Villas at Animal Kingdom Lodge

[CarolMN]

RADP = rec.arts.disney.parks

This is a USENET newsgroup -- basically an unmoderated forum that operates on one of the core technologies of the early Internet.

I used to read it farily regularly, but quit because it often seemed to degenerate into nasty name calling and "private jokes". The closest thing to it here on the DIS would be the old Debate Board, but IMHO, even that was very tame compared to some of the stuff I saw on the RADP, LOL..

I much prefer the DIS!

Best wishes -

 

[bicker]

Yup. I left RADP for the same reason. I suppose it was fun twenty years ago, but it hasn't been for many many years.

 

[lisareniff]

RADP = rec.arts.disney.parks

This is a USENET newsgroup -- basically an unmoderated forum that operates on one of the core technologies of the early Internet.

Ahhh. Yes. I remember those days. Wasn't into Disney then. Thanks.

 

[crisi]

you could always pay cash and stay in AKL - just no more DVC points once the VAKL is built.

We did this last trip. Saved on Saturday night points by staying Saturday night at AKL. It worked so well that I think we may do it again - though it might be years before we'd do AKL again, just because there are other Disney resorts we'd also like to try out - my kids were quickly getting past "giraffes are really cool" and I wanted to get a stay in there while they were still entranced. I actually intend to do it in a few years (if I can talk my husband into it) at the Yacht Club - we own BWVs and the kids should be perfect SAB age, but I really don't want to bother with the seven month window and they only need one day in that pool anyway.

I don't think I'd buy VAKL anyway, I loved the savannah, but talk about long hallways! And it was really out in the boonies.

 

[crisi]

I don't see an easy place to put more wings on the building. But today's Jim Hill raises the interesting point that Disney has, in total, too many hotel rooms on property right now. His sources say that several existing on-site hotels will have sections (or entire resorts) converted to DVC. AK might have enough demand to resist this. But some of the other resorts might gain DVC accomodations within their current buildings without any new wings being built.

The more I think about this rumor, the more I think someone has access to good drugs. According to Disney's annual report last year, hotels had a 70% occupancy, darn good for the hotel business - it doesn't sound like they really overbuilt (and I used to believe that they had!). Hotel occupancy this year - if you watch the resort board and codes - appears to be even higher. Disney hotels have apparently been at occupancy several times this year - and are apparently darn full for parts of December - and not just over the holiday week! As our resident accountants have shown us over and over, DVC is a great value for us when you factor time value of money and figure inflation of hotel rooms - which means that long term, Disney would be better off with more hotel rooms than more DVC units. The exception would be if they were looking for short term revenue - then DVC units make lots of sense for Disney and they get their revenue up front! But if they start doing that, I'm not sure how long I'll own DVC, that's not real good management and doesn't make it look like Disney is interested in the parks long haul.

Now, at some of the resorts with lower occupancy and a bad need for renovation (cough, Contemporary, cough) this is a believable scenario. But I wouldn't think the Poly or AKL would be on Disney's list - at least not short term. The Poly just finished an overhaul, and has high occupancy. AKL has high occupancy and is still a new hotel. Except for the Grand Floridian (or the Yacht Club if you consider it a seperate hotel) all the other Deluxe hotels already have DVC units. Course, they could be talking about Corando Springs Villas. Any takers for the Villas at Pop Century?

 

[bicker]

While Disney's load levels are still impressive, they used to be extremely high, around 90%. That was actually a bad situation itself: They needed more hotel space back then, and built it.

 

[spiceycat]

I really think if DVC had access to the Polyn - it would have been build.

there are a ton of people who would buy DVC at the Polyn. DVC knows this. So why hasn't a Poly been built?

now DVC could be waiting to see how high they could price DVC and have people still buy it up like hot cakes....

but I really think DVC could get more, much more for a Polyn DVC than a SSR.

 

[Blue&Gold]

What Disney needs is another PARK... There is pleanty of land, and it has been several years since AK opened. What is their strategic plan for another "gate?" My opinion, they need an "adventure" park to compete with Universal, Busch Gardens. Then, they could justify more hotel/DVC space.

 

[spiceycat]

read the article - it implies that Disney won't big anything new - except maybe more DVC resorts.

It will continue to update it parks - another words killing off our favorite stuff and replacing with thrill rides to appeal to the teens....

