What is Value Room at AKV????

[bobbiwoz]

We stayed at one of those by the bus stop rooms that lenshanem referred to. I was only happy because we had a discount and we were at the AKL. If I'm going to book AKV with points, I want a view of the animals, or concierge. If I'm interested in saving points, I'll go with BWV sv, I think those villas are a great bargain.

Another "requirement" for me is a balcony. I wonder if the value rooms have balconies. I take my chance at VWL and the 1 studio without a balcony. With these AKV points that I'm buying, maybe we'll eventually be out of studios and into 1 bedrooms for good!

Bobbi

 

[lisareniff]

I believe all AKL rooms have balconies. There are a few that have the inclosed (no slats) railings. I remember someone complaining about one of three rooms facing the parking lot that had these.

 

[MemoryMakers2669]

Do we know yet, after the all Villa building is finished, if we will get our pick of buildings? Or will we not know until we check in if we are in the Jambo House or the new one?

 

[Cruelladeville]

I'm sure glad to hear that nearly everyone is a value hunter, because I am waiting to book concierge in September!! I stayed in concierge once at AKL, and it was wonderful! We spent our day there parked in the concierge lounge eating food. What fun!! Definitely worth 119 pts per week.

 

[robinb]

I was sort of assuming that the Concierge and Value rooms would be in the main building, while the Savannah and Standard views will be in the new building. What does everyone else think?

 

[LisaS]

I was sort of assuming that the Concierge and Value rooms would be in the main building, while the Savannah and Standard views will be in the new building. What does everyone else think?

DVC is taking over the entire 5th floor of AKL so there will be savannah views and standard views in the Lodge building as well as concierge and value villas. Currently, AKL has "deluxe pool view" rooms which are the larger 5th floor rooms overlooking the pool. If those are converted to DVC villas, I think they would be categorized as standard view. Also, there are lots of deluxe savannah view rooms on the 5th floor, so those would become savannah view villas. The smaller (standard-size) AKL rooms on the 5th floor would become value villas.

So I think there will be all four types in the Lodge, and no concierge and probably no value villas in the new building.

 

[robinb]

Thanks Lisa! Let's see if I get this right ...

The "Value" rooms will be converted from the regular AKL rooms that currently sleep 4. They can be either savannah or standard (pool/parking lot view).

The "Concierge View" rooms will be converted from the current Concierge rooms. They can be pool or savannah view.

The "Savannah View" rooms will be convented from the current AKL deluxe rooms that currently sleep 5. They are savannah view only.

The "Standard View" room will be convented from the current AKL deluxe rooms that currently sleep 5. They are pool view only.

I assume that all the rooms will have the traditional DVC amenities like fridge, microwave, oven, laundry, whirlpool, etc depending on the size of the unit.

From AllEars about the current AKL configuration:

The following are the room types and numbers of rooms in each category: Standard View (facing the parking lot) 135 rooms; Pool View 136 rooms; savanna View 724 rooms; Deluxe Pool View 33 rooms; Deluxe savanna View 191 rooms and 55 Concierge rooms. The deluxe rooms are bigger than the standard rooms. There are also Presidential and Vice Presidential suites, as well as five one-bedroom suites and 12 two-bedroom parlor suites.

The standard rooms are on floors 1-4 and are 344 square feet. Deluxe rooms are on floors 5 and 6 and are 381 square feet. All rooms have balconies.

 

[jdg345]

Thanks Lisa! Let's see if I get this right ...

The "Value" rooms will be converted from the regular AKL rooms that currently sleep 4. They can be either savannah or standard (pool/parking lot view).

The "Concierge View" rooms will be converted from the current Concierge rooms. They can be pool or savannah view.

The "Savannah View" rooms will be convented from the current AKL deluxe rooms that currently sleep 5. They are savannah view only.

The "Standard View" room will be convented from the current AKL deluxe rooms that currently sleep 5. They are pool view only.

I assume that all the rooms will have the traditional DVC amenities like fridge, microwave, oven, laundry, whirlpool, etc depending on the size of the unit.

From AllEars about the current AKL configuration:

That sounds about right ... though I don't think there are any Value+Savannah ... but ... I could be wrong ...

btw, does anyone have any idea as to where parking is going to be? Free Valet for DVC? It's likely not going to be park-in-front-of-room unless DVC has a really cool elevator thing up their sleeve.

 

[MemoryMakers2669]

There is a whole thread...and older one, that has the actual plans that were filed with the county. VERY COOL! You can see the entire site plan and how the new building sits compared to the existing lodge. Seems the new Villa building with parking garages UNDER the building, as well as some up front.
Or are you talking about the existing lodge and the new DVC rooms they are converting? I hope they offer the free valet for DVC. I hate the AKL parking lot (and VWL), so use the valet! I found BCV to have great self parking.

 

[Dean]

Do we know yet, after the all Villa building is finished, if we will get our pick of buildings? Or will we not know until we check in if we are in the Jambo House or the new one?

We don't know for certain but given that the check in is separate and the separate nature of the buildings, I would imagine that you will know prior to arrival and likely at check in. Plus I think it's a reasonable expectation that most or all of the value rooms and all of the concierge rooms will be in the main lodge. Don't know yet about standard but I suspect a large majority of them will be in the main house as well..


Actually a number of the value rooms are savannah view, the question we don't know is how many. While I think it's reasonable to speculate where each room type is coming from in the lodge, I think it's simply speculation at this point.

