AKL 2-bedroom Occupancy

[bulldogbaker]

My family is planning a week long stay for 6 adults, 3 kids (5-10), and 1 toddler for May of 2014. We are looking at AKL Kidani 2BR, AKL Jambo 2BR, or a Treehouse villa. We are just wondering if the 2BR will be too cramped for basically 9 people and if we would just be better off getting a Treehouse villa? It is about 90 more points for the week.
Thanks for the replies!

 

[erionm]

Go for a 2-bedroom at Kidani Village. You can get a dedicated 2-bedroom and it will have 3 bathrooms. The 2nd bedroom will have 2 queen beds. Square footage wise, about approx 1173 sq ft.

A 2-bedroom at Jambo House will be a lock-off (1-bedroom & studio w/interior connecting door). Will have only 2 bathrooms. The studio is your 2nd bedroom and will have a queen bed and pullout sofa. apprx. 1075 sq ft.

The Treehouse has a queen in the Master and 2nd bedroom, bunk beds in the 3rd bedroom and pull outs in the living room. approx. 1075 sq ft.

 

[Pakey]

We have done both AKV 2 bedroom and the THV. I would definitely go with the 2 bedroom at AKV. That 3rd bathroom is worth it. The THV is not any bigger sq footage than a 2 bedroom. And although the master bath is very impressive, it's not convenient for others to use and the 2nd bathroom is pretty small. The AKV 2br has a better layout.

 

[Muhlenberg]

You should consider who is sleeping where. With your group, you'd have 4 adults in the 2nd bedroom and the 3 kids plus the toddler (assuming toddler is under 3 yo in May '14) in the living room. Or would you have two adults on the sofabed in the living room and kids in the 2nd bedroom?

It's just something to consider in addition to number of people.

 

[Deb & Bill]

You should consider who is sleeping where. With your group, you'd have 4 adults in the 2nd bedroom and the 3 kids plus the toddler (assuming toddler is under 3 yo in May '14) in the living room. Or would you have two adults on the sofabed in the living room and kids in the 2nd bedroom?

It's just something to consider in addition to number of people.

Exactly. Basically, you have ten people, not nine. Your toddler (must be under the age of three) takes up space, especially if sleeping in the pack and play.

Even though you would fit, it might not be that comfortable for six adult and four kids. The THV would be worse. Two of the bedrooms only have a single queen bed (no king bed in the master). The third bedroom has a set of bunk beds that aren't really comfortable for full sized adults. And a queen sleeper sofa and twin sized sleeper chair in the living room. You might be better off getting a one bedroom for the family with the four kids and two studios for the other two sets of adults. I'm guessing two sets of grandparents maybe??

Jambo House has no dedicated two bedrooms. So the second bedroom would be a studio - one queen bed and one double sleeper sofa.

 

[Dean]

My family is planning a week long stay for 6 adults, 3 kids (5-10), and 1 toddler for May of 2014. We are looking at AKL Kidani 2BR, AKL Jambo 2BR, or a Treehouse villa. We are just wondering if the 2BR will be too cramped for basically 9 people and if we would just be better off getting a Treehouse villa? It is about 90 more points for the week.
Thanks for the replies!

As noted, you have 10. Assuming the toddler is under 3 at the time of the trip, only units that are allowed 9 will be workable technically plus, as noted, there are issues of how to work sleeping arrangements. I'd suggest you look at the unit layouts and see how the group will work from a sleeping standpoint. I'd guessing that one unit won't work unless one couple is willing to take the pullout in the LR even with a dedicated unit that sleeps 9. Of those you list, a dedicated Kidani villa is likely the best option or possibly the THV if available though it'll be more points. For the difference in points for a THV you could get a 2 BR plus a studio for close to the same amount. It may also be that once you resign yourself to a 2 BR plus a studio that other options come on the table like BWV standard view which might be available at that time.

 

[k3chantal]

My family is planning a week long stay for 6 adults, 3 kids (5-10), and 1 toddler for May of 2014. We are looking at AKL Kidani 2BR, AKL Jambo 2BR, or a Treehouse villa. We are just wondering if the 2BR will be too cramped for basically 9 people and if we would just be better off getting a Treehouse villa? It is about 90 more points for the week.
Thanks for the replies!

