To buy at OKW or AKL before staying?

[Penulma]

I am considering purchasing a small resale contact at either OKW (2057) or AKL. It’s my husband, daughter (2) and me. We have not stayed at either. Only have stayed at POP and Riverside. We go to WDW once a year so DVC just seems to make sense for us. I thought maybe we should rent someone’s points the next trip in 2020 and do a few nights at each to try them out but I almost just want to put that money towards a contact instead. And I also thought if we like the resort that much after buying resale maybe we’d get on a waitlist for direct and buy points to become “official” DVC members. Any thoughts on buying before staying?

 

[crvetter]

Have you seen the resorts in person? Have you dined at any of them? What draws you to the two resorts? If you have some tangabile experiences I think it could make sense. However, if you are buying for strictly economical reasons (as that is why you are choosing those resorts) you might want to wait to try them out in person. I personally never stayed in a DVC resort once before I bought but I visited every property over my many trips to WDW. I knew some resorts I didn't want at all and some I loved. I ended up buying at a resort that I had a strong emotional connection to as a child (WL/CCV) so even though I never stayed CCV, I saw the rooms in person and the resort in person and knew I had a strong connection to the resort. So it didn't make sense for me personally to need to stay there.

Transportation and convenience wise I think you will find OKW to be similar to Riverside. AK will probably be similar to POP (before Skyliner). Also be aware that OKW has less Food option onsite (but is a boat ride from DS) than POP or Riverside and AK has less if you aren't staying in Jambo (if in Kidani you will need to bus or walk to Jambo for QS options).

Then I bought VGC resale without ever staying there but it is the only option at DLR but I knew I preferred GCH over Paradise Pier where I was staying because it provided a more resort and escape from reality than DLH or Paradise Pier could ever.

 

[Sandisw]

OKW is a spread out resort with lots of buildings vs AKV a resort with more of a hotel feel...inside hallways, etc,

Given that you have a 2 year old, being at a resort with animals my be a big deal as I know my grandkids would love it,

Each one are pretty large resorts, so I think buying either would allow you trade to the other if you found a preference,

Studios at OKW have two real beds and are big in size, I Have never stayed at OKW and only a few times at AKV, but that is because I prefer other resorts.

 

[SecondEventuality]

Hi! We are a family of 3, our son is 5. We also only primarily stayed at Riverside + Port Orleans through the years and part of the reason why we went with OKW, aside from how cheap it is to stay there (min ~70).

A small (under 100) OKW + extended may be hard to find! I've been looking, but I am also needing a specific UY.

We went direct in Oct as the bottom line was about the same for a small contract, stripped resale 2042 vs. 2057 direct near the end of the year (bonus 2019 points). Everyone is different and has differing objectives and goals, so have to do what is best for you!

Good luck!!!

 

[Penulma]

Have you seen the resorts in person? Have you dined at any of them? What draws you to the two resorts? If you have some tangabile experiences I think it could make sense. However, if you are buying for strictly economical reasons (as that is why you are choosing those resorts) you might want to wait to try them out in person. I personally never stayed in a DVC resort once before I bought but I visited every property over my many trips to WDW. I knew some resorts I didn't want at all and some I loved. I ended up buying at a resort that I had a strong emotional connection to as a child (WL/CCV) so even though I never stayed CCV, I saw the rooms in person and the resort in person and knew I had a strong connection to the resort. So it didn't make sense for me personally to need to stay there.

Transportation and convenience wise I think you will find OKW to be similar to Riverside. AK will probably be similar to POP (before Skyliner). Also be aware that OKW has less Food option onsite (but is a boat ride from DS) than POP or Riverside and AK has less if you aren't staying in Jambo (if in Kidani you will need to bus or walk to Jambo for QS options).

Then I bought VGC resale without ever staying there but it is the only option at DLR but I knew I preferred GCH over Paradise Pier where I was staying because it provided a more resort and escape from reality than DLH or Paradise Pier could ever.

I have ever been to them for dining or anything unfortunately. But I do like each of their theming. We always rent a car so we won’t rely on transportation. But I am narrowing it down to these two because of the value. Lower price per point and points per night seem to be the lowest of all the DVC resorts.

 

[crvetter]

I have ever been to them for dining or anything unfortunately. But I do like each of their theming. We always rent a car so we won’t rely on transportation. But I am narrowing it down to these two because of the value. Lower price per point and points per night seem to be the lowest of all the DVC resorts.

I wouldn't count on AK's value rooms or club rooms. Standard is easy to obtain.

I would recommend really heavily researching the differences between the two in terms of style and setup (they are very different). OKW is very much apartment style and traditional timeshare style where it was truly meant to be a home away from home. That is why there is less dinning option and the separate buildings with parking right out front. AKV is either a conversion of hotel rooms (Jambo) so super in the thick of a deluxe hotel or an add on building (Kidani) that is much larger and more halfway in the middle between OKW and Jambo in it's feel as a resort. Also for driving OKW is more centrally located to all parks whereas AK is a bit further out.

Do you want Studios, 1 Beds, etc? If you want Studios you might find OKW to be more cumbersome because of the laundry facility setup, food setup, etc. If you want larger than a studio it probably isn't as important with a car because bringing groceries is easy and you have laundry in unit.

