AKV-Jambo at 7 months (trying to make a purchase decision)

[ziravan]

This year it will probably be worst. With the self fulflling profecy about the need of walking value studios, any day when a studios is open at the beginning of the month will begin a starting point for anyone wanting to walk to MLK week end or even as far as presidents week. Picking up days after the walkers will pass could be a viable strategy but it will require a lot of effort.

Star Wars is going to keep all studios everywhere booked at 11 months for the entire first half of 2020. Mark my words. SSR and OKW will be booked up before 10 months.

 

[Lesley Wake]

Thanks again for all the advice! I ended up making an offer on a resale this morning and it was accepted! Now just gotta get the contract and wait out Disney! Maybe when Riviera comes out I'll do a direct add-on, but for now I'm ok!

 

[ziravan]

Thanks again for all the advice! I ended up making an offer on a resale this morning and it was accepted! Now just gotta get the contract and wait out Disney! Maybe when Riviera comes out I'll do a direct add-on, but for now I'm ok!

Good luck!! And congrats!

AKV I assume. How many points?

 

[Lesley Wake]

Good luck!! And congrats!

AKV I assume. How many points?

160 points, a fully loaded contract. For $106pp. And yes, AKV!

 

[E2ME2]

When it comes to getting a “golden ticket”, knowledge is power.

Just reading this thread and understanding it’s import probably places you in the 2 percent bracket on understanding how these rooms book out and playing that to your advantage to leverage actual success in booking one of the rooms.

So long as you understand that there are “playing the odds” involved and by necessity, if knowledge gives you a 70% probability of booking a room then there’s a 30% probability of failure, you’re good to go.

I bought AKV to take a shot. I won’t be disappointed about, “What do you mean I can’t book concierge studios at 11 months anytime I want?!?”

Exactly! Although I was thinking 60/40 so 70/30 sounds even more worth the gamble

 

[JasonMak2000]

Are the room configurations the same for Kidani as Jambo House? Is the difficulty in booking studios a reason why there are so many AKV contracts available on the resale market at such a low cost per point? I am interested in AKV but it makes me worried that with the per point cost being so much lower than a lot of the other resorts, that there is some issue with this resort that a lot of people are aware of that I am not.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Are the room configurations the same for Kidani as Jambo House? Is the difficulty in booking studios a reason why there are so many AKV contracts available on the resale market at such a low cost per point? I am interested in AKV but it makes me worried that with the per point cost being so much lower than a lot of the other resorts, that there is some issue with this resort that a lot of people are aware of that I am not.

Studios are not difficult to boo. Value and Club studios are hard to book. Jambo studios, all views, are often gone by 7 months as it is the smaller side of AKV.

If you own at AKV and have points for Savannah view it is almost unheard of to be shut out in home resort booking.

 

[DaveNan]

Are the room configurations the same for Kidani as Jambo House? Is the difficulty in booking studios a reason why there are so many AKV contracts available on the resale market at such a low cost per point? I am interested in AKV but it makes me worried that with the per point cost being so much lower than a lot of the other resorts, that there is some issue with this resort that a lot of people are aware of that I am not.

In general I think it comes down to location. OKW, SSR and AKV are the only DVC resorts with bus only transportation to all resorts. AKV maintains a higher resale value than the other 2 even though MF are higher, because it is a "more desirable" resort than the other 2 and has a later expiration. (Some people prefer the spread out garden building ("quieter") configuration of SSR and OKW, but most prefer inside entry and resort feel of AKV). The rental companies agree and view AKV as a premium resort and charge more for it compared to SSR and OKW.

There may be some direct and resale AKV owners that are disappointed/surprised by the value and concierge limited availability, and that results in more churn/lower resale value. Another factor is that AKV is quite large compared to some of the more expensive resale properties.

Overall, if you understand the availability is likely limited to standard and savanna view, and you are OK with bus or car travel, I would not be afraid of AKV ownership.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Are the room configurations the same for Kidani as Jambo House? Is the difficulty in booking studios a reason why there are so many AKV contracts available on the resale market at such a low cost per point? I am interested in AKV but it makes me worried that with the per point cost being so much lower than a lot of the other resorts, that there is some issue with this resort that a lot of people are aware of that I am not.

Not necessarily - the bigger a resort is the more contracts you'll generally find for sale. So if a similar % of owners who bought at each resort decide to sell the one with 3 times the points and owners over another could have 3 times the contracts for sale just because of it's size. AKV is the 3rd largest resort - it's not much smaller than OKW for the number of rooms and is close to identical in the number of points to OKW although it probably is spread over more owners because DVC had lowered the buy in requirements in the time between OKW and AKV selling. SSR is by far the largest resort.

