Tell me your OKW secrets!

[jiggerj]

We will be OKW in :rockband: 33 days. Tell me what makes OKW special to you. Looking for the hidden secrets of OKW!

[dvcconvert]

the total laid-backness (is that a word?!! :cool: ) make sure -weather permitting) to have breakfast on the wonderfully huge balconies!...eat one breakfast at Oliva's and make sure someone orders some of their grits (best on the planet!!!).

If you're there about Christmas--make time to take an evening walkabout. The light posts on the bridge near HH are simply, but beautifully decorated, and there's usually quite a few balconies done up too!

If you have the time and desire, we love renting a poontoon boat and cruising the canals from POR down to and including the lake at DTD.

OKW is a 'take time to smell the roses' type of place. We find it so totally relaxing and pleasant. When we stay there we try to avoid the commando park thing (we certainly do go to the parks, but just with that 'key west' atitude! ).

I'm sure you'll enjoy it! :)

[Chip126]

[QUOTE=dvcconvert]the total laid-backness (is that a word?!! :cool: ) make sure -weather permitting) to have breakfast on the wonderfully huge balconies!...eat one breakfast at Oliva's and make sure someone orders some of their grits (best on the planet!!!).


I can't wait to try Olivia's for breakfast, but GRITS............eewwwww!!!!!!

I'm sure Jiggerj will order them though.........she will be in her glory!

[Colorado Belle]

I always try to stop by the outdoor snack stop and order CONCH FRITTERS!
I used to have to go to the REAL Key West to get them...it's so nice to be able to swing by OKW and satisfy my cravings.

Am I the ONLY one to wonder about those 'poon'toon boats???? I refuse to touch that with a 10 feet poon , DVCConvert!!!

[jiggerj]

GRITS!.... AND CONCH FRITTERS! Sounds like paradise to me! I am an old time grits lover. Childhood thing that I have never wanted to shake! YUMMMMMM!!!!

I am concerned with the transportation though. We are a group of 9 with a baby and stoller (chip126's son..my godson :lovestruc!) My concern being having to hop on the internal bus to get anywhere within the resort. We will try to request a building close to HH but how are the internal buses?

[Leftcoaster]

We never used the internal busses. We just hop on the next bus that comes in and step out at HH before it leaves the resort.
I would say that overall, transportation at OKW is just as good... and just as bad as any other WDW resort.

[dianeschlicht]

And don't forget the Key Lime pie!!!

Leftcoaster, the internal bus is the one marked for DTD. I always think of ALL buses as internal if I am looking to go to HH.

Insider tips...Hit the hot tubs at the quiet pools late in the evening. A great way to meet other DVCers and to relax before the next day's trek to the parks.

We too find bus service at OKW to be exceptional, and we much prefer it to walking to the parks from the Boardwalk area. We tried the boat thing from there, but found it was not very efficient if you are on a time schedule.

The boat to DTD/SSR is very relaxing, although a bit less personal since the opening of SSR, and the use of larger boats that run on a stricter schedule.

Take time to walk around the "neighborhood" and enjoy all the brautiful landscaping. I think I must have 50-75 pictures of the bridge, lighthouse and bouginvillia!

[Leftcoaster]

And don't forget the Key Lime pie!!!

Leftcoaster, the internal bus is the one marked for DTD. I always think of ALL buses as internal if I am looking to go to HH.

The boat to DTD/SSR is very relaxing, although a bit less personal since the opening of SSR, and the use of larger boats that run on a stricter schedule.

Take time to walk around the "neighborhood" and enjoy all the brautiful landscaping. I think I must have 50-75 pictures of the bridge, lighthouse and bouginvillia!


Interesting on the internal bus. This time, I saw busses specifically marked as internal. Or do they come in as internal and then switch to "DTD" on the next loop?
I also enjoy the bus to DTD. Those drivers are always very pleasant and nice to chat with.

[dvcconvert]

they come in as internal and then switch to "DTD"

That is my recollection

[dianeschlicht]

Interesting on the internal bus. This time, I saw busses specifically marked as internal. Or do they come in as internal and then switch to "DTD" on the next loop?
I also enjoy the bus to DTD. Those drivers are always very pleasant and nice to chat with.
THey always came in as internal and left as DTD in the past, but maybe in busier times, they just run both. Not sure if that is a change or not.

[PolyColleen]

We love the Turtle Pond Pool. It has a little snack bar in the busy hours where you can get lunch and snacks, and they make GREAT smoothies. If the CM is "over 21" they'll even make you an alcoholic beverage! It's fun to hang out at this pool and have lunch, just take it easy, which is so easy to do at OKW. We'll hang out at the main pool more now due to the new slide, but Turtle Pond is still my fave!

