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

[Splashboat]

oh wow- that is not a lot, ok good to know. thank you

There's actually less value studios available because as people book 2 bedrooms, it takes away available studios.

 

[drusba]

oh wow- that is not a lot, ok good to know. thank you

Of the 18 value studios, 8 are dedicated (not part of a 2BR). As to size, they are about 315 sq ft, approximately 45 sq ft smaller than other studios at AKV. They go quickly art 11 months out year round. For Presidents' Day week, they are typically booked full in less than 1/2 second after 8 a.m. at 11 months out.

You should note that the club level studios (and thus also the 2BRs) go just as fast. Even the value and club level 1BRs have such an 11-month issue about half the year. One should not purchase AKV with the intent to usually get a value or club level room, because you will usually be disappointed. No other rooms at AKV have any 11-month issue

 

[shaunacb]

Can you tell me about the value studios at AKL? What makes them different from the standard view studios?
How hard are the value ones to get on a busy week (school vacation president’s day week in Feb to be precise)?
They show as 88 points for the week on the 2022 chart, which would be perfect for every other year with 50 point contract. The standard are 116, which would require some one time use points or borrowing.
I see a AKL 50 point with a use year that works for me for resale available now. I’m just considering my options and if AK makes sense to try for my first small contract.
I’ve been obsessing over and researching DVC for a month now. I think I need an intervention.
Thank you!

If you are thinking Feb 2022, the value studios are already 100% booked. By the time you get your resale points loaded, you’d be looking at standard or Savannah view for 2022. For 2023 and beyond, it is difficult but possible to book at 11 months out at 8 am EST on the dot many times of the year. But it’s probably smart to plan to borrow enough points for standard view. Also I’m not sure how many kids you have or if you plan on expanding your family, but a family of 5 cannot fit in any studio at AKV, or in a value 1-bedroom. You’d need to book standard/Savannah view 1-bedroom or the elusive value 2-bedroom if you had 3 kids once the youngest is over 3 years old.

 

[Tattylou]

If you are thinking Feb 2022, the value studios are already 100% booked. By the time you get your resale points loaded, you’d be looking at standard or Savannah view for 2022. For 2023 and beyond, it is difficult but possible to book at 11 months out at 8 am EST on the dot many times of the year. But it’s probably smart to plan to borrow enough points for standard view. Also I’m not sure how many kids you have or if you plan on expanding your family, but a family of 5 cannot fit in any studio at AKV, or in a value 1-bedroom. You’d need to book standard/Savannah view 1-bedroom or the elusive value 2-bedroom if you had 3 kids once the youngest is over 3 years old.

I am actually all booked for CBR for Feb 2022, so I was thinking down the road.
I only have two kids and I’m definitely not having anymore! I’m well past baby ages and good with never going back to that lol

 

[Tattylou]

There's actually less value studios available because as people book 2 bedrooms, it takes away available studios.

Of the 18 value studios, 8 are dedicated (not part of a 2BR). As to size, they are about 315 sq ft, approximately 45 sq ft smaller than other studios at AKV. They go quickly art 11 months out year round. For Presidents' Day week, they are typically booked full in less than 1/2 second after 8 a.m. at 11 months out.

You should note that the club level studios (and thus also the 2BRs) go just as fast. Even the value and club level 1BRs have such an 11-month issue about half the year. One should not purchase AKV with the intent to usually get a value or club level room, because you will usually be disappointed. No other rooms at AKV have any 11-month issue

I think I’m going to mosey on over to SSR and OKW threads and inquire about their studio selection at 11 months!!

 

[myth2001]

I think I’m going to mosey on over to SSR and OKW threads and inquire about their studio selection at 11 months!!

SSR and OKW studio probably will not have issue even at 7 month. OKW near hospitality is the only category that might go faster.

 

[drusba]

I think I’m going to mosey on over to SSR and OKW threads and inquire about their studio selection at 11 months!!

Between SSR and OKW, there is only one room category that has an 11-month issue, where the rooms can fill within moments after the 11-month window opens. Those rooms are the OKW Grand Villas in the near Hospitality House booking category (there are only two), which typically fill year round almost instantly when the 11-month window opens.

As to studios, the ones at SSR are usually available even at 7-months out during the year except for some extremely high demand times during the high demand fall season, e.g., they can disappear before 7-months out for time during the first week of Dec, which is the highest DVC demand week of the year (makes Presidents' week look like the slowest of off-seasons).

