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.
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.
Let’s start with a heads up, which is that Disney’s Old Key West Resort is the next big project on the 2026 Disney Vacation Club Resort Room Refurbishment & Construction Calendar. No start date has been set, but we fully expect this project to begin earlier in the year and last pretty much the entirety of 2026–if not into 2027.
As discussed in the opening of that DVC refurbishment timeline, the definition of a ‘soft goods’ refurbishment has “evolved” and in a good way! Both the Grand Floridian and Polynesian Villas received soft goods refurbishments relatively recently that included installation of the new Inova pull-down sofa bed and couch combo. This Murphy bed first debuted at Disney’s Riviera Resort, and has been subsequently added pretty much everywhere else.
Based on what we’ve seen in the last couple of years, all DVC resorts receiving soft goods refurbishments going forward should all continue to have the Inova pull-down beds added (pictured below at Saratoga Springs).
This is a colossal upgrade over the pull-out couches, and has been a huge hit with DVC members. It has been one of several functional improvements that have really improved the ‘quality of life’ of DVC rooms–while Imagineering has also done a solid job weaving themed design into the upgraded units.
Old Key West was the final room refurbishment completed as part of the last era of projects at Walt Disney World, and accordingly, it did not have this type of Murphy bed added during its last hard goods refurbishment (which felt fairly cursory, as far as hard goods projects go). The line of demarcation is Disney’s Riviera Resort and the Inova sleepers, which came less than a year after this project was finished.
With that said, the Inova pull-down combo coming to Old Key West is not necessarily a sure thing–even though it has happened everywhere else. The difference at Old Key West, the oldest of the DVC resorts, is the layout of the room and that the studios have two beds as opposed to a pull-out sleeper sofa to begin with.
Given that, it’s possible DVC won’t mess with the layout. Our guess is that they will, especially given the popularity of the pull-down bed and couch combo. It’s just such a great space-saving feature, and despite the larger size of OKW’s rooms, they don’t really feel all that much more spacious. There’s a lot of wasted real estate–these rooms could be a lot nicer, which would in turn increase demand for OKW. Win-win!
Suffice to say, I’m really curious about what DVC can do with these spacious OKW rooms combined with the better themed and functional designs of recent rooms! But the real reason we’re bringing this to your attention is so that you can plan accordingly when making room requests to avoid construction, and secure new/old rooms (per your personal preferences). There’s no official construction bulletin or timeline beyond ‘2026,’ so we’ll narrow this with another update at a later date.
For now, here’s what you need to know before you stay at OKW…
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 occurring a few years ago. 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; we don’t need a ton of space. If you have a family of 4 adults 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 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 can use MagicBands as room keys and for charging privileges.
Like all other DVC or Deluxe Villa Resorts, guests staying at OKW are eligible for both Early Entry and Extended Evening Hours. The second one is huge, as Value and Moderate Resort guests are excluded from Extended Evening Hours.
Guests of Old Key West are able to purchase Lightning Lane Multi Pass, Single Pass, and Premier Pass up to 7 days in advance of their stay, just like other on-site guests. Read our Guide to Lightning Lane Multi-Pass and Single Pass at Walt Disney World for everything you need to know about these new line-skipping systems.
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.
A very important strength of Old Key West is its cost. No, not the one Disney charges–that one is often 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 under $200/night by renting Disney Vacation Club points, which we highly recommend during the week in one of the lower seasons. Not only is it one of the cheapest resort options at Walt Disney World via point rental, but it’s also among the easiest. Along with Saratoga Springs Resort, OKW is often the last resort with availability.
Similarly, both SSR and OKW are usually the first resorts to receive the deepest discounts through PIN Codes, Bouncebacks, and other targeted discounts (even with these, it’s still usually much cheaper to rent points). So that’s one upside of the more sprawling size and location!
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 #10 of 10 Disney Vacation Club resorts, but the competition is intense.
It’s a similar story with our more comprehensive Rankings of ALL Walt Disney World Hotels from Worst to Best, but it’s worth pointing out that the target audience for that list is first-timers and infrequent visitors. Old Key West is a bad option for most of those guests. But for longtime fans, it’s a totally different story. (Ditto infrequent visitors with personal vehicles–having a car is a gamechanger in how OKW ranks.)
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.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
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!