For my family, a trip to Walt Disney World isn’t complete without a visit to the original DVC resort, Old Key West. Fun fact: Old Key West was the first Disney Vacation Club resort to open at Walt Disney World in 1991. Modeled after the Florida Keys, this tranquil community is adorned with shimmering waterways, palm trees, and manicured fairways.
If you’re researching a stay at this property, let’s first talk about transportation. Old Key West is one of the resorts that is not exactly located in the middle of the magic. What do I mean by this? You won’t see Cinderella Castle from your room, nor will you be able to walk 5 minutes to EPCOT for dinner. You can, however, enjoy take a quick, leisurely boat ride to Disney Springs, or hop on one of Disney’s complimentary buses for a ride to one of the four theme parks or two water parks.
My family and I were at Disney Springs when we decided to head to Old Key West for our dinner reservation at Olivia’s, so we took the next boat ride over to the resort.
Everything about the atmosphere at Old Key West is friendly and inviting. If you are arriving primarily to dine at the resort, make sure you allow yourself some time to enjoy the ambiance. My favorite part about dining at a Disney resort is walking around the grounds, finding hidden Mickey’s, and perusing the gift shops. If you can, take a moment to chat with a Cast Member in the lobby, they typically have a fun story to tell. The General Store at Old Key West has some great odds and ends that you usually cannot find anywhere else on property. After dinner, I recommend taking a walk over to enjoy the view from the boat dock!
Now, onto the dining experience!
I consider Olivia’s to be one of the hidden gems of Walt Disney World. If someone were to ask me to list my top three restaurants, Olivia’s would make the cut!
Upon entrance, you will find hundreds of pictures of the DVC members who make Old Key West their home resort. My kiddos love guessing how old the children were at the time the photos were taken, what their names are, or they just have fun making up stories to go along with the photo wall.
Olivia’s is the quaintest beach themed restaurant. The Cast Member interactions alongside the food at this location are what take the cake, and honestly, what keeps my family returning. The Cast Members are so genuine and friendly; they will laugh and tell stories with you during your time dining truly making you feel home.
My oldest child’s middle name is Olivia, so originally, we made a reservation for the sole purpose of dining at a restaurant named after her. How cool, that she shared a name with a restaurant at one of her favorite places! After our first experience at Olivia’s, we make time for a stop every trip to Walt Disney World.
My family’s favorites: Southernmost buttermilk chicken and the slow-cooked prime rib. For starters we order the hushpuppies, which the children surprisingly enjoy. I am not a huge fan of them, gasp! The adults indulge on a Captain’s Mai Tai which is made with Amaretto and Dark Rum, and a Lava Colada which is a Raspberry Pina Colada! On trips past we have indulged on a pitcher of Red Sangria, which is Olivia’s specialty. My kiddos really enjoy the children’s mac ‘n cheese, and a build your own sundae with Mickey shaped sprinkles.
Sidenote: I’m not a fan of my children always getting chicken nuggets or mac ‘n cheese at dinner, but I must say that the mac ‘n cheese was a very large portion and isn’t your usual Kraft-style mac ‘n cheese.
During one trip, our waitress brought out a Key Lime Pie as a Birthday surprise. In the middle of singing “Happy Birthday” the little umbrella that was in the dessert leaned against the lit candle and caught on fire, making the few guests that were in the restaurant burst into laughter as we scrambled to get the flame out. Magical memories were made that night, and for many more trips at Olivia’s Café at Old Key West Resort.
DVC Members, this restaurant does accept a 10% discount, as well as Disney Visa Cardmember discounts, and of course this restaurant is one Table Service Credit on the Dining Plan.
I absolutely love everything about Olivia’s, from the Cast Member experiences to the food. The food was semi-elegant while the restaurant was laid back and casual. I am anxiously awaiting my next endeavor at Olivia’s!
And if you’re lucky, you might just run into a Disney celebrity while you’re enjoying your meal!
Passports and Park Maps 