Old Key West Resort Review
Old Key West Resort offers Deluxe Villa accommodations at Walt Disney World. In this WDW hotel review, we’ll share photos of the reimagined guest rooms, amenity info, tips for staying at Old Key West, and whether we recommend it over other resorts.
For starters, Old Key West Resort was the first Disney Vacation Club (DVC) property. At the time, it was simply known as “Disney’s Vacation Club Resort.” At the time, it was intended to be the only DVC resort. If perusing the dozen-plus resorts detailed in our lengthy Buying Guide to Disney Vacation Club, it’s easy to see how the once small-scale timeshare program expanded into something colossal.
Still, Old Key West maintains its intimate charm and feels like something from a different era of Walt Disney World. The resort features the gingerbread architecture and leisurely romance of the Conch Republic in the Florida Keys. The Victorian styling of the resort coupled with cool pastel colors and lush vegetation that has had some time to mature really gives Old Key West a great ambiance.
Check-in at Disney’s Old Key West Resort is located in the Hospitality House, which is along a dockside strip that contains the resort’s fitness center, arcade, Olivia’s Cafe table service restaurant, Conch Flats General Store, Good’s Food To Go quick service restaurant, the main pool, Gurgling Suitcase bar, and the marina.
While Old Key West Resort is a huge, sprawling resort, all of these “essential” amenities are in close proximity to one another. Aside from your guest building, this is the only other area of Old Key West that you’ll really need, unless you choose to walk the grounds, which I enjoy and recommend.
If you’re looking to avoid walking, staying close to the Hospitality House will ensure easy access to Even though the resort is spread out, it’s nice to have all these locations in one cluster.
From here, you can also take a boat to Disney Springs or catch a bus to the parks. All of these little shops reminded me of a real quaint seaside dock, which really completed the theme.
Usually when I write these reviews, I use the term “we” when referring to the opinions presented–because the opinions are those of both Sarah and me. I can’t do that with Old Key West Resort, because our opinions don’t fully align. While I enjoy the sprawling layout of the resort, Sarah thinks it’s way too large.
I enjoy the dining here and setting removed from the parks. Sarah wishes there were better restaurants, better transportation to the parks, and more offerings at the resort. A couple of things we can agree on are that the pool is awesome, the laid back atmosphere is delightful, and that the “Please Help Keep Our Town Clean – Conch Flats” trash cans are a cool touch.
I can sort of see her point with regard to theming being bland, but I disagree. The idea of a Florida Keys themed resort in Florida is a bit odd, since the themed resort will never match the authenticity of the nearby destination.
However, it’s still an idealized and fictional version of the Keys, and thinking of Old Key West in more broad terms–as simply a tropical resort set in “Conch Flats” makes its theming much more appealing to me. While I instantly associate it with the Florida Keys due to its name, I think that if it had a different name, there wouldn’t be the “issue” of it having a Florida Keys theme.
Even aside from this, I don’t think the theming is bland. The architecture is creative and accomplishes the Gingerbread style (the non-edible kind) quite well. The grounds are lush and grown in, and the area by the Hospitality House oozes with theming. I think it’s difficult to deny this. Just hearing the music in this area as I watch the sunrise or sunset puts me in that island state of mind.
I feel like I should be playing the ukulele as I sip a margarita in my lounge chair. The theming may not be as readily apparent as, say, the BoardWalk Inn, but I definitely feel like I’m “Conch Flats” when wandering around Old Key West, and given that, I feel its theming is successful. It may not have the most appealing theming to Florida locals, but I’d hazard a guess that most guests aren’t locals.
Rooms at Old Key West are largest of all Disney Vacation Club resorts. For example, the standard studio room is 390 square feet, which is comparable to most standard Deluxe Resort rooms. By contrast, a Bay Lake Tower studio is roughly 300 square feet. This difference is quite noticeable, as there’s a lot more free space in the Old Key West studio room than most other Disney Vacation Club studios.
If room size is important to you, Old Key West is definitely worth a look…
As mentioned above, Old Key West was the first Disney Vacation Club resort, opening in 1991. It has undergone several renovations over the years, with the most recent still underway but concluding by mid-2019. We have stayed at Old Key West pre-refurbishment and post-refurbishment, and there was a noticeable difference post refurbishment.
Above you can see a photo of the old room design, and below is the now look. While I enjoyed the decor and theming prior to the refurbishment, the rooms definitely look and feel a little more modern now. Perhaps a bit too modern, as I think the laid back vacation home look really worked, and that’s pretty much gone now.
