Why is AKV so popular now?

[drusba]

If your question is referring to Animal Kingdom, rather than the lodge, then that can be quite crowded although you will going at a slower time of year. If you are asking about AKV/AKL, then I can surmise that the pool area though quite large could be "crowded" that time of year, which is true at any resort in August. However, we were there at peak time (beginning of January, for which this year, because the 1st was on a Tuesday and most schools were out that whole week, was extremely crowded at the parks) and the resort itself though close to being full to capacity never seem crowded. Factors that prevent any sense of "crowded" include: (a) the resort is an area removed from everything; (b) outside, you have the huge savannas -- large fields with some trees, the pool area and then woods where the savannas are not, including in the front and entry roads to the building and woods off in the distance at the end of the savannas; you hardly realize you are even in Florida anymore; (c) the buses are good and the bus station area is set up as a long docking area so each bus going to each park has its separate docking area so you are never in a crowd waiting with everyone for all busses, instead, if going to Epcot, for example, you wait with only Epcot people; (d) the restaurants are large and lighting is subdued, in fact, lighting is subdued through the building; (e) the lobby is large and viewing areas for animals are large.

 

[AKV707]

This thread is making me feel so good about our decision to become members and to have AKV as our home resort. I think that 11 month window is going to be valuable.

 

[claire_ont]

This thread is making me feel so goof about our decision to become members and to have AKV as our home resort. I think that 11 month window is going to be valuable.

Me too! I have toyed at doing an add-on at another resort so I can get a different 11 month adavantage, but these posts remind me why I waited so long to buy DVC and why I bought AKV. I bought there because that is where I want to stay. So I guess, it only makes sense that is where I should add-on. Thank-you for reminding me what I love about AKV.

 

[AKV707]

We did a small add on in December. We thought about a different resort, but we decided to just add on to our AKV points!

 

[#1DisneylandFan]

We just purchased AKV sight-unseen. Reading this thread has really convinced me we made the right choice!

 

[AKLFan3]

Well I would love to try the concierge (studio or 1 bdrm.) at Jambo house. I understand they aren't great views, but can't one see the animals from another spot on the resort?

Yup, there are MULTIPLE spots around the lodge to view the animals...and sometimes you see them quite unexpectedly, like while you're walking through the hallway. That is what I absolutely love about AKL/AKV. The animals move around so much, you never know where you will see them. In December, we were able to see a lot of animals from our Arusha Savanna view room on the Kudu trail. But what I thought was really incredible was when we were walking back to our room at night, and we happened to briefly glance through one of the glass windows in the hallway. Then we stopped and did a double-take. There were 3 of the pregnant giraffes sitting VERY close to the hotel on the Sunset Savanna! I hardly ever see giraffes very close to the hotel because I think they really don't like the noise that some over-excited guests (adults and children alike) make while on their balconies. Since we wanted to get a closer view, we walked back to the lobby and went to the Sunset Overlook balcony and were very quiet. The ladies were just sitting there resting. I wished that it had been daytime so we could see better, but I bet if it had been daytime, they wouldn't have been there in the first place. That certainly was a very magical moment for us.

 

[buzz5985]

5 in a one-bedroom is what pushed us into the AKV owner territory.

Before AKV was announced, I speculated that they'd open a resort at AKL and adjust to allow 5 in a one-bedroom. I think this will always make AKV
1-bedrooms a very hot reservation. There's a HUGE percentage of DVC families that either have three children or have two older/opposite gender children that need/prefer separate sleeping accommodations.

Hopefully, future DVCs will accommodate 5 - but I can also see it being a AKV-specific feature.

I recently called for cash rates for a weekend in August. 2 BR were not available on cash - only points. But 1 BR were availabe with the DVC 25% cash discount rate as were studios.

 

[Melrosgirl]

With the exception of AK being where the animals are, LOL, the location leaves a lot to be desired. (no monorail, no water views, no walking distance, no good views of Disney things - again with expection of the animals). For a deluxe property, it didn't offer many "deluxe" options.

 

[RLRDA]

This thread is making me feel so good about our decision to become members and to have AKV as our home resort. I think that 11 month window is going to be valuable.

We added on at AKV last year without ever seeing the resort or the models, only the mailings from DVC. We are a family of five so the 5 in 1BR appealed right off the bat. The theming is fantastic and the proposed artist renderings of Kidani looked wonderful. When we stayed there in August 2007, I looked at my DH and said "Oh, we definitely need to add more points here" (which we did)! Now I am looking forward to booking 1BR Concierge or a Value 2BR when the kids are older and need more space (save those points). Since there are so few villas in those 2 categories the 11 month window is going to be essential to getting those reservations.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

Will it have an internal bus like OKW and SSR once Kidani village is finished?

