AKL Grand Villa DETAILED PHOTOS!

[elderfam]

Hello,
We are staying here next Christmas and had a chance to tour one of the Villas. I like photos to help me plan (we are bring christmas decorations with us) so I took a bunch.
Enjoy!
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t61/elderfam/P1000339.jpg
Standing just inside main entrance looking to right. The kitchen is on the other side of the wall with mirror. You can see the family room and the Dining room beyond.
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t61/elderfam/P1000340.jpg
Entrance area looking left. Thats the laundry closet you see far left. There is also a full bath located here. You can see the entertainment area in family room and the doorway leading to the pool table room.
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t61/elderfam/P1000341.jpg
View from family room looking towards entrance. Here you can see that full bath across from the laundry closet. Pool table room is to the right.
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t61/elderfam/P1000342.jpg
Pool table room looking towards the balcony.
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t61/elderfam/P1000343.jpg
Pool table room standing by sliding glass door. Master bedroom is to the right and family room to the left.
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t61/elderfam/P1000344.jpg
Master bedroom
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t61/elderfam/P1000345.jpg
Master bedroom standing by sliding glass doors. Looking into the amazing bathroom with pocket doors.
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t61/elderfam/P1000347.jpg
Master Bath to the far left out of frame is a HUGE walk in closet.
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t61/elderfam/P1000348.jpg
Standing in pool table room looking towards family room and dining room balcony doors.
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t61/elderfam/P1000349.jpg
Family room with the dining room behind the sofa and the kitchen to the right.
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t61/elderfam/P1000350.jpg
Kitchen.
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t61/elderfam/P1000351.jpg
Standing in kitchen looking at dining room
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t61/elderfam/P1000352.jpg
Hallway towards exta rooms. Bedroom #3 on left and its bathroom on the right. This is the only bedroom that does not have the bathroom in it.
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t61/elderfam/P1000353.jpg
Bedroom 3
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t61/elderfam/P1000361.jpg
Bedroom 3
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t61/elderfam/P1000362-1.jpg
Bathroom 3
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t61/elderfam/P1000357.jpg
Mini suite. I call it this because when you close the door into the hallway, its a mini version of the master suite.
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t61/elderfam/P1000355.jpg
Mini suite bathroom. 2 showers, one with a tub.
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t61/elderfam/P1000363.jpg
Kitchen
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t61/elderfam/P1000364-1.jpg
Dining room standing by balcony doors. This table is Huge, but the space is snug.
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t61/elderfam/P1000365-1.jpg
Dining buffet.
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t61/elderfam/P1000366.jpg
Bathroom by the main entrance
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t61/elderfam/P1000367.jpg
shower in bath by main entrance
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t61/elderfam/P1000360.jpg
Balcony. Each segment has its own balcony, they are not connected or open from room to room.

Overall it is a Fantastic Space! I think if you put guest on the pull out sofa it would be to crowded. I would opt for something on the floor in the pool table room...more privacy. The rooms are located in areas that dont give you the best views of the animals. They are on the ends of the buildings not facing into the savannas. That was a surprise. I will say they are Beautiful and you will feel special staying in one.

[Luckymommyx2]

Wow! Thanks for taking the time to post all of those pics! You're so lucky to snag a Grand Villa! I just love the decor and being so close to the animals!! :cloud9:

[Poohs Pal]

Wow is all I can say. Do all AKV GV have the same size balcony? Love the picture's. Our group will be in a AKV GV November 9th-14th. Now I really can't wait. Thanks for all the great photo's. Susan

[dianeschlicht]

Wow! I hope we get to use one sometime in the future, but we'll probably have to try at the 7 month window, since we only have 69 AKV points, and would need our other 380 added on to 3 years AKV points to get it!

[wildernessDad]

WOW!! Great pictures! Thanks for sharing them!

[rlduvall]

:eek: Those were incredible. Thanks so much for sharing. May I stay with you on your upcoming trip? :flower3: :goodvibes

[elderfam]

The little 360 view that I found just wasnt enough for me. I figured other people wanted a closer look as well.
I am a planning nut....I like to know what my space will look like. Ha Ha
Glad your enjoying the view!:thumbsup2

[elderfam]

Wow is all I can say. Do all AKV GV have the same size balcony? Love the picture's. Our group will be in a AKV GV November 9th-14th. Now I really can't wait. Thanks for all the great photo's. Susan

I don't know...I wil be back down there next week with my best friend. I plan on checking out all the locations, views, and room numbers. I will post any info I can find!