The living area itself is very large by Disney Vacation Club room standards with pastel color palette. Unfortunately, most of the hints of the Conch Republic are now gone.
On one stay, we went from Bay Lake Tower (some of the smallest DVC rooms) to Old Key West, and the size difference was quite noticeable. I wouldn’t say these make the best use of the space they have, but you can still tell that they have more floor space than all other rooms. Only the Polynesian Villas give them a run for their money.
The bathroom and kitchenette were also fairly sized and the dual sinks made getting ready in the morning easier. Overall, I think the room is fine, although it’s certainly not my favorite room on property. Too bland.
I’m generally not one to fret over the size of a room, after all, it’s just the two of us. If you have a family of 4 staying in a Studio, you might value its large size more than we did.
While this review highlights the studio accommodations at Old Key West Resort, you can see photos of the other redesigned rooms in our Photo Tour: New Rooms at Disney’s Old Key West Resort post.
As is the case with all Walt Disney World on-site hotels, Old Key West is fully integrated in the My Disney Experience system, which means that guests receive MagicBands and can make FastPass+ reservations. See our Guide to FastPass+ at Walt Disney World for more info and recommendations.
One of the other common complaints about Old Key West is that it’s huge. I won’t deny this–at one time it was going to be Disney Vacation Club (all of it!). It was built to handle a lot of guests.
However, as I’ve stated many times, I like spread out resorts, as they give me places to explore. Unfortunately, an internal bus system comes with the large size here, which can make commuting to the parks a pain (…or a zany adventure?).
The internal bus loop is inefficient and involves a lot of u-turns and stops, so it can be a long bus ride if you board at one of the earlier stops. If you enjoy inefficient transportation systems, you’re sure to love Old Key West! This is probably my biggest complaint about the resort, and one that’s easy to overlook if you don’t use the buses.
Luckily, in my opinion, there are few weaknesses. A very important strength of Old Key West is its cost. No, not the one Disney charges–that one is absurd. The cost you *can* pay if you know what you’re doing. If you’re a Disney Vacation Club member, you likely know that the point chart at Old Key West is very favorable to members. For this same reason, it’s also really favorable to non-members who rent Disney Vacation Club points!
It’s not unrealistic to expect to stay at Old Key West for less than $150/night by renting Disney Vacation Club points, which we highly recommend during the week in one of the lower seasons. In addition to that, since Old Key West is one of the larger and less popular resorts, it’s one of the first resorts (along with Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa) to receive the deepest discounts through Pin Codes and other targeted discounts (even with these, it’s still usually much cheaper to rent points).
Thanks to the great theming and excellent ambiance, room size, relative (lack of) popularity in the Disney fan community, and nightly rates, Old Key West takes the crown as my most underrated resort at Walt Disney World. This might come as some surprise considering that I ranked it #6 of 7 Disney Vacation Club resorts, but the competition is intense.
If you expanded those rankings beyond Disney Vacation Club resorts, Old Key West would do much better. Rooms at Old Key West can frequently be had for Moderate rates by following our tips for renting DVC points, and Old Key West would likely be at the top of my Moderate Resort Rankings.
Overall, I love Old Key West Resort and it’s one resort at Walt Disney World that I have a great time just wandering around. My only complaint about Old Key West is that they don’t provide you with complimentary shoulder-parrots and casks of rum. (I’m no expert on the Keys, but I’m pretty sure King Buffett mandates that in the real Keys.) Walking around the grounds with the thousands of palms always puts a smile on my face, and the Hospitality House area gives me that island state of mind. As one of the great minds of our era once sang, “changes in latitude, changes in attitude.” That song could have easily been about Disney’s Old Key West Resort, and because of that, its pricing, and its relative popularity (or lack thereof) in the fan community, it’s my pick for most underrated Walt Disney World resort-hotel.
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Your Thoughts…
What do you think…is Old Key West actually under-appreciated, or does its large size make it a dud for you? Is there some other reason you like or dislike it? Do you agree or disagree with our review? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
the number to visiting the different attractions from Old Key West and it seems out of all the resorts Old Key West has the least amount of buses that run again I have been waiting for over an hour and seeing several Busses from other Resorts come and go and still no bus for Old Key West. will not be staying here again
Nice resort. The bus to magic kingdom is painfully slow. Seems they only run one bus every hour or two. I have watched multiple buses from other resorts come and go. As far as a bus to key west, who knows. Might have to camp in line for the night. Horrible bus service to magic kingdom.