 

[AKLFan3]

Will it have an internal bus like OKW and SSR once Kidani village is finished?

My vacation club guide said yes. It looks like it could be a bit of a hike from Kidani to Jambo House.

 

[tjkraz]

I can't see there being a dedicated "internal" bus like at Fort Wilderness. It will probably be more like SSR and OKW where the theme park busses can be used to move from one to the other.

There are likely to be just two stops--the existing one at the Jambo House main entrance and a similar one at Kidani. With the savannas nearly surrounding each building, other stops would be impractical. All of the traffic will have to flow thru the lobby.

If they follow the OKW and SSR model, some arriving busses will stop at Jambo first while others will stop at Kidani first. Guests can board a bus headed in the desired direction, and disembark when they reach the other building.

Others have claimed that the two lobbies are about 1/2 mile apart door-to-door.

 

[AKV707]

Others have claimed that the two lobbies are about 1/2 mile apart door-to-door.

That would be great! That would give us a walking path that we could use. It is a concern for us. Most of the other resorts have a nice walking path to follow, but AKV does not. A 1/2 mile path would be great.

 

[Inkmahm]

With the exception of AK being where the animals are, LOL, the location leaves a lot to be desired. (no monorail, no water views, no walking distance, no good views of Disney things - again with expection of the animals). For a deluxe property, it didn't offer many "deluxe" options.

It's got the best restaurant on Disney property- Jiko!

 

[AKV707]

With the exception of AK being where the animals are, LOL, the location leaves a lot to be desired. (no monorail, no water views, no walking distance, no good views of Disney things - again with expection of the animals). For a deluxe property, it didn't offer many "deluxe" options.

The beauty of it is that it has that remote feeling without being remote. It is a one of a kind. And Jiko, Boma, and soon the new one in Kidani..

 

[LisaS]

With the exception of AK being where the animals are, LOL, the location leaves a lot to be desired. (no monorail, no water views, no walking distance, no good views of Disney things - again with expection of the animals). For a deluxe property, it didn't offer many "deluxe" options.

In AKL/AKV's case I think a view of "Disney things" wouldn't work. I'm always struck by how when I'm at AKL, I can easily forget I'm in Florida and imagine I'm in Africa. A view of the Castle or Spaceship Earth in the background would be a distraction.

I wish there were some walking trails, though. DH and I like to take walks and it's not possible at AKL. I'm not sure how pleasant the walk from Jambo House to Kidani Village will be but we'll probably be using the path just to have somewhere to walk while we're there!

 

[wildernessDad]

Its popularity soared after I became a founding member.

 

[bobbiwoz]

In AKL/AKV's case I think a view of "Disney things" wouldn't work. I'm always struck by how when I'm at AKL, I can easily forget I'm in Florida and imagine I'm in Africa. A view of the Castle or Spaceship Earth in the background would be a distraction.

I wish there were some walking trails, though. DH and I like to take walks and it's not possible at AKL. I'm not sure how pleasant the walk from Jambo House to Kidani Village will be but we'll probably be using the path just to have somewhere to walk while we're there!

Yes to this!!!

Bobbi

 

[AKV707]

In AKL/AKV's case I think a view of "Disney things" wouldn't work. I'm always struck by how when I'm at AKL, I can easily forget I'm in Florida and imagine I'm in Africa. A view of the Castle or Spaceship Earth in the background would be a distraction.

I wish there were some walking trails, though. DH and I like to take walks and it's not possible at AKL. I'm not sure how pleasant the walk from Jambo House to Kidani Village will be but we'll probably be using the path just to have somewhere to walk while we're there!

Lisa,

DW and i walk everyday, and the lack of a good walking path is the only issue we have with AKV. I knwo that when we are at WDW we will walk a great deal, but there is nothing like a brisk walk for walking's sake.

I figure that if the walkway from Jambo to Kidani is 1/2 mile, 2 or three round trips would be about a half hour walk.

 

[tjkraz]

In AKL/AKV's case I think a view of "Disney things" wouldn't work. I'm always struck by how when I'm at AKL, I can easily forget I'm in Florida and imagine I'm in Africa. A view of the Castle or Spaceship Earth in the background would be a distraction.

I wonder how that illusion will be impacted by the addition of Kidani.

The original building (Jambo) was clearly designed in such a way as to maximize the views from the many savanna view rooms. Most rooms look right out at the savanna with only trees or brush in the distance. That creates the illusion of being on a wide open plain.

Looking at the development map, it appears a lot of that illusion may soon be gone. About 40% of the Jambo rooms will have the 5-story Kidani Village complex dominating the skyline a couple hundred feet away. And as for Kidani, 80-90% of the savanna view rooms in that complex will face toward Jambo.