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

Any recommendations for a 2 Bedroom Sunset Savannah view at Kidani? Specific room numbers appreciated!
 
Need a little help! Are the buses from Ak Jambo and Kidani to the parks just for the AK Resort? For some reason I thought I read they added a water park maybe to route? Ty!
 
Need a little help! Are the buses from Ak Jambo and Kidani to the parks just for the AK Resort? For some reason I thought I read they added a water park maybe to route? Ty!

The Studios bus stops at Blizzard Beach when it is open. The Disney Springs bus stops at Typhoon Lagoon when it is open. That is not an addition. That is the way it has always been.

All the park and Disney Springs buses are for AKL only (Kidani and Jambo). Particularly for MK, they often have separate buses going to MK from Kidani and Jambo during busy times of the day.
 


The Studios bus stops at Blizzard Beach when it is open. The Disney Springs bus stops at Typhoon Lagoon when it is open. That is not an addition. That is the way it has always been.

All the park and Disney Springs buses are for AKL only (Kidani and Jambo). Particularly for MK, they often have separate buses going to MK from Kidani and Jambo during busy times of the day.
Ty so much trying to make the choice of AK Kidani or OKW! Switch hopefully at 7 mos this Wed! Ive never stayed at either, home resort SSR! OKW renovations scare me a little but it’s all good! Big family trip 12/9 and I just have calm down! We’re going to Disney during Xmas and that’s great anywhere we stay!
 
Just booked two 1br Savannah view villas at Kidani for the week after Thanksgiving! So excited! I have wanted to stay at AKL for so long and this will be our first time. One question, we have two different confirmation numbers for the two rooms. I've heard people talking about linking their reservations. What is the benefit of doing this? Can one person make plans and reservations for the whole group then?
 
Just booked two 1br Savannah view villas at Kidani for the week after Thanksgiving! So excited! I have wanted to stay at AKL for so long and this will be our first time. One question, we have two different confirmation numbers for the two rooms. I've heard people talking about linking their reservations. What is the benefit of doing this? Can one person make plans and reservations for the whole group then?

Linking is something that refers to bringing two successive reservations for the same type of room together, e.g., someone uses points from one member number to reserve a 1BR for Sun to Wed and a different member number to reseve the same type room for Wed to Sat and then has MS link the reservations so the member does not have to change rooms. It does not refer to joining two reservations like you have made for the same dates for two different rooms.

What you might do is have MS put a "traveling with" notation on each reservation and request rooms close to each other. The traveling with notation tells the room assigner that you are all part of the same family or group.

As to having one person making plans or reservations for the group, you do not need everyone to be in the same room to do that. All you need is a member with a My Disney Experience account which has as family members or friends all the parties in your group. You can then put both reservations and everyone's tickets in that member's MDE account and the member can make all the fastpass+ reservations and all the dining reservations.
 


Linking is something that refers to bringing two successive reservations for the same type of room together, e.g., someone uses points from one member number to reserve a 1BR for Sun to Wed and a different member number to reseve the same type room for Wed to Sat and then has MS link the reservations so the member does not have to change rooms. It does not refer to joining two reservations like you have made for the same dates for two different rooms.

What you might do is have MS put a "traveling with" notation on each reservation and request rooms close to each other. The traveling with notation tells the room assigner that you are all part of the same family or group.

As to having one person making plans or reservations for the group, you do not need everyone to be in the same room to do that. All you need is a member with a My Disney Experience account which has as family members or friends all the parties in your group. You can then put both reservations and everyone's tickets in that member's MDE account and the member can make all the fastpass+ reservations and all the dining reservations.
Thank you for all the info. That was very helpful.
 
So vacation update! I just booked a Kidani 1 bedroom savannah view for Dec 12th-17th!

It's been a rough 2018 so far, I rented my 2018 points out because I had to help family out with some stuff and didn't think I'd make it to Disney this year. I was debating paying out of pocket, but started looking and borrowed 2019 points to book this trip. I may work off borrowed points for the next few years as I work back to not having to borrower, but that's ok :) I really need this trip! Also didn't necessarily want a 1 bedroom, but it's all I could get, lots of room for a solo trip (unless I find someone to go).

Excitement begins! Though I do have one question. For room requests am I able to call member services to make those unlike calling the normal Disney number?
 
So vacation update! I just booked a Kidani 1 bedroom savannah view for Dec 12th-17th!

It's been a rough 2018 so far, I rented my 2018 points out because I had to help family out with some stuff and didn't think I'd make it to Disney this year. I was debating paying out of pocket, but started looking and borrowed 2019 points to book this trip. I may work off borrowed points for the next few years as I work back to not having to borrower, but that's ok :) I really need this trip! Also didn't necessarily want a 1 bedroom, but it's all I could get, lots of room for a solo trip (unless I find someone to go).

Excitement begins! Though I do have one question. For room requests am I able to call member services to make those unlike calling the normal Disney number?

Congratulations on getting the reservation you want. That is a great time of year to visit WDW and Kidani will look great with all of the holiday decor.

Definitely call, do chat or email Member Services (under contact us on the member website) to add a view request for your DVC reservation. You only contact Disney reservations for cash reservations made by them.
 
So vacation update! I just booked a Kidani 1 bedroom savannah view for Dec 12th-17th!

It's been a rough 2018 so far, I rented my 2018 points out because I had to help family out with some stuff and didn't think I'd make it to Disney this year. I was debating paying out of pocket, but started looking and borrowed 2019 points to book this trip. I may work off borrowed points for the next few years as I work back to not having to borrower, but that's ok :) I really need this trip! Also didn't necessarily want a 1 bedroom, but it's all I could get, lots of room for a solo trip (unless I find someone to go).

Excitement begins! Though I do have one question. For room requests am I able to call member services to make those unlike calling the normal Disney number?
Don’t forget to bring or buy some bath bombs for that spa tub. My arrival night tradition includes a trip to the GF or DS Basin Store to splurge on bath bombs for the rest of my stay :) it takes me a long time to sniff my way through all of the choices!
Yes, call or email MS for villa requests, the online options are so generic they are useless, IMO.
 
So I broke down and also got a GOLD AP which I will activate when I go in December... though now I think I should have waited incase any deals happen. I wonder if I'll be able to convince member services or whoever to let me partake in whatever deal may happen if I haven't activated my pass yet...
 
I've been searching for a while and haven't found a ton of good info regarding my question. I figured the AK lovers might be able to help. Any thoughts on how visible the animals are during the day around Jambo in late June? I'm thinking about springing for a 1 or 2-day Savannah view room. The temps are in the high 80s, so not truly brutal Orlando temps. The primary reason to visit is for the kids to spend time watching the animals. Wonder how much they're likely to see? Last time we visited AKL was 7 years ago in November.
 
So excited! We are cruising in January and decided to add a couple park days to the front end of our trip— Jan 1-5. I originally had a preferred studio at SSR booked, but would rather stay somewhere else. I have been stalking
(like a crazy person) the RAT for the past two days and this evening a 1 br standard at Jambo House popped up!

I was having trouble finding anywhere with Jan 1 availability (plus we are working with a limited number of 2018 YR points) but the numbers ending up working out exactly.

It’ll be DH’s first time staying anywhere other than BWV or BCV, and I think it’s been about 8 years since I’ve stayed at AKL, so I am super excited!

*Update*: More stalking today! Just found a savanna view studio at Kidani! Saving some points and stalking won over my Kidani studio Waitlist.
 
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The Studios bus stops at Blizzard Beach when it is open. The Disney Springs bus stops at Typhoon Lagoon when it is open. That is not an addition. That is the way it has always been.

All the park and Disney Springs buses are for AKL only (Kidani and Jambo). Particularly for MK, they often have separate buses going to MK from Kidani and Jambo during busy times of the day.

Recently returned from a trip to Kidani and need to correct my post from above. The waterpark buses have been changed, in my view for the worse. There is no longer any AKV bus directly to a waterpark. To get to Blizzard Beach, you must take the bus to AK and switch there to a bus to Blizzard Beach (reverse coming back). To get to Typhoon Lagoon, you have to take a bus to Disney Springs and switch there to a bus to TL. Thus, it now takes two buses to get to a waterpark, essentially more than doubling the time previously needed, and you get the ignominy of standing and waiting for a bus at AK or Disney Springs in whatever you wear to the water park. (I am guessing similar changes have been made at other resorts.)
 
Recently returned from a trip to Kidani and need to correct my post from above. The waterpark buses have been changed, in my view for the worse. There is no longer any AKV bus directly to a waterpark. To get to Blizzard Beach, you must take the bus to AK and switch there to a bus to Blizzard Beach (reverse coming back). To get to Typhoon Lagoon, you have to take a bus to Disney Springs and switch there to a bus to TL. Thus, it now takes two buses to get to a waterpark, essentially more than doubling the time previously needed, and you get the ignominy of standing and waiting for a bus at AK or Disney Springs in whatever you wear to the water park. (I am guessing similar changes have been made at other resorts.)

I had read that was true for other resorts, but I didn't realize they had changed it for AKV as well. A pain for those going to the water parks but quicker bus times for the rest of us going elsewhere.
 
So figure I'll ask here and the Jambo thread...

I've never used touring plans room request feature... but I've always heard good things. This is my first DVC stay so no idea if I should make a request through them or just call Member Services for my request? Obviously no guarantee's but trying to find the best route to go. If I use touring plans should I not make any requests to MS and online and just let them handle it?

Any room suggestions in Kidani for 1 bedroom savannah view? Probably prefer 3rd floor or so.
 
Recently returned from a trip to Kidani and need to correct my post from above. The waterpark buses have been changed, in my view for the worse. There is no longer any AKV bus directly to a waterpark. To get to Blizzard Beach, you must take the bus to AK and switch there to a bus to Blizzard Beach (reverse coming back). To get to Typhoon Lagoon, you have to take a bus to Disney Springs and switch there to a bus to TL. Thus, it now takes two buses to get to a waterpark, essentially more than doubling the time previously needed, and you get the ignominy of standing and waiting for a bus at AK or Disney Springs in whatever you wear to the water park. (I am guessing similar changes have been made at other resorts.)

Crazy.. definitely would take a $7-8 Uber ride door to door and avoid the headache of two buses.
 
So figure I'll ask here and the Jambo thread...

I've never used touring plans room request feature... but I've always heard good things. This is my first DVC stay so no idea if I should make a request through them or just call Member Services for my request? Obviously no guarantee's but trying to find the best route to go. If I use touring plans should I not make any requests to MS and online and just let them handle it?

Any room suggestions in Kidani for 1 bedroom savannah view? Probably prefer 3rd floor or so.

All DVC requests must be made through the member portal, or with a call to member services by the owner.
My opinion, but I would never, ever give a third party like touring plans or even David's my account information to make a call for me.
 

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