Booted from AKL Club Level for 50th Celebration Week…*update page 15*

[pangyal]

Yes, I know the title is very clickbaity, and I apologize! I’m just a little upset at the moment.

Just me and the kidlet are booked for a 50th Celebration trip (for October 1st) and are booked at the DVC side of AKL CL for a week. We just got a call from Member Services saying that due to “maintenance issues” they are moving everyone on that floor (the same floor as the lounge) to the hotel side. Our options are to accept or cancel. I pushed back a little, politely, asking why the maintenance just happened to be every club level room on the same floor as the lounge exactly during the 50th celebration, and why we were being downgraded to a room far from the lounge and without the kitchenette, which I really like to have as a minimum when staying there. She said that other owners had shared the same concerns (duh) and that if I wasn’t cancelling, then my MDE should show the update at some point. I have some difficulty believing that they are moving all of the rooms during that time.

My question is- do you think we have the option to refuse to move? My sense is no, but this is a big downgrade for us as far as I can tell and we are not thrilled with losing the benefits of the kitchenette and the proximity to the lounge. The timing is really suspect to me on this one, with our reservation spanning the 50th and all of the rooms apparently being moved out (or so we were told- this might not be the case). It’s disappointing, to say the least, but if this is in fact a fair trade, I’d love to hear it .

 

[Ariel620]

Yes, I know the title is very clickbaity, and I apologize! I’m just a little upset at the moment.

Just me and the kidlet are booked for a 50th Celebration trip (for October 1st) and are booked at the DVC side of AKL CL for a week. We just got a call from Member Services saying that due to “maintenance issues” they are moving everyone on that floor (the same floor as the lounge) to the hotel side. Our options are to accept or cancel. I pushed back a little, politely, asking why the maintenance just happened to be every club level room on the same floor as the lounge exactly during the 50th celebration, and why we were being downgraded to a room far from the lounge and without the kitchenette, which I really like to have as a minimum when staying there. She said that other owners had shared the same concerns (duh) and that if I wasn’t cancelling, then my MDE should show the update at some point. I have some difficulty believing that they are moving all of the rooms during that time.

My question is- do you think we have the option to refuse to move? My sense is no, but this is a big downgrade for us as far as I can tell and we are not thrilled with losing the benefits of the kitchenette and the proximity to the lounge. The timing is really suspect to me on this one, with our reservation spanning the 50th and all of the rooms apparently being moved out (or so we were told- this might not be the case). It’s disappointing, to say the least, but if this is in fact a fair trade, I’d love to hear it .

Do you still get club level food and beverage access? If not then you are due a refund on points for sure .

Last year when Jambo wasn’t open even for DVC they moved us to a 1BR. I would call and say that you think that would be a better trade since you want the kitchen. But there are also studios at Jambo that aren’t on the club floor which might fit your needs if they would be willing to move u there

 

[RapunzelRN]

Do you still get club level food and beverage access? If not then you are due a refund on points for sure .

Last year when Jambo wasn’t open even for DVC they moved us to a 1BR. I would call and say that you think that would be a better trade since you want the kitchen. But there are also studios at Jambo that aren’t on the club floor which might fit your needs if they would be willing to move u there

Agree I would request the 1BR over hotel

 

[starry_solo]

When does Jambo re open?

 

[Grumpy Mouse]

When does Jambo re open?

• August 26, 2021 – Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge – Jambo House (hotel side)

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Wasn’t aware 6th floor studios had better kitchenettes than other studios. Who knew?

 

[zavandor]

Wasn’t aware 6th floor studios had better kitchenettes than other studios. Who knew?

Wasn’t aware 6th floor studios had better kitchenettes than other studios. Who knew?

Disney want to move them from a DVC studio, with the kitchenette, to a hotel room, without a kitchenette.
Maybe moving them to a different studio in Jambo might be possible, but since everything is booked it might not be possible unless they have some studio kept for cash reservations. Also, staying in a different floor than than would Club lounge would be quite inconvenient.

I agree with others, the OP should at least try to request a 1BR. Or an hotel suite.

 

[RossK]

My question is- do you think we have the option to refuse to move?

Unfortunately, you would not be in any position to refuse. The room is no longer available - refusing will just eventually result in trip cancellation. If they are taking the whole floor out of service, it sounds like they must be doing some sort of refurbishment - or there is a serious infrastructure issue! So you need to look at what the alternatives are, and decide if any of those are suitable.

