Moving on to our fourth resort in this whirlwind six resort split stay, Paul and I found ourselves checking into the OG – the first DVC resort. Originally named Disney’s Vacation Club Resort in 1991, it was later renamed in 1996 as Disney’s Old Key West Resort. I am ashamed to admit this was our first stay ever at Old Key West despite having had several reservations that we switched when other resorts became available. We have not been shy in the DVC Fan Facebook Group recently admitting how impressed we were with this resort. This article’s more fitting title would be How Old Key West Swept Us Off Our Feet, but I’ll stick with the motif we have going on for this resort review series.
Check-In Process
We were still sitting in our room at BoardWalk at 8:23 am when we got the text from Old Key West that our room was ready. It was without a doubt the quickest we have ever gotten a room. I’m sure this has something to do with the fact that the resort is huge, and it was July, so it wasn’t full, but it was still greatly appreciated since we were hoping to check-in and get settled before heading anywhere else. I noticed from our room assignment that both of the requests we made from the online check-in drop-down menu were granted. We were on Peninsular Road on a higher floor. I was already super happy with this check-in process. I did what I always do when we get room text and aren’t at the resort yet; I try to look the room up online. I couldn’t find this one at all. It took me a while to realize I couldn’t find it because I was looking for a studio, and we had received our first-ever upgrade to a one-bedroom. I will purposely not be comparing this resort experience to others since it seems unfair to compare an upgraded one-bedroom to studios, but I will say that Old Key West sure started on a magical note.
Rating: Very Satisfied
Service and Cast Members
While we did not experience any cast members directly during the check-in process, we did visit the shop and some food service. As this was our first one-bedroom stay, Paul wanted to make the most of it and buy some items to make breakfast the next day. We found the cast members at the Conch Flats General Store to be friendly and welcoming. Unfortunately, the store was out of butter, which was one ingredient we really needed for the morning. We decided to ask the cast members at the quick service, Good’s Food to Go, if they would be willing to sell us some butter. They gladly handed us over two large handfuls of individual butter packets free of charge-problem solved.
Rating: Very Satisfied
Lobby and Common Areas
As with all the resorts we have stayed, we found the lobby and common areas of Old Key West to be spotless and always noticed someone taking time to wipe down commonly used surfaces. Aside from the cleanly appearance, we love the theming here-the pastel buildings, tropical plants, many lakes, golf courses, and the calm and peaceful vibe the whole resort gives off.
Rating: Very Satisfied
Hotel Condition/Cleanliness
As I touched on above, we found everything here to be really clean. Even though it is the original resort, Old Key West is not showing it. We know the rooms just underwent a refurbishment, and the overall condition of the hotel is looking great.
Rating: Very Satisfied
Room Cleanliness
I’m pretty sure our jaws dropped to the floor when we stepped into this room. It. Was. Huge. It almost makes you feel bad that you were upgraded to a one-bedroom because there is so much more space for Mousekeeping to clean, and it was spotless. It smelled great, and we couldn’t find dust anywhere. The bathroom fixtures were glistening. The only criticism I could give (but I understand why it happened) was that when I first turned the water on in the jacuzzi bathtub, it was a little brown. It would seem no one had stayed in this room for a while. It wasn’t a big deal, and it went away after running a little water. While we were staying, we did get a message that said they would be power washing the next morning and to make sure we took our belongings off the balcony. It seems like they do a really nice job of up-keeping here.
Rating: Very Satisfied
Room Decor
The refurbishment here is stunning. I can’t get over how beautiful the room was and how much space we had. If you have a larger group staying in a one-bedroom, Old Key West is the way to go. Everything, from the floors to the kitchen cabinets and backsplash, to the carpet, the artwork, lamps, and other decor was just great. We had a wonderful balcony with an amazing and peaceful view of the water and the golf course. Our whole stay was quiet and peaceful.
