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Thread: Animal Kingdom Lodge vs. Animal Kingdom Lodge Villas

  1. #1
    The Hollywood Chain Gang CariBelle's Avatar
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    Animal Kingdom Lodge vs. Animal Kingdom Lodge Villas

    We are planning to spend the last 3 nights of our trip at AKL (unless a great deal comes around!) and I'm viewing the difference in price between the villas and the actual AKL. Are there any advantages of staying at one or the other? I think I've looked at waaaay to many options lately and I can't keep everything straight! haha


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    Read Everything-Assume Nothing GusMan's Avatar
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    The Villas are Vacation Club rooms that can also be rented by non-members as well.

    Studios, in comparison with regular rooms, have a queen bed plus a sleeper sofa, a larger fridge, microwave, toaster, and a small kichenette area. Size overall is around the same size of a regular room.

    You can also get 1 and 2 bedroom villas that have a full kitchen and full laundry, and a jacuzzi tub. There are also Grand Villas that are down right huge.

    Is there a real benefit to staying in a Studio villa vs a regular room? Well, it depends. For us, as DVC members, we enjoy the accommodations and eat breakfast in our room and the like. If you are not going to use the kitchenette area, then I would simply get a regular room. If you wanted to splurge and get a 1BR - that is where you can really get spoiled with the room size and having everything there - especially laundry. (Which I know sounds odd - till you have it.)

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  4. #3
    The Hollywood Chain Gang CariBelle's Avatar
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    Thanks GusMan! That helps We are group of 5 (3 adults and 2 kids) so the space is valuable, but we also don't want to blow our budget. Knowing my brother and his family we won't do much relaxing in the room.
    I totally know what you mean about the laundry...I ending up buying new underwear last time I was at WDW because I didn't want to sit and wait by the laundry at Pop!


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    Ready for MA World Explorers! Drince88's Avatar
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    I don't know if they'll let 5 people in a Studio - BUT, if they do, only 2 are in 'real' beds. That's the biggest concern about Studios to me. So definitely look at the bed configurations - especially if you're the 'out' adult yourself!

    Cathy

  6. #5
    The Hollywood Chain Gang CariBelle's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Drince88 View Post
    I don't know if they'll let 5 people in a Studio - BUT, if they do, only 2 are in 'real' beds. That's the biggest concern about Studios to me. So definitely look at the bed configurations - especially if you're the 'out' adult yourself!
    The 3rd bed is a pull out chair, which I'll make the 6 year old slep in haha I'll most likely be sharing with the 10 year old.
    We still don't have a set plan, but hopefully IF new promos come out on Wednesday we'll be forced to decide.

  7. #6
    Read Everything-Assume Nothing GusMan's Avatar
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    Some food for thought:

    For the villas, they will not allow more than 4 in a studio.
    The fold out chair is only in a 1BR villa, from what I recall and have seen personally. (And it has to be a standard room or better - not in the value 1BR villas.)
    The fold out bed is not that bad. A lot better than fold up beds of the past, but not as nice as the queen size bed.

    For a standard (non-villa) room, you need to make sure that they will allow 5 people.

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  8. #7
    The Hollywood Chain Gang CariBelle's Avatar
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    Thanks GusMan! My brother has it all laid out on a spreadsheet, I'm just not recalling exactly what he has down. But after reading your post I recall that difference now.


  9. #8

    AKL vs. AKL Villas

    If it matters to you, there isn't daily housekeeping in the villas.

    My mom wanted to look into the Villas at AKL for our trip instead of a room, but we're 3 adults and a) no one wants the sofa bed, b) only a studio using points rental would be close in price to a room, as far as I can tell (and would still cost more), and c) no regular housekeeping.


  10. #9
    Ready for MA World Explorers! Drince88's Avatar
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    AKL vs. AKL Villas

    Correct on all three points.

    Cathy

  11. #10
    Read Everything-Assume Nothing GusMan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by libbylovespluto View Post
    If it matters to you, there isn't daily housekeeping in the villas.
    Actually, if you get the room using a cash reservation, you do get daily mousekeeping. (I was assuming that the OP is not a member and therefore staying using a cash ressie.)

    Only if you are staying on points do you not get daily mousekeeping. (Point rental from a 3rd party or private member rental does count as a "points" stay.)
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  12. #11
    Ready for MA World Explorers! Drince88's Avatar
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    Thanks, GusMan! I forgot about that.
    Personally, if you are seriously considering a Villa, I would definitley look into renting points. It becomes a private transaction between you and the owner (through a middle-agency broker or not), so there is some risk there, and the terms of payment are usually 'tougher' than Disney's (pay upon booking in full, no or very very limited refund policies, etc) -- but the $$ difference is usually pretty notable.

    Cathy

  13. #12
    Read Everything-Assume Nothing GusMan's Avatar
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    ^ What Drince said.
    To be honest, if you are going to do that, splurge... get a 1 BR villa. It will be a great way to end your trip.
    And to be honest, even without daily mousekeeping, its really not that big of a deal. Dont let that stop you from point rentals.

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  14. #13
    The Hollywood Chain Gang CariBelle's Avatar
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    Mousekeeping doesn't really concern me, I typically don't like housekeeping to come in to our hotel rooms if I'm staying less than 3 days (nothing to do with distrust of housekeeping or anything, I just don't feel like I need to be constantly kept up haha). My brother is looking into renting DVC points for the final 3 nights, he's doing all of the hotel booking this trip. I'm just providing all of the input I gather He's calculated it out and it is a nice saving on a 1 bedroom, but we had another question- if we book our first 5 nights via Disney (at AoA) and the last 3 nights renting DVC points, will Disney still transport our luggage from one hotel to the next?


  15. #14
    Ready for MA World Explorers! Drince88's Avatar
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    1 bdrms would still have someone sleeping on a pull out, right GusMan?

    Cathy

  16. #15
    Ready for MA World Explorers! Drince88's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by CariBelle View Post
    if we book our first 5 nights via Disney (at AoA) and the last 3 nights renting DVC points, will Disney still transport our luggage from one hotel to the next?
    Yes. They don't ask 'how you paid' when you wave goodbye to your bags at AoA.
    (I did this very thing a few years ago with Pop and Boardwalk Villas)
    Cathy

  17. #16
    The Hollywood Chain Gang CariBelle's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Drince88 View Post
    1 bdrms would still have someone sleeping on a pull out, right GusMan?
    From the WDW website: 1 King Bed and 1 Queen-Size Sleeper Sofa and 1 Twin-Size Sleeper Chair

  18. #17
    The Hollywood Chain Gang CariBelle's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Drince88 View Post
    Yes. They don't ask 'how you paid' when you wave goodbye to your bags at AoA.
    (I did this very thing a few years ago with Pop and Boardwalk Villas)
    Awesome! Thanks Cathy!

  19. #18
    Read Everything-Assume Nothing GusMan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Drince88 View Post
    1 bdrms would still have someone sleeping on a pull out, right GusMan?
    Quote Originally Posted by CariBelle View Post
    From the WDW website: 1 King Bed and 1 Queen-Size Sleeper Sofa and 1 Twin-Size Sleeper Chair
    You have to make sure you are not in a "value" 1 BR villa. If I remember correctly, the value 1BR does NOT have the sleeper chair.
    Generally speaking, if you get a 1BR on the Kidani Village side, you will be good. I think the value rooms are only at Jambo House.

    Drince is right - they will still move your luggage for you. Simply take your luggage to bell services, or have them pick it up for you, and they will move it for you. When you get to AKV, just coordinate with bell services to have the luggage brought to your room.
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    You have to make sure you are not in a "value" 1 BR villa. If I remember correctly, the value 1BR does NOT have the sleeper chair.

    If they book a 1 BR villa for 5 people, surely Disney wouldn't put them in one that only sleeps 4, would they?


  21. #20
    Registered User fairestoneofall's Avatar
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    We've stayed in a studio, 1BR and 2BR at AKL. We use the kitchenette every day for breakfast. I had coffee and breakfast on the balcony while DH and the boys slept.

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  22. #21
    Read Everything-Assume Nothing GusMan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by floridafan View Post
    If they book a 1 BR villa for 5 people, surely Disney wouldn't put them in one that only sleeps 4, would they?
    No, not exactly... the reservation technically would not go through. If you pay for a Standard 1BR, they are not going to put you in a value 1BR villa.
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  23. #22
    The Hollywood Chain Gang CariBelle's Avatar
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    If the Visa promotions that were just released stay the same for the general public and are released on May 9th we are most likely going to change our plan of action and go for 2 standard rooms.


  24. #23
    Ready for MA World Explorers! Drince88's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by CariBelle View Post
    If the Visa promotions that were just released stay the same for the general public and are released on May 9th we are most likely going to change our plan of action and go for 2 standard rooms.
    Make sure you jump on it quickly -- sometimes there are very few rooms available at any one time for some of the promotions.
    Also, you may not want to do a split stay if you're doing the dining plan for the whole thing. EACH reservation would have to have the appropriate park tickets with it, which is going to then make you pay 'double' for the first couple of days on a ticket - because the first couple of days on a ticket are the most expensive.
    Cathy

  25. #24
    The Hollywood Chain Gang CariBelle's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Drince88 View Post
    Make sure you jump on it quickly -- sometimes there are very few rooms available at any one time for some of the promotions.
    Also, you may not want to do a split stay if you're doing the dining plan for the whole thing. EACH reservation would have to have the appropriate park tickets with it, which is going to then make you pay 'double' for the first couple of days on a ticket - because the first couple of days on a ticket are the most expensive.
    What time is it normally available?
    We aren't shooting for the dining plan, I don't think it's really worth it for us, plus if the Visa dates hold true it won't be offered for our trip dates.

    I'm actually looking forward to the 2 rooms now, I'm sure by that point I'll need some alone time!

  26. #25
    Ready for MA World Explorers! Drince88's Avatar
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    Ok, I thought you meant the Disney Visa promotion that was for free dining. Never mind that part.

    I don't know what time they're normally available. I'd check right before you go to bed (if it's midnight Eastern) and then shortly after you get up. But a TA may know. I've just had bad luck with timing of visits that are just at a time where they probably had no rooms available for the discount at the limited list of resorts I was willing to go for, for a particular visit.

    (And this November, half the trip is in Little Mermaid rooms at AofA, so they're usually excluded from all the discounts anyway!)

    Cathy

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