Animal Kingdom Refurbishment 2025

[sndral]

My number one wish on the akv refurb is they put the Murphy bed in for sleeper sofa but also add that single sleeper drop down under tv to increase capacity to 5 in normal studio. This may remove some pressure from value rooms and I think akv normal studio is actually bigger then some of the others that fit 5 with this layout.

Personally I hope that if they add the under TV drop down single bed in the studios they don’t decide to replace the sleeper chairs in the 1 & 2 bedrooms. Currently a normal size adult will fit on the sleeper chair, but the skinny under the TV single is too small for average sized adults IMO.

 

[Hubalorian]

Personally I hope that if the add the under TV drop down single bed in the studios they don’t decide to replace the sleeper chairs in the 1 & 2 bedrooms. Currently a normal size adult will fit on the sleeper chair, but the skinny under the TV single is too small for average sized adults IMO.

I personally do not think they will make studios sleep 5 while keeping 1 bedrooms at 5. This would make it the only resort that would allow 2 Brs to sleep 10. All others sleep 9. I would be much happier if they keep the same format.

 

[TinkB278]

I personally do not think they will make studios sleep 5 while keeping 1 bedrooms at 5. This would make it the only resort that would allow 2 Brs to sleep 10. All others sleep 9. I would be much happier if they keep the same format.

This isn’t true. RIV 2 bedroom kickoffs sleep 10

 

[sndral]

My number one wish on the akv refurb is they put the Murphy bed in for sleeper sofa but also add that single sleeper drop down under tv to increase capacity to 5 in normal studio. This may remove some pressure from value rooms and I think akv normal studio is actually bigger then some of the others that fit 5 with this layout.

I personally do not think they will make studios sleep 5 while keeping 1 bedrooms at 5. This would make it the only resort that would allow 2 Brs to sleep 10. All others sleep 9. I would be much happier if they keep the same format.

We typically opt for a 2 br. in Jambo - which is a 1 br. + studio lock off & I’m not sure there’s enough wall space for the under TV pull downs in the studios. The wall the TV is on has the connecting door, then the big wardrobe furniture piece in lieu of a built in closet, then the TV cabinet - which isn’t long enough for a bed, then the table & 2 chairs. I guess they could remove the table & chairs to make room for a longer TV cabinet .

 

[erionm]

This isn’t true. RIV 2 bedroom kickoffs sleep 10

VGF 2-bed lock-off also sleep 10.

 

[Hubalorian]

Okay, I am skeptical they will lift AKV to VGF or RIV status when they didn’t do it for:
BLT
BCV
BRV
BWV
PolyTower
SSR

 

[pkrieger2287]

Exciting updates are coming to Animal Kingdom Villas! Starting October 2025, a resort-wide refurbishment will brighten rooms, add Murphy beds, and refresh the lobbies and Community Hall at both Kidani Village and Jambo House.

https://dvcfan.com/news/refurbishment-details-announced-for-disneys-animal-kingdom-villas

#AnimalKingdomVillas #DisneyVacationClub #DVCFan

 

[MamaKate]

Exciting updates are coming to Animal Kingdom Villas! Starting October 2025, a resort-wide refurbishment will brighten rooms, add Murphy beds, and refresh the lobbies and Community Hall at both Kidani Village and Jambo House.

https://dvcfan.com/news/refurbishment-details-announced-for-disneys-animal-kingdom-villas

#AnimalKingdomVillas #DisneyVacationClub #DVCFan

I'm excited there was finally an announcement, but a little later of a start than I expected.

 

[sndral]

Exciting updates are coming to Animal Kingdom Villas! Starting October 2025, a resort-wide refurbishment will brighten rooms, add Murphy beds, and refresh the lobbies and Community Hall at both Kidani Village and Jambo House.

https://dvcfan.com/news/refurbishment-details-announced-for-disneys-animal-kingdom-villas

#AnimalKingdomVillas #DisneyVacationClub #DVCFan

Thank you for the dates - 8-9 months starting Oct. 2025 at Kidani, looks like my early Oct. reservation at Jambo won’t be impacted. Now all I need to fret about is whether a hurricane will impact that week like happened this year .

 

[TinkB278]

I’m personally worried about the new “brighter” look as that seems to mean a bunch of white and beige these days. I really don’t want the theming to go away. I can stay at a generic hotel anywhere, don’t take away the magic Disney!

