AKL 1 bedroom value - how hard to book?

[disfoodie]

Hi everyone! We are looking at buying DVC at AKL lodge, but I have a question. How difficult is it to book a 1 bedroom VALUE villa at AKL at the 11 month mark? For the next five or so years we would be booking for around 1 week in early June and after that we could be much more flexible on dates (youngest child will be in college). I just wondered if we would ever be lucky enough to score these hard to book room types. Thank you.

 

[disneynutz]

The fewer the number of rooms, the harder to book. Size, view, location and time of year come into play.

Bill

 

[_auroraborealis_]

There are 10 total AKV Value 2BR lock off units, consisting of a studio + a 1BR unit that can combine for a 2BR. They can either be booked as 2BRs, or as the individual parts.

Arguably, the 1BR version is the easiest to book, as once people start booking studios the 2BRs leave inventory and leave 1BRs. They can sometimes stick around a few days, especially in low season (June is low). But I wouldn't drag my feet, and I would not buy only enough points to book at the Value level. I would be sure to have points enough for a Standard view, or to account for a potential point reallocation.

 

[JETSDAD]

The 1 bedrooms do not typically book immediately at 11 months. I even watched December bookings for this year and those, along with fall dates, stayed available for quite some time. Here's January and February 2019 to show what's currently available 10-11 months out. Studios and 2 bedrooms do and that is what gives everyone the impression that the 1 bedrooms go very quickly as well. I still wouldn't buy only enough to just cover booking value because anything can happen and they could be booked for the exact dates you might want but I also find that it's not nearly as hard as many think.

 

[disfoodie]

Thank you so much everyone! The point amount we plan to purchase would just cover a 1 bedroom value when we usually travel, but we are also fine with a studio (there is only 3 of us). We are just trying to decide on our home resort and if there is a chance we could sometimes get a 1 bedroom value at AK at 11 months it might make that the best option. We find we don't feel a strong pull towards any particular resort since we have liked them all!

 

[JETSDAD]

Thank you so much everyone! The point amount we plan to purchase would just cover a 1 bedroom value when we usually travel, but we are also fine with a studio (there is only 3 of us). We are just trying to decide on our home resort and if there is a chance we could sometimes get a 1 bedroom value at AK at 11 months it might make that the best option. We find we don't feel a strong pull towards any particular resort since we have liked them all!

We're a family of 3 as well and love the value 1 bedroom (stayed there in December). I like the overall point chart at AKV even outside of the value rooms and the chance to get a value room makes it even more appealing.

 

[DenLo]

I would not buy points assuming you can always book a value villa. They are getting harder to book each year. Buy extra points to cover a standard view room. And if you are able to book a value perhaps you will have enough points for an extra night in the value.

We are view people and enjoy time at the resort so we soon found that the views for the values are pretty limited and when AKV we want a savanna view room so we added on some points.

 

[ZerasPride]

I don’t know if this is helpful to you or not but I just booked a honeymoon trip for my son and his beautiful bride to be for this October at 7 months out and was as shocked as anyone to see the elusive value one bedroom available!

I grabbed it so fast I made my head spin! I’m still pinching myself that it’s real! I didn’t want to get the kids hopes up so I didn’t tell them it was a possibility - just told them we were gifting them a studio and that they would probably have to stay at Kidani but I would try for Jambo because I knew they really wanted the main house but I couldn’t string a studio with enough days together. Anyway, we are all so thrilled!!!

 

[bwang123]

We own at AK and have booked the value studio several times. It's appears to be getting harder each year though even at 11 months.
Our first time trying to get a 1 bedroom value, we were successful at 11months for our upcoming October trip.
Being able to get the values is nice but we are okay with something else when its booked.

 

[ClapYourHands]

I would not buy points assuming you can always book a value villa. They are getting harder to book each year. Buy extra points to cover a standard view room. And if you are able to book a value perhaps you will have enough points for an extra night in the value.

We are view people and enjoy time at the resort so we soon found that the views for the values are pretty limited and when AKV we want a savanna view room so we added on some points.

Please bear with a newbie here for a question about buying extra points to make sure you have enough to cover the stay you want. If you have points from more than one contract at more than one home resort, can you use all your points to book at one of the resorts at 11 months or only the points dedicated to that resort? So if you have 75 points at AKL and 75 points at Copper Creek, can you book at 100 point stay at AKL at 11 months? Most resorts seem to be sold out from Disney direct sales, so I was thinking of maybe buying resale where I want and buying direct points where available to have full member benefits.

