Old Key West

[wendycooper]

How are the busses at Old Key West? Would you recommend getting a car if you were staying there?

[beachta1]

This is what Josh has to say about transportation..

Transportation: Old Key West does not share bus service with any other resort, which saves a substantial amount of time on every bus ride. Old Key West offers bus transportation to all theme and water parks and both bus and watercraft transportation to Downtown Disney. I would recommend taking the boat to Downtown Disney because it offers a ride that is just as short as the bus and is much more scenic.The times below are calculated after the bus or boat leaves for its final destination.
Hollywood Studios by Bus: about 20 minutes
Epcot by Bus: about 15 minutes
Animal Kingdom by bus: about 20 minutes
Magic Kingdom by bus: about 20 minutes
Downtown Disney by bus: about 15 minutes
Downtown Disney by boat: about 10 minutes

[wendycooper]

Thanks for the information!!! Anyone else have any personal experiences with buses staying at OKW?

[Brandie]

I recommend getting a car if you are staying there, but I always recommend getting a car . . . wherever you are staying! :RpS_tongue:

That doesn't help, does it?

[bnoble]

There are several internal stops at OKW, which some (including me) find annoying. Also, at OKW, you can generally park right outside your front door, so a car is a pretty nice thing to have. But, I am also the sort who rents a car more or less any time.

[mousehelper]

I'm with Brandie.
If you want to experience meals in other resorts, then I think a car makes the logistics fast and easy. I would find that more important the the resort where you are staying.

That said-- I think the resort your staying in is the NEXT most important criteria. Places like CBR and CSR are so big, that a walk to the main building and pool can take a long while. I'm not sure if OKW is as spread out as those 2? Do you have kids that will want to go to the arcade of main pool? Are you planning on breakfasts or many other meals in the food court? IF you do, and it's a ways away, it's something to consider.
: )

[wendycooper]

I will mention all of these things to my Brother in Law. They are staying at OKW because they had to cancel their vacation in March and had to use points by the end of May. The only DVC resort left was OKW since it was such short notice. They will likely want a car based on what you said above.

[MichaelColey]

We've always had a car when we've stayed there (but we always have a car -- other than our very first trip, I think). But we did take the bus to MK a few times. The buses there are as good as at any other Disney resort.

FWIW, I think there are something like SIX bus stops at OKW, so depending on which building you are in, you might:

1) have a bit of a walk to your bus stop,
2) be one of the first ones on, so you'll have up to FIVE more stops before you leave for the park, or
3) be one of the last ones on, so you might be met with full buses which either don't have room for you or just has standing room only.

That said, if you're going to use the buses I would suggest researching the bus stops and look at the OKW maps and request a building that would work the best for you.

[beachta1]

If the buses at OKW are anything like at the CBR, the buses do not take the same route every time. The bus system is not perfect but if you are hoping to get somewhere at R/D, either way you're going to have to get up early and out the door. Why not let someone else take you??? I don't know if we just lucked out, but my trip in December I have ZERO complaints about the buses. A few times we were the first stop and had to drive around the rest of the resort... but what is that? 5 minutes tops? Seems silly to me if that is going to make or break you spending the money on a car vs taking the bus for "free."

[blyday]

If the buses at OKW are anything like at the CBR, the buses do not take the same route every time. The bus system is not perfect but if you are hoping to get somewhere at R/D, either way you're going to have to get up early and out the door. Why not let someone else take you??? I don't know if we just lucked out, but my trip in December I have ZERO complaints about the buses. A few times we were the first stop and had to drive around the rest of the resort... but what is that? 5 minutes tops? Seems silly to me if that is going to make or break you spending the money on a car vs taking the bus for "free."

I haven't stayed at OKW but I'm pretty sure that it is run like SSR where the bus stops are the same every single time (and have been for years.) I've done the buses at SSR and been fine with it. We do always leave the room a little earlier knowing that we will have additional stops before heading off to the park. And.....if we need to get somewhere quickly, we take a cab. It works well for us but I do know that for many, the spread out resort and extra bus stops makes getting a car the only option for them.

[bnoble]

Yes, that's right. There are two routes. Any "theme park bus" is: Peninsular, South Point, Turtle Pond, Miller's Road, Hospitality House. The DTD/"Internal" bus is the same except that it stops at Hospitality House an extra time before continuing to Peninsular, South Point, etc.

[George]

I'm definitely a rental car guy when it comes to WDW vacations, regardless of where we stay. I like to dine at other resorts too much to rely on WDW transportation, and even getting to parks is easier if I drive, with the possible exception of MK. My MK trick is to park at WL and take the MK bus; I've always had good luck doing that, and have never had any other stops.

We'll be staying at OKW in May, and may try the MK bus once since we tend to go to MK on off-hours (very early, back early afternoon) when the buses and stops aren't crowded. When we stayed at POP a few years ago, the bus to MK was particularly convenient.

[bnoble]

My MK trick is to park at WL and take the MK bus
You're such a scofflaw.

[txSherry]

If you park at WL why not take the ferry? Just curious. :)

My favorite part about OKW is not taking the buses. The fact that you can park right outside of your unit is such a perk.
My second favorite part is that they have two queens in the studio and not a fold-out sofa bed!

[George]

You're such a scofflaw.

Mwahahahaha!


If you park at WL why not take the ferry? Just curious. :)



And haul my lazy ass all the way down to the WL dock? When the bus stop is right there by the parking lot? Puhleeeeeze! :RpS_biggrin:

[CaFeeney]

We were there in October and the buses were fine. We had a car but I usually take the bus to MK particularly as it is faster than parking and then taking the ferry or monorail.

We are headed back to OKW in a few weeks, last time we were on Turtle Pond Rd and loved the area. Without a car your family might prefer to be near the hospitality house.