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

[Blueyed Girl]

Welcome home...

Welcome home!

Congrats & Welcome Home neighbor!

Thanks so much!! We are super excited.

 

[glennbo123]

Hello out there!! We just joined DVC and are now proud owners at AKV!! We are so excited to finally be a part of the "club". And are in the process of getting our first stay at AKV booked in June.

Congratulations! I think you made a great choice. Welcome home!

 

[wendypooh]

Hi All - We are recent NEW owners at AKV

I have our first trip home planned for May - we are at Jambo House in a 1BR Sav. View. I didn't realize it when I booked it that it only has the 1 bath - as opposed to Kidani which has 2 - I don't want to switch though, as we LOVE the lodge, plus having Mara right there is a good thing with a little boy!!

I know this may be a "duh" question............... but, since we've never stayed before (DVC) can anyone give us advice on what we should bring with us.......... i.e. - soap, shampoo, toilet paper...... etc.... etc....

Actually, I'm making an order from Garden Grocer............ I could just add all that to my order. Anyway - ANY info at all would be appreciated!!!

Thanks!!

 

[stopher1]

Hi All - We are recent NEW owners at AKV

I have our first trip home planned for May - we are at Jambo House in a 1BR Sav. View. I didn't realize it when I booked it that it only has the 1 bath - as opposed to Kidani which has 2 - I don't want to switch though, as we LOVE the lodge, plus having Mara right there is a good thing with a little boy!!

I know this may be a "duh" question............... but, since we've never stayed before (DVC) can anyone give us advice on what we should bring with us.......... i.e. - soap, shampoo, toilet paper...... etc.... etc....

Actually, I'm making an order from Garden Grocer............ I could just add all that to my order. Anyway - ANY info at all would be appreciated!!!

Thanks!!

Congrats & Welcome Home neighbor!

Even without the extra bathroom, the Jambo 1 BR will still be awesome. We've stayed in both JH & KV, and like something about both. They're both good for different reasons.

You'll get a bath bar, a facial bar, a shampoo, a conditioner and yes, tp on the spindle plus an extra roll - as well as a small bottle of dish soap, a dishwasher soap, and a laundry soap. If you are there for 4 nights, then you'll have trash & towel service, and they'll replenish the goodies again. At least they did when we were there in January.

 

[connorlevismom]

Hey all! We just added on 175 at AKV. We are so excited to be staying in a 3Br Grand Villa at the Jambo House in December.

Kristine

 

[twinklebug]

Welcome Home new AKV owners!

We got back from AKV-Kidani last Friday - the experience was great although the weather a bit cold. Per expectation, Kidani welcomed us in from the cold with a warmth that can't be described. The glowing woodwork, fireplace in the library, music and drums were perfect for shaking off the chills. Even VWL couldn't have done it better.

I discovered a new allergy: Amarula. Just the tiniest taste made the roof of my mouth blister and turn raw for 3 days. Unfortunately this is the liquor used in the Zebra Domes (which were fantastic ... until I reacted with it moments later) Just thought I'd mention it in case there are others who are allergic to misc. fruits and liquors to take a cautious approach until they're sure they're ok with it. (I did read the label and thought I read 'Amaretto', which I am not allergic to - I'm bad with names when they sound similar)

 

[Donald is #1]

Hello out there!! We just joined DVC and are now proud owners at AKV!! We are so excited to finally be a part of the "club". And are in the process of getting our first stay at AKV booked in June.

Congrats & welcome home!!!!

Hi All - We are recent NEW owners at AKV

I have our first trip home planned for May - we are at Jambo House in a 1BR Sav. View. I didn't realize it when I booked it that it only has the 1 bath - as opposed to Kidani which has 2 - I don't want to switch though, as we LOVE the lodge, plus having Mara right there is a good thing with a little boy!!

I know this may be a "duh" question............... but, since we've never stayed before (DVC) can anyone give us advice on what we should bring with us.......... i.e. - soap, shampoo, toilet paper...... etc.... etc....

Actually, I'm making an order from Garden Grocer............ I could just add all that to my order. Anyway - ANY info at all would be appreciated!!!

Thanks!!

About the only thing that I can think of is that you may want to bring laundry detergerent & dryer sheets if you plan on doing laundry. There will be some laundry detergent & dryer sheets in your villa, but depending upon the length of your trip and whether you decide to wash some towels (you will only have 4-5 and they won't be changed to day 4) you may want more.