I think it might be a little tight. We stayed at Kidani Village last May with 9. Four adults and 5 kids. (Two of those kids were toddlers). We got the master and our toddler was in a pack and play next to the shared wall between the Master bedroom and bathroom, then our two boys and our friend's daughter shared the living room (the boys had the couch and she had the chair bed) then our friends and the other toddler shared the second bedroom.

It worked out well but in your case you have six adults. So that either means that you have 2,2,and 2 in each designated space with children in the second queen bed, a pack and play and the chair bed or four adults in the second bedroom and disperse the kids out in the living room/ pack and plays. Either way, many adults won't have much privacy. So you will need to figure out if that will bother them.

 

[bulldogbaker]

Again thanks for all the responses.
It is me, my wife, brother and his wife, and my parents.
If we were to do a 2BR at Kidani I had it set up in my mind that my wife and I would get the master since it is our points we are using. Brother and his wife in the living room with their toddler. Then my parents and the 3 kids in the extra BR, the kids would sleep on one queen bed and my parents would sleep on the other. They don't mind sharing a room with the 3 older grandkids all week.
Good to hear all the responses about the THV not having any more space, really helps out the decision a lot.

 

[dzorn]

Again thanks for all the responses.
It is me, my wife, brother and his wife, and my parents.
If we were to do a 2BR at Kidani I had it set up in my mind that my wife and I would get the master since it is our points we are using. Brother and his wife in the living room with their toddler. Then my parents and the 3 kids in the extra BR, the kids would sleep on one queen bed and my parents would sleep on the other. They don't mind sharing a room with the 3 older grandkids all week.
Good to hear all the responses about the THV not having any more space, really helps out the decision a lot.

Yes take the master.

Denise in MI

 

[Sammie]

I have to agree with Dean, that would be way too crowded for my comfort level, I would get a two bedroom and a studio.

 

[drusba]

Just some additonal items in making the decision between THV and Kidani 2BR (preferably dedicated for your group so you get two queens in second bedroom). The Kidani 2BR is actually close to 100 sq ft larger than the THV (about 1173 sq ft v. 1075). Having the three bathrooms at Kidani will likely be critical for yoiur group. Don't know your transportation issues but if you will not have a car, the bus system at AKL is good and direct to parks. With THV you heve to take internal bus or walk (possibly a long distance depending on which THV you get) to area where main buses at SSR run. If you are going to have a car or possibly two, Kidani has ideal under building parking. THV parking is fine for 1 car but if you have two you have to put second one in an SSR parking lot outside the THV area and take the bus to it.

 

[MousekeTom]

I have to agree with Sammie .

In December I'm taking an AKV Kidani studio with the standard view and giving my family the AKV Kidani 2 bedroom with the savana view. That way I can enjoy their views, eat their food and walk away when it is necessary. Seriously, how long can you live peacefully with eight different people, some of them in-laws .

 

[bulldogbaker]

I would like to do the 2BR and a studio, but we just don't have the points.
We will have our own vehicles too, so bus transportation isn't an issue.

 

[fivetexans]

You're getting lots of input!

I had a similar situation in 2009 - my family (2 adults, 3 kids), and my extended family (mother, sister + her 2 grown children of whom one was married). So, 7 adults and 3 kids.

I looked at 3 options:

A) 3 Studios - split all 3 families up and give everyone their space. Very close to the number of points as a 2BR.

B) 1 2BR + 1 1BR - more points for sure, but everyone gets the overall experience of having the master bath, full kitchen, etc. Plenty of bathrooms.

C) 1 2BR + 1 Studio - midrange in points and we could use the 2BR as our headquarters since it had the big living room and kitchen.

We ended up going with option B. It was the most points, but we downgraded from the Savannah View to a Standard View to save on points. We banked and borrowed to make it happen. We used the lobby and balconies near the lobby for our animal viewing. Having stayed in the villas before, I really wanted everyone to experience a villa instead of a studio... at least once.

In the end, it worked out best because we were not on top of each other and getting tired and cranky. This was my main reason - I didn't want to kill the trip by having everyone arguing and tense.

Option A with the three separate rooms would have been nice because it would have divided my family up nicely. If you're going to be on the dining plan, this may not be bad because you won't need the kitchen that much since you'll be eating out quite a bit.

Option C would have been nice because we would use the fridge and kitchen a lot if we weren't on the dining plan.

Anyway, best wishes and happy planning!

