AKL Concierge

[Irondraco]

We are considering buying a AKL contract and was wondering if it's hard to lock down a concierge room even at the 11 month mark? Thank you,

 

[Sandisw]

Extremely. There are only 5 two bedroom lock offs

So maximum booking would be 5 studios and 5 1 bedrooms per night.

 

[meekey7197]

We are considering buying a AKL contract and was wondering if it's hard to lock down a concierge room even at the 11 month mark? Thank you,

Yup, it's hard, but not impossible. Tomorrow I check in for my second concierge level stay this year but it takes work to secure. You will want to learn about the concept of walking. People hate it but even member services will tell you to do it... If this is your ONLY reason for buying AKV, you may find yourself frustrated and disappointed.

 

[Irondraco]

Yup, it's hard, but not impossible. Tomorrow I check in for my second concierge level stay this year but it takes work to secure. You will want to learn about the concept of walking. People hate it but even member services will tell you to do it... If this is your ONLY reason for buying AKV, you may find yourself frustrated and disappointed.

Is the concept walking booking the room day by day? I'm new to DVC so don't know the lingo yet. Thanks for the help!

 

[skorpie]

I was extremely lucky using waitlist. Months ago I put in for a studio never thinking it would come true. We own at Boulder Ridge and Beach Club. We were able to get a studio at AK Jambo House for September 19-22. This will be a mother/ daughter trip and we are so excited since it will be our first Club level ever!

 

[Sandisw]

Is the concept walking booking the room day by day? I'm new to DVC so don't know the lingo yet. Thanks for the help!

Walking is when people go on and book a room 11 months out from dates earlier then they actually want to travel and then move it forward every few days until they get to the correct dates.

Once you get a room at 11 months, barring DVC taking it out of service, no one else can get it as long as you keep changing the check out date before others can check in.

Because this is such a hard to get room, some owners will start trying months in advance in hopes of success.

 

[Irondraco]

Walking is when people go on and book a room 11 months out from dates earlier then they actually want to travel and then move it forward every few days until they get to the correct dates.

Once you get a room at 11 months, barring DVC taking it out of service, no one else can get it as long as you keep changing the check out date before others can check in.

Because this is such a hard to get room, some owners will start trying months in advance in hopes of success.

Thank you - appreciate the advice!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

And when walking, UY matters a lot. If you're trying for an April 30 check-in, there is no worse UY than April for your walk.

 

[QueenDoOver]

And when walking, UY matters a lot. If you're trying for an April 30 check-in, there is no worse UY than April for your walk.

Is that if you are waiting for your points to deposit? Is that relevant if you already have points to use?

 

[Genie+]

Is that if you are waiting for your points to deposit? Is that relevant if you already have points to use?

It’s difficult to walk over your UY line. In the beginning of the walk you’re using say 2023 points, then April comes and you’d need 2024 to continue. Very compicated.

The other thing about walking is having a smaller amount of points can put you at a disadvantage. Say you just want and have enough valid points for 4 days Club Level. At minimum you’ll need to flip the walk forward every 4 days. Somebody able to do 7 days will be out in front of you. Any hiccup that happens is more likely to affect the 3 or 4 day walk than the 7 day walker.

edit - I should add - another advantage to higher point holders is being able to walk through the higher point seasons into the lower. Harder with smaller contracts.

 

[drusba]

Owners of a resort can book that resort beginning 8 a.m. eastern, 11-months out from date of arrival. "Walking" a reservation means to reserve a time before your intended arrival, and then continuously modify it by dropping days at the beginning of your reservation and adding days at the end and then continue to do that until you have the dates you want.

That works for some hard to get rooms. However, you should not count on it working often for AKV club level rooms. The problem is that AKV club level rooms, particularly studios and 2BRs, have a year round 11-month reservation issue in that the rooms fill within nanoseconds after 8 a.m. eastern at 11-months out (and often even fill before one's intended 11-month-out start date via members making multiple day reservations shortly before one's intended start date). Thus, even getting a start date to begin a walk is itself extremely difficult. Some get lucky, most don't. Some make waitlists and then spend huge amounts of time checking and re-checking availability for the time they want and sometimes succeed, but even many of those fail.

My personal recommendation is the following: do not purchase AKV with any expectation to be able to get club level rooms. The same advice applies if one wants value rooms. Both standard and savanna view rooms are typically always available at 11-months out.