Disney Old Key West Resort transports you down to the Florida Keys. From Conch Flats to the Turtle Snack Shack, everything at this sleepy resort screams slow down and enjoy yourself. If Jimmy Buffet wasn’t tied to Universal (sorry Uncle Walt, there’s that word again), you’d find him singing outside Olivia’s every night.

If you are looking for space this is the place for you. These are the biggest rooms at Walt Disney World by far.

The Colors of Old Key West

Photo by George Thomas

Disney Vacation Club

The Disney Vacation Club is the timeshare arm of the Disney Company. Yes, timeshare. You can prepay for your Disney World vacations by investing in the Disney Vacation Club (no, I’m not quoting a brochure). Disney will even buy your timeshare points back (Disney uses a point system) for the going rate. Disney has been expanding vacation club resorts at a remarkable rate over the last few years and now has 8 villa locations on DIsney World property.

Dad’s Disney Vacation Club page

The Resort

The Disney Old Key West Resort was the first Disney Vacation Club Resort, in fact, for years it was the only one. When the resort first opened in 1991, it was named the Disney Vacation Club Resort. The name was changed in 1996.

Map of Old Key West

Click on the map for a larger view

Villas, Rooms, Suites and what’s in them

The Old Key West has the largest rooms of all the Disney properties. For some reason, except for the Value Resorts, the first resort Disney built of each kind has the largest rooms. It’s true of the Deluxe Resorts, the Moderate Resorts, and the Deluxe Villa Resorts. I guess Disney thought they could take a good thing and make it smaller.

The studio is 376 square feet. That’s 70 square feet bigger than the studio at most of the newer Disney Vacation Club Resorts. The one bedroom has 942 square feet and really is only set up to sleep 2 adults. What luxury. The Grand Villa is so big, you could sleep an army (of 12) in it.

Room Layouts

• Studio – is an odd shaped room with two queen beds, a table and chairs, a shower tub, mini-fridge and two sinks in the bathroom. While it is larger than the rooms in some of the other resorts, the layout makes it feel smaller. (Sleeps 4)
• One Bedroom – the one bedroom villas is an enigma. It’s huge, but it only really has one bed. There is a king size bed in the master bedroom and a “queen” sleeper sofa in the living room. These rooms come with a shower and a luxurious whirlpool tub. (Sleeps “4”)

• Two Bedroom – the two bedrooms are combinations of a one bedroom and a studio. (There is a connecting door just between the two units.) These units have one king bed, two queen beds, and a queen sleeper sofa. (Sleeps 8)

• Grand Villa – the Grand Villa is something special. It has almost 2,400 square feet of space with 2 living areas, 3 bedrooms and 4, yes, count em 4 bathrooms. It’s two stories tall with 2 bedrooms upstairs and a master suite downstairs. These babies are hard to get and cost a fortune, but are well worth the price if you are looking for space. (Sleeps 12)

All Disney rooms allow and infant under 3 in a crib to stay in the room as an addition.

The studio villas have a refrigerator, microwave and coffee maker. All of the rest of the villas have fully equipped kitchens. Each suite comes with the standard Disney amenities like …

• Telephone service
• Free Wi-Fi
• Whirlpool tub (except in the studios)
• An alarm clock
• A safe
• Soap, shampoo, bath products (in great Disney wrappers)
• A HAIR DRYER
• A kitchen complete with serving dishes, griddle, toaster
• Clock Radio
• DVD Player
• Vacuum Cleaner

Disney Old Key West Resort at Sunset

Photo by Tom Bricker (WDWFigment)

You might be wondering why a hotel room would have a vacuum cleaner. Disney Vacation Club members only get Mousekeeping services 2 days a week. One day for a full cleaning and one day for trash service and light cleaning. (Extra services are available for an additional charge.) If you rent the room from Disney, you will get daily Mousekeeping.

Entertainment

There are plenty of activities at the Disney Old Key West Resort, and one of the most popular is to take to the water on a pedal or pontoon boat or canoe. The Conch Flats Community Hall is a great place to relax and watch television on a large screen set, rent a DVD or challenge family members to a game of foosball, table tennis or one of the many board games.

Take a ride around the Resort on a bike or shoot some hoops on the Basketball Court. Two arcades, each stocked with exciting and challenging video and pinball games, as well as outdoor movies, three tennis courts, a jogging trail and four pools mean no one will ever complain of being bored.

Dining

Grab a quick meal at Good’s Food To Go, which serves an American fare of sandwiches, hot dogs, burgers, salads and ice cream. Meals can be eaten at the outdoor seating area or taken back to guest rooms.

Olivia’s Café has a comfortable and casual atmosphere and serves home-style American meals and Florida’s famous fresh seafood.

For you who get hungry while floating on or lounging in the pool (don’t we all?), the Turtle Shack Snack Bar is close by and serves beers, soft drinks, snacks and hot and cold selections.

Location

An appropriate movie title for the Disney Old Key West Resort might be “A Golf Course Runs Through It”, to misquote a semi-popular movie. The Resort is located in/on the Lake Buena Vista Golf Course.

View Old Key West in a larger map

Address and Phone Number

Disney Old Key West Resort
1510 North Cove Road
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
(407) 827-7700

Book your suite today

So Dad has convinced you to book a suite at Disney Old Key West Resort. (Dad’s pretty good at that isn’t he?) Great. Let’s get started. Go on over to Dad’s Destinations to Travel page and let one of the great Disney Vacation Planners start working on your vacation.

Dad’s Destinations to Travel page

Dad’s Bottom Line

Dad has wanted to be a member at the Old Key West for a hundred years (OK, it’s only been open 20, but that’s not the issue). The idea of staying in largest rooms anywhere makes Dad’s mouth water. Mrs. Mom … (“not again”)