poll-will AKV standard view be more/less popular?

[ldo]

wondering if standard view will be more popular b/c of the lower points (like BWV standard)? Or do those staying at AKV want savanna views? (ps--please excuse typo on poll). Elaine

 

[CarolA]

I bought points there to GUARANTEE the view. I could care less about the Boardwalk view, but IMHO the ENTIRE reason for AKV is the animals!

 

[athenna]

^Ditto....I added on there for the Savanna view.

 

[SpoonfulofSugar]

We added on for the Savanna view also, can't wait for to see it for the first time in June 09

 

[wdw1972]

Gosh - nobody in their right mind would WANT to stay in a standard view at AKV. That resort is so far away from most of WDW, seeing the animals from your balcony is the fair trade-off. Lose the animal view and there's no reason to be there - at least for me.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

There have been posts of people making ressies for savanna view, only to hardly see any animals! It was those posters who said they would rather save the points, and ressie for standard. You can view the animals at other locations on site, correct? The standard views in Jambo would seem good because you would be close to the CS and restaraunts, and they have a pool view. Doesn't seem bad to me!

 

[DJmommy]

We just returned from 5 nights at AKV in a standard view room. We loved it. Very convenient to the pool and Mara and the lobby. We had family staying at the Lodge and they had Savanna view rooms and both complained of the long walk to their rooms.

We have stayed at the Lodge before in a savanna view room before the Villas were added and we enjoyed that also. If you are planning on spending a lot of time at the resort and relaxing on your balcony, I think it is worth it. But if you are out and about alot, I think the pool view room was fine.

It is a beautiful resort. Love the kid's activities and the general feel of the resort. IMO, you can't go wrong with either.

 

[justloveit]

We also bought AKV points for the savanah view. We just stayed there in Oct and spent alot of time relaxing on the balcony watching the animals.

 

[Tozzie]

I bought points there to GUARANTEE the view. I could care less about the Boardwalk view, but IMHO the ENTIRE reason for AKV is the animals!

I totally agree, only reason I own DVC is for the animals, nothing beats drinking a cup of tea in the morning on the balcony watching the animals.

 

[Granny]

Gosh - nobody in their right mind would WANT to stay in a standard view at AKV.

IMHO, this crosses the line between giving an opinion and bashing those of a different opinion. As you can see on the poll, it is not unanimous and I doubt that those of differing opinion have any sanity issues.

FWIW, I agree that Std View at AKV won't be as popular as Std View at BWV. I think one of the key attractions at BWV is the location of the resort, and you don't lose that with SV there. At AKV, the animals are one of the key attractions and you do lose that with the Std View there.

 

[oakmanner]

We switched from a two bedroom at SSR to a two bedroom standard view at Jambo House. Very excited to save 20 vacation points and have a pool view!

Dennis-

 

[arielrocks]

Savannah view for me too - watching the animals in your room is AMAZING

 

[jarestel]

Like bleacher seats in baseball, it's nice that there is an option for those looking to conserve points that allows them to do so. But I must agree, that for me, without the opportunity to see animals from the room, I will stay elsewhere.

 

[Dean]

IMHO, this crosses the line between giving an opinion and bashing those of a different opinion. As you can see on the poll, it is not unanimous and I doubt that those of differing opinion have any sanity issues.

FWIW, I agree that Std View at AKV won't be as popular as Std View at BWV. I think one of the key attractions at BWV is the location of the resort, and you don't lose that with SV there. At AKV, the animals are one of the key attractions and you do lose that with the Std View there.

I'm sure she didn't mean it in that way but was only emphasizing the point.

I would agree with the consensus overall that Savannah view is the draw for most. I'll ignore concierge given the very few rooms available. However, I do feel at some point DVC will become more strict on the occupancy issue and if so, that will give AKV 1 and 2 BR (non value) units a major boost in desirability. However, I think SV with 1 of 2 requests will have some demand. That is requests for a pool view and requests to be close to the lodge. I also think those two basic requests will be popular with SV reservations as well. Actually I think the real demand after concierge is going to be for value rooms because you have a decent chance of getting a savannah view for even less points, they will still be fairly limited in numbers and depending on when you stay, the difference in points between Standard view at BWV and value at AKV is over 10% for many of the seasons and unit sizes. And looking at the points charts I'm still amazed at the relative loss of the weekday/weekend differential for the 3 BR units compared to all other DVC options and to OKW 3 BR. Weekdays one could get three 2 BR units for about the cost of a 3 BR units, the weekend differential is dramatically less.

 

[dairyqueenmom]

I'm sure she didn't mean it in that way but was only emphasizing the point.

I would agree with the consensus overall that Savannah view is the draw for most.