Good to know. We will have a car at OKW for our upcoming trip, and I was just asking my husband if we should bother with the buses or just take our own car. I think I’ll go with taking our own car. Parking is free, so it’s no big deal. Can’t wait to stay here!
Thanks!
Thank you for the information. We stayed at OKW for one night last year and can’t wait to go back this spring for a longer stay. We have stayed at many of the other resorts and there is always a chance that the bus service will be slower than desired. You can always take a taxi if you need or want to get somewhere quicker.
I second Lara’s question – furthest possible on-site walking scenario? Considering a stay here, as it tends to be the available option when renting last min DVC points. We are New Yorkers, so walking isn’t a nuisance for us, and I’m never sure if the mention of ‘lots of walking’ is relative. I don’t mind the walking itself, but don’t want to be losing huge amounts of park time in transit.
Also curious what the distance by bus is to the nearest park (Epcot), and approximate transit time to Magic Kingdom from OKW.
For comparison, a friend and I stayed at AK last time and though the trips were pretty long, the opportunity to stay there *easily* outweighed the distance. How does OKW transit compare?
(Love the site so much. It’s my first stop when I get the Disney itch!)
Hi, I have seen a lot of reports saying the resort is to big if you do not have a car, how long would it actually take to walk to hospitality house from the furthest room?
My family has booked a holiday at this resort for next year. Could you tell me what, if any activities are available on the resort such as games around the pool like what is available at Port Orleans Riverside. If not are we permitted to visit Port Orleans and join in the activities there. Thanks
I’ve debated staying here multiple times but never have. With kids there are other resorts that fit our family better. I love the theme and even the size would be nice for an adults only trip. The thing that gets me is the room configuration. Other DVC studios have a bed and sleeper sofa. I can understand how this may not be ideal for a family but for two adults it’s perfect. My DH thinks I’m being silly but getting a room with an unused bed bothers me.
I have stayed there 14 of the last 16 years and we love it. We have tried other resorts but you do not get the same home town feeling. You just feel at home and the help is wonderful
Thanks for the feedback. Glad to hear that you like Old Key West Resort!
We have stayed at
okw for the last 16 years. we have tried one other resort and it did not compare to OKW.
The help is top notch and do whatever they can to keep you satisfied.
We are Florida “Snowbirds” who will be staying at Old Key West for the first time thanks to the generosity of our Son and Daughter-in-law who are Vacation Club Members. Have some mobility problems though and am concerned about getting to other WDW areas with my scooter on Disney transportation.
Hi Mary, The buses in WDW will accommodate your scooter. You should really not have much of a problem getting to and around the parks. I believe that the Boats/ferries and other modes of transportation will accommodate scooters as well. You may want to contact the folks at the OKW resort and ask them about your concerns. Overall, WDW is a friendly place for people with differing abilities and mobility needs.
We love this place and wouldn’t stay anywhere else. As often as possible we stay in the same room in Old Turtle Pond and we just feel at home. We were there at the beginning of February and despite The Gurgling Suitcase and several of the rooms were being renovated whilest however it never once spoilt our enjoyment. It’s anamazing place.
OKW is our Home Resort and we absolutely love it. Without spouses or children, my family is a family of 5, so it has ALWAYS worked for us to rent the 2 bedroom. Now w/ spouses and children, we are still able to rent the 2 bedroom plus a studio. We often convene in the 2 bedroom for breakfast and rest time and love how big it is for everyone to fit comfortably in. I personally love the theming and love the new decor (turquoise is my favorite color!) I’ve stayed at other “homes” and while some are pretty neat in theming, nothing compares to the largeness of OKW and how roomy it is for our large family.
Agree w/ you about the bus system, but if you don’t put too much thought into it, and leave with plenty of time to spare, you hardly realize it’s long and annoying. 🙂
Ahhh can’t wait to go back! 🙂
Bought into OKW in 92. We loved it. It was so comfortable and really felt like home. They refurbished it and now the furniture in the living room is so uncomfortable! Rather than sit in the living room my husband goes into the bedroom to watch TV. We are out early and in usually early so having comfortable furniture is very important to us. We live that we don’t have to walk through a hotel to get to our room. Like that we can park our car outside our “condo”. Mostly get the one bedroom unless we are bringing family or friends with us.
I was wondering if you had a building preference. I’m thinking about staying at OKW in January, and am trying to figure out if I want a room super close to the main buildings, or if I’d prefer one a little more isolated (and therefore quieter)?