 

[Lakegirl]

Please bear with a newbie here for a question about buying extra points to make sure you have enough to cover the stay you want. If you have points from more than one contract at more than one home resort, can you use all your points to book at one of the resorts at 11 months or only the points dedicated to that resort? So if you have 75 points at AKL and 75 points at Copper Creek, can you book at 100 point stay at AKL at 11 months? Most resorts seem to be sold out from Disney direct sales, so I was thinking of maybe buying resale where I want and buying direct points where available to have full member benefits.

No you cannot, you will only be able to 75 points at the 11 month and would have to wait to the 7 month mark to book using the others.

 

[ClapYourHands]

No you cannot, you will only be able to 75 points at the 11 month and would have to wait to the 7 month mark to book using the others.

Thank you. I'm still in the early phases of this. I'm planning a trip for November, and hope to maybe check out some of the properties then. If I'm going to drop $10-20K on something, I want more than internet research and pictures. Thank you for helping me refine my strategies before I waste too much time on things that won't work.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Thank you. I'm still in the early phases of this. I'm planning a trip for November, and hope to maybe check out some of the properties then. If I'm going to drop $10-20K on something, I want more than internet research and pictures. Thank you for helping me refine my strategies before I waste too much time on things that won't work.

If you are talking about Nov 2018, you might have a problem booking several resorts as they are filling up already as we are already seven months out from early Nov when all points are equal. Unless you are booking with cash. Then you are trying to work around end of F&W, Jersey Week and Veterans Day holiday.

 

[ClapYourHands]

If you are talking about Nov 2018, you might have a problem booking several resorts as they are filling up already as we are already seven months out from early Nov when all points are equal. Unless you are booking with cash. Then you are trying to work around end of F&W, Jersey Week and Veterans Day holiday.

Thank you. I was thinking more of driving over and looking at them rather than split stays. Things are still up in the air with my husband for this fall, so planning is unfortunately on hold at the moment. On the other hand, I'm hopeful that maybe something last-minute will open up, if I'm flexible down the road.

 

[rg35]

Thank you. I was thinking more of driving over and looking at them rather than split stays. Things are still up in the air with my husband for this fall, so planning is unfortunately on hold at the moment. On the other hand, I'm hopeful that maybe something last-minute will open up, if I'm flexible down the road.

Just note that if you are typically last minute vacation planners then DVC might not be the best choice for you.

 

[kniquy]

How difficult is it to book a 1 bedroom VALUE villa at AKL at the 11 month mark?

Plan for the worst but hope for the best is the only way to go into buying a resort for a hard to get room. Buy the points for the room size that you need - so if you need a 1BR then buy points for a standard 1Bed room. If you luck out and can get a value then you can either stay longer or just bank those points for next year.

The value category can be difficult -- I think people walk their reservations so when 11 months opens up there appears to be no availability, but look again a week later and your previous dates can be open. It happened when I booked our studio for end of November at 11 months -- no value studios as i was considering it, but i looked back a week later and poof there was some availability. You just never know.

 

[ToddyLu]

I have been able to book Value studios at times, two at a time, until 2017...now I cannot get them at all even when booking at 8 a.m. 11 months out when they open. People have caught on to the values and are "walking" reservations. In fact we were late this year in booking our November trip until last month....I had to waitlist a standard studio at Jambo for several days while stalking the RAT. Trip is 11/3-11/10, so race weekend, F&W, Jersey week. You need to get your mind right that you will have difficulty getting a value...all standard studios at Jambo are pool view which is nice.

 

[ClapYourHands]

Just note that if you are typically last minute vacation planners then DVC might not be the best choice for you.

Thank you. This is definitely something to consider. I love the idea of DVC, but don't know if it work for my family - so I'm stalking this forum a bit, gathering information.

I love being able to come here and get information and advice without anyone trying to sway me one way or the other.

 

[rg35]

Thank you. This is definitely something to consider. I love the idea of DVC, but don't know if it work for my family - so I'm stalking this forum a bit, gathering information.

I love being able to come here and get information and advice without anyone trying to sway me one way or the other.

Of course. It's a big expense, and doing research ahead of time is the way to go. Stalking and searching these boards before we decided to buy 6 years ago was immensely helpful for us. There's a lot of value here.