Staying at AKV in Standard Value Studio Right Now - Room Observations

[tonyolily]

Okay, after reading all the reviews in the last couple weeks of the Standard Value Studio Rooms here is what our family has found:

- The rooms are beautiful
- The size of the room is a bit smaller than most Villas, but we have found it to be just fine. (and we're a family of 4)
- Great flat screen t.v.!
- We lucked out and got a Savannah View Room! We're on the 5th floor, but the view is still nice.


Now here are the things I do not like about the room:

Not nearly enough drawer space to put your clothes!!!

That's my biggest gripe. There are 4 of us and we're staying for a week. I like to put my clothes in a drawer and empty the suitcases out. There are 4 small drawers and then a space at the bottom where they have a pack and play crib stored. They also have a wardrobe closet where you can hang some things. We ended up taking the pack and play out of that bottom space and put my oldest son's stuff in there and left my youngest son's stuff in his suitcase in a corner on the luggage rack.

They really need to do something about the space for your clothes. Other than that the room is great!

Just my two cents!!!

I'll try and post pictures when I get back home. If you have any questions, let me know and I'll try and answer them when I get back online tomorrow night!

 

[lizziepooh]

Do the night stands have any drawers or space where clothes could be put?

 

[tonyolily]

There's actually only one nightstand and it has a very small drawer. Only large enough for the Bible and stationary they have in there.

Here's another thing that we noticed:

When you arrive, you have to kinda shuffle things around. For instance, in front of the sofa bed they have 2 small coffee tables. In order to open the sofa bed you have to move them, but there's really not any open space where you can put them to keep them out of the way. What we ended up doing is stacking them one on top of the other in the corner of the room on the right side of our bed (since there is no nightstand there - oh, and that's the right side if you are facing the bed LOL).

I think that the powers that be should rearrange some of the things in the room like:

1)Taking out that pack and play and make that space a big drawer for clothes.
2)Take the vaccum out of the closet and out of the room! Who wants to vaccum the room on vacation? You could use that space for luggage.
3)Make a small shelf for your bathroom stuff under the 2 sinks in the vanity area. There's a big empty space under the sinks that would give you more storage.

Okay, I think that's it. Don't get me wrong - I still love the room and you can't beat the value.

 

[LisaS]

I think that the powers that be should rearrange some of the things in the room like:

1)Taking out that pack and play and make that space a big drawer for clothes.
2)Take the vacuum out of the closet and out of the room! Who wants to vacuum the room on vacation? You could use that space for luggage.
3)Make a small shelf for your bathroom stuff under the 2 sinks in the vanity area. There's a big empty space under the sinks that would give you more storage.

I agree! Someone else made some similar suggestions here about the AKV Studios, namely to remove the vacuum cleaner, ironing board, iron and pack and play entirely and have them be available from housekeeping on request. I would guess that very few members use any of those items let alone all of them. It would free up some badly needed storage space in the AKV studios.

 

[bunny]

What is the square footage of these studios? Are they the same size as rooms at the Moderates?

 

[jarestel]

I found the storage areas at Jambo House to be a bit skimpy also, and we stayed in a 2-BR lockoff. So it's not just the values that are affected.

I suspect (and hope) that the Kidani Village rooms, not being restricted by existing footprints, will be built with an appropriate amount of storage space. It's understandable though that the Jambo House rooms had to be built with a compromise between existing space and amenities.

 

[LisaS]

What is the square footage of these studios? Are they the same size as rooms at the Moderates?

According to the AKV Accommodations web page Value studios are 316 sq ft. Non-value studios in Jambo House are 365 sq ft. Studios in Kidani will be 366 sq ft.

 

[KimStaR]

did you request a savanna view when you booked the value room or did they just offer it when you arrived? I am currently holding a savanna view room at AKL for the second week of january, was not able to get AP rate, but i CAN get an AP rate for a AKV value, and it would be a lot cheaper. I just would not want to end up getting there an not havining a savanna view. glad you are having a good time on your trip!

 

[LisaS]

I am currently holding a savanna view room at AKL for the second week of january, was not able to get AP rate, but i CAN get an AP rate for a AKV value, and it would be a lot cheaper. I just would not want to end up getting there an not having a savanna view.

The possible views from an AKV Value studio are the parking lot, the pool or the Sunset Savanna. You can request a particular view (and I expect 99.99% of those booking a Value villa request a savanna view!) but there are no guarantees.

 

[KimStaR]

Thanks Lisa,

That's what I have been reading. I will have to see how much it matters to the person I will be traveling with.

 

[simzac]

Just another reason we are waiting for Kidani Village to open before we stay at AKV.

 

[tonyolily]

did you request a savanna view when you booked the value room or did they just offer it when you arrived? I am currently holding a savanna view room at AKL for the second week of january, was not able to get AP rate, but i CAN get an AP rate for a AKV value, and it would be a lot cheaper. I just would not want to end up getting there an not havining a savanna view. glad you are having a good time on your trip!

Yes, I did put in a request for a savanna view when I made the reservation. Of course, I really wasn't expecting to get one. Like I told my DH - with the value studios it's luck of the draw! If you really want to be sure and have a savanna view room, I'd make sure to reserve a savanna view room and not a value. You don't want to risk getting stuck with a parking lot view!

I hope you have great time when you come in January!!

 

[dianeschlicht]

Thanks for the report! We have a standard view studio for one night in March before our Concierge level 1 bedroom ressie starts. I did request savanna view for our Concierge level, but it's a crap shoot if we will get it. I will definitely be doing Savanna view level for the 2 bedroom next November if we can change at the 7 month mark.

 

[rchristiansen]

Did you notice how many hangers are in the wardrobe --- are there enough? Woud it help to bring a pack of hangers with you to hang up your clothes instead of put them in a drawer? --- Just trying to plan my trip - yippee!

 

[dianeschlicht]

BTW, when I first saw your username I thought it was of one of my favorite old timer baseball players, Tony Oliva!

 

[Coach81]

We'll be at AKV right after school lets out in May, there are 4 of us, hope we can squeeze it all in the studio we've reserved.

Other than the space, we've heard nothing but good things about AKV. We can't wait to get there!

 

[kdzgon]

This might be a silly Q, but does the pack-n-play fit under the bed?
As to the vacuum cleaner, I have never *not* used it while staying in a DVC....of course, we also travel with 3 & 4 YO grands <g>

 

[Merylj]

Enjoy your stay! We left AKV last friday after a four night stay - the rooms are beautiful aren`t they
We had very little storage space in our std studio - sounds as if it is the same as the value studio.

 

[3DisneyKids]

Ditto...with three kids, we use the vacuum cleaner daily. There is definitely a space issue with the value studios...but remember folks, that is why they are in the VALUE category and cost less points, right? Is it worth saving some points to not have enough storage space? It will be for some and not for others.

 

[LisaS]

Ditto...with three kids, we use the vacuum cleaner daily. There is definitely a space issue with the value studios...but remember folks, that is why they are in the VALUE category and cost less points, right? Is it worth saving some points to not have enough storage space? It will be for some and not for others.

The only additional storage space you get by moving up to a non-Value is a small bench with one drawer. Otherwise, all of the studios have the same storage issues. Most of the dedicated studios including the Values have a small closet so in those rooms the vacuum cleaner will be in the closet rather than the armoire. Some of the lockoffs including the Values also have one of these small broom closets. But many of the studios do not have a closet and in those rooms half of the armoire will be used to store the ironing board, iron and vacuum cleaner. All of the studios have the same dresser under the TV. It has four small drawers and a cupboard containing the pack and play.