 

[SuzanneSLO]

From RobinB's quote from Allearsnet:
The following are the room types and numbers of rooms in each category: Standard View (facing the parking lot) 135 rooms; Pool View 136 rooms; savanna View 724 rooms; Deluxe Pool View 33 rooms; Deluxe savanna View 191 rooms and 55 Concierge rooms. The deluxe rooms are bigger than the standard rooms. There are also Presidential and Vice Presidential suites, as well as five one-bedroom suites and 12 two-bedroom parlor suites.

The standard rooms are on floors 1-4 and are 344 square feet. Deluxe rooms are on floors 5 and 6 and are 381 square feet. All rooms have balconies.

**
Based on information made publicly available, there will be 134 AKV rooms in the current AKL building on the 5th and 6th floor. Base dont eh allearsnet inof, there are 33 deluxe pool view rooms, 191 savannah view and 55 deluxe concierge, for a total of 279 deluxe rooms. If you assume that a 2 BR lockoff will consist of 3 deluxe rooms combined, then there will be 93 2br lockoffs as follows: 11 pool view; about 64 savannah view; and about 18 former concierge (with mostly savannah but also some pool views).

In addition, public reports have stated that there will be 41 dedicated AKV studios which are only 316 sf. These are probably converted standard rooms located in the current building.

The 279 deluxe rooms converted to 93 2BR lockoffs plus 41 dedicated studios equals 134 total rooms.

Based on this, I would guess that when AKV first opens in the current building, each night there will be available: 41 value studios, at least 11 standard 2BR (which will probably include some 1BR/S combos), at least 64 savannah 2BR (again, which will probably include some 1BR/S combos) and less than 18 concierge 2BR (again, which will probably include some 1BR/S combos).

While this doesnt account for the 1br or 2br value units (possibly located in the new building???), it is amazing how well the numbers add up.

This analysis also doesn't account for the apparent missing square footage: 3 X 381 should be 1,143 sf, but the 2BR lockoffs are only supposed to measure 943 sf.

Also, the perimeter boundries set forth in the Declaration of Condominium for the AKV rooms in the current building are either 25.55' x 34.55' (882.75 sf) or 12.6' x 34.55' (435.3 sf) and they are also described as 0.03 acres (1,306.8 sf). But the drawings for those boundries show either what appears to be a studio or 2 connecitng studios, which also seems inconsistent with typical 1BR and 2 BR units with a living room and full kitchen.

--Suzanne

 

[TreesyB]

You know, I've heard something like this too. Except what I heard was that the "little grass hut" that someone else mentioned here was actually the outhouse for the value rooms. Also, the "washer/dryer" in the 1 and 2 bedrooms was an old fashioned washboard and a hand held fan to dry off the clothes. Of course, you have to walk to a lake on the savannah to haul your water for the laundry.

 

[SuzanneSLO]

It looks like there are about 38 standard rooms in the current AKL on the 5th floor that face the parking lot. While this means that some of the value rooms will not face the parking lots, the majority probably will. -- Suzanne

 

[LisaS]

While this doesnt account for the 1br or 2br value units (possibly located in the new building???), it is amazing how well the numbers add up.

This analysis also doesn't account for the apparent missing square footage: 3 X 381 should be 1,143 sf, but the 2BR lockoffs are only supposed to measure 943 sf.

My guide told me that the 1BRs in the lodge will be either 629sf or 710sf and the 1BRs in the new building will be 807sf. So if that is correct, then I would think the smaller Lodge 1BRs would be value villas. The size difference between the two Lodge 1BRs is about 80sf which is approximately the difference between 2 AKL standard rooms and 2 deluxe rooms.

 

[LisaS]

Thanks Lisa! Let's see if I get this right ...

[Extremely well-written summary of villa types removed to shorten this quote... See Robin's post!]

I assume that all the rooms will have the traditional DVC amenities like fridge, microwave, oven, laundry, whirlpool, etc depending on the size of the unit.

Excellent summary! This is what I have pieced together from what I've read here on the boards, some info I got from my guide and speculation based on what I know (and what others have posted) about the rooms at AKL. I will feel better when Disney releases something official about the number and types of villas! My guide also described the layout of a 1BR to me and said there would be a washer and dryer and a whirlpool tub. She described the dining area as similar to SSR and BCV with the bench seat. She didn't say whether this applied to 1BRs in the Lodge or the new building or to both buildings.

 

[SuzanneSLO]

According to the Membership Agreement recorded for AKV, a 1 BR will have 1 BR, 1 Bath and a Full Kitchen and a 2 BR will have 2 BRs, 2 Baths and a Full Kitchen. A studio will have 1 BR, 1 Bath and a microwave, under counter refigerator and sink. A Full Kitchen will consist of a dishwasher, range, sink, oven and refigerator.

-- Suzanne

 

[spiceycat]

okay am I the only one who really, really wants to see these things?

when are they opening the models?

 

[bobbiwoz]

okay am I the only one who really, really wants to see these things?

...

No, me too! I can't wait to see the models! Bobbi

 

[PrincessJasmine08]

My guide told me that the 1BRs in the lodge will be either 629sf or 710sf and the 1BRs in the new building will be 807sf. So if that is correct, then I would think the smaller Lodge 1BRs would be value villas. The size difference between the two Lodge 1BRs is about 80sf which is approximately the difference between 2 AKL standard rooms and 2 deluxe rooms.

How big is a one bedroom at say BCV or BWV?

 

[lisareniff]

Suzanne- Did you add in the suites to your calculations? The Pres. and VP suites are on the 5th. I also would not be surprised to find out that all the 1 bedroom suites were on the 5th. I know at least some are. I think that there is only 1 one bedroom on the 5th. IF all the 2 bedroom suites are on the 5th, 1 one bedroom and the VP and Pres suites then that would be equilivent to ~46 more rooms.