# Animal Kingdom Lodge countdown



## Steamboat Bill (Apr 14, 2008)

I am already starting to pack for my stay at the DVC Animal Kingdom Lodge Tuesday-Saturday and I have a coveted Grand Villa reserved (3 bedroom).

Is anyone else going to be there this week?


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## lprstn (Apr 14, 2008)

I wish I was!!!!  Boy am I a little green right now    .  Have blast!


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## arlene22 (Apr 14, 2008)

I am checking in on Saturday morning.


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## Steamboat Bill (Apr 14, 2008)

arlene22 said:


> I am checking in on Saturday morning.



Do you want my room as we are checking out on Saturday!


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## arlene22 (Apr 14, 2008)

We only have a 2BR Jambo Sav. View reserved, so much as I'd like to, I don't think they'll let me check into your Grand Villa!


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## tomandrobin (Apr 14, 2008)

We just got this afternoon from Animal Kingdom Lodge. Had a great R&R trip, not much park time. Everything was busy, busy, busy! Weather was fantastic, we went swimming 3 of the 5 days we were in WDW. We did the Sunrise Safari tour, well worth the money and highly recommend it!


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## Steamboat Bill (Apr 14, 2008)

tomandrobin said:


> We just got this afternoon from Animal Kingdom Lodge. Had a great R&R trip, not much park time. Everything was busy, busy, busy! Weather was fantastic, we went swimming 3 of the 5 days we were in WDW. We did the Sunrise Safari tour, well worth the money and highly recommend it!



I was hoping the crowds would decrease this week. How was it for you?


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## arlene22 (Apr 18, 2008)

Bill,

I was looking at the floor plan for the AKV grand villa and I have a question (actually two) for you:

1) What on earth is the room off the master bedroom (between the master and the living area)? On the floor plan, it looks like a big space with a rectangle in it.

2) Are the balconies really as huge as they look on the floor plan?


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## FLYNZ4 (Apr 18, 2008)

arlene22 said:


> Bill,
> 
> I was looking at the floor plan for the AKV grand villa and I have a question (actually two) for you:
> 
> ...



More than likely, it is the pool table room.  Take a look.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1770565

/Jim


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## Steamboat Bill (Apr 18, 2008)

The room is really a billiards room....very cool. It is not a regulation table, but not a small one either.

There are three balconies that are 1/2 circle shaped and are HUGE. I estimate 20' long and 15 foot wide. You can easily fit 10 or more people on each balcony.

There are 3 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms and 4 showers and 2 bathtubs and 5 flat screen tvs

I estimate this Grand Villa is the size of 8 standard studio rooms.

We had dinner on the main dining room table that can easily seat 12 people.

Very Impressive timeshare.


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## arlene22 (Apr 18, 2008)

FLYNZ4 said:


> More than likely, it is the pool table room.  Take a look.
> 
> http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1770565
> 
> /Jim



Of course, the billiard room! Why didn't I think of that?? Was Colonel Mustard there with the rope? 

Cool pictures. I am most impressed with the balconies. But is it true they don't really have a good savannah view? That seems like a shame. I know they did that with the concierge rooms, too. If you spend all those points, you should get a savannah view!


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## Steamboat Bill (Apr 18, 2008)

I agree that the view is sub-par for the BEST rooms available. I am looking over the hottubs with LOUD flamingo's as the major animals we see. I did see a giraffee and multiple animals from one balcony. The view on the other side of the property is far superior. I will point out the location after I check out tomorrow.


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## Steamboat Bill (Apr 20, 2008)

Here is a link to some photo I took of the Animal Kingdom Lodge Grand Villa.

They were taken on the last day, so please excuse the mess.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/steamboatbill/


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## wmmmmm (Apr 20, 2008)

Nice pictures.  I was fairly skeptical of AK but more and more, I am starting to like AK.  The hard part is now deciding where to stay for our first DVC visit!


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## icydog (May 16, 2008)

Steamboat Bill said:


> Here is a link to some photo I took of the Animal Kingdom Lodge Grand Villa.
> 
> They were taken on the last day, so please excuse the mess.
> 
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/steamboatbill/




Bill are the new Kadini buildings open yet? Your picts are unbelievable. I defy anyone to show us a more upscale timeshare.


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## Steamboat Bill (May 16, 2008)

icydog said:


> Bill are the new Kadini buildings open yet? Your picts are unbelievable. I defy anyone to show us a more upscale timeshare.



They look like another 3-6 months away from opening (my opinion).

Yes, this is the NICEST Timeshare I have ever seen myself.


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## Twinkstarr (May 16, 2008)

wmmmmm said:


> Nice pictures.  I was fairly skeptical of AK but more and more, I am starting to like AK.  The hard part is now deciding where to stay for our first DVC visit!



My husband is still skeptical of AKV, doesn't like you can't walk to anything. Once Kidani is open I'm going to try to get in over there. Kids want to try it because they saw AK on one of those Samantha Brown shows(my 7 yr old loves her). 

So far we've stayed at SSR,VWL and BCV on site, you'll get a different answer from all 4 of us on which one is our favorite! :rofl: 

Though I really like the bathroom in that 3br!


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## tlwmkw (May 16, 2008)

twinkstarr,

I agree with your dh- the Animal Kingdom Lodge is rather far from the madding Disney crowd.  We stayed there and it was a curse, but also a blessing.  Nice because was quieter and also the kids loved seeing the animals from the balcony, but we relied on the Disney transport buses and that was awful- we even resorted to taxis for some of the time because the buses were so unreliable.  It really put a damper on the trip.  Since then we have sworn never to be at Disney without our own transport.  The worst was riding a crowded Disney transport bus after waiting about an hour and then finding it packed with people- dh had a migraine and was close to vomiting all over the other passengers- wouldn't they have loved that!!!


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## Steamboat Bill (May 16, 2008)

I agree that the location is not great, but the themeing is probably the best of any DVC.

I have been to every DVC and the GC and Contemporary. They all have their unique charm and I am not sure if there is any "BEST" DVC property.


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## Twinkstarr (May 17, 2008)

I'm going to give AKV a shot once Kidani is done. I don't really want to look out at cranes and such. I don't think I would spend a week long trip there, but one of our 4 night ones might work.

I just hope the same interior designers are working on Bay Lake Tower.


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## JackandSally79 (May 27, 2008)

We just got back from AKV last week and loved it.  
We had a great view and a nice cool breeze. I think we will stay there again.


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