First Time Stay at OKW?

[4407mark]

We've been members of DVC for 13 years and we have a last-minute trip the end of March for a friend's wedding. We have a 2-BR villa at OKW for the six of us. Can my DIS friends who have experience at OKW help me out? This will be a short trip (arr Wed, sep Sun). We'll be at the MK on Thursday and then wedding events will take DW, both DDs, and family friend for half the day Friday and half of Saturday. DS (16) and I don't have to be anywhere Friday til 5 and Saturday until 5. Any suggestions on things we could do at OKW? Water rec? pool?

Any insight/help would be appreciated!

Mark

 

[Chuck S]

OKW has a nice main pool with a giant sandcastle slide, and 3 neighborhood quiet pools. They usually show movies at night (weather permitting) near the main pool. You can also take a nice boat ride to Downtown Disney for dinner, the loading dock is behind main check-in, off of the Turtle Crawl Boardwalk.

There is a small exercise room, there is also a small sauna built into the base of the lighthouse. There are tennis courts and shuffleboard courts available, too. And free DVD rentals for members from Hank's Rent & Return along the Turtle Crawl.

 

[lovin'fl]

OKW is one of our home resorts and we've stayed twice. Right off the top of my head and some cost may be involved:
1- you can take boat (at dock at HH) to Downtown Disney for lunch, shopping, bowling, movies, Disney Quest...
2- you can use pool/hot tub (at HH or quiet pools)
3- you can rent (at HH) bikes/surrey and ride the paths
4- golf (not sure where you go for this but SSR and OKW is on golf course)
5- arcade for DS and bar for you (right by the boat dock and pool at the HH).
6- I think you can rent pedal boats to use in the canal/lake whatever it is.

*HH is hospitality house (the main building/pool).

 

[lovin'fl]

Here's a link with tons of stuff that I wasn't aware of...like fishing:

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/old-key-west-resort/recreation/

 

[disfanforlife]

What are the buses like at OKW? Trying to talk my DH into a stay there and for some reason he heard that the bus situation is difficult..

 

[chalee94]

What are the buses like at OKW? Trying to talk my DH into a stay there and for some reason he heard that the bus situation is difficult..

i've never had trouble with buses at OKW like i've had at AKV or BCV/BWV.

the buses do make several stops within the resort (maybe that is the issue). i've never had a big issue waiting for a bus at OKW, though.

the buses always stop at the main/HH area before heading out to the parks (which can be useful to get to olivia's, the boat dock or main pool from a more distant building).

naturally, a downside of OKW is that you can't walk or boat to a theme park, so buses are all you've got...

 

[lovin'fl]

I find the OKW buses to be the best. We are OKW owners and can book the HH section booking. If you stay near the HH, you can get on buses there and they go right out to the parks. Then when you come back from the parks, you can get off at 1st stop at Penninsular near building #26 (which is near the HH so it's not a far walk).

 

[disfanforlife]

Can you only book HH if you own there? Or is it just hard to get? Is the only reason because it is the first bus stop?

 

[lovin'fl]

Can you only book HH if you own there? Or is it just hard to get? Is the only reason because it is the first bus stop?

It's hard to get...in busy times it books up before the 7 month window. I think it's because it's w/in a short walk to the main building (dining, shopping, front desk, main pool, kid room, bike rentals, boat, arcade, movies under the stars...etc). It is also great for the bus to go out directly to the parks, though the buses can be full-ish by the time they get there. One difference between HH villas and non-HH villas (1BR and 2BR)...the non-HH villas have a door to the master bathroom from the full laundry room where in the HH section there is no door (there is a full laundry room but you have to go through master bedroom to get to master bathroom).