DVCRequest has great 3D walkthroughs and infromation on all resorts. Just click on the resort of interest (AKV is Jambo or Kidani, you should look at both) and then click Virtual Tours.

https://dvcrequest.com/information/dvc-resorts
Here is the AKV DIS thread

https://www.disboards.com/threads/the-official-akv-owners-and-lovers-thread-come-and-chat.1815576/
Here is the OKW DIS thread

https://www.disboards.com/threads/okw-lovers-thread-part-2.3113113/
Use those threads to really gleam tons of information on the two resorts. I don't think it is a bad decision necessarily to buy either without staying but just wanted to provide you some better resources to get a feel.

 

[Penulma]

I wouldn't count on AK's value rooms or club rooms. Standard is easy to obtain.

I would recommend really heavily researching the differences between the two in terms of style and setup (they are very different). OKW is very much apartment style and traditional timeshare style where it was truly meant to be a home away from home. That is why there is less dinning option and the separate buildings with parking right out front. AKV is either a conversion of hotel rooms (Jambo) so super in the thick of a deluxe hotel or an add on building (Kidani) that is much larger and more halfway in the middle between OKW and Jambo in it's feel as a resort. Also for driving OKW is more centrally located to all parks whereas AK is a bit further out.

Do you want Studios, 1 Beds, etc? If you want Studios you might find OKW to be more cumbersome because of the laundry facility setup, food setup, etc. If you want larger than a studio it probably isn't as important with a car because bringing groceries is easy and you have laundry in unit.

DVCRequest has great 3D walkthroughs and infromation on all resorts. Just click on the resort of interest (AKV is Jambo or Kidani, you should look at both) and then click Virtual Tours.

https://dvcrequest.com/information/dvc-resorts
Here is the AKV DIS thread

https://www.disboards.com/threads/the-official-akv-owners-and-lovers-thread-come-and-chat.1815576/
Here is the OKW DIS thread

https://www.disboards.com/threads/okw-lovers-thread-part-2.3113113/
Use those threads to really gleam tons of information on the two resorts. I don't think it is a bad decision necessarily to buy either without staying but just wanted to provide you some better resources to get a feel.

Thank you so much for all the information. I definitely need to create a pros and cons list and go to those links you shared. I am looking more at studios right now to be able to stay longer for less points. And eventually add more points to do 1 bedroom. Which was why I wanted to buy a small contract to get started. And these two resorts have the best price per point it seems. Each have something I like. I love the larger rooms of OKW and the light airy feel they seem to have. And AKL has more dining which besides maybe fixing a little breakfast we’ll plan to eat on property. I don’t really wanna cook while I am vacation. I am hoping that if I do enough research maybe I will be able to figure out which one is right even if I haven’t stayed there before. And if the right contact comes up I will be able act on it with confidence. With the kind of vacation I want I am leaning more towards AKL to have a more hotel feel. How hard is it to get the value rooms if you own there? The low points per night on the value rooms at AKL was selling me but now I am a little worried.

 

[crvetter]

How hard is it to get the value rooms if you own there?

They are walked almost year round. So basically people will try for a few days to grab one then might walk a month or a few weeks (some report longer) to the day they really want. But availability of them (studios specifically) is quickly gone at booking window open (seconds).

The standard view rooms at AKV aren’t that far off from OKW depending on when you want to travel. And if I’m Jambo the standard views are either pool or partial savannah.

 

[disneynutz]

If you are willing to make a mistake and and don't mind selling your contract then go ahead and buy before staying there.
As a newbie we purchased a couple of resorts that we do not stay at.

Bill

 

[sethschroeder]

OKW is a spread out resort with lots of buildings vs AKV a resort with more of a hotel feel...inside hallways, etc,

I would say AKV can be the longest walk for inside a hotel you will ever experience haha. I think on the recent DVC show they said someone walked it out at 1/2 mile. Which is basically the same as the longest walk at OKW although there is actually bus stops instead if you choose not to walk. Long walk at OKW I think is .6 miles so not that much further for the longest walk.

Any thoughts on buying before staying?

My suggestion would be to stay at one of the park adjacent resorts that work with your budget (if there are any). Going from where you stayed to either AKV or OKW is going to be a step up in the experience. You might however absolutely love being right next to the park where a boat/walk can get you to the entrance.

As you said value though those two are going to be the best. If you don't mind the lower contract length than BWV might be in your wheelhouse as well since cost of a night is lower than pretty much any resort and still is park adjacent.

If it had to be AKV or OKW I would go with AKV for the following reasons:

• Good point chart
• Club Level and Value Level rooms (only place that has these two options and need your 11 month window to possibly grab them)
• Books up quicker than OKW (OKW you likely can more easily get even at 7 months than AKV)
• Theming is great
• You drive/rent car so the indoor parking and distance from parks won't be an issue (my major issue with the resort is only the busses)

I looked at AKV and I found multiple times that a 1BR Club room was open for a few days in a row through the fall. This is prior to the 7 month window but it is an option if you want to splurge.

