AKL Animals

[missypaws]

I have read somewhere that there are not many animals on the grounds dues to the construction of the Villas. Has anyone heard this to be true? We are staying in august. Thanks for the updated info.

 

[MickeyHereWeCome!]

I had heard that they were removing the animals from one of the savannahs, but was under the impression that the animals on the other side would stay. We have decided to change our resort because of this. I don't want to pay that price for a savannah view room if there is a chance we won't have animals outside!

 

[HomerHog]

We stayed at AKL 6/15-6/23. There were plenty of animals to be found on all savannas, including the Sunset which we were on. The construction of Kidani Village is visible in the distance, and they were painting the exterior of Jambo House (the current AKL building). Did not seem to affect the animals at all.

 

[Knavey]

There are animals on all the savannas even with the construction...at least there was in April.

See my trip report in my signature.

 

[raven69david]

Last December we were put in a Savanna view room right in front of the construction. We did not see any animals for the day or two we were there, including at night. It's as if they were scared away by the heavy equipment and/or noise. I do not believe they were being corraled to a different part of the resort as we could see them not too far away when viewing the animals throughout the overlooks on the Arusha savanna. If you look at the AKL map (http://www.wdwinfo.com/maps/DAKLMap.pdf) we were where the Impala symbol is to give you an idea what part of the resort the construction is most visible at.

When we went to the other side of the resort without construction (Uzima Savanna/Zebra trail) we saw the animals in the overlooks and out by Arusha rock. We even did the nightvision excursion and there were plenty of animals lying out back that we got to see with the nightvision scope (it's like a hunting scope- 1 lens; it's not like binoculars - just to clear that confusion up).

 

[EnnEss]

I had heard that they were removing the animals from one of the savannahs, but was under the impression that the animals on the other side would stay. We have decided to change our resort because of this. I don't want to pay that price for a savannah view room if there is a chance we won't have animals outside!

What you heard is simply not true. I asked this question of them while there. They changed what animals are in what savanahs. The same amount are there. The savanah directly affected by construction has Zebras (one baby, 3 full grown), giraffes (3 or 4, cant recall), various birds, african cattle (3), ostriches (2).

I was just in a room overlooking that savanah and saw all those animals. Its unfortunate you changed your booking based on false information. There is also very little noise, with the door closed on that savanah we heard absolute none over 10 days, with the door open you could hear som between the hours of nine and 5 sometimes, but not often. I often read on the balcony looking at the animals.

Give me a moment, I'll post pictures.

 

[Anc96]

We just came home last night from a 6 night stay at AKL.

We were on the Kudu trail facing the arusha savannah. From the hall windows we could see lots of animals on the sunst savannah.. however, the construction is not a pretty sight. I would not want a savannah view facing in that direction. People on that side said they could hear the construction, and one couple said it was a problem during the day when their little boy was supposed to be napping. They had their room changed.

The construction didn't seem to bother the animals at all.
All the other areas also had lots of animals... we saw many during our stay. We couldn't see the construction, and could barely hear it.. but we weren't facing it either.

We had a great stay.. as always, our favorite resort.

 

[EnnEss]

Came home at 1am one day to this, was really cool.

Zebras came by from time to time.

The cattle were definately the most active, saw them all the time. It was really cool when they banged horns.

This bird slept on that log every single night. It was really neat. The time the giraffe slept beside him he made a racket for about an hour. That was heard through the closed door, whereas construction never was.

 

[EnnEss]

These pictures are from the savanah with the construction. The construction is off to the left and out of picture. In order to see it you had to go out on the balcony and look left from the room we had. It was a "standard room" for the time we were there because of the construction, but it was like a free upgrade to us.

I really don't see how anyone complains about the noise. The construction is well over a kilometer away and they arent banging things around. I honestly did not hear it once the entire time and we spent more time than usual in the room. It is true you could see it, but what you saw is some cranes in the distance and the skeletal structure of the future akl lodge. If this bothers you, the contemporary would drive you insane as that is far more unslightly currently, and much closer. Im not sure if I'm just used to the sight as the city I live in has over 40 cranes on its skyline as we're in a huge boom prior to the olympics or what, but even if thats so, it was not noisy. Im not sure how something could be so noisy as to bother these people but not bother the entire resort, if its so loud to travel that distance, the short 200 feet to another savanah wouldn't block it out.

