Point Charts for AKL

[Dean]

Holy smokes! All I said was, "Take this for whatever it's worth..." Now you want to wager that it's not true??

What do you mean by "I thought it would be lower for AKL and it was the same." ?

MG

LOL, misprint. I meant i though the points would be lower for VWL because the hotel prices are less than BWV/BCV.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

LOL, misprint. I meant i though the points would be lower for VWL because the hotel prices are less than BWV/BCV.

True, but than again BC or BWI doesn't have an on site signature restaurant.
The only thing BC or BW have over WL is location... And that is only because the masses prefer an Epcot/MGM/Boardwalk proximity vs a MK boat ride. Personally I like the WL/VWL location better, but I understand I'm in the minority.

MG

 

[Dean]

True, but than again BC or BWI doesn't have an on site signature restaurant.
The only thing BC or BW have over WL is location... And that is only because the masses prefer an Epcot/MGM/Boardwalk proximity vs a MK boat ride. Personally I like the WL/VWL location better, but I understand I'm in the minority.

MG

I don't agree that those locations don't have a signature restaurant. I would link the common area between BC & YC as one and consider the Yachtsman as a signature. And I would consider the Boardwalk part of the hotel from a use stand point where there is a signature plus several others choices. Plus I do think there are more differences between the HOTELS at BWI, BC/YC than just location. If WL has the amenities you want, simply enjoy. But if you look at unit size, room prices, convention centers and the like; there are certainly other differences that favor the others over WL. Theming is only part of the equation.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

I don't agree that those locations don't have a signature restaurant. I would link the common area between BC & YC as one and consider the Yachtsman as a signature. And I would consider the Boardwalk part of the hotel from a use stand point where there is a signature plus several others choices. Plus I do think there are more differences between the HOTELS at BWI, BC/YC than just location. If WL has the amenities you want, simply enjoy. But if you look at unit size, room prices, convention centers and the like; there are certainly other differences that favor the others over WL. Theming is only part of the equation.

We will agree to disagree.
IMO, the theming at WL/VWL is superior.
The restaurants around BW are not owned, or managed by Disney. The Yachtsman Steakhouse is one of my favorites, but make no mistake, it's in the Yacht Club.
Last I knew, unit size at VWL was about equal to BCV and BWV... perhaps a few feet larger.
I would bet dollars to doughnuts no family ever booked a "vacation" because of a convention center.
The reason BC and BWI prices are higher is simply because the masses prefer the location.

MG

 

[Dean]

We will agree to disagree.
IMO, the theming at WL/VWL is superior.
The restaurants around BW are not owned, or managed by Disney. The Yachtsman Steakhouse is one of my favorites, but make no mistake, it's in the Yacht Club.
Last I knew, unit size at VWL was about equal to BCV and BWV... perhaps a few feet larger.
I would bet dollars to doughnuts no family ever booked a "vacation" because of a convention center.
The reason BC and BWI prices are higher is simply because the masses prefer the location.

MG

First, I would take your bet because we book a vacation almost every year associated with a convention. And almost every time at the hotel where the convention is held, many others do it also. Haven't you been to a place where a convention was held and see all the families that tagged along? Most conventions I go for are 3 days, we usually go for 5-6 total with the convention as part of it.

As for room size, last I knew YC/BC hotel rooms were around 380 sq ft compared to 340 sq ft for WL hotel rooms. The theming is very nice at WL but there are other factors. How was it that the Insiders Guide to Luxury at WDW put it, something like this. What the WL lacks in other deluxe features, it makes up for in theming.

 

[dumbo71]

The restaurants around BW are not owned, or managed by Disney. MG

And that is why I find them far superior. Disney should get out of the restaurant business all together. The better dining options at WDW, sadly are not run by WDW.

Let a company run the dining that knows what they are doing. Also have those places NOT accept the dining plan. This would give PAYING customers a chance to get a decent meal. The dining masses can enjoy there DISCOUNTED grub.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

First, I would take your bet because we book a vacation almost every year associated with a convention. And almost every time at the hotel where the convention is held, many others do it also. Haven't you been to a place where a convention was held and see all the families that tagged along? Most conventions I go for are 3 days, we usually go for 5-6 total with the convention as part of it.

That is percisely why I put the word vacation in quotations. I'm not talking about going to a 4 day seminar then visiting WDW on the side. I'm also not talking about weddings and such.
Post a poll. See how many families here choose which resort to stay at for VACATION, based on the hotel's convention center.

