Help with AKL for 4 couples

[KEK1]

Hi All,
I would appreciate some help with an upcoming stay at (probably) the AKL. There will be 8 people, 4 couples and room sharing is not an option.. I was originally thinking of a 2 bedroom + a studio, with 1 couple having to sleep on the pull out sofa but it sounds like that is really uncomfortable, so I guess it has to be 2x 2 bedrooms? Will be renting DVC points, resort isn't set in stone but I liked the AKL last time (stayed at Kidani) and it is a fair bit cheaper than most of the others. Are there any options I am missing?
Thanks!
Kriszty

 

[Marionnette]

Hi All,
I would appreciate some help with an upcoming stay at (probably) the AKL. There will be 8 people, 4 couples and room sharing is not an option.. I was originally thinking of a 2 bedroom + a studio, with 1 couple having to sleep on the pull out sofa but it sounds like that is really uncomfortable, so I guess it has to be 2x 2 bedrooms? Will be renting DVC points, resort isn't set in stone but I liked the AKL last time (stayed at Kidani) and it is a fair bit cheaper than most of the others. Are there any options I am missing?
Thanks!
Kriszty

2-bedroom villas don't come cheaply, even if you rent as opposed to booking thru Disney with cash. Don't even count on getting one of the "value" views because they are very limited in number. It would be a triumph to get one but two would be a miracle.

In addition to that, one bedroom has a king bed and upscale bathroom. The studio side (the 2nd bedroom) has a queen bed and regular bath. Who gets the better setup and how do you split the cost?

IMO, 4 hotel rooms with a good discount would be a better way to go. That way, if anyone backs out you you're not stuck with a large DVC villa for just two people. Keep in mind that renting is (in most cases) a final transaction. No refunds. No changes.

 

[cvjw]

Renting points for two two bedrooms will be expensive, especially if you want savannah view. Just looking at one of the rental sites, a week in September (one of the cheapest point times of the year), will run you $4300+ for each of the two bedrooms. I would think that booking 4 individual rooms thru Disney would be more cost effective.

 

[drwadadli]

I agree with @Marionnette, I would do individual hotel rooms. We went down with a group like that a couple of years ago and did hotel rooms instead of renting points and glad we did as one couple backed out at the last minute.

 

[loves to dive]

Another one for individual hotel rooms if you can get them. Not only will it most likely make more sense financially, unless you are really good friends, not having some privacy every once in a while might get on your nerves. Just for the record, my son and ex-DIL and myself were in a one bedroom a few years ago and I slept on the couch (what a good mommy I am, I even paid for it) and it wasn't that bad. I'm a small person so that might have made a difference and I'm like the princess and pea when it comes to sleeping but I didn't have any problems with it.

 

[epcotobsessed]

Yup, a two bedroom will be way more expensive than two individual hotel rooms, so four rooms is your best bet.

 

[KEK1]

Thank you all very much for your replies!
We are going 2-3 week in jan, looking at AKL for 14-18th. My parents are paying so dont need to worry about anyone backing out. Yes def cheaper to rent points for 4x studio apartments by approx $500 , as long as the 2 beds arent much nicer ..?
TIA

 

[KidaniZen]

Thank you all very much for your replies!
We are going 2-3 week in jan, looking at AKL for 14-18th. My parents are paying so dont need to worry about anyone backing out. Yes def cheaper to rent points for 4x studio apartments by approx $500 , as long as the 2 beds arent much nicer ..?
TIA

I don't think you are understanding what everyone is telling you. They are telling you NOT to rent.

You need 4 individual hotel rooms, not DVC villas.

That is what they are telling you is better and cheaper.

 

[clayfolks]

Thank you all very much for your replies!
We are going 2-3 week in jan, looking at AKL for 14-18th. My parents are paying so dont need to worry about anyone backing out. Yes def cheaper to rent points for 4x studio apartments by approx $500 , as long as the 2 beds arent much nicer ..?
TIA

The two bed villas are MUCH nicer. Since your parents are paying and it seems that you’d like to rent points, why not rent two studios and one lock off two bed? That way your parents could have the master bedroom with the lovely master bath and all the other couples would have studios. You would have a full kitchen along with washer and dryer and three full bathrooms in that two bed unit.

 

[KEK1]

Good idea re the 1x2 bed, thanks!
Where does everyone get their hotel room prices? I just did a search on a couple of sites and it was WAY more expensive than points so obviously not where I am looking..sorry if this is a stupid question!

 

[Sue M]

Room discounts haven’t come out yet for next year. So you’re probably looking at rack rates. I assume you’re looking on the Disney web site. Not sure what site you’re looking at for renting points but be sure it’s a reputable company. There’s a certain amount of trust involved in renting points with a private owner and sadly people have been scammed.

 

[Nancyg56]

Another one for individual hotel rooms if you can get them. Not only will it most likely make more sense financially, unless you are really good friends, not having some privacy every once in a while might get on your nerves. Just for the record, my son and ex-DIL and myself were in a one bedroom a few years ago and I slept on the couch (what a good mommy I am, I even paid for it) and it wasn't that bad. I'm a small person so that might have made a difference and I'm like the princess and pea when it comes to sleeping but I didn't have any problems with it.

