2 BR Lockoff v. Dedicated at Kidani

[WilsonFlyer]

Long story. Here's the short version.

We're taking a couple that are our best friends as our guests to Kidani next June. They have a 3 YO DD as do we. They'll both be 4 next summer.

In the interest of saving a few points (and being VERY short-sighted), I had originally reserved a 2 BR Standard View room.

I called today to switch it to a savannah view (DUH!, 2 4 YOs, HELLO!) since it was only 40 more points for the 5 nights. A very nice lady (Nell) with MS explained that there were no more 2 BR lock-offs left with savannah views and then she said "... but I do have a dedicated 2 BR savannah."

I took it without hesitation.

Now I'm wondering why she SEEMED to see this as a disadvantage over the lock-off. All that to ge to this. What's the difference? Any advantage of one over the other?

Thanks!

 

[hellerjw]

I wouldn't see that as a disadvantage personally, I prefer the dedicated 2BR. I think the main difference is you get 2 queen beds in the 2nd bedroom with a dedicated vs. a queen and sleeper sofa with a lock-off (since the 2nd bedroom is actually a studio). Some may prefer the kitchenete that is part of the studio in a lock-off over 2 queen beds. Others may like being able to close the door between the 2 units in a lock-off and keep their group separate at night for a little more privacy, each with their own outside door.

With the Kidani units there should still be 3 bathrooms regardless (2 in the 1BR + 1 in studio or 3 total in ded. 2BR).
It just depends on which you prefer.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

OK. Now I'm REALLY confused. Obviously, I totally misunderstood what a 1 BR v. a 2 BR was.

I thought (uh-oh) that a 1 BR was a BR connected to a studio, hence; a bed in the BR and a bed in the studio.

I ASSUMED that a 2 BR was a BR on each side of a studio and hence, a bed in each BR and a bed in the studio.

WHOA! I missed something. Time to go pull my handy-dandy book out.

From your description, it sounds like there are only 2 beds in the 2 BR, one in the studio and one in the BR. that won't work for us with 2 4 YOs.

I really assumed the only difference in a dedicated was maybe the outside access on all three units. Now it sounds like there are only 2 units to begin with.

 

[hellerjw]

You can see all the floorplans at AKV here:

http://dvc.disney.go.com/dvc/guest/resorts/resortDetail?id=ProspectsDAKVAccommodationsPage

A studio is basically a slightly larger hotel room with a kitchenete. The 1BR has 2 rooms: the living/kitchen area with sleeper sofa and sleeper chair, dining table, etc and the bedroom/bath section. When you combine the two into a 2BR lock-off you get 3 rooms total. Since a ded. 2BR doesn't have the studio piece they give you 2 queen beds in place of the sleeper sofa and kitchenete.

Each 2BR will sleep up to nine with the pull out sofa(s) and sleeper chair in the living area.

 

[doconeill]

1BR and 2BR villas have a living room area and a full kitchen - oven, fridge, cabinets, sink, etc. plus a washer/dryer. That takes the center "section" of a 2BR unit. The sofa in the living room is a queen sleeper sofa (as is the sofa in the second bedroom in a 2BR lock-off). In the larger units in AKV and BLT, there is also a "sleeper chair". So the living area is sort of a bedroom, but with no privacy.

The capacity of both a studio and a 1BR is nominally 4 people (non-value class 1BRs at AKV and all 1BR at BLT sleep 5 with the sleeper chair). The points difference is for the extra space and amenities more than the capacity.

The 2BR units essentially add another 4 person capacity by tacking on a studio-sized room. How that room is configured depends on it being a dedicated (2 queen beds, no kitchenette, common hallway door) or a lock-off (which is really a 1BR plus an adjoining studio with a connecting door - thus there is 1 queen bed, one sleeper sofa, and a kitchenette in the studio, and the studio has its own hallway door).

 

[WilsonFlyer]

I can't find a picture of the dedicated 2 BR and I feel really stupid.

We were assuming that each BR would be for the adult couple and the "center room" would have a bed the two 4 YO girls could share (like the center room being essentially a full studio). That's all I really care about.

Is that the case or not?

 

[doconeill]

I can't find a picture of the dedicated 2 BR and I feel really stupid.

We were assuming that each BR would be for the adult couple and the "center room" would have a bed the two 4 YO girls could share (like the center room being essentially a full studio). That's all I really care about.

Is that the case or not?

Yes, although it is not a studio room, as I've already described. There will be a sofa in the living area which pulls out to a queen sized bed. My kids share it without issue (8 and 3 on the last trip).

 

[WilsonFlyer]

Whew. Had me worried and confused there for a minute!

We're good. That'll work. Thanks to all for clearing this up for me. Wish there were pics of the dedicated somewhere. Can't believe there's not. Oh well...

 

[doconeill]

THere is a floorplan of a 2BR lockoff on the DVC member site - go to View Resorts, select AKV and then Accomodations, and then look at the link under "Two-Bedroom Lockoff Vacation Home". Unfortunately the floorplans are quite small...

The 2BR dedicated would be similar, except the rooms will share a small foyer area and a common hallway door in the center, and the studio side will have two standard queen beds instead of the queen and the sleeper sofa.

 

[LisaS]

Here is the floor plan for a Kidani 2BR lockoff. From left to right you have

1) the master bedroom and bathroom
2) the kitchen and living area and second bathroom
3) a connecting studio with a living/sleeping area with a queen bed and a full-size sofa bed, a bathroom and kitchenette and a separate entrance.

In the dedicated 2BR the room on the right would have no door out to the hallway, a closet instead of a kitchenette and a second queen bed instead of the full-size sleeper sofa. I think the reason the MS person thought a lockoff would be better for you is because if the two families want some privacy you can close the connecting door and they can come and go as they please without walking past your kitchen and second bathroom. They would also have their own kitchenette with coffee maker, toaster and small fridge which can be handy if they are early risers, and a sofa to sit on if they want to hang out in their own room.

There are floor plans available that show the differences between a 2BR lockoff and dedicated 2BR in Kidani. This one if from TSMIII's Kidani Units thread. Unit 64C is a dedicated 2BR. Unit 64D is a lockoff.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Lisa, do you know if there are dedicated standard 2 bedrooms as well as savannah view dedicated in Kidani? I have booked one for the savannah view, was thinking of trying to get a standard one for friends.

Bobbi

 

[LisaS]

Lisa, do you know if there are dedicated standard 2 bedrooms as well as savannah view dedicated in Kidani? I have booked one for the savannah view, was thinking of trying to get a standard one for friends.

Bobbi

TSMIII is keeping a running count of declared room types in the first post of that thread I mentioned. Also, post #50 in that thread shows where those declared rooms are located. There are quite a few Standard View Dedicated 2BRs already declared.

 

[bobbiwoz]

That's a great thread, thank you, I missed it. Now I'll ask my friends and DSis if they would want to share one if possible. That extra bed will help, they each have a studio now.

Bobbi

 

[WilsonFlyer]

Thanks for all the great information. Lisa, your drawings are priceless. They explain everything so clearly. thank you.

 

[LisaS]

Thanks for all the great information. Lisa, your drawings are priceless. They explain everything so clearly. thank you.

I've got to give the credit to TSMIII for posting the Kidani floor plans as each new Unit is declared. I wish I had thought to post the Jambo floor plans back when I was updating the Jambo House Units map. It's helpful to have all that information in one thread.