What's your experience been booking at the 7 month window?

[LuvtheGoof]

I’m trying to book a Animal Kingdom or Polynesian studio right now at the 7 month window, but DVC Rental Store says the only availability is Saratoga Springs. Am I SOL? Does anyone have advice on how I should proceed, or if there is a better way to check availability? I was trying for last week of September into first week of October, but I can be flexible with my travel dates.

Well, today is the first 7 month booking day for Sept 28, and there are only 3 resorts with studios available - SSR, OKW, and a savannah view room at AKL. If you want a 1 bedroom, then all have availability except BCV, CCV, and of course, Poly.

 

[Da Bird is Da Word]

Unfortunately you're trying for F&WF and I assume a studio, right? Depends on the dates you are going for but there are other options if you are flexible. Really it is booking up since this is F&WF and a super popular time to book for DVC. Fall through early winter is tough due to low points (save the holidays) and events going on at the time. If you want DVC in the fall either do it at 11 months or don't go for a studio.

I don't think the last week of September is eligible yet at this exact time. Wait until it is exactly 7 months from your first travel date and try it then. Although it could be that the members there have already exhausted those rooms with their 11 month window. I always use our 11 month window at BLT for sure but have gotten plenty of studios for a couple of days use at AK within seven though. Try every resort because surely something is available at this stage. Although the Halloween Parties have gotten inSANELY popular now and that does complicate matters a little more. Also schools seem to be getting longer fall breaks these days and we found that out the hard way back in October. Our kids go to a private school so we don't really ever know the schedule of the public schools. Well our kids get 2 weeks of fall break where the public schools only get one week aaaaaaand as it turns out I booked our October trip last year for the week when most public schools in TN were on fall break and that is a mistake I won't be making again. LOL! We actually ran in to multiple people that we know and it was like for once, we didn't really have an accent at Disneyworld because it sounded like EVERYbody was from TN that week.

Well, today is the first 7 month booking day for Sept 28, and there are only 3 resorts with studios available - SSR, OKW, and a savannah view room at AKL. If you want a 1 bedroom, then all have availability except BCV, CCV, and of course, Poly.

Thanks for the advice, guys! I worked with a DVCRentalStore travel agent and booked a 7 night studio with a Savanna view for Sept 4th thru Sept 11th! Just had to be a little flexible with my travel dates to get what I wanted. This may be for the best anyway because evidently October is super busy now in days.

Very excited

 

[DuckTalesWooHoo1987]

Thanks for the advice, guys! I worked with a DVCRentalStore travel agent and booked a 7 night studio with a Savanna view for Sept 4th thru Sept 11th! Just had to be a little flexible with my travel dates to get what I wanted. This may be for the best anyway because evidently October is super busy now in days.

Very excited

Awesome. October definitely has its moments now. I wish I had known you wanted a savanna view because I could have told you the trick about getting a NON savanna view ON PAPER but in reality you can still see every animal on the savanna. I've done it multiple times and it has worked every time and I got the savanna view for the stand view points. What you do is just request you standard view be "as close as possible to a savanna view as possible" and if they meet that request you still get to see all the animals but don't have to use as many points to do it. Still glad you got what you wanted though.

 

[Da Bird is Da Word]

Awesome. October definitely has its moments now. I wish I had known you wanted a savanna view because I could have told you the trick about getting a NON savanna view ON PAPER but in reality you can still see every animal on the savanna. I've done it multiple times and it has worked every time and I got the savanna view for the stand view points. What you do is just request you standard view be "as close as possible to a savanna view as possible" and if they meet that request you still get to see all the animals but don't have to use as many points to do it. Still glad you got what you wanted though.

Yeah, I actually requested the standard view but was told they only had the Savanna view left! Definitely appreciate the tip though. Hopefully we’ll be treated to a great view and it will all be worth it.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

Thanks for the advice, guys! I worked with a DVCRentalStore travel agent and booked a 7 night studio with a Savanna view for Sept 4th thru Sept 11th! Just had to be a little flexible with my travel dates to get what I wanted. This may be for the best anyway because evidently October is super busy now in days.

Very excited

Very cool! Kidani or Jambo? We've stayed at both.

 

[correcaminos]

Thanks for the advice, guys! I worked with a DVCRentalStore travel agent and booked a 7 night studio with a Savanna view for Sept 4th thru Sept 11th! Just had to be a little flexible with my travel dates to get what I wanted. This may be for the best anyway because evidently October is super busy now in days.

Very excited

Glad you got something! October has always been busy for DVC but now I noticed that the crowds are increasing too. Our anniversary is in Oct and it's surprising how much it has changed in the last 19 years.

 

[Da Bird is Da Word]

Very cool! Kidani or Jambo? We've stayed at both.

