Value Studio... Is it possible?

[CastMember 02]

Seems that there is slim to none chance of getting a value studio EVER at AKL? What has been everyone's experience?

 

[AaronEuth]

It is certainly possible but never budget your points around it. I think the value rooms at AKV are five 2-bedroom lock offs. With that little inventory its entirely possible they are already occupied on your intended arrival day. You're not actually competing with people for the five rooms, but for whichever rooms happen to have people checking out on your specific arrival day.

 

[JETSDAD]

Seems that there is slim to none chance of getting a value studio EVER at AKL? What has been everyone's experience?

We've booked them a few times but they are very hard even for AKV owners at 11 months. A lot of people walk those reservations so there can be rooms show back up a few days after the 11 month mark but then they tend to go quickly as well.

 

[JETSDAD]

It is certainly possible but never budget your points around it. I think the value rooms at AKV are five 2-bedroom lock offs. With that little inventory its entirely possible they are already occupied on your intended arrival day. You're not actually competing with people for the five rooms, but for whichever rooms happen to have people checking out on your specific arrival day.

The 5 lock-offs are Club.....there are 18 value studios (10 lock-offs, 8 dedicated studios).

 

[Marionnette]

I booked a value studio for April on Sunday morning. I actually hit the button a fraction of a second too early at 8:00 AM and got the dreaded notice that I was trying too early. Refreshed and tried again and got it at 8:01. With the new points chart, this reservation is taking the same number of points that October takes. Flower & Garden may become my new Food & Wine.

 

[SL6827]

I got a CL studio for two nights in June 2018. I didn't even own at AKL, my home was OKW.

 

[DisBuckMan]

Have one booked for November. If you're not an owner at AKL, your chances are very, very slim...with few exceptions. If you do not own there, they will pop up for a night or two here or there, but if you need several days together, you need to own AKL and book at 11 months.

If you buy only enough points with the plan to stay in the value rooms, you'll be disappointed in your membership. Same for standards at BWV...especially during F&W.

 

[bookwormde]

I have gotten 2 nights after the 7 month mark, but it takes some stalking. 1brs are a little easier

 

[AaronEuth]

The 5 lock-offs are Club.....there are 18 value studios (10 lock-offs, 8 dedicated studios).

Thanks for the clarification. Had them backwards.

 

[karen4546]

We own at AKV. I have booked value studios a few times (I have two booked for March 2021) and the club level studios a couple of times (have a split stay in Sept/Oct for a value studio -2nights and CL studio for 3 nights).

Before we purchased DVC, we booked a 1br value studio through David's at the 11mo. booking window.and in 2018 we booked a value studio through David's again at the 11 month mark.

 

[CastMember 02]

@DisBuckMan yea im losing faith i need 16 nights

 

[Marionnette]

@DisBuckMan yea im losing faith i need 16 nights

The hard part is getting the first 7 nights. The last 9 are a piece of cake, assuming that you’re booking right at 11 months.

 

[CastMember 02]

roger that

 

[bobbiwoz]

It used to be a lot easier! Walking has hurt availability for those who don’t do it.

 

[CastMember 02]

at this point with the borrow restrictions we will probably have to do a split stay, Poly and AKL , womp womp

 

[gharter]

Only with a lot of pixie dust.
At a lot of resorts, they have become very difficult to get even at 11 months to the day.

 

[CastMember 02]

Its just amazing how many ways I can twist it to make it work but wow my head hurts

 

[drusba]

Value studios (there are 18) have had an 11-month issue for a number of years now and it keeps getting a little worse annually. Getting one at 11-months out during the high demand season from late Sep to marathon weekend in Jan is very difficult. Also difficult during rest of year but chances at times develop. Moreover, even walking can be difficult because of the difficulty of finding a day on which to begin a walk.

Nevertheless, the value studios are only the third hardest DVC rooms to get. The AKV club level studios (5 total) are the worst of them all, typically disappearing extremely quickly at 8 a.m. at 11-months out (or shortly before 11-months out) most of the year with minimal chances even during the lower demand times. The second hardest rooms to get at 11-months out are the OKW Grand Villas in the near Hospitality House booking category, of which there are only 2.

The fourth hardest rooms to get are not at WDW; it is the standard view GV's at Aulani (2 total). And number 5 is the boardwalk standard studios (about 39).

A distant Number 6 used to be the BLT standard studios (typically a problem at 11-months out mostly just during the high demand season but does occur at times during the rest of the year) but that is now being overcome by the Tower studios (which are likely to become as bad as the AKV value studios), which has also resulted in BWV boardwalk studios moving down to 8th. Hotel rooms at Aulani are ninth. CCV standard studios come next, and number 10 is VGF studios, usually only for a limited part of the high demand season.

 

[JETSDAD]

Value studios (there are 18) have had an 11-month issue for a number of years now and it keeps getting a little worse annually. Getting one at 11-months out during the high demand season from late Sep to marathon weekend in Jan is very difficult. Also difficult during rest of year but chances at times develop. Moreover, even walking can be difficult because of the difficulty of finding a day on which to begin a walk.

Nevertheless, the value studios are only the third hardest DVC rooms to get. The AKV club level studios (5 total) are the worst of them all, typically disappearing extremely quickly at 8 a.m. at 11-months out (or shortly before 11-months out) most of the year with minimal chances even during the lower demand times. The second hardest rooms to get at 11-months out are the OKW Grand Villas in the near Hospitality House booking category, of which there are only 2.

The fourth hardest rooms to get are not at WDW; it is the standard view GV's at Aulani (2 total). And number 5 is the boardwalk standard studios (about 39).

A distant Number 6 used to be the BLT standard studios (typically a problem at 11-months out mostly just during the high demand season but does occur at times during the rest of the year) but that is now being overcome by the Tower studios (which are likely to become as bad as the AKV value studios), which has also resulted in BWV boardwalk studios moving down to 8th. Hotel rooms at Aulani are ninth. CCV standard studios come next, and number 10 is VGF studios, usually only for a limited part of the high demand season.

I agree with most of this except for the Tower Studios. Thus far they have not proven to be a tough get at 11 months. I think the standard studio will be harder at Riviera than the Tower Studios will be. Studios at CCV are a harder to get room than the Tower Studios.

 

[Yinn]

Seems that there is slim to none chance of getting a value studio EVER at AKL? What has been everyone's experience?

I’ve got a week booked in Nov. A couple days in August, and eyeing it for next April. It requires diligence but it isn’t impossible.

Now 2BR values and club level. That’s impossible.