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

[Girlstar30]

We called twice when we were there last August and both times regardless of how I described the item we were brought a mattress pad (basically a fitted sheet with minimal padding). This spring when we went my daughter and her husband just pulled the mattress off the couch and put it on the floor instead. They said it was way more comfortable that way, not to mention easier for their one year old that was often sharing the bed with them.

Wow that is ridiculous that its.coming down to that, they better install murphy beds or that will be a real let down, I'm super excited for the refurb

 

[drusba]

Hi all! New DVC AKL owner (also own at BLT). We have stayed in Kidani twice before (one standard studio, one Savannah studio) but are staying at Jambo in July for the first time in a standard studio. Any room requests? Of course I'd love a partial Savannah view, but even a good pool view. I've heard that Touring Plans isn't updated, which is what I usually use to check out rooms. TIA!

A tad more than half the Jambo standard (now called "Resort") view rooms have savanna view, the rest pool view. Though no location request is guaranteed, best request to make is for a room on the Kudo Trail side of the building (the left side of the u-shaped building). All standard views on that side of the building have a Sunset Savanna view. Note, do not specifically request a "savanna view" with a standard view room as MS often just responds that you need to reserve a savanna view room to get a savanna view.

Also note that if you stay at Kidani again with a Resort (standard) view reservation, and want chance for a savanna view, request room near the Pumbaa elevator. That elevator is between two building units in which all rooms on the side of those two building units that directly overlook Pembe Savanna are Resort view rooms.

 

[JB2022]

We are a young family, currently PVB owners, considering adding on at AKL. Typically we stay in 1 BDR. The club level offerings are very enticing, as we like to do this from time to time, and we typically plan things in the 7-11 month window. So we aren't too worried about availability. We typically travel in the Dec - April/May months, avoiding the more extreme heat. Would current owners recommend waiting to see how the refurb works out before adding on? Or any other considerations we should consider as potential add-on buyers ?

 

[heynowirv]

We are a young family, currently PVB owners, considering adding on at AKL. Typically we stay in 1 BDR. The club level offerings are very enticing, as we like to do this from time to time, and we typically plan things in the 7-11 month window. So we aren't too worried about availability. We typically travel in the Dec - April/May months, avoiding the more extreme heat. Would current owners recommend waiting to see how the refurb works out before adding on? Or any other considerations we should consider as potential add-on buyers ?

We love AKL and if you're ready to add on and have the funds why wait?

 

[thanxfornoticin]

We are a young family, currently PVB owners, considering adding on at AKL. Typically we stay in 1 BDR. The club level offerings are very enticing, as we like to do this from time to time, and we typically plan things in the 7-11 month window. So we aren't too worried about availability. We typically travel in the Dec - April/May months, avoiding the more extreme heat. Would current owners recommend waiting to see how the refurb works out before adding on? Or any other considerations we should consider as potential add-on buyers ?

We're very long-time AKLV owners, and it's the most amazing resort at WDW (in our opinion, of course!). And I would absolutely recommend having points there. However, a word of warning - I would not buy with the primary reason being access to the Club Level rooms. There are only 5 1BR (along with 5 studios), and they can be extremely challenging to get at 11 months. Those club rooms are probably in the top 3 of toughest rooms to book at 11 months.

Again, absolutely recommend the points for the experience of that beautiful resort - the animals, the food options, 2 pools, the theming, etc. The latest refurb should be done by this time next year, so you'll have many years to enjoy the refurbed rooms! I just don't want you to be disappointed the first time you go looking to book a CL room, and they're already booked - you'll need to be online right at 8AMET the morning of your 11 month window.... BUT - once you get those rooms, the experience is even elevated a bit more! The lounge is really nice.....

