I think with AKV (or any other resort) you have a much clearer picture of what it will be like to stay there than you would with VWL. The truth is, Disney hasn't shared much about the construction phases that will be going on for two years. With that in mind, I think I'd pick another option for the trip. AKV is a great resort with lots to offer. Since you aren't going to the parks that often it won't matter that it's a bit remote. Other options would be BCV with its great pool or SSR with the easy access to Downtown Disney. BWV has a lot going on with the Boardwalk entertainment and we walk from there to miniature golf at Fantasia Gardens. Hard to go wrong with any of the
DVC resorts, though if you are in a studio I'd probably avoid BLT (pretty small studios) and VGF (not much storage area). OKW has two queen beds in the studios so if that appeals to you then that's an option. No bad choices here.
Granny, your comments are right on the mark. Especially the remark about another option for the trip. While the time we spent this June was not unbearable, the jackhammer going nonstop all day was tiresome by the third day. Folks on eight to ten night stays would not be feeling the magic on the their ride back to MCO to fly home. We had two weekend days and two nights at AKV-Kidani so it was not too bad. However, it was bad enough for me to dig out the
point charts and see how many nights at other DVC resorts will cost, and check on how many points we have in our account. We like magic kingdom resorts, but maybe we try the beach club. Storm Along Bay looks like fun, and I have liked the Epcot location for a visit for a long time. What is kind of sad is that we are VWL lemmings, I must admit it. If we book at Poly I am certain that we boat ride to the Lodge just to sit in the lobby and hang out. We are just want to be there more than any where else. The two night at AKV this year was the first time we have spent any time anywhere outside of WL. I guess our best play is to accept things as they are, put on a happy face and make the best of it. Going to be a long two years.
On a side note, I saw a short thread on the other board about new Florida legislation for timeshare properties. It does not look pleasant either. It looks like there could be significant costs attached to existing contracts if things break they some are predicting. I refuse to get caught up in that until it come to pass, but it is on my radar. Here is some info I found back in May. I copied it and pasted into email to myself. Has anyone here seen this information or know much about it. I guess it looks like they will become law in the Sunshine State.
Two bills are making their way through Florida state legislature which could have negative long-term effects on many timeshare owners including
Disney Vacation Club members.
The Florida House and Senate are both backing Bills which would apply a number of changes to the state's timeshare laws. Supporters of HB 453 and SB 932 claim the changes to Florida's
Vacation Plan and Timeshare Act are designed to streamline and modernize the legislation. Opponents claim the potential damage to consumers far outweighs the benefits as the modifications are currently written.
Among the changes is the elimination of a cap which currently limits annual increases in property taxes and certain common area resort expenses to 125% of the prior year's cost.
Critics claim that other provisions give developers greater latitude to defraud consumers during the sales process. The
National Timeshare Owners Association--a trade group representing timeshare owners--is among those encouraging opposition to the changes. Association president
Gregory Christ is quoted on website
Elliott.org as saying “we think consumers will likely be exposed to certain rogue developer practices that we haven’t seen since the ’80s and ’90s.”
In a
Change.org petition sponsored by NTOA, the legislation is criticized as "a one-sided effort by the development community to rewrite state law to match their current marketing efforts." Additionally: "the bill allows developers to almost unilaterally decide what constitutes 'compliance' and 'materiality' with regard to mistakes and omissions in contracts."
Of potential interest to
Disney Vacation Club members is a provision which outlines the rights of developers to extend or terminate a timeshare plan at any date. Prposed modifications to Section 721.125 of the Florida Statues as stated in HB 453 would read as follows:
721.125 Extension or termination of timeshare plans.—
(1) Unless the timeshare instrument provides otherwise, the term of a timeshare plan may be extended or terminated at any time by a vote or written consent, or combination thereof, of a majority of all of the voting interests in the timeshare plan. If the term of a timeshare plan is extended pursuant to this section, all rights, privileges, duties, and obligations created under applicable law or the timeshare instrument continue in full force and effect to the same extent as if the extended termination date of the timeshare plan had been the original termination date of the timeshare plan. If the term of a timeshare plan is extended and terminated pursuant to this section, the termination has immediate effect pursuant to applicable law and the timeshare instrument has effect as if the effective date of such termination were the original date of termination.
(2) If a termination or extension vote or consent pursuant to subsection (1) is proposed for a component site of a multisite timeshare plan in this state, the proposed termination or extension is effective only if it is approved by the person authorized to make additions or substitutions of accommodations and facilities pursuant to the timeshare instrument.
(3) This section applies only to a timeshare plan that has been in existence for a period of at least 20 years as of the effective date of the termination or extension vote or consent required by subsection (1).
Similar proposed revisions are proposed in SB 932.
Rumors have suggested that
Disney Vacation Club may revisit some of its older timeshare properties, adding new units and guest capacity.
Disney's Wilderness Lodge is the location most frequently linked to such speculation. With Disney itself holding all voting rights within each Condominium Association, these modifications would clear the path for them to extend resort leases beyond their current expiration dates, presumably to facilitate additional sales.
Ownership in the
Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge is currently scheduled to end on January 21, 2042.
Undefined is any allowance for charging current owners for the extension period. Back in 2008,
Disney Vacation Club came under fire for the manner in which ownership was extended at
Disney's Old Key West Resort (a.k.a.
Disney Vacation Club Resort.) The process utilized required owners to either pay additional fees for 15 years of additional ownership or to sign notarized documents which effectively returned the deed to Disney as of the original 2042 ending date.
The bills are sponsored by a number of Florida lawmakers with the backing of the
American Resorts Development Association, a timeshare developer industry trade group. The
Orlando Sentinel recently identified nearly $500,000 in Florida contributions made by the ARDA during the 2014 election cycle.
Disney representatives told the
Sentinel that they support HB 453 and SB 932 but are not actively lobbying for the changes contained within.
Here is another link from DVC News:
http://www.dvcnews.com/index.php/dv...are-legislation-could-prove-harmful-to-owners
