Just Back - 10 Days at AKV - Probably Won't Return

[eyeheartgoofy]

Sorry you had poor housekeeping! Especially since we are planning on trying AKV for our next stay.

We had terrible housekeeping at VWL in April 2008 - we also had to wash dishes (I'm not saying re-wash, because I have my doubts as to whether they were actually washed a first time ). It was disgusting to find cheese smeared plates and greasy coffee mugs. Spending 2 hours trying to get someone from Disney's staff to come up and clean our dishes was not exactly a relaxing way to start a vacation (and then we ended up washing them ourselves since it was taking so long and we just wanted to get to bed).

 

[momof3poohlovers]

We just returned Tues. night from our stay at the AKV's but we were concierge level and I have to say we had no problems(other than a problem with private dining). Now in all fairness, we were staying concierge level so that may be why we had great service. I am so sorry you did not have a great experience. It really stinks when you have such high expectations for a resort only to be let down. We also seemed to have a lot of luck this time as every time we went to catch a bus somewhere we always arrived just as the bus was. Our only wait for a bus was in MK trying to get back to the resort and we only waited for 8 min. which I don't consider too long. It seemed we must have just had a lot of pixie dust sprinkled on us. I have to admit though, that twice upon arriving back at the resort I saw many people waiting for the bus to Epcot and DHS and they seemed angry. Maybe you were in that group? It's funny, we did a split stay and also stayed at BCV's and found the rooms to be tiny and the carpets very dirty yet others stay and love it (we did enjoy our stay there however). It's amazing how much our encounters with the CM's good or bad can affect how we feel about a resort. It really does make a difference and again, I am sorry you didn't have a wonderful stay and hope that next time it will be better.

 

[BigEeyore]

We are waiting to stay at AKV when Kidani opens. I am surprised to hear so many complaints about the CM's - please please let Disney know about the specific problems you had, and if you can remember any names, you should. Disney usually bends over backwards for its guests, so let them know your issues and hopefully it will all get straightened out!

 

[TDC Nala]

How odd. If someone says "good morning" to me as we pass in the hall, it would not occur to me to not respond, regardless of whether I know the person.

Didn't say I wouldn't respond, but I won't initiate.

 

[redsoxgirl4777]

We stayed in the AKV studio in May. We were also disappointed in the service.

We tried to valet our car to no avail. We waited for about 10 minutes for someone to help us. They completely ignored us. They helped the people that pulled in after us but not one person came to ask if we needed any help at all. We are used to the BWV where the minute you pull up someone is there helping you.

Eventually my boyfriend onloaded all of luggage and groceries himself and I went and parked the car. When I came back from parking the car he was standing there with the luggage and he said not one person offered to help him. He was so aggrivated that we lugged all of it to the room ourself.

There were a bunch of cm's standing around, however, they were talking to each other and everytime I looked over for help they looked the other way. They clearly did not want to be bothered.

I hate to say it but I dont think we will be staying here again.

 

[SamSam]

I'm really distressed to hear of CM problems at AKV. In the past we have found the CM's at AKL to be the friendliest and most helpful of any cm's anywhere on disney property. I hope this is an anomaly and not a regular occurance.

 

[VLee]

I too have to echo the opinions of the poor service of the CMs at Bell Services. When my luggage was picked up for transfer to another resort, I asked the CM to hold our cart at the Bell Services desk for just a couple of minutes while I ran in the gift shop to pick up a delivered package so that I could place it in the luggage.

He flatly refused, saying he would have to check the luggage and then I could come and find it to place the package. I told him it would be no more than two minutes and that I really didn't want to "check" the luggage for that purpose==that we would be transferring it in just a few minutes and couldn't he just hold it on the cart out front.

Again, he refused, so I left him with the luggage, went into the shop and returned in less than two minutes and had to go into the back and find my luggage in order to load the package.

It was mid-May and they were not busy at all and you would think they would try to be more helpful. Needless to say, he received no tip at all.

 

[AKV707]

No flames intended here; I am at AKV right now. We have been here since the 6th. We have been very happy with our stay. We were not happy when we did not receive a "welcome home" when checking in. Clearly the front desk CMs are not used to DVC guests. But she was nice.

Bell services has been very good and easy to reach. We had a garden grocer order that was brought to our room along with our Owners Locker. The only issue was that GG had one item wrong which they corrected the next day. But no complaints with bell services.

The room was clean when we arrived. The dishes looked very clean but DW pit them in the dishwasher anyway. It was not perfect, but not a disaster. In terms of the layout of our 1 br, it matches the layout in the latest vacation planner which shows the Jambo house floor plans.

In terms of the buses, we have no complaints. We only had one long 30 minute wait one early morning on the way to MK. Aside from that we have been very surprised at how short the bus rides have been in spite of the fact that many have claimed that the resort is so "far" from everything.

So I guess each guest experience is different. But we are very happy with AKV.

 

[DVCtinkerbell]

If I remember correctly, Beach Club CM's went through a period of adjustment when the villa's were added on. Hopefully with time, CM's at AKV will come around too.

