AKV owners: why did you buy there? Any regrets?

[MamaBear12]

We love the theme, animals, food and lower point chart at AKV. But, we also like to be close to the action, and even when we stay offsite we always visit the BW and DS. I'm considering buying resale at AKV, but I'm worried at some point we'll be more interested in being closer to the BW or DS, especially when the kiddos are older. We would typically travel early June, so we could probably work with the 7-month window, but no guarantees. Just curious what current owners' experiences have been.

A solution I'm considering is buying a small 25-30 point BWV add on direct (after getting our AKV resale contract) to take advantage of the AP and then bank/borrow to do a week at BWV every 3 years with the 11 months window. Can you buy an add on for a resort other than your home resort? Thanks!

 

[disneynutz]

Beautiful resort, we just want to visit now once in awhile and don't see a need to own there. We sold several of our AKV contracts.

Bill

 

[bwang123]

We enjoy the resort which is why we bought. We like it even more now that we are mostly booking value rooms at 11 months. Great point value. We like going with friends and family so we can book two value studios for a week and still have points left over.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Yes, you can add on to a different home resort. We began with BWV, and have added on direct or otherwise at 7 other resorts.

We use our AKV points primarily to book value or concierge stays. Even at 11 months two years in a row, I needed to get a 1 bedroom concierge, couldn't get a studio concierge for a spring visit.

When we are at one of the AKV buildings, I almost always go to the evening talks with a CM from Africa. I've done lunch with an Animal Keeper at Sanaa four times now. My grandson enjoyed collecting beads by participating in various activities.

Bus rides, boat rides, monorail rides, I am not particularly bothered by WDW transportation.

 

[com_op_2000]

We now consider AKV one of our HRs every though we do not own there. We trade out 95% of the time on all of our trips and AKV is our first choice.
Why not buy at SSR that way you own at a resort that is close to DS, have lower MFs, and it is easy to book at AKV at 7 months.

 

[MamaBear12]

We now consider AKV one of our HRs every though we do not own there. We trade out 95% of the time on all of our trips and AKV is our first choice.
Why not buy at SSR that way you own at a resort that is close to DS, have lower MFs, and it is easy to book at AKV at 7 months.

I've thought about that as well, but I know we would like to take advantage of the low points of the AKV value studios some trips (especially while the kids are younger and we're going more frequently) so we can "splurge" on getting a 2-bedroom or 2-3 studios and bring family along other trips. I've read that those values are typically gone before the 7-month booking window. I think extended family would enjoy AKV over the other resorts as well, so having the 11-month window for those trips would be nice as well. If I think about the next 7-8 years, having the 11-month booking for AKV makes the most sense since I don't know what availability will look like over that period. After that, I think we'll be more drawn to SSR or BWV/BCV due to location, but then again, my kids might still love and want to stay regularly at AKV, it's hard to say.

 

[zavandor]

The standard category at SSR is quite cheap at the moment and the savings on MF will probably balance the few extra points that SSR require. Also, if you like DS, why don't you plan on doing split stays between AKV and SSR? You can get the best of both worlds.

 

[gharter]

We go about twice a year. We love the Wine and Food Festival, so we have a BWV contract for that. We also have an AKL to do mid year. We enjoy going to some of the parks during this time, but also just enjoying the resort and relaxing there.

 

[MamaBear12]

The standard category at SSR is quite cheap at the moment and the savings on MF will probably balance the few extra points that SSR require. Also, if you like DS, why don't you plan on doing split stays between AKV and SSR? You can get the best of both worlds.

We are planning a split stay for our next WDW trip (renting points), so we'll see if that's something we'll enjoy doing. I'm not so much worried about getting it all in in one trip...moreso whether the advantage of having the 11-month window for our preferred resort short-term (at least) outweighs the cheaper dues and/or 11-month advantage of buying into what is likely to be our preferred resort later on. I suppose we could always sell and buy a contract for a different resort if it came down to that though...

 

[zavandor]

With the value rooms at AKV the problem is that sometimes it is difficult to get them even at 11 months. There are very few of them and particularly the studios are hard to get. Planning to buy a contract because it's more convenient for the value rooms has the risk of being frustrated because even as an owner you might not be able to get it.

 

[gharter]

Depends on the time of year. In peak times, that is very true. We just reserved a studio for May and had our choice of weeks for one and whether we wanted regular or Savannah views. Would not happen during Food and Wine or December.

 

[MamaBear12]

Depends on the time of year. In peak times, that is very true. We just reserved a studio for May and had our choice of weeks for one and whether we wanted regular or Savannah views. Would not happen during Food and Wine or December.