[jnrrt]

Hey PolyColleen,

You've got an "official" welcome thread over on the welcome forum, but I just wanted to say hi. Glad to have you here.

[PolyColleen]

Thanks for the welcome! A kind friend from another Board pointed me in this direction. It's fun to talk DVC with folks who don't go comatose when you bring it up (dear hubby).

[dianeschlicht]

Thanks for the welcome! A kind friend from another Board pointed me in this direction. It's fun to talk DVC with folks who don't go comatose when you bring it up (dear hubby).
LOL, nobody around here is going to zone out if you talk DVC! :bluebloun

[dvcconvert]

Another not so secret, secret is the walking path to SSR and DTD -- it's a beautiful, pleasant walk! I encourage folks to use it! :)

[gopherit]

Thanks, jiggerj, for posting this thread... looks like we'll be headed to OKW most likely in August 2006 for 8 nts on our next big WDW trip. I haven't been able to work up the right amount of enthusiasm, probably because I think the kids were sort of set on BCV but from a pts perspective, we really need to do OKW this time! Plus - we're starting the trip with 4 nts at US/IOA, so some down-time and relaxation OKW-style should fit the bill. OKW was our first love, but we've been "running around" with all the other DVC offerings lately and I think we need to return to it - it's OKW's turn in our DVC rotation! And after borrowing some points for a great HHI trip a few mos ago, we could stand to save a few points next summer. Reading what makes others love it helps me feel like we'll be glad we chose it 9 mos from now!

[dianeschlicht]

Thanks, jiggerj, for posting this thread... looks like we'll be headed to OKW most likely in August 2006 for 8 nts on our next big WDW trip. I haven't been able to work up the right amount of enthusiasm, probably because I think the kids were sort of set on BCV but from a pts perspective, we really need to do OKW this time! Plus - we're starting the trip with 4 nts at US/IOA, so some down-time and relaxation OKW-style should fit the bill. OKW was our first love, but we've been "running around" with all the other DVC offerings lately and I think we need to return to it - it's OKW's turn in our DVC rotation! And after borrowing some points for a great HHI trip a few mos ago, we could stand to save a few points next summer. Reading what makes others love it helps me feel like we'll be glad we chose it 9 mos from now!
First of all, you will LOVE the size of the units and the light/open decor and design of the units. The big porch (it's hard to call it a balcony) is great for morning coffee and breakfast. The kids will love the new slide and sand area, and you can rent surrey bikes for some extra fun riding around the huge resort complex. THe boat to DTD is great at night, but we prefer the walkway in the daytime. My guess is you will be pleasantly surprised!

[MiaSRN62]

We love OKW for the lush landscaping...views from the balconies...resident wildlife (bring food for the ducks !).....serene nature of the resort.
We enjoy renting the pontoon boats, packing a picnic lunch and cruising down the waterway to DD. Don't rent the water mice though.....they're painfully slow at OKW (especially when compared to the water mice at the WL).
Ohhh....and my kids love playing tennis and love the new pool slide !
We've always found the busses to be good. Never used the internal bus. We choose to either make the leisurely walk (find it no different than walking around any other resort or the parks), or we, on occasion have just hopped on any bus and gotten off at HH. We've never found it to be a problem.

[dianeschlicht]

If you choose to feed the ducks and birds, be VERY CAREFUL! DH got a little too close to a bird on the balcony one day. He tried to feed it out of his hand, and it sliced his finger pretty good! He probably should have gotten stitches, but he didn't bother, and he has a nasty scar as a souvenier!

[gopherit]

First of all, you will LOVE the size of the units and the light/open decor and design of the units. The big porch (it's hard to call it a balcony) is great for morning coffee and breakfast. The kids will love the new slide and sand area, and you can rent surrey bikes for some extra fun riding around the huge resort complex. THe boat to DTD is great at night, but we prefer the walkway in the daytime. My guess is you will be pleasantly surprised!

We've been to OKW several times before, but it's just been so long ago... (probably last visit was in January 2001)... we have busy sampling the other places! Had DVC been offering OKW in '99 when we bought, I KNOW that's what we would have chosen. We are a 2BR family, and BWV - though nice - just doesn't have a dedicated 2 br, dash it all. I think my only concern is the kids - they have it fixed in their heads that OKW won't be as "fun" as being in the heart of it all, so to speak. And yet they have loved staying over at SSR, which to me would be relatively comparable. THey haven't been to OKW since they were 5,4, and infant - so it's time to re-educate them, haha!

