The DVC board official Animal Kingdom Villas discussion thread

[spiceycat]

Don't worry, by the time it comes to be folks will find a million things wrong with it and bash it left and right... all the "haters" will have a new target!

I am actually selling my OKW contract now (seller just passed ROFR) to free up some $$$ that will be used toward an AKV add-on. If I really like AKV and the price/points aren't too bad, I might do 2 small add-ons at AKV and then sell my SSR contract too... but we'll see.

you are selling OKW.... oh that is horrible!!!

I definitely agree with your first comment. - let's see it is too far from the parking lot,etc...

 

[LisaS]

Thanks, I didn't know about the sunset safari. Is it possible to do both the sunrise and sunset safaris? AK is my favorite park, so I couldn't get too much. However, if there's an additional cost, that might make it all too much for me!

According to allearsnet, the prices for the Sunrise Safari are $55/adult, $27.50/child (3-9). The prices for the Sunset Safari are $150/adult, $75/child ages 8-9 (they don't allow kids under 8 on the Sunset Safari). The Sunrise Safari is at AK and includes breakfast. The Sunset Safari is at the Lodge and includes a special dinner at Jiko.

I would love to try both of these but since we've never stayed CL, it's never been an option. So I hope these rumors are true that DVC'ers staying in the main lodge villas will be able to sign up for these!

 

[U2FanHfx]

No selling of current contracts here! Just add it on baby!

That is...with the better half's (wife) permission

We have been waiting for the announcements for months and are really happy that we can own at both SSR and AKV. We find SSR is getting more beautiful by the day and will continue to do so. I agree though, it might just seem that way now that the 'haters' will have a new target . There are already enough complaints that people have about AKL alone (distance from parks, lighting) that I'm sure will just carry over.

Like another poster said about SSR, "nothing you want to see here, just keep moving along"

Regs,

CJM

 

[diznyfanatic]

No current plans to sell either BUT that may depend on how attractive the AKV member incentives are!

U2FanHfx - Love the AKV logo!!! Mind if I save it to use too?

 

[erikthewise]

Most of the rooms on the 5th and 6th floors are deluxe room that are 381 sq ft (source: allears). They actually are larger then the SSR and OKW studios, if you trust the numbers.


AKL Deluxe 381 (Std. 344) sq.ft.
SSR Studio 355
OKW Studio 376

If they take two AKL deluxe rooms to make a one bedroom it is still larger then a SSR one bedroom but smaller then OKW.

Two AKL DLX 762 sq.ft.
SSR 1 bdrm 714
OKW 1 bdrm 1016

Not sure how (or if) they would convert them to 1 and 2 bedrooms villas but the square footage is there.

Yep those are the numbers I had in mind. I'm not an expert but we stayed on the fifth floor on the Ostrich trail (the part that will be closest to the new DVC building). I assure you our room was not a deluxe and I doubt any of the rooms on the Ostrich trail are. I suspect most of the fifth floor rooms are not deluxe. Maybe you are right that the converted ones will all end up as studios.

 

[U2FanHfx]

Hey diznyfanatic and everyone else for that matter, go right ahead and use the AKV logo in my Sig. I did it up last night as I felt it made it more 'real' to me

I think I may need help! At least that's what my wife says.

 

[ADP]

Oh and I forgot to add that they speculated that AKV might possibly have a different expiration date than SSR which might be 2057 to provide an entire 50 year contract from when the first phase is opened.

I thought this made sense when you consider it with their other comment, that if indeed AKV is the "first" of a new type of DVC that are being planned, it would start a new set of expiration dates.

It will be interesting to see how this all plays out.

Oh yes. I was told the same thing. The expiration would be 2057.

 

[diznyfanatic]

U2FanHfx - Cool! Thanks very much! I think we all could use some help with our Disney addiction!

 

[lisareniff]

I assure you our room was not a deluxe and I doubt any of the rooms on the Ostrich trail are. I suspect most of the fifth floor rooms are not deluxe. Maybe you are right that the converted ones will all end up as studios.

