Disney’s Old Key West Resort With Kids: Honest Review

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Old Key West Resort with kids lobby area showing the check-in desks and relaxed Key West-style decor at Disney World — The lobby at Old Key West Resort has a calm, relaxed feel and check-in was quick and easy when we arrived.

I stayed at Disney’s Old Key West Resort with my kids, as well as some extended family, and it ended up being one of the more mixed Disney resort stays we’ve had as a family.

There were things that worked really well for us. The room was huge, the resort felt quiet and relaxed, and my kids loved the sand playground by the main pool.

But there were also a few things that made the stay harder than I expected, especially because I was the only adult managing the trip.

Old Key West is one of the original Disney Vacation Club resorts, and it feels very different from many newer Disney hotels. The rooms are larger than average, the buildings are spread out across the property, and the whole resort has a quiet, residential feel.

That can be a great thing if you want space and a slower pace.

But with young kids, a stroller, bus transportation, and a room that was far from the main area, the logistics added up quickly for us.

In this review, I’ll walk through what Disney’s Old Key West Resort was actually like with kids, including the room, transportation, pools, playgrounds, dining, activities, and the pros and cons I noticed during our stay.

Is Disney’s Old Key West Resort a Good Fit With Kids?

Disney’s Old Key West Resort can be a good fit with kids, but I think it depends a lot on your travel style.

This is not the Disney resort I would choose if you want the easiest park transportation, the most compact layout, or quick access to food and drinks from every room location.

But if your family wants more space, a quieter resort feel, villa-style amenities, and a slower Disney trip, Old Key West may be a strong fit.

It’s a good fit if:

You want larger rooms than many standard Disney resort rooms
You are interested in Disney Vacation Club villa-style accommodations
You want a quieter, more relaxed resort feel
You like having a kitchenette or kitchen amenities
You are planning a longer Disney trip
You want boat transportation to Disney Springs
You plan to spend time at the resort
Your kids would enjoy pools, playgrounds, and Community Hall activities

It might not be the best fit if:

You want the easiest transportation to the parks
You do not want to rely on buses
You are traveling with a stroller and want elevators
You want a compact resort layout
You want a large quick-service food court
You want a room that feels newly updated
You are the only adult with young kids and want the simplest logistics possible

For our family, Old Key West had a lot of things I appreciated, but it was not the easiest Disney resort stay.

The room size was excellent. The resort grounds were pretty. The sand playground was a huge hit with my kids. But the spread-out layout, limited quick-service dining, bus-only park transportation, and lack of elevators in most buildings made the day-to-day logistics feel harder than they needed to be.

I can see why families love it, especially for longer stays or trips where the room space matters most.

For me, with young kids and a stroller, it was not my favorite fit.

🌴 If you’re considering Disney’s Old Key West Resort, it may be worth checking David’s Vacation Club Rentals before booking. That is how we booked this stay, and renting DVC points made the room significantly less expensive than booking the same room directly through Disney. 🌴

Location and Layout: Quiet, Spacious, and Very Spread Out

Disney’s Old Key West Resort is a Deluxe Villa Resort located in the Disney Springs Resort area, near Disney’s Lake Buena Vista Golf Course and the Sassagoula River.

It was the original Disney Vacation Club resort, and you can feel that in the layout. Old Key West does not feel like a traditional hotel. It feels more like a quiet residential neighborhood spread across a large property.

The buildings are pastel-colored and low-rise, with palm trees, walking paths, water views, golf course views, and a relaxed Florida feel.

That part is lovely.

The resort feels calm and quiet compared to many Disney hotels, which can be a nice break from the parks. It does not have the same busy lobby-and-tower feeling you get at some resorts, and the whole property feels more spread out and residential.

But that spread-out layout is also one of the biggest things to think about before booking.

Old Key West is large, and depending on where your room is located, you may not be close to the main pool, lobby, restaurants, Community Hall, or transportation. That mattered a lot for us.

