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

[TinkAgainU]

...
This is 6 months I'm looking and there are a ton of value rooms there across many dates. For Disney to have the number of days available indicates they grabbed them up before the rest of us had a chance at them.

At the risk of adding to any conspiracy theories lol... I cancelled a AKL Value Studio (just one night) this morning, for February, since I realized getting more days was making me blind. I was curious to see how long it took to turn up as available so was watching Very closely. I do not think it reappeared and I refreshed for an hour. So I too wonder if DVC has a way to grab them before they show as available to members. I assume DVC has legal rules for accessibility they must adhere to...

But I would REALLY REALLY love to see DVC require some of the rooms (AKV Value is a PERFECT example) MUST have a Member and their credit card at check in. If only the professional renters - with a zillion points to Walk reservations can get them, that seems to not be what Members were sold when they purchased DVC. If owner/users are getting them ahead of me, that's fair enough, but if NONE of the Members ever get to use those rooms and they are always "rented out" that defeats the purpose of buying a timeshare in my opinion.

 

[Wedgeout]

I have a concern about Disney that perhaps is just a misunderstanding on my part. I'd like clarification of what I'm seeing in regards to Jambo's value rooms on the hotel side reservation system:

I understand that Disney is one of the largest owners of points and they're permitted to resell and profit off them, however I'm seeing DVC Value rooms at Jambo listed as available a half year out up on Disney's hotel side reservation system. I went all the way through to where I'd add my billing info - the system is insisting that those rooms are in their inventory.

Questioning if perhaps the hotel side has its own version of what it calls a value room and this isn't DVC, I looked through the images, they do appear to be DVC deluxe studios with the kitchenette, fold up sofa bed and all. Not the standard hotel rooms.

This is 6 months out I'm looking and there are many value rooms available across consecutive dates. For Disney to have the number of days available indicates to me that they grabbed them up before the rest of us had a chance at them. Value studios fly out of stock as soon as the system opens that 11 month window, and I was stalking these particular dates until I got some. It took week of waiting for people to release those days.

View attachment 950399

Could it be I'm I reading this wrong? It is noted that the room description states "Views of Landscape or Parking Area". Perhaps these were rooms along the front side of the hotel that were converted for DVC but never acquired by the system? I know there are only a couple of studios facing parking that are DVC, the rest are pool or savanna.

Could it perhaps be a bait and switch on Disney's part as they'll "upgrade" the paying guest to a savanna view hotel side room upon arrival?

No idea how they redesigned that front but we had a value on that pool side and there are unit doors across that entire hallway of 5th floor that are not part of DVC. Perhaps they made them hotel studios.

 

[Mirabell Rose]

I have a concern about Disney that perhaps is just a misunderstanding on my part. I'd like clarification of what I'm seeing in regards to Jambo's value rooms on the hotel side reservation system:

I understand that Disney is one of the largest owners of points and they're permitted to resell and profit off them, however I'm seeing DVC Value rooms at Jambo listed as available a half year out up on Disney's hotel side reservation system. I went all the way through to where I'd add my billing info - the system is insisting that those rooms are in their inventory.

Questioning if perhaps the hotel side has its own version of what it calls a value room and this isn't DVC, I looked through the images, they do appear to be DVC deluxe studios with the kitchenette, fold up sofa bed and all. Not the standard hotel rooms.

This is 6 months out I'm looking and there are many value rooms available across consecutive dates. For Disney to have the number of days available indicates to me that they grabbed them up before the rest of us had a chance at them. Value studios fly out of stock as soon as the system opens that 11 month window, and I was stalking these particular dates until I got some. It took week of waiting for people to release those days.

View attachment 950399

Could it be I'm I reading this wrong? It is noted that the room description states "Views of Landscape or Parking Area". Perhaps these were rooms along the front side of the hotel that were converted for DVC but never acquired by the system? I know there are only a couple of studios facing parking that are DVC, the rest are pool or savanna.

Could it perhaps be a bait and switch on Disney's part as they'll "upgrade" the paying guest to a savanna view hotel side room upon arrival?

Disney has a certain amount of the villa inventory for cash reservations, that I know. As to selling as value and then switching, it does seem possible.

 

[twinklebug]

At the risk of adding to any conspiracy theories lol... I cancelled a AKL Value Studio (just one night) this morning, for February, since I realized getting more days was making me blind. I was curious to see how long it took to turn up as available so was watching Very closely. I do not think it reappeared and I refreshed for an hour. So I too wonder if DVC has a way to grab them before they show as available to members. I assume DVC has legal rules for accessibility they must adhere to...

