Looking For Advice - Oct 2019 DVC

[kkbutterfly]

I am planning a trip in Oct 2019 for food and wine (GE is a bonus and this trip was planned before the release date assuming it would not be open). I currently have a standard studio at AKL Jambo, as it is my home resort.

My window for booking DVC opens this week and I’ll be waitlisting Boardwalk but I don’t have high hopes. I noticed SSR and OKW have studio availability.

Am I crazy to change from AKL to SSR or OKW? I know people love AKL but since I don’t plan on getting a savanna room, I feel it’s far away from everything and not really my vibe.

I like the walk to Disney springs but also like the feel of OKW.

Any advice or thoughts are appreciated!

 

[SL6827]

I am planning a trip in Oct 2019 for food and wine (GE is a bonus and this trip was planned before the release date assuming it would not be open). I currently have a standard studio at AKL Jambo, as it is my home resort.

My window for booking DVC opens this week and I’ll be waitlisting Boardwalk but I don’t have high hopes. I noticed SSR and OKW have studio availability.

Am I crazy to change from AKL to SSR or OKW? I know people love AKL but since I don’t plan on getting a savanna room, I feel it’s far away from everything and not really my vibe.

I like the walk to Disney springs but also like the feel of OKW.

Any advice or thoughts are appreciated!

OKW has just been renovated so that is a plus there. But even with a standard room at AKL, you might could get a "partial savanna view". I was booked at OKW for our trip in a few weeks but switched it to SSR because I feel like the teens in my party would enjoy SSR more.

 

[nkereina]

SSR is walkable to Disney Springs IF you book in Congress Park which I believe costs more money. Otherwise, it can be a long walk from elsewhere in the resort which means you'd need to take the internal shuttle to Congress Park first, which is less convenient.

As mentioned, OKW is recently renovated. I believe they have the largest DVC rooms still as well.

OKW and SSR are both nice resorts in their own right, but we find them very large and sprawling which is sometimes a problem for us. So we don't care for that aspect. They're very pretty, but the themes just lack that special feeling for us.

I'm not a huge AKL/AKV fan, but that would be my choice over OKW or SSR. Of the three, it has the most Disney feel to me. We didn't book a savanna view but still did get one when we stayed.

 

[Micca]

I'd lock down whatever I could. Between SW land and F&W those rooms are gonna move fast.

 

[lovin'fl]

OKW studios have 2 real beds as opposed to the real bed and a sleeper sofa the other resorts have.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

Would keep AKL.

 

[kkbutterfly]

OKW studios have 2 real beds as opposed to the real bed and a sleeper sofa the other resorts have.

Thanks! I knew that but forgot. Since I’m solo I’d actually rather the sofa!

 

[kkbutterfly]

SSR is walkable to Disney Springs IF you book in Congress Park which I believe costs more money. Otherwise, it can be a long walk from elsewhere in the resort which means you'd need to take the internal shuttle to Congress Park first, which is less convenient.

As mentioned, OKW is recently renovated. I believe they have the largest DVC rooms still as well.

OKW and SSR are both nice resorts in their own right, but we find them very large and sprawling which is sometimes a problem for us. So we don't care for that aspect. They're very pretty, but the themes just lack that special feeling for us.

I'm not a huge AKL/AKV fan, but that would be my choice over OKW or SSR. Of the three, it has the most Disney feel to me. We didn't book a savanna view but still did get one when we stayed.

That’s a good point that it’s more Disney! I don’t know how often I’d be going to Disney springs anyways.

 

[Shellyred8]

While I really enjoy AKL, it sounds like for your situation it might be better to switch to SSR or OKW if you can. I always like SSR because of the proximity to DS. We booked a standard view Studio the last time we were there and we got put in the Paddock. However, we were at the far end of the Paddock building towards the DS end, so we ended up being within decent walking distance to DS and the Congress Park bus stop was closer for us than it was for a lot of the Congress Park rooms!
If you can make it work to get a Preferred room at SSR, I would try to do that. Otherwise, having a standard view room wouldn't be the end of the world.

Have a great trip!