What does "near hospitality house" mean at OKW?

[we"reofftoneverland]

And is it better?

 

[erionm]

The official Hospitality House category buildings are 11, 12, 13, and 14, are directly across from the Hospitality House. Also, 23, 24, 25, and 26 are just down from the Hospitality House on Peninsular Road.

Buildings shown in yellow on the map below:

 

[Brett Wyman]

Yes its better and costs more. You are closer to the feature pool, dining, shopping, and front desk.

 

[erionm]

Yes its better and costs more. You are closer to the feature pool, dining, shopping, and front desk.

Point requirements are the same for both categories at OKW.

At SSR, there is a difference in points between the Preferred and Standard location categories.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

Point requirements are the same for both categories at OKW.

At SSR, there is a difference in points between the Preferred and Standard location categories.

Thanks

 

[beccasmom]

We request a HH unit when traveling with our elderly parents and/or grandkids; it just seems to make the trip much easier for them. If you’ll have a car, the proximity may not be as critical.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Yes its better and costs more. You are closer to the feature pool, dining, shopping, and front desk.

No, it's not better. It's just closest to the main pool. I avoid the main pool with all the racket during the day with the "pool parties" going on. You can always hop a bus from the bus stop you are closest to and ride to the HH. Or make the short stroll through the property.

 

[DizneyLizzy]

The only time I try for near HH at OKW is when I'm doing a super short stay, thus probably needing to switch resorts at some point (so being close to bell services is convenient), and not doing a lot of groceries (so being close to the food is helpful as well). If I'm staying in a one bedroom, I want the dual bathroom entrance, so I would NEVER stay near HH. If I'm in a one bedroom I also have lots of groceries delivered, so being close to food isn't important either. I have small children so they like the main pool and the community hall, so that is something that makes being close to the HH helpful as well.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

The only time I try for near HH at OKW is when I'm doing a super short stay, thus probably needing to switch resorts at some point (so being close to bell services is convenient), and not doing a lot of groceries (so being close to the food is helpful as well). If I'm staying in a one bedroom, I want the dual bathroom entrance, so I would NEVER stay near HH. If I'm in a one bedroom I also have lots of groceries delivered, so being close to food isn't important either. I have small children so they like the main pool and the community hall, so that is something that makes being close to the HH helpful as well.

We are looking at one bedroom. Is the layout for 1 bedroom different near HH house?

 

[DizneyLizzy]

We are looking at one bedroom. Is the layout for 1 bedroom different near HH house?

Yes - the only buildings that have two entrances to the bathroom (one from the master bedroom and one from the main living area) are buildings numbered 30 and higher. None of those buildings are in what's considered the "near HH" booking category.

 

[Deb & Bill]

We are looking at one bedroom. Is the layout for 1 bedroom different near HH house?

The layouts are identical except for a door in the laundry room that goes to the shower portion of the bathroom. So the guests in the living room don't have to walk through the master bedroom to use the bathroom facilities.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

Yes - the only buildings that have two entrances to the bathroom (one from the master bedroom and one from the main living area) are buildings numbered 30 and higher. None of those buildings are in what's considered the "near HH" booking category.

Thanks that is interesting. I wonder if they built those buildings later or if it was just planned that way.

 

[DizneyLizzy]

Thanks that is interesting. I wonder if they built those buildings later or if it was just planned that way.

They must have built them later. Buildings 62, 63, and 64 are close to the HH (but not in the booking category) and have the second bathroom entrance. I almost always request those buildings if I book a non-HH area villa, and I am usually successful. But they are also the only buildings with elevators so are sometimes reserved for people who need them for medical reasons. I also always write on my request that I am willing to wait as long as it takes for a room in my desired building.

For me, a parent with two small children, the pro's of being in the HH area are:
1) Close to feature pool without having to get on a park bus (this is important to me bc I have a 5 year old son that LOVES the water slide at the feature pool, and a 2 year old daughter who at least last summer still liked to wade in the baby pool)
2) Close to the community hall - again, this is only really a perk if you have little kids - I never used it before I did
3) Close to the Peninsula Road bus stop which is the first pick up AND first drop off, and close to the HH bus stop which is the last bus stop (if you hate sitting on a bus circling the resort before leaving for the parks)
4) Close to the mug refill station (we never get mugs but sometimes travel with family members who do)
5) Close to the front desk (not important to me, but important to some people)
6) Close to the boat to Disney Springs
7) Close to bell services (I like this if I'm doing a split stay and don't have a car...otherwise I don't really use bell services)

Cons of being close to the HH are:
1) If you are in a one bedroom, the room layout is awful with the single entrance to the bathroom.
2) If you have a car, it can be difficult to park in the near HH area, and you might have to park far from your villa...especially if you get put in buildings 11, 12, 13, or 14
3) If you don't have kids, the activities, etc at the main pool are probably loud and annoying.

In summary, if you have small kids, and/or aren't concerned about parking, or the 1 bedroom layout, I think near HH is the way to go.

If I am in a one bedroom, I absolutely do NOT want "near HH" bc the dual bathroom entrance is my main priority.

If I were traveling without my children, or if my kids were older, I woulnd't care where I stayed, as the whole resort is nice, and the buses make it easy to travel within the resort.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Thanks that is interesting. I wonder if they built those buildings later or if it was just planned that way.

Yes, they were actually the phase II of the resort. And 62, 63 and 64, were phase III when they tore down the Commodore's House (sales office).

We avoid near HH like the plague. We find it noisy and hard to park. We can easily walk to Olivia's or the store if we need something. And we're part of the old OKW Retirement Village folk.

 

[Toller]

I've stayed twice at OKW, both times booking the "near hospitality house" category. The first time (2012) we are given a room in building 63, the second time (2018) in building 64. When I questioned this at check-in the second time, the response I received was "We put people in these buildings all the time. It doesn't matter because they are close". Given that there was no point difference, they were close for me, and they had elevators I let it go. So, it seems that the near hospitality house category can potentially encompass two groups of buildings.

 

[DebbieB]

We request a HH unit when traveling with our elderly parents and/or grandkids; it just seems to make the trip much easier for them. If you’ll have a car, the proximity may not be as critical.

Keep in mind no elevators, unless you can get into 62-64.

 

[DizzyStitch]

We stayed in Building 13 last year and I loved being so close to the pool and other transportation, but I hated when the early morning Magical Express traffic started up. I am a light sleeper and I always seemed wake up for it. But if I stayed at OKW again I would book near HH again in a heartbeat just to be near the pool, the hot tub and the boats to Disney Springs.

 

[Chuck S]

I do near HH if it is a party of 1 or 2 people in a 1 bedroom...3 more more I always request Turtle Pond area for the additional door.

 

[cruisin'Mike]

Do the 2 bedroom rooms near HH have the second entrance into the master bathroom? We’re going to be traveling with extended family and definitely want the second entrance through the laundry room.

Also, we would prefer one of the buildings on Peninsular Rd and not buildings 11-14. If we book near HH and request buildings 23-26, do you think we’d have a good chance of getting it. I would imagine people who want to be near HH would choose those other ones.

Thanks,
Mike

 

[DebbieB]

Do the 2 bedroom rooms near HH have the second entrance into the master bathroom? We’re going to be traveling with extended family and definitely want the second entrance through the laundry room.

Also, we would prefer one of the buildings on Peninsular Rd and not buildings 11-14. If we book near HH and request buildings 23-26, do you think we’d have a good chance of getting it. I would imagine people who want to be near HH would choose those other ones.

Thanks,
Mike

No, same as the 1 bedrooms. Buildings 30 and up have the second entrance.