The DVC board official Animal Kingdom Villas discussion thread

[Viki]

.for an extra forty points a night you may get to see the east african hippopotomas actually move 2 feet.

Never stayed at AKL with a view of the "badboy" savannah, huh?

 

[Slakk]

Never stayed at AKL with a view of the "badboy" savannah, huh?

No lie! When I bought into DVC my only regret was losing AKL and now I have it back WOOO HOOO

 

[mochabean]

I think the main reason that AKV is the next DVC is that Disney has often had to discount the rooms at this deluxe. There have often been postcards sent out for AKL. More than other deluxes. As you have pointed out AKL is next to nothing and although it has its admirers many won't pay top dollar for it when they really would prefer a monorail resort or the Epcot area.

This is true and the other big reason AKV is next is that they can start selling points there for phase 1 very soon. DVC's biggest worry is not having anything to sell when SSR sells out. Contemp Villas are going to take quite a while longer for contruction and I think it would have been very likely that SSR would have sold out before they would be allowed to begin presales for CRV. Since the AKV were planned for when the Lodge was built, construction of phase 2 will be quicker than normal.

 

[pumpkinboy]

AKV!! It's a dream come true!!!

How am I going to convince DW to get more points? We have 495 points now, and DW already thinks we go to WDW too often already. Hmmm, maybe just 130 more? Or maybe I could sell off some of our BWV points...

 

[vascubaguy]

I just returned and missed all of this "official news" however I heard from several CMs that AKV was a definate, but they were also saying that CV was a definate....

Glad to hear that the AKV actually has an official announcement.

I'm staying tuned for a CV announcement... from what I could tell by looking around the North Wing, I think they are planning more than just some renovations. I mean they have those environmental float barriers all around the edges of the lake, the "dust" fences are all up, backhoes, etc...

 

[vonpluto]

Just fooling around tonite:

 

[senecabeach]

Haven't been through this entire thread yet...so sorry it this is redundant...

Spoke to my guide on Friday the 13th...he said:

458 total DVC rooms ...just shy of OKW (525)
134 renovations of the top floor
324 "new" building
sales expected to start in Feb, 07
no official price or pt. requirements yet

Hope that helps you all

 

[Slakk]

AKV!! It's a dream come true!!!

How am I going to convince DW to get more points? We have 495 points now, and DW already thinks we go to WDW too often already. Hmmm, maybe just 130 more? Or maybe I could sell off some of our BWV points...

My issue too....When I thought it was ging to be CRV I was going to buy 50 points and be done with it but now EEEEEK.

I only *need* 300 points and I have SSR, VWL and BCV - my head says sell SSR and keep my two small contracts but I love love LOVE my SSR and it will break my heart to sell it.

WHat I do know is we will plan to stay mostly at AKV and SSR and rarely use our BCV and VWL points at their resorts.

So it is Buy Where You Want to Stay vs Keep points at small resorts vs 12 more years.

 

[starbox]

My issue too....When I thought it was ging to be CRV I was going to buy 50 points and be done with it but now EEEEEK.

I only *need* 300 points and I have SSR, VWL and BCV - my head says sell SSR and keep my two small contracts but I love love LOVE my SSR and it will break my heart to sell it.

WHat I do know is we will plan to stay mostly at AKV and SSR and rarely use our BCV and VWL points at their resorts.

So it is Buy Where You Want to Stay vs Keep points at small resorts vs 12 more years.

Since you don't plan to stay at VWL and BCV much (and I'm guessing you'll stay even less often when CRV gets announced if I were you
I'd sell BCV while I could still get a decent price for it and purchase AKV. When they announce CRV, I'd sell VWL - that way you'll have three late expiration contacts at a variety of locations.

 

[cobbler]

Hello all -

Just back and I was in Orlando for the annoucement. Stopped into SSR and spoke with my guide. Most of this may have already been posted but I have only read up to page 5 so far, so my apologies in advance.

Here are some brief things my guide told me

1 -AKV will be bigger than VWL, BCV, and BWV, but smaller than SSR and OKW
2 - AKV will have it's own 50 year term and expire in 2057
3 - AKV will have it's own seperate check-in, going to use an existing bldg and build a new one
4 - AKV pool area will be sort of like stormalong bay except it will be more outpost type theme to fit into the AK theme
5 - one bedrooms will sleep 5, 2 bedrooms will sleep 9, and there will be 2 grand villas. One that will sleep 12 on a single story like BWV and one that will sleep 15 with a formal and informal dining room
6 - My guide speculates that point charts will be very similar to that of BC, BW and VWL. Can't speculate on price per point because it isn't going to follow the same expiration of SSR.
7 - Speculates that pre-sales will begin in March, said SSR is close to sell out and they would like 2 properties to sell because.
8 - Plans are to start allowing guests to stay in AKV starting next fall
9 - Model rooms for AKV are being built in the theatre at SSR

That is all I remember for now. Glad I was down because otherwise my guide couldn't share the info with me just yet as they aren't licensed just yet to sell that property in every state.

So again this is just what my guide and I spoke about while I was down and heard the annoucement.

They held the DVC cast family meeting at Coronado and we happened to see the line up going into the Coronado Wednesday and wondered what it was all about. Also Grant Hill from the Orlando Magic was there to talk to them as well as Jim Lewis. They announced AKV by playing Lion King music and had the festival of the Lion King dancers there as well

 

[cobbler]

Oh PS, I forgot to mention that the model rooms at SSR aren't ready yet, they still have the doors and windows blackened.

And my guide had also mentioned they are bringing in 3x as many animals and expanding the savannah area.

 

[senecabeach]

Thanks cobbler.....maybe you want to add these to your post...then we'll probably have the most complete list

458 total DVC rooms ...just shy of OKW (525)
134 renovations of the LODGE for DVC
324 "new" building
sales expected to start in Feb, 07
no official price or pt. requirements yet

 

[TAKitty]

For people who don't like the idea of AKL, you might be missing who they really plan to market the project to. When we stay at AKL there are always a lot of European travelers there. Much more than when we stay at BC/YC and VWL. Just a thought.

 

[zulaya]

Oh, man, cobbler...I'm dying here now! An African themes Stormalong Bay! My kids will have died and gone to heaven. What am I saying...*I* will have died and gone to heaven.

 

[BCV23]

Haven't been through this entire thread yet...so sorry it this is redundant...

Spoke to my guide on Friday the 13th...he said:


134 renovations of the top floor


Hope that helps you all

That would really be an Imagineering feat as there are only 15 rooms on the top floor right now!

 

[BCV23]

cobbler, thanks for more details. What a cool way to introduce AKL to the CMs.

Do you think your guide meant only two GV in total or that there would be two styles of GV?

 

[LisaS]

cobbler, thank you for gathering that information! And how lucky you were to be at CSR while this was going on!

 

[Maria395712]

still wish it was at the CR I think AKL is very very nice it is way to quite for me I don't know why but I don't like quite I love the BWV they are the only DVC I like to stay at but I do like the CR but I only like the main tower and if they don't have any DVC rooms in the tower then I wouldn't like to stay I don't know maybe I am too spoiled
maria

 

[Simba's Mom]

I'm just curious-how many DISers are already planning for the first two weeks of December at AKLV. I know that's always such a busy DVC time-so how many fingers are getting ready to start dialing on whatever that date is in February?

 

[chris1gill]

We aren't planning for the first two weeks of December, but will are planning the week just prior to Christmas, that is IF we can get a reservation... I'll be dying to try out the larger 1 bedroom unit