AKV - booking & resort opening ?

[HayGan]

We are new owners at AKV. With the incentive we have 160pts to use at SSR this year. We also have 160 AKV points but can't use them until Kidani opens. We are planning on taking a two week vacation next year starting May 31. The first 6 nights we want to stay at AKV.

Here is my question. I believe that my booking window opens on June 30th. Even though Kidani is not open yet I still should be able to book our trip next year - right?

 

[LisaS]

You can book using home resort points starting 11 months from your check out date. If you are checking in on May 31, 2009 and staying for six nights, your check out date is June 6, 2009 so you can book the entire stay in one call on July 6, 2008. If you are concerned about availability, you can book day by day instead. You would make your first call on July 1st (11 months prior to the "check out date" of your first night) to book the night of May 31st. You would make another call each day to modify your reservation and extend the check out date by one more day. I have no idea if you need to book day by day for your stay but just want you to be aware of all of your options.

Unless they start taking reservations for Kidani between now and July 1st, you would be booking a room in Jambo House.

 

[HayGan]

You can book using home resort points starting 11 months from your check out date. If you are checking in on May 31, 2009 and staying for six nights, your check out date is June 6, 2009 so you can book the entire stay in one call on July 6, 2008. If you are concerned about availability, you can book day by day instead. You would make your first call on July 1st (11 months prior to the "check out date" of your first night) to book the night of May 31st. You would make another call each day to modify your reservation and extend the check out date by one more day. I have no idea if you need to book day by day for your stay but just want you to be aware of all of your options.

Unless they start taking reservations for Kidani between now and July 1st, you would be booking a room in Jambo House.

Thanks so much! I would assume that at some point they have to start taking reservations for Kidani if they expect opening in April/May. I guess I am just worried that since my points are Kidani points that I would be restricted from booking until opening. I guess I can just request Kidani?

 

[LisaS]

Kidani will be a separate booking category so if they aren't taking reservations there when you call, you could book Jambo House and then call back to switch the reservation to Kidani when they start taking reservations. I am assuming that AKV owners will be given some kind of owner's booking window when they first start taking reservations for Kidani just like we had when they first started taking reservations for Jambo House.

 

[disneynutz]

The OP said that they are restricted from using their AKV points until Kidani officially opens. Other than their 160 points for SSR, they are in limbo until the opening. Their dues are also not due until the opening. That's the way I understand it.

 

[LisaS]

The OP said that they are restricted from using their AKV points until Kidani officially opens. Other than their 160 points for SSR, they are in limbo until the opening. Their dues are also not due until the opening. That's the way I understand it.

The OP should be able to use the points as of the occupancy date of their AKV unit which is May 1, 2009. If Kidani opens earlier than that the OP still cannot use the points until May 1st. If there are construction delays and Kidani opens later than May 1st, I'm not sure what happens.

Dues are pro-rated from the later of: the purchase date, the start of the initial Use Year and the occupancy date. I believe the OP's initial UY is June 2008, the purchase date was earlier than that so the occupancy date (May 1, 2009) will be the day that dues begin.

 

[HayGan]

I understand that I can't actually USE the points until Kidani opens (our guide Byron said there may be something that can be worked out if the opening is delayed by a few days.) I just want to make sure that I can actually make my reservations at my 11 month window for next June.

I'm not worried abou the dues too much as that has already been put in the budget

 

[LisaS]

I understand that I can't actually USE the points until Kidani opens (our guide Byron said there may be something that can be worked out if the opening is delayed by a few days.)

I prefer to avoid using the phrase "when Kidani opens" when talking about when new owners can book there. You can use your points for stays that begin on or after the occupancy date of your unit (May 1st?) which may or may not be the date when Kidani opens. If Kidani opens earlier than May 1st, you still cannot use your points until May 1st.

There were a lot of upset owners back when MS first started taking reservations for Jambo House. The first people who purchased AKV contracts got units with occupancy dates of Sep 1st. A few weeks/months later, DVC started selling units with occupancy dates of July 1st and that is when the first rooms were available for booking. When MS started taking reservations, those with occupancy dates of Sep 1st could not book for dates earlier than that. It upset a lot of people who were among the first to hand over their money for an AKV contract but could not be among the first to stay there! What's worse is that some MS CMs were confused and actually booked August stays with points from Units with a Sep 1st occupancy date and then days/weeks later called those members to tell them their reservation was being cancelled because they couldn't use their points in August.

I just want to make sure that I can actually make my reservations at my 11 month window for next June.

I'm not worried about the dues too much as that has already been put in the budget

Those are AKV points so you should be able to use them to book at AKV at the 11-month window for stays starting on/after your occupancy date.

 

[HayGan]

Thanks so much for all your help I can't wait to make those reservations for my first trip home!!!