***The Official AKV Owners And Lovers Thread***. Come And Chat

[Disney9.9.10]

I'm not currently an owner at AKV (I own at Poly) but we are staying at AKV exactly one month from today!! It is one of my favourite resorts and I can't wait to see how excited my daughter will be with the savannah view room we will have!

 

[drusba]

Hi all - Thinking if planning a stay for later this year. Are both Jambi and Kidani villas renovated now? Hoping for a savannna studio. Thanks!

The scheduled renovations at both are done. I am assuming you will be reserving 7 months out for later this year, meaning you will be seeking time during Oct, Nov or Dec, DVC's high to extremely high demand time of the year. There are likely to be times when it will difficult to get something at 7 months, although savanna view at Kidani is often (but definitely not always) open at 7 months out during that time. If your heart is set on Jambo, you might need to rethink your options.

 

[striker1064]

We are new DVC owners, just purchased at AKV after absolutely loving a stay at Jambo.

Our first DVC stay will be for the Princess Half Marathon 2019, probably something like Wednesday - Tuesday or something similar. We want to book a Value Studio. How difficult will this be? I'll be on the first day that I can, but I know I can't book the whole week at once as well. Kidani or Jambo doesn't matter to us.

Thanks!

 

[aoconnor]

We are new DVC owners, just purchased at AKV after absolutely loving a stay at Jambo.

Our first DVC stay will be for the Princess Half Marathon 2019, probably something like Wednesday - Tuesday or something similar. We want to book a Value Studio. How difficult will this be? I'll be on the first day that I can, but I know I can't book the whole week at once as well. Kidani or Jambo doesn't matter to us.

Thanks!

Extremely difficult, I would count on needing a standard. Race weekends are some of the highest demand weeks of the entire year for DVC.

FYI- there are no value studios at Kidani, only Jambo. And there's only 18 of them, 10 of which are part of two bedroom lock offs.

 

[striker1064]

Thanks for the response! Will plan for a standard and just hope we get lucky with a value.

 

[wnielsen1]

We are new DVC owners, just purchased at AKV after absolutely loving a stay at Jambo.

Our first DVC stay will be for the Princess Half Marathon 2019, probably something like Wednesday - Tuesday or something similar. We want to book a Value Studio. How difficult will this be? I'll be on the first day that I can, but I know I can't book the whole week at once as well. Kidani or Jambo doesn't matter to us.

Thanks!

EVERYONE wants to book a value studio. They are in ultra high demand and there are just not that many of them. Be ready at 8 AM Eastern, 11 months out and hope for the best. Also have a backup plan because chances are that you will need to use it.

 

[FindingTheMouse]

I agree with the PP. Try your best at the 11 month mark. I am new to DVC and was told the same thing, that Value studios are hard to come by especially during peak seasons. We were looking to book the week of Christmas at AKV this coming Christmas. I stalked the DVC site almost everyday to see what was available. Values were booked every morning at 8AM. I figured when my 11 month mark for December 23rd came around the values would again be booked and I would have to book a regular studio. Not the case. I was on the site just before 8 and had everything punched in and we ended up getting a Value Studio for December 23rd through 29th of this year.
Moral of the story, don't give up on the idea, but be prepared to have to book something different.

 

[twinklebug]

I am staying at Kidani in July in a savanna view studio with my 15 yr old son. I’m not to picky about a room and don’t mind the walk but I know I definitely want to be in the south trail. Should I just request south trail or should I be more specific? TIA

Sorry for the late reply... Seems to me you might be fine with anything on the south loop, but just in case they aren't able to accommodate you with a room on the south, I'd put in a request for Sunset Savanna (if giraffe and zebra are on the top of your must-see critters).

 

[twinklebug]

I agree with the PP. Try your best at the 11 month mark. I am new to DVC and was told the same thing, that Value studios are hard to come by especially during peak seasons. We were looking to book the week of Christmas at AKV this coming Christmas. I stalked the DVC site almost everyday to see what was available. Values were booked every morning at 8AM. I figured when my 11 month mark for December 23rd came around the values would again be booked and I would have to book a regular studio. Not the case. I was on the site just before 8 and had everything punched in and we ended up getting a Value Studio for December 23rd through 29th of this year.
Moral of the story, don't give up on the idea, but be prepared to have to book something different.

Agreed! Also, If you can't get the room you want right off then reserve what you can get and keep watching the site over the next month. Folk are always moving their trips around and a day or two will tend to pop up every so often for those first few weeks. Member services can always combine the days into one reservation once you've gotten what you need. Don't try to do this yourself or you risk loosing the days.

I managed to piece together 2 days in concierge followed by a week in a value studio. It's very possible, but you have to do it yourself, the wait list seems to be false security.

 

[striker1064]

EVERYONE wants to book a value studio. They are in ultra high demand and there are just not that many of them. Be ready at 8 AM Eastern, 11 months out and hope for the best. Also have a backup plan because chances are that you will need to use it.

Y'all weren't kidding. I've been online right at 8AM checking the RAT for a 6-day stay, and the current day is already booked every time. They are fast!

Interestingly, I've noticed the current day will be booked, but then it will open back up the next day, and the next day will be booked. I'm guessing people are walking those reservations?

We've at least noticed it's very easy to book a standard view studio, so that'll be the backup plan.

 

[twinklebug]

Y'all weren't kidding. I've been online right at 8AM checking the RAT for a 6-day stay, and the current day is already booked every time. They are fast!

