AKL and possible waitlist...

[luvthatdisney]

Hi,

We bought direct at SSR last September. Our first DVC stay is going to be in May. We have always wanted to stay at AKL so I was able to get our 4 nights there in a standard studio in Kidani. We have stayed at numerous other resorts over the years, but this one always seemed interesting. We are also going in October and probably will stay at SSR in a 2 bedroom.

That being said since we are only going for a long weekend (arriving late on our first day - only 3 park days) I am worried about transportation taking up a lot of the small amount of time we will have. I have learned the weekend we are going is the same as a large cheerleading event which is why there is nothing available at any other DVC resort for our days. May 8 - May 12 is the days we are able to go.

I have looked at waitlisting another resort and I am a bit confused. The waitlist page states:

Replace an Existing Booking
If your Waitlist request is confirmed and you would like it to replace an existing booking, select the booking below to be replaced. Any Disney dining plans associated with the replaced booking will be cancelled and refunded.

If I put in a waitlist (which I know I may not get and will stay at AKL) does it cancel all of my dining? Not sure I am understanding how that works... I do not want to lose my dining reservations.

Can someone explain this to me and if you have experienced the transportation issues from Kidani on possible heavy weekends. It may be okay and I am worrying for nothing, but since it will be our first DVC stay I was not sure what would be best.

Thanks!!

 

[Debbie Jean]

Your waitlist... your original reservation for that matter... has absolutely nothing to do with dining. Completely different. Any dining you have reserved will remain in place.

I stay often at AKV and the transportation I find no better or worse than other resorts that have buses. Normally every 20 minutes. While you may see the groups in the parks, in terms of any DVC they are a non-issue.

 

[luvthatdisney]

Your waitlist... your original reservation for that matter... has absolutely nothing to do with dining. Completely different. Any dining you have reserved will remain in place.

I stay often at AKV and the transportation I find no better or worse than other resorts that have buses. Normally every 20 minutes. While you may see the groups in the parks, in terms of any DVC they are a non-issue.

Thank you! The section in blue I noted above threw me and still does not make sense. That was copied from the waitlist page in DVC website. I am still hesitant to waitlist due to that. Would I just pick the option to not replace the original booking?

I have experienced the cheer groups in another location (Myrtle Beach) and will never go back there during that time. I even work in a high school and was really surprised how some of them were acting and that there was no control. It does worry me a bit that we will be there during a cheer event; however, we are not able to change the dates this time.

 

[Debbie Jean]

Thank you! The section in blue I noted above threw me and still does not make sense. That was copied from the waitlist page in DVC website. I am still hesitant to waitlist due to that. Would I just pick the option to not replace the original booking?

I have experienced the cheer groups in another location (Myrtle Beach) and will never go back there during that time. I even work in a high school and was really surprised how some of them were acting and that there was no control. It does worry me a bit that we will be there during a cheer event; however, we are not able to change the dates this time.

I believe it means that if you purchased a dining plan it would be cancelled. This is not the same as a dining reservation.

Unless you want to end up with two reservations, I would select replace. Depending on what use year you are in and what points you are using, you could have issues with banking, holding, etc. When I waitlist, I always choose replace unless I am adding on to an existing reservation.

I also hate the groups! They really have no impact on DVC, though... but the parks are another issue. I will also be there May 8-12 at SSR, so I feel your pain LOL In fact, I booked POP for the evening of the 7th since I will be getting in very late and didn't want to burn the points for that night. With the cheerleaders at POP, I know I will be glad to move over to SSR the next day!

 

[luvthatdisney]

I believe it means that if you purchased a dining plan it would be cancelled. This is not the came as a dining reservation.

Unless you want to end up with two reservations, I would select replace. Depending on what use year you are in and what points you are using, you could have issues with banking, holding, etc. When I waitlist, I always choose replace unless I am adding on to an existing reservation.

I also hate the groups! They really have no impact on DVC, though... but the parks are another issue. I will also be there May 8-12 at SSR, so I feel your pain LOL In fact, I booked POP for the evening of the 7th since I will be getting in very late and didn't want to burn the points for that night. With the cheerleaders at POP, I know I will be glad to move over to SSR the next day!

Thanks again!!! I think I am going to try the waitlist just to see if we can get something else. If it does not come through it will not be the end of the world. LOL I had thought about getting something cheaper for the first night, but DH is not one to move resorts. I tried that a few years back and dealing with him was worse the move itself!!