Our room was far from the main area, so even simple things like getting food or drinks required more effort. I had to get both kids ready, deal with the stroller, and make the walk over and back.

That might not sound like a big deal on paper, but with young kids, those little trips add up.

Most of the buildings at Old Key West also do not have elevators. Our room was on the second floor, which meant carrying our double stroller up and down the stairs every time we left or came back.

That was one of the hardest parts of the stay for me.

If you are staying at Old Key West with a stroller or anyone with mobility needs, I would make room location and building access a major part of your planning.

Transportation: Bus-Only to the Parks, With a Boat to Disney Springs

Old Key West has boat transportation to Disney Springs, which is one of the resort’s nicest perks.

The boat ride is peaceful, and it is a nice option if you are planning a Disney Springs meal or a slower resort day.

But for the theme parks, Old Key West is bus-only.

There is no Skyliner, monorail, boat, or walking path to Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, or Animal Kingdom. If you are relying on Disney transportation, you will be using buses for park days.

Transportation was one of the biggest challenges of our stay.

Old Key West has multiple bus stops throughout the resort, and our stop was later in the route. That meant the bus was often already fairly full by the time it reached us during busy times.

Trying to board a crowded bus alone with 2 young kids, bags, and a double stroller was stressful.

The stroller had to be folded, and then I had to manage the kids, the bags, and the folded stroller while getting on and off the bus. That is already one of the hardest Disney transportation situations for me, and the size of Old Key West made it feel even more tiring.

Coming back from the parks could also take longer than expected because the bus had to make multiple stops around the resort before reaching ours.

That does not mean the transportation is unworkable. Plenty of families use the buses at Old Key West and do just fine.

But if stroller transportation stresses you out, or if you are the only adult traveling with young kids, I would take the bus-only setup seriously before booking.

For us, the transportation was one of the reasons Old Key West did not feel as easy as some other Disney resorts we have stayed at.

The Room: Huge, Helpful, and Not My Favorite

Deluxe Studio room at Disney’s Old Key West Resort with two queen beds and balcony, shown during our stay at Old key west resort with kids — Our Deluxe Studio at Old Key West had two queen beds and plenty of space for our family.

We stayed in a Deluxe Studio at Disney’s Old Key West Resort.

A Deluxe Studio is actually the smallest room type at Old Key West, but it was still much larger than most standard Disney resort rooms. That extra space was one of the best parts of the stay.

The room slept 4 people with 2 queen beds, and it had several features that were helpful with kids: a microwave, toaster, mini refrigerator, and a small kitchenette area.

That kind of setup can make a big difference on a family trip. It gives you more flexibility for snacks, simple breakfasts, leftovers, or quick food in the room when kids are hungry but you do not want to deal with a full restaurant meal.

The bathroom also had a real bathtub, which I always appreciate with young kids. Bathtubs are not guaranteed in every Disney resort room anymore, so this was a practical win for us.

The room also had a walk-out balcony with a table and chairs, which was nice. I like having outdoor space at a resort, especially when kids are resting or winding down inside.

On paper, the room checked a lot of boxes.

It was large. It had useful amenities. It worked as a home base. And for families who want more space than a typical hotel room, I can understand why Old Key West is so appealing.

But I personally did not love the room.

It felt more outdated than many of the other Disney resort rooms we have stayed in recently, and I had a hard time getting the room dark at night. The curtains did not sit flush against the window, so light from the outdoor lamps came in around the edges. The peephole on the door also let in a surprising amount of hallway light, and it happened to shine right toward where I was sleeping.

That might sound like a small thing, but sleep matters on a Disney trip. And when you are traveling with young kids, every little sleep issue feels bigger.

The building setup was also a challenge for us.

Our room was on the second floor, and most Old Key West buildings do not have elevators. Since I was the only adult with my kids, that meant carrying our double stroller up and down the stairs every time we left or came back to the room.

That got old quickly.