 

[sndral]

We are a young family, currently PVB owners, considering adding on at AKL. Typically we stay in 1 BDR. The club level offerings are very enticing, as we like to do this from time to time, and we typically plan things in the 7-11 month window. So we aren't too worried about availability. We typically travel in the Dec - April/May months, avoiding the more extreme heat. Would current owners recommend waiting to see how the refurb works out before adding on? Or any other considerations we should consider as potential add-on buyers ?

I would not buy AKV expecting to reserve club villas often. There are just under 27,000 memberships that own AKV & thus have 11 month priority for booking those 5 lock off two bedroom club villas. I book on the dot at 11 months & after a decade+ of owning AKV & staying there every other year I’ve yet to see a club 1 or 2 br. open for my dates. Maybe folks w/ flexible dates, shorter stays, or a use year amenable to walking a reservation (assuming you can even find an open day to start your walk) have better success booking an AKV club villa but I wouldn’t depend on getting one regularly .

 

[JB2022]

Thank you everyone. That is very helpful. We would not be necessarily looking to buy just for club level only rooms, as we enjoy all the other aspects of the resort greatly. Boma is our favorite breakfast buffet We tend to be somewhat flexible with our dates as well, and I have been tracking 1BDR club level villa availability the last few months or so as the 2026 Dec - April availability opens, and I have seen days/weeks that would work just fine for us for CL. Of course the 1 BDR resort/savanna tend to have great availability as well, which we are perfectly happy with.

Another interest with the possibility of addon was having some SAP as well. But choosing something more cost efficient like AKL (or SSR), if we booked home resort at 7-11 mo and swapped to something else < 7 mo if available. We feel AKL has a lot of attractive features as a home resort even if we use it as SAP from time to time. We don't want to consider any of the 2042 resorts (even though we love many of them!!) due to being a young family.

 

[aammtt20]

As an AKL owner, I can say that my experience is that the studio Club level rooms seem impossible to get, but I regularly see availability for the 1br club level before 7 months. Is every day available? No, but if you check right now there are long block of availability for the 1br club level in March and April. Now some parts of the year are definitely more competitive than others, but if you're not picky about when you go and you plan ahead, I don't think the 1br club level are actually much of a challenge for owners.

 

[JB2022]

I am hoping that the refurb is not a total flop, but while the rooms are definitely dated, when we have stayed at AKL we did not feel like the rooms horrible to begin with. The sleeper sofas definitely need to go, hopefully murphys like the other refurbs. And of course the common areas of the resorts are kept decently nice. We would probably be happy even if the refurb wasn't for a while.

It would be such a game changer if they did absolutely anything to improve the transport options or provide an entrance into Animal Kingdom.

 

[aammtt20]

Yes, hoping the refurb is on the same level of BLT in terms of an upgrade.

A skyliner extension to AK and AKL would be incredible. Even a 1 mile walking trail between the park and the lodge could be nice for those who don't mind getting some extra steps.

 

[muppets3d]

They've done a better job with the later refurbishments in keeping the feel of the resort while also modernizing. Look at Boulder Ridge. I'm hopeful that Disney recognizes that this resort, perhaps more than any other, must keep the immersive theming.

 

[muppets3d]

As an AKL owner, I can say that my experience is that the studio Club level rooms seem impossible to get, but I regularly see availability for the 1br club level before 7 months. Is every day available? No, but if you check right now there are long block of availability for the 1br club level in March and April. Now some parts of the year are definitely more competitive than others, but if you're not picky about when you go and you plan ahead, I don't think the 1br club level are actually much of a challenge for owners.

I've had decent luck waitlisting the studios as well. The studios are heavily walked year-round. So just waitlist to pick up the rooms as the walkers go past. You are correct the 1 bedroom villas are somewhat easy to get.

 

[Girlstar30]

Buy before the refurb before everyone falls in love with our AKV Lion King theme (wishful thinking haha)

 

[muppets3d]

Buy before the refurb before everyone falls in love with our AKV Lion King theme (wishful thinking haha)

I think the DVC rooms will wind up looking a lot like the cash rooms on the other floors of Jambo House.