Glad you liked the photos!
Cynthia

[lisaviolet]

Wow. Thank you.

The GV was mere doors from my parent's studio room. One day when we were searching out the roaming giraffes, my father was "mad" at them for leaving his area, by going out the outside exit around the corner we found those beautiful double entry doors.

And then we stood in front of them in awe like some poor cousins....dreaming and dreaming and dreaming...:lmao: :rotfl:

(Lower point owners you will be wowed by any Savannah room. I snagged one for my parents days out. And they LOVED it!)

I would love to stay in the GV one day. Thanks OP for taking the time to share that. Lovely.

[alldiz]

Thanks for the awesome pics.....the GV looks Amazing.....

your friend looked like she would kill you if you took 1 more pic:lmao:
Here's to dreaming of a grand villa one day:love:
thanks
Kerri

[AKV707]

Thanks for the pics! Wow, the place is stunning. Maybe someday. I wonder how different the Kidani ones will be aside from the fact that they Will be two story.

[disney0210]

Thanks for taking the time to post! Sigh, the GV is heavenly...

[magicaldisney]

AWESOME!! :worship: :worship:

We will need a grand villa in January 2010 and this is great to show the extended family who will be joining us.

[3guysandagal]

A POOL TABLE!!???
I think I may have to change my mind about my Home resort when we buy.

A pool table...whodathunkit.

[LisaS]

Wonderful photos! If only I had enough points at AKV...

For anyone wondering about the location of Jambo House's six GVs, they are marked in orange on this map:

http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/data/500/81115AKV_ValStdClub_V21.JPG

[njmeisje]

Are all the AKV's so dark?

[3guysandagal]

Just looked at my DVC book and it seems the Jambo GV's are quite different than the Kidani's are going to be.
I am surmising the Jambos are one story?

[LisaS]

Just looked at my DVC book and it seems the Jambo GV's are quite different than the Kidani's are going to be.
I am surmising the Jambos are one story?Jambo House GVs are one story, Kidani Village GVs will be two stories. The Jambo GVs are a bit larger than the Kidani GVs as well.

[3guysandagal]

Thanks LisaS!
Hey! Now you can link back to this thread in your siggie to showcase the GV at Jambo!

ETA...or maybe not....lets keep it a secret...ssshhhhhh

[Inkmahm]

The rooms are located in areas that dont give you the best views of the animals. They are on the ends of the buildings not facing into the savannas. That was a surprise. I will say they are Beautiful and you will feel special staying in one.

Don't necessarily assume the ends of the building are bad. One of our favorite AKL rooms ever was the room with the rounded, thatched roof at the end of the building where we could see the Arusha savanna to our right and the fence for the sunset savanna to the left. I think we were on the 4th floor that time, but maybe it was the 5th. The animals gathered there every morning for feeding, especially the red river pigs and the giraffes.

[stopher1]

Thanks for sharing - those were GREAT!!!

[ccigliano]

WOW! I would love to stay in a GV at Christmastime and take the whole family. It would be heavenly:santa: . Have a wonderful time and please take some more pics when you've decorated and also pic of the guests that frequent the resort.

[MinnieGi]

Wow, I'm impressed with the GV!!!! Thanks for sharing those pictures! DH would love the pool room.

[KevGuy]

Totally impressive and I am stunned by the pool table, I had no idea they had one, wow!! Thanks so much for the great pics!!:thumbsup2

[Luigi's Girl]

All I can say is ...WOW! And this is coming from someone who thought she had no desire to stay there!... Hmmm.

[dianeschlicht]

The rooms are located in areas that dont give you the best views of the animals. They are on the ends of the buildings not facing into the savannas. That was a surprise. I will say they are Beautiful and you will feel special staying in one.
__________________

When we were on the Sunset Safari van, I noted the GVs and their locations, and thought just the opposite. They all seemed to have really good views of all savannas, except possibley for the one that is kind of stuck on the end between the Arusha and Sunset Savannas. The ones over Uzima looked like they would have spectacular animal views.