 

[aammtt20]

I'm hoping brighter means tastefully colorful. There is a lot they could play around with that is lighter and would fit the savanna theme without making it bland. Fingers crossed. As a AKV owner, I am excited/anxious to see the results of this refurb.

 

[ajiuo]

I have a bad feeling they are going to de-theme the rooms. All they need to do is copy what they did in the hotel rooms… but no. They want to “brighten things up”. That seems like code speak for them removing all the dark African themed touches and furniture. I’m betting the rooms end up with the Hilton / Hyatt look. Not every resort needs to look like that. Disney has also become really cheap. Before to long there won’t be anything special left about any Disney resorts. The Disneyland hotel isn’t even 2 years old and the rooms are falling apart.

Hopefully in 14 years when we get another referb better people will be in charge.

 

[Hubalorian]

I have a bad feeling they are going to de-theme the rooms. All they need to do is copy what they did in the hotel rooms… but no. They want to “brighten things up”. That seems like code speak for them removing all the dark African themed touches and furniture. I’m betting the rooms end up with the Hilton / Hyatt look. Not every resort needs to look like that. Disney has also become really cheap. Before to long there won’t be anything special left about any Disney resorts. The Disneyland hotel isn’t even 2 years old and the rooms are falling apart.

Hopefully in 14 years when we get another referb better people will be in charge.

Disney uses the funds we provide for refurbishments. Would you like to see our dues go up further for them not to be “cheap?”

 

[drg6654]

Disney uses the funds we provide for refurbishments. Would you like to see our dues go up further for them not to be “cheap?”

Great Point

 

[JOLT]

Disney uses the funds we provide for refurbishments. Would you like to see our dues go up further for them not to be “cheap?”

you can add theming and not break the bank. I would like them to actually get creative with the budget and not just cookie cutter everything.

 

[Hubalorian]

you can add theming and not break the bank. I would like them to actually get creative with the budget and not just cookie cutter everything.

I don’t disagree with your comment. I enjoy the theming at AKL, one of the reasons I am a member here. Even though, cookie cutter doesn’t mean cheap. There is a connotation that cheap implies lacking quality. I do not view the majority of DVC rooms as lacking quality. Character or originality could be argued though.

 

[drg6654]

Either way my 2026 vacation won't be until November so im excited to see what they have done.

 

[ajiuo]

Disney uses the funds we provide for refurbishments. Would you like to see our dues go up further for them not to be “cheap?”

To a certain extent, yes! I’m willing to pay a little bit more to maintain the theming of AKV. I didn’t buy there to stay at the Hilton. When it starts to look like the Hilton, DVC becomes a bad buy… because I could just stay at the Hilton for less then I’m paying in dues.

Also… they can recycle certain things. For example in the hotel rooms they recycled the head boards. Honestly the way they handled the hotel side was fantastic. If they did the same thing I would be thrilled… but when they talk about lightening the tone of the rooms, I imagine that they will ditch the head boards and darker wood furniture and go with the same cheap crap they have been putting in other resorts… they could easily reuse certain things to maintain the feel, if budget is a concern.

Even the haunted mansion gift shop they put at Disneyland looks like cheap Home Depot garbage, and putting a car attraction in frontier land Magic Kingdom… hahaha.

I’m sorry but I think that Disney imagineering is creatively bankrupt… and that’s why all the renovations suck. I think universal has all the good creatives now.


With as much criticism as I have towards Disney now days, I probably won’t leave. I’ll just stick around and complain until they hopefully get better some day.

 

[Lorana]

I’m personally worried about the new “brighter” look as that seems to mean a bunch of white and beige these days. I really don’t want the theming to go away. I can stay at a generic hotel anywhere, don’t take away the magic Disney!

Saaaaame. I had the same alarm when I saw “brightening” in the announcement. Please, no. The dark wood is part of the theming and something we love about AKV.

 

[Lorana]

Exciting updates are coming to Animal Kingdom Villas! Starting October 2025, a resort-wide refurbishment will brighten rooms, add Murphy beds, and refresh the lobbies and Community Hall at both Kidani Village and Jambo House.

https://dvcfan.com/news/refurbishment-details-announced-for-disneys-animal-kingdom-villas

#AnimalKingdomVillas #DisneyVacationClub #DVCFan

I was really hoping for an earlier start, as we planned to be at Kidani over Thanksgiving next year. Now I have to figure out if we’re going to risk it or try for a different resort instead.