 

[RickNJane]

Thank you everyone. That is very helpful. We would not be necessarily looking to buy just for club level only rooms, as we enjoy all the other aspects of the resort greatly. Boma is our favorite breakfast buffet We tend to be somewhat flexible with our dates as well, and I have been tracking 1BDR club level villa availability the last few months or so as the 2026 Dec - April availability opens, and I have seen days/weeks that would work just fine for us for CL. Of course the 1 BDR resort/savanna tend to have great availability as well, which we are perfectly happy with.

Another interest with the possibility of addon was having some SAP as well. But choosing something more cost efficient like AKL (or SSR), if we booked home resort at 7-11 mo and swapped to something else < 7 mo if available. We feel AKL has a lot of attractive features as a home resort even if we use it as SAP from time to time. We don't want to consider any of the 2042 resorts (even though we love many of them!!) due to being a young family.

We added on at AKL and will be making our first trip in November. We are currently at BWV and took a trip to Jambo House and Kindani Village to check it out. OMG! Pictures do not do Jambo justice. What a spectacular place! The Lobby is Huge and immersive. The CM's are fantastic and very cheerful. They are stationed around the viewing areas. I don't know how they stay so upbeat in the heat. (mid 90's this week! and its only May!). We added on because of availability and a great point chart. Our grandchildren are going to totally flip the freak out when they see it.
Kindani's lobby is much smaller, but just as well themed. There are things to see and displays everywhere. Really cannot be happier. You have to bus everywhere, but that is not really a big deal. They seem to run fairly often.

 

[Girlstar30]

We added on at AKL and will be making our first trip in November. We are currently at BWV and took a trip to Jambo House and Kindani Village to check it out. OMG! Pictures do not do Jambo justice. What a spectacular place! The Lobby is Huge and immersive. The CM's are fantastic and very cheerful. They are stationed around the viewing areas. I don't know how they stay so upbeat in the heat. (mid 90's this week! and its only May!). We added on because of availability and a great point chart. Our grandchildren are going to totally flip the freak out when they see it.
Kindani's lobby is much smaller, but just as well themed. There are things to see and displays everywhere. Really cannot be happier. You have to bus everywhere, but that is not really a big deal. They seem to run fairly often.
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You nailed it. We don't mind the buses either because you have to use buses at every resort for some theme parks and Disney Springs and what an amazing resort it is. I found the AKV buses to the theme parks to be very efficient

 

[JB2022]

We must have just had a bad week for bus transport when we stayed at Kidani last Dec during an early Christmas week. No issues once actually on a bus, but they seemed to be off cycle and would often arrive back to back, so if you missed one it would be like another 45 min wait. But overall I agree, not too bothersome to have a few extra minutes on bus or drive yourself if renting a car. Certainly many benefits that make up for the bus only transport

 

[Girlstar30]

We must have just had a bad week for bus transport when we stayed at Kidani last Dec during an early Christmas week. No issues once actually on a bus, but they seemed to be off cycle and would often arrive back to back, so if you missed one it would be like another 45 min wait. But overall I agree, not too bothersome to have a few extra minutes on bus or drive yourself if renting a car. Certainly many benefits that make up for the bus only transport

It was a mess for Disney Springs, i will say that same thing happened to us where the wait time kept going up for Kidani, however the same thing but even worse happened to us at Riviera trying to go to DS so it really can happen at any resort in my experience

 

[Mjd1563]

New AKL DVC member. Curious Jambo vs Kidani? Whats pros and cons of each?

 

[Matty B13]

New AKL DVC member. Curious Jambo vs Kidani? Whats pros and cons of each?

My family prefers Jambo because of the lobby and pool, there is a lot more activity in Jambo compared to Kidani and a lot more food options. Kidani seems to be quieter if you prefer that.

Also the rooms are configured differently, with Kidani having and extra bathroom that people prefer.