[50 years Too!]

Thanks for the report and pictures.
Good hints for anyone planning a stay.
Enjoy yours!

Deb

[Inkmahm]

When we were on the Sunset Safari van, I noted the GVs and their locations, and thought just the opposite. They all seemed to have really good views of all savannas, except possibley for the one that is kind of stuck on the end between the Arusha and Sunset Savannas. The ones over Uzima looked like they would have spectacular animal views.THAT'S the one that would have the view that we loved the most when we stayed in the rooms as AKL deluxe before the remodel. You can see animals on both savannas.

[ExRIGuy]

While I love the concept of AKV, the execution has left me unimpressed -- the interior decor of the rooms does absolutely nothing for me.

[lisaviolet]

While I love the concept of AKV, the execution has left me unimpressed -- the interior decor of the rooms does absolutely nothing for me.

And maybe it never will.

However, I thought exactly the same thing. No interest for me. Even when I toured the models. Then I nabbed my parent's their savannah studio and changed my mind. It's not the first time an interiior did nothing for me but sitting in the room seemed like a completely different experience. Hard to explain.

[*KeepMovingForward*]

Thanks so much for posting the GV pics. It just reminds me why we bought into AKV (and added on already). We love the heavy theme that the resort has, although obviously its not for everyone, but it floats our boat. :thumbsup2

[ACDSNY]

Looking at the GV in the planning book I was wondering what the room by the Master Suite was and how cool to find out it's a pool table. Maybe will try for one for our Nov 2009 trip.

[thepops]

thanks for the great photos. I'm sure your trip will be a blast!

[dallastxcpa]

Great photos! :thumbsup2 Thank you for sharing.

The pool table appears to be very close to the table behind it with the lamps sitting on it. We have a pool table at home and the first thing I thought when I saw that was I wonder how quickly one of those lamps will get busted with a pool stick.:scared:

[SleepyatDVC]

Great photos! :thumbsup2 Thank you for sharing.

The pool table appears to be very close to the table behind it with the lamps sitting on it. We have a pool table at home and the first thing I thought when I saw that was I wonder how quickly one of those lamps will get busted with a pool stick.:scared:

As if the AKV rooms aren't dark enough already!! :laughing:

Thanks for the pictures... I'm dreaming already!!!!!!!!

[murcor]

I love the pictures!! I want to stay here, my dh & brother in law would love that pool table!

I like the theming, large balconies, awesome!

[CRSNDSNY]

Wow, that really is something else! Amazing pics! Thanks for posting those!

[DoOverDreams]

Oh my! What lovely pictures. Thanks so much for posting these.

I am going to have to talk the family into another Disney trip. The GV would be such as waste for 2 people...

A pool table? That is awesome!

[robbiedgill]

I'm really hoping we can get one of these GVs in early December 2008...preferably the 6th - 13th. Is it really that obscenely hard to snag one? I'm praying...:worship:

[elderfam]

I'm really hoping we can get one of these GVs in early December 2008...preferably the 6th - 13th. Is it really that obscenely hard to snag one? I'm praying...:worship:

We reserved ours for the same time your looking at. I can tell you I was a mess untill I had the "whole" reservation booked. I was calling 11 months in advance to the day as soon as the phone lines opened up. I had to book it one day at a time and they linked the reservations together. I know they only have 6 and I really wanted this trip to happen. I suggest you call and at the very least get on a wait list. Sorry I don't have any other information to offer up. This will be our first stay in a GV.
:wizard: Best of Luck!!:wizard:

[senator74]

We stayed in a GV for 3 nights in January. Must say, all 4 kids absolutely loved it. Playing pool, having their own beds and separate bathrooms (2 boys, 2 girls), and the flat screen in the master bath was great while getting ready in the morning. Not sure about the strange noises that were coming from the master bathroom in the middle of the night.:scared:

We enjoyed it so much that we are splitting our stay again in August between a 2 bdr at BCV for 3 nights and GV at AKV for 2 nights. (Did a little borrowing of points to make that happen)

I do have a lot of pictures from inside the villa. If I can figure out how to upload them I will do so.