I respectfully disagree. We stayed in a 2 bedroom SV, yes the balcony time watching animals was nice, but the points I am saving for our Value room in August means I can go on two more trips to my happy place. Those of us who are points misers, AKV has the most bang for the point. I love the resort and don't feel like I am losing anything by not having a SV. Plus, with a value 2 bedroom I have a 40% chance of a SV. I like my odds. I doubt we will ever do a SV view again because we can save so many points by not doing it.

 

[kristenrice]

I respectfully disagree. We stayed in a 2 bedroom SV, yes the balcony time watching animals was nice, but the points I am saving for our Value room in August means I can go on two more trips to my happy place. Those of us who are points misers, AKV has the most bang for the point. I love the resort and don't feel like I am losing anything by not having a SV. Plus, with a value 2 bedroom I have a 40% chance of a SV. I like my odds. I doubt we will ever do a SV view again because we can save so many points by not doing it.

I'm with you, neighbor! ( I see you're from Holland...Kentwood, here )

We just stayed in a savanna view studio and the animals were few and far between. When they were out, it was great to sit on the balcony and watch them...and listen to the commentaries of everyone else out on their balconies . But, most of the time, there were no animals out on our savanna, except a few birds. We'd just go out on the "rock" or down to one of the overlooks and watch from there.

I am looking forward to trying a value 1BR in June. I am hoping for a pool view since those rooms are right above the restaurants in the front of the resort. The walk to the savanna rooms is brutal at the end of the day. (I'm referring to the regular SV rooms, not the value rooms with a savanna view) I was planning on a savanna view 2BR at Kidani when we take my parents but I am switching it to a standard at Jambo. I am looking forward to staying SV at Kidani someday, but I'll save the points now since we need a 2BR.

Overall, I love Jambo! Granted, I have nothing to compare it to yet, but I love the restaurants and the fact that a standard view is a guaranteed pool view. I bought points at AKV so that I could book savanna view every time. I am not completely against the savanna view, but the standard rooms hold a new appeal to me now.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

I'm with you, neighbor! ( I see you're from Holland...Kentwood, here )

We just stayed in a savanna view studio and the animals were few and far between. When they were out, it was great to sit on the balcony and watch them...and listen to the commentaries of everyone else out on their balconies . But, most of the time, there were no animals out on our savanna, except a few birds. We'd just go out on the "rock" or down to one of the overlooks and watch from there.

I am looking forward to trying a value 1BR in June. I am hoping for a pool view since those rooms are right above the restaurants in the front of the resort. The walk to the savanna rooms is brutal at the end of the day. (I'm referring to the regular SV rooms, not the value rooms with a savanna view) I was planning on a savanna view 2BR at Kidani when we take my parents but I am switching it to a standard at Jambo. I am looking forward to staying SV at Kidani someday, but I'll save the points now since we need a 2BR.

Overall, I love Jambo! Granted, I have nothing to compare it to yet, but I love the restaurants and the fact that a standard view is a guaranteed pool view. I bought points at AKV so that I could book savanna view every time. I am not completely against the savanna view, but the standard rooms hold a new appeal to me now.

JMHO, I can see the standard rooms at Jambo, second to concierge, as being in high demand. Although I have yet to visit AKV, just the proximity of the restaraunts and lodge with the pool view standards is very appealing. I guess time will tell, but this is my prediction!

 

[drusba]

Like many others we bought to get guaranteed savanna view. There is a significant difference between AKV and BWV. Other than boardwalk view, the preferred views at BWV are not that overwhelming and standard view is considered by many just as good creating huge demand for the fairly small number of standard view rooms. Nevertheless, AKV standard (particularly pool view) is just as good as most preferred views at BWV. Likely there will be fairly high demand for standard at AKV by those owners desiring to save on points but there will also be a larger percentage of owners wanting only savanna view and there will be more standard view rooms at AKV than BWV, so that should make standard view somewhat easier to get there even at 7 months out many times of year.

 

[Dean]

I respectfully disagree. We stayed in a 2 bedroom SV, yes the balcony time watching animals was nice, but the points I am saving for our Value room in August means I can go on two more trips to my happy place. Those of us who are points misers, AKV has the most bang for the point. I love the resort and don't feel like I am losing anything by not having a SV. Plus, with a value 2 bedroom I have a 40% chance of a SV. I like my odds. I doubt we will ever do a SV view again because we can save so many points by not doing it.

That's why I said most and why I followed it up with a long range prediction that the values would be the most difficult to get long term after concierge option. So we're not really in disagreement.

 

[msdis]

I learned this the other day for those who do not know that concierge is NOT a guaranteed SV. It's the "service" you are booking.