AKL - are the Savannah rooms really worth the extra $$$?

[KarenNYC]

I think our two year old would absolutely love it (and heck - so would we) but is it really worth it? can you see the animals from elsewhere on property? Also, which wing is the best to stay in???

Karen

 

[DeterminedOne]

Yes and No. Yes to be able to say been there done that. No because there are other spots on property in which to see the animals. We stayed in the Zebra Trail area I think. It was a unique experience. AKL is a wonderful resort. The theme is executed beautifully. Is the savannah view worth the extra $$? If you want to experience the total package then sure it is!

 

[EsmeraldaX]

We had a standard view room when we went in May and it was wonderful. We walked all around the property to look at the critters. I didn't really mind not seeing them from my room. Though, I do think having a Savannah view would be amazing, I got a great rate on a standard, and would stay standard again if money was an issue.

Not sure about wings. We were in a standard right above the lobby. It was great because we were very close to the elevator and only a few minutes from the busses, gift shop, restaurants and pool.

 

[Ilovestitch]

I think its worth it. We just stayed there last month- its just so neat seeing the animals from your balcony! I kind of feel like if you are going to spend the money to stay at AKL, you might as well pay the extra $$ and have a savannah view room- especially if you've never stayed there before.

 

[BunnieGene]

I think it's absolutely worth it. We were there in April, arrived at about 1 AM, and the "moonlit" savannah was just gorgeous. I would sit on the balcony everyday and just relax, gazing at the beautiful giraffes in particular. If money were no object, I would still get savannah view instead of concierge, because concierge doesn't guarantee your view. My husband really liked it, too.

 

[catbertdave99]

We had a Savannah-view room in 02/04, well down near the end of the center savannah.... every morning and every night, my two DS (13 and 10 at the time) and I were out on the balcony just watching the animals -- and yes, they are really right there.

On the other hand, as another poster pointed out, you can walk all over the resort and get great views of the animals up close, too. We just liked having that balcony in the morning and evening.

 

[wfloyd]

We think the Savannah rooms are worth it. Our DS loves animals and to be able to see them from the room without having to go out makes it totally worthwhile.

There are places to see all the animals from the resort but we love the flexability to stay where we can relax and not have to worry about being in others way while they are viewing the animals.

 

[ElizabethB]

Yes, definitely. The experience of sitting on your balcony in your bathrobe late at night and watching African savannah animals right below you is something you can't experience anywhere else except perhaps on a $1,000 per night safari in Africa! We spent hours on the balcony just watching the animals. My parents (avid TV watchers) never turned on the TV once during our 4-night stay -- they were too enchanted simply watching the animals!

 

[WDW LifeLong Fan]

If you will be spending any time on the balcony, then yes, I believe it is well worth it.

 

[lisareniff]

I think with a 2 yr old your room is more important then when you have older kids. You end up being in the room more; early to bed, naps, and just down time. Not only will your little one enjoy the view but you will too. However, only you can determine if it is worth it. AKL is a amazing hotel.

 

[robinb]

We thought it was worth it. We were upgraded from standard to savanah on our first AKL trip. We enjoyed it so much we booked a savanah view on our second AKL trip. I would really miss having the animals outside our balcony.

 

[crisi]

Personally, I'm not sure why people would choose to stay at AKL if they don't book a Savannah room. The animals can be seen at AK, or by visiting the lodge if you want. The rooms are smaller than the other Deluxes (except WL). The decor is (IMHO) dark and unattractive. The resort itself is rather out of the way. If money is an issue, staying at a moderate and planning an AKL evening with dinner at Boma and hanging out at the lodge is a much cheaper alternative.

 

[DisOrBust]

Definitely worth it especially with a 2yo. We have been going to AKL for 4 years now its my girls, 3,"8,10 favorite as well as my 75 yo parents. Last Nov I was unable to get a good rate on a Sav view and opted for pool view. WHAT A MISTAKE! My then 2yo want to see the "horseys" (aka zebras) all the time. We spent more time in the public viewing areas then our room. Its a trip highlight when you get up early in th emorning and the whole family sit together on the balcony and watch the animals.

That being said we have also gotten rooms with Sav view people pen view that was less then stellar. I,0

 

[patsal]

Personally I say absolutely! You can watch the animals from your balcony in your PJ's if you want. My children spent nearly every moment in that room animal watching. they even had DH bring their breakfast up to them on the balcony and skipped some swim time. For us it was priceless nto to say "next time we'll have to save for that" We planned for it and did it. If I ever come in to a bit of extra cash I'd take them and stay concierge level--I know I'd get my monies worth since they would barely ever leave the room! BTW we tacked it on as a surprise at the end of a two week vacation so no one felt pressure to do anything but enjoy the resort and the animals.

 

[LadyTrampScamp&Angel]

I would say definitely yes with a 2 year old!

Anyone who has had a child that age knows they don't let you sit calmly and enjoy the view from a common area, at least not for more than a minute (literally). You'd spend your time attending to your child and not really relaxing - so being able to let a small one sleep or play in the room while you enjoy the view is wonderful.

Two year olds have the attention span of about a nanosecond!

Enjoy

 

[Egadz]

The absolute best part of our vacation was sitting out on the balcony first thing in the morning, sipping the press-pot coffee, and having my 3 year-old DD stroll out and climb in my lap, still rubbing the sleep rom her eyes, to watch the giraffes and zebras with her daddy.

So ... yes, yes, a thousand times YES! It is worth every penny.

 

[jarestel]

For us, definitly worth it. If we couldn't get a savannah view, we wouldn't be interested in staying at the AKL since the animals are the main draw for us. Granted, you can still see animals from various vantage points around the lodge, but when you can just stroll out onto the balcony and have a terrific view, it makes the extra $$$ entirely worth it.

 

[LisaS]

Yes, it is absolutely worth the extra cost, especially if you love animals. Whenever I look out across the savannah from my balcony and watch the animals, I don't feel like I'm at a hotel in Florida, I feel like I'm in Africa. Disney has done an outstanding job in that regard. If you can afford the extra cost of a savannah view room and you want to experience the full extent of the magic that AKL has to offer, it is absolutely worth it in my opinion.