Animal Kindom Lodge _ Future Dvc??

[allgair]

Just though this would generate some interest. We took the tour of SSR last Thursday and I guide said that there is been a lot of talk from members requiresting a new resort at that location. He that if it did go through it would be very similar to the Wilderness lodge is set. Anyone else hear any info on this

Ken

PS Hope to have all the papers signed this weekend for 175 points - our first purchase

 

[athenna]

I haven't heard of it. The rumor going around for quite some time is a new DVC at the Contemporary. And while it isn't my taste, I would absolutely love one athe AKL! That is my favorite non-DVC resort and I go visit it every trip.

 

[jimmytammy]

VAKL.......that has a nice ring to it

It would be wonderful to see DVC at this location. It would sell out quickly Im sure.

 

[DVCforMe]

That would be fantastic! My 4 year old son claims Animal Kingdom Lodge is "his" hotel. Donald Trump look out...

 

[dianeschlicht]

I would love it, but I thought it was not planned because of the disturbance to the animals.

When AKL was first being built, we were told by a bus driver that it was to have a DVC resort with it. Maybe that rumor is what keeps resurfacing.

 

[NMW]

I guess the constuction may bother the animals, but I would love it if they could pull it off. VAKL would be great!

 

[kdonnel]

When you see an aerial photo you realize just how far the AKL is from the Animal Kingdom. I don’t think noise would be a problem.

I believe the animals you see by the lodge live their just for the enjoyment of the guests. They are not truly wandering all the way from their habitat in the Animal Kingdom.

 

[Poohs Pal]

I would also add on at VAKL. Before DVC AKL was one of my favorites. Susan

 

[tinkgrl]

Hi,

I would love Villas @ AKL!!!!!! Love it there!

Allison

 

[tjkraz]

I believe the animals you see by the lodge live their just for the enjoyment of the guests. They are not truly wandering all the way from their habitat in the Animal Kingdom.

True, but the first concern that comes to mind is what happens to the animals during construction of a new wing? That "Savannah View" isn't worth too much much if the animals have to be moved elsewhere for a couple of years while they construct new units.

AKL is so different from any other resort in that there needs to be total synergy between the physical construction and the resort grounds (savannah.) Almost every square inch of land surrounding the resort is already spoken for. They'd really have to re-think the design of the resort before they could simply slap-on a DVC wing as was the case at BCV and VWL. At a minimum, I don't see how they could pull it off without compromising an entire savannah, which then impacts revenues generated by the cash rooms.

Of course a better solution might be to refurbish existing cash rooms as DVC. Not sure what the occupancy level at ALK might be, though. If it's high, no sense paring-down that constant revenue stream.

 

[Momof5cubs]

That would be my dream resort! We love AKL. I would definitely have to add on points.

 

[kathleena]

Just though this would generate some interest. We took the tour of SSR last Thursday and I guide said that there is been a lot of talk from members requiresting a new resort at that location. He that if it did go through it would be very similar to the Wilderness lodge is set. Anyone else hear any info on this

My take on this is that he just meant the add-on to another resort instead of a separate resort and I don't read any particular resort into it. I think he could have just as easily said Beach Club and meant the same thing.

As for AKL - my VISA card is ready and my guide's number is handy. Although I said my current points were "it" I would buy AKL in a heartbeat.

 

[goldilocks_63]

My hubby took the segway tour, and they said there are 2 openings in Epcot for countries. Apparently, Africa was supposed to go in Epcot, and then there was a partite (sp?), so instead they build the Animal Kingdom Lodge, cause they had all this theming stuff they had already made.

Also, Supposedly, AKL was built with the infrastructure for a DVC to be added later....

Have no idea if this is true,

Can anyone confirm either way...

GOldi

 

[tjkraz]

My hubby took the segway tour, and they said there are 2 openings in Epcot for countries. Apparently, Africa was supposed to go in Epcot, and then there was a partite (sp?), so instead they build the Animal Kingdom Lodge, cause they had all this theming stuff they had already made.

Also, Supposedly, AKL was built with the infrastructure for a DVC to be added later....

Have no idea if this is true,

Can anyone confirm either way...

GOldi

Might be true.

Plans to add Africa to the World Showcase actually go back 25 years. I have a big coffee table book about Epcot published shortly after the park opened--so long ago that even some of the Future World pavilions are represented just by conceptual drawings.

The World Showcase section of the book has an entire chapter (maybe 5 or 6 pages) dedicated to an Africa Pavilion. There are more drawings and a narrative describing the future pavilion. It even drops the name of an influential figure involved in the design. The name escapes me at the moment...might be Alex Haley, but maybe not.

Anyway, I guess it's feasible that WDI had some artifacts sitting in a warehouse for 15 or so years that were eventually incorporated into the AKL. But I don't think there was any direct cause-and-effect relationship between the two concepts since there was more than a decade between the scrapping of the pavilion and the rise of AKL.

 

[kathleena]

I was told on an Epcot tour and the backstage magic tour that there are spaces for 7 or 8 more countries. Maybe they said 9, but I know it was up in that range because it really surprised me. Wasn't into double digits though.

The Outpost was supposed to be Africa, but the sponsors pulled out due to lack of funding. So the King of Morocco stepped in - as he wanted an African presense - and Morocco was built instead.

I was told that on the Epcot tour.

Doesn't mean it's gospel - only that it's what I was told. Your experience may vary!

 

[DrBond007]

Seems to me a contemporary DVC addition is more likely than an AKL DVC.

 

[athenna]

Seems to me a contemporary DVC addition is more likely than an AKL DVC.

 

[NMW]

Seems to me a contemporary DVC addition is more likely than an AKL DVC.

I agree. Just like SSR was easy to build on the old Disney Institute site. The garden wings are already there and they look like they need some sprucing up. I still would prefer AKL over the Contemporary, for the themeing.

 

[DVCconvert]

Seems to me a contemporary DVC addition is more likely than an AKL DVC.

While I'm a huge AKL fan, I hope you are right, I'm an even bigger MK fan!