Disney’s Old Key West Resort Overview

What started out as Disney’s World’s very first Disney Vacation Club (DVC) Resort has, over the years, become a home away from home for many. But even non-DVC members have fallen in love with Old Key West. Allow me to share some of the highlights and shortcomings of this vibrant resort!

Nestled in among Disney’s Lake Buena Vista Golf Course, Disney’s Old Key West is a sprawling resort with 2-story and 3-story buildings. The rooms are very spacious with a relaxing atmosphere and large balconies. The buildings are all far apart; so far in fact that upon arrival, they will likely send you and your luggage with a Cast Member in a golf cart to your room. The theme is obviously Key West, which translates to pastel colors and a laid back ambiance. Rooms are typically available here, even when other Deluxe Villa Resorts are sold out, and they’re usually less expensive than other Deluxe Villas. The biggest downside of Disney’s Old Key West is the transportation, since busses are your only way to get to any of the parks.

Basics

Resort Category: Deluxe Villa

Location: Near Disney Springs, quick ride to Epcot

Transportation: Bus (Boat to Disney Springs)

*The bedroom in a 1-Bedroom Villa. There is a separate door out to the balcony.*

Room Types

“Standard” Rooms

Deluxe Studios

(A more traditional standard room with kitchenette with toaster, coffee maker, mini fridge, & microwave.

Villas

1-Bedroom Villa
2-Bedroom Villa
3-Bedroom Grand Villa

A few things to note on rooms

ALL Villas have large patio/balcony, full kitchen, washer/dryer, DVD players
Recommended Room Location Request: Peninsular Road area (Buildings 27, 28, 29) or Buildings 16, 62, 63, or 64 (For a shorter walk to the Hospitality House - but, something to keep in mind is that typically the Hospitality House is the last pick-up on the bus loop, so busses may be filled up by the time you get on.)
There’s a category of booking called “Near Hospitality House” where, you guessed it, guests can get the specific buildings close to the Hospitality House. However, this room type is only available to DVC Members, and not to the general public.
Buildings 62, 63 & 64 are the only buildings that have elevators. Otherwise, if you have a stroller or mobility limitations, you should request a 1st floor room in other areas of the resort.
For the life of me, I can’t fathom why this is, but the main bedroom is typically open to the area with the bath tub - there is a shuttered window that opens to the bath tub, and there is no door on this part of the bathroom - meaning that if someone is enjoying a bath after a long day of being in the parks, it is totally open to the master bedroom.

Food

There are a variety of options for food at Disney’s Old Key West!

*The Gurgling Suitcase has an entertaining backstory in regards to its name - if you learn what it is, comment below!*

Olivia’s Cafe

Table-Service Restaurant
A delightful place to eat, whether or not you’re staying at Old Key West. I recommend trying their brunch and requesting a table outside.
Mobile Order available here!

Good’s Food to Go

Quick-Service Window near the main pool
Good menu, plenty of seating near there, looking out over the water taxi to Disney Springs, or grab a table at the pool
Resort Mug refill station available here

Gurgling Suitcase Libations & Spirits

Walk-up Full-Service Bar
They also have some food (think fried pickles, pulled pork nachos, hushpuppies, chips/dip, etc

Turtle Shack Poolside Snacks

Near quiet pool in Old Turtle Bay Road Area
Resort Mug refill station available here

Amenities

Amenities are where Old Key West really shines! There is SO much to do here that you could have multiple “Resort Days” off from the parks and still not do everything.

*The main pool - the Sandcastle Pool - complete with Sauna in the lighthouse.*

Hospitality House

This is the area where you’ll find the main lobby, gift shop, pool, workout room, Surrey bike rental, etc.

Pools

Sandcastle Pool

Main Pool located at Hospitality House - the iconic Old Key West Lighthouse (complete with sauna) and Mickey water slide are found here.

There are also 3 other quiet pools with hot tubs located throughout the resort. The quiet pool in the Old Turtle Bay Pond area is where you’ll find Turtle Shack Poolside Snacks.
Throughout the day, Cast Members play games and do crafts by the pools

Conch Flats Community Hall

A classic community hall that reminds me of campground community halls from the 90s, complete with wood paneling and well worn couches.
Located at the Hospitality House,
Kids can find crafts, coloring pages, toys, & Disney movies playing (Note that some crafts do cost extra while others are free)
Here you can also check out DVDs or board games to enjoy in your room
This is where you can rent equipment for tennis, basketball, vollyball, etc

Playgrounds

There are multiple playgrounds at Old Key West, each with a sand base, which makes for some fun vacation play!

Fitness Center (R.E.S.T. BEACH = Recreation, Exercise, Swimming Tennis) Available 24 hours a day
Recreation

Tennis courts + Pickleball
Basketball Court
Volleyball court
Bike rentals & Surrey Bike Rentals
Fishing
Jogging trail

Daily Campfire with S’mores (Usually from 5-7pm, but check with a Cast Member to verify start time)
Movies Under the Stars (Usually around 8:30pm on certain days of week, verify the time with a Cast Member)
Electric Eel Game Room (Arcade)

*The water slide at the Sandcastle Pool!*

Transportation

The place we found that Old Key West really lags behind the competition is when it comes to transportation.

There are ONLY busses available to get you to the Parks

With 5 internal stops in addition to the actual transportation time to the parks, it can feel like you’re spending a huge amount of time on the bus.

There is a boat to Disney Spring
There is also a Walkway to Springs, but the trailhead was hard to find, it’s a long walk, and it closes at dusk.

Conclusion

We absolutely loved our stay at Old Key West, and the room was up there with my favorite I’ve ever stayed in on property. It was spacious, had a great balcony, relaxed vibes, and it really felt like we were on vacation. We also loved the main pool, despite the fact that it was a half-mile walk to get there from our room. The biggest downside was that we felt as though we spent a ton of time on busses. There are multiple stops (5 to be exact) within Old Key West, and then once you add in the actual time it takes to get to the parks, most rides were between 15 - 30 minutes one way. Factor in that we had to head back to our room in the early afternoon for nap time before heading back to the parks in the evening, and we were spending close to 2 hours every day on a Disney Bus.

Pros

A huge amount of space in the villas
Usually less expensive in comparison to other Disney villas, and they’re usually available even when others are sold out
Larger balcony, usually overlooking golf course
SO much to do - Community Hall, Sandcastle pool, a ton of recreation
Very relaxing beach vibe - Truly like a vacation

Cons

Transportation was only via bus, and the rides were quite long
Long walk to main building depending on where you are in the resort
No elevators in most buildings

*A view of the Lake Buena Vista Golf Course from a room at Old Key West.*

For the most up-to-date information, visit Disney’s Official Old Key West Page.