The laundry detergent/dryer sheets is probably what I use out of my owner's locker the most.

 

[wendypooh]

Congrats & Welcome Home neighbor!

Even without the extra bathroom, the Jambo 1 BR will still be awesome. We've stayed in both JH & KV, and like something about both. They're both good for different reasons.

You'll get a bath bar, a facial bar, a shampoo, a conditioner and yes, tp on the spindle plus an extra roll - as well as a small bottle of dish soap, a dishwasher soap, and a laundry soap. If you are there for 4 nights, then you'll have trash & towel service, and they'll replenish the goodies again. At least they did when we were there in January.

Thanks!!

Congrats & welcome home!!!!



About the only thing that I can think of is that you may want to bring laundry detergerent & dryer sheets if you plan on doing laundry. There will be some laundry detergent & dryer sheets in your villa, but depending upon the length of your trip and whether you decide to wash some towels (you will only have 4-5 and they won't be changed to day 4) you may want more.

The laundry detergent/dryer sheets is probably what I use out of my owner's locker the most.

Thanks!! ( I know you from the Jambo thread!) Anyway - I think I've seen that we can buy more towels and stuff ......... when we check in? Is that right? We'll be there 8 days, so, I will add laundry det. and dryer sheets to my GG list!!!

Oh, I know they do Trash and towels on day 4 - and we check out on day 8 - so, they'd only come once - right - which is why we thought about buying the extras upon check in. (what comes in that - do you know, other than towels?)

 

[Donald is #1]

Thanks!! ( I know you from the Jambo thread!) Anyway - I think I've seen that we can buy more towels and stuff ......... when we check in? Is that right? We'll be there 8 days, so, I will add laundry det. and dryer sheets to my GG list!!!

Oh, I know they do Trash and towels on day 4 - and we check out on day 8 - so, they'd only come once - right - which is why we thought about buying the extras upon check in. (what comes in that - do you know, other than towels?)

Yes, you can pay for additional towels. However, since you are in a 1 bedroom, it may just be easier & cheaper to keep washing them yourself, even if they are the only thing in the wash. I think that an extra towel pack (towels for 4) is somewhere about $25.

Update: Ok I just looked, I was totally off on the towel cost. An extra towel pack is only $6.

 

[marvali]

Hello out there!! We just joined DVC and are now proud owners at AKV!! We are so excited to finally be a part of the "club". And are in the process of getting our first stay at AKV booked in June.

HOME!!!!!

 

[wendypooh]

Yes, you can pay for additional towels. However, since you are in a 1 bedroom, it may just be easier & cheaper to keep washing them yourself, even if they are the only thing in the wash. I think that an extra towel pack (towels for 4) is somewhere about $25.

Update: Ok I just looked, I was totally off on the towel cost. An extra towel pack is only $6.

Yeah, I thought that was the price I'd seen...... $6 / but I don't remember what exactly was in the pack.... is it only towels? Where did you see that at? On the member site?

Thanks!!

 

[Donald is #1]

Yeah, I thought that was the price I'd seen...... $6 / but I don't remember what exactly was in the pack.... is it only towels? Where did you see that at? On the member site?

Thanks!!

yes, I did a search for towels on the member site. (OK to be honest, I am really surprised that the search worked. )

•Towel Package, $6.00 - 4 bath towels, 2 hand towels, 4 washcloths, 1 bath mat

 

[cseca]

Hi all,
I have a question to all you AKV lovers, we have an upcoming ressie at 1br value. It'll be DH, our 1yr DD and myself. Do you think we'll enjoy it there?
I'm getting nervous because I've been reading people not liking the distance to the other 3 parks, jambo bus being full b/c of kidani, the room being dark.

Could you make me feel better a little bit? Tell me ALL the wonderful things about AKV value room so I won't rethink my ressie every day and wondering if I should move somewhere else... thank you!

 

[Atotty]

Hey,

We've stayed there twice so far and love it. We haven't stayed there since Kidani has opened though. In the past. bus service was great....even though it's further out it's a straight shot there; no bus sharing between resorts.

