***The Official AKV Owners And Lovers Thread***. Come And Chat

[DisneyDiana]

First trip as an owner is special! Congratulations!

I , too, got the skip the line email. I suppose we will try it.

 

[jerseygal]

If you are celebrating a high school graduation, CONGRATS!
ENJOY your vaca at AKV if this is your first DVC vaca!
You will love it!

We just returned from Aulani celebrating our youngest graduating hs and going off to college in August! PROUD of our son!

 

[puppytrainer]

Just received an email about checkin and being able to bypass the front desk. I know this is in a testing stage but wasn't sure if this was new to AKV:

You've completed your Disney Resort hotel online check-in service.

And now, for a limited time, you may be able to skip the online check-in area at the front desk when you arrive.

Since your all-in-one MagicBand has been shipped to your home and is also your Disney Resort room key, you may head straight to your room or even the Parks (if you linked Theme Park admission to your MagicBands). It's a quick and easy way to start the magic the moment you arrive!

Simply complete your online check-in with:
• Your estimated Resort arrival and departure times
• A credit card you want to use for incidentals and other charges
• Your mobile phone number and/or email address
Don't forget to opt in for message alerts so we can text or email you on the day of your arrival with your room number. Our Bell Services team will be ready to assist you with your luggage upon arrival.

I just got this too. Cool!

 

[1971DBday]

First trip as an owner is special! Congratulations! I , too, got the skip the line email. I suppose we will try it.

We're not getting there until midnight, so I will be glad to skip talking to someone! However I do have to get my groceries

 

[1971DBday]

If you are celebrating a high school graduation, CONGRATS! ENJOY your vaca at AKV if this is your first DVC vaca! You will love it! We just returned from Aulani celebrating our youngest graduating hs and going off to college in August! PROUD of our son!

Congrats back!!! Yes H.S. And accepted into the School of the Art Institute in Chicago (going into animation...we may have brain washed her just a little bit) .

 

[1971DBday]

I just got this too. Cool!

Cool! Hopefully we will all get our room requests!

 

[jimmytammy]

Thanks CT and twinkle for the grocery info. This makes perfect sense and may be faster with less traffic(I hope)

 

[GAVSMOMS]

Not sure this is the right place for this question but figured this crew would give me the answer.
New AKL DVC member and have our first trip booked for November. I know that they don't offer trash service daily, just realized that means dirty diapers for days in the room.
Is there somewhere you can dump your own trash?

 

[twinklebug]

Not sure this is the right place for this question but figured this crew would give me the answer.
New AKL DVC member and have our first trip booked for November. I know that they don't offer trash service daily, just realized that means dirty diapers for days in the room.
Is there somewhere you can dump your own trash?

All the DVCs have trash/recycling room(s) located around the property. As you check in, ask where the closest trash room will be to your room.

There will be extra trash bags in the bottom of the bins in your room. If you run out simply call Housekeeping and they will drop off more.

 

[TLMcMarks]

Hi there! We are coming back to AKL on September 1 and are so excited!!! ))

 

[J and R's mom]

Not sure this is the right place for this question but figured this crew would give me the answer. New AKL DVC member and have our first trip booked for November. I know that they don't offer trash service daily, just realized that means dirty diapers for days in the room. Is there somewhere you can dump your own trash?

We took our dirty diapers down to the trash room each evening (unless there was a stinky one, then it went straight down there).

We brought along grocery bags to line one of the smaller trashcans with and designated it for the diapers. The grocery bags made it easy to grab hold of each night, tie off the handles and tote it down to the trash/recycle.

 

[disneygirl2785]

Hey Everyone! We're planning our 4 night stay at AKL-Kidani in a 2BR Savannah View with my parents! (Then hopping to VWL for 2 studios for 4 nights!) Just wondering if anyone has any advice on location requests for Kidani. We would like to be in one of the first few sections on the left side, as I feel that's centrally located between the buses and the pool. However, we have never stayed at Kidani, so I don't know what is good and bad! Only once at Jambo. So is that a decent request? Any specific room numbers you can recommend? When we stayed at BLT I knew to ask for north tower, even room, high floor, and even though we payed for Lake View, We still had perfect view of MK, it was just to the left side! Thanks in advance!

 

[ktate82]

I have a question about the occupancy at AKL. The value 2 bedroom says it sleeps 8, but is this a situation where like some places say they sleep 4 but 5 can be in the room (you provide your own linens for the 5th) or is it only for 8? We may travel with friends and there will be 4 adults and 5 kids, so the value would save points, but if we can't fit then I know ahead of time.

