AKV - Jambo 2 Bedroom Villa...Need feedback please.

[pvalues]

My family and I are going on vaction 11/15/09 to 11/20/09 and will be staying at the Animal Kingdom Villas-Jambo in a 2 bedroom villa. We rented points from a DVC member and are excited.

We've been to Disney before, but usually have stayed at the Polynesian or Contemporary. This is our first time in a 2 bedroom villa and first time at Animal Kingdom Villas.

I have read feedback from Kidani village on other threads and there appears to be quite a few issues with services and the service to get corrections made. Obviously for the money we are spending I'm concerned as we have NEVER had any issues in our previous 4 trips (2 at Poly and 2 at Contemporary).

Can I get some feedback from others who have stayed in the villas at Jambo please?

1.) How is the service?
2.) We have a Savannah View...do you really get to see animals?
3.) How about the middle of November...is it a more quiet time in the parks?
4.) Anything else you can think of....

Thanks all!

Dave

 

[tkmontg]

We just got back from AKL SV and visited the AKV while there (7/5 - 7/11). The villas are absolutely beautiful and yes, you get a very good look at zebras, giraffes, several types of birds, antelope and ox. The animals are taken out of the savannah for about two hours each day, but otherwise are almost always in view.

The pool at AKV is smaller, but there is an awsome wet area for the kids to play. Our next trip will be at the villas, not the lodge.

There is only one restaurant at the villas and it is open for lunch/dinner and requires reservations. You can get a limited menu of sandwiches from the poolside bar from 10 AM until 7 or 8 pm. The lodge is a brisk 10 minute walk or 20 or so minutes to catch a bus there. There are more restaurants and a quick service at AKL which is nice, but not very convenient. AKV offers a grocery service which is nice. You can order groceries online and they will be ion your room when you arrive. The fee is only $6.

I'm not sure about service issues at the villas, but at the lodge, the staff was quick to take care of a few issues we had. You might want to take bug repellant. Both me and my wife got bitten by chiggers while on the balcony (4th floor).

My neighbors go to Animal Kingdom every year the week before Thanksgiving and they said the parks are not crowded at all. The weather is still warm/hot so the water parks are good as well.

Lastly, transportation to/from AKV/AKL takes quite a while. I read many posts about bus times and many people were happy with the bus transportation, however, we were not. On several occasions, it took over an hour to get from AK to downtown (this includes waiting on the bus) and well over an hour to get back. We were late to dinner a couple of days because the delay in waiting for the bus. I suggest using your own car or renting unless waiting is not an issue. Remember, AK is the farthest resort from everything else.

 

[pvalues]

We just got back from AKL SV and visited the AKV while there (7/5 - 7/11). The villas are absolutely beautiful and yes, you get a very good look at zebras, giraffes, several types of birds, antelope and ox. The animals are taken out of the savannah for about two hours each day, but otherwise are almost always in view.

The pool at AKV is smaller, but there is an awsome wet area for the kids to play. Our next trip will be at the villas, not the lodge.

There is only one restaurant at the villas and it is open for lunch/dinner and requires reservations. You can get a limited menu of sandwiches from the poolside bar from 10 AM until 7 or 8 pm. The lodge is a brisk 10 minute walk or 20 or so minutes to catch a bus there. There are more restaurants and a quick service at AKL which is nice, but not very convenient. AKV offers a grocery service which is nice. You can order groceries online and they will be ion your room when you arrive. The fee is only $6.

I'm not sure about service issues at the villas, but at the lodge, the staff was quick to take care of a few issues we had. You might want to take bug repellant. Both me and my wife got bitten by chiggers while on the balcony (4th floor).

My neighbors go to Animal Kingdom every year the week before Thanksgiving and they said the parks are not crowded at all. The weather is still warm/hot so the water parks are good as well.

Lastly, transportation to/from AKV/AKL takes quite a while. I read many posts about bus times and many people were happy with the bus transportation, however, we were not. On several occasions, it took over an hour to get from AK to downtown (this includes waiting on the bus) and well over an hour to get back. We were late to dinner a couple of days because the delay in waiting for the bus. I suggest using your own car or renting unless waiting is not an issue. Remember, AK is the farthest resort from everything else.

Thanks for the insight. Does the Villas at Jambo have more resaurants? On the Disney website is said there were 3...this whole Deluxe Villa thing is new to us, but we are looking forward to the trip. We are driving so hopefully we can just drive to where we need to go with no issues then.

Thanks again!

Dave

 

[drusba]

(Comments above, including about one restaruant and smaller pool, relate to Kidani) Your 2BR Jambo villa will be on the fifth floor with a good sized porch and you will see animals (you will face one of three savannas -- arusha, uzima, or sunset -- you can actually put in a request for one, which is not guaranteed, and you might have the member put in a request for Arusha which we like a little better than the others although all are good). There may be times of day when you see none and then times when you see hordes. There are three restaurants in Jambo -- Boma (one of the best buffet's at WDW), Mara (cafeteria style fast food), and Jiko (very good upscale table service restaurant with a huge wine list). Jambo pool is very nice with lots of areas to find shade if you want it.

Service is fine. Understand that you do not get daily maid service if renting from a DVC member (you can order it extra for one or more days after you get there but it is $60 a day for a 2BR). They only thing you get is that on fourth day they come and replace towels and empty trash. Comments with some room problems you have seen for AKV relate to some issues with Kidani that you can often find with rooms that just opened (something doesn't work in a new room). Last time we were at Jambo the only issue we had is that a light bulb went out (and they came almost immediately and replaced it).

