Deluxe Villas · Disney Springs area · $$$
Disney's Old Key West Resort
The original Disney Vacation Club resort, and the one with the most laid-back personality on property: pastel Key West-style buildings with tin roofs and gingerbread trim scattered along waterways and a golf course, all palm trees and porch fans and no hurry whatsoever. Old Key West's not-so-secret weapon is space, and its villas are among the largest of any DVC resort, with studios noticeably roomier than newer properties and one-bedrooms that genuinely feel like apartments. Olivia's Café does a great unsung breakfast, the Gurgling Suitcase is a beloved postage-stamp-sized bar, and the boat to Disney Springs is a lovely way to go to dinner. Buses to everything else. For repeat visitors who want room to spread out over resort polish, it's a quiet favorite.
🛏️ The Rooms
The villas here are famously the largest of any DVC resort: studios feel roomy, one bedrooms genuinely spread out, and the grand villas are small houses. Full kitchens, laundry, and big balconies come standard beyond studios. The style leans breezy Key West conch house, white wicker and seafoam, refreshed recently. For pure square footage per dollar, nothing on property touches it.
✨ The Lobby & Grounds
The Hospitality House hub feels like a little island town square: tin roofs, pastel clapboard, a lighthouse by the pool, and palm lined streets winding through the villages. The Olivia's porch rocking chairs set the pace, which is slow on purpose. Boats putter down the Sassagoula River toward Disney Springs from the dock, and the whole place hums at the frequency of a beach town on a Tuesday.
🏊 Pools & Recreation
The main pool by the lighthouse has a giant sandcastle slide and a relaxed sandy vibe, backed by three leisure pools spread through the resort so most villas are a short walk from a swim. There is a marina with boat rentals, basketball and tennis, and the Olivia's dock where the fishing is catch and release and the herons supervise.
🍽️ Dining at Old Key West Resort
Olivia's Cafe is the heart, conch fritters and banana bread french toast in a room full of member photos from decades of trips. Good's Food to Go covers the quick stuff, and the Gurgling Suitcase might be the smallest, friendliest bar Disney operates. For everything else, the boat or a short drive puts Disney Springs' whole lineup on the table.
Full menus, grades, and what to order for every restaurant live on the Dining page.
🚌 Getting to the Parks
- 🏰 Magic Kingdom
- Bus
- 🌐 EPCOT
- Bus
- 🎬 Hollywood Studios
- Bus
- 🦁 Animal Kingdom
- Bus
How each ride type actually works is covered in the Transportation guide.
🎀 Mal's Tips
Take the boat to Disney Springs at golden hour, it is the prettiest free cruise on property. Ask for the Hospitality House area if walking distance to the restaurant and main pool matters; the resort is spread out and internal buses fill the gaps. This is the sleeper pick for long stays where you want a real kitchen and real quiet.
Best for: Spacious villas, boat to Disney Springs, Olivia's Café