AKV Reservation for August, 2008?

[Granny]

First off, I have tried to find this information using the search but really couldn't find it in one thread. So my apologies in advance for the AKV experts (and you know who you are! ) for a repeat question. I'm afraid that my AKV knowledge is kind of limited, and AKV is certainly a "different beast" (pun intended) than all the other DVC resorts as far as options and combinations of rooms/views.

We are going to WDW in August, 2008. We are thinking about staying at AKV. My understanding is that only Jambo House will be available during that stay.

I understand what a Savanna view booking gets you.

I understand that a Standard View room won't have a savanna view.

The Value View is smaller, but might have pool/parking lot/savanna view...right?

Since there are four of us in a 2BR, we are fine with the smaller size. But I really don't want a parking lot view...pool would be fine and savanna would be great.

If we don't want to splurge on the Savanna View rooms, what is the best room to book if we don't want a parking lot view?

We might just buck up and reserve a Savanna View room, but if we could get at least a pool view and save the points with another view type that would be good. I wasn't sure if the view classifications at Jambo laid out in a way that makes it preferable to reserve one view over another.

Make sense?

Any help you great folks can provide is much appreciated!

 

[spiceycat]

not an expert - but the only way to guaranteed no parking lot view is SV.

both the standard view (in aug, 2008) and value rooms could be the parking lot. there are no guaranteeds. Request are never guaranteed.

I would go with value rooms if you can get them, and just take a chance.

 

[Granny]

Pat,

Thanks for the advice. I wasn't sure since Jambo House would be the only part open of AKV whether the View designations might have different "odds" associated with them.

And of course, at the 7 month mark I might not get much choice anyway!

 

[LisaS]

My best guess is that none of the Standard view villas at Jambo House will have parking lot views. I think they will all have pool area views. By definition, Standard View rooms will have a view of a pool, garden or parking lot. However, it looks to me like the only rooms at AKL that face the parking lot will become AKV Value villas. And even then, based on the outline of AKV in the legal documents, it looks like only some of those parking lot view AKL rooms will be included in AKV, so there may not even be that many Value villas that face the parking lot. (Wouldn't want to bet on that just yet -- different documents show a different number of parking lot rooms included within AKV.)

So if you want the least expensive room but want to avoid parking lot views, I think a Standard View villa would work at Jambo House because of the unique situation there with the Value Villas. This won't be the case at Kidani Village where some of the Standard View villas will have parking lot views.

The good news is, since you can't book that trip until Jan 2008, all of the Value villas should be open by that time so we'll know where they are and what type of views they have. It may turn out that you could even try for a Value villa for your trip. We'll also have lots of reports of the types of views from Standard View villas by that time as well, so we should have confirmation that at Jambo House the Standard View villas all have some sort of pool view.

 

[pilferk]

First off, I have tried to find this information using the search but really couldn't find it in one thread. So my apologies in advance for the AKV experts (and you know who you are! ) for a repeat question. I'm afraid that my AKV knowledge is kind of limited, and AKV is certainly a "different beast" (pun intended) than all the other DVC resorts as far as options and combinations of rooms/views.

We are going to WDW in August, 2008. We are thinking about staying at AKV. My understanding is that only Jambo House will be available during that stay.

I understand what a Savanna view booking gets you.

I understand that a Standard View room won't have a savanna view.

The Value View is smaller, but might have pool/parking lot/savanna view...right?

Since there are four of us in a 2BR, we are fine with the smaller size. But I really don't want a parking lot view...pool would be fine and savanna would be great.

If we don't want to splurge on the Savanna View rooms, what is the best room to book if we don't want a parking lot view?

We might just buck up and reserve a Savanna View room, but if we could get at least a pool view and save the points with another view type that would be good. I wasn't sure if the view classifications at Jambo laid out in a way that makes it preferable to reserve one view over another.

Make sense?

Any help you great folks can provide is much appreciated!

Savannah view, as you said, equals Savannah view.

Standard view equals NOT svannah view...so pool view or parking lot view (though I think Lisa S showed there were very few, if any, parking lot view Standard rooms).

Value equals smaller accomodations, but could be ANY view (savannah, pool, or parking lot). You can request savannah view (and I think from Lisa S that a good number ARE savannah view) but you'll be rolling the dice along with everyone else (the majority of which, you would think, would be making the same request).

 

[Granny]

So if you want the least expensive room but want to avoid parking lot views, I think a Standard View villa would work at Jambo House because of the unique situation there with the Value Villas. This won't be the case at Kidani Village where some of the Standard View villas will have parking lot views.

This is exactly what I was wanting to know. Seems that there is a window of booking opportunity at AKV that we might just want to take advantage of.

Value equals smaller accomodations, but could be ANY view (savannah, pool, or parking lot). You can request savannah view (and I think from Lisa S that a good number ARE savannah view) but you'll be rolling the dice along with everyone else (the majority of which, you would think, would be making the same request).
Today 12:43 PM

I agree about the high number of savanna view requests, and if we really wanted that I'd be happy to buck up for the extra points. But really I am just thinking that non-parking lot view is what I'm really interested in.

As Lisa points out, we have a lot of time between now and January when I'd be booking. I didn't think I could talk DW into trying AKV but she is willing to give it a shot but has no interest if we can't look at the pool or savanna.

Thanks Pat, Lisa and pilferk for taking the time to share your knowledge.