The room itself was spacious, but because it was far from the main area, the location made it harder to use the resort the way I wanted to. If we needed food, drinks, or anything from the main pool area, it was not a quick trip.

So while the Deluxe Studio had a lot of family-friendly features, the overall room experience was mixed for me.

If I stayed at Old Key West again, I would pay very close attention to room location and would strongly request a first-floor room if I had a stroller.

Here’s a quick room tour of our Deluxe Studio so you can see how much space the room had:

What It Actually Feels Like to Stay Here

Old Key West feels quiet, spacious, and very residential.

It does not have the same busy Disney hotel feeling as many other resorts. The buildings are spread out, the paths are calm, and the whole resort feels more like a relaxed neighborhood than a traditional hotel.

I can see why families who love Old Key West really love it.

If you are staying in a villa, spending time at the resort, cooking some meals, using the pools, and taking a slower Disney trip, the layout probably feels like part of the appeal.

For us, it was more complicated.

The quiet atmosphere was nice, and I appreciated the extra room space. But because I was the only adult with young kids, the spread-out layout made simple things feel harder than they needed to be.

Getting food was not quick. Getting to the main pool area took effort. Carrying the stroller up and down the stairs added another layer. And by the end of the trip, I felt like I was working harder at this resort than I expected to.

That does not mean Old Key West is a bad resort.

It just means the peaceful, spread-out layout is either going to feel relaxing or inconvenient depending on how your family travels.

Pool, Playgrounds, and Activities

Kids playing in the giant blue sand bucket playground near the Sandcastle Pool at Disney’s Old Key West Resort — The sand playground next to the main pool ended up being my kids’ favorite spot at Old Key West.

The main pool at Old Key West is the Sandcastle Pool, and it has a fun, relaxed feel.

The pool area includes a large sandcastle-themed waterslide, a kiddie pool, and plenty of space nearby to hang out. My kids enjoyed the pool area, but their favorite part was actually the sand playground next to it.

That sand playground was easily one of the biggest wins of the stay.

My kids spent hours there digging, playing, and building in the sand. It gave them something simple and fun to do outside the parks, and they could go back and forth between the playground and the kiddie pool when they wanted to rinse off or cool down.

Parts of the playground were shaded too, which helped in the Florida heat.

Here’s a short video showing what the main pool and sand playground look like in real life:

Old Key West also has several quiet pools throughout the resort, plus additional playgrounds and sports courts. That helps because the property is so large. Depending on where your room is located, you may have a pool or play area closer to you than the main pool.

One of our favorite spots at the resort was Conch Flats Community Hall.

Inside, there were activities, games, movies, toys, and DVDs you could borrow to bring back to the room. Some activities were free and others had a small fee, but it was a helpful place to go when we wanted a break from the parks without being stuck in the room.

Here’s a quick look at Conch Flats Community Hall:

This is one area where Old Key West really does work well for families.

There are a lot of ways for kids to spend time at the resort. The challenge is that, depending on your room location, getting to those spaces may take more effort than it would at a more compact Disney hotel.

Dining: Good Table Service, But Limited Quick-Service Options

Dining was one of the areas where Old Key West felt less convenient for us than some other Disney resorts.

The resort does have a few dining options, but it does not have the larger food court setup you find at many Disney Value and Moderate Resorts.

The main table-service restaurant is Olivia’s Cafe.

We ate at Olivia’s for dinner one night and breakfast another morning, and everyone in our group enjoyed the food. It has a relaxed feel and serves comfort food with a Florida-inspired menu.

I liked having a table-service restaurant right at the resort, especially since Old Key West feels removed from the busier Disney areas. If you are planning slower mornings or resort days, Olivia’s can be a nice option.

You can also order limited takeout from Olivia’s during dinner hours, which can be helpful if you want something more substantial without doing a full sit-down meal.

The main quick-service option is Good’s Food To Go, located near the main pool area.

