Why is AKL lagging so far behind in sales?

[arthur06]

It might have to do with an incentive in Jim Lewis' contract. If BLT sells out or maintains a certain number of points sold per quarter, or something like that, JL cashes in...

Seems logical to me

 

[Jen_in_NH]

We bought AKV a year ago, and did another add on there this winter. Personally, we love the resort and the feel of it. We like the fact it's further away from everything else - maybe when my son is older, we'll want to stay closer. We looked at BLT, but as much as the location was nice, we really didn't like the decor and feel of the place. Both of us thought it was silly to spend more to buy points there, and walk into our room every night to think "I really don't like the look of this place..." I know a lot of people love it, but it just wasn't for us. Clearly, looking at sales and reading all the threads here, we're in the minority

 

[Donald is #1]

Marketing. For reasons that only Disney knows, once BLT was built, DVD put most of it's sales effort towards BLT. Special presentations, lunches, and on site Guides.

Bill

I will agree that marketing is a big reason. Also when I went to an event at doorway to dreams about 1 1/2 years ago the sales person pushed BLT over SSR and AKL.

I agree with both of you. The sales are heavily based on what they market. When I bought AKV back in 2007, they were really pushing AKV and barely mentioned SSR. When I asked about SSR, the guide really emphasized AKV more.

Now to be honest, I made my own decision between them, but it was interesting how much emphasis was on AKV and how little was on SSR.

 

[gkrykewy]

Answer: there's no accounting for taste! Actually it is indeed marketing, and the fact that DVD has done little to nothing to boost sales with incentives. BLT is the headline property and deserves its success, but DVD could have achieved much greater AKV sales over the last couple of years if they wanted to. For whatever reason, they've chosen not to so far.

It's the location and I hope DVD gets it!

The AKL was and is the best-themed resort that Disney has, in my opinion. But the food options are very limited and it takes forever to get to three of the parks. That why they couldn't fill up the hotel and DVC sales are a bit slow. Most people want their hotels or DVC resorts to be within walking or monorail distance to at least one park.

To be fair, it takes forever to get to three of the parks from BLT too. Have you ever taken the monorails back from EPCOT, or the buses to AK/HS by way of the grand and poly? Terrible. The access to MK is GREAT from BLT, but your overall travel time to the 4 parks is worse, on average, than from AKV. For many people, however, MK *is* WDW, though, and that trumps all.

 

[3happydancers]

We bought AKV a year ago, and did another add on there this winter. Personally, we love the resort and the feel of it. We like the fact it's further away from everything else - maybe when my son is older, we'll want to stay closer. We looked at BLT, but as much as the location was nice, we really didn't like the decor and feel of the place. Both of us thought it was silly to spend more to buy points there, and walk into our room every night to think "I really don't like the look of this place..." I know a lot of people love it, but it just wasn't for us. Clearly, looking at sales and reading all the threads here, we're in the minority

Well, that groups us together because my family loves AKL. We did take a good look at BLT, took a tour, walked around and yes, although you have MK right at your door, we knew it wasn't for us. We like being secluded, away from the hustle and bustle during our down time. And to be honest, we never feel like it takes forever to get to any one park. The bus service is superb. I guess it simply comes down to what suits each families' needs and wants.

 

[Mississippian]

To be fair, it takes forever to get to three of the parks from BLT too. Have you ever taken the monorails back from EPCOT, or the buses to AK/HS by way of the grand and poly? Terrible. The access to MK is GREAT from BLT, but your overall travel time to the 4 parks is worse, on average, than from AKV. For many people, however, MK *is* WDW, though, and that trumps all.

I have found the monorail access to EPCOT to be pretty good. There is virtually no waiting, whereas at other resorts you can wait 30 minutes or more for a bus. And then you get on the monorail, change at the TTC and zip on the EPCOT.

Plus, let's face it, the monorail is just more fun than a bus. Wasn't the monorail a D-ticket attraction at Disneyland at one point?

One other thing: Everyone talks about BLT being a "stroller" resort. I find it to be a very adult resort. The California Grill and monorail-connected Victoria and Alberts, Narcosees, and Citricos are some of the most adult restaurants at WDW. These places aren't just for kids.

 

[DizGirl20]

We bought AKV a year ago, and did another add on there this winter. Personally, we love the resort and the feel of it. We like the fact it's further away from everything else - maybe when my son is older, we'll want to stay closer. We looked at BLT, but as much as the location was nice, we really didn't like the decor and feel of the place. Both of us thought it was silly to spend more to buy points there, and walk into our room every night to think "I really don't like the look of this place..." I know a lot of people love it, but it just wasn't for us. Clearly, looking at sales and reading all the threads here, we're in the minority

Hey, just wanted to let you know you're not in the minority - I could have written your post myself and agree with everything you said!

 

[Tigger1]

Because people like me have not bought all the points we want yet.
I love AKV
Was not impressed with BLT at all. Rooms boring, except for view.
Had to have access key to move around resort, then the cast member showing us the resort could not get key to work. That would be horrible for children old enough to go to the pool not to be able to get the key to open the gate.
No animals.

 

[gkrykewy]

I have found the monorail access to EPCOT to be pretty good. There is virtually no waiting, whereas at other resorts you can wait 30 minutes or more for a bus. And then you get on the monorail, change at the TTC and zip on the EPCOT.

Plus, let's face it, the monorail is just more fun than a bus. Wasn't the monorail a D-ticket attraction at Disneyland at one point?

One other thing: Everyone talks about BLT being a "stroller" resort. I find it to be a very adult resort. The California Grill and monorail-connected Victoria and Alberts, Narcosees, and Citricos are some of the most adult restaurants at WDW. These places aren't just for kids.

It's easy to cherry pick wait times to make your point (i.e., my typical experience at AKL over a bunch of trips is that I'll wait about 8 minutes on average for an EPCOT bus, and then I'm there in less than 10 minutes). It's very uncommon to wait anything close to 30 minutes for a bus... or at least a bus from AKV. The park-proximate resorts (BLT, BCV, BWV, etc) have generally terrible bus service because it's shared with other resorts.

If you add your original monorail wait time, your down and up again ramp transfer time, and your second monorail wait time... it adds up faster than you think. The bigger problem is the trip home, with both the transfer at TTC and the loop the "wrong way" around seven seas lagoon. It's about an hour-long trip, but you don't realize it because the monorail is fun (and I agree that it is!). I also agree with your restaurant point re: the monorail loop. I'm a big fan of BLT, and access to cali grill and ohana is a big part of it.

 

[dizzneebabe]

I believe it's mostly marketing. When AKV first started selling, it's what pushed us into buying. Why? Yes, we love animals, the rustic decor, etc., but it was the first resort to "officially" accommodate a family of 5 in a 1 bdrm AND provide a bed! At the time (late Feb/early March 2007), we could have gotten a better deal at SSR, but were concerned that IF Disney ever decided to enforce the occupancy limits, we wanted to be able to actually stay in the room we wanted to, without worries of borrowing or having to purchase more points. Which, makes me wonder WHY did they not include that extra bath in Aulani?

Now, I have to admit, when BLT sales were announced, we jumped to add on there. BUT...at the same time we also added on a small 25 pt contract to AKV to make those points useable for a full week's stay every year (give or take a few points, to allow for reallocations). But I do agree with others that a counter service restaurant is missing at AKV! BLT is small enough to walk over to the A frame, but... a walkway from AKV to AK would have been a great perk, too, although I haven't studied a map enough to know if that would have been very feasible.

Getting back to the issue, they have to be making more money with BLT. Even with demolition, construction costs had to be much, MUCH less than the other properties. I'm sure they wanted things to look good on paper for investors, so a good ROI for BLT was important enough for them to push that location.

Just my thoughts...

 

[jade1]

It's easy to cherry pick wait times to make your point (i.e., my typical experience at AKL over a bunch of trips is that I'll wait about 8 minutes on average for an EPCOT bus, and then I'm there in less than 10 minutes). It's very uncommon to wait anything close to 30 minutes for a bus... or at least a bus from AKV. The park-proximate resorts (BLT, BCV, BWV, etc) have generally terrible bus service because it's shared with other resorts.

If you add your original monorail wait time, your down and up again ramp transfer time, and your second monorail wait time... it adds up faster than you think. The bigger problem is the trip home, with both the transfer at TTC and the loop the "wrong way" around seven seas lagoon. It's about an hour-long trip, but you don't realize it because the monorail is fun (and I agree that it is!). I also agree with your restaurant point re: the monorail loop. I'm a big fan of BLT, and access to cali grill and ohana is a big part of it.

Anybody can say they wait 8 minutes at the most, just like they can say 30 minutes. Obviously both are true for some-and will never happen for others, but for some resorts the "guess work" is removed for some parks. Removing bus waits and wheel chair loading from the equation is key for us wanting to be efficient. As you mentioned earlier MK is WDW to many folks, and I would venture to say that over a week trip, most folks will visit MK more than the other parks. This includes MK rope drop and finishing nights at MK for Spectro/Wishes then you are back to BLT in under 10 minutes.

As for BLT to the other parks-a bus is a bus IMO, and you have no idea of the wait time, and certainly not much different than VWL, and a monorail is a nice change of pace, just as the folks staying at the monorail deluxes CR/POLY/GF.

We take it even further though and split stays at BLT and either BCV or BWV removing 2 more parks from buses, and putting EPCOT into the 10 min guaranteed category. We just concentrate on which park we are closer to and plan our week accordingly.

Certainly not everyone wants to move around, but I doubt we are the only ones that added on at BLT for the MK location, even if its a split trip, or every other trip may have more MK visits.

 

[gkrykewy]

As for BLT to the other parks-a bus is a bus IMO

I don't think we disagree much based on your post, but I will say that this is unequivocallly false. A direct bus is always better than a shared bus.

 

[jade1]

I don't think we disagree much based on your post, but I will say that this is unequivocallly false. A direct bus is always better than a shared bus.

I agree we mostly agree as well-but a direct bus that comes in 20 minutes is not as good as one that makes a stop but comes in 2 minutes, or one that has to load a wheel chair. My point is we always eliminate any "guess work" the bus system presents, whenever possible.

 

[vvpeter]

A cottage industry seems to grow around that topic, with many writers commenting on the UNDP Arab Human Development Report. The report became famous when George W Bush used it as a justification for reforming the Arab world and democratising it through peaceful or not so peaceful means. The report contributes considerably to our knowledge of the reasons for Arabs falling behind, and gives specialists a great opportunity to address questions that haven't been fully answered yet.

 

[RCDisneyFan]

Hey, just wanted to let you know you're not in the minority - I could have written your post myself and agree with everything you said!

Ditto to both of you... We bought *because* it was AKV and we love the style and atmosphere. It's the place that suits our personalities best.

To be honest, I don't even care much about the Kidani Village part because I like having access to a quick service restaurant (african stew!!) without taking a bus to get to it. I think that, with decor that isn't for everyone, you can't have balloons and the distance to other parks could be considered drawbacks.

None of that bothers us!

 

[veenstra56]

Having visited AKL a few times, my first reaction when the DVC addition was announced was "No thanks". I personally was never able to warm to the theming and isolation of the resort. We like to be within walking distance of a park or, as with SSR, to DTD. I do realize, of course, that the theming and isolation is what attracted many people to AKV, but it's just not for me.

 

[arthur06]

We have thought about adding on at AKL as we do enjoy the resort. We don't mind the travel time. We have stayed there twice and would stay again in a heartbeat.

However, our first BWV stay starts next Saturday and we have a BCV/BLT stay in Sept/Oct (4 nights at each). We would rather take the time to enjoy a few more resorts that we have never tried before we decided where we will add on.

 

[pditullio]

When we added on 100 points in 2009 we were torn between the 2.

The fact the that the resorts were SO different from one another, and that we liked both, made it harder to choose, because it's comparing apples to oranges.

We see the removed location of AKL as a benefit since we drive everywhere anyway. And the dramatic theming also appealed to us, because we spend just as much time in our resorts as we do in the parks.

But, in the end the decision was tipped in favor of BLT for no other reason than MF, since it was a dead heat between the two in preference.

 

[Sandisw]

I think that when people say it is too far away or isolated, IMO, I think they are referring more to the fact that you have to use transportation to get to the parks.

And, I also think that BLT, just because of its location to MK is selling well because many think of WDW as the MK (I know not everyone). So, for new buyers, the choice between AKV and BLT, who perceive BLT to be "right there" are buying there instead and thus, the sales have slowed. I also think that people know that AKV is a big resort so having to have home resort advantage is just not necessary. Sure, it is for the value villas and for conceirge, but for those that just want to stay on occassion, there is no real need to own there.

 

[suebeelin]

AKV has a great theme, but if you have an infant or toddler, it may be too remote, and the food choices too limited. If AKV has a walking path to AK, then I would have easily considered this as an option.

BLT was my original choice due to proximity to MK and the monorail. The dues are much less, as well. My sister owns there, and she said that they do not maintain the rooms very well (ie very dirty). For a fairly new property, this is disturbing.

If I were to choose between the two, I would end up choosing BLT b/c I would rather walk to a park, have access to the monorail, and have a lot of food choices. Also, the dues are much less.

At the end of the day, we've decided to go the resale market route, focusing on BWV (location). Ideally we would want BC but the price is much higher and the due nominally less.

My question is: Why is BWV's due/maintenance so high relative to the other properties????