Reviews of Old Key West Resort (Disney Vacation Club)
Reviewed by sreynolds5 Review Date: 12/27/2019
Rating: (8) Recommended
My husband & I traveled Thanksgiving week with our 3 young adult children, a family friend, and a 10 month old infant. We booked a 2 bedroom villa @ OKW - our 1st stay in a villa. It was beautiful, clean, spacious and perfect for our group. We really enjoyed the boat transportation to Disney Springs. The bus service to the parks was wonderful - we never waited more than 15-20 minutes & there was always room on the bus for us. There were drawbacks to this resort, though. OKW is very close to the highway & we could both see & hear traffic from our balcony. Not a tragedy, but we didn't feel immersed in magic. We were in the Turtle Pond area at the back. I'm a walker, but would not have attempted to drag luggage all the way to the hospitality house. Bell services did a great job - it was just an extra layer to call & then wait for this service, and to stand in line to retrieve bags again @ the bell services station. There was a quiet pool & snack/refill station next to our villa, though the refill station was never open when we were at the resort. We had requested Magical Express w/our booking. The ride to Disney from the airport was great, but somehow OKW seemed to have no idea we were returning. When we left there was no room on a bus and they called an ordinary cab (& paid for it, though we tipped). This was only a minor disappointment, but we would have preferred ending our trip on a Magical note. The service @ OKW was always friendly, however, & we understand that it was a very busy week. BTW, I noticed a WDW room discount offer several weeks after we had booked. I called & asked if they would honor it & they did! Overall our stay was a mixed bag - we like the Port Orleans resort area better, but really enjoyed the spacious villa @ OKW.
Pros:
Spacious villas, boat to Disney SpringsCons:
Huge resortReviewed by castledis Review Date: 07/06/2020
Rating: (4) Not Recommended
We stayed here November 2019 in a deluxe studio on the first floor. The room was really nice, very big and comfortable. However, I wanted some ice late at night and discovered that the only ice machines were located at either the bus stop or the pool which were far away from the building that our room was located. There is not a food court at this resort and there is a small food service area outside (seating is also outside) at Good's Food To Go, the food was not great. There is a bar Gurgling Suitcase, which is quite small but the service was good, had great drinks, and some good food. We did not eat at Olivia's Cafe but I have heard great things about this restaurant which uses 1 table service on the Dining Plan. This resort was very big and had to take an internal bus to transport within resort. It also took a very long time to get out of this resort to head to the parks or Disney Springs. I will probably never stay at this resort again.
Pros:
Nice and spacious room.Cons:
No food court, food was not very good at Good's Food To Go, and transportation took to long within the resort and traveling to the parks and Disney SpringsReviewed by Anonymous Review Date: 07/07/2020
Rating: (8) Recommended
This resort is gorgeous and very relaxing, the rooms are also generally bigger for the price
Pros:
Large rooms, gorgeous setting, lots of stuff to do (I was there for Easter so we participated in holiday activities), relaxingCons:
Mostly bus transportationReviewed by IMADisneyFreak Review Date: 07/21/2020
Rating: (9) Recommended
We stayed at the resort in June of 2017. We had a group of six and based on the reviews of available Disney resorts that can accommodate a group that size we knew OKW was the best option. And it didn't disappoint! We had a two bedroom villa which offers a full kitchen and a washer and dryer. The size of the resort may be the only draw back so plan on doing a lot of walking, otherwise you could be waiting for a bus the majority of the time. We learned quickly when returning to the resort after a day at the parks to get off the bus at the first stop (Peninsular Road) and take a 5 to 10 minute walk back to our room near the Miller's Rd bus stop which was always the last stop on the bus route before it left the resort. Otherwise we would have spent 20 minutes on the bus within the resort before getting to our room.
Overall the resort is fantastic. Although there is not a food court we thought that the breakfast at Goods Food To Go was just what we needed as we made our way out to the parks. But we did not have a chance to eat at Olivia's so it will be something for us to do on a future trip to Disney. And we enjoyed being able to take a boat ride over to Disney Springs to do some shopping!
Pros:
The size of the rooms and how close the resort is to Disney Springs.Cons:
The size of the resort and the bus route within the resort.Reviewed by EmmyMorgan94 Review Date: 10/29/2020
Rating: (9) Recommended
My family have stayed here three times, and we love it! The quiet and laid back atmosphere is so relaxing after a long day in the parks. And the theming of the resort really makes you like you are on vacation.
We usually stay in the two bedroom suite, and it offers an abundance of room. We especially love that we have two bathrooms, both with a sink outside for everyone to have space to get ready in the morning, as well as the convenience of having in room laundry.
The rooms have always been very clean, and the cast members are always friendly and kind.