It is a small walk-up window with basics like burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, and grab-and-go options. The food itself was fine, but the setup felt limited compared to the larger quick-service food courts we are used to at other Disney resorts.

That was one of the things I missed during this stay.

With young kids, I really appreciate having a larger food court where everyone can find something, where mobile ordering is easy, and where grabbing a quick meal does not feel like a big production.

At Old Key West, quick-service dining felt more limited, and because our room was far from the main area, getting food was not especially convenient.

During our stay, Turtle Shack Poolside Snacks was closed for refurbishment, so that also limited the food options available around the resort.

Because of all of that, we ended up leaving the resort for more meals than we usually would.

If you are staying in a villa with a full kitchen, planning grocery delivery, or cooking some meals in the room, this may not bother you as much. Old Key West is designed more like a longer-stay villa resort, so the dining setup may make more sense for families who plan to use the room as part of their food strategy.

But for the way we usually travel, I missed having a bigger quick-service setup.

For us, the dining was not bad. It just was not as easy as I would have liked with young kids.

Disney’s Old Key West Resort With Kids: Pros and Cons

What I loved:

The Deluxe Studio was much larger than most standard Disney resort rooms
The room had 2 queen beds, which worked well for our family
The kitchenette had a microwave, toaster, and mini refrigerator
The bathroom had a real bathtub
The balcony gave us some outdoor space
The resort felt quiet and relaxed
The sand playground by the main pool was a huge hit with my kids
The kiddie pool was convenient next to the playground
There were multiple pools and playgrounds around the resort
Conch Flats Community Hall was a helpful indoor activity space
Olivia’s Cafe was a good table-service option
The boat to Disney Springs was a nice perk
Renting DVC points made the stay much more affordable than booking directly through Disney

What I didn’t love:

The resort is very large and spread out
Our room was far from the main pool, food, and main resort area
Most buildings do not have elevators
Carrying the double stroller up and down the stairs was hard
Bus transportation is the only option to the theme parks
Multiple bus stops made transportation feel slower
The quick-service dining options felt limited
The room felt outdated compared to newer Disney resort rooms
It was hard to get the room fully dark at night
The resort logistics felt harder than I expected with young kids

Is Disney’s Old Key West Resort Worth It With Kids?

I think Disney’s Old Key West Resort can be worth it with kids, but it was not the best fit for our family on this particular trip.

There are definitely things Old Key West does well.

The rooms are large, the resort is quiet, the grounds are pretty, and the villa-style amenities can make a lot of sense for families who want more space. My kids loved the sand playground by the main pool, and Conch Flats Community Hall gave us another easy place to spend time outside the parks.

I also think Old Key West can be a much better value if you rent Disney Vacation Club points instead of booking directly through Disney. That is how we booked our stay, and it made the price much more manageable.

But for us, the day-to-day logistics were harder than I expected.

Our room was far from the main area. The quick-service dining felt limited. Most buildings do not have elevators. Bus transportation was not easy with 2 young kids, bags, and a double stroller. And because I was the only adult on this trip, those details affected the stay more than they might have in a different travel situation.

So for me, Old Key West is not a resort I would rush to book again with young kids.

That does not mean I think families should avoid it. I can see why many people love it, especially for longer trips, larger villas, resort days, and vacations where having extra space matters more than quick transportation or easy food access.

If your family wants a quiet Deluxe Villa Resort with large rooms, pools, playgrounds, a boat to Disney Springs, and a slower pace, Old Key West could be a good fit.

If you want the easiest Disney resort logistics with young kids, especially with a stroller, I would probably choose somewhere else.

If Old Key West feels like the right fit for your family, you may want to check David’s Vacation Club Rentals before booking. That is how we booked this stay, and renting DVC points made the room significantly less expensive than booking the same room directly through Disney.

Have questions about this post or want help thinking through the logistics for your own trip? Join my free Facebook community for parents planning family travel. You can ask questions, share what you’re working through, and get real-life advice from other parents who understand how many little details go into traveling with kids.