AKL Villa 1night to attach to front end of an II exchange- what to choose?

[heathpack]

Hello, we are DVC members at VGC but also own Marriott and Hyatt timeshares. We had the good fortune of booking an II exchange into a 1BR at Kidani, checking in April 28, checking out May 5. This is a Friday to Friday stay, and we’d actually like to arrive on Thursday, so are going to book the Thursday night prior to our II exchange with our DVC points.

We used to be DW regulars but moved to California 17 years ago and have only been back once- to a savanna view studio in Jambo.

We love AKL and are planning on booking there, but would consider other suggestions (maybe Bay Lake tower, knock out Magic Kingdom on our Kidani check in day perhaps).

But since we love AKL, settling in there ASAP is my first thought. We’d plan on spending a lot of time at the resort. Jambo was not an option for the II exchange but would have been our first choice. I don’t know how much of a long shot it is, but was hoping maybe if I book a 1BR savanna view with DVC points we could ask for them to just leave us in that villa for the II stay. We are not fans of Disney bus service so proximity to the bus stop is not a huge priority, but proximity to the parking lot is (we’ll have a rental car).

My questions:
1. Since we like Jambo, would it make sense to book a 1BR savanna view and request Sunset savanna near Zazu elevator (note, edited to clarify: the Zazu elevator is in Kidani, so what I am talking about here is booking a KIDANI unit but requesting a location that per resort maps is closer to Jambo)? I know that’s the closest elevator to Jambo. We’d probably eat at Boma and Jiko, don’t care about Mara, would possibly want to use Jambo pool. Is Jambo close enough to the Zazu side of Kidani for this to be practical?
2. I have no idea if they’ll put an II exchanger into a savanna view villa. If this is unlikely, should we consider a concierge studio at Jambo? As I understand there is some kind of safari experience for AKL concierge guests. Is that correct, and is it worth doing?
3. For MK, I remember it being a PIA to drive there, the parking is at TTC rather than at the park. So the other though is to book at a resort with easy transportation to MK. We love Wilderness Lodge and the Polynesian, like the Grand Floridian, and are ok with Bay Lake. If we were staying a week, WL would be our choice. But for a commando stay like I’m considering, would Bay Lake be the obvious choice?

thanks

 

[peabody58]

Time is extremely valuable when at WDW. A 1 night split stay can eat up a lot of time out of your vacation. For that reason alone, I'd recommend choosing AKL-Kidani. However, for quick MK park access, you can't go wrong with BLT. The time saved for MK from BLT would be well worth it. And no TTC parking needed, just a quick 10 min walk or a monorail ride.

If you could get a 1 BR 1 night at Kidani, then by all means call MS to see if they could link it with your II booking. I've only linked DVC to DVC reservations, so I'm not sure how a DVC to II link would work, if at all.

4/27 will be more points than 5/6, but if your set on 4/27 and have the points, good for you.

I wouldn't count on a Savanna view with your II exchange. Concierge villa book up right at 11 months and are hard to impossible to get at 7 months. However, Wait List has been known to find the unicorn so there's that option. Kidani does have underground parking so you should be able to park close to an elevator. There is a shuttle between Kidani and Jambo, or you can use the short walking path between the two lodges.

Whatever you decide on, just remember to slow down and enjoy yourselves. We have a 5 night stay at AKL-K Savanna Studio booked for Jan - so excited to have morning coffee with the animals.

 

[heathpack]

Time is extremely valuable when at WDW. A 1 night split stay can eat up a lot of time out of your vacation. For that reason alone, I'd recommend choosing AKL-Kidani. However, for quick MK park access, you can't go wrong with BLT. The time saved for MK from BLT would be well worth it. And no TTC parking needed, just a quick 10 min walk or a monorail ride.

If you could get a 1 BR 1 night at Kidani, then by all means call MS to see if they could link it with your II booking. I've only linked DVC to DVC reservations, so I'm not sure how a DVC to II link would work, if at all.

4/27 will be more points than 5/6, but if your set on 4/27 and have the points, good for you.

I wouldn't count on a Savanna view with your II exchange. Concierge villa book up right at 11 months and are hard to impossible to get at 7 months. However, Wait List has been known to find the unicorn so there's that option. Kidani does have underground parking so you should be able to park close to an elevator. There is a shuttle between Kidani and Jambo, or you can use the short walking path between the two lodges.

Whatever you decide on, just remember to slow down and enjoy yourselves. We have a 5 night stay at AKL-K Savanna Studio booked for Jan - so excited to have morning coffee with the animals.