One question I do have, though -- Every time we have ever stayed there (which is about 5 or 6 times) no matter WHAT we ask for, we ALWAYS end up at Turtle Pond. I think every time I asked for HH area, and every time we ended up singing with the Turtles down the road... THis time around, I'm not sure whether to ask for anything else or not, LOL! We like the Turtle Pond area... but we've never been anywhere else! We're looking for a 2br, and would be fine taking an upper floor or ground, whatever... It might be nice to be near the HH, but I wouldn't want to do that if it meant getting a villa with a noisy backyard... weren't there some villas that faced a busier road or something? SUGGESTIONS FOR A 2BR WELCOME! :goodvibes

As for the surries - my ds would love that, but it may be a matter of height as to whether we do it. Last trip to BWV, he wanted to rent one, but he wasn't tall enough and they said he could not be in a peddler's seat. Well, that put us in a real pickle, because there are only 2 seats that aren't peddler seats on a 6-seat surrey (the 2 center seat... plus the basket.) And with a fam of 5 - it just wouldn't work (and DH and I don't have the horsepower to peddle the 3 bench surrey, LOL!) DD was too big for the basket, and all 3 of our kids were too small to be peddlers - aughhh! THis trip, I think he just might make it to peddler status - anybody know what the height req is?

ALSO -- tennis -- is there a court rental cost associated with this?

THANKS! :)

[MiaSRN62]

If you choose to feed the ducks and birds, be VERY CAREFUL! DH got a little too close to a bird on the balcony one day. He tried to feed it out of his hand, and it sliced his finger pretty good! He probably should have gotten stitches, but he didn't bother, and he has a nasty scar as a souvenier!
Oh wow.....never knew those OKW duckies were vicious Diane ! I'm sorry for your husband. So far, we've had pretty much good luck, but we'll be careful in the future. I know we had an incident with a black swan at our offsite timeshare (Vistana). Kids and I were feeding the ducks and the black swan pretty much came and attacked the ducks and us for the food ! I have some of the black swan chasing us on video. I should send it in to Amazing Animal videos or something......lol

Gopherit, as for the tennis rental cost----yes there is. My dh is at work now so I can't ask him but I recall it was around/approx $6/person. I could be off on this. I'm pretty sure we played for around an hour. I'll double check with him when he gets home.

[jnrrt]

Gopherit,

Just wanted to say that we just stayed in building 63 last month. It's the first building on the right as you're entering, catty-corner from the HH. I was a little nervous about noise there from what I've read, as every bus goes past and then in front of that building. We never heard a thing. We thought it was totally peaceful. Now, that's our first stay, so maybe if we'd been elsewhere before it would've felt different to us, but there's so much space, it sure didn't seem like the busses were very close to many buildings at all.

[MiaSRN62]

Gopherit,
I asked my husband about the tennis. He recalls $7/person for 1 hour or $10/person for all day. Hope this helps. :bouncingm

[gopherit]

Thanks for the info re: tennis. We're giving the kids all racquets for xmas and thought that might be something fun to do with the 2 older kids. I have never understood why they charge by the person, though... seems like having 4 people playing doubles shouldn't be twice the price as 2 people playing singles - it's all one court.

As for rooms - seems like whenever we go, we are in the forties for bldg number. What was the view like for bldg 63?

[dianeschlicht]

Building 63 has a view of a golf green that is like a little island. Some of the rooms will be very near the road that comes into the resort. For buildings in the 40's, our favorite is 46 with the wonderful view of the canal!

[jnrrt]

Looking to the right from our balcony, we saw golf course, and the bridge over the canal running along the golf course which is the main drive in. Looking straight out and a bit to the left, we were looking at the green. My brother is a sports agent and has a lot of PGA and LPGA players (isn't too bad himself, since he plays with them a lot), and he had a ball sitting there watching people play, mostly badly, but that can be fun too. Looking to the left we looked down the fairway and down a lagoon running along it, and there was a fountain in the water. It was really serene. I can't imagine that even the rooms closest to the street felt too close - we were in the center of the building.

[Colorado Belle]

I LOVE the one bedroom OKW. It was the first thing we saw way back long ago and far away when OKW first was built. We didn't buy then (because I thought no timeshare could possibly be a good investment...my bad)

I stayed in a 1 bed unit once in 1997 for cash...and I adored it! Although I bought my contract at BWV, if I ever need a 1 bedroom, it will be OKW.

I'm enjoying finding out about different views. I stayed in a studio for 2 nights last year, and we didn't have a view...cant remember the building at all.

