AKL Jambo Bathrooms?

[thetasigma1186]

We are staying in a Jambo standard 1 bedroom in May. Have stayed in Kidani before. I am getting conflicting images…does the 1 bedroom standard have 2 bathrooms? I’ve seen both pictures! Thanks!

 

[sndral]

We are staying in a Jambo standard 1 bedroom in May. Have stayed in Kidani before. I am getting conflicting images…does the 1 bedroom standard have 2 bathrooms? I’ve seen both pictures! Thanks!

No, the Jambo 1 br.s only have one bathroom.
Here’s the floor plan, taken from DVC’s site - although not shown on the floor plan there is a door between the hall & the bathroom, the w/d is in a closet, the chair folds out into a sleeper/single bed.

 

[drusba]

One bathroom, and the room is about 100 sq ft smaller than the 1BR at Kidani. Also, it has a combined tub/shower in the bathroom, compared to the separate tub and shower in the master bath at Kidani, and those with leg issues (many seniors) can have a hard time getting into the tub because the entry side the tub is quite high and and about a foot wide.

 

[eticketplease]

No, the Jambo 1 br.s only have one bathroom.
Here’s the floor plan, taken from DVC’s site - although not shown on the floor plan there is a door between the hall & the bathroom, the w/d is in a closet, the chair folds out into a sleeper/single bed.
View attachment 730902

Unfortunately the value 1 bedroom only sleeps 4 and does not include the sleeper chair.

We much prefer the Kidani 1 bedroom over Jambo as it does come with the extra bathroom and has the underground parking.

 

[sndral]

Unfortunately the value 1 bedroom only sleeps 4 and does not include the sleeper chair.

We much prefer the Kidani 1 bedroom over Jambo as it does come with the extra bathroom and has the underground parking.

Correct, although I’ve never stayed in those point friendly value villas, OP is staying in a standard view 1 br. which is why I mentioned the sleeper chairs not shown in the floor plan I found .
Kidani has a lot of positives & I think about staying there every time I stay at AKL, but w/ a standard view I feel like I have a much higher chance of getting a savanna view when I book a standard view at Jambo since over 50% of the Jambo standards overlook Sunset or Uzima savannas compared to the handful of Kidani standard view villas that have views of the small Pembe savanna.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

The rooms on the Kidani side are definitely more to our liking, although we do love Jambo, too! The rooms at Jambo House were originally 'cash' hotel rooms that they redesigned later into DVC type rooms. Kidani was DVC by design, so the rooms have some better perks and layouts - in our opinion. The extra bathroom is really nice, depending on the guest list you have for the stay.....

 

[sndral]

The rooms on the Kidani side are definitely more to our liking, although we do love Jambo, too! The rooms at Jambo House were originally 'cash' hotel rooms that they redesigned later into DVC type rooms. Kidani was DVC by design, so the rooms have some better perks and layouts - in our opinion. The extra bathroom is really nice, depending on the guest list you have for the stay.....

Indeed, in fact the first time I stayed at AKL it was in a cash room on the 5th floor before those rooms were converted to DVC and before Kidani existed.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Indeed, in fact the first time I stayed at AKL it was in a cash room on the 5th floor before those rooms were converted to DVC and before Kidani existed.

Us, too! Turned out to be a very expensive stay - we bought DVC there later when it became available since we loved the resort so much!

 

[eticketplease]

Correct, although I’ve never stayed in those point friendly value villas, OP is staying in a standard view 1 br. which is why I mentioned the sleeper chairs not shown in the floor plan I found .
Kidani has a lot of positives & I think about staying there every time I stay at AKL, but w/ a standard view I feel like I have a much higher chance of getting a savanna view when I book a standard view at Jambo since over 50% of the Jambo standards overlook Sunset or Uzima savannas compared to the handful of Kidani standard view villas that have views of the small Pembe savanna.
View attachment 730949

Ahh ok. Sorry I thought you were just referring to the missing door.

I'm not an owner at AKL so I also will never get lucky with a value unfortunately.

I'm fine with a standard though as those are definitely value to us if you look at the point charts of RIV, one of our Home resorts!!!

I can certainly understand wanting to get Jambo for the views but for our family the extra bathroom is what has us returning to Kidani. Plus we rent a car and SO insists we drive to the parks so the underground garage is nice to keep the car shaded and we can walk indoors to the elevator when it starts to rain.

 

[Simba's Mom]

As I'm looking at the map, am I seeing that most of the rooms that face the Sunset Savannah are now considered standard view? For some reason I prefer the Sunset savannah, so I'm wondering if it would be better to book standard view and request partial Sunset savannah view?

