they would. Only 1 bedrooms and bigger have them. We bought a portable one last time and that worked great.


When we stayed at OKW in 2003 there was VCR's still. I remember hearing they have updated them to DVD players now.

 

[ArielBelle]

TikiBeckie,

I am not sure how old you and your boyfriend are, but I am 20 and my boyfriend is 22 and we have stayed at Old Key West, Boardwalk Villas and Villas at Wilderness Lodge.

My parents LOVE OKW and swear by it, they love driving up their room and walking right to it. We usually stay in a 2 bedroom there, although the one time we got a Grand Villa that was amazing. It's very pretty, but being from South Florida the tropical appeal isn't very different.

My (and my boyfriends') absolute favorite was BW, by far. I LOVE the atmosphere, I LOVE having to walk through the lobby and enjoy the full flair of the hotel. I love sitting on the balcony (we get boardwalk views, a couple extra points and if you are paying cash, I'm sure a couple extra bucks) over the boardwalk, eating our dessert from the bakery and enjoying the sights and sounds. Another plus of course, IS the bakery and restaurants..something to do when it's too late to go to the parks and you've already done Pleasure Island...grab some cookies or ice cream and hang around. The rooms are a little smaller, but two people don't really need much room. I also like having valet (free for DVC members) and bellhop service..

Villas were also nice, but I felt a little secluded from the rest of the resort, you weren't forced to walk through the lobby from the busstop really..so it took away from my kind of atmosphere.

Anymore questions, feel free to ask!:wave:

 

[WeLComeHomE OKW]

As you can see by my profile name and avatar, I am alittle biased. BUT, obviously there is a reason. I love OKW, it feels like a second home. The resort is gorgeous, people are very nice, the general store is a great place to pick up things for the room, they have a bunch of different pools so no matter where you stay in the resort you have a great pool near by, the rooms are spacious and wonderful, the bus system is not bad at all-you shouldnt even worry about it, and the community center and activities provided are wonderful. I would try it out and see how you like it, because i love it. I have been to other hotels on Disney Property and loved all of thema actually. But OKW is still my fav. PM me if you have any questions-I am sure I will be able to answer them.