Originally Posted By jmuboy Phase 1 opening late 2007 (conversion of 134 current 5th floor rooms) and a separate building with 300 plus rooms and its own check-in and pool coming late 2008/early 2009. More details coming soon.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo The seperate unit will supposedly have it's own check in, another pool and restaurant. Rumour is the units will be larger too! It will overlook a soon to be expanded Sunset Savannah.
Originally Posted By alisserae Has anything official been written besides what's in this week's Eyes & Ears?
Originally Posted By fkurucz Out of curiosity, what are the annual fees for DVC? The website is pretty tight lipped about them (at least where I looked).
Originally Posted By ChiMike I think this is a great move on Disney's part but it really makes me wonder what in the world will they be doing with Contemp's North Wing. Again let's not forget how slick it was on Disney's part to unload the Saratoga Springs area before moving on to further add-ons. I don't think more growth in the DVC program is neccessarily good for all of WDW, but it sure has been a brilliant business plan thus far. AKL will sell out faster than any property yet.
Originally Posted By DVC_dad <<<Rumour is the units will be larger too!>>> This has been my major gripe at the DVC (and I have been VERY VOCAL and super squeeky to them about it) is the shrinking size of the rooms. I don't expect Old Key West size but I do expect a minimum of Boardwalk's size. Beach Club and Saratoga bite for room size. It's offensive.
Originally Posted By DVC_dad Now the 2 BR "CORNER SUITES" at Wilderness Lodge are pretty spacious...very spacious. I'm not talking about the standard 2 BR suite, but the one that's on the corner....there are only 3 of them.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 I talked to someone at WDW today who said that this was 'a no brainer and due in large part to DAL Lodge not meeting occupancy projections.' I HATE the idea. HATE it with a passion. I am very tired of WDW becoming the Timeshare Kingdom of the World. I'm also tired of seeing deluxe resorts go the timeshare route. This amazing Peter Dominick resort will now have people packing in from WalMart's SuperCenter with mac'n cheese and salisbury steak dinners to cook ... blech! Nothing like timeshare to RUIN a world-class resort.
Originally Posted By tonyanton Spirit...with it's own check-in, at least at the new building, the mixing of resort with DVC guests should be kept to a minimum. Hopefully, when the new building opens, all DVC check-ins for AKL will be done there, even for those whose rooms are in the original bldg. That said, I am a DVC member and have never brought outside food to cook there. Actually, I've never even been inside a Wal-Mart.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Spirit, come in off the ledge buddy ! Now I have had breakfast type foods delivered from the general store as the choices are limited at restaurants and you can only do so many character meals in 10 days....but WalMart on my hit list also ( nice ruling in Pennsylvania today smacking them again) - One factor, with DVC now at basically $100/pt and stays at each resort taking more points, the ability to own takes more doing than ever before.... Now be nice and maybe some nice DVC'er will let you wear their members hat on your next visit.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<This amazing Peter Dominick resort will now have people packing in from WalMart's SuperCenter with mac'n cheese and salisbury steak dinners to cook ... blech!>> You have absolutely no clue Spirit... absolutely no clue. I doubt Disney releases the figures, but I would be pretty willing to bet that the average income of DVC owners exceeds that of the average income of people staying in the Deluxe resorts.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 ^^Trippy, I have watched folks pull up to the WLV and BCV with cars packed from shopping trip down to WalMart. So please don't get up on your DVC horsie and tell me I have no clue. I have eyes and I can see. I didn't make one comment about the income of people who are DVC members. I doubt that your statement about incomes is correct, but that's just an opinion. And I am not a DVC-basher. But I am very tired of seeing WDW become a timeshare resort. The DAK Lodge is an amazing world-class resort. I just see it totally at odds with timeshare. And when they say they're placing it on the 5th and 6th floors, I guess they are saying kiss the concierge level and suites goodbye. I think this is a HORRIBLE idea. But this is just the beginning. Because just as sure as I am that WDW doesn't have a longterm transportation plan ... or a longterm park expansion plan ... I'm very sure that WDW has plans for a half dozen more WDW based DVC resorts.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip But what the heck is Disney supposed to do?? If they can't fill one of their absolute best properties with nightly guests, how can they AVOID going DVC?
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 They fill it well. Just not to the levels the execs want. I do think the place gets a bad rep as 'being far away from everywhere' or 'in the middle of nowhere' on sites like this. The only place that really is a trip is the MK. But maybe Disney shouldn't have overbuilt to begin with. How much is enough? Bigger isn't better. The more WDW expands, the lower the overall resort quality. But I don't disagree with your point, Trippy, either. They're going to milk those DVC udders until they bleed. I just wish they'd do it elsewhere like the original plans were.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo So sad, but I feel the Spirit is right here. DVC is fine in my book (heck I'm considering buying in), but I really wish they would just build stand alone resorts and not add ons. Look at the impact at YABC and WL! I need to make the most of it in November as I will be enjoying the 5th floor before it all changes.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom One point is that the Wilderness Lodge and Animal Kingdom Lodge are both destination hotels. I would go as far as to say that they are "world class hotels". But they are certainly destiniation hotels; meaning people will travel from all over the world just to stay in those hotels. They absoultey do NOT have the amenities of a "world class" hotel. I really don't see what the big deal is with DVCs at either the WL or AKL. ( Clue phone ) Many of the "world class" hotels have Villas on property. Whats the difference between DVCs and Villas on property? So people staying at some of the DVCs are nickling and diming it on meals by eating mac and cheese. Is that any different from the families I have seen at some of the Walt Disney World restaurants splitting an meal between a family of four? I have actually eating in the Castle and watched a family order the cheapest food on the menu for their children, while the parents ordered whatever they wanted. Different priorities I guess. I along with many other people ocassionally drive to WDW. When I drive I pack all kinds of food ( and booze ). People obviously want DVCs, it makes sense and can be a great value. And Disney needs to turn around their reputation of DVCs becoming the equivalant to a "moderate" resort stay. I will say again. I still think Disney's priority at WDW should always be the parks. But I certainly don't mind the DVCs.