I have to say I think its over sensitive people, particularly since these rooms aren't "savanah view" rooms right now, you pay standard price for them. A very very good deal. You don't have to ask for that either, its just automaticl.

 

[MickeyHereWeCome!]

What you heard is simply not true. I asked this question of them while there. They changed what animals are in what savanahs. The same amount are there. The savanah directly affected by construction has Zebras (one baby, 3 full grown), giraffes (3 or 4, cant recall), various birds, african cattle (3), ostriches (2).

I was just in a room overlooking that savanah and saw all those animals. Its unfortunate you changed your booking based on false information. There is also very little noise, with the door closed on that savanah we heard absolute none over 10 days, with the door open you could hear som between the hours of nine and 5 sometimes, but not often. I often read on the balcony looking at the animals.

Give me a moment, I'll post pictures.

I checked Allearsnet, and the change in the animals in the savannah takes effect in January, right before our trip. So, to the OP, your August trip should be just fine .

Here is the info I found:

MPORTANT SUNSET SAVANNA INFORMATION: May 1, 2008: After receiving a reader email about animals being removed from the AKL savannas, AllEars® talked with DVC spokesperson Diane Hancock:
"As the development of Kidani Village continues at Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas, crews are preparing to complete the new savanna and acclimate the animals to their new habitat. To accommodate this important process, animals are not scheduled to be on Sunset Savanna from Jan. 15-April 15, 2009.

Members and Guests who reserve a savanna-view room during this time will be advised of this process, and confirmations for those bookings will include a notation to that affect. Approximately 30 days prior to arrival, the resort will determine, based on occupancy and booking date order, which Members will be assigned to a Sunset Savanna view room. Member Services will notify affected Members, who, after their stay, will receive a Vacation Point credit reflecting the difference between a savanna view and standard view. As a reminder, animals on the other savannas can be viewed from multiple public locations at the resort."

Also, at this time, DVC has not set an official opening date for the Kidani Village and therefore has not set a date for reservations.

 

[*NikkiBell*]

We stayed at AKLV this past April. There were sections where the animals are not frequenting as often due to construction noise. Also, Sunset Savannah is supposed to have all of its animals relocated until the construction is finished. If you get a room without a great view, call the front desk and request to be moved because of the construction noise. We had to do this and were provided with a fantastic room.

 

[EnnEss]

The allears post seems jumbled. They're reffering to DVC members. Currently, those rooms I was in, the entire wing, is not classed "savanah view" and the animals are there. I find it hard to believe some people who pay for savanah view will have zero animals, given they have all the animals right now and aren't charging view rates, but standard rates, simply because of the construction in the distance.

Is that post referring to soon to be opened rooms? Is it directly from Disney? Either way, enjoy your trip in August op.

 

[EnnEss]

We stayed at AKLV this past April. There were sections where the animals are not frequenting as often due to construction noise. Also, Sunset Savannah is supposed to have all of its animals relocated until the construction is finished. If you get a room without a great view, call the front desk and request to be moved because of the construction noise. We had to do this and were provided with a fantastic room.

The animals are not yet relocated!!!!!!!!!!!! My pictures are from that savanah just recently, the pp quoted january as when they'll be moved. I stayed in a room overlooking the savannah with the construction and many animals frequented it, I posted 6 or so but literally have over 150 (not exagerating) of just animals from the balcony. I believe impalas got moved to the other savanah, but they moved giraffes in.

There is so much misinformation about this resort and the construction. Before I went I was told 1000 things on these boards. The animals are there. It is not loud. If someone who was there can contradict please post, but currently all is well and there are many many free "upgrades" being given out as a result of the downgrading of all those savanah rooms. Please refrain from posting negative heresay about someone who told you this or that. Its quite frustrating to read over and over, as I did prior to my vacation where I stressed and worried about whether or not my GF would enjoy, only to find out they were all rumors. Don't inflict that on someone else, unless of course your personal experience is contradictory to mine, then by all means disagree.