The ostrich and Giraffe trails do not have deluxe rooms on the fifth floor (and most likely the lobby rooms) adding another question in the DVC coversion of rooms. Compared to the Kudu and Zebra trails there are not very many rooms that are standard rooms on the 5th floor. I just counted the room numbers on the map (no clue how accurate this is) and there would be 82 ? standard rooms and 298 ? deluxe rooms and suites on the 5th floor. Again this is probably not a good way to determine the number of rooms but there are only 4 building segments of the standard rooms vs 14 segment with deluxe rooms. Allears has about 264 deluxe rooms on the 5th floor plus some suites. Anyway... my point in all that is... there are a lot of deluxe rooms and a few standard that DVC may convert to something..... and I'm dying to know what.

 

[vascubaguy]

you are selling OKW.... oh that is horrible!!!

I guess it would sound better if I said, "I'm allowing a new member to discover the secret by starting with a small contract at OKW just like I did!"

Besides, I know that if I really wanted to go back and visit my 1st home that I'd be able to with 7 months notice...

 

[vascubaguy]

Hey diznyfanatic and everyone else for that matter, go right ahead and use the AKV logo in my Sig. I did it up last night as I felt it made it more 'real' to me

I think I may need help! At least that's what my wife says.

Just wanted to say, nice siggie pic of the AKV... it was on my radar to create something similar and add it to the list of other icons, but I was holding off to see the "official" colors that are put to it on the DVC website. Maybe they'll just follow your lead and not reinvent the wheel.

 

[U2FanHfx]

Maybe I'll get a discount off my points purchase!

The color actually comes from the picture. The tower/staircase to be exact. I saved the PSD file for exactly that reason. Once they get the site up...new gradient and done

It was hard to find a 'black and white' version of the DVC logo. I eventually found one on the members guide. (I know NERD)

Regs,

CJM

 

[pilferk]

Is underground parking in that area of Florida even feasible? I know FL has quite a few underwater cave systems that supply much of the states water... if it's in that area, that would be a lot of limestone to blast thru... I'd imagine with available land in that area there will simply be black top parking... But who knows, most everything in this thread is speculation at this point.

Yeah, a lot of that whole area has a pretty low (high???...close to the surface) water table from what I'm remembering. I mean, we all know that a lot of the land WDW is set on was previously swampland.....but with modern engineering...who knows. It does sound like a good idea.

 

[pilferk]

If VAKL are bigger (or offer access to concierge services) with a great pool and savannah view they're going to HAVE to require more points per night or it'll be tough to get a reservation at 7 months.

Mmmmm, I don't know. Those are great benefits, to be sure, but they have to provide some great benefits to offset the one detriment to the resort...it's relativel remoteness from most of the rest of WDW.

I think they're those benefits offer a good balance, but I'm not sure they tip it SOO much that they'll drive demand throught the roof.

Not to mention the size of the resort will help out some.

 

[FutureSailor]

I have read through this thread but am still confused about Disney's propsed timeline. Does anyone have a sense of when DVC will start selling? How long do you think they will make AKL available only to current members? What kind of members-only incentives would you expect, maybe based on what Disney did with SSR?

 

[CarolA]

I am in the I "might" sell group.

I do plan to do an add on at VAKL. What to sell is a different matter.....It may have to be SSR. I can afford the add on without selling, but I don't NEED any more points....

 

[Inkmahm]

I'll try to book there just for the sunrise safari.

Exactly. I booked one night in early December at concierge rate just so we could do sunrise safari the next morning before we leave on our Disney cruise. I can't wait for that to be an option for DVC owners!

 

[Inkmahm]

I would guess that "underground" means "Disney underground"...ie really the 1st floor. That's the way the sav rooms are now, the first floor doesn't have rooms on it; they told us that at check-in, said it would be too hard to see the animals. FWIW

There are actually animals on the first floor (ground floor). The pigs, for one.

 

[CarolA]

Disney won't put rooms on the first floor to prevent guests from wandering out to visit the animals up close...... I think "views" is just an excuse.

 

[Sammie]

Is underground parking in that area of Florida even feasible? I know FL has quite a few underwater cave systems that supply much of the states water... if it's in that area, that would be a lot of limestone to blast thru... I'd imagine with available land in that area there will simply be black top parking... But who knows, most everything in this thread is speculation at this point.

There is an underground parking garage at MGM for cast so yes they can build one.

As to the pool rivaling SAB, will have to see that to believe it. Also I can't imagine them keeping the resort guests out of the DVC pool, they won't keep out pool hoppers, I don't see them keeping out paying guests.

As to concierge access, that should be interesting to watch develop also. Since they are moving the lodge concierge to another floor.