At OKW, the studios in the near Hospitality House booking category can fill before 7 months out at various times of the year but otherwise studios are open at 7 months out except for some times during that high demand fall season and possibly for time during the Princess half-marathon weekend in late February.

 

[igrsod]

I think I’m going to mosey on over to SSR and OKW threads and inquire about their studio selection at 11 months!!

At 11 months at those resorts you can get a room easily. I own at SSR and AKL... I am currently booking a value studio days at a time for the second week in February 2022. I have been lucky to pick up discarded days as people walk reservations. Getting a value studio at 11 months is never guaranteed, but I have had good luck over the life of my contract. But I wouldn't buy at AKL just for that reason. When we get it we see it as a bonus, but we have enough points to stay at a standard room for a week just in case.
As for the smaller room, it doesn't seem to bother us at all. We really don't hang out in the room, just shower, sleep and eat breakfast for us. One nice thing we have found with the value rooms, is their proximity to the lobby. That is nice considering how long the halls are at Jambo.

 

[Tattylou]

Of the 18 value studios, 8 are dedicated (not part of a 2BR). As to size, they are about 315 sq ft, approximately 45 sq ft smaller than other studios at AKV. They go quickly art 11 months out year round. For Presidents' Day week, they are typically booked full in less than 1/2 second after 8 a.m. at 11 months out.

You should note that the club level studios (and thus also the 2BRs) go just as fast. Even the value and club level 1BRs have such an 11-month issue about half the year. One should not purchase AKV with the intent to usually get a value or club level room, because you will usually be disappointed. No other rooms at AKV have any 11-month issue

Is a club level studio the same as a standard or is that something else? How hard is it to get a standard studio at 11 months on a busy week?

 

[myth2001]

Is a club level studio the same as a standard or is that something else? How hard is it to get a standard studio at 11 months on a busy week?

Club level studio is said to be even harder to get than value studio.
Standard studio is relatively easy to get at AKL.

 

[JETSDAD]

Is a club level studio the same as a standard or is that something else? How hard is it to get a standard studio at 11 months on a busy week?

Standard studios are easy to book at 11 months. Club level is different. There are only 5 lock offs total.

 

[myth2001]

Club level studio is said to be even harder to get than value studio.
Standard studio is relatively easy to get at AKL.

PS, just to add club level is not operational during COVID time yet. (You will be refunded the points difference to standard if it is not operational at the time of your stay)
So if you are seeing more club studio availability than you expect currently, that is the reason.

 

[Tattylou]

@JETSDAD and @myth2001

Perfect - thank you!

 

[drusba]

Is a club level studio the same as a standard or is that something else? How hard is it to get a standard studio at 11 months on a busy week?

Club level studios are same size as standard and savanna view studios. There are only five club level studios, all on the sixth floor above the lobby at Jambo. Club level rooms require significantly more points than savanna view because you get concierge services, including a lounge for drinks and snack like foods. Those also get daily housekeeping.

Both savanna and standard view studios are easy to get at 11-months out and for some time thereafter. Jambo studios tend to fill quicker than Kidani studios. During the low to moderate demand season which runs from the Monday after marathon weekend in Jan to late Sep, Kidani savanna view studios are usually open at 7-months out except possibly for the Princess Half-Marathon weekend in Feb (that weekend is highest demand time that exists at the WDW DVC resorts between mid-Jan and late Sep), Kidani standards also are open about 80% of the time in that season. Jambo standard views are usually open about 40% of the time and savanna about 65%.

During the high to extremely high demand time that exists between late Sep and marathon weekend in Jan, the Jambo standard and savanna view studios are usually booked for multiple days a week before 7 months out. The Kidani standard studios also much of the time but somewhat less than Jambo, while the Kidani savanna studios fill before 7 months out usually only during the extremely high demand times -- the Thurs before Columbus Day through the second weekend after Columbus Day, Wine and Dine race weekend in early part of Nov, the last weekend of Food & Wine in mid-Nov, Thanksgiving week, first and second week of Dec, Dec 23 to Jan 2, and the Wed to Sun of marathon weekend in Jan.

 

[Cheburashka]

Here are some pics from my stay at Kidani this week.

 

[Tattylou]

Ok I’m back again- lol.
You all have been so helpful.
Are savannah view studios difficult to get on busy weeks at 11 months? At 7 months?

 

[Tattylou]

Here are some pics from my stay at Kidani this week.
View attachment 563844


View attachment 563845

Wow- these are the kind of pictures that bring me back to wanting to buy at AK instead of SSR. Was this from your room?!

