AKL Villas Too Disconnected to Main Lodge?

[Mommy2JulietJocelyn]

As a new member of DVC - I can not wait to book our first trip "home" it doesn't bother me to "take a hike" to our room, cook in the kitchen since we will always have at least a one bedroom if the kids are with us, because to me one of the best benefits of the villas - the washer & dryer! I'm sorry but I can not stand using the common area ones - last trip one of the girls dresses came out of the dryer with gum on it We don't chew gum at Disney or at home - my girls are too young and I just never had the habit. Plus knowing that the 5 of us will all fit in a 1 br is wonderful! I think the girls will go nuts when they see the tub too!

 

[DebbieB]

The "fee" for the Sunrise Safari is "split" (I don't know the actual %) between the increase in the room rate for Concierge hotel rooms/increased dues generated by a greater number of points to book the AKV Concierge villas AND the fee the guest pays per person.

Right now, assumedly, you have balance.

Any additional days, because you add additional rooms at Kidani, would increase the burden toward DVC. Actually, at this point, ALL of Concierge is supported by our dues...DVC runs the service...and then we get a "charge back" from the hotels division. So any increase in services would likely NOT be matched by an increase in the hotel charge back. Why should it when the current offerings meet their needs?

So that leaves AKV owners dues to offset the difference.

Pretty much ANY DVC specific resort or services addition or improvement increases our dues. Maybe marginally, but it does.

I took the safari in June. It was $55 per person. That should cover the costs. I don't see why DVC would be charged back anything for it. If it's not covering the costs, then the people who take it should be charged for it.

 

[P&B's Mom]

I would love to see a character breakfast at either Jambo or Kidani.

 

[pilferk]

I took the safari in June. It was $55 per person. That should cover the costs. I don't see why DVC would be charged back anything for it. If it's not covering the costs, then the people who take it should be charged for it.

It doesn't. Not completely. That's why it's only offered for concierge guests and not everyone: Capacity and costs. I'm not sure WHAT the differing % are, exactly and I suspect that the fee does represent a larger % of the costs...but not all of them.

DVC runs the AKL concierge service, lock stock and barrel, now. It is supported through AKV membership dues. Any increased costs to the service are borne by DVC, and AKV members specifically, and is then translated into a charge back from AKL, the hotel, if appropriate. I find it hard to believe that, since AKL wouldn't be increasing THEIR concierge capacity, they would agree to an increased charge back to cover increased offerings for the safari. Not when the current offerings are adequate to meet their needs.

We can debate how we'd "like" it to be, but it's not the way it IS, right now. Notice, I didn't say it was in insurmountable hurdle...it's certainly not and your suggestion of simply increasing the fee to cover ALL costs would work, so long as AKL, the hotel, doesn't mind the fee going up for THEIR guests as well. I'm not sure how that would go over, exactly. I simply pointed out it IS A hurdle, along with having to build, staff, and supply an additional lounge with duplicate offerings, and hiring a duplicate concierge staff to cover Kidani. None of those things are insurmountable, they're just costly. In this case, it sure looks like Disney weighed the options and decided it was more costly than they were comfortable with.

 

[jblrn2b]

Isn't it nice we have one more choice? I am looking forward to enjoying it in June?

 

[chaoscent]

I had heard Disney's contemplating fencing off a special lion area right out in front of Kidani so that the few lazy folk who want to get to the other building by cutting across the savanna (those who believe the rules are for everyone but themselves) would be put to good use and no longer be an issue in the parks themselves.

Wow you just hit your 3,000th post
I heard there would be lions, & Tigers & Bears, oh my,
Penny

 

[dianeschlicht]

There won't be any underground parking due to the water table in Florida. However, I did hear there will be parking on the ground under the buildings. I still don't like what the parking situation looks like. I think most people will end up having to park out by the main lobby.

The parking is on the ground floor UNDER the building. It was always designed that way and was done so to get away from all those "parking lot views". FYI, the "long walk" really isn't so bad in the long scheme of things. THe hallways are just as long as that walk to Jambo will be. Frankly, I don't see any real reason to go between the two unless you are planning to dine at Jiko or Boma, and then you can drive if you're too lazy to walk, or even take a bus to one of the parks and come back. SHEESH. We do so much walking at WDW, that distance from Kidani to Jambo isn't going to seem like much. Of course, if you happen to be in a room on the opposite end of Kidani, it might take you longer to walk the hallway than it does to walk from the Kidani entrance to Jambo!

 

[spiceycat]

Does anyone know if they will find a way to make this walk somewhat pleasant?

go out the exit door closest to Jambo.

 

[Mississippian]

go out the exit door closest to Jambo.

I was thinking the same thing. The rooms on the north end of Kidani are going to be very popular (and the southernmost rooms are likely to be very unpopular). And I think there is going to be a good deal of foot traffic on the halls.

Never again are we going to have to hear about the "long hallways" at BWV.

 

[MiaSRN62]

Never again are we going to have to hear about the "long hallways" at BWV.

Ladies and gentlemen.....START your pedometers !

 

[pilferk]

I was thinking the same thing. The rooms on the north end of Kidani are going to be very popular (and the southernmost rooms are likely to be very unpopular). And I think there is going to be a good deal of foot traffic on the halls.

Never again are we going to have to hear about the "long hallways" at BWV.

The northernmost rooms have 2 advantages: Views of the DVC "exclusive" savanna and close proximity to the pool.

I'm not sure that will outweigh the "commute" difference to Jambo for most or not. It will for me, but we have our own car AND don't mind walking...so we're covered no matter what the weather is like.

 

[twinklebug]

Wow you just hit your 3,000th post
I heard there would be lions, & Tigers & Bears, oh my,
Penny

May I help you find your way?

 

[Stinkerbell317]

Will Kidani have it's own bus stops? Because that will be a long arduous walk at 7am or 1am.

I was really disappointed in the guest service desk at Jambo. Wait times there were ridiculously long. Maybe it was bc it was a very crowded time at the parks (10/9-17), but I still sort of felt like they should have had more people working, or at least had a designated DVC person. Every time I had a fairly quick question, I had to wait at least 15-20 minutes. I have not had this problem before at other resorts - both regular and DVC.

 

[Beavertails Queen]

What I have heard is that there will be seperate buses at Kidani. I believe this is the case but an not 100% sure.

 

[twinklebug]

I had heard Kidani will have two stops, they and the Jambo house stop will all be serviced by the same buses. Could make for a few crowded rides. But in that they are still dedicated to the AK resort I have no complaints... We've been spoiled up to now.

 

[spiceycat]

only heard of one stop - at the main entrance - lobby area.

 

[SuzanneSLO]

It doesn't. Not completely. That's why it's only offered for concierge guests and not everyone: Capacity and costs. I'm not sure WHAT the differing % are, exactly and I suspect that the fee does represent a larger % of the costs...but not all of them....

I personally think that the fact that all AKV dues help to support the services only available to CL guests is one of the reasons that more CL rooms have not been added. With only up to 10 Cl rooms, the cost is probably less than a penny per point, but if there were more CL rooms, who knows?? -- Suzanne