Interestingly, I've noticed the current day will be booked, but then it will open back up the next day, and the next day will be booked. I'm guessing people are walking those reservations?

We've at least noticed it's very easy to book a standard view studio, so that'll be the backup plan.

Yes, those are walkers doing that. Ticks me off something terrible as I know two people who are always in "walking" mode on those reservations and aren't even serious about getting dates other than the most sought out to resell.

Keep watching the days you want though. Usually about 3-7 days after they open they may come open again as the walkers stroll on by.

 

[cmarsh31]

Y'all weren't kidding. I've been online right at 8AM checking the RAT for a 6-day stay, and the current day is already booked every time. They are fast!

Interestingly, I've noticed the current day will be booked, but then it will open back up the next day, and the next day will be booked. I'm guessing people are walking those reservations?

We've at least noticed it's very easy to book a standard view studio, so that'll be the backup plan.

If you're quick, it works - my DH booked us 2/16-2/17 this morning in a value studio (flying in the day before we head out on our Disney cruise). I was prepared to spend the points on a standard if I had to, but glad to save a few points for a room we're just going to sleep one night in. I suspect, now that we're into the President's Week/Princess 1/2 Marathon week zone we'll see fewer days 're-opening' with walking.

 

[Unicorn Dreams]

What does walking dvc reservations mean?

 

[striker1064]

If you're quick, it works - my DH booked us 2/16-2/17 this morning in a value studio (flying in the day before we head out on our Disney cruise). I was prepared to spend the points on a standard if I had to, but glad to save a few points for a room we're just going to sleep one night in. I suspect, now that we're into the President's Week/Princess 1/2 Marathon week zone we'll see fewer days 're-opening' with walking.

Yeah I dunno, I was online right at 8 AM again this morning and I was already too late. I get this is how it always is and there are very few value studios, but that's just annoying. I guess I'm going to have to read up on how people are doing it - I'm signed in and I refresh the RAT right at 8 AM when the booking window opens, so maybe I'm a few steps too slow at the beginning.

 

[striker1064]

What does walking dvc reservations mean?

Essentially, it's booking your stay for a high demand time up to a full week before you actually want to go. Let's say I'm trying to book the Princess Half Marathon weekend in a value studio, an extremely busy time in a limited accommodation that's already hard to get. I want to go Thursday, February 21 through Monday, February 25. Walking means I book a full week something like Thursday, February 14 through Wednesday, February 20 as soon as that booking window opened March 14 (because these days are theoretically easier to get), and every day, I modify my reservation by dropping one day off the beginning and adding one day at the end, until I've "walked" to the dates I want.

 

[cmarsh31]

Yeah I dunno, I was online right at 8 AM again this morning and I was already too late. I get this is how it always is and there are very few value studios, but that's just annoying. I guess I'm going to have to read up on how people are doing it - I'm signed in and I refresh the RAT right at 8 AM when the booking window opens, so maybe I'm a few steps too slow at the beginning.

I was not as lucky this morning for the nights after our cruise. Something errorred when I clicked and I missed the room.

 

[JETSDAD]

Yeah I dunno, I was online right at 8 AM again this morning and I was already too late. I get this is how it always is and there are very few value studios, but that's just annoying. I guess I'm going to have to read up on how people are doing it - I'm signed in and I refresh the RAT right at 8 AM when the booking window opens, so maybe I'm a few steps too slow at the beginning.

If you're refreshing the RAT at 8 you'll likely miss out. You really need to be at the Check Availability page with the desired reservation filled out and hit Continue at 8 sharp...then just choose the Select This Resort immediately.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Yeah I dunno, I was online right at 8 AM again this morning and I was already too late. I get this is how it always is and there are very few value studios, but that's just annoying. I guess I'm going to have to read up on how people are doing it - I'm signed in and I refresh the RAT right at 8 AM when the booking window opens, so maybe I'm a few steps too slow at the beginning.

You have to be on the actual booking page to hope to get a difficult category room right at 8am. Use the RAT and you're removing yourself from the hunt.

As far as being annoyed it's really just part of a flexible system. I never recommend that someone purchase thinking they'll be able to get the lowest point accommodations - especially if they have very few rooms. There's a lot of other owners who have bought with that same idea and there's just a limit of how many rooms there are for the lower points. Or for the concierge rooms as well as some others. Great if you can get them but not something to be counted on IMO.

 

[striker1064]

You have to be on the actual booking page to hope to get a difficult category room right at 8am. Use the RAT and you're removing yourself from the hunt.

As far as being annoyed it's really just part of a flexible system. I never recommend that someone purchase thinking they'll be able to get the lowest point accommodations - especially if they have very few rooms. There's a lot of other owners who have bought with that same idea and there's just a limit of how many rooms there are for the lower points. Or for the concierge rooms as well as some others. Great if you can get them but not something to be counted on IMO.

Oh definitely. We actually bought because we liked our cash savannah view so much, and on 90% of our stays we will opt for a savannah view. But just for this one we were hoping to get a value studio since it's Magic Season... of course, everyone thinks that.

 

[striker1064]

You have to be on the actual booking page to hope to get a difficult category room right at 8am. Use the RAT and you're removing yourself from the hunt.

I just wanted to say, THANK YOU for telling me this was the way to go. Previously I was just checking the pages at 8 AM to see how quickly they went, but today was the day that the dates I wanted actually opened for booking. And thanks to this, I managed to get exactly what I wanted in the value studio! I'm happy.