 

[drusba]

Ok I’m back again- lol.
You all have been so helpful.
Are savannah view studios difficult to get on busy weeks at 11 months? At 7 months?

My post, no. 3,954 above, provides the answer to that question. DVC has developed over the years, two seasons at WDW, the low to moderate demand season that runs from the Monday after marathon weekend in Jan to late Sep, and the high to extremely high demand season that runs from late Sep to marathon weekend in Jan. The demand levels between those two seasons is like the difference between night and day, So when a seasoned member speaks of "busy weeks," he is referring mainly to all the weeks in that fall to early Jan season.

During the low to moderate season, the Princess half-marathon weekend is the highest demand time when rooms fill quicker than they do even for Easter or July 4 time. But the quickness for which rooms fill for that weekend is dwarfed by every week in the late Sep to marathon weekend in Jan period. For 2021, the high demand season added the MK 50th beginning Oct 1. Within 30 seconds after the 11-month window opened for Sep 30, 2021, every room that exists at BLT -- studios, 1BRs, 2BRs, and GVs -- filled for both Sep 30 and Oct 1. VGF 1BRs are usually open even at 7-months out in the low to moderate season. In the first week of Dec, they sometimes fill within minutes after the 11-month window opens.

Thus, when evaluating reserving times, the focus is mainly between the two different seasons. AKV savanna and standard view studios are usually easy to get at 11-months out year round, although there is some risk the standard views could fill very quickly in the morning at 11-months out for the first week of Dec. Kidani savanna view studios are usually open throughout the low to moderate season at 7-months out, with a risk otherwise during the Princess half-marathon weekend. Kidani standard views are also open many weeks during the low to moderate season although they can fill at times. Jambo standard views are more difficult during the low to moderate season and its savanna views, although usually open more times than standard, can still have an issue during many of the weeks of the low to moderate season. During the high demand season, both Jambo studios and Kidani standard studios have a significant risk of filling multiple days a week before the 7-month window opens; Kidani savanna views have a better chance except during the extremely high demand time that I mentioned in the prior post.

 

[Tattylou]

My post, no. 3,954 above, provides the answer to that question. DVC has developed over the years, two seasons at WDW, the low to moderate demand season that runs from the Monday after marathon weekend in Jan to late Sep, and the high to extremely high demand season that runs from late Sep to marathon weekend in Jan. The demand levels between those two seasons is like the difference between night and day, So when a seasoned member speaks of "busy weeks," he is referring mainly to all the weeks in that fall to early Jan season.

During the low to moderate season, the Princess half-marathon weekend is the highest demand time when rooms fill quicker than they do even for Easter or July 4 time. But the quickness for which rooms fill for that weekend is dwarfed by every week in the late Sep to marathon weekend in Jan period. For 2021, the high demand season added the MK 50th beginning Oct 1. Within 30 seconds after the 11-month window opened for Sep 30, 2021, every room that exists at BLT -- studios, 1BRs, 2BRs, and GVs -- filled for both Sep 30 and Oct 1. VGF 1BRs are usually open even at 7-months out in the low to moderate season. In the first week of Dec, they sometimes fill within minutes after the 11-month window opens.

Thus, when evaluating reserving times, the focus is mainly between the two different seasons. AKV savanna and standard view studios are usually easy to get at 11-months out year round, although there is some risk the standard views could fill very quickly in the morning at 11-months out for the first week of Dec. Kidani savanna view studios are usually open throughout the low to moderate season at 7-months out, with a risk otherwise during the Princess half-marathon weekend. Kidani standard views are also open many weeks during the low to moderate season although they can fill at times. Jambo standard views are more difficult during the low to moderate season and its savanna views, although usually open more times than standard, can still have an issue during many of the weeks of the low to moderate season. During the high demand season, both Jambo studios and Kidani standard studios have a significant risk of filling multiple days a week before the 7-month window opens; Kidani savanna views have a better chance except during the extremely high demand time that I mentioned in the prior post.

oh sorry I missed that in the earlier message, thanks so much!!

 

[igrsod]

Wow- these are the kind of pictures that bring me back to wanting to buy at AK instead of SSR. Was this from your room?!

I honestly think your heart is at AKL. I say buy here. You will love it. It's a little more expensive than SSR for your initial investment, but the ability to book and stay here at 11 months out will offset that I'm sure.