Rating: Very Satisfied
Dining Options
One of the drawbacks of Old Key West is that it doesn’t have an indoor quick service location like most deluxe resorts. It does have Good’s Food to Go, which is an outside counter with some outdoor seating around the area. It also has the Gurgling Suitcase, a small bar with some food items available, and Turtle Shack located at the pool on Old Turtle Pond Road. Those all provide quick service opportunities. Then there is Olivia’s, which in my mind makes up for any dining shortcomings. If you haven’t had a chance to visit this hidden gem, you are missing out. I particularly love Olivia’s shrimp Po’ boy (which sadly isn’t on the limited menu right now) as well as their Cole slaw. It’s one of the best Cole slaws I have ever had. When boat service returns, it is important to note Old Key West is just a quick ride to Disney Springs.
Rating: Satisfied
Pools and Recreation
While we didn’t swim at the resort this time, we noticed there is no shortage of pools. And while the main pool, called Sandcastle Pool, was a little busy, there were three other leisure pools with little to no one in them. It wouldn’t be hard to find a quiet and empty pool to relax. Besides swimming, Old Key West is a golfer’s paradise, and it also has plenty of space to walk or bike. There are other amenities, but many aren’t operational right now. I think, given the current situation, Old Key West has a lot going for it. I personally would be happy sitting on my balcony half the day watching the water and golfers go by.
Rating: Very Satisfied
Transportation
We had a rental car, so I won’t rate this personally because it is a different ballgame when you have a rental car. I will say that if you drive, it is excellent you can park right outside your room. We were right by a bus stop and felt the busses picked up more frequently than expected, and they never looked too full, but then again, the resort was not nearly full. During normal times, there is a boat you can take to Disney Springs and, if you enjoy walking as we do, you could technically walk to Saratoga Springs and then on to Disney Springs. We have done this before, and I wrote about it in my article about lesser-known walking paths. My only wish here is that the path had some lighting, making it usable at night. Either way, I know one complaint about this resort is how spread out it is and transportation. Even without a car, it doesn’t bother us, and we are returning in December and will be using Disney transportation.
Value for the Points
The point charts here are amazing. You can get a studio for as little as 10 points in some seasons and a one-bedroom for as little as 21 points. That’s cheaper than some studios at other resorts during a middle of the road point season. For this particular trip, we paid 14 points a night for a studio in the second-highest season and ended up with a one-bedroom. That one-bedroom normally would have been 30 points, which is less than half the price than the Riviera preferred one bedroom we stayed in the next night (sorry, Riviera owners). The bottom line is, Disney’s Old Key West Resort is a steal for the points and size of rooms.
Rating: Very Satisfied
Overall Impression
It goes without saying that we fell in love with Old Key West. I didn’t expect it at all. We are booked in December to come back and stay in a one-bedroom for an even longer stay, and we can’t wait. It’s such a peaceful and relaxing resort. It has huge, updated rooms, and it just made us feel at home. Now that the secret is out, I see many more stays at Disney’s Old Key West Resort in our future.
Missed some of the earlier stops on our six resort split stay? Check them out here!
Join us soon as we head over to resort number five in our review series, Disney’s Riviera Resort!
Love this resort. Love the laid back vibe, the huge rooms, olivias and the bar. The bar when running normally is so welcoming and friendly. They have their own Facebook page. I also like that it is removed from everything so at the end of a long day you have the Disney convinces but not the noise. You can also walk to Disney springs if you enjoy walking or you can walk to Saratoga Springs resort both which have additional dining options. Can’t wait to stay again.
I have enjoyed reading the articles/reviews about your stay. Thank you for linking the previous three to this one. It would be helpful if you were able to link them together. The link provided for Copper Creek, Grand Floridian, and Boardwalk went to information about each resort, but I wanted to read about your stay without having to come back here for the links. Thank you.
Does the buildings in OKW have elevators?
The only buildings with elevators are 62, 63, and 64, all in the Miller’s Road area.
How was the wifi at the resorts? I am planning a work from home stay next month and I need good wifi connection. I think they got rid of all Ethernet lines.
I didn’t find any issue with the WiFi and had to do a bit of work myself when we were there.
Old Key West is my favorite. Of course being a DVC Member since 1992, we had no other choice. The rooms are the biggest of the DVC properties. This is very important if you plan a family stay. You won’t feel crowded, like in some of the other resorts should you have more than 4 people staying in the 2 bedroom.