Letter about AKL refurbishment starting 5 January 2016

[jaklgreen]

I don't know. Maybe you are spoiled. Hehe I did not see any issues with the rooms. I think the furniture is fine and the wall paper pretty. It IS a hotel after all and will have "hotel" furniture. I have no issue with that. It is a few steps above Motel 6, as you say. They have scroll work and hidden Mickeys. I don't expect them to put super high end furniture in the rooms because people are animals and destroy things. I would not want to be fixing/replacing an $400 end table every time someone let little Johnny use permanent marker on it.

 

[jaklgreen]

Yeah... Been hoping someone would buy it since October... Not looking good... Lol

What dates in May?

 

[danlb_2000]

Yup, The new DVC standard unthemed furniture that's used at your local Motel 6 and crappy eggshell white paint poorly applied over wallpaper and/or stucco.

NOT what I bought into DVC for, I'm a charter member at both AKL and BLT. If I wanted a cheap generic hotel experience it would have been a lot cheaper to buy into other programs.

So what was the furniture like when you bought into DVC? Do you have pictures?

 

[mikenatcity1]

You're absolutely correct, no ones getting kicked out of the room, and there aren't any jack hammers ripping up the building, this shouldn't necessarily inconvenience the guests already in a booked room. Worst case, they'll move you mid vacation, but that's only happened to me twice, and the first one I got 2 nights free, and the other one, I got the whole hotel payment paid in-full.

I'll take that! Give me free money or rooms...i'd grumble, but then see the dollars and be happy!

 

[mikenatcity1]

According to this it looks like it will be AKL furnishings in a HolidayInnExpress room:
http://dvcinfo.com/dvc-information/dvc-resorts/resort-refurbishment

Based on the pictures, I'm not very happy about it. I think the AKL rooms are perfect as is.

I like the new furniture. I must admit even though I purchased at AKL I'm not a fan of the furniture. Now what I don't like is the wall color- is it confirmed that they will only have a white-ish wall? It doesn't seem Disney to have every since resort have the exact same wall color just different furniture.

 

[networkpro]

As an owner you have to understand that you have agreed to own only a portion of a resort unit and have it managed by the Disney Management Corporation. As part of that arrangement, they are responsible for the maintenance , repair, and replacement of all furniture (located under the "Administration and Management" section of your contract. They would be the appropriate venue to discuss your displeasure, also the ones to replace if they are unresponsive to the collective requests of the DVC unit owners, but given the structure under Florida law that would be very difficult (66% of at least 50% of all unit owners present for a approving quorum)

 

[ABQ]

So what was the furniture like when you bought into DVC? Do you have pictures?

I'll take a moment to interject having just stayed at the VWL since its update. If you look to @Weather_Lady 's thread here http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/...-updated-with-a-refurbed-villa-review.880219/ where sadly a number of photo links are dead, you can see there that though the new furnishings aren't bad, per se, they have lost a bit of the charm of the great lodge of the northwest the resort is themed for. Especially missing are the stencils along the top edge of the wall, now it's just a bland beige.
Again, not bad, but meh. May as well be a Hilton Garden Inn.

 

[cspencer96]

This ridiculousness of the OP in this thread has me

Get used to it. He never fails to deliver material like this. Also, he has "experience" in nearly every field (including my own), so anything you or I say will be refuted.

 

[mm121]

If you purchase into DVC or ANY Vacation club, you can't expect the rooms to look the same forever. Design trends change in with that, over time, hotels start to follow and put their own spin on what is considered the "in" style for hotel rooms.

Disney isn't taking away the African-themed nature of these rooms, but making the spaces lighter and brighter. This same conversation was had when the GrandFlo rooms were updated a year or two ago. The rooms were early 20th century's themed and were horrendous. The change was welcomed by most.

I happen to like the current look of the DAKL rooms and also like the new look in the pictures. Many guests don't like being fully immersed while in their hotel room, so Disney has to find a middle ground where things can be elegant and subtle, while still reflecting what the hotel stands for.

the biggest thing thing to me that is boring is changing to white walls, i can see the argument about lightening things up, but theres lots of shades between what they are now and what they are switching to. guess they got a discount on the paint if they bought it by the tankerful for all the resorts

With something always going on at WDW, and the parks always being busy, I really don't think there is a good time to do a refurb anymore. They have to pick the least of all the busy times, so I don't fault them for that. What I do fault them for is the few days notice, leaving you no time to prepare or change things. Disney has become notorious for this and I think you are right to be upset about that. As for the refurbed furniture I would wait and see it first before passing judgement.

the furniture looks like any typical chain hotel, especially with the toned down walls

I like the new furniture. I must admit even though I purchased at AKL I'm not a fan of the furniture. Now what I don't like is the wall color- is it confirmed that they will only have a white-ish wall? It doesn't seem Disney to have every since resort have the exact same wall color just different furniture.

they must be getting a huge discount on paint. lol

 

[Tigger1988]

Get used to it. He never fails to deliver material like this. Also, he has "experience" in nearly every field (including my own), so anything you or I say will be refuted.

He knows everything and nothing, all at the same time.

 

[DrummerAlly]

Time to sell DVC interests I think for 15 years it's been fun but the past 3 have been hell.

If your idea of hell is any "issue" you have with your DVC ownership, then you've got some issues.

 

[Captain Chaos]

Wait, didn't the OP just post, a few days ago, how much of a horrible time he and his family had in WDW, so much so they went over to stay in Universal instead? And um, now he is going BACK?

yea, I sense a mental disturbance with this one.

 

[biggy H]

Wonder how long it will be before the white walls have dirty marks all over them and will need doing again? At least with the old ones it wouldn't show so quick.

