If AKL club level is so rare , why aren't they gone within moments of the 7 month window?

[jo-jo]

I posted this in resort forms and someone suggested I post here instead.

We wanted to try club level at AKL. Was tracking rooms first week of May, gone, ok, we moved our trip to second week. Couple days in the beginning of week, gone. We waited for the days later in the week and we got them....at 8:00 am exactly. It is now 22 hours later and there are still the same three nights open. I'm just shocked with so few rooms to start with there were at least two one bedrooms at 7 months. I am wondering if something is going on that I missed. Do we want to stay there???

 

[drusba]

^The answer is 1BRs. They often remain open during DVC's low to moderate demand season, which runs from the Monday after marathon weekend in Jan to late Sep, beyond the 11 month window and can sometimes be open even at 7 months out. The 11 month year-round issue for the club level rooms is mainly a studio issue -- those tend to book very quickly at 11 months out, which automatically also fills the 2BRs since all club level rooms are 2BR lock-offs. The 1BRs tend to disappear fairly quickly at 11 months out during DVC's high to extremely high demand season that runs from late Sep to marathon weekend in Jan, but opportunities for them are often better other times off the year.

Other resorts have similar 1BR patterns of availability for otherwise hard to get rooms, e.g., during that low to moderate season BWV 1BR standard and boardwalk views can often be found beyond the 7 month window despite that studios (and thus 2BRs since all 2BRs at BWV are lock-offs) disappear with the 11 month window.

 

[jo-jo]

Thank you, I've always thought they were too much of a splurge for the points, so never really looked at them. But was getting concerned that it suddenly seemed so easy to book the room.

And thank you for the details, we had been thinking if we didn't get a room now, we would try again in Nov. After your answer, that idea would have be bad.

 

[Frederic Civish]

I'm just shocked with so few rooms to start with there were at least two one bedrooms at 7 months. I am wondering if something is going on that I missed. Do we want to stay there???

Sometimes, by chance, things just 'work out,' and something is available, when it normally wouldn't be. This is most likely to happen in the less popular times, but it can happen any time.

Also, keep in mind that at 7 months, a lot of people are dropping their old reservations and shifting to new ones at a different resort. So, sometimes thing suddenly become available at the 7 month window that have not been available for months.

 

[bwvBound]

For some of us, the AKV Club Level is “once and done.” One has no influence over the view (pool vs savannah) and the savannah views are poor. You also run a higher chance of being stuck in a Handicap Accessible unit which, for us, was a disaster.

 

[SL6827]

I got a studio for two nights a good while back by chance. Loved it, but would never pay the prices for CL at Disney. I mean, right now at rack rate I think the lowest CL room for 2020 is like close to $700 a night, that is the lowest price.

 

[FireflyTrance]

Personally I would rather have the savannah view. I've done club level and savannah view and would much prefer the guaranteed view. I feel like the whole point of staying at AKL is to see the animals on your balcony. Plus since it's DVC I can just cook in the room, so in that way the club level is less important to us.

 

[purpliequeen]

We stayed in a 1-bedroom two separate trips, booking at the 7 month window ~ 1 decade back. 1 trip was during the Jan. marathon in 2008 or 2009 and one trip was before that. You'll enjoy it; it's a totally different experience that no other DVC resort has replicated. Both of our trips were really awesome and memorable. You'll read some reviews that mention that it was a design flaw/mistake that Disney didn't build the concierge lounge with savanna views. However, I actually like the exclusivity of the space. It feels really special and cozy to be up so high in the beautiful lodge. Beautiful views of the architecture. Also the concierge staff are AWESOME and the food and drink really wonderful. Plus, with the layouts of the DVC rooms, it's really easy to grab a snack or beverage and take it back to your room. The convenience was something we didn't really anticipate. Definitely take it easy on the ADRs since you want to save your appetite - esp during the evenings. We also didn't need to eat breakfast elsewhere - the breakfast was plentiful enough. Enjoy all those zebra domes!

Edited to add that both times we had semi-decent savanna views. Nothing to write home about. We've stayed in AKL savanna view rooms many times though so this wasn't a deal breaker for us. If it's your first time staying at AKL, maybe this would affect our opinion of the resort. There are so many opps to see the animals though that it's not like it'll ruin a trip. I also agree with a previous poster that I would never pay cash for these rooms. But I feel that way about DVC in general though. I always am shocked to see what the cash equiv for the rooms we stay in are....

 

[Eastcoast02]

I enjoyed the savannah view when we had it, but I think I almost enjoy a pool view room more. Something about seeing the nice blue water and all the foliage...

 

[Cyberc1978]

I got a studio for two nights a good while back by chance. Loved it, but would never pay the prices for CL at Disney. I mean, right now at rack rate I think the lowest CL room for 2020 is like close to $700 a night, that is the lowest price.

On our last trip I decided that we should have 2 days in a studio club level room. Ofc there weren’t any DVC rooms left so I looked direct and got a room for $370 per night including tax.

IMO a great price.

 

[SL6827]

On our last trip I decided that we should have 2 days in a studio club level room. Ofc there weren’t any DVC rooms left so I looked direct and got a room for $370 per night including tax.