With a 2 year old I would look at your future cost of possibly getting a 1BR for stays. If one resort is more economical and the other is untouchable (because of cost) then I would go with the one where you can afford the 1BR in the long run.

For the record I viewed the shorter contract at BWV as a good thing. Like you our kids will be in college (graduating) at that point so we can readjust our point totals and we get the benefit of cheaper stays park adjacent for the next 22 years. I am not too worried about losing out on 15 years because honestly most of those 15 years will be during the "slow time" where the kids likely won't want to go as they start their career and won't start really going until they have kids in their 30s (when AKV will be about to expire anyways). It will also be in that gap without kids prior to retirement where we can always do some other traveling.

BLT is another good option which you would save on the yearly maintenance fees long term even though you need more points.

 

[SG131]

Only thing to add is that if you plan on continuing to go only once a year, what’s the reason for wanting to add on direct to be an “official” member?

 

[Best Aunt]

Lower price per point and points per night seem to be the lowest of all the DVC resorts.

Don’t forget about annual dues. Also don’t forget about fees and commissions if you buy but later decide to sell.

 

[sethschroeder]

Don’t forget about annual dues. Also don’t forget about fees and commissions if you buy but later decide to sell.

Have never sold but I think I saw as low at 6% up to the more typical 8.5%.

Not sure about the sales contracts but I suspect you could start with the 6% company and always go to the 8.5% company later if you couldn't get the contract sold. Since many people likely check a few different companies people will likely find it regardless but I am only speculating as I have never sold DVC. Sold a couple houses with realtors though in the last few years which is not exactly the same but in the same sort of realm.

 

[Sandisw]

Have never sold but I think I saw as low at 6% up to the more typical 8.5%.

Not sure about the sales contracts but I suspect you could start with the 6% company and always go to the 8.5% company later if you couldn't get the contract sold. Since many people likely check a few different companies people will likely find it regardless but I am only speculating as I have never sold DVC. Sold a couple houses with realtors though in the last few years which is not exactly the same but in the same sort of realm.

Just have to be sure if you are listing with more than one broker, that you understand if they have any specific clauses about that.

Years ago, when I was selling, the contracts said you would owe commission if a full price offer came in. I was worried that I’d end up with that from two brokers so I went with just one.

I just paid 8.5% for the contract I sold. A few years back I paid 6% because I was selling a contract but also buying 2 others at same time totaling 500 points And negotiated less.

 

[cvjw]

We purchased OKW points without ever staying there. After staying there twice, we decided we hated it and sold the contract. Lower point rooms don’t really mean much if you don’t enjoy staying there

We found that we liked being closer to the parks - we ended up buying a BWV contract.

 

[princessmocha]

We own at OKW and love it there and we have traded to AKV and we love it there. We haven’t ever had a problem booking AKV, but there does tend to be more availability at OKW at the last minute than most other resorts.

 

[Frederic Civish]

I agree with others here that I would go with AKL. Especially if you have kids. The kids (and the adults) love to see the animals on the Savannah View. It is unique in all the world. The resorts, Kidani and Jambo also have excellent restaurants, and the decor is nice.

I think that OKW extended contracts are not that easy to get and I think AKL gives a better value than 2042 OKW contracts.

I would agree with others that you absolutely cannot plan on Value rooms or club level / concierge rooms. They book out in seconds, every day.

 

[Penulma]

Only thing to add is that if you plan on continuing to go only once a year, what’s the reason for wanting to add on direct to be an “official” member?

I would love to go more than once per year. So if we bought more points later on direct we could do that. So getting into some of the DVC exclusive events lounges, and discounts; especially on annual passes is why I would want to be and “official” member. But since we only currently go once per year now going with a small point resale contract seems like the way to start out before really putting a lot of money into it.

 

[Penulma]

There so many pros to all the DVC resorts. And since I haven’t stayed in any of them. I feel like any of them would probably be a step up from the POP. I’m just feel like I am ready to be a DVC member so I always know I have a Disney vacation just around the corner. Not just waiting for Disney to release room discounts. And in a way not be throwing money away on a vacation but be investing in something. To be a part of something. Seems like I have a lot of research left to do. But it sounds like I need to be looking at the standard rooms for AKL to decide how many points to buy and not value. Are the studios at OKW hard to get into?

 

[Sandisw]

There so many pros to all the DVC resorts. And since I haven’t stayed in any of them. I feel like any of them would probably be a step up from the POP. I’m just feel like I am ready to be a DVC member so I always know I have a Disney vacation just around the corner. Not just waiting for Disney to release room discounts. And in a way not be throwing money away on a vacation but be investing in something. To be a part of something. Seems like I have a lot of research left to do. But it sounds like I need to be looking at the standard rooms for AKL to decide how many points to buy and not value. Are the studios at OKW hard to get into?

Studios near Hospitality House...the place where checkin, restaurants, etc. are...go faster than the others, but OKW has a lot of rooms, so getting one there shouldn’t be a problem, as long as you are booking far enough out.

DVC will prove less frustrating if you book 7 to 11 months ahead of time. Planning less than that can be difficult, especially if visiting in the fall through early January.