Need advice on booking at AKV

[Jenny-momof3]

This is only our 2nd trip to Disney. We stayed at POP last time and will be staying there for part of our trip next time as well. We took our kids over to the AKL and they loved it! Therefore, I'm looking at renting points to stay there for 5 nights.

We will just be renting a value villa. I would like a room that's close to the food court and buses. Suggestions oh what requests to make?

TIA

 

[drusba]

There are a small number of value point cost rooms, all on the 5th floor of the Jambo (AKL) building. They are "value" cost because the rooms are smaller than any of the other categories. You can have savanna, pool, or parking lot view from them and can request a view but it is not guaranteed for value. Because they are few in number, they can be diffiuclt to get unless you reserve 11 months out (Owners at the resort can start reserving 11 months out). All of the value rooms are in the front part of the building, near the lobby, and thus near restaurants, pool, and store, and close to the bus station. Jiko's is an expensive table service restaurant, Boma is an outstanding buffet service restaurant, and the Mara is your cafeteria style, fast food (food court) place.

Note that the new Kidani building opening next May will have only a sit down restaurant and no value cost rooms.

 

[Miz Diz]

Kidani village is supposed to be open then. I was told last week that they do not have a map with layout of the property in regards to where rooms are and the naming of areas.

Kidani Village and Jambo house will share a bus. Each will have a stop. If you request Jambo house, you will likely get a 5th room floor. The 5th floor is 95% DVC. I would ask to be close to the lobby and away from the barns. The barns are furthest away from the elevators and will take you longer to get to the pool and food court.

No advice on where to request for Kidani village since it is not completed. If the pool at Kidani is complete, I would prefer Kidani over Jambo house. The pool is supposed to be nicer with a water play area for the kids. The rooms over at Kidani are a little bigger, too.

While Kidani may not have the "value" point rooms, they will have studios.

 

[Jenny-momof3]

Thank you so much for all the information!

One more quick question.... not sure if my oldest dd will be with us at the point in our trip... she may have to return for band camp. Do I book the room with her on it or just not worry about it? We're hoping to get AP's to our passes won't be linked directly to the room anyways.

 

[drusba]

When booking they like to have names of all who may be staying there, and if one does not show up it is no problem (DVC rental is based on room size not number of guests so having 1 or 4 guests doesn't change the rental price), so you should include her. You purchase tickets separately when you get there.

 

[Lynne M]

You'll need to have her on the reservation, or add her when you get there. If she's not registered as a guest, she won't get a resort ID, and won't be able to get into EMH.