Under normal circumstances, the boats are running from the resort to Disney Springs, and that is one of our favorite things about this resort. The boat ride is so relaxing, and being able to go to Disney Springs whenever you want is awesome!
This is a large resort, so the travel time from the bus stops to the parks can take awhile, so plan ahead for that. But the bus stops are pretty easy to remember and it's not too difficult to navigate the resort.
Olivia's Cafe is a terrific restaurant, well deserving of it's good reviews. And Good's Food to-go, while not spectacular, was still enjoyable.
Overall, we love Old Key West and can't recommend it enough. The only things that would make this resort better is if it was on the Skyliner route.
Pros:
Quiet Clean Boat rides to Disney Springs Calming after crazy park daysCons:
Travel time within the resort and to the parksReviewed by Anonymous Review Date: 11/09/2020
Rating: (9) Recommended
I love this resort. I am a DVC member and this being the first DVC Resort there was this idea that it's not very good. This is NOT true! If you get a priority room near the main pool, the quick service and pool bar are great. I loved the Cast Members. Olivia's is delicious. Theming is great. ALSO, there aren't 3 floor. Even if you are in a room upstairs, its only one floor.
Pros:
Fun pool, pool bar is great, Olivia's is yummy.Cons:
Priority rooms can be far from the main pool and lobby.Reviewed by Anonymous Review Date: 11/19/2020
Rating: (8) Recommended
Loved our recent stay at Old Key West. Rooms are very spacious and comfortable. Olivia's was fantastic! The pools were relaxing for us and fun for our boys. Staff was helpful and friendly.
Pros:
Beautiful grounds, large rooms, Olivia's, boat ride to Disney SpringsCons:
Only Bus transportation to parks, quick service was limitedReviewed by Anondisney Review Date: 01/12/2021
Rating: (7) Not Recommended
Old Key West is our home resort. It has a sense of charm and nostalgia about it. It features a very cute gift shop/pool area/community center and it feels very relaxed. However, compared to other resorts where you can walk/take the monorail to major parks, it can't compare. Neither can it compare to some of the more adventurous themed resorts like the Polynesian. Not as many food options as we would like and too far spread out to save the legs from more walking once off the bus for the day.
Pros:
Charming, quaintCons:
Spread out, lacklusterReviewed by Anonymous Review Date: 01/22/2021
Rating: (10) Recommended
PERFECT HONEYMOON RESORT!!
This resort is so underrated in my books and really is the best resort for honeymooners who want a feeling of luxury, privacy, and easy access to Disney Springs for drinks, all while not breaking the bank at resorts like the Grand Floridian.
ROOMS: The rooms are so spacious and well decorated, the designs felt fresh, beachy, and not outdated or tacky like some other resorts. We had a gorgeous view overlooking a lake and a big balcony which we enjoyed eating breakfast on. There were small touches of Disney decor here and there but nothing too in your face.
SPACIOUSNESS: People say the resort is too spaced out but I loved the feeling of privacy and quiet that provided. There were also plenty of pools with snack bars that were so close by. We enjoyed taking morning walks around the resort and it was so peaceful, no screaming kids or crowds.
TRANSPORTATION: Yes, the only way to get to the parks is via bus or car, but this didn't affect us too much. The buses came relatively quickly and we always had a place to sit. Depending on where you are staying it does make some stops around the resort but we really didn't mind that. We loved the easy access to Disney Springs with the boat. This was probably one of our favorite parts of the resort. We would go into the parks during the day then head over to Disney Spring for drinks then have a relaxing boat ride back. Perfect for honeymooners.
FOOD: This is one area where there is a little in the way of variety. It has Olivia's cafe, the Gurgling Suitcase, and some pool snack bars but this resort is best for people who either plan to eat in the parks or at Disney Springs via boat access, or those who plan on making most of their meals with the full kitchen in the room.
Sure this may not be the resort for families or people who want the Disney vibe 24/7, but that is what all the other resorts are for. It was still warm, welcoming, and filled with Disney magic.
Pros:
Access to Disney Springs, spacious rooms, luxury feelCons:
accessibility for those with limited mobilityReviewed by Anonymous Review Date: 01/30/2021
Rating: (8) Recommended
We stayed in a 2 bedroom villa; for a family of 6 the room was very comfortable. We loved the convenience of having a washer and dryer in the room and the beds were comfortable The Turtle Pond Road area was quiet but not too far away from the main buildings. I wish we would have taken a day off from the parks in the middle of our trip to just enjoy the resort and relax. We ate at Olivia’s for breakfast and had excellent service.
The transportation situation was our only complaint, but it’s a significant problem. Do not stay here and expect to get to the parks early or even right when they open unless you drive yourself. The buses were always late and didn’t start running until the park opened. This really put a crimp in our plans.