Bus service is generally fine (and we have found the busses there to be better than any other resort we have ever stayed at including Poly. GF and BW). Trip to AK is 7 minutes, MK, MGM or Epcot, usually about 20 to 25 minutes.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

We had our first DVC Jambo stay in May in a 1 BR Concierge (but did not use the concierge staff service other than check-in which I think we would have been better off going to the front desk!). We also had two previous stays at AK before part was converted to DVC.

Jambo/AK has been in service for awhile and we experienced none of the little problems that Kidani is going thru as it gets open. Our room was clean, in good condition and everything we used worked. We also found the CM's to be friendly.

There are two table service restaurants in Jambo - Boma (which is buffet and loved by many. For some reason we've never eaten there any of the times we've stayed) and Jiko which we really enjoy. Then there is the counter service area, Mara, where you can get burgers, salads, flatbreads etc.

We had a pool view this visit but always Savanna view previously. I think the biggest thing to keep in mind is that they are animals and have the ability to roam the savanna's where and when they please. That said - we've always seen plenty of animals while there. And there are lots of viewing areas around the lodge as well.

We'll be at WDW this Nov but it's the first time we'll be down at that time. I believe that in the middle of the month things will be slower in the parks. The first week is Jersey Week and the end of F&W so that may be busier. And of course Thanksgiving week will be busy.

Transportation was not a problem for us but it does take a bit more time at AK/AKV now that the busses make have to make stops at both Jambo and Kidani. Downtown Disney always takes ridiculous amounts of times in our experience from any resort and we rarely go there b/c of it. Our experience with park busses has not been the good but you do run into glitches now and then.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[dianeschlicht]

My family and I are going on vaction 11/15/09 to 11/20/09 and will be staying at the Animal Kingdom Villas-Jambo in a 2 bedroom villa. We rented points from a DVC member and are excited.

We've been to Disney before, but usually have stayed at the Polynesian or Contemporary. This is our first time in a 2 bedroom villa and first time at Animal Kingdom Villas.

I have read feedback from Kidani village on other threads and there appears to be quite a few issues with services and the service to get corrections made. Obviously for the money we are spending I'm concerned as we have NEVER had any issues in our previous 4 trips (2 at Poly and 2 at Contemporary).

Can I get some feedback from others who have stayed in the villas at Jambo please?

1.) How is the service?
2.) We have a Savannah View...do you really get to see animals?
3.) How about the middle of November...is it a more quiet time in the parks?
4.) Anything else you can think of....

Thanks all!

Dave

1.) How is the service?
That depends on what you mean by service. If you want your beds made everyday, that isn't happening at ANY DVC resort, since it is a timeshare, and timeshares assume you are making your own bed. If you want additional cleaning and housekeeping service beyond the normal once every 4th day of DVC, then you can pay for it as often as you wish. There will be trash and towel service on the 4th day and also on the 8th day if you are staying longer than that. Don't forget that there will be a washer and dryer in your unit that will mean you can get by with packing a lot fewer clothes! It's also great to take advantage of the kitchen for breakfast, but we found the Jambo house kitchens to be strangely arranged.

2.) We have a Savannah View...do you really get to see animals?
Absolutely!! In January, we were on the Zebra trail, and there were often as many as 6 giraffes, a water buck, an oryx, and several other animals at the watering hole outside our unit. In the cooler weather we found the animals stayed close by more readily.

3.) How about the middle of November...is it a more quiet time in the parks?
If you are talking about the middle 2 weeks, yes. If you are talking about the week of Thanksgiving or Jersey week at the beginning of the month, no.

4.) Anything else you can think of?
If you are used to staying in a regular hotel room, the 2 bedroom villa at Jambo house will see luxurious and absolutely beautiful. If, on the other hand, you are used to some of the larger accommodations like OKW, the 2 bedroom villa at AKV/Jambo might seem small. We love the decor, wish it was a bit lighter. We Love the savanna view, but wish the halls were shorter. We LOVE the restaurants at Jambo also. Jiko is our favorite, but the new Sanaa at Kidani looks pretty amazing too. Both the pool at Jambo and the pool at Kidani are zero entry, and while the Kidani pool is certainly smaller than the one at Jambo, it's pretty nice, and the water playground is something adults AND children will both enjoy.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Not sure you are better off driving to the parks from AKL. We found the bus service to be spectacular there!

 

[pvalues]

Thanks everyone. We are going the middle of November so I guess we will miss 'Jersey Week' and 'Thanksgiving'.

Dave

 

[mickeyworld]

I took my whole family (grandma too) tp AKV for Thanksgiving last year and it was perfect! There is a publix very close to the lodge, you can get the information from the front desk or somewhere on these boards... we did the entire meal -turkey and all -in the villa. The crowds were worse from Thanksgiving Day but before the were light. One night was late night and MGM and the kids could do Tower several times.
The lodge is so beautiful, my mom never went in one park, just watched animals, went on cultural and food tours in the lodge and loved the pool. It was our best family vacation ever!

 

[Deb & Bill]

All the two bedroom villas at Jambo House are converted hotel rooms and they are lockoff villas. That means that they can be reserved either at a two bedroom villa or as a one bedroom and studio. So the second bedroom will have one queen bed and one double sleeper sofa. And it will have a kitchenette - microwave oven, toaster, undercounter refrigerator. And it will have an exit to the corridor. There will be door between the living room and the second bedroom to close the one bedroom portion from the studio portion.

 

[the who #3]

i absolutely love them.

i especially love concierge at jambo. the food is just marvelous. your coffee, juice and other breakfast items are ready as soon as you get up in the morning and you don't have to waste time going to a restaurant. just a little more of the disney magic. this is so great with children because they can watch disney tv with their breakfast and still be close to your room to wash up before hitting the parks.

the other foods served thru out the day are great too, as well as the concierge services given when you need help.