 

[cvjw]

We had 7 (3 adults, and 4 boys aged 15, 11, 11, 8), in a Kidani dedicated 2 bedroom for a week, and it was way too many people for the space. It was my family of 4, and my DH's sister and her two boys. We gave the 3 extended family the second bedroom, my boys slept in the den area, while DH and I had the master. The problem came about when everyone wanted to be in the kitchen/den area - there just wasn't enough space for everyone to relax. Since my boys were sleeping in the den area, they felt they never had a place to get away - someone was always sitting on their beds - in their space. We vowed then and there to get a bigger unit when taking more than 2 additional family members. We are taking the same family again next June, and booked a grand villa at OKW to give everyone more breathing room.

 

[mouseclick1]

I would like to do the 2BR and a studio, but we just don't have the points.
We will have our own vehicles too, so bus transportation isn't an issue.

Would you be able to swing it if you banked and/or borrowed? I think it might be worth it for this trip. In addition to the fact that they will have no privacy, your brother and family are also going to need a place to keep their luggage and stuff. I just think it is going to feel awfully crowded in that room as the week goes on. We have gone to WDW with anywhere from 2 - 10 people and have stayed in every size accomodation. I really think you will all enjoy yourselves so much more if you could give yourselves just a little bit more room to spread out. Maybe even go as far as booking your 2BR on points and renting points or paying cash to cover an extra studio? Just a suggestion of course; do whatever you are most comfortable doing and what works best for your family. Our best trips so far have been when we traveled with larger parties. I'm sure you will have a wonderful time!

 

[Dean]

I would like to do the 2BR and a studio, but we just don't have the points.
We will have our own vehicles too, so bus transportation isn't an issue.

Presuming you could swing the 329 for a THV, AKV for a 2 BR plus a studio is only 21 points more standard view. You could rent these points from DVC or privately if you needed to. Since you'll have a car, you could also consider a very nice non DVC timeshare, which I'd do prior to putting 10 in a 2 BR or an adult couple on the pullout in the LR.

 

[dianeschlicht]

My family is planning a week long stay for 6 adults, 3 kids (5-10), and 1 toddler for May of 2014. We are looking at AKL Kidani 2BR, AKL Jambo 2BR, or a Treehouse villa. We are just wondering if the 2BR will be too cramped for basically 9 people and if we would just be better off getting a Treehouse villa? It is about 90 more points for the week.
Thanks for the replies!

I'm going to agree with most others here that you need to at the very least do a 2 bedroom at Kidani for the extra bathroom. I might do the sleeping arrangements a little differently than you are planning though. I'd probably put the kids in the living room and meet the family on the balcony while the kids are sleeping. Two kids get the pull out sofa, and one gets the pull out chair while the toddler gets the pack and play.

Just know that you are planning VERY close quarters for such a large group. Ten people is a lot for any 2 bedroom in the system. In fact, we are planning a Christmas holiday trip for next year with our immediate family that will be a total of 4 adults. We plan on doing a 3 bedroom Grand villa at AKV if we can get it. We'll reserve an OKW GV first and then try to switch at the 7 month window. I have done the GVs with 12 people before and even did it with 13 once when we had a small child along. Do I advise it? Maybe if the group gets along well, but you KNOW there are going to be issues when everyone is jammed in so much. That's why we are doing the GV for 4 people. Everybody gets there own room, so no arguments.

 

[taaren]

I'll be the dissenting voice here and say, go for AKV-Kidani and enjoy. Our usual party is 6 adults, 3 children (two couples, plus two single guys, and ages 5-7), and we're just fine in VGC for a week since we spend a lot of time in the parks anyways. We're past the toddler stage, but our usual configuration is couple #2 plus 2 kids in the 2nd bedroom, DS with either the other kids or us depending on where he falls down after a long day, and the single guys in the living room on the pullout and murphy, which they're happy with. With the three bathrooms and 1200 square feet we all get along great, but most of us have been roommates at some point with this gang. If you don't want to spend more points, just book the 2 bedroom for 9, that's what its designed for.

We're actually feeling like it might be a bit empty if we end up with only 7 on our upcoming Florida trip ...

 

[MollyMcDaniel]

Have you considered renting or transferring points from another DVC member? We wanted to take a friend and her kids with us for spring break but were too point poor to book a 2 bedroom. I found a member on the rent/ trade board and it took about 30 min from start to finish. I booked a 2 bedroom at Kidani.....we will have 3 girls and the extra bathroom was a necessity!