I think AKV proves....

[rutgers1]

I think that AKV proves that the biggest determiner regarding whether a DVC resort gets rave or just "ok" reviews is the distance from the center of the action. If you were to simply show a group of 100 people a slideshow or video of all Disney resorts, I would nearly guarantee you that AKV would get the top marks hands down. Is it possible to pack more theming into a resort than having a giraffe outside of your window? Yet, when you hear people talk about resorts here, it isn't mentioned among the top few as often.

I am under the belief that just about ANYTHING on the monorail line would be more popular than SSR and AKV for no other reason than distance. And if you put AKV and SSR on the monorail line and put the Contemporary and the Polynesian in their place out on the outskirts, you'd hear no complaints about SSR and AKV.

 

[adminjedi]

I partially agree.
The real problem with SSR transportation, IMHO is the many stops within the resort BEFORE you even get started down the road to the parks! The other issue is the resort is so spread out, which is beautiful, but one must walk a very long way to pool, tennis, arcade, mug refill, lunch etc. if you are put in the outer buildings.
AKL on the other had has just one stop before the road trip to the parks. We don't mind it nearly as much as the SSR transportation. Frankly, AKL is such a unique experience that it is worth the distance. Many hotels around the world, and "THE WORLD", offer luxury, amenities and location. But there are only two hotels I know of that put your room in the middle of a zoo - AKL and the TreeTops Hotel in Kenya!

 

[ACDSNY]

I guess I don't follow the norm for why I like a resort. I prefer staying away from the action. After a couple of days of parks I like to get away from it all and relax. Since we typically go to WDW during the Fall when the hours are shorter I like being at SSR so we can go to DTD in the evening.

 

[TDC Nala]

I don't follow the norm either. The monorail is no big deal to me. If I want to be close to a park, it's usually Epcot. That is why I own BCV, but I do not always stay there.

 

[twinklebug]

Good points but I don't think this proves anything. It does seem as though everyone loves the Poly, and I do believe you're onto something when you compare putting the Poly out where AKV is to see what happens to the popularity. It would most certainly be reduced. However, I don't think I've read much more than rave reviews for AKV as a resort to start with & it is where it is. Please point out the negative reviews as I'm curious now.

All things said, AKV is still within Disney's land - it's very very close to all the parks. I commuted to WDW from from Clermont when I stayed with my parents this past winter, and was surprise at how close that was to WDW. Now, take that trip and divide it by 10. Comparatively, AKV is *there already* ... and you have a bus driver dedicated to AKL/V to get you to where you're going when exhausted by a long day in the parks. I've waited exhausted for those monorails at the end of the day. There are many times I recall waiting over 20 minutes for one to show up. (No idea why, it's not like they got lost - They're on a loop! hehe)

Where is this "center of the action" you talk about? There is no resort that has perfect access to all the parks. To me the closest to that to which you refer would have to be, not those on the monorail, but rather those nestled between HS and EPCOT. I think the reason the Poly & Contemporary still pull in the popularity is simply due to nostalgia & an inner child need to be near the dream park itself: MK. (My inner child prefers Tigers, Dinosaurs and Yetis )

 

[bama106]

I guess I don't follow the norm for why I like a resort. I prefer staying away from the action. After a couple of days of parks I like to get away from it all and relax. Since we typically go to WDW during the Fall when the hours are shorter I like being at SSR so we can go to DTD in the evening.

We own at AKV and we love being away from most everything. We love the animals, the decor of the resort, and have never had any problems with the buses. We have stayed at SSR as well and love it there as well. I did not thing the bus situation at SSR was bad at all, from the time we stepped foot at the bus stop we were usually on a bus within 10 min's and the absolute longest bus ride we were on to get to a park was like 30 min's or just under. To me that is not long at all, but I understand if you had little kids how that could be a very long bus ride for some.

 

[Anal Annie]

I really have to laugh whenever I see threads talking about "how far" or "so far" or "too far". I mean you're talking a difference of what? 6, 7, 8 minutes? It's really not a deal breaker for us. Are people really in THAT much of a hurry? We love AKV's dedicated bus service. It and VWL are by far the best because of the one stop shopping. It seems to me that every resort has a park that it's closer to than another. Oh, and hello? AKV is RIGHT BY the AK Park! Does that not count for something???????

We've never stayed at the Poly & I could give 2 hoots about staying at a monorail resort. We rarely ride it and often have trips where we don't ride it at all. I've never had the urge to stay there having been to Hawaii several times - I guess I'm just not looking for a copy cat version of a Polynesian Paradise. Kinda like using imitation flavored bacon bits on your BLT sandwich rather than bacon. Just not quite the same thing to me...

We are staying at SSR on our next trip for the first time. That's where we own because that was what was for sale at the time we bought. We have toured the models and I freely admit that the decor is so "not us" but it's where we own so we figured we should try it sometime. I am curious to compare the SSR buses to the OKW buses which we thought were dreadfully slow. We have 2 dinners planned in DTD over that trip so at least it will be convenient for those! I think every resort has it's pluses and minuses for something.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I've heard the remarks about AKL/V being far and some people don't like that. I've been very pleased with the resort and have had fine bus transportation on all of our stays. On some of these bus rides, I've met guests who are staying elsewhere but came over to AKV/L to check it out, and yes, I've heard some people complain, but I've heard people rave and there are those like me who do not think the transportation is a chore.

