Frustration booking AKV at 11mo. window AND inquired about BLT to MS.

[WoodysRoundup]

I guess I should have thought of this previously but I hadn't....I called MS precisely at the 11mo. window to book day by day for our trip next May. Already, there were NO 1BR or 2BR savanna views available. I could get a 1BR value or a 2 BR concierge.....not what we want. The reason? So many owners at Kidani and Jambo and only 2 floors of rooms available at this time. MS said no assurances that Kidani will be ready by May 1 next year. I will keep calling, but very frustrated.......hopefully can get a less remote DVC resort at 7mo. window I suppose.

On a separate note, I asked her about "the bldg. next to the CR". She said it's just an extension of the "convention hotel". I told her I'd heard people discussing that it would be DVC on a monorail ride and she said they were absolutely wrong and had no clue what they were talking about!!!!!! Strong words, huh?

 

[IknowDoYou?]

I guess I should have thought of this previously but I hadn't....I called MS precisely at the 11mo. window to book day by day for our trip next May. Already, there were NO 1BR or 2BR savanna views available. I could get a 1BR value or a 2 BR concierge.....not what we want. The reason? So many owners at Kidani and Jambo and only 2 floors of rooms available at this time. MS said no assurances that Kidani will be ready by May 1 next year. I will keep calling, but very frustrated.......hopefully can get a less remote DVC resort at 7mo. window I suppose.

On a separate note, I asked her about "the bldg. next to the CR". She said it's just an extension of the "convention hotel". I told her I'd heard people discussing that it would be DVC on a monorail ride and she said they were absolutely wrong and had no clue what they were talking about!!!!!! Strong words, huh?

From my understanding, Kidani owners (like me) cannot book Jambo until Kidani opens. Most people got SSR developer points, some got generic developer points, but those generic points are good for any DVC resort with the exception of Jambo.

So with that said, Jambo being full isn't because of the influx of new AKV owners; it's just a popular place to be with a small room (DVC) count. Once Kidani opens the 11-month window should be wide open.

Good luck!

 

[WoodysRoundup]

From my understanding, Kidani owners (like me) cannot book Jambo until Kidani opens. Most people got SSR developer points, some got generic developer points, but those generic points are good for any DVC resort with the exception of Jambo.

So with that said, Jambo being full isn't because of the influx of new AKV owners; it's just a popular place to be with a small room (DVC) count. Once Kidani opens the 11-month window should be wide open.

Good luck!

Ah, well that makes me feel better. Thanks for clarifying. That is NOT what MS said to me this morning though. How could it then be sold out for May of next year when I called exactly when my booking window opened?

 

[tjkraz]

From my understanding, Kidani owners (like me) cannot book Jambo until Kidani opens.

Actually you can't stay at a DVC until your room is ready, but you should be able to book up to 11 months in advance. A seemingly minor but still important distinction.

From what I've heard, DVC is putting an "expected occupancy date" of May 1, 2009 in the paperwork for Kidani owners. As such, it's entirely possible they are allowing Kidani owners to book for check-in dates after May 1, '09.

If that's true, WoodysRoundup is right on the money. DVC may well be allowing Kidani owners to book, but they haven't yet opened up the rooms that they own for reservations.

 

[disney1474]

We booked day by day the last 3 days, after 9 am, and got a 1 bedroom sav. view

 

[IknowDoYou?]

Actually you can't stay at a DVC until your room is ready, but you should be able to book up to 11 months in advance. A seemingly minor but still important distinction.

From what I've heard, DVC is putting an "expected occupancy date" of May 1, 2009 in the paperwork for Kidani owners. As such, it's entirely possible they are allowing Kidani owners to book for check-in dates after May 1, '09.

If that's true, WoodysRoundup is right on the money. DVC may well be allowing Kidani owners to book, but they haven't yet opened up the rooms that they own for reservations.

Totally valid point! Didn't think of that.

 

[bobbiwoz]

But if MS is letting Kidani unit owners book, they are still only taking reservations for Jambo house, right?
Bobbi

 

[tjkraz]

But if MS is letting Kidani unit owners book, they are still only taking reservations for Jambo house, right?
Bobbi

That's what it sounds like. And if so, it's creating an imbalance in the number of owners eligible to book at 11 months. DVC is only accepting reservations for the 130+ rooms at Jambo, but the group that is eligible to book apparently includes the owners of those 130 rooms but hundreds of owners at Kidani as well.

If they were accepting reservations at Kidani, this wouldn't be an issue. And ultimately AKV owners will (or should) get some priority booking period for Kidani, but we don't know when that will occur.

May isn't normally a busy time but with hundreds of Kidani owners prohibited from booking prior to 5/1/09, it doesn't surprise me that they are calling to book as soon as they are eligible to start using their points.

 

[Granny]

If they were accepting reservations at Kidani, this wouldn't be an issue. And ultimately AKV owners will (or should) get some priority booking period for Kidani, but we don't know when that will occur.

And this may well present WoodysRoundup with the opportunity to book that Savanna View room once they start accepting Kidani reservations. I think the odds of getting it will be pretty good.

 

[ACDSNY]

I would think this is when using the waitlist would work out great. That way your on the list when the new inventory is released to DVC.

 

[jdg345]

Actually you can't stay at a DVC until your room is ready, but you should be able to book up to 11 months in advance. A seemingly minor but still important distinction.

From what I've heard, DVC is putting an "expected occupancy date" of May 1, 2009 in the paperwork for Kidani owners. As such, it's entirely possible they are allowing Kidani owners to book for check-in dates after May 1, '09.