Thank you. As far as slowing down goes, the emphasis with this trip would actually be enjoying the resort. When we stayed there previously, we loved talking to the cast members there from Africa, hanging by the fire pit, relaxing by the pool, eating in the restaurant. If we pay for tickets, we might just do 4 park days and 4 resort days. My cousin is a longtime cast member though and if she can get us free admissions (I don’t know what’s possible, I haven’t talked to her yet), we might go more days but just hit the parks in the mornings and spend afternoons at the resort.

I do have the points to add the night either prior to or after the stay. However I was hoping that booking the night prior in a savanna view might give a slight nudge to getting a savanna view for the DVC exchange. You counsel me to “not count on it” which I of course would not. The nudge is about the resort maybe looking more kindly on our prospects because we‘re obviously DVC members and also because a request not to need to switch rooms might be looked at more favorably than an exchanger requesting a savanna view.

As far as the walk from Zazu elevator to Jambo lobby/pool/restaurant area, is that a reasonable walk? Or does the Zazu request just make everything inconvenient- the Kidani pool, Jambo amenities, and any public viewing areas should we get a parking lot view?

 

[peabody58]

FYI - I just checked the availability and there are some great 1 night stand alone studios and 1 BR's for 4/27 right now at BLT and AKLs. My recommendation is to book something, anything now and as needed stalk/waitlist your optimal choose.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

There is 0 chance that if your exchange was to Kidani they won't make you change from a Jambo 1-night booking. To put you in Jambo they'd be asking the person who deliberately booked Jambo over those days to move to Kidani, and that person would likely be mad. Jambo books up before Kidani for reasons.

 

[heathpack]

There is 0 chance that if your exchange was to Kidani they won't make you change from a Jambo 1-night booking. To put you in Jambo they'd be asking the person who deliberately booked Jambo over those days to move to Kidani, and that person would likely be mad. Jambo books up before Kidani for reasons.

I don’t think that you understood what I am saying.

My intention is to book a 1BR savanna view at KIDANI.

I also asked whether alternative reservations might have some appeal- such as a Jambo concerige studio to be able to do the safari experience or BLT in order to be able to walk to MK. Just like I wouldn’t expect to stay in a BLT studio for the entire visit given that I have a 1BR Kidani exchange, I wouldn’t expect to remain in a Jambo concierge studio for the exchange which is booked into a 1BR Kidani villa.

 

[musicman0725]

I don’t think that you understood what I am saying.

My intention is to book a 1BR savanna view at KIDANI.

I also asked whether alternative reservations might have some appeal- such as a Jambo concerige studio to be able to do the safari experience or BLT in order to be able to walk to MK. Just like I wouldn’t expect to stay in a BLT studio for the entire visit given that I have a 1BR Kidani exchange, I wouldn’t expect to remain in a Jambo concierge studio for the exchange which is booked into a 1BR Kidani villa.

We are in a similar situation. We booked a 1-Bedroom at Riviera but then extended for the last night because of airfare. Since we couldn't find the exact room type at Riviera (there was another room type available), it would have meant checking out at 11am and checking back into a different room at 4pm. We figured that if we are being forced to check-out, we might as well stay in a different location, so we were able to book Bay Lake Tower for the last night and move from the Epcot area resorts to Magic Kingdom area. Honestly, not having the room available for a bit isn't a huge concern because we rent a car and can just put our bags in the car while we switch resorts (we were planning to book a marriott for the last night but saw a number of studios available w/ DVC so why not use points for the last night). If we have to switch rooms anyways, we figured makes sense to change resort areas and experience another resort. If you can grab the same room type, then you can call in and DVC will link (or notate) the reservations so you will have a continuous stay (we've done this many times and DVC member services has always been great with this). You can then stop by the front desk when you arrive and confirm with them that the stay will be continuous. However, since you don't know the room type you will be getting from II, I think you are in a similar situation to us where you can't guarantee that you will have the same room type making a continuous stay much more difficult to get. Good luck with whatever you decide to do. I think there are benefits to either decision.

 

[RoseGold]

They aren't going to put an II reservation into savanna view or to Jambo. Those categories have a premium, which is why Kidani, non-savanna is the one released. Maybe you'd get lucky for one night, but zero chance for a week. DVC runs at close to full occupancy. If they did have spare savanna view, they'd sell it cash.

It will be incredibly difficult to book concierge. Those rooms are stalked and walked and waitlisted. It's possible, I guess.

If you're already at AKL for a week, I'd do something completely different the first night, like Boardwalk. Or maybe BLT and plan a restaurant on the monorail. You have a car, it's not hard to split stay. Heck, if it's just the two of you and you're ok with a studio for the night, waitlist Poly. It has a ton of rooms and would cost less points. Poly is one of my favorites, with the view of the fireworks and the tiki torches at night and the Dole Whips by the pool.

 

[heathpack]

They aren't going to put an II reservation into savanna view or to Jambo. Those categories have a premium, which is why Kidani, non-savanna is the one released. Maybe you'd get lucky for one night, but zero chance for a week. DVC runs at close to full occupancy. If they did have spare savanna view, they'd sell it cash.