However, I will not intentionally pick AKV for a NYE or 4th of July trip. I want to be able to walk home from Epcot for those. Just about any other trip will find me considering AKV as the resort of choice. We have 4 home resorts on WDW property, so there really isn't one that automatically has our allegiance, but VWL is the one that most speaks to my soul and AKV is probably second.

Bobbi

 

[bookwormde]

Yes every WDW DVC resort has its pluses and minuses when it comes to transportation, and combine with other attributes to make them enjoyably different. That is why it is so much fun to “sleep around”.

I did not think I would every stay at SSR but now with the THV section that has changed.

bookwormde

 

[Disney_Villain]

I guess I don't follow the norm for why I like a resort. I prefer staying away from the action. After a couple of days of parks I like to get away from it all and relax. Since we typically go to WDW during the Fall when the hours are shorter I like being at SSR so we can go to DTD in the evening.

I couldn't agree with you more!

 

[Chuck S]

My tastes have changed. The Contemporary was always my favorite resort before purchasing into OKW. I had to have an MK view tower room. And while I'll probably stay at BLT at some point to once again enjoy the experience or have easy monorail connection to EPCOT, I prefer the quiet relaxation of OKW. I've visited the Boardwalk area, but have not stayed there...and I honestly don't have any desire for the hustle and bustle. I like to drive over to BCV for Beaches and Cream, but again have no desire to actually stay at BCV. I do find the animals on the savannah appealing, and will probably schedule a vacation in the Kidani addition in the future.

 

[robandkelly13]

I guess we're just different - We LOVE AKV. I like getting away from the parks and feeling like we have an escape. We take long 10 to 14 night trips and take it easy. The monorail is cool and we like GF, but AKV is more our style.

 

[DebbieB]

I stayed at AKV for the first time last summer. I was concerned about it being too far from everything, especially since my home resort is BWV. It wasn't a problem at all, we seemed to get everywhere pretty fast. Liked it so much I am staying there in June! The savannah view is an awesome experience!

 

[PEANUT1]

we don't like SSR but it has nothing to do with where it is or transportation issues...we always rent a car anyway.

We LOVE animal kingdom, I love Beach Club and Boardwalk...I'm sure I'll love BLT too..all for different reasons. I do think that if the Poly wasn't on the monorail it would be no big deal...the hotel itself smells musty and the rooms are no big deal.

 

[JerJan]

I personally have never liked the AKL .... too dark for me, for that matter so is the Wilderness Lodge. I like the out of the way places much better than the ones that are "CLOSER to the parks" like SSR & OKW and of course VBR (WAY out of the way!) I have also always thought of the Polynesion as a very "Brady Bunch goes Hawaii type of resort...... to each his own though! I am very glad that Disney builds "something for everyone!"

 

[christa112]

I don't really need to be close to the action either. I don't mind the bus ride. We have stayed at ASMo, CBR & POP and have never complained about being far away.

I just purchased AKV without ever even staying there. I love the rustic look and it has been my dream hotel since we stepped foot in it back in 2005. I also love WL and hopefully will stay there someday as well.

The monorail is really no big draw to me. I think the only monorail resort I would probably stay at would be the Poly. The BLT and GF seem way to fancy for us.

 

[tinkerbell of winter]

I have to say I love AKV, we just got back from staying at Jambo house and it was absolutely AMAZING. I am looking forward to our first trip to Kidani in January. We will probably at least go check it out during the October trip though. I own at SSR and AKV and they are two very different resorts with different amenities but I LOVE AKV!

 

[ADP]

I love AKV. I love that it is so close to the Animal Kingdom theme park....Just a short bus ride away.

A resort like AKV needs to seem remote because of it's theme....And it's the theme and uniqueness that makes AKV/AKL an awesome resort.

 

[La2kw]

I think that AKV proves that the biggest determiner regarding whether a DVC resort gets rave or just "ok" reviews is the distance from the center of the action. If you were to simply show a group of 100 people a slideshow or video of all Disney resorts, I would nearly guarantee you that AKV would get the top marks hands down. Is it possible to pack more theming into a resort than having a giraffe outside of your window? Yet, when you hear people talk about resorts here, it isn't mentioned among the top few as often.

I am under the belief that just about ANYTHING on the monorail line would be more popular than SSR and AKV for no other reason than distance. And if you put AKV and SSR on the monorail line and put the Contemporary and the Polynesian in their place out on the outskirts, you'd hear no complaints about SSR and AKV.

AKV doesn't appeal to me because of the distance from the parks I like, but that's not the main reason we have no interest in staying there. Build it on the monorail, and it would make no difference to us. AK is our least favorite park, so that's no plus. I don't like the fact that it's so dark. From the pics, Kidani looks like a cheap version of Jambo though I know pictures never do it justice. The water play area only would appeal to little kids, and the landscaping is too "arid" for my tastes. I have no interest in watching hoofstock and birds from my room either. I do think the Kidani rooms are nice, but BLT and GCV will have a very similar layout so I don't need to stay at Kidani to have a room like that. The Jambo units are not "DVC" enough for me, with no separate shower and the small rooms with lack of closet space.

 

[AKV707]

I think that with Kidani opening in a week, it is a little early to evaluate the popularity of AKV/. It is our home resort, so we are biased, but Kidani does look like an incredible resort from the pics I have seem. And it is absolutely not remote. The longest trip seems to be from AKV to DHS because it stops at BB.