[rriley25]

Subscribing

[ADP]

With the pool table and the size of the grand villa you could definately hold one heck of a party in there. You could leave the Animal Kingdom theme park and bring 20 of your best friends with you and have one heck of an evening!

Hey! Pass the margarita mix!

[deedeetoo]

Wow. I think that GV is bigger than my house. I want to stay there.

[Wedgeh]

Wow, just wow! Those pics are amazing, thanks. If it wouldn't blow all my points in one night, I'd love to stay there :)

[GusMan]

Wow. I think that GV is bigger than my house. I want to stay there.
Its like 2300+ Sq Ft. So... it IS bigger than my house.
...a week from tomorrow, I will be there!

[DVCLiz]

So, they have a master bedroom with a king bed, a "mini suite" with two queen beds, and a 3rd bedroom with two queen beds? I'm trying to get a sense of how many people we could have if my daughters wanted to invite friends and we didn't want to use the pullout sleeper sofa. Also, does the living room have one of those sleeper chairs?

[Ratpack]

Very nice. Maybe in the future I can convince myself to bank a year and borrow a year and stay there.:thumbsup2

[GusMan]

So, they have a master bedroom with a king bed, a "mini suite" with two queen beds, and a 3rd bedroom with two queen beds? I'm trying to get a sense of how many people we could have if my daughters wanted to invite friends and we didn't want to use the pullout sleeper sofa. Also, does the living room have one of those sleeper chairs?
There is a master bedroom that sleeps 2.
There are two bedrooms that sleep 4 each.

So, thats 10 people total in the three bedrooms.

There is a sleeper sofa that sleeps 2.

And... I -think- that there is one of the sleeper chairs available as well.
Hope that helps.

[nzdisneymom]

Holy cow - there really is a pool table in the GV! Thanks so much for sharing the pictures!

[kimberh]

Oh, I do hope to be able to book one for my family that is steadily growing. We are getting ready to add a new DGbaby and a new Ddaughter in law next March. Big Wedding in the works. This is from two different childen. Just in case it didn't sound right after I wrote it! :goodvibes

[2xcited2sleep]

As many have said... WOW!! Thanks for sharing. Sounds like you are in for an outstanding trip. Hope you'll be kind enough to share a trip report w/ us or at least pictures. Would love to see it all decorated for the holidays. Have a great time!!

[DVCLiz]

There is a master bedroom that sleeps 2.
There are two bedrooms that sleep 4 each.

So, thats 10 people total in the three bedrooms.

There is a sleeper sofa that sleeps 2.

And... I -think- that there is one of the sleeper chairs available as well.
Hope that helps.

Thanks -- that does help!!! I could have the king bed all to myself, and each daughter could take one (if they wanted to each have a bed to themselves)or up to three (if they shared two to a queen bed) friends. Hmmm, something to think about!!!!

[CandleontheWater]

Oh my gosh, that looks awesome! I own at SSR, so I'll probably never be able to snag one, but have fun all you Animal kingdom owners! A pool table, how much fun would that be! :goodvibes

[elderfam]

We are planning on putting the pool cues and balls away. We have lots of little boys coming and I can see the sword fights and balls flying already.

I was thinking I would host an open house for any disers who are in the area if they wanted to drop in and see the place. I will post the date and time next fall though.

If anyone is staying in one, please please post your thoughts and pictures here. I really want to hear about the view from your room.

Thanks!
Cynthia

[sandyh67]

would love to know the room numbers so we can make a specific request for our August trip- love the one between the arusha and sunset savannah- can anyone help? Love the pics

[elderfam]

I know where they are but not the room numbers! I would give DVC any request info you have for now, and if we can get the room numbers go back and be more specific later.
If I get them I will be sure to post them here.:thumbsup2

[itsreally4mommy]

Thanks for the great pics!

I want to say I read somewhere that only the Jambo GVs will have pool tables?

[Disneynut71]

I am in love more then I thought I was before.

Now only to get enough points to afford to stay at a GV

[Disney_Mama]

Thank you for sharing. Very beautiful pictures.

[CruzDirectorKaren]

Love the pictures!! :love: I just love the detailed pictures. Great for planning! :yay: Can't wait to see it!:santa: