What would you do???

[edk35]

Stay 3 nights at AKV in a 1br with sleeper chair or spend 2 nights in 2br. We are a family of 5 DD will be 18, ds 15 and ds 10 at time of travel. This will be in the new Kidani Village and it would preceed 8 nights at BCV. We just added on to AKV site unseen except model at SSR. We have never even stepped foot into AKL/AKV. So just wanted some outside suggestions. We plan on "just trying" our new home. IF we stay 2 nights then we would stay 8 at BCV and if we stay 3 at AKV we would stay 7 at BCV. Thanks.....

 

[moredisneyplease]

So either way your trip will be 10 nights, right? Is your BC reservation for a 2 bedroom or a 1 bedroom? If its for a 1 bedroom then I'd spend 3 nights at AKL (for that extra sleeping space on the sofa chair) but if its a 2 bedroom then I'd do 2 nights at AKL and 8 nights at BC. This way if the kiddos absolutely hate the chair then they only have to deal w/ it for 2 nights and then they get their own room/bed at BC.

 

[dvcdisney]

If it was my family, we would choose to stay 3 nights at the 1 bed AKV.

However, since you are a family of 5, you are probably used to the 2 bedrooms and may find the 1 bedroom lacking in space. So maybe you would be more comfortable in a 2 bedroom at AKV. And with teenagers you may benefit from the extra bathroom in the two bedrooms. I suppose it's just a matter of comfort.

 

[BCV23]

I'd do 2 nights at AKV. To me the sleeper chair looked too small for an 18 yo. With a Kidani 2 BR, each child could have their own bed and you'd have 3 full bathrooms.

 

[edk35]

So either way your trip will be 10 nights, right? Is your BC reservation for a 2 bedroom or a 1 bedroom? If its for a 1 bedroom then I'd spend 3 nights at AKL (for that extra sleeping space on the sofa chair) but if its a 2 bedroom then I'd do 2 nights at AKL and 8 nights at BC. This way if the kiddos absolutely hate the chair then they only have to deal w/ it for 2 nights and then they get their own room/bed at BC.

Our BCV (fingers crossed we get it again) will be for a 2 br. The only reason we would stay in a 1br Kidani would be because we would have that sleep chair.

 

[edk35]

I'd do 2 nights at AKV. To me the sleeper chair looked too small for an 18 yo. With a r BR, each child could have their own bed and you'd have 3 full bathrooms.

"r BR" and at BCV we would have two bathrooms?

 

[edk35]

If it was my family, we would choose to stay 3 nights at the 1 bed AKV.

However, since you are a family of 5, you are probably used to the 2 bedrooms and may find the 1 bedroom lacking in space. So maybe you would be more comfortable in a 2 bedroom at AKV. And with teenagers you may benefit from the extra bathroom in the two bedrooms. I suppose it's just a matter of comfort.

Doesn't some of the 1br at Kidani have that extra bathroom??

 

[dianeschlicht]

Doesn't some of the 1br at Kidani have that extra bathroom??

Kidani 1 bedrooms will have 2 bathrooms and a 2 bedroom will have 3 bathrooms. Frankly, I'd do a 2 bedroom at both places. I think with kids the ages of yours, a 1 bedroom would be too crowded anywhere....including OKW!

 

[BCV23]

"r BR" and at BCV we would have two bathrooms?

Sorry about the "r"...don't know where that came from!

I meant with a 2 BR at Kidani you would have three bathrooms for those 2 nights. But yes, at BCV there will be only two baths.

 

[edk35]

Kidani 1 bedrooms will have 2 bathrooms and a 2 bedroom will have 3 bathrooms. Frankly, I'd do a 2 bedroom at both places. I think with kids the ages of yours, a 1 bedroom would be too crowded anywhere....including OKW!

You know what that is what I am on the fence about. We have only stayed in 2br. since joining because anything smaller is for smaller families or couples. So.....when I saw that 1br with sleeper chair I thought...hmmmm maybe we could use less points but I like having that living room STAY A LIVING ROOM while we are on vacation. So I think that is what we are leaning towards. I guess part of me thinks back to when we stayed at Shades of Green with 2 queen beds and a day bed. We took several trips there and did fine but we are spoiled now. I have become a DVC snob.

 

[CraftyMouse]

I guess part of me thinks back to when we stayed at Shades of Green with 2 queen beds and a day bed. We took several trips there and did fine but we are spoiled now. I have become a DVC snob.

It's all in how you think about it. If you believe you will be fine in a 1BR you will be fine in a 1BR. If you think of it as somehow "lesser" that's what it will be to you, but if you compare it to those Shades of Green stays and remember that you are using less points you'll be fine.

If it were me I'd go for the 3 nights at AKV but only because I love it there. I'd want as much time as possible to enjoy all of the animals!

 

[Anal Annie]

Personally, if it's for a short stay I would go for the smaller unit for 3 n. and save the points... But mainly, I would do it because I hate the idea of packing up to move again after only 2 nights! Even 3 nights goes by too quick! For me, that's always the worst part about island hopping when we go to Hawaii...we spend 2 or 3 nights on one island and then pack up to move to another island...I always try to END that kind of a trip with at least 4 nights in one spot tho! I think you will feel like you have short changed yourselves at AKV if you only give it 2 nights at your newest home...we love it there and can only afford studios on our trips...I think you will be fine in a 1 bedroom for short term!

 

[dianeschlicht]

Personally, if it's for a short stay I would go for the smaller unit for 3 n. and save the points... But mainly, I would do it because I hate the idea of packing up to move again after only 2 nights! Even 3 nights goes by too quick! For me, that's always the worst part about island hopping when we go to Hawaii...we spend 2 or 3 nights on one island and then pack up to move to another island...I always try to END that kind of a trip with at least 4 nights in one spot tho! I think you will feel like you have short changed yourselves at AKV if you only give it 2 nights at your newest home...we love it there and can only afford studios on our trips...I think you will be fine in a 1 bedroom for short term!

Boy do I agree there! When we island hop we usually limit it to 3 islands a trip and do a week on each.

 

[CarolMN]

You know what that is what I am on the fence about. We have only stayed in 2br. since joining because anything smaller is for smaller families or couples. So.....when I saw that 1br with sleeper chair I thought...hmmmm maybe we could use less points but I like having that living room STAY A LIVING ROOM while we are on vacation. So I think that is what we are leaning towards. I guess part of me thinks back to when we stayed at Shades of Green with 2 queen beds and a day bed. We took several trips there and did fine but we are spoiled now. I have become a DVC snob.

I so agree with you. It's so much nicer if you don't have to use the living room/kitchen area as a bedroom. I would think that is especially true when you have teens traveling with you - the ones I know love to stay up late and sleep until at least noon, LOL.

 

[Anal Annie]

Boy do I agree there! When we island hop we usually limit it to 3 islands a trip and do a week on each.

That's great you can go for that long...10 days is usually our max. limit on vacations.... For 10 days in Hawaii I would prefer only 2 islands...but last time we took our DS for his first trip...so we spent 2 n. on Oahu so we could take him to Pearl Harbor...then did 3 n. on the Big Island so he could see the volcano (we had never stayed on that island, had only done a day trip before) then FINALLY we spent 4 n. on Maui relaxing a little more! 2 nights ANYWHERE is just not enough time!

 

[dgaston]

I think I've posted this to you before edk35. I slept on the sleeper chair for 2 nights and it was fine (I do like a firm mattress). And I make my teen put up the sleep sofa if we are in a 1 br so it again becomes a living room. I think expectations are everything. If you go into the 1 br saying Great, we get to stay an extra night here and then move to a 2 br, you should be fine. I think the 2 baths are a blessing with teens.

 

[blondietink]

We just got back from our first stay @ AKV's and loved it! We had a terrific view of the pool and when you walked down the halls we could see the animals everywhere. The staff was great and it was super clean. I would personally go for the extra night and stay 3 nights. Whatever you decide, I think you will love it, too. Just MHO.

 

[edk35]

I so agree with you. It's so much nicer if you don't have to use the living room/kitchen area as a bedroom. I would think that is especially true when you have teens traveling with you - the ones I know love to stay up late and sleep until at least noon, LOL.

I know.....we have not stayed in anything smaller except for SOG IN JAN but we got two rooms. SO those two rooms could have slept 10 and we had them for 6 people. So we do like our space.

 

[adminjedi]

I would go for the 3 nights because you don't spend that much time in the rooms.....you're at WDW!

With our 5 kids (age 15 to 25) and usually an extra friend, we get the 2 bedroom and max out all the beds everywhere! Yes it is crowded, yes the living room is a bedroom, but our perspective is we are giving our kids a long and wonderful vacation and they can buck up and sleep on the hide-a-bed! No one has ever said they want to pass on going to WDW because the room is crowded!