I agree. My family travels together often and we are fine with sharing space, however when my son and DDIL joined us for our anniversary trip, we made sure they had their own room. The rest of us had a master suite at the resort, which had more space then my own home, and enough privacy for all 7 of us, but even that amount of space would not have made a difference if DS and DDIL were added into the suite.

We knew upfront my DS needed to be able to fall away from the rest of us, and we also knew DDIL as well. They recognized it too, so we booked a room on the same level as us, and the same floor. Best moeny spent to be sure there were not family problems.

Traveling togeher it not always easy, so it is best to understand the family dynamic ahead of time, and not try to make someting work to save money. It will not, and at that point there is usually no option available for any amount of moeny, which you would gladly pay just to fix the mess.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I was looking at availability for January recently. You are far too late to rent at AKL for January, frankly. It's not just the Value units gone at this point. There are no more than 3 days consecutive in a studio at Jambo until the end of the month (for which the 7 month booking opens this week), Kidani is slightly better, and if you were wanting a 2BR Savannah at Kidani, you could likely get it if you acted quickly. Availability changes by the minute, but January is already quite, quite booked.

But even on the dates with available studios, a DVC member can't tell you if there are multiples available.

DVC rental is best done 11 months out, or sooner than 7 months out. Neither is true for January at this point.

 

[Nancyg56]

I was looking at availability for January recently. You are far too late to rent at AKL for January, frankly. It's not just the Value units gone at this point. There are no more than 3 days consecutive in a studio at Jambo until the end of the month (for which the 7 month booking opens this week), Kidani is slightly better, and if you were wanting a 2BR Savannah at Kidani, you could likely get it if you acted quickly. Availability changes by the minute, but January is already quite, quite booked.

But even on the dates with available studios, a DVC member can't tell you if there are multiples available.

DVC rental is best done 11 months out, or sooner than 7 months out. Neither is true for January at this point.

I always worry when I see renting as the solution for saving money at a WDW resort. it can be, but there are so many different concerns that need to be faced up front, that I wonder how many folks are disappointed becuase it really has limitations. You really need to plan way ahead if you want some of these special resorts during seasons that owners book up fast.

 

[LindySpirit]

I agree with the other posters — you probably cannot get what you need with DVC at this point. And you are better off renting four non-DVC rooms.

 

[KEK1]

I was looking at using Davids Vacation club, like last time.
My parents just sprung this trip on us the other night, lovely of them but they dont understand the amount of time you need to book stuff in advance at WDW! I have put the request in and will see what is available.. thanks for everyones help!

 

[rdaky]

Just book separate rooms (not villas) and request that they be near each other. In January, you should be able to get regular rooms for less than $300 per night once discounts are released.

 

[Marionnette]

I was looking at using Davids Vacation club, like last time.
My parents just sprung this trip on us the other night, lovely of them but they dont understand the amount of time you need to book stuff in advance at WDW! I have put the request in and will see what is available.. thanks for everyones help!

David's won't have better availability than what @_auroraborealis_ could see. They don't have a special inventory of villas. They can only get you what's available to any other DVC member because they're just a middleman. They connect potential renters with owners who have points available to make reservations. With luck, they will have someone with enough points to book the villas you want, and there are villas available for your dates. The stars need to align perfectly.

 

[KEK1]

Thanks. As indeed everyone said there are no value 2 beds available, only standard view. I am still deciding what to do for those 1st 4 nights. Mum would prefer a kitchen so not sure about booking just regular rooms. Maybe 1 standard view 2 bed and 2 reg rooms..will have to run figures as I have a budget.
Not able to get BWI 2 bed for the weekend either..but very happily was able to get a 2 bed at the GF for the last 4 nights - SO excited about that!!!
What do people think of the saratoga springs treehouses?

 

[Marionnette]

Thanks. As indeed everyone said there are no value 2 beds available, only standard view. I am still deciding what to do for those 1st 4 nights. Mum would prefer a kitchen so not sure about booking just regular rooms. Maybe 1 standard view 2 bed and 2 reg rooms..will have to run figures as I have a budget.
Not able to get BWI 2 bed for the weekend either..but very happily was able to get a 2 bed at the GF for the last 4 nights - SO excited about that!!!
What do people think of the saratoga springs treehouses?

One treehouse for 4 couples? No.

There are 3 bedrooms. Two have queen beds. The third has bunk beds. A queen sleeper sofa and a sleeper chair round out the sleep surfaces for a total of 9 guests.

There are only 2 bathrooms.

The treehouses are isolated from the rest of SSR. The buses don't go back there so you have to walk to the end of the treehouse lane to catch an internal bus to the feature pool, restaurant or other bus transporation to the parks. There is boat service to DS from the treehouse dock. There is only one parking space by the treehouse itself. If you have more than one vehicle, you have to park it in the guest parking lot and walk back to your treehouse.

Treehouses can be great for families with kids or groups that don't mind the bed situation. They are relaxing and quiet. I'll be staying in one in the fall but we are sharing with only one other couple and no kids.