We would most likely travel early June (possibly beginning our trips the end of May) for most of our trips so not the busiest time. From what I've read, getting a value studio shouldn't prove too difficult then if I book at 11-months. We may possibly travel in December, but not regularly. I have realistic expectations about availability at that time, so we'd take what we can get.

 

[zavandor]

We just reserved a studio for May and had our choice of weeks for one and whether we wanted regular or Savannah views

Are you talking about Value studios? because for Value studios you cannot choose the view, it's luck of the draw: savannah (50%), standard (25%) or parking lot (25%)(the only parking lot view in AKV are four Value rooms, standards are pool view or restricted savannah view).
Non value rooms are quite easy to get at AKV most of the year, that's why many suggest to buy SSR and book AKV with cheaper points. But during busy periods (Fall Frenzy) Jambo may not be available and possibly neither the points saving standard view at Kidani.

 

[MamaBear12]

Are you talking about Value studios? because for Value studios you cannot choose the view, it's luck of the draw: savannah (50%), standard (25%) or parking lot (25%)(the only parking lot view in AKV are four Value rooms, standards are pool view or restricted savannah view).
Non value rooms are quite easy to get at AKV most of the year, that's why many suggest to buy SSR and book AKV with cheaper points. But during busy periods (Fall Frenzy) Jambo may not be available and possibly neither the points saving standard view at Kidani.

We would mostly be traveling in early June. And if we took my parents along every two or three years, the point difference between a week at AKV value 2-bedroom (220) vs. a standard 2-bed at AKV and SSR is 35 and 28 points respectfully. My parents would enjoy AKV much more than SSR, so having the ability to get a value there is attractive points wise. I realize 28-35 points isn't much, but that's almost half the points needed for a AKV value studio for a week that same time of your, so from year to year it could make a difference, especially since we only plan to go once a year and don't want to own a ton of points.

 

[Deb & Bill]

We thought it was a huge mistake when we saw it right after it opened. It looked like a prison to us. BUT, the landscaping has grown up around the resort and we now like it a lot. We've stayed there two or three times and enjoy the resort (we head over there every trip to sit and watch the animals on the savanna).

 

[rg35]

Bought at AKV during the recession, and got a very nice resale deal on loaded 250 points (one 200 and one 50 point contract).

We bought AKV because of the longer ownership period, the resort itself, and the fact that you can comfortably sleep 5 in a 1 BR (not all DVC resorts can accomodate this many people in a 1 BR).

Because we wanted to take advantage of the prices at the time, we didn't tour all the DVC resorts. I was familiar with OKW prior to owning because my grandparents bought there when DVC first launched and it was the only DVC. I would have been totally happy there (and we have stayed there the last two years because our trips were somewhat last minute and they always have plenty of availability), but for the shorter ownership period. We did research room floor plans, maps and photos of all the resorts before deciding. The main factor though was sleeping 5 in a 1 BR, since we have 3 kids and wanted to not really have to move up to 2BR unless really neccessary.

Since we always have a car (we either drive down or rent one if we fly), the location of AKV wasn't a turn off for us. It takes a nominal amount of extra time by car to really get anywhere in WDW from AKV. If we were relying totally on bus transportation, I would probably would have given more thought to location within DVC.

AKV also has some fantastic resort dining options, on-site activities for non-park days, and great pool areas.

 

[ldo]

i did not get studio value at 11 mths at 8am. so, don't buy thinking you an get values. it's a nice perk, but lots want them. we love akv for the beautiful lobby, great pools, and animal.

 

[MamaBear12]

i did not get studio value at 11 mths at 8am. so, don't buy thinking you an get values. it's a nice perk, but lots want them. we love akv for the beautiful lobby, great pools, and animal.

When do you typically travel? I'm hoping traveling in early June we'll be more likely to get value...but maybe not :-S

 

[Vader-was-framed]

We bought there for a couple of reasons. 1) being close to avatar land
2)value priority 3)Jambo priority(not a fan of Kidani) 4)love giraffes 5)125 pts a year can go far

 

[gharter]

Our last stay was split between BWV and AKL Kidani. We had stayed at jambo before, but really liked Kidani. Similar themed, but quieter. Didn't seem as large and did not have the traffic through the lobby that jambo House has. Of the two, my wife clearly prefered Kidani. Only about a 5-10 minute walk (they said about 20 minutes, but took us maybe 10 to walk) to Jambo house for the lounge and restaurants and they have a shuttle that runs every few minutes between the buildings.