But I would REALLY REALLY love to see DVC require some of the rooms (AKV Value is a PERFECT example) MUST have a Member and their credit card at check in. If only the professional renters - with a zillion points to Walk reservations can get them, that seems to not be what Members were sold when they purchased DVC. If owner/users are getting them ahead of me, that's fair enough, but if NONE of the Members ever get to use those rooms and they are always "rented out" that defeats the purpose of buying a timeshare in my opinion.

I like your proposal, that only owners should be allowed to stay in the more rare units such as value or club level. Unfortunately I don't think we can change that in the system now that the contracts have been sold and signed. BUT, if we could change it, I'm all for this.

As for how long it takes to release rooms back into the inventory, I played with this a few years back and it took about 2-5 minutes on average for me to see the released room there. On occasion it would take longer, but I suspect someone saw and grabbed the room before I viewed it, and then they released it again.

 

[twinklebug]

Disney has a certain amount of the villa inventory for cash reservations, that I know. As to selling as value and then switching, it does seem possible.

It may also be an honest bug in the system. Someone coded in the wrong availability by accident.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I like your proposal, that only owners should be allowed to stay in the more rare units such as value or club level. Unfortunately I don't think we can change that in the system now that the contracts have been sold and signed. BUT, if we could change it, I'm all for this.

As for how long it takes to release rooms back into the inventory, I played with this a few years back and it took about 2-5 minutes on average for me to see the released room there. On occasion it would take longer, but I suspect someone saw and grabbed the room before I viewed it, and then they released it again.

It's been years since I spoke to someone in DVC management about their AKV - Jambo inventory. Along the line that they did not, and perhaps still do not, take Boardwalk view inventory I suggested they not take the even more limited room inventory at Jambo - both Concierge and Value. Of course they insisted that as owners they have the same right to all inventory as anyone else. However they do have an edge that I think they began taking over all other owners. They will use both estimated trade out and estimated breakage to take rooms and from all appearances do so prior to the 11 month window. I'd have to review the POS but think they wrote it to allow for that.
I expressed my disagreement with them doing this at Jambo for the 2 room types but that's all that can be done. I don't know if more input would be heard but it couldn't hurt.

Regarding the release of inventory I've long felt that the system is a bit smarter than many think and when there are waitlists it can catch the released room. My test for that has been VGC and it's extremely rare I see something I release there show back up and that is one location DVC does not rent out rooms themselves so it all goes to members.

 

[twinklebug]

It's been years since I spoke to someone in DVC management about their AKV - Jambo inventory. Along the line that they did not, and perhaps still do not, take Boardwalk view inventory I suggested they not take the even more limited room inventory at Jambo - both Concierge and Value. Of course they insisted that as owners they have the same right to all inventory as anyone else. However they do have an edge that I think they began taking over all other owners. They will use both estimated trade out and estimated breakage to take rooms and from all appearances do so prior to the 11 month window. I'd have to review the POS but think they wrote it to allow for that.
I expressed my disagreement with them doing this at Jambo for the 2 room types but that's all that can be done. I don't know if more input would be heard but it couldn't hurt.

Regarding the release of inventory I've long felt that the system is a bit smarter than many think and when there are waitlists it can catch the released room. My test for that has been VGC and it's extremely rare I see something I release there show back up and that is one location DVC does not rent out rooms themselves so it all goes to members.

Yeah, thinking about this more, I'm very sure the hotel side has access to reserve DVC for their own use before the everyday owners do. It may be just by milliseconds as they have an automated approach, but it's still an advantage. Is it written in the contract that they can do this? Unsure and I'm not about to sift through hundreds of pages to find out.

Noise gets heard though. I'll be calling Member services on Wednesday.

 

[Greg36]

I have a concern about Disney that perhaps is just a misunderstanding on my part. I'd like clarification of what I'm seeing in regards to Jambo's value rooms on the hotel side reservation system:

I understand that Disney is one of the largest owners of points and they're permitted to resell and profit off them, however I'm seeing DVC Value rooms at Jambo listed as available a half year out up on Disney's hotel side reservation system. I went all the way through to where I'd add my billing info - the system is insisting that those rooms are in their inventory.

Questioning if perhaps the hotel side has its own version of what it calls a value room and this isn't DVC, I looked through the images, they do appear to be DVC deluxe studios with the kitchenette, fold up sofa bed and all. Not the standard hotel rooms.