As for room size, last I knew YC/BC hotel rooms were around 380 sq ft compared to 340 sq ft for WL hotel rooms.

Don't forget about the WL deluxe rooms.
The DVC component however has roughly equal size rooms, with the possible advantage going to VWL.

The theming is very nice at WL but there are other factors. How was it that the Insiders Guide to Luxury at WDW put it, something like this. What the WL lacks in other deluxe features, it makes up for in theming.

What other factors? What luxuries are missing at WL/VWL that BC/BCV/BWI/BWV have? Please tell me...
I've asked you this in the past, and all you've come up with is a convention center.

MG

 

[Maistre Gracey]

And that is why I find them far superior. Disney should get out of the restaurant business all together. The better dining options at WDW, sadly are not run by WDW.

Let a company run the dining that knows what they are doing. Also have those places NOT accept the dining plan. This would give PAYING customers a chance to get a decent meal. The dining masses can enjoy there DISCOUNTED grub.

I guess this is all up to your individual taste. Personally, Flying Fish, Spoodles, ESPN, and Big River are in my group of least favorite restaurants.

Yachtsman Steakhouse, Artist Point, California Grill, Jiko, and 'Ohana are among my favorites.

As they say, YMMV...

MG

 

[Starr W.]

Our guide, when I talked to him earlier this week, said the AKV, will probably along the lines of SSR for standard views and the Savannah views along the lines of BCV. He also thought if something goes in at the CR, they will probably end up being the highest points per night of all the DVC. Remember its "Location, Location, Location".

 

[Deb & Bill]

I guess this is all up to your individual taste. Personally, Flying Fish, Spoodles, ESPN, and Big River are in my group of least favorite restaurants.

Yachtsman Steakhouse, Artist Point, California Grill, Jiko, and 'Ohana are among my favorites.

As they say, YMMV...

MG

I was going to say the same thing.

 

[Dean]

That is percisely why I put the word vacation in quotations. I'm not talking about going to a 4 day seminar then visiting WDW on the side. I'm also not talking about weddings and such.
Post a poll. See how many families here choose which resort to stay at for VACATION, based on the hotel's convention center.


Don't forget about the WL deluxe rooms.
The DVC component however has roughly equal size rooms, with the possible advantage going to VWL.


What other factors? What luxuries are missing at WL/VWL that BC/BCV/BWI/BWV have? Please tell me...
I've asked you this in the past, and all you've come up with is a convention center.

MG

It wasn't my intention to argue this with you, especially since you get so emotional about it. You like WL and IMO, you can see nothing beyond it objectively. That's OK, you know what you like. But you want to qualify "vacation", who owns the restaurants, whether you have to go outside to get to them, whether something in the middle is on the YC side or the BC side, discount any objective evaluation system like AAA, etc and you don't want to count anything in the equation that's not important to you. It's like drawing a voting district in a narrow path across the state to make sure only one group can win. If you want to argue it back and forth, I'm game, but I'll wait for the go ahead from you and to give the moderators a chance to chime in first.

 

[Lewisc]

People on the dining plan are paying for it. Even during the "free dining period" guests are getting "free" dining as an alternative to discounts that were formerly offered during that time.

V&A,CG, Jiko's, Flying Fish etc are all run by Disney. The Brewery on the Boardwalk isn't run by Disney but most guests don't think it's one of the better dining options. RFC isn't run by Disney but I don't think they have great food either.

One of the posters on the restaurant board was complaining about the dining plan but didn't want to dine at blueZoo, since they don't accept DDE.

And that is why I find them far superior. Disney should get out of the restaurant business all together. The better dining options at WDW, sadly are not run by WDW.

Let a company run the dining that knows what they are doing. Also have those places NOT accept the dining plan. This would give PAYING customers a chance to get a decent meal. The dining masses can enjoy there DISCOUNTED grub.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

It wasn't my intention to argue this with you, especially since you get so emotional about it.

Believe me, I'm not looking to argue either.
I'm not emotional, I'm just pointing out the hard facts.

You like WL and IMO, you can see nothing beyond it objectively. That's OK, you know what you like.

Correct. I do know what I like best. However, that doesn't mean I have a closed mind. I look at all the deluxes with an open mind. From my sig you can see I've stayed at the YC, WL, Poly, and AKL. In two weeks we will check into the GF for the first time. I've never stayed at the CR, BW or BC. I will stay at BC/BCV at somepoint, but to be honest I just don't care for BWV/BWI. I'm still up in the air about CR.