 

[sndral]

As I'm looking at the map, am I seeing that most of the rooms that face the Sunset Savannah are now considered standard view? For some reason I prefer the Sunset savannah, so I'm wondering if it would be better to book standard view and request partial Sunset savannah view?

The savanna view villas facing Sunset savanna have the best views from Jambo of that savanna, the standard views aren’t as good as they’re limited by the projections of the building’s arms into the savanna, or they overlook the people pen, or they’re at the far end of Kudu trail & overlook a narrow part of the savanna. W/ standard view you also could end up overlooking the pool/roof.
When I book standard view I request Kudu trail since I’m not 100% sure that the room assigner will even know what or where Sunset savanna is . I’d love to get one of the standard views over by Uzima savanna’s barn on Zebra trail, but am afraid to request that since the room assigner might think all Zebra trail villas are the same & I’d end up w/ a view of H. sapiens in the pool.

 

[drusba]

As I'm looking at the map, am I seeing that most of the rooms that face the Sunset Savannah are now considered standard view? For some reason I prefer the Sunset savannah, so I'm wondering if it would be better to book standard view and request partial Sunset savannah view?

Originally, the only standard view rooms at Jambo were those overlooking the pool area. All the rooms on the Sunset savanna side, other than the value rooms and club level, were savanna view. The switch, which turned a lot of savanna view rooms overlooking Sunset and Uzima savannas into Standard view, occurred Jan 2012 (change was known a year before then when they released the 2012 point charts). None of the rooms overlooking Arusha savanna in the center of the Jambo resort were changed. At that time there was also a increase in the points needed for savanna view rooms by the shifting of points to them from the rooms that were converted to standard view. As a result of the change, the total number of standard view rooms at Jambo are now close to the same number as the savanna view rooms at Jambo.

If you have standard view and want a chance to get a savanna view room, best request to make is a room on the Kudo Trail side of the building because all standard view rooms on that side of the Jambo building have a savanna view.

Also be aware, that a similar change occurred at Kidani, as a number of the savanna rooms overlooking the Pembe savanna were changed to standard view, including two GVs, but the total number of rooms changed to standard view was significantly less than those changed at Jambo. If you have Kidani and a standard view room, the best request to make to have a chance for savanna view is a room near the Pumbaa elevator, the last elevator on the north wing of Kidani. That elevator is between two buildings in which all the rooms on the Pembee savanna side have been converted from savanna view to standard view.

 

[thetasigma1186]

Thank you all for the responses. We have stayed in a 2 bedroom at Kidani and loved it. But were really looking forward to having the extra bathroom. Maybe we’re spoiled! We’ve heard lots of great things about Jambo.

We recently bought into Poly and enjoy it a lot. But wanted to try something different with our 18yr old son coming along this time. Thanks!

 

[meekey7197]

We may be the odd ones out, but we actually like that the bathroom isn’t attached to the bedroom in the Jambo 1 bedrooms (and will choose Jambo over Kidani when we have the option)

 

[eticketplease]

We may be the odd ones out, but we actually like that the bathroom isn’t attached to the bedroom in the Jambo 1 bedrooms (and will choose Jambo over Kidani when we have the option)

With only one bedroom, I agree this is the better layout as the people sleeping on the couch will not disturb those in the bedroom.

 

[wishicouldgomoreofte]

The savanna view villas facing Sunset savanna have the best views from Jambo of that savanna, the standard views aren’t as good as they’re limited by the projections of the building’s arms into the savanna, or they overlook the people pen, or they’re at the far end of Kudu trail & overlook a narrow part of the savanna. W/ standard view you also could end up overlooking the pool/roof.
When I book standard view I request Kudu trail since I’m not 100% sure that the room assigner will even know what or where Sunset savanna is . I’d love to get one of the standard views over by Uzima savanna’s barn on Zebra trail, but am afraid to request that since the room assigner might think all Zebra trail villas are the same & I’d end up w/ a view of H. sapiens in the pool.

Haha. When I request Zebra Trail, more than 50% of the time the member services person says, " So you want a room that looks at Zebras. Of course we cannot guarantee that, etc, etc " I explain that it is the name of one of the hallways, etc, but they don't seem to understand. I usually call back closer to check in to see what they wrote for the request.

 

[ajiuo]

No. The rooms at kidani are definitely nicer… but Jambo house has nicer facilities. There is a 24/7 shuttle that goes back and forth though. I rarely wait longer than 5-10 minutes. It’s also walkable. If you want the bathroom just stay at kidani and use the shuttle. Disney transportation from the parks also always stops at kidani first… except for Disney Springs which goes to Jambo first. Also, at kidani if you have a savanna room you can try to get a room on a lower level and be much closer to the animals. At Jambo all DVC vilas are on the 5th and 6th floor (concierge level)