 

[Anc96]

The people who said the construction was too loud for their child to sleep were DVC members, and the points they used were for a savannah view. Their room was changed to face into the arusha savannah once they complained.

I don't know what the view looked like from your balcony EnnEss.. but looking through the hall windows, about from the building with the elevator on the Kudu trail, the construction didn't look over a half a mile away at all.. it seemed very close. About as close as the Zebra trail is to the Kudu over the arusha savannah or even closer at some points. It's a habit to look through all the windows on the way to our room to see what animals are out there.. and we could clearly see lots of animals on the sunset savannah, and the construction.

Our room did not face the Sunset savannah, yet in the morning we could hear the construction. It was in the distance and not at all bothersome to us.. but I could imagine if you faced it, it would be much louder.

The ability to see the animals from your balcony would definately be a plus though.. even with the construction if the noise didn't bother you. Standard rooms are usually a parking lot view, so seeing the animals would be a nice upgrade.

 

[*NikkiBell*]

The animals are not yet relocated!!!!!!!!!!!! My pictures are from that savanah just recently, the pp quoted january as when they'll be moved. I stayed in a room overlooking the savannah with the construction and many animals frequented it, I posted 6 or so but literally have over 150 (not exagerating) of just animals from the balcony. I believe impalas got moved to the other savanah, but they moved giraffes in.

There is so much misinformation about this resort and the construction. Before I went I was told 1000 things on these boards. The animals are there. It is not loud. If someone who was there can contradict please post, but currently all is well and there are many many free "upgrades" being given out as a result of the downgrading of all those savanah rooms. Please refrain from posting negative heresay about someone who told you this or that. Its quite frustrating to read over and over, as I did prior to my vacation where I stressed and worried about whether or not my GF would enjoy, only to find out they were all rumors. Don't inflict that on someone else, unless of course your personal experience is contradictory to mine, then by all means disagree.

I beg your pardon, but I stated that I stayed there in April so I am able to state what I noticed. We were in a savannah view studio on the Kudu trail and no animals frequented it in two days. We discussed this with a manager at the check-in desk and were moved. I also spoke with others who stated that the noise from the construction could affect the animals going in this one particular location we were at. And yes, we are DVC members and the construction was quite close to our studio.

I take slight offense at your response to my post as I was passing on truthful information from my personal experience. And yes, it is contradictory to yours so I will disagree. Perhaps things have changed since April. Perhaps the construction has shifted its location since April. Perhaps the room you were in was in the minority...or majority. Whatever the case may be, I am not making up false information and do not appreciate that being implied. The DIS is a happy place where information is given. Never in my life would I give out false information to stress someone out.

 

[EnnEss]

Sorry you took it that way, but you said the animals were being relocated until the construction was done. That was definately false as they wont be until next year.

 

[Princess Brittany]

What room were you in? We saw the exact same bird on the log from our balcony when we stayed at the AKL in December.

 

[garykinney]

The pictures look great. I had debated whether to stay in a Savannah view room as I didn't think it would live up to the stock photos used to promote it, but it looks great in spite of the construction.

 

[Anc96]

The pictures look great. I had debated whether to stay in a Savannah view room as I didn't think it would live up to the stock photos used to promote it, but it looks great in spite of the construction.

I have stayed at AKL a few times, everytime a different view of the savannahs, and everytime, we've seem many animals. We personally like the zebra trail facing the arusha savannah, and we usually request that. This time we were located on the opposite trail, the Kudu trail, facing the arusha savannah all the way at the end. We saw more animals than we ever have before! It was worth the long walk to our room.
The pics that EnnEss has are much like ours. We have extreme close ups of lots of animals, and even a short movie of a zebra rolling around playing on the ground (my dd's prized video..lol).
I have heard of some people complain about not seeing many animals, so I'm just giving you our experiences. The animals are not out 24/7, but they were there more than not.

I've never been disappointed with the savannah views, and more importantly, my dd has never been disappointed.