 

[JoeD07]

I can confirm, from experience, that when a waitlist comes through and cancels your original plan, it also cancels your dining plan connected to the reservation, but not the reservations planned for those days.

Had a Poly waitlist come through and cancel our SSR reservation for a split stay in Feb. Was credited the DDP $$ within a few days and rebooked the dining plan for the Poly stay.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Hi,

We bought direct at SSR last September. Our first DVC stay is going to be in May. We have always wanted to stay at AKL so I was able to get our 4 nights there in a standard studio in Kidani. We have stayed at numerous other resorts over the years, but this one always seemed interesting. We are also going in October and probably will stay at SSR in a 2 bedroom.

That being said since we are only going for a long weekend (arriving late on our first day - only 3 park days) I am worried about transportation taking up a lot of the small amount of time we will have. I have learned the weekend we are going is the same as a large cheerleading event which is why there is nothing available at any other DVC resort for our days. May 8 - May 12 is the days we are able to go.

I have looked at waitlisting another resort and I am a bit confused. The waitlist page states:

Replace an Existing Booking
If your Waitlist request is confirmed and you would like it to replace an existing booking, select the booking below to be replaced. Any Disney dining plans associated with the replaced booking will be cancelled and refunded.

If I put in a waitlist (which I know I may not get and will stay at AKL) does it cancel all of my dining? Not sure I am understanding how that works... I do not want to lose my dining reservations.

Can someone explain this to me and if you have experienced the transportation issues from Kidani on possible heavy weekends. It may be okay and I am worrying for nothing, but since it will be our first DVC stay I was not sure what would be best.

Thanks!!

Most days DVC is booked up (it's mean to be) so transportation will not be any different that weekend than any other. We frequently go in April/May. One can always run into issues where the buses have been delayed but that's luck of the draw. AKL is nice in that it has it's own buses and only stops at the 2 buildings. Really it's good service - just a few minutes longer drive to MK in particular. And of course the shortest ride to AK of any resort.
As mentioned, it states that the "dining plans associated with the replaced booking will be cancelled and refunded". It is not dining reservations. If you were getting the dining plan then and your waitlist filled you'd just have to add it again.

 

[Lesley Wake]

Hi,

We bought direct at SSR last September. Our first DVC stay is going to be in May. We have always wanted to stay at AKL so I was able to get our 4 nights there in a standard studio in Kidani. We have stayed at numerous other resorts over the years, but this one always seemed interesting. We are also going in October and probably will stay at SSR in a 2 bedroom.

That being said since we are only going for a long weekend (arriving late on our first day - only 3 park days) I am worried about transportation taking up a lot of the small amount of time we will have. I have learned the weekend we are going is the same as a large cheerleading event which is why there is nothing available at any other DVC resort for our days. May 8 - May 12 is the days we are able to go.

I have looked at waitlisting another resort and I am a bit confused. The waitlist page states:

Replace an Existing Booking
If your Waitlist request is confirmed and you would like it to replace an existing booking, select the booking below to be replaced. Any Disney dining plans associated with the replaced booking will be cancelled and refunded.

If I put in a waitlist (which I know I may not get and will stay at AKL) does it cancel all of my dining? Not sure I am understanding how that works... I do not want to lose my dining reservations.

Can someone explain this to me and if you have experienced the transportation issues from Kidani on possible heavy weekends. It may be okay and I am worrying for nothing, but since it will be our first DVC stay I was not sure what would be best.

Thanks!!

If you are worried about transportation (which I wouldn't be as worried about), you can also take Uber/Lyft/Minnie Vans. Uber or Lyft are going to be cheaper and around $15 is the max within the Disneyworld property. I even took an Uber to MCO from the Boardwalk and it was only $25. If you have kids and want car seats, Minnie Van is the way to go. Pricier, but great service and worth it if you want to get in more park time.

But like others said, I've never been horribly disappointed by the transportation from AKL. It's nothing better or worse than any other resort.

 

[luvthatdisney]

Thanks everyone!! I was totally misreading the waitlist page to say reservations would be cancelled. I was not even thinking about the Dining Plan itself LOL

I also did not think about using Uber/Lyft. DH might not be too happy about the added expense, but it does not sound that bad to me. We have used it many other places. No young children involved and it will just be 3 of us so that would be a nice option if wait time seem to be long.