 

[Sammie]

I think as we all do it's just a matter of time before the Contemporary rumor becomes official.

I don't see this happening at the Polynesian or the Grand Floridian for a number of reasons one being they will already have a monorail DVC at the Contemporary.

I do forsee some time in the future it happening at AKL. I have been told many times the ground work for DVC was laid when this resort was built, so that if and when they decided to add DVC it would be easy to do.

 

[lisareniff]

I do forsee some time in the future it happening at AKL. I have been told many times the ground work for DVC was laid when this resort was built, so that if and when they decided to add DVC it would be easy to do.

Sammie, do you think that gound work was actually in the ground for a new building? ...or within the existing building for a reconfiguration of the current structure?

 

[Sammie]

Sammie, do you think that gound work was actually in the ground for a new building? ...or within the existing building for a reconfiguration of the current structure?

Best I can remember I was told it was ground work, which would lead one to believe it would be a new building.

 

[JimC]

What Disney needs is another PARK... There is pleanty of land, and it has been several years since AK opened. What is their strategic plan for another "gate?" My opinion, they need an "adventure" park to compete with Universal, Busch Gardens. Then, they could justify more hotel/DVC space.

The last rumor I heard on that was putting a version of Tokyo DisneySea in Florida. I doubt it because of the cost to create the water front and the incredible level of theming and detail created for that park.

Personally I would prefer to see more money put into the existing parks.

I could see them putting the Villas just on the other side of the pool area. There's no savannah there. It wouldn't be connected to the main building, but that's the case at VWL.

I doubt we'll see a DVC at AKL anytime soon. I suspect we'll see LBV and DVC at CR first.

I don't buy the AKL DVC with no savannah. That is the unique attribute for AKL and the strongest tie in to its theme. My thought is that they would take an existing wing of AKL and either gut it for a DVC or build one and two bedroom villas out of existing connecting rooms (Marriott has been successful at doing this). Probably do the construction floor by floor until complete.

 

[lisareniff]

AKL was designed with
this in mind (and if you look around you can see exactly where the AKLV
will go).
(from a later post regarding AKL DVC location:
Between the bus stop and the feature pool, as pointed out by others..
Boy, you guys are quick !!)

I could see it fitting in there, like BCV or VWL. I think there would be some views of the savannah from that location. I believe the savannah extends to the edge of the pool area. So if the building had north views you would be able to see a long stretch of the Uzima savana. In the pic below you can see the curving roof of the bus stop on the bottom right. You might be able to see the fence for the savannah a little above it. I'm sure there would be parking lot views and pool views as well, but don't give up on the savannah views yet.

http://www.disneypix.com/2000ft/Roll5/Roll05_003.htm

 

[Sammie]

As to the views at AKL, it's not like BCV or VWL got the good views that the already exisiting resort had, so I guess it could happen. Also is it possible that they could build a new wing and adjust the savannah.

 

[bicker]

Based on what we have heard about CR DVC (i.e., they're not going to put the DVC into the tower!), I do believe that any AKL DVC would not have a savannah view.

 

[nezy]

I would think Disney would look at the resorts that don't reach capacity and then expand or open that up as a DVC resort. Coronado Springs I could see converting because it is soo big. I would have no interest in that. However, there is also a concern that DVC would be "moving in" to Coronado-which is not consider a higher end resort, such as AKL, CR, Poly and GF.
There definately is interest in a Poly DVC. Lord knows, CR needs updating. I could see a AKL DVC resort. I wouldn' think GF would go DVC. I think with celebs like Oprah staying there, Disney may want to keep GF as an exclusive type resort.

Which is easier for Disney to sell, hotel rooms or long-term DVC?

 

[bicker]

I would think Disney would look at the resorts that don't reach capacity and then expand or open that up as a DVC resort.

Someone posted a couple of days ago that Disney's load-levels are around 70% overall. That would mean that most of the hotels are utterly full for vast portions of the year. It is very likely, therefore, that there are few hotels that meet your qualification.

Coronado Springs I could see converting because it is soo big.

Extremely unlikely. It is used as a convention center, and is incidently the newest and therefore even less likely to be considered for any conversion. And as you pointed out, DVC doesn't do moderates.

Which is easier for Disney to sell, hotel rooms or long-term DVC?

Right now, DVC.

 

[DisneyTarheel]

Wonder what the AM charges would be for a DVC monorail resort?