It will be incredibly difficult to book concierge. Those rooms are stalked and walked and waitlisted. It's possible, I guess.

If you're already at AKL for a week, I'd do something completely different the first night, like Boardwalk. Or maybe BLT and plan a restaurant on the monorail. You have a car, it's not hard to split stay. Heck, if it's just the two of you and you're ok with a studio for the night, waitlist Poly. It has a ton of rooms and would cost less points. Poly is one of my favorites, with the view of the fireworks and the tiki torches at night.

How is it that you know what view categories are released to II for exchange? From personal experience, or experience of someone you know, or is this just how it would seem logical to you that things would work? I know someone who got a 2BR exchange into Kidani, and I’ll let you know when I hear back what view they got. I’m not sure how familiar you are with exchanging timeshares through II, but it absolutely happens that more “expensive” views (as far as owners booking within their home system as opposed to through II) are assigned to exchangers. I booked an exchange into Marriott’s Ocean Club in Maui for a friend last May. She was given an oceanview villa even those these require a points premium when booked through Marriott Vacation Club. Of course it’s not guaranteed or perhaps not even common, but it for sure happens. Maybe it will never happen with DVC deposits, but I’m not sure thats really known yet, since there’s been few reported exchanges into AKL through II.

And to repeat again, I am not asking if I should book a Jambo villa in hopes of remaining in Jambo.

My intention is to book a 1BR savanna view in KIDANI. My question about KIDANI is about a room request on the 1 night DVC stay and whether requesting a villa near the Zazu elevator in KIDANI would be close enough to Jambo to make popping over to Jambo on foot convenient.

If I learn that an II exchange will not be placed into a savanna view villa, then my further question was whether booking one night in a Jambo concierge studio in order to experience the safari would be worthwhile. I understand I might need to waitlist that stay and it might not come through, but that is not actually the question. I also furthered asked if BLT might make sense for the first night.

 

[RoseGold]

How is it that you know what view categories are released to II for exchange? From personal experience, or experience of someone you know, or is this just how it would seem logical to you that things would work? I know someone who got a 2BR exchange into Kidani, and I’ll let you know when I hear back what view they got. I’m not sure how familiar you are with exchanging timeshares through II, but it absolutely happens that more “expensive” views (as far as owners booking within their home system as opposed to through II) are assigned to exchangers.

Then book that through the exchange, if you think Disney is releasing that. As you know, AKL at all is rare in II.

I don't know why you would expect Disney to upgrade to your room category that costs more money and is a separate booking category. DVC, at least at WDW, is not a Marriott timeshare, it runs at close to capacity. People have already booked the rooms in that category, and if Disney is going to upgrade someone, it's going to be their own guests first. Sure, an upgrade is theoretically possible. AKL could catch on fire and you could get upgraded to Grand Floridian, who knows.

 

[heathpack]

Then book that through the exchange, if you think Disney is releasing that. As you know, AKL at all is rare in II.

I don't know why you would expect Disney to upgrade to your room category that costs more money and is a separate booking category. DVC, at least at WDW, is not a Marriott timeshare, it runs at close to capacity. People have already booked the rooms in that category, and if Disney is going to upgrade someone, it's going to be their own guests first. Sure, an upgrade is theoretically possible. AKL could catch on fire and you could get upgraded to Grand Floridian, who knows.

Haha such a funny response- yes I suppose Disneyworld itself could turn to pixie dust and blow away in a tropical storm and they could fly me to Aulani on Aladdin’s magic carpet by means of compensation. But… I’m trying to ask reasonable questions here on the DIS.

Where do you get your information as to what view categories DVC deposits into II? It sounds like what you’re posting is based on your assumptions, as opposed to any actual knowledge of the deposits? It’s not an UPGRADE of room category unless DVC is only depositing non-savanna view villas.

And surely you’re aware that Marriott Maui Ocean Club is a popular resort that also books fully?

 

[_auroraborealis_]

DVC's release pattens to timeshare exchange are very well known and observed over years; TUG tracks it obsessively. AKV Kidani 1BR Standads are rare, but happen. Most of the units deposited are SSR 1BR. Any other resort or unit type are unicorns; when another resort pops up, it's a 1BR.

DVC deposit units that are least in demand with DVC points. doesn't matter what Maui Ocean Club does. DVC does what it does.

 

[heathpack]

DVC's release pattens to timeshare exchange are very well known and observed over years; TUG tracks it obsessively. AKV Kidani 1BR Standads are rare, but happen. Most of the units deposited are SSR 1BR. Any other resort or unit type are unicorns; when another resort pops up, it's a 1BR.

