Purchase Animal Kingdom?

[Mmw37]

I'm in a similar situation as to resort consideration, although we started with a small BWV contract and are deciding where to add on. We're ok with studios for right now - and will be staying in them the next few trips due to low # of points owned - but the plan was always to buy more once we took a few trips as members.

I'm considering the same 3 resorts. BLT for location, SSR for location (we like the dining options as DS quite a bit), and AKV for the ability to book value rooms and stretch points, especially if we want to bring another family or let the boys take a friend when they're older. I've been leaning SSR, but keep wavering because there isn't currently an 11 mo advantage with any booking category there that we would regularly use. The difference in MFs isn't enough to dent our budget, so that isn't really a factor. AKV seems like such a unique place to stay that I definitely want to try it, but I don't know if I want to commit to repeated stays somewhere with such limited (even if awesome) nearby dining options.

Can you rent points and try a resort or two? Instead of reading and obsessing, we're using our BWV contract to try a few places out before committing more $$. If we don't love any of them, we'll just get more at BWV

 

[Kim Gillihan]

I will be buying resale, yes. you brought up so many good points! You are so right about the 16 year old, wow, hard to imagine. I am still leaning ak.... I wish mait fees weren't higher... but its not that much. I am going to keep looking and thinking. So much to consider!! I am so glad to hear you love AKL, everyone likes different things! Thank you so much!

 

[sndral]

I bought AKV a couple of years ago. I bought about half the number of points I thought I'd like to ultimately own planning to try out a few resorts and then buy my next batch of points probably at BWV.
The reason I chose AKV:
I love AKL & am a total animal geek, so for me having a balcony where I can watch animals is very special - in fact I spend the extra points to stay savanna view. I knew I could probably get AKV w/ SSR points - but I had no desire to stay at the spread out non themed megalith that is SSR. I knew the maintenance fees were lower at SSR, but I charted MFs for all WDW DVCs from each ones' opening & that was quite an eye opener - IMO there's no guarentee that BLT or SSR will always have lower MFs than other properties. That said, I assumed that AKV's MFs would remain on the higher end because of the upkeep on the animals.
As DVC adds resorts and more and more people rent points to stay in DVC villas, I suspect that competition for units at 7 months during popular times going to get worse.
Since I bought the points in addition to staying at AKV I've managed to also secure multi day stays at BWV & VGF during the high demand early/mid December period.
I've learned that AKV is unique in a couple of other ways as well. You have the choice of Jambo or Kidani. Kidani villas have that rare extra bathroom in the 1 & 2 br. villas. AKV is the only DVC offering club level, altho' they are the hardest villas to get. I don't try for them as they are on the 6th floor at Jambo & you aren't guarenteed a savanna view. Next hardest are Jambo's value villas. Then villas in Jambo. Kidani villas are easier to get.
If you buy a loaded contract you can use banking & borrowing to cover several stays and once you've tried different DVCs, then you'll know where you want to buy your next batch of points from. DVC may even build a new resort you want in the meantime.

 

[Lan Dao]

I bought AKV a couple of years ago. I bought about half the number of points I thought I'd like to ultimately own planning to try out a few resorts and then buy my next batch of points probably at BWV.
The reason I chose AKV:
I love AKL & am a total animal geek, so for me having a balcony where I can watch animals is very special - in fact I spend the extra points to stay savanna view. I knew I could probably get AKV w/ SSR points - but I had no desire to stay at the spread out non themed megalith that is SSR. I knew the maintenance fees were lower at SSR, but I charted MFs for all WDW DVCs from each ones' opening & that was quite an eye opener - IMO there's no guarentee that BLT or SSR will always have lower MFs than other properties. That said, I assumed that AKV's MFs would remain on the higher end because of the upkeep on the animals.
As DVC adds resorts and more and more people rent points to stay in DVC villas, I suspect that competition for units at 7 months during popular times going to get worse.
Since I bought the points in addition to staying at AKV I've managed to also secure multi day stays at BWV & VGF during the high demand early/mid December period.
I've learned that AKV is

I'm still waiting for ROFR but it everything goes well, I may be able to start booking by mid March. Do you think I can still get a Savannah view 2 bedroom at AKL for post July 4 visit?

 

[Dean]

Dean,

you bring up some interesting points, I thought about doing a combo like you suggest.. but worry that if I want to book a 2 bedroom for a group I would then have to wait until 7 months because I wouldn't have enough points at either resort... am I missing something?

We are 3 now, possibly could grow to 4 and love to travel with other families when possible.

I think I would really like Bay lake in a 1 bed and larger.. I am not thrilled with the little studio situation. That's my main issue with BLT. But, location is awesome.

It is really a mathematical formula of your situation considering unit size, resort preference and frequency of trips along with your preferences. If you're looking at much studio usage for a week a year, you may not have sufficient volume to justify owning both. For a 1 BR something like 150 to 170 at BLT & 120 to 150 at AKV would allow a 1 BR EOY and be enough to get together to do a 2 BR every number of years though you might have do cut a few points on other visits around the 2 BR. I would not buy extra points to maybe possibly bring other people, only if I had specific plans. If this is the route you're heading, I'd buy one and see how it goes. For both of these 2, I'd buy BLT first because it'll be easier to match up AKV than BLT later. You will need a cushion of 10-20% over what you calculate IMO and that should be sufficient to get a 2 BR together at least some of the time.

 

[quandrea]

We own 210 points at AKV, which we LOVE. DH and I do not have children and we enjoy going with family at times. I have been lucky enough to book two value studios the last few years when we take family....ummmmm...not this year. When I tell you I stalk the DVC website, I mean I count and recount everything and watch it for days. This year everyone was walking a reservation and there were no value studios for the first day at all. I am happy for those DVC members that got one because it is a very good option. Just makes it more difficult to stretch our points. For us we would never ever stay at BLT again...no personality....so everyone is different and there is nothing wrong with that.

In say 8 years you will have a 16 year old wanting to go to Disney Springs at night with a friend they brought. SSR makes that a good option. You and DH enjoy an evening of drinks and TV and the kids are in a known environment that you feel good about ( I hope it is still like that). So don't discount the fact that DVC will CHANGE THE WAY YOU DO DISNEY. You have made a financial commitment to the location....you age....the parks don't change fast enough and you decide to skip the fireworks and enjoy the resort....and then like DH and I you tell co-workers you enjoyed your room and watched TV on vacation. DVC makes DSINEY fill like home in a sense...you are so comfortable after 5-6 years of ownership. At least we are. It isn't so much about "Disney Vacation" and it is just a lovely vacation in a "deluxe" resort. In a way it spoils you. At 10 years ownership you decide to do a non park trip. I see it happening to us and I never would have believed it. It is GREAT!

This, a thousand times! Just got back from a two week parkless trip. Disney is home. The way you do Disney will change and the resort will be more important.

I will add that Animal Kingdom is highly desired in the rental market. Saratoga. Not so much. We own at both. While I Love Saratoga I always book Animal Kingdom. Its fabulous. Saratoga I'm happy to stay at for more last minute trips.

 

[kniquy]

I could opt for concierge level

I agree with other that the novelty will wear and this will not be a good use of your points. And if the high points of BLT are a concern then the AKV CL rooms will not fit the bill.

I am a little concerned about mait fees.

I own 120 points at AKL -- the difference between the MF at AKL and many of the other resorts isn't a huge issue for us and we feel after having stayed at SSR that we feel the little extra money is worth it for the resort. This is where you need to play with your numbers. There is a significant buy in difference between AKL and BLT. Look at the numbers - how many points you need for each room category at each resort and what that would equate for your final buy in cost. Buy for your family and not for bringing others. Clear your head of that. That just complicates your decision process. If you think down the road you will be a family of 5 then buy the number of points needed for a 1BR. Friends or family can pay their way and rent a DVC or just get a room. If you really want to plan to go with family then you might need to bank and borrow points for a couple of years to make it happen -- it would just mean you would have to forego trips for a year.

Price out each resort and the points you would need- add in a 10% cushion to hedge against possible realignment of points down the road. It doesn't happen often but it does happen. If you haven't actually visited each resort - it is best to do so but sometimes not practical. We did a DVC rental at SSR and although the resort was nice i know i would be disappointed paying those MF each year for a resort i didn't care for. So we opted for AVK. If you haven't visited them then look at youtube videos for each room category. Some don't like BLT because of the more modern look. SSR is nice, but to me was just a room with a little theming. AKL is a unique resort and is almost a vacation in itself.

I think I would really like Bay lake in a 1 bed and larger.

Once you look at the financials to see what fits in your budget that may help with eliminating one of the resorts. BLT will be a larger buy in simply because of price per point is over $110 per point (resale prices are all over the place!) so for $200 points your buy in is ~$22000. For AKL and SSR the prices are comparable $80-85 - so those same contracts would be ~$16000. (plus closing costs). You need to decide if BLT is worth the extra $6000.

The one great thing about DVC is that you are not locked into the resort you buy. If you are looking between Jan (after the marathon) to beginning of September you can probably find something at other resorts. If you are flexible you can do split stays and almost have 2 vacations in one. Good luck in your decision!

 

[Dean]

You need to decide if BLT is worth the extra $6000.

Long term BLT will be cheaper than AKV in all likelihood but BLT will be a higher buy in because it has more value.

 

[kniquy]

Long term BLT will be cheaper than AKV in all likelihood but BLT will be a higher buy in because it has more value.

In the very long term (if the difference in MF is .96 per point for the current year (and hypothetically remained consistent for subsequent year) how long would it take to negate the $6000 savings on a 200 AKV point contract ? I did a rough calculation - at a $192 yearly MF difference it would take 31 years. Maybe i am looking at it wrong, but that is how i am looking at it. And what are the odds someone keeps their contract for 31 years?

The OP also needs to consider that he/she needs more points to stay at BLT vs AKV. Looking at davids dvc calculator for one week in April

AVK studio standard/sav = 116/139
AKV 1BR stnd/sav = 228/272

BLT studio stn/lake/magic = 139/153/183
BLT 1 BR = Stnd/lake/magic = 268/301/363

OP can purchase a smaller AKV contract and use less point for the same room category at AKV vs BLT -- thus in the long run costing less. If you were to compare SSR and AKV -- SSR would certainly be a small savings right up front. It really boils down to where they want to stay and what matters most to them. Some may feel it is worth the extra money and points to stay at a monorail resort.

 

[Dean]

In the very long term (if the difference in MF is .96 per point for the current year (and hypothetically remained consistent for subsequent year) how long would it take to negate the $6000 savings on a 200 AKV point contract ? I did a rough calculation - at a $192 yearly MF difference it would take 31 years. Maybe i am looking at it wrong, but that is how i am looking at it. And what are the odds someone keeps their contract for 31 years?

The OP also needs to consider that he/she needs more points to stay at BLT vs AKV. Looking at davids dvc calculator for one week in April

AVK studio standard/sav = 116/139
AKV 1BR stnd/sav = 228/272

BLT studio stn/lake/magic = 139/153/183
BLT 1 BR = Stnd/lake/magic = 268/301/363

OP can purchase a smaller AKV contract and use less point for the same room category at AKV vs BLT -- thus in the long run costing less. If you were to compare SSR and AKV -- SSR would certainly be a small savings right up front. It really boils down to where they want to stay and what matters most to them. Some may feel it is worth the extra money and points to stay at a monorail resort.

Did you index the fees for inflation? I would if you didn't but it will take a while. Remember BLT will be worth more long term, likely increasingly more in comparison so at break even just to have points I'd rather own BLT since it's more desirable overall. If they'll buy less points then that is a consideration, that especially comes into play for the value rooms. It is my opinion that one can get into Kidani routinely at 7 months so using the same number of points is reasonable. I also feel that AKV offers more risk for fees going up faster than BLT over and above inflation but who knows. Certainly if one wants AKV most of the time then I"d buy there between these 2 but I didn't get the sense the OP actually was set on that plan.

 

[supersnoop]

And what are the odds someone keeps their contract for 31 years?

When you start throwing in that variable, then you also have to consider the asset value of the contract in future years. When you go to sell in, say, 15 years, will BLT still be worth $6,000 more than AKV? If so, then you're even further ahead by purchasing BLT.

The OP also needs to consider that he/she needs more points to stay at BLT vs AKV. Looking at davids dvc calculator for one week in April

When you make this argument, you also need to consider the AKV rooms will almost certainly be available at 7 months. You could use the BLT points, with their lower maintenance fees, to book that standard AKV room. In that case, you'd be even farther ahead by purchasing BLT. Conversely, if you tried to use your AKV points, with their higher fees, to book a room at BLT, you'd likely be limited to a lake-view room, making your stay dramatically more expensive.

In the end, of course, it's a personal decision. The difference isn't too huge and the ROI is far out, but, mathematically speaking, the only reason to purchase AKV is if you'll consistently book value rooms.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

When you start throwing in that variable, then you also have to consider the asset value of the contract in future years. When you go to sell in, say, 15 years, will BLT still be worth $6,000 more than AKV? If so, then you're even further ahead by purchasing BLT.

When you make this argument, you also need to consider the AKV rooms will almost certainly be available at 7 months. You could use the BLT points, with their lower maintenance fees, to book that standard AKV room. In that case, you'd be even farther ahead by purchasing BLT. Conversely, if you tried to use your AKV points, with their higher fees, to book a room at BLT, you'd likely be limited to a lake-view room, making your stay dramatically more expensive.

In the end, of course, it's a personal decision. The difference isn't too huge and the ROI is far out, but, mathematically speaking, the only reason to purchase AKV is if you'll consistently book value rooms.

Things are changing a bit at AKV though. Jambo consistently has difficulty at 7 months and during certain times now even Kidani is not guaranteed for 7 months. As with other resorts the time of year to visit plays a part. If I wanted to consistently stay at AKV during Oct-Dec I'd consider buying there even if not booking value rooms. And one needs to decide if the wait and see at 7 months is worth it for a moderate savings dependent on what size villa one usually books. With lower room point requirements it may not even be a savings.

As far as selling and BLT getting $6K more than AKV, that's only good if you didn't pay $6k more to start out with. It needs to be an increasing spread between the two vs a constant.

 

[Kim Gillihan]

I'm in a similar situation as to resort consideration, although we started with a small BWV contract and are deciding where to add on. We're ok with studios for right now - and will be staying in them the next few trips due to low # of points owned - but the plan was always to buy more once we took a few trips as members.

I'm considering the same 3 resorts. BLT for location, SSR for location (we like the dining options as DS quite a bit), and AKV for the ability to book value rooms and stretch points, especially if we want to bring another family or let the boys take a friend when they're older. I've been leaning SSR, but keep wavering because there isn't currently an 11 mo advantage with any booking category there that we would regularly use. The difference in MFs isn't enough to dent our budget, so that isn't really a factor. AKV seems like such a unique place to stay that I definitely want to try it, but I don't know if I want to commit to repeated stays somewhere with such limited (even if awesome) nearby dining options.

Can you rent points and try a resort or two? Instead of reading and obsessing, we're using our BWV contract to try a few places out before committing more $$. If we don't love any of them, we'll just get more at BWV

Good point about the dining options! It's such hard decision. I know I'll love akv. I'll be ok most places actually. It just seems to me you get more value and can purchase more points at akv or ssr. I would love to own BLT for all reasons mentioned but they so expensive. The thing it seems a pot ssr is sounds like can stay there most anytime but akv getting more difficult some are saying. Tough decision!!!! Thanks for your advice.

 

[Kim Gillihan]

I found akv June use year loaded. Thinking pulling trigger. Still looking but looks like great deal with use year I want and Points to use now. 200 points.

Thoughts? Kim

 

[supersnoop]

I found akv June use year loaded. Thinking pulling trigger. Still looking but looks like great deal with use year I want and Points to use now. 200 points.

Thoughts? Kim

Loaded contracts move quickly. Act fast if you really want it.

 

[DVCMinnie2532]

Things are changing a bit at AKV though. Jambo consistently has difficulty at 7 months and during certain times now even Kidani is not guaranteed for 7 months. As with other resorts the time of year to visit plays a part. If I wanted to consistently stay at AKV during Oct-Dec I'd consider buying there even if not booking value rooms. And one needs to decide if the wait and see at 7 months is worth it for a moderate savings dependent on what size villa one usually books. With lower room point requirements it may not even be a savings.

As far as selling and BLT getting $6K more than AKV, that's only good if you didn't pay $6k more to start out with. It needs to be an increasing spread between the two vs a constant.

Agreed. Akv has been showing much less availability. I have found the more point intensive rooms at other resorts easier to get lately! People def seem to be over confident akv will be available at seven months!

 

[Dean]

Agreed. Akv has been showing much less availability. I have found the more point intensive rooms at other resorts easier to get lately! People def seem to be over confident akv will be available at seven months!

I am confident one can get in routinely at 7 months for Kidani but it may require appropriate use of the wait list at times.

 

[sndral]

AKL took awhile to find it's audience - I first stayed there before they converted the 5th/6th floor at Jambo to DVC & built Kidani. As time has gone on it seems that AKL has grown in popularity as the subset of people who appreciate how very unique the resort is grows. It's not everyone's version of a WDW vacation, but it does appeal to a growing group it seems. It will be interesting to see how the expanded hours at AK along with the opening of Pandora impact availability at nearby AKL/AKV. My sense is that it won't have a huge impact since there is no direct access between the two - but time will tell. I'm sure we'll hop over to AK from Jambo/Kidani a few extra times this Dec.. It'll be nice to have a park that stays open later so close.

 

[ToddyLu]

I agree I am excited about the later hours at AK too. But this year, for the first time, I have realized that my taking the parents in alternating years may be a thing of the past. Ultimately we purchased DVC for us. It was an awesome perk to be able to take family and get value villas. As we all age taking them may not be as easy in the future. I would love to own more points but for now we have what we can easily afford and take the time off from work. Hindsight, being 20/20 we should have bought resale but didn't. Sure it bit us fanatically when compared to resale but we have so enjoyed it. DVC makes vacationing in Disney a must to get your "money's worth. As a childless couple, we only had to think of our needs. However, if we had children, I would have still bought what we as adults wanted. I never dread seeing AKV looming in front of us. I never dread the bus ride to MK. But I will never forget the shear joy and elation we had leaving BLT after our one night--and the shear joy and elation seeing AKV the next morning. I thought " I hope people really check out the resort they purchase before they actually sign the dotted line". I certainly do not mind the fact that I pay extra MFs to feel so happy. That is how you should feel on vacation. We knew Disney was our destination of choice several years before finally pulling the trigger.

I have been surprised this last year how popular the resort has become. We have stayed at Jambo the last several years and are excited to visit and stay at Kidani on our second trip in Dec. It has a change of mood and vibe-more quiet and comfortable. More homey I guess. I would love to stay in the other resorts at least once but BLT did it for DH and turned him into a AKV purist. Who knew.........

 

[LAE7]

We (family of 3 with an 8 year old) bought AKV (200 points; loaded contract) over a year ago and couldn't be happier. The two selling points for us is that it is our favorite DVC property and you can't beat the value villas. We have been able to book a 1 bedroom value four times now, including two 6 night stays just before Christmas this past and upcoming year (booked at 11 months). We also lucked out and got savannah view for all of our value stays. The lower points translates into an extra trip each year for us and that is huge. We have never had any issues with the buses. We always have a car with us but take the bus to the parks as it is quicker and less of a hassle than driving. The restaurants on property are our favorite and watching the animals at the lookout with a glass of wine just can't be beat. We have no regrets and have yet to book a stay at any other DVC resort.