Help me decide btwn SSR & AKV

[elastigirlfan]

Hi everyone...I can't decide which one I want to buy...can you help me decide? When I did the tour as soon as I walked into the SSR model I loved it....felt welcome, warm, calming. I'm not sure why...just a feeling I had. I love the Ak theme too but my reservation with buying there is it's distance from the other parks and the annual dues...I worry how much higher they may go after the resort is all done and more animals are added. I like the location of SSR and I like that 5 people can sleep at AKV. Any advice or input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much!

 

[disneynutz]

I recommend that you rent points and stay at both resorts before buying. Would you buy a car without taking a test drive? Your DVC purchase is going to cost you much more than a car during it's lifetime.





Note to self, follow your own advise.

 

[ScottakaMickey]

I'm a dollars and cents person, so I am looking at which is the better deal financially, which still isn't easy. We don't care about the 11 Month window in our situation, so if the 11 month window doesn't matter to you, then you choose SSR and then always stay at AK on certain occasions. Plus you have all of the over DVC resorts to try out as well.

 

[mprewitt]

Buy where you want to stay. If you're into SSR, buy there. If not, and you're into AKV, buy there.

AKV Advantages

• The "11 month window" will be more advantageous at AKV than SSR, due to the point-saving “value rooms and the concierge rooms. These types of rooms will go quick and probably necessitate calling at 11 months.
• The 1 BR can sleep 5 versus 4 at SSR. Also, the rooms at the new Kidani Village will have an extra bathroom compared to SSR.
• The savannah with the Animals!
• large water playground/pool
• Jiko and Boma!
• Lease is 3 years more than SSR (2057 vs 2054)

SSR Advantages

• Lower maintenance fees
• Direct access to DTD (for restaurants and great nightlife!)
• Onsite Spa
• Completed (unlike AKV, which is under construction)

 

[Disney Kim]

I bought at AKL, I went back and forth between SSR and AKL for about a week. In the end I went with AKL because I like that I could get the booking catagories, which might be hard without the 11 month window.
I don't own a lot of points so having the 11 month window for the "Value" rooms sounded good to me.
Plus I liked that the 1 bedroom could fit 5 (I don't think for the value rooms but for the other ones)
and the 2 bedroom could fit 9..
I also liked the three extra years, Not much but still three more years.

Those couple reasons are why I went with AKL, But that being said I can't wait to stay stay at SSR sometime!

I think either way I would have been happy!!

Good luck with your decision!!

 

[Luv2trav]

[*] Also, the rooms at the new Kidani Village wll have an extract batchroom compares to SSR.

What does this mean?

 

[wildernessDad]

[*] Also, the rooms at the new Kidani Village wll have an extract batchroom compares to SSR.

What does this mean?

The one bedroom and two bedroom units at AKV will have/do have an extra bathroom just off of the living room for guests sleeping in that area.

Thus, at AKV, the one bedroom units have two bathrooms total and the two bedroom units have three bathrooms total.

 

[starbox]

We own both AKV and SSR, with the majority of our points being SSR because they were cheaper to purchase and will be cheaper to own long-term. I will always want to try to use some of my points to mix up where I stay, so it does not make sense for me to pay more for a specialty home resort.

I bought AKV because I want to be able to book 1 trip per year at 11 months and, while people tend to anticipate 7-month availability, nobody really knows what that equation will end up looking like.

 

[dizney4us]

are there incentives going on right now for add ons at eith AKL and/or SSR?

 

[LisaS]

The one bedroom and two bedroom units at AKV will have/do have an extra bathroom just off of the living room for guests sleeping in that area.

Thus, at AKV, the one bedroom units have two bathrooms total and the two bedroom units have three bathrooms total.

The villas in the new building (Kidani Village) will have the extra bathroom. That building is scheduled to open in 2009. The villas in Jambo House (the Lodge building) do not have the extra bathroom.

 

[ScottakaMickey]

are there incentives going on right now for add ons at eith AKL and/or SSR?

Yes there are.

Both resorts have the option of choosing double developer points. Which means if you purchase 160 points, you will get those points, plus 320 points to use within the next 7 months. Or you can choose a price reduction down from $104 a point. AKL is a discount of $8 per point, or $96 effective. and SSR is $10 per point or $94 effective.

You can choose and ulimately have to decide if you can really use those developer points or not.

Good Luck.

 

[Turtleship]

Once AKV is fully developed, it's close to a wash. Both will have the same number of units, meaning lots of new owners competing for the highly desirable units like BWV and BCV. They're running out of deluxe resorts to add DVC resorts. My guess is Polynesian or Contemporary. At the end of the day, you have to go with the theme. Saratoga Springs is simply boring. If you like peace and quiet, SSR is your resort. Otherwise, buy a resale at BWV or BCV. You can always get into SSR/AKV with those points. My 2 cents.

 

[mprewitt]

[*] Also, the rooms at the new Kidani Village wll have an extract batchroom compares to SSR.

What does this mean?

... my fat fingers...

I meant to say: Also, the rooms at the new Kidani Village will have an extra bathroom compared to SSR

 

[flyerron]

You can't go wrong. Pick the place that appeals to you most & where you would like to stay most of the time. Over thinking these decisions can drive you crazy & accomplishes very little, may even confuse you more. just pick one & do it. STOP overthinking.

 

[3DisneyKids]

I think this is a case where you don't have to rely on the "buy where you want to stay" motto. Both resorts are big...once complete, AKV will be very large. And other than the major premium weeks, I don't think you will have a hard time getting either resort at the 7 month window.

The big IF here is whether or not you would want AKV concierge. If that is important to you, then I would go with that.

If the bottom line ($$) is key, I would go with an SSR resale right now...they seem to be going for signigicantly less than through Disney.

 

[3DisneyKids]

Saratoga Springs is simply boring.

Please don't.

 

[Tink's Tormentor]

I am leaning toward SSR for myself..... I love the relaxed feeling of the resort... however, it matters more money wise for me.... since we can go to any DVC resort... LOL....

 

[hardingk]

We just bought into DVC this week and bought at AKV. We stayed at SSR the two nights prior to buying with the AP rate and liked it; however, we loved AKV just a tiny bit more. Both are great places and we hope to try out all of the DVC resorts over the next 50 years!!

 

[starbox]

Otherwise, buy a resale at BWV or BCV. You can always get into SSR/AKV with those points. My 2 cents.

I would not recommend paying a premium price for a BWV/BCV contract with a much shorter contract length unless you are buying that contract because you want to stay at BWV/BCV 99% of the time. If you only want to stay at BCV/BWV, by all means you should pay more for less years and be assured that you have the booking advantage that will allow you to stay there whenever you want to.

If you think BWV/BCV are places you'll try once or twice when/if you can get them, but you like all the DVC properties - go for the longer contract, better incentives, and cheaper annual fees. JMHO.