IMO a great price.

Very much a great price. And that price it would be worth it.

 

[SL6827]

I enjoyed the savannah view when we had it, but I think I almost enjoy a pool view room more. Something about seeing the nice blue water and all the foliage...

My CL room was pool view and I liked that.

 

[bumbershoot]

You also run a higher chance of being stuck in a Handicap Accessible unit which, for us, was a disaster.

Same at Jambo, but not CL. But then a HA room given to us at OKW wasn’t bad at all. But that Jambo room... Basically I just really *need* a bathtub lol.

 

[jo-jo]

For some of us, the AKV Club Level is “once and done.” One has no influence over the view (pool vs savannah) and the savannah views are poor. You also run a higher chance of being stuck in a Handicap Accessible unit which, for us, was a disaster.

Why was it a disaster? We actually need an accessible unit. We fear the soaker tub/shower combo is too high for DH to get into without any bars to hold on to.

 

[Minniesgal]

I can never bring myself to book the club rooms for 2 reasons

1. The view. 50/50 chance you get a pool view. For us the point of AKL is the Savannah view I'd rather make sure we have one.

2. One of the 1 bedrooms is handicap accessible. high chance you get it due to low room count.

 

[bwvBound]

Why was it a disaster? We actually need an accessible unit. We fear the soaker tub/shower combo is too high for DH to get into without any bars to hold on to.

The unit we were assigned, a 1BR HA unit, was basically designed for wheel-chair "only" use. All surfaces were quite low (we are quite tall), there were no closets, no hooks above waist height (our bathrobes were touching the ground), etc. For tall people, this was a very awkward room. The sinks were also designed for wheelchair use and had no storage available so everything felt extremely cluttered and crowded.

The bathroom, however, was the major problem. I had just come off a busy conference and was looking forward to soaking in the tub ... but there was no tub. The shower is completely open (roll-in) with floors slanting towards the center of the room ... so the entire bathroom floor was always wet. It just didn't work for us ... especially as we couldn't hang towels or robes high enough to keep dry.

It just didn't work for us.

 

[jo-jo]

We have been to AKL several times, both Jumbo and Kidani. Room wise, we love love love the one bedroom at kidani. But DH wanted to try Club level once.

Our trip plan is 4 nights in a studio garden/pool view at BWV, 3 nights one bedroom club level Jumbo and one night studio savanna Jumbo. Our plan is to go to MK, Epcot, DHS while at BWV. The morning of the move, go to DHS use three FP, take bus to AKL. Stay at the resort for the next 1 1/2 days. Do some of the fun stuff right in resort. Call us crazy but we love sitting by the fireplaces. The next two days, go to AK for 1/2 days. Then go home.

 

[Eastcoast02]

The unit we were assigned, a 1BR HA unit, was basically designed for wheel-chair "only" use. All surfaces were quite low (we are quite tall), there were no closets, no hooks above waist height (our bathrobes were touching the ground), etc. For tall people, this was a very awkward room. The sinks were also designed for wheelchair use and had no storage available so everything felt extremely cluttered and crowded.

The bathroom, however, was the major problem. I had just come off a busy conference and was looking forward to soaking in the tub ... but there was no tub. The shower is completely open (roll-in) with floors slanting towards the center of the room ... so the entire bathroom floor was always wet. It just didn't work for us ... especially as we couldn't hang towels or robes high enough to keep dry.

It just didn't work for us.

Reminds me of the HA Poly room we were assigned. The one bathroom floor was always soaked, but there didn't seem to be as many other handicap features. We didn't move since we liked the ground floor location and perfect view of the castle nestled between two bungalows.

Being assigned the handicap accessible room at VGF was an absolute no though. All the same problems as listed above and we were looking forward to the separate bathroom setup as we were staying in a studio with our two kids. We moved the next day and they gave us a $200 credit. I'm 6'4 and it might seem petty but on vacation I don't want to have to crouch every time I use the sinks.

 

[jo-jo]

The unit we were assigned, a 1BR HA unit, was basically designed for wheel-chair "only" use. All surfaces were quite low (we are quite tall), there were no closets, no hooks above waist height (our bathrobes were touching the ground), etc. For tall people, this was a very awkward room. The sinks were also designed for wheelchair use and had no storage available so everything felt extremely cluttered and crowded.

The bathroom, however, was the major problem. I had just come off a busy conference and was looking forward to soaking in the tub ... but there was no tub. The shower is completely open (roll-in) with floors slanting towards the center of the room ... so the entire bathroom floor was always wet. It just didn't work for us ... especially as we couldn't hang towels or robes high enough to keep dry.

It just didn't work for us.

I wonder why disney doesn't at least have two sets of hooks for robes or towels. I agree the bath doesn't sound as wonderful but better we have an ugly shower than chance a fall getting in the tub.

 

[bwvBound]

I wonder why disney doesn't at least have two sets of hooks for robes or towels.

That is exactly what we wondered. Why did the entire room have to revolve around the wheelchair guest? Why was there no consideration for the others sharing the room? Oh, well ... once and done for us.