This is 6 months out I'm looking and there are many value rooms available across consecutive dates. For Disney to have the number of days available indicates to me that they grabbed them up before the rest of us had a chance at them. Value studios fly out of stock as soon as the system opens that 11 month window, and I was stalking these particular dates until I got some. It took week of waiting for people to release those days.

View attachment 950399

Could it be I'm I reading this wrong? It is noted that the room description states "Views of Landscape or Parking Area". Perhaps these were rooms along the front side of the hotel that were converted for DVC but never acquired by the system? I know there are only a couple of studios facing parking that are DVC, the rest are pool or savanna.

Could it perhaps be a bait and switch on Disney's part as they'll "upgrade" the paying guest to a savanna view hotel side room upon arrival?

I noticed this too the other day and was surprised by the value availability. I put in 4 weeks in July and value was an option for the full trip. My thought was I wondered if this was a way for Disney to further discount inventory, without lowering rack rates or offering larger room discounts, by offering standard rooms as if they were value. We typically stay in the value studios and I will say that you can usually pick these up by booking after walkers drop them especially for summer dates. It’s possible that is what Disney is doing as well. We will probably never really know but it is definitely interesting seeing so much inventory on the cash side.

 

[Simba's Mom]

BOMA buffet has great all-family options - I love their breakfast.


View attachment 950410

I also love BOMA's breakfast. However, Sanaa's breakfast is pretty good, and much cheaper. It's quiet, you have views of the savannah. And think of the "Banana brûlée French Toast". To me, dreams are made of this!

 

[Girlstar30]

I also love BOMA's breakfast. However, Sanaa's breakfast is pretty good, and much cheaper. It's quiet, you have views of the savannah. And think of the "Banana brûlée French Toast". To me, dreams are made of this!

Loved that French toast!

 

[BayTower2010]

Was at Kidani last week with my daughter and 2 boys. My daughter has always appreciated going with my wife and I and never complained when we would get a 1 Bedroom suite. Her boys are now 13 and 8, so making due with pull out beds was getting difficult. For the first time we booked a 2 bedroom and she was over the top loving it, everything to having their own private space/bedroom to the boys having a separate bathroom. While the rooms are looking a little worse for the wear, she is now totally spoiled. Cannot wait to see what next years Renovation will bring.

 

[Bucketfoot]

Once you do a 2 bedroom it is hard to go back. In fact we booked a 2 bedroom for our Aulani trip in September, even though it may only be me, my wife and our younger adult daughter.

An extra bathroom and not making someone sleep on a sleeper sofa just makes the stay soooooooooooo much better. Plus it gives us the room we need if our older daughter and son-in-law decide to join us. Making it so that they don't have to decide immediately.

Would we do this if it was cash... heck no! But points basically makes it so dang easy!

 

[jimmytammy]

We are in a 1 bedroom at Kidani, room 7322 and love the location and the view

 

[thanxfornoticin]

We are in a 1 bedroom at Kidani, room 7322 and love the location and the view

View attachment 952490View attachment 952491View attachment 952492View attachment 952493

That was our room earlier this year! Awesome spot - great pictures!

 

[Girlstar30]

Beautiful

We are in a 1 bedroom at Kidani, room 7322 and love the location and the view

View attachment 952490View attachment 952491View attachment 952492View attachment 952493

 

[RickNJane]

We are going in November to a 3 BR grand villa in Jambo. It is our first stay at AKV. The grandkids are so excited about it. As are we! Can't wait for November to roll around!

 

[thanxfornoticin]

We are going in November to a 3 BR grand villa in Jambo. It is our first stay at AKV. The grandkids are so excited about it. As are we! Can't wait for November to roll around!

That is an amazing room and experience. The outdoor balcony is almost as big as the room itself! Enjoy!

 

[RickNJane]

That is an amazing room and experience. The outdoor balcony is almost as big as the room itself! Enjoy!

I'm afraid that we will be too spoiled to go back to a 1br after this! So far our fav 2 br dedicated is at BLT. 3 full baths is a life saver.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

I'm afraid that we will be too spoiled to go back to a 1br after this! So far our fav 2 br dedicated is at BLT. 3 full baths is a life saver.

3 full baths in the Kidani 2BR dedicated, too - extremely nice to have!

 

[RickNJane]

3 full baths in the Kidani 2BR dedicated, too - extremely nice to have!

Will have to do that next trip! Thanks