[dianeschlicht]

There really isn't much I don't love about OKW! :goodvibes

[spiceycat]

One question I do have, though -- Every time we have ever stayed there (which is about 5 or 6 times) no matter WHAT we ask for, we ALWAYS end up at Turtle Pond. I think every time I asked for HH area, and every time we ended up singing with the Turtles down the road... THis time around, I'm not sure whether to ask for anything else or not, LOL! We like the Turtle Pond area... but we've never been anywhere else! We're looking for a 2br, and would be fine taking an upper floor or ground, whatever... It might be nice to be near the HH, but I wouldn't want to do that if it meant getting a villa with a noisy backyard... weren't there some villas that faced a busier road or something? SUGGESTIONS FOR A 2BR WELCOME! :goodvibes



I would tell check in up front that you haved stayed 6 times in Turtle Pond and would really like a different place.

I had the same trouble with Turtle Pond. So after I asked for something different - they gave me South point.

My favorites (so far) are Miller road building 18 and South Pointe Building 55. But I happen to love WATER views.

if you don't love water views avoid building 55 - because I think that is all its has.

my last trip we were back in building 18 (after several long years) - still LOVE IT!!!!

What I love about OKW - how about everything.

early morning walks
the little gym
having a massage
relaxing after a hard day at the parks.
spas are great
the swimming pools are great - many times we have been the only ones there - or another couple or two. not many people at all - wonderful!!!!
feeding the rabbits, birds, and other creatures.
watching the eagles and hawks
enjoying the water birds having a great time
feeling like it is HOME!!!!

It is a wonderful place!

[dianeschlicht]

Spicey, I so agree with both 18 and 55! Actually, all the buildings at Miller's Road have pretty good views.

[grumpy]

Thanks to all who posted in this thread. I just switched our reservations to this resort for personal reasons (Decided to save some points :fresh: )

anyways I was looking for info on the resort and this thread helped me out:thumbsup:

[Leftcoaster]

I'll be checkin in to OKW in about 10 hours. I'll give more info. when i get back.

[grumpy]

I'll be checkin in to OKW in about 10 hours. I'll give more info. when i get back.

hope you have a great Trip :)

[CRSNDSNY]

Yes, I didn't see this thread the first time around. Great info though!

Is there a map of the resort anywhere online that shows the building numbers?

[jiggerj]

I am so happy to see this thread again after I first posted it back in 2005- :)

My countdown to go BACK to OKW is almost the same! :rockband:

Understand a few things have changed since then....No conch fritters????? :crymeariv:: Geeeezz.....hopefully they still have grits at Olivias!

[grumpy]

:[QUOTE=jiggerj]I am so happy to see this thread again after I first posted it back in 2005- :)

QUOTE]

Well thanks for starting this thread. I liked reading it.:D

[Colorado Belle]

Waaaah! No conch fritters!!!!!

I demand a recount.:horse:

[pycees312]

We leave in 17 days to go to OKW im soo excited!! i just bought DVC( closes later this month). And this will be my first trip to WDW. We visit disneyland 3 times a year. lol
Thanks for all the tips. anyone else remember pricing on things such as say bikes and boats etc?

[jiggerj]

Shameless bump of my own thread seeking more OKW secrets to be revealed!! :D

[dvcconvert]

Geeeezz.....hopefully they still have grits at Olivias!


Yes they do! And here's another secret ;)....if there was something on the 'old' menu you liked and want again -- talk to them. Last month I wanted the good old steak & eggs (current menu only offers country fried steak) they very kindly accommodated my request. (oh, and they still have their sweet potato hash too!)

[jiggerj]

Yes they do! And here's another secret ;)....if there was something on the 'old' menu you liked and want again -- talk to them. Last month I wanted the good old steak & eggs (current menu only offers country fried steak) they very kindly accommodated my request. (oh, and they still have their sweet potato hash too!)

:clappingh for the grits! :yummy:

uh-oh...havent tried sweet potato hash....yet! :D

between the grits and sweet potato hash I will end up sinking the pontoon boat! :hahahaha:

[ciannamea]

I just got done reading this whole thread. It's helped me. Do they have the refillable mugs and if so where do you go to fill them? I visited there just over a week ago and it looks nice. I have 9 nights booked for here in Oct. Plus we are doing the MNSSHP for the first time. It should be fun.

[PolyColleen]

Not sure if they always have the mugs now or just keep them available during busiest seasons. They can be refilled at the 2 snack bars, one by the main pool and one by Turtle Pond Pool (where the snack bar has more limited hours)

[KNWVIKING]

There is no building 65.