The main problem you will have is DVC has so many more points in the system than it has rooms available because of the closures. And DVC runs at near maximum occupancy at the best of times. You may not have any luck getting another DVC room - but you can try. Alternatively, you could try and get upgraded accommodations in the hotel side - see what's showing as available online and then make your case. I honestly do not know what DVCs arrangements are with the actual hotel side and how they fund or cross charge this, so I don't know what's possible. Alternatively, you could look at moving resort. As far as I can see, these are your only feasible options. But, it is incumbent upon member services to help find you appropriate suitable alternative accommodation. That said, they can only work with what they have available.

 

[SarahWI]

We just got a call from Member Services saying that due to “maintenance issues” they are moving everyone on that floor (the same floor as the lounge) to the hotel side.

If they are taking the whole floor out of service, it sounds like they must be doing some sort of refurbishment - or there is a serious infrastructure issue!

I must admit I too am struggling with an issue being serious enough to move everyone on the DVC side out and yet waiting almost three months. If it’s that serious of an issue, why delay 3 months to address it?

good luck OP!

 

[RossK]

I must admit I too am struggling with an issue being serious enough to move everyone on the DVC side out and yet waiting almost three months. If it’s that serious of an issue, why delay 3 months to address it?

good luck OP!

It does seem odd - but saying that - look at what recently happened at the Polynesian. In the last month they have started relocating DVC guests visiting in Aug/Sept to the hotel side of the resort. Surely they knew more than 3 months ahead of time they were going to do the soft goods refurb? I can only guess that they are carefully managing cashflow and capital expenditure - which is resulting in very short "sprints" of work and juggling these things around.

 

[Cinderella072004]

Did they say if the lounge will even be open? If the lounge is available I would take the hotel room and keep club level access.

 

[princesscinderella]

So sorry this is happening to you. I wonder if they are hosting some important people on that floor for the 50th instead and they want to control who has access to that level?? I think you have to take what they offer unfortunately because there’s really nothing to be had on property for that weekend since the booking window opened.

 

[New Mouse]

What company in their right mind does maintenance on some of their most popular rooms at literally the most popular time in the past 10 years?


I call shenanigans.

 

[CraigInPA]

I'd call them back and ask what kind of adjustment they are willing to make for moving you from a DVC villa (with kitchen) to a hotel room (no kitchen)? A points credit, disney gift card for food, or an alternative DVC room (heck, a 1br wouldn't be out of the question as a free upgrade)...

 

[Sandisw]

This is a tough one. Things happen and you wonder if the maintenance is on the floor and lounge since it’s been closed for so long and this moving guests from those 10 rooms?

But the timing is odd for sure but do we know it’s only that time? Or is it longer?

Obviously the points should be adjusted down to standard.

 

[Brett Wyman]

Man this is getting to be a regular occurrence for DVC guests with wide reports of this happening at the Poly, CCV, and now this one at Jambo. The Poly is a legit refresh of the studios, so that I get. Not to sure of the circumstances at Jambo CL and CCV. In all the cases though, that I have read about, Disney is WAY UNDER OFFERING on the compensation side and taking a "take it or leave stance". Not affecting me personally but really makes me sad Disney is treating people in this manner. Things happen, we get it. But when you change somebodies resort plans at that level, its proper hotel etiquette to give them a bump of some kind. And before anyone says "you cant give them a room that isn't there", there are TONS of other forms of compensation besides a room upgrade.

 

[New Mouse]

This is a tough one. Things happen and you wonder if the maintenance is on the floor and lounge since it’s been closed for so long and this moving guests from those 10 rooms?

If it were that major, the maintenance should be starting plenty in advance to avoid disrupting people during peak season 3 months from now.

 

[Matty B13]

What company in their right mind does maintenance on some of their most popular rooms at literally the most popular time in the past 10 years?

I call shenanigans.

I second this statement!!! Seems very weird.

 

[Sandisw]

If it were that major, the maintenance should be starting plenty in advance to avoid disrupting people during peak season 3 months from now.

It all depends on what it is, who has to perform it, and getting people in to do the work. Not enough information to know when it will be starting and ending yet and whether the issues are DVC related or Disney. For all we know, they had to wait to start it until the hotel side opened to move people, which means it could not start until September at the earliest.

 

[New Mouse]

It all depends on what it is, who has to perform it, and getting people in to do the work. Not enough information to know when it will be starting and ending yet and whether the issues are DVC related or Disney. For all we know, they had to wait to start it until the hotel side opened to move people, which means it could not start until September at the earliest.

Or they could be bumping these people for others/overbooked again.... regardless of the answer theres a lot of incompetence going around the dvc exec offices these days...and that might be too soft a statement.

Things dont all of a suddent just go wrong at the pace they have been...