AKV questions

[daisyx3]

We are members at SSR and planning on going for a week next April. We would be happy with SSR (or at least last time in congress park we LOVED it) but I like to try other resorts. One of my choices to try is AKV.
1) do I have a prayer of getting a 1BR savannah view at 7 months out? This will be from the Tuesday before Easter to the Tuesday after (I'm a teacher; no choice on dates)
2) if we want the sleep chair rooms (we will only have 4, but it is a 16 year old girl and a 13 year old boy who don't necessarily get along enough to share the sofa) are these in the main bldg., or in kidani?
3) We have eaten at AKL and it seems isolated. When we were at SSR we rented a car to deal with that and used it to go to rope drop everywhere but MK (keep in mind this is Easter time with early openings). Is a car a good idea at AKV as well?
Thanks.
Daisyx3

 

[DebbieB]

We are members at SSR and planning on going for a week next April. We would be happy with SSR (or at least last time in congress park we LOVED it) but I like to try other resorts. One of my choices to try is AKV.
1) do I have a prayer of getting a 1BR savannah view at 7 months out? This will be from the Tuesday before Easter to the Tuesday after (I'm a teacher; no choice on dates)
2) if we want the sleep chair rooms (we will only have 4, but it is a 16 year old girl and a 13 year old boy who don't necessarily get along enough to share the sofa) are these in the main bldg., or in kidani?
3) We have eaten at AKL and it seems isolated. When we were at SSR we rented a car to deal with that and used it to go to rope drop everywhere but MK (keep in mind this is Easter time with early openings). Is a car a good idea at AKV as well?
Thanks.
Daisyx3

1) Odds are good at 7 months.
2) All have them except Jambo value rooms. Only Kidani has the second bathroom.
3) I had a car when I stayed at Kidani and used it. It was like 10 minutes to DHS or Epcot.

 

[daisyx3]

Thanks Debbie! I kind of want to stay at AKV or BLT, and I'm sure the odds of a 7 month booking at Eastertime are better at AKV. The second bathroom is a good idea! Last time at SSR we sure used it (we had all 3 kids with us, but the oldest will be in college and won't be able to join us this time).
Daisyx3

 

[LilGMom]

Another vote for the one bedroom at AKV Kidani. Having two full bathrooms is wonderful and the sleeper chair comes in all of the rooms minus the Value rooms at Jambo. As far as getting a WL at the seven month window... if the savannah view isn't available are you willing to go with a standard view? The plus to this is that is might be more available and is also less points. We also have a car at AKV but have used the buses before. The AKV buses pick up & drop off at Kidani first and since there are only the two stops (Kidani and Jambo) the ride on the bus doesn't really seem that bad. If you do have a car using the under the building parking at Kidani is nice.

 

[daisyx3]

I don't know about standard view...I spent a week or two at BWV early in the last decade staring at the parking lot from my balcony. I know some people say who cares about the view, you're never in the room, but we don't do the parks constantly anymore--we usually do rope drop, get the "biggies" out of the way, and leave around 11 or 12 and go back later to the same park--except AK of course, which shuts earlier. We usually schedule one day at TL and one no-park day, so we really like our balcony/pool time and I think it would be cool to see the animals. If I try for BLT I'm trying for a lake view.
Daisyx3

 

[Pakey]

Our last two vacations, we have been able to get Kidani savannah view at 7 months. Last year it was for a 2 bedroom; this year for a grand villa. I think your chances are very good.

We do not get a car. The ride to MK is a bit long; every other park is fine.

 

[drusba]

Eastertime may be be difficult at 7 months out anywhere except for SSR but still chance to get savanna view at AKV but be prepared to call exactly 7 months out, any delay into the 7 month window could mean the difference in getting what you want and getting nothing.

If getting 1 BR, also vote for Kidani with its much larger room, and extra bath. If you can get it request "close to lobby." That request if met gives you excellent views and close to everything including pool, restaurant, community hall and bus stop. It is also your best chance to avoid being far from lobby and the distance from the lobby to the end rooms on the north wing is further than you can possibly imagine.

As to having a car, our preference is yes. Kidani is in fact ideal for having a car because you park right under the building and with elevators along the wings, you can always park fairly close to your room. Bus service is actually very good in comparison to other places at WDW, so car is not actually necessary, and even with car you should still bus to MK (because once in the parking lot you would still have to take transprotation to MK) and porbably AK (because the bus trip is only about 8 minutes). However, if you get stuck with room far from lobby toward end of north wing, you will want a car even possibly to go to MK and AK (the walk from bus stop to room is that far to cause one to want to drive)

 

[daisyx3]

Thanks for the tip about "close to lobby" for Kidani! I know nothing is guaranteed, but it is worth a shot.
We will be arriving the Tuesday before Easter, so I'm hoping that helps a little on getting a room. Even if we have to split between AKV and SSR at least we'd have a new resort to try, and I could schedule the parks around the resort we were in at the time. Check in is April 3 so I need to call Labor Day weekend for my reservation.
Daisyx3

 

[LilGMom]

I don't know about standard view...I spent a week or two at BWV early in the last decade staring at the parking lot from my balcony. I know some people say who cares about the view, you're never in the room, but we don't do the parks constantly anymore--we usually do rope drop, get the "biggies" out of the way, and leave around 11 or 12 and go back later to the same park--except AK of course, which shuts earlier. We usually schedule one day at TL and one no-park day, so we really like our balcony/pool time and I think it would be cool to see the animals. If I try for BLT I'm trying for a lake view.
Daisyx3

The resort is very important to us so I understand about it being part of the overall experience. Below are two clickable views of our standard Kidani view room last year.





And our balcony for the one bedroom -


Can't go wrong anywhere at AKV as far as I'm concerned. I that resort.