considering AKV

[PrincessesX3]

please help! need pros/cons. All thoughts are welcome. We were considering Wilderness Lodge but feel AKV will fits out needs better in the future. Thanks!

 

[DizBub]

Pros for AKV would be the value and concierge villas that you would need the 11 months booking window for and the longer contract.

If you want to stay at VWL during the holidays you will need the 11 month advantage but it does have a shorter contract life.

That's all I got. Good luck with your decision.

 

[disneynutz]

Picking a resort to buy without staying there first is like buying something behind curtain number 1. No matter what you read or think that you know about a resort, your opinion will probably change after staying there a couple of times.

So, what do you do?

Buy a resort based on best guess knowing that you might be buying a different resort in a couple of years.

Bill

 

[DisneyfromDeland]

AKV has a later expiration date than VWL, if that's a factor for you. AKV is 2057 and VWL is 2042.

 

[mcorbo]

AKV also has Grand Villas, VWL does not.

 

[Kidanifan08]

Your a family of 5 with 3 DD's . . . all Kidani 1BR's have TWO full bathrooms and the 2BR's have THREE. If that's not enough, the pools at Kidani and Jambo are awesome, the bus service to and from the parks has been consistently good and sitting on your balcony with an evening cocktail while viewing the quiet savanna is amazingly peaceful.

The later expiration date of the AKV contract is appealing. Of course, AKV is also one of the large resorts that is easy to get a villa at the 7 month mark, excluding value and concierge. So, if one of the Epcot resorts or VWL is a must for the time between Sept 30 and Jan 2, then you probably should consider owning there. Otherwise, AKV is a great resort with wonderful amenities.

We plan 11 months in advance, so we have been able to take advantage of the concierge and value rooms. Be aware that it takes a great deal of advanced planning to get those rooms, although the 1BR's tend to be easier to book than the 2BR's or studios in those two room types.

 

[Dean]

please help! need pros/cons. All thoughts are welcome. We were considering Wilderness Lodge but feel AKV will fits out needs better in the future. Thanks!

What is your plan including usage, how far out you can plan and usual group size? The reason I ask is there's a good chance that neither of these are your best choice.

If it's just the 5 of you, you still can't take advantage of the value rooms at AKV without going for a 2 BR and for concierge would need a 1 BR or larger. Other considerations would include SSR, OKW or BWV (all resale) if price and value is a large part of the equation. Generally new members are looking to get into the system and try many things, when this is the case price (up front plus dues) is almost always the most important factor. For those that are seasoned enough to know what they want, sometimes this changes. Far too often one gets tunnel vision looking at where they think they'd prefer or what catches their eye and make a less than ideal decision. There are many on this board who can tell you that their current favorite resort was not the one they though it would be.

 

[Bullseye]

AKV also has Grand Villas, VWL does not.

AKV also has giraffes that greet you when you walk out on your balcony...VWL does not

 

[disneynutz]

AKV also has giraffes that greet you when you walk out on your balcony...VWL does not

We own and have stayed at AKV several times. Never had giraffes outside or room. We have had birds, bushes, and hogs. It all depends on which room you get.

Bill

 

[Bullseye]

We own and have stayed at AKV several times. Never had giraffes outside or room. We have had birds, bushes, and hogs. It all depends on which room you get.

Bill

We'll if you ever stayed at Kidani on the Savannah, you'd have to have really bad timing to have never seen a giraffe.

 

[DizBub]

AVK is not our favorite resort but have discovered we prefer Jambo House for the amenities. Kidani is awesome for the under the building parking though.

We have stayed at Kidani and had giraffes outside our rooms. Ankole cattle, zebras (before they were removed), various gazelles and similar animals, warthogs, a myriad of birds. Always something to look at.

Our Jambo House stay we didn't see as many big animals but enjoyed the smaller ones and the one crane that built his nest and the other ones who dismantled it every day. Very entertaining but maybe we are easily amused.

Fact is there are plenty of places around the resort to view lots of animals.

 

[disneynutz]

We'll if you ever stayed at Kidani on the Savannah, you'd have to have really bad timing to have never seen a giraffe.

For the reader who wants to buy AKV, I don't want them to think that they will always have giraffes outside of their balcony.

Our Pembe Savanna room had a view of the rear of the pool area. The Savanna was to our hard right and the only thing that we saw during our time in that room was some birds.

Our there better views or better luck, sure but the views are not guaranteed.

Bill

 

[DenLo]

For the reader who wants to buy AKV, I don't want them to think that they will always have giraffes outside of their balcony.

Our Pembe Savanna room had a view of the rear of the pool area. The Savanna was to our hard right and the only thing that we saw during our time in that room was some birds.

Our there better views or better luck, sure but the views are not guaranteed.

Bill

Bill is right that the Disney version of a view type is if you can see it at all on your balcony. It reminds me of hotels in Hawaii of what makes an ocean view. However, savanna views similar to one Bill described are rare. Also the Pemba savanna does not have giraffes and zebras, but has okapi, Ankole cattle, and blue crane.

 

[Dean]

Bill is right that the Disney version of a view type is if you can see it at all on your balcony. It reminds me of hotels in Hawaii of what makes an ocean view. However, savanna views similar to one Bill described are rare. Also the Pemba savanna does not have giraffes and zebras, but has okapi, Ankole cattle, and blue crane.

With timeshares, views are based more on physical location than actual long term view from the villa. I own several units at HH's Marriott Grande Ocean, the premier timeshare on the island. They have ocean front and ocean side based on ownership but for cash they list courtyard view, "near the beach" and OF. Looking at the physical division between OF and OS, there is quite a bit of overlap between the 2. Some OS units have MUCH better views than some OF. This is due more to vegetation than anything else, similar to the recent report of someone staying at VB and not being happy with the Beach Cottage view. It's something to be aware of exchanging, using or renting timeshares in general.

 

[rmcildw2m]

AKL without question is the best for you , that's my 2 cents .

 

[PrincessesX3]

thank you everyone for your responses. DH and I have actually considering purchasing resale in two resorts. We love doing split stays during our trips therefore we ensure we get what we want 11 months out. We are purchasing at one DVC and next year purchasing at AKV possibly. We are going to do some more exploring at AKV before we purchase next year.
thank you all again.