 

[LisaS]

I thought this might help. This was taken from the "construction phases" map of AKV. I marked the location of where I believe the Standard View and Value villas will be. I also marked the two Concierge sections and the GVs. Standard View is marked in yellow, Value in green, the two Concierge areas are in pink and the six GVs are marked in orange.

This particular map includes more of the parking lot view rooms into AKV than other documents I've seen. Many of the other documents include about 6 AKL rooms on the left side (as you face the entrance) and none on the right side of the entrance.

ETA: The number of parking lot view rooms that have actually been declared are fewer than what the outline shown in this drawing had indicated. It appears that only 6 AKL rooms on the left side are being converted into Value villas. I have updated the (lime green) markings on this map to show the location of the Value villas that have been declared.

 

[CarolMN]

WOW! Thanks, Lisa - that marked map is very helpful! Thanks for doing it & for sharing it!

 

[Granny]

Just getting back into town (and internet access) after a few days, and WOW, that is an awesome planning tool you have provided, Lisa.

Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge of this resort.

 

[EEyorelover22]

Lisa,
I have a couple questions
What is the timeline for having Jambo House completed? if you know...

and...

Somewhere I saw how many rooms in Jambo House there will be in each category, but now I can't find it. Do you know where that info is?

 

[LisaS]

What is the timeline for having Jambo House completed? if you know...

The original schedule listed four phases for Jambo House with end dates of July '07, Sep '07, Dec '07 and May '08. They recently announced some changes to the schedule. They moved the opening date for the Concierge and Value villas from May '08 to Dec '07. I suspect they just swapped around the Dec '07 and May '08 phases but there have also been posts stating that construction is ahead of schedule. So the completion date for Jambo House is somewhere between Dec '07 and May '08.

Somewhere I saw how many rooms in Jambo House there will be in each category, but now I can't find it. Do you know where that info is?

I copied this from one of lisareniff's posts:

134 villas in Lodge (Jambo House)
46 Dedicated Studios
82 2 Bedroom Lock-offs
6 Grand Villas - 1 story

324 Villas in the New AKV building (Kidani Village)
140 2 bedroom - Dedicated
168 2 Bedroom - Lock-off
16 Grand Villas - 2 story

 

[EEyorelover22]

Thank you
I am just trying to figure out how difficult it will be to get a reservation for next summer for a 1 bedroom. It looks like we have a good shot.

 

[LisaS]

Thank you
I am just trying to figure out how difficult it will be to get a reservation for next summer for a 1 bedroom. It looks like we have a good shot.

Since AKV is new, lots of members want to check it out. Just be sure you take advantage of your 11-month booking window to maximize your chances of getting what you want. Good luck!

 

[Maistre Gracey]

We are going to WDW in August, 2008. We are thinking about staying at AKV.

Ahhh... Coming to the dark side, are we??

MG

 

[lisareniff]

If you are thinking of the standard view rooms in Jambo House you really need to look at this pic that LisaS blew up.

Jambo House Std. View

There are a couple rooms close to the lobby that might be worse then parking lot view!

I'm really curious how many parking lot rooms they will actually have in the value rooms. The permit filed with Orange County shows the DVD boundary to nly include about 6 rooms on one side (I forgot which trail that is!)

 

[lisareniff]

I just realized those pool view value rooms off the lobby don't look too hot either. They represent about 6 AKL rooms.

 

[EEyorelover22]

I would love to book something other than SV to save some points, but we found the poolview to be very loud last summer at night. I would think the rooms off the lobby would be loud due to the lobby noise and then the pool noise would add to that.

For location, our poolview was GREAT. It was at the beginning of the hallway with the Sav on the other side. I can't remember the name of the trail either. It was a perfect location though...close to the elevator to go to the pool, Mara and Boma and heading to the bus stop.

Do you know if the standard rooms by the bus spots are being converted? Those would be BAD as well due to the noise.
Thanks.

 

[pilferk]

I would love to book something other than SV to save some points, but we found the poolview to be very loud last summer at night. I would think the rooms off the lobby would be loud due to the lobby noise and then the pool noise would add to that.

We've stayed in rooms off the lobby. I'd rate them noisier than the savannah view rooms, not as noisey as the pool rooms (especially in the warmer months), and not as noisey as the rooms in the Contemporary tower.

Now, having said that, I'd say my "noisey" ratings are given with this caveat: NONE Of the rooms mentioned had a noise level I would consider objectionable...except, maybe, the pool view rooms WITH the balcony door open (so we just shut the balcony door!). The noise proofing in all the hotels seemed to be pretty good.

 

[Granny]

Ahhh... Coming to the dark side, are we??

MG

MG....I've always liked AKL (same architect as WL) but DW isn't into the theming there very much. Hoping that getting more than just a walk-through would entice her but she's holding out for CRV.

Thanks again to all for the continuing AKV education!

I copied this from one of lisareniff's posts:

134 villas in Lodge (Jambo House)
46 Dedicated Studios
82 2 Bedroom Lock-offs
6 Grand Villas - 1 story

So no dedicated 1BR's in Jambo House? No big deal to us either way.

 

[pilferk]

So no dedicated 1BR's in Jambo House? No big deal to us either way.

Nope, just "1/2" of a 2BR lockoff.

I don't think Kidani is going to have any dedicated 1BR's either....some dedicated 2BR's, though.