Studios can be booked there very easily at 11 months. The angst is among those looking to book the value studios and concierge studios which total 18 and 5 respectively out of a possible 296 studios at AKV.

The room configurations are a little different between the two buildings. For studios the difference is with the bathroom layouts. At Jambo there are 2 sinks outside of the room with the toilet and tub/shower. At Kidani the entire bathroom is within a single room but there is a water closet with in that room for the toilet. Davids rentals has both room layouts and virtual tours if you want to take a closer look at the studios or any other villas at AKV.

https://www.dvcrequest.com/animal-kingdom-jambo-house.asp

https://www.dvcrequest.com/animal-kingdom-kidani-village.asp

 

[Wakey]

This may be helpful: https://www.disboards.com/threads/p...-studios-1-bedrooms-june-2018-update.3689931/

If you want a studio or 2BR at Jambo, you should own there. 1BRs are more available. And you will never have a shot at Value or Club, both of which are at Jambo, owning outside of AKV.

Not necessarily correct with 1 beds in terms of value, but correct even on 1 beds for Club save for the odd day.
We went two weeks this summer and for both separate weeks I could get 1 bed value at 7 months if I'd have wanted it (I didn't as I needed the sleeper chair).
Totally agree you'll get neither in studios or 2 beds at 7 months unless you get lucky on a waitlist.

 

[zavandor]

Totally agree you'll get neither in studios or 2 beds at 7 months unless you get lucky on a waitlist.

My first ever DVC stay was 2 weeks in a Value studio, booked at 7 months. Ah, the old good times...

 

[E2ME2]

My first ever DVC stay was 2 weeks in a Value studio, booked at 7 months. Ah, the old good times...

Have you booked AKV-Value since? What time of year do you usually visit, and when is the easiest to get the Value Studios??

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Have you booked AKV-Value since? What time of year do you usually visit, and when is the easiest to get the Value Studios??

It is never easy to get a Value studio. There are only 18.

 

[zavandor]

Have you booked AKV-Value since? What time of year do you usually visit, and when is the easiest to get the Value Studios??

I think AKV was 40% declared when I booked the two weeks in a Value studio, so many less owners were able to book them. And the minimum purchase was 160 points so most people had enough points for costlier accommodations. To book value rooms within 7 months now one has to be very very lucky.

 

[E2ME2]

It is never easy to get a Value studio. There are only 18.

Only 18, but Someone has to get them, and I guess the only way to increase one’s odds is to own at AKV to be able to book at 11Mo.

 

[Deb & Bill]

In general I think it comes down to location. OKW, SSR and AKV are the only DVC resorts with bus only transportation to all resorts. AKV maintains a higher resale value than the other 2 even though MF are higher, because it is a "more desirable" resort than the other 2 and has a later expiration. (Some people prefer the spread out garden building ("quieter") configuration of SSR and OKW, but most prefer inside entry and resort feel of AKV). ...

Well, that's kind of a condescending statement. AKV has a higher resale value because owners there had to pay a lot more just to get their initial points. We bought direct from Disney at OKW in 1997 and paid $50 a point for our 175 points. Most don't prefer the inside entry and resort feel of AKV. Many do enjoy the neighborhood feeling of OKW and SSR. We like KV for the savanna view, but we don't book a lot of nights there because I can get more for the same number of points at OKW where the room is more spacious and the porch is larger. And OKW does have it's own wildlife with otters, ducks and an occasional bear or deer.

 

[crisi]

Exactly! Although I was thinking 60/40 so 70/30 sounds even more worth the gamble

Buy enough points that if you can't get the value rooms, you'll still get the vacation time you want. Don't skimp on points assuming they will be available and treat any trips you get in Value rooms to be a bonus where you get to bank a few points into the future or stay an extra night.

The problem people make for themselves is that they buy only enough points for a studio - and only enough points for a low point studio (BWV Standard Views are another one where this becomes a problem). When those rooms aren't available, then they need to go up a category, and are shaving nights off their vacation - and that tends to cause disappointment out of the gate. If you have enough points to be able to book a studio - or even a one bedroom once in a while - a whole world of additional options opens up - with points for a one bedroom seven month options open that are not otherwise available.

Another thing to be aware of is to own enough points that if your travel plans have to change, you can switch seasons. Only having enough points for January in a value room, and then needing to change your dates to August because your job changes and you can't go in January will change both the point cost and the availability. You are buying something for the long term.

 

[Wakey]

Think they just increased the point requirements for Club studios and 1 beds and lowered them for Value for 2019?

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Think they just increased the point requirements for Club studios and 1 beds and lowered them for Value for 2019?

Yes they did.

 

[Matty B13]

Think they just increased the point requirements for Club studios and 1 beds and lowered them for Value for 2019?

It was in the points charts submitted last year for 2019.