Kidani. Btw I have a question. Do you have to drive from Kidani to Jambo, or is it within walking distance? I didn’t realize AK Lodge was separated into two parts until very recently.

 

[correcaminos]

Kidani. Btw I have a question. Do you have to drive from Kidani to Jambo, or is it within walking distance? I didn’t realize AK Lodge was separated into two parts until very recently.

They are within walling distance. They also have a shuttle that goes between the two as well.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

Kidani. Btw I have a question. Do you have to drive from Kidani to Jambo, or is it within walking distance? I didn’t realize AK Lodge was separated into two parts until very recently.

It's only a 5-10 minute walk to each, depending on your speed. When we stayed at Kidani, we walked over for dinner at Jiko, and when we stayed at Jambo, we walked over for lunch at Sanaa.

We saw a lot more animals at Jambo, but we may have just been lucky.

 

[DuckTalesWooHoo1987]

It's only a 5-10 minute walk to each, depending on your speed. When we stayed at Kidani, we walked over for dinner at Jiko, and when we stayed at Jambo, we walked over for lunch at Sanaa.

We saw a lot more animals at Jambo, but we may have just been lucky.

We've seen a lot at Jambo too. A giraffe was literally standing right outside of our room one morning with his tongue stuck up to leaves on a tree and I took a picture real quick that looked like you could have just reached out and touched him. We only spend a couple of days there at a time though because I just can't stand being away from Bay Lake and MK is my favorite park and I just love having the sidewalk and the MK view to spend a whole trip away from it. My wife's favorite resort is BW though and my little boy wishes we were always at AK because he loves animals so much.

 

[correcaminos]

I'd say as long as you are on the sunset savanna at Kidani you will see plenty of animals. We saw same at both Kidani and Jambo.

 

[Ariel1986]

I'd say as long as you are on the sunset savanna at Kidani you will see plenty of animals. We saw same at both Kidani and Jambo.

Is Sunset a specific area of Kidani? We have a Savanna view booked- is there better areas to request? First time at AKL!

 

[nickys]

Is Sunset a specific area of Kidani? We have a Savanna view booked- is there better areas to request? First time at AKL!

There are two Savannas at Kidani. Sunset is shared with Jambo and is large. Pembe is a smaller one that can also be seen from the pool area. Pembe is the home of the red river hogs, who look sooo cute, especially the babies, but are actually pretty bad tempered! So there are fewer animals housed in Pembe.

You can request to overlook the Sunset savanna, but as always, it is just a request.

 

[Ariel1986]

There are two Savannas at Kidani. Sunset is shared with Jambo and is large. Pembe is a smaller one that can also be seen from the pool area. Pembe is the home of the red river hogs, who look sooo cute, especially the babies, but are actually pretty bad tempered! So there are fewer animals housed in Pembe.

You can request to overlook the Sunset savanna, but as always, it is just a request.

Thanks! Also do you know if Kidani's studios have the larger flatscreen tv's yet? I'm seeing a few different versions of the studios with subtle differences and I can't work out which one is which. Some of the kitchen's seem to have a little simba on the tile whereas others don't. Is it just luck of the draw? Sorry to go slightly off topic!

 

[correcaminos]

There are two Savannas at Kidani. Sunset is shared with Jambo and is large. Pembe is a smaller one that can also be seen from the pool area. Pembe is the home of the red river hogs, who look sooo cute, especially the babies, but are actually pretty bad tempered! So there are fewer animals housed in Pembe.

You can request to overlook the Sunset savanna, but as always, it is just a request.

Pembe has Okapi too which my son adores, but not enough to request to stay over. I love the cattle the most myself.

Chances with a savanna view would be to get the sunset savanna. We usually just roll the dice and see what they give us though.

Thanks! Also do you know if Kidani's studios have the larger flatscreen tv's yet? I'm seeing a few different versions of the studios with subtle differences and I can't work out which one is which. Some of the kitchen's seem to have a little simba on the tile whereas others don't. Is it just luck of the draw? Sorry to go slightly off topic!

This one has what I believe are the most up to date photos

Kidani Village at Animal Kingdom Lodge Villas Photo Gallery 2 Villas

A Comprehensive set of FAQs for Disney Vacation Club Hotels at Walt Disney World in Orlando Florida

allears.net

Remember there are no kitchens in studios.

 

[Ariel1986]

Pembe has Okapi too which my son adores, but not enough to request to stay over. I love the cattle the most myself.

Chances with a savanna view would be to get the sunset savanna. We usually just roll the dice and see what they give us though.



This one has what I believe are the most up to date photos

Kidani Village at Animal Kingdom Lodge Villas Photo Gallery 2 Villas

A Comprehensive set of FAQs for Disney Vacation Club Hotels at Walt Disney World in Orlando Florida

allears.net

Remember there are no kitchens in studios.

Thanks- and yes sorry I meant kitchenette not kitchen.