When we went at Thanksgiving in 2007 (busy time), the buses in the Epcot area were all shared.....we stopped at Dolphin, Swan, Boardwalk and Yacht and Beach and *then* went where ever it was we were going. Many times we've seen that the MK buses have also been sharing....Cont, Poly and GF....so sharing buses between Kidani and Jambo really isn't much diff from staying at other places.

Dark...yes it's darker than other places. The wood is dark. The lightbulbs are the energy savers. But it doesn't hinder us. And I have eye problems.

 

[Audray]

Hi Everyone,

Our resale purchase just closed today, and we are very excited that we can now call AKV home!

 

[stopher1]

Hi all,
I have a question to all you AKV lovers, we have an upcoming ressie at 1br value. It'll be DH, our 1yr DD and myself. Do you think we'll enjoy it there?
I'm getting nervous because I've been reading people not liking the distance to the other 3 parks, jambo bus being full b/c of kidani, the room being dark.

Could you make me feel better a little bit? Tell me ALL the wonderful things about AKV value room so I won't rethink my ressie every day and wondering if I should move somewhere else... thank you!

Well, I'm not going to fib here just to get you to want to stay at AKV or not...because it is far from lots of places at WDW - but guess what, so is every other resort on property. Nothing is hands down close to everything. Sure some are a bit more centralized like the Epcot resorts, but everything takes time to get to regardless of where you are staying. We've stayed at AKV multiple times, most recently at Kidani Village in January and had a lovely time each time. We didn't really notice bus overcrowding at all - and no bus ride was more than about 20 minutes anywhere we wanted to go, and we didn't stop at other resorts along the way (sure a quick stop at Jambo House, but it's still part of the overall AKV resort). We've also stayed at the majority of the resorts on property at WDW - and each and everyone is truly far from something or somewhere that you want to go.

DW and I just got back a week and a half ago from a lovely stay at the Wilderness Lodge for our anniversary. When we wanted to go to DTD to see a movie, we waited for the bus. First stop - the Grand Floridian. Second stop - Typhoon Lagoon. Total travel time? 42 minutes from the Lodge to the Marketplace. We were of course going to the west side so we needed Pleasure Island. All told the trip was 50 minutes long. At least going back to the resort the WL was the first stop, so it was only about a 30 min ride back.

From the WL getting to the Magic Kingdom is no big deal, just hop on the boat and you're there in about 8 minutes. Getting to the other parks, not quite the same. Get on the bus, go through the same kind of stopping gyrations and then arrive at your destination between 20-30 minutes later.


As a resort though - AKV has phenomenal theming. You just can't beat being able to see the animals pretty up close from all of the various common areas around the resort. (Having a savannah view room just expands on that a lot more). The pool complex at Kidani is fabulous. The lobbies are tremendous. They just really are great experiences. I bet if you give it a try, you'll enjoy it.

 

[stopher1]

Hi Everyone,

Our resale purchase just closed today, and we are very excited that we can now call AKV home!

Congrats & Welcome Home!

 

[kristenrice]

Hi all,
I have a question to all you AKV lovers, we have an upcoming ressie at 1br value. It'll be DH, our 1yr DD and myself. Do you think we'll enjoy it there?
I'm getting nervous because I've been reading people not liking the distance to the other 3 parks, jambo bus being full b/c of kidani, the room being dark.

Could you make me feel better a little bit? Tell me ALL the wonderful things about AKV value room so I won't rethink my ressie every day and wondering if I should move somewhere else... thank you!

Hopefully, you'll get this view....


This was the view from our value 1BR last June. When you stay "value", your view is only a request and not guaranteed, but you have a 40% chance of a savanna view when you book a 1BR.

You will LOVE the AKV!!

 

[cseca]

Thanks everyone!

stopher1, I didn't think about that. You are right about the transportation.
I guess I'm being antsy because this is the first time we're bringing our DD to WDW. I'm worried about transportation and pretty much making everything the least painful as possible...

Hopefully, you'll get this view....

This was the view from our value 1BR last June. When you stay "value", your view is only a request and not guaranteed, but you have a 40% chance of a savanna view when you book a 1BR.

You will LOVE the AKV!!

Oooh kristenrice, what room # was that? I want it!
I wonder if I could request it... hmmm...

 

[mla1977]

I just spoke with my rep this afternoon and added on AKL today! Woohoo!