But you want to qualify "vacation", who owns the restaurants, whether you have to go outside to get to them, whether something in the middle is on the YC side or the BC side, discount any objective evaluation system like AAA, etc and you don't want to count anything in the equation that's not important to you. It's like drawing a voting district in a narrow path across the state to make sure only one group can win. If you want to argue it back and forth, I'm game, but I'll wait for the go ahead from you and to give the moderators a chance to chime in first.

You said (or paraphrased from some source) there are features missing at WL/VWL. I simply asked, what are the missing luxuries?... Answer- There are none.

I don't find it to be a big deal to walk three minutes outside to get to a restaurant.
However, if the rolls were reversed and you had to leave WL to find a restaurant, I'm sure some people would bring that up as a strike against WL.

Who discounted AAA? I don't believe I did. I simply stated the facts. When AAA rates a hotel they look at that hotel's amenities, not the amenities of the hotel down the street.
I'm still wondering what Insiders Guide to Luxury at WDW meant by "What the WL lacks in other deluxe features...".

As I said several posts ago, we will agree to disagree.

MG

 

[Disney Doll]

I'm guessing they will be somewhere in the vicinity of BCV, BWV & VWL. Maybe a bit more expensive because it will be a newer property.

 

[Dean]

Believe me, I'm not looking to argue either.
I'm not emotional, I'm just pointing out the hard facts.


Correct. I do know what I like best. However, that doesn't mean I have a closed mind. I look at all the deluxes with an open mind. From my sig you can see I've stayed at the YC, WL, Poly, and AKL. In two weeks we will check into the GF for the first time. I've never stayed at the CR, BW or BC. I will stay at BC/BCV at somepoint, but to be honest I just don't care for BWV/BWI. I'm still up in the air about CR.


You said (or paraphrased from some source) there are features missing at WL/VWL. I simply asked, what are the missing luxuries?... Answer- There are none.

I don't find it to be a big deal to walk three minutes outside to get to a restaurant.
However, if the rolls were reversed and you had to leave WL to find a restaurant, I'm sure some people would bring that up as a strike against WL.

Who discounted AAA? I don't believe I did. I simply stated the facts. When AAA rates a hotel they look at that hotel's amenities, not the amenities of the hotel down the street.
I'm still wondering what Insiders Guide to Luxury at WDW meant by "What the WL lacks in other deluxe features...".

As I said several posts ago, we will agree to disagree.

MG

In past discussions on this subject I was thinking you had discounted other published evaluations because you disagreed with them, if I was wrong, I apologize. Obviously there is no way to take all subjectivity away. I think we could agree that the measure of how a deluxe a resort is depends on many factors including location, room size, amenities, cost to a degree, quality of the materials, etc. That's different than what you or I prefer personally. WL doesn't have a convention center and while that's not important to you, it is important overall. They actually have less total restaurants than any of the other areas in the deluxe category other than the Poly. But even Disney over the years has regarded WL as less deluxe including with a lower price and before VWL & BCV came on board, lower points for the DC. I'm pretty sure they originally classified it as a moderate in the initial listings for WDW resorts but that preceded the DC for DVC. The groupings for the DC were GF by itself; YC/BC, Poly and CR tower then the next grouping was the CR garden view and WL. IMO, you can't explain any lower cost based on location, WL is not that much different in location for MK than BW or YC/BC is to Epcot. If you feel it's as deluxe and are happy, don't sweat it.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

I think we could agree that the measure of how a deluxe a resort is depends on many factors including location, room size, amenities, cost to a degree, quality of the materials, etc. That's different than what you or I prefer personally. WL doesn't have a convention center and while that's not important to you, it is important overall. They actually have less total restaurants than any of the other areas in the deluxe category other than the Poly. But even Disney over the years has regarded WL as less deluxe including with a lower price and before VWL & BCV came on board, lower points for the DC. I'm pretty sure they originally classified it as a moderate in the initial listings for WDW resorts but that preceded the DC for DVC. The groupings for the DC were GF by itself; YC/BC, Poly and CR tower then the next grouping was the CR garden view and WL. IMO, you can't explain any lower cost based on location, WL is not that much different in location for MK than BW or YC/BC is to Epcot. If you feel it's as deluxe and are happy, don't sweat it.

I never remember WL being classified as a moderate. Do you have anything to support that, or is that just from memory years ago?