I liked the old scheme and don't like the new scheme but it won't stop me from going.

 

[majortom1981]

Are we sure they are white? It looks like they could be a light shade of yellow to me.

 

[Lucky]

Are we sure they are white? It looks like they could be a light shade of yellow to me.

Or a whiter shade of pale.

 

[DVCOwner]

When you scheduled it 11 months out and they send you a letter 2 weeks in advance of your stay so you cannot change your accomodations in time yeah I'm mad. And note it's a grand villa so alternate accomodations are not happening in time for the marathon.

Time to sell DVC interests I think for 15 years it's been fun but the past 3 have been hell.

If Disney was not doing this work you would be complaining about why Disney can not update there rooms. No matter what Disney does it is not up to your standard. Please sell your points, not go to any Disney park every again, and please do not post on this web site. Everyone knows that you are not happy. Move on and get a life outside of complaining about everything Disney.

 

[Biff215]

There is no reason to complain about the timeline of this project coinciding with marathon weekend. It will have zero effect on guests staying there. They could have even started during the holidays without dusruption, they just choose not to take rooms out of inventory when it would be fully booked. At least AKL is getting attention, some other resorts have been waiting much longer (BCV hopefully finally getting started soon).

Not liking the changes is something different entirely. Surely DVC has started going in a new direction with their rooms. While I'll miss the old decor, I'd rather see them refresh the rooms even though I may not like it at first. I still think DVC gives me tons of value which allows me to stay at deluxe resorts multiple times a year. Best purchase I've ever made, and we're getting ready to add more points. To each his own I guess!

 

[xdan0920]

Yup, The new DVC standard unthemed furniture that's used at your local Motel 6 and crappy eggshell white paint poorly applied over wallpaper and/or stucco.

NOT what I bought into DVC for, I'm a charter member at both AKL and BLT. If I wanted a cheap generic hotel experience it would have been a lot cheaper to buy into other programs.

You bought BLT? 6 years ago? You bought into BLT?

BLT is the worst of all the DVC resorts I've stayed at. Cheapest looking, cheapest feeling. And you bought that because you want highly themed resorts?

 

[flyerjab]

You bought BLT? 6 years ago? You bought into BLT?

BLT is the worst of all the DVC resorts I've stayed at. Cheapest looking, cheapest feeling. And you bought that because you want highly themed resorts?

What is funny is that I am typically a theming kind of guy. We stayed at BLT one night, though, and we actually really liked it (to my surprise). It doesn't scream WDW in any way whatsoever, but it was still nice for us. It also could have been due to the time that we were there and the location of the room. The room was on the first floor looking out towards the marina area of the Contemporary. I remember sitting on the porch with my wife having conversations with some random people that were out for a stroll after the sun had set. This was also March 6th, and we were out in shorts on the porch at night while it was snowing like crazy back home in PA. The next day we went swimming (and of course photos of this were sent to my friends back home hehe). These reasons could have all played into why we enjoyed it so much. I don't know though, as our room was a very clean one-bedroom. And that 1st floor location that was tucked away from facing the MK was nice. It was like a little nook that we retreated to at night away from the frenetic pace of the nearby MK. It was perfect.

Maybe that is why he bought it. Probably also for proximity as it can't be beat for that. However, why he is still a member of DVC at a destination resort that he clearly hates is beyond me at this point. Sometimes I think he types these things and just sits back and laughs at everyone that responds to his dribble. I even remember one time that the mods questioned him publicly in the forums about how fed up they were of his posts that essentially were the same old diatribe over and over. There was even a threat of him being removed if he didn't change it up a bit. I think that needs to be revisited.

 

[prberk]

I'll take a moment to interject having just stayed at the VWL since its update. If you look to @Weather_Lady 's thread here http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/...-updated-with-a-refurbed-villa-review.880219/ where sadly a number of photo links are dead, you can see there that though the new furnishings aren't bad, per se, they have lost a bit of the charm of the great lodge of the northwest the resort is themed for. Especially missing are the stencils along the top edge of the wall, now it's just a bland beige.
Again, not bad, but meh. May as well be a Hilton Garden Inn.

I think this is the point. Walt Disney World resorts, especially the AKL, used to be all about theming. And definitely not indistinguishable from a Hilton Garden Inn.

I LOVED the AKL color schemed when I could afford to stay there one time. The dark and bold colors helped transport me. The details, like the lettering on the wall and the carvings on the rough-hewn wood furniture, stood out to me.

Perhaps it is over the top to say that his experience in recent stays was "hell," but he likely means by comparison. And perhaps @ford91exploder does complain a lot here; but I feel like I know where he is coming from. I grew up with Disney, and especially WDW, as the definition of exceptionalism. It is frustrating to see mediocrity creep in to the place that inspired me to go above and beyond in creativity while still doing what was necessary to make people happy. Why have a regular old car bridge when you could have water bridge? Why have a regular train, when you could have a neato-cool monorail that ran efficiently above your head? Why have stadium-like echoes during the parade, when you can calculate the speed of sound and distribute it beautifully and mathematically in disguised speakers throughout the parade route making each performer seem like they are singing especially to you?

I get the risks of speaking up too often in a negative fashion, but I also get that among the fan base that discusses details daily, it is also useful to talk about missed opportunities.

As for AKL, this new "update" reminds me a lot of the discussion around removing the water feature from the Poly. Updates and even complete overhauls could be done, but overall the best approach should have left us still marveling at the intricate details and not in sentences that include "meh" or "Hilton Garden Inn," especially when they charge four times what the price of a Hilton Garden Inn.

I just want WDW to continue not only inspire sometimes, but in the breathtaking ways it used to.