 

[TLPL]

I need help deciding which standard two-bedroom to book!! I usually book value studios so I don't have much experience choosing a2-bedroom.
For the coming trip, we will have 5 adults and 1 child. There are the 2-bedroom lock off at Jambo, 2-bedroom lock off at Kidani , and 2-bedroom dedicated at Kidani.I can't find the floor plan for the dedicated 2-bedroom anywhere on the net. I want to know which one is the best of the three. Can anyone help me decide?

Thanks!!

 

[Kidanifan08]

I need help deciding which standard two-bedroom to book!! I usually book value studios so I don't have much experience choosing a2-bedroom. For the coming trip, we will have 5 adults and 1 child. There are the 2-bedroom lock off at Jambo, 2-bedroom lock off at Kidani , and 2-bedroom dedicated at Kidani.I can't find the floor plan for the dedicated 2-bedroom anywhere on the net. I want to know which one is the best of the three. Can anyone help me decide? Thanks!!

The 2BR villas at Kidani have 3 full bathrooms, whereas they only have two at Jambo. With 5 adults, I would imagine 3 full baths would be desirable. The lock-offs at Kidani are a 1BR connected to a studio. There is a door from the hall into each with a door between them to connect the two villas. With that, the studio portion has a kitchenette and the sleeping area is a queen bed and sleeper sofa. The dedicated 2BR has 2 queen beds in the second bedroom.

Personally, for a 2BR we prefer the Kidani dedicated. A lock-off may be advantageous if the persons using BR-2 would prefer to have more privacy and a separate entrance. The 2BR villas at Kidani are noticeably larger. All of the 2BRs are lock-offs at Jambo. We don't like the layout of the kitchen at Jambo and the living area is narrow. Also, the savanna views at Kidani are superior, IMHO.

 

[angelia denise]

Just discovered this thread! Very cool! We bought AKL DVC in 2012, but this September will be our first time staying there, although we did eat at Sanaa once before. We are staying at Kidani Village. It will be me (45), DH (38), my brother (36), his son (6), and my daughter (4). I haven't read the entire thread yet, but I will peruse over with enthusiasm! If any of you want to share what room number you have stayed in and your likes and dislikes, I would love to hear your experiences!

 

[krinicone]

I really want to do a 2 bedroom villa at kidani, however my fam definitely needs the 2 queens and not 2 sleeper sofas. Is there any way to guarantee one of these "dedicated" 2 bedrooms?

 

[jerseygal]

If you book on line, I believe it simply says 2 BR and the lock off category says 2BR lock off. If you call MS, you specify "dedicated". You will then be given 2 Queens instead of sleeper sofa in 2nd br.

Good Luck!

 

[krinicone]

K. Thanks!

 

[drusba]

The 2BR villas at Kidani have 3 full bathrooms, whereas they only have two at Jambo. With 5 adults, I would imagine 3 full baths would be desirable. The lock-offs at Kidani are a 1BR connected to a studio. There is a door from the hall into each with a door between them to connect the two villas. With that, the studio portion has a kitchenette and the sleeping area is a queen bed and sleeper sofa. The dedicated 2BR has 2 queen beds in the second bedroom.

Personally, for a 2BR we prefer the Kidani dedicated. A lock-off may be advantageous if the persons using BR-2 would prefer to have more privacy and a separate entrance. The 2BR villas at Kidani are noticeably larger. All of the 2BRs are lock-offs at Jambo. We don't like the layout of the kitchen at Jambo and the living area is narrow. Also, the savanna views at Kidani are superior, IMHO.

Adding to the above. For best room, the Kidani 2BRs leave Jambo's in the dust, Kidani's are about 100 sq ft larger than the ones at Jambo. Not only do they have three bathrooms, but the master bath has separate shower and tub (at Jambo they are combined). Also, the master bath at Jambo is not connected to the bedroom like it is at Kidani; at Jambo, you have to cross a little hallway that can be seen from the living room to get from the master bedroom to the master bath. Moreover, you have more closet space at Kidani.

We also prefer the dedicated 2BRs at Kidani over the lock-offs and another factor in the dedicated's favor is the balcony. For the lock-off the balcony is divided by a wall between the studio and 1BR; for the dedicated it is one long, continuous balcony.