 

[graygables]

I'm among the AKL/AKV faithful, so I'll put that up front. I guess we've been so much that the bell/valet guys pretty much remember me (last year, one of them gave me a rose on my birthday when I went to pick up the car! ) I've never had a problem there with bell/valet services. Buses have been dicey the last few times and we did have an issue this last trip, but after speaking to a manager, they were much more proactive about having a transportation CM there monitoring and keeping people posted as to how far out the buses were. I was impressed by that.

Never had a mousekeeping issue...we did have a carpet nail problem right after they first opened the DVC rooms, but I just covered it with tape (to protect our bare feet) and told the front desk so they could fix it.

We are staying for 26 days in January, so I'm sure I'll have a better sense of the atmosphere and cranky-level of the CMs (and maybe more insights!) I'm just hoping to keep it from being a Suite Life episode for DDs...

The guests...I've noticed a downturn in manners at AKL/AKV more than any of the other deluxe resorts we've visited for some reason. We had to "stand our ground" many times for the bus un-queue and I was not shy about speaking sharply to others about waiting their turn. We had one particularly unpleasant bus ride with a family who thought they were HIL-arious being loud and obnoxious which totally upsets my well-mannered special needs DDs. The bus driver even slowed down and threatened to stop if they didn't knock it off (they were hanging from the handrails like the apes they were). I thanked him on the way off the bus, and told him I needed a t-shirt that says, "I'd like to help you, but I can't fix stupid". He laughed...

 

[itsreally4mommy]

I'm not normally a real squeaky wheel, but in this case I would have been screeching! LOL! I'm sorry but for the amount of money you are paying, arriving to dirty dishes, improperly stocked room, etc. knowing you won't received housekeeping for several days is unacceptable! I would have strongly "requested" to have my room serviced then.

If CM are not accommodating to such issues, I'm somewhat curious what a call to your DVC agent would do?

 

[disneymom8589]

I'm so sorry you had a bad experience at AKV. We were there end of March/beginning of April and had a wonderful experience. The CMs we encountered were friendly and very helpful and our room was clean. Hopefully, you will be able to try it again sometime and that things will go much better for you.

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

I remember a thread from a couple of years ago that a CM started that said that he had worked at Boardwalk and was disgusted by the whining 2nd class DVC people, and wished they were all as nice as the wonderful upper class BWI people. He went on to say that he transferred to another hotel, but don't remember where.

That goes along with the pp comment about BCV having problems with CMs when they came online.

It sounds like the AKL CMs have definitely picked up the bad attitude toward DVC. So Disney will eventually kick butt, and it will be ok.

I've only stayed at BWV twice and none of the other WDW DVC properties, but I must say that the BWV CMs are absolutely wonderful, and the valet service is AWESOME! WOW!!!

 

[Claire L]

I'm so sorry you had a bad experience at AKV. We were there end of March/beginning of April and had a wonderful experience. The CMs we encountered were friendly and very helpful and our room was clean. Hopefully, you will be able to try it again sometime and that things will go much better for you.

We also had a great trip in May, although one day valet was very busy and it took a while for the car to be taken.

I must say the rooms have probably been nuilt as they are due to the original structure and that is why there is no extra shower or door from the living area etc.

Claire

 

[Dina]

Oh my goodness, we just returned from the same resort (AKV, 5th floor), and had a completely different experience from you. My little boy spilled something on his sheet (his zyrtec that he hadn't swallowed), and I asked mousekeeping outside, if I could have an extra top sheet, she happily gave it to me, and asked if there's anything else I needed ( my husband yelled at me for not getting more towels)-- my entire experience was completely different, guests, cms-- you name it. Don't give up on AKV if you liked the resort, sounded like you just had some bad luck. I'm so sorry you had a bad experience!

 

[Troop o' Goofs]

Sorry you had a bad experience. It is good to hear both the good and the bad about people's stays. We will be buying into DVC this fall and the more information we have (good and bad) the better decision we can make.

Please post something if & when Disney replies to your message to them.

 

[gkrykewy]

My parents have had two AKV stays so far (one in September, one in March) and had no complaints (aside from love bugs on the balcony in september - staff offered to sweep the balcony, but they couldn't do anything else). My wife and I will be making our first trip there in August (we've previously stayed at AKL twice), and I'll definitely be taking notes!

All of our reservations (my parents and ours) are in studios, and relying on bus transportation.

 

[eliza61]

Ouch! Sorry you had such a bad stay.
1) You are absolutely right about mousekeeping. No one, I don't care what level you stay at, value, moderate etc deserves a dirty room. I hope you write about this.

2) Unfortunately my last couple of stays (not a AKL) I too have notice some guestzillas. I actually saw one guest call the hostess at TTS in the MK a "fat rhymes with witch" because she couldn't get seated. Not sure if every one is stressed because of the economy or what but I am hoping it's not a trend and we'll return to a kinder gentler wdw.

 

[DebbieB]

When I stayed at AKV 2 weeks ago, we did not encounter any problems with cm's. Everyone was very nice.

 

[alldiz]

Thanks for the honest feedback...please let MS know about your frustrations....I think they are reasonable.

Better luck next time
Kerri