We just returned from a 9 day stay at OKW. We loved almost everything about it. We stayed with our 4 children in a 2 bedroom villa and had tons of space! Each child had their own bed since both the couch and chair pull out.
We stayed in the Miller Road area. It was a short walk to the Hospitality House, there was a small pool steps around the corner and the bus stop was also just steps away.
Although we don’t love the bus system, we never waited more than 10 minutes for a bus for the entire 9 days and this was during peak season! We sure couldn’t say the same for our last stay at Saratoga.
Our biggest complaint about the resort was the lack of an indoor counter service restaurant. We had the dining plan for this trip (it’s always been a good deal for our large family and growing kids). Unless we wanted to sit outside in the HOT noon sun, there was no place for us to have a counter service lunch. We had to go into the parks or Downtown to have that experience.
Overall, we loved our stay and would probably return.
Our on WDW trips, we always go visit the other DVC resorts to see if we want to stay at any of them on future trips (we always stay at Wilderness Lodge). We visited OKW last time, and while it is very pretty, we waited for AGES for a bus. And as we rely heavily on the bus system, it was pretty clear OKW is not the resort for us!
Thanks for the review Tom!
We’re staying here in a couple of weeks – so this has got me mega excited!
Faintly worried about using the buses and being isolated, but we’re rather be out right by one of the quiet pools for some peace and quiet so I guess we’ll just deal with the bus thing as it comes.
Are we better to walk up to Hospitality House to catch a bus? Is that the ‘last’ stop before it heads on out?
The Hospitality House (at least in July) was indeed the last stop. If you’re closer to another stop you may be better off waiting at the closer stop just in case the bus is full by the time it gets to the hospitality house.
My family stayed in buildings 18 and 20 which are in an area surrounding one of the smaller pools and is also very close to a bus stop. The smaller pool was never crowded during our stay. For peace and quiet, my only suggestion is that you get a top floor room if one is available and don’t mind stairs.
We walked to the Hospitality House 50% of the time when we were last there, and each time we did, the bus was about 50% full when it arrived at the HH stop. Granted, we were there at an off-peak time, so your mileage may vary.
Once, we had just missed the bus at our stop, so we walked to the Hospitality House. We beat that same bus to the HH stop by about 10 minutes. So you definitely can save time doing this, but it’s obviously a risk and requires walking. I definitely wouldn’t do it during the busy or hot months.
I concur. I love okw resort. Always have. Large rooms for extended families is a major plus. Yes the other DVC resorts are nice , but there is the quaintness of okw that sets them apart. The landscaping is rich and lush when I go away I live palm trees. For some reason I feel relaxed when I visualize them. There is nothing bland about the resort. You are free to move around both inside and outside. You feel like you are in a community. Other resorts feel just what they look like a resort. Okw is a charm. A delight for all families. A classic in the family of DVC resorts
I completely agree with you about palm trees and relaxing. Whenever I visualize a relaxed vacation I think of them. Must be some sort of conditioning from childhood!
There’s nothing quiet like seeing all the palm trees. Being from Minnesota they are what vacationing is all about.
Old Key West is the best resort at Disney. I say this with staying at almost all of them in mind. We have been members since year 1. My grandpa had the foresight to get us in right away. Back then you received free park tickets as well as your membership. It’s exactly what I want from a resort….quiet/relaxed! I get all my excitement and fun at the parks. When I get back to my hotel I want a good cigar, whisky on the rocks and a pink and orange sunset to enjoy! Cheers!
Great photos! My family stayed here in late July. Between the 6 adults and three kids, we had a studio and a two-bedroom villa. Both had more than enough space. Your biggest complaint was ours as well. The resort was at a reported 99% capacity when we arrived so we were not able to stay in any of the buildings we requested. We had a ways to walk when we didn’t take the bus to the hospitality house (note: there isn’t a sidewalk on all of the streets). Also, there aren’t elevators in many of the buildings. We had to choose between quiet (room on the top floor) or the convenience of not carrying two large strollers up the stairs (room on the bottom floor). We chose to be lazy and had noisy upstairs neighbors as a result. If we stay there again I will chose quiet. The pool was awesome and the cast members at the pool did a great job with the kids (a pirate flag is involved when the pool slide is opened). Overall it was very nice, but the rooms certainly did not feel distinctly Disney (until Stacy came on TV).
Thanks for the review,and walkthrough of the resort…we stayed here for many years,as my Mom bought in 1991,and we have so many wonderful family memories here….I LOVE the decor,the rooms, the pictures you shared here! (the bathrooms look the same,love it) your pics are great!