Okay, now we're counting the restaurants?? If we can add near by restaurants to the total, than we count the CR and Poly restaurants as WL restaurants.

Price. Interesting way to evaluate a hotel. I believe the price at BC/BWI is more than WL because they're more desirable.
The question is, why are they more desiarable?
I believe the masses prefer the location, and enjoy being able to walk to Epcot and the Boardwalk (and possibly MGM).
Does that make a hotel more deluxe? Not in my opinion.
It may make it more desirable, thus a larger rack rate, but it doesn't make it more deluxe.
Also remember that BC and BWI will sleep five. WL will sleep four. That in itself is a reason that BC/BWI are more expensive.

PS- To all readers of this thread, please don't tell the kiddos there is no convention center at WL. That would just crush the Disney Magic for them, and they may never want to stay there again.

MG

 

[Lewisc]

I don't think WL was ever classified as a moderate.

One of the reasons WL and AKL cost less is the smaller room sizes. The larger rooms at WL and AKL cost about the same as similar sized rooms in other deluxe hotels. The standard room at WL sleeps 4, the standard rooms at most of the other deluxe hotels sleep 5.

Of course location is a factor. WL is the only MK area resort that isn't on the monorail. The EPCOT resorts allow you to walk or take a boat to two theme parks.

Convention facilites are of interest to companies that are booking meetings. They don't really otherwise add to a hotel

I'm pretty sure they originally classified it as a moderate in the initial listings for WDW resorts but that preceded the DC for DVC. The groupings for the DC were GF by itself; YC/BC, Poly and CR tower then the next grouping was the CR garden view and WL. IMO, you can't explain any lower cost based on location, WL is not that much different in location for MK than BW or YC/BC is to Epcot. If you feel it's as deluxe and are happy, don't sweat it.

 

[lisareniff]

Hmmm ... Sorry if this is OT. I missed the speculation about concierge at AKV. Do people think that the existing AKL concierge rooms will be updated to studios? Or will they remain the same hotel rooms ala the Deluxe Inn Rooms at VB? Do people think that the concierge lounge will remain open? That would be cool.

Hi robin,

This is my interpertation on the DVC in the AKL...

- The announcement stated there will be 134 remodeled accomadations in the lodge.

- From the resorts boards it has been reported (from multiple people mostly from he concierge CMs) that the concierge lounge and rooms will be moving to the fourth floor and DVD will be taking over the whole 5th and 6th floors.

- There will have to be a mixture of villa sizes to fill the 5th and 6th floor with 134 accomations.

- There have been rumors started from guides statements about concierge option with AKV. No clue how this would work.

- Construction will start at the first of the year and the units in the lodge will be done in the fall.

 

[Dean]

I never remember WL being classified as a moderate. Do you have anything to support that, or is that just from memory years ago?

Okay, now we're counting the restaurants?? If we can add near by restaurants to the total, than we count the CR and Poly restaurants as WL restaurants.

Price. Interesting way to evaluate a hotel. I believe the price at BC/BWI is more than WL because they're more desirable.
The question is, why are they more desiarable?
I believe the masses prefer the location, and enjoy being able to walk to Epcot and the Boardwalk (and possibly MGM).
Does that make a hotel more deluxe? Not in my opinion.
It may make it more desirable, thus a larger rack rate, but it doesn't make it more deluxe.
Also remember that BC and BWI will sleep five. WL will sleep four. That in itself is a reason that BC/BWI are more expensive.

PS- To all readers of this thread, please don't tell the kiddos there is no convention center at WL. That would just crush the Disney Magic for them, and they may never want to stay there again.

MG

As I stated, one has to look at the entire package. We'll have to agree to disagree I think and that's OK. Interesting that I really like VWL and the WL but still feel it's less deluxe overall.

 

[Dean]

I don't think WL was ever classified as a moderate.

One of the reasons WL and AKL cost less is the smaller room sizes. The larger rooms at WL and AKL cost about the same as similar sized rooms in other deluxe hotels. The standard room at WL sleeps 4, the standard rooms at most of the other deluxe hotels sleep 5.

Of course location is a factor. WL is the only MK area resort that isn't on the monorail. The EPCOT resorts allow you to walk or take a boat to two theme parks.

Convention facilites are of interest to companies that are booking meetings. They don't really otherwise add to a hotel

I am thinking that the original plans prior to completion had it listed as such but I am not certain, I know I've seen others on this board say they recall it as well.