If that's true, WoodysRoundup is right on the money. DVC may well be allowing Kidani owners to book, but they haven't yet opened up the rooms that they own for reservations.

Exactly; waitlists would fill as soon as they released the inventory imo.

 

[spiceycat]

sorry folks but if she called when she did - and got told no available at all in the savannah views.

something isn't quite right.

sometimes the computer has problems. call again now and see if you get told the same thing. If you do - definitely go for the wait list. I would also call tomorrow.

130 rooms gone in a few hours for Jambo house - sorry don't believe it. Especially for May...

 

[WoodysRoundup]

sorry folks but if she called when she did - and got told no available at all in the savannah views.

something isn't quite right.

sometimes the computer has problems. call again now and see if you get told the same thing. If you do - definitely go for the wait list. I would also call tomorrow.

130 rooms gone in a few hours for Jambo house - sorry don't believe it. Especially for May...

Respectfully I ask, If Kidani owners and Jambo owners are all able to book even though Kidani inventory isn't open, why don't you believe it? What tjkraz makes complete sense. If Kidani owners are able to book for stays after May 1, then there are many of us competing for those savanna views starting in May. Are there 130 savanna view 1 and 2 BR units in Jambo?

MS suggested I wait until the day that I could book my entire trip and waitlist at that time if it's not available.

 

[tjkraz]

And this may well present WoodysRoundup with the opportunity to book that Savanna View room once they start accepting Kidani reservations. I think the odds of getting it will be pretty good.

I agree completely.

Still it doesn't seem right that they would allow Kidani owners to book before they let ALL owners book Kidani. If DVC isn't confident in a May 1st opening for Kidani, they're going to be canceling a lot of trips scheduled by those owners.

sorry folks but if she called when she did - and got told no available at all in the savannah views.

something isn't quite right.

sometimes the computer has problems. call again now and see if you get told the same thing. If you do - definitely go for the wait list. I would also call tomorrow.

130 rooms gone in a few hours for Jambo house - sorry don't believe it. Especially for May...

Could very well be a computer problem or untrained CM. I wouldn't rule that out.

But it's not 130 rooms that were booked. Jambo has 4 room classes and 4 sizes. OP was specifically looking for a 1B or 2B Savanna view. Other classes / sizes were available. It wouldn't take 130 reservations to book the size/class OP was seeking--only a fraction of that number.

 

[CarolMN]

I agree with spicey - something just doesn't sound quite right about this.

I wonder if MS is restricting the number of savanna view rooms available to book right now due to the Kidani construction.

Remember that the animals won't be on one of the savannas for the first several months of 2009 due to the construction. Maybe the convoluted process they announced on how they planned to decide who got the savanna views isn't going to work. I'd sure hate to be the front desk person that had to tell a guest he/she was getting the savanna view without any animals, even if there was going to be a point refund. YCH! Better to tell people up front no savanna view and pleasantly surprise them when they arrive if the animals are back early.

 

[jdg345]

sorry folks but if she called when she did - and got told no available at all in the savannah views.

something isn't quite right.

sometimes the computer has problems. call again now and see if you get told the same thing. If you do - definitely go for the wait list. I would also call tomorrow.

130 rooms gone in a few hours for Jambo house - sorry don't believe it. Especially for May...

I didn't think there were 130 1BR or 2BR Savannah View rooms in Jambo? Isn't it quite a bit less than that?

 

[jdg345]

I agree with spicey - something just doesn't sound quite right about this.

I wonder if MS is restricting the number of savanna view rooms available to book right now due to the Kidani construction.

Remember that the animals won't be on one of the savannas for the first several months of 2009 due to the construction. Maybe the convoluted process they announced on how they planned to decide who got the savanna views isn't going to work. I'd sure hate to be the front desk person that had to tell a guest he/she was getting the savanna view without any animals, even if there was going to be a point refund. YCH! Better to tell people up front no savanna view and pleasantly surprise them when they arrive if the animals are back early.

Either way, it still sounds like it would make sense to get on the waitlist now ... chances are as they have a better handle on schedules they will be releasing rooms into inventory and the higher you are on the list, the better, no?

 

[kgc07]

OP- Did you call right at 9 am? Even if Kidani owners are booking, that seems really quick for a savanna view. Even harder to believe all the savanna view rooms would be gone before the concierge rooms (there are more savanna view rooms). I agree, get on the waitlist, if Kidani opens in May, you will be on the top of the list.
I am a little excited to hear that there was a 2 bedroom concierge room to book as I will be making reservations for one in a few weeks.

 

[spiceycat]

Remember that the animals won't be on one of the savannas for the first several months of 2009 due to the construction. Maybe the convoluted process they announced on how they planned to decide who got the savanna views isn't going to work. I'd sure hate to be the front desk person that had to tell a guest he/she was getting the savanna view without any animals, even if there was going to be a point refund. YCH! Better to tell people up front no savanna view and pleasantly surprise them when they arrive if the animals are back early.

Carol you are so right - forgot about them taking off the animals in the savannah closest to Kidani.

completely forgot that.

that might be the problem.

 

[tjkraz]

The Sunset Savanna closure is scheduled to end on April 15th, so that shouldn't be a factor.

Getting on the waitlist would certainly be wise, but shouldn't directly impact the ability to get a room in Kidani. Jambo and Kidani will be separate categories. Just as going on the waitlist for BoardWalk Standard won't get you a BoardWalk Preferred BW view, waitlisting for Jambo shouldn't get you into Kidani.

The one thing that could happen is Jambo rooms being freed-up as members move their bookings to Kidani once it is available.