DVC deposit units that are least in demand with DVC points. doesn't matter what Maui Ocean Club does. DVC does what it does.

Yes I am a longtime TUG member. DVC just recently switched to II and there hasn’t been years of obsessive tracking of what units are deposited into II because there isn’t years of deposits in the current relationship with II. There have been no reports on TUG of villa views at Kidani since the recent switch from RCI to II- or at least that I’m aware of. I’m happy to read any TUG threads you’re aware of that addresses this specifically.

And since you’re familiar with TUG, I’m sure you’re also aware that DVC deposit patterns into II are varying a bit from what was deposited into RCI. The hive mind is still working to understand what is common, what never happens, and what happens occasionally.

Of course Maui Ocean Club is not DVC. I’m just trying to understand why @RoseGold is so sure that an II exchanger will never get a savanna view. Is that an assumption as to how timeshare exchanges work generally (in which case I’ve provided an example to disprove that assumption), or is it specific knowledge from reports he/she has read since the switch to II, does he/she work in the DVC department that makes the deposits into II, what?

 

[heathpack]

also- you all are aware that DVC just shocked TUG by releasing multiple high point value Easter week units into II? The points value of these Easter week units are comparable to a 1BR savanna view Kidani unit for the week I booked via II exchange.

 

[RoseGold]

Of course Maui Ocean Club is not DVC. I’m just trying to understand why @RoseGold is so sure that an II exchanger will never get a savanna view. Is that an assumption as to how timeshare exchanges work generally (in which case I’ve provided an example to disprove that assumption), or is it specific knowledge from reports he/she has read since the switch to II, does he/she work in the DVC department that makes the deposits into II, what?

It's not an assumption at all. It's how DVC books. You didn't book a random 1BR at Kidani, you booked a standard view 1BR at Kidani. This is a different room than a savanna view Kidani 1BR, which costs more. It's a different booking category, and a more expensive category.

If you think savanna is bookable in II, which would be news to me, then book that if you want that category. The room you booked does not have a savanna view.

There are some stories on these boards about upgrades, usually from maintenance issues. So who knows. Maybe the whole floor will flood and they'll send you to Beach Club. But DVC doesn't just give you some other room if you ask nicely. If Marriott does, then maybe that's a better pick.

 

[heathpack]

It's not an assumption at all. It's how DVC books. You didn't book a random 1BR at Kidani, you booked a standard view 1BR at Kidani. This is a different room than a savanna view Kidani 1BR, which costs more. It's a different booking category, and a more expensive category.

If you think savanna is bookable in II, which would be news to me, then book that if you want that category.

Ok I will post back here from actual experience after the trip. I’m not sure where you’re getting the idea that I booked into a standard view at Kidani- there’s nothing on my exchange confirmation that mentions a villa category in English (there’s a villa code though).

Lol i just heard back from my TUG friend who had the 2BR II exchange into Kidani last August. Guess what view she got? Yep- Savanna view. FYI she is also a DVC owner and knows what view she got.

The week is already booked through II, and was noted as such from my initial post in this thread.

Thanks for your input.

 

[RoseGold]

Lol i just heard back from my TUG friend who had the 2BR II exchange into Kidani last August. Guess what view she got? Yep- Savanna view. FYI she is also a DVC owner and knows what view she got.

There are quite a few "Standard" view rooms that are mediocre savanna views yes. And sure, maybe someone on the internet got the wrong room. There are maps of with the categories and the views, you can see all of the rooms.

I would not expect this upgrade at DVC, upgrades are exceptionally rare.

 

[marsh0013]

DVC will tell you the kind of room you booked once it shows up in their system. I guess I’m assuming as that’s how it was always done with RCI. But you shouldn’t have to wait until you show up to find out your room type. I’m also on TUG and haven’t followed as closely recently with the switch to II, but the pattern with RCI for AKV was mostly 1-bedrooms savannah at Kidani. I had one myself in Jan 2022 (edit - sorry typo, it was 22 not 21). A real one as confirmed by DVC when I called in to get my reservation info. I have pictures too if anyone is skeptical. And it wasn’t an upgrade. It was what DVC put into RCI and what my exchange was for. Who knows if this will continue with II. But call DVC to find out.

 

[marsh0013]

Also, if you do get confirmation that your exchange is a savannah view at Kidani and you book the same category/size for your extra night, you shouldn’t have a problem staying in the same room. Of course they’ll tell you it’s not guaranteed and only a request. But put that request in in advance. We’ve done it before at both BWV (which was actually a boardwalk view 1-bedroom that I’m sure no one will believe happened either, but it sure did!) and SSR. All the SSR exchanges we’ve had were standards.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Worth mentioning that point value aside, Easter is not a hard booking at WDW campus.

If they were depositing first two weeks December, that'd be more a surprise.