Old Key West Room Categories

[mpb2000]

I know Disney changed room categories not long ago, but I was wondering specifically about Old Key West. Were buildings near Hospitality House in a different category at some point? It looks like the only categories now are the room type (e.g. 1 BR villa). In that case, I assume you can request any building, including those near Hospitality House, for example, correct? I just want to be sure I don’t include buildings I know I can‘t get in a room request.

 

[gmi3804]

Originally they were all in the same category, before they were split into "near HH" and standard. The former are buildings 11-14 and 23-26.

 

[mpb2000]

Originally they were all in the same category, before they were split into "near HH" and standard. The former are buildings 11-14 and 23-26.

View attachment 807723

But are they now in the same category again? That’s the way it appears based on the current booking options. The only categories are studio and 1/2/3 BR villa.

 

[gmi3804]

But are they now in the same category again? That’s the way it appears based on the current booking options. The only categories are studio and 1/2/3 BR villa.

Once you input your dates, results will appear and be separated into both categories. Near HH tend to be reserved first, since there are way fewer of them.

 

[mpb2000]

Once you input your dates, results will appear and be separated into both categories. Near HH tend to be reserved first, since there are way fewer of them.

I input dates but don’t see anything like that. The only categories are studio and 1/2/3 BR villa; there are only four options. I have an upcoming stay and the room type is “2 BR villa.” Do you see something different when you input dates?

To be clear, Disney changed room categories in May 2023, removing “preferred” rooms for deluxe resorts. I assumed this meant there is currently only one category per room type at OKW (studio, 1/2/3 BR), so any building is fair game to request as long as it has that room type, but I wanted to confirm.

 

[LadybugsMum]

I input dates but don’t see anything like that. The only categories are studio and 1/2/3 BR villa; there are only four options. I have an upcoming stay and the room type is “2 BR villa.” Do you see something different when you input dates?

To be clear, Disney changed room categories in May 2023, removing “preferred” rooms for deluxe resorts. I assumed this meant there is currently only one category per room type at OKW (studio, 1/2/3 BR), so any building is fair game to request as long as it has that room type, but I wanted to confirm.

Are you using the DVC booking tool or Disney World website. The DVC booking tool does break it out into HH and standard rooms. If you aren't seeing HH rooms, then they are all booked up and only the non-HH rooms are available. The Disney World website does not differentiate between HH and non-HH rooms; so there would be nothing split out by category.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Yea, I'm still seeing 'near HH' as a booking category for all room types, studio, 1BR, 2BR, GV. Those have been available for years, and still appear to be on option - same points, but an option, if available. As mentioned above, they are popular.

 

[mpb2000]

Are you using the DVC booking tool or Disney World website. The DVC booking tool does break it out into HH and standard rooms. If you aren't seeing HH rooms, then they are all booked up and only the non-HH rooms are available. The Disney World website does not differentiate between HH and non-HH rooms; so there would be nothing split out by category.

There’s the confusion. I’m using the Disney World website. I’m almost positive I posted this in the regular resorts forum; I didn’t even scroll down to the DVC forum. Either the thread was moved or I’m going crazy. Regardless, it sounds like Disney got rid of the category for booking through them but not through DVC. As I mentioned, I just don’t want to put in a room request that includes buildings I can’t get due to room categories; I don’t want to give anyone a reason to skip over my request.

 

[Simba's Mom]

There’s the confusion. I’m using the Disney World website. I’m almost positive I posted this in the regular resorts forum; I didn’t even scroll down to the DVC forum. Either the thread was moved or I’m going crazy. Regardless, it sounds like Disney got rid of the category for booking through them but not through DVC. As I mentioned, I just don’t want to put in a room request that includes buildings I can’t get due to room categories; I don’t want to give anyone a reason to skip over my request.

My understanding was that the "near HH" category buildings were only available to DVC
members. I kind of wish they'd add the 3 elevator buildings to that category also.

 

[mpb2000]

My understanding was that the "near HH" category buildings were only available to DVC
members. I kind of wish they'd add the 3 elevator buildings to that category also.

That could be. Since you mentioned elevators, does every building have an elevator? We’ll have a stroller so that will be important.

 

[LadybugsMum]

That could be. Since you mentioned elevators, does every building have an elevator? We’ll have a stroller so that will be important.

No, only 3 buildings (62, 63, 64) have elevators. You can request a first floor room, but it won’t be guaranteed.

 

[mpb2000]

No, only 3 buildings (62, 63, 64) have elevators. You can request a first floor room, but it won’t be guaranteed.

I can’t believe I forgot about the elevator situation. We’ve stayed at OKW several times but it’s definitely been a while. I’ll be sure to make note of that in my room request. Thank you.

 

[Tigger's ally]

There’s the confusion. I’m using the Disney World website. I’m almost positive I posted this in the regular resorts forum; I didn’t even scroll down to the DVC forum. Either the thread was moved or I’m going crazy. Regardless, it sounds like Disney got rid of the category for booking through them but not through DVC. As I mentioned, I just don’t want to put in a room request that includes buildings I can’t get due to room categories; I don’t want to give anyone a reason to skip over my request.

The Disney site will give you preferred and standard options too if they have both. This is for our time frame but at Saratoga and you can see the difference. OKW preferred are just usually all taken by the time they offer them to the public. I have seen them if it is a non busy time, but it is rare. Saratoga always seems to have preferred available. Riviera does too but I actually prefer the standard villas at both OKW (love turtle pond section) and Riv (high floor standard so I can watch epcot fireworks from balcony. .

 

[mpb2000]

The Disney site will give you preferred and standard options too if they have both. This is for our time frame but at Saratoga and you can see the difference. OKW preferred are just usually all taken by the time they offer them to the public. I have seen them if it is a non busy time, but it is rare. Saratoga always seems to have preferred available. Riviera does too but I actually prefer the standard villas at both OKW (love turtle pond section) and Riv (high floor standard so I can watch epcot fireworks from balcony. .

View attachment 808052

I’ve never seen a room type not appear when it is unavailable in the Disney site. If it is unavailable, the text “This room type is unavailable for the dates, party size or offer selected” appears and the “Select” button changes to “Change Search.”

When you go to the room rates page for any resort without entering dates, it shows all room categories. Saratoga shows all the preferred rooms for all room types (studio, 1/2/3 BR) with no dates entered.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/saratoga-springs-resort-and-spa/rates-rooms/

If I enter a check in date of today and check out of tomorrow, it still shows all the same room types, but states they are all unavailable; it doesn’t remove them from the page. The same applies to other resorts.

OKW does not show preferred rooms on the room rates page with no dates selected.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/old-key-west-resort/rates-rooms/

If the site uses the same logic and design for the OKW page as all the other resort pages, there are no longer preferred room categories at the resort.

I called Disney yesterday and was told the preferred “location” room types were removed from most but not all deluxe resorts. Obviously, it still remains for Saratoga. Preferred “view” exists at Riviera, although that’s different since it’s about the view rather than proximity to something on property. The CM told me the preferred room categories don’t exist for OKW at this time, at least when booking through Disney rather than DVC. Obviously, this could be bad information, but it does align with the website.

 

[DisTravels]

No, only 3 buildings (62, 63, 64) have elevators. You can request a first floor room, but it won’t be guaranteed.

You can also request any building area, not just near or away from HH. As Ladybugsmum said, requests are not guaranteed.