AKL LITE unofficial FAQ thread#10 - I believe that's known as a 'Jambo Dozen'

[kimmar067]

Hi . We stayed at Kidani and loved it did not order food but just to let you know we found bugs a real issue round the pool so much so we used the pool at Jambo instead. But maybe we were in bug season? We went in May.

…..plus, if you spent time at the pool at Jambo, the Mara is merely a few steps away….

 

[Disney Queenie]

I am a complete Disney nut! Been to Disney in August at least 5 times.

However, my last trip to my beloved Disney was AWFUL ...I wanted to disown my three DD's( ages 14, 13 & 12) they were beyond the pale and I honestly thought they may have killed my love for Disney with their horrid teen/tween angst/entitlement and constant bickering.
Well anyhoo... My DBIL knows how much I love Disney-heck, his partner DID NOT love Disney and they went on a trip with me and they bought DVC. I showed them a different Disney...and they caught the fever and bought into DVC

Sorry to digress...back to my long winded story...

Well last Thanksgiving my DBIL was asking me about Disney and I was telling him nope...no way...taking time off...still mad about the last trip... (insert small rant about my children) and then my final comment...The only thing that could get me to Disney is a stay at AKL Savannah view well he said

"let's do it" insert DBIL's sly grin! Huh? says me


So there we have it...I am going to Disney If you told me that last September, I would have told you that you would have a better chance of seeing me wearing a bikini to a high school reunion or for that matter even get me to a HS reunion...NOT! But, drat my crafty diabolical DBIL, he got me.

AKL is a bucket list item for me! I think it is just stinking magical to look out your window and have animals outside of it and the resort is just gorgeous! I did not think we would accomplish this bucket list item till the kids were grown up because of the cost for a family of 5 at AKL.


They are booking 7 days and using all of their points for that view (they are the best!

Don't get me wrong, love my girls and they are good kids...but last trip they were just brutal! I don't think they will ever do that again, because they felt really bad when they came home...and believe me, like a good mother I remind them how they need to make it up to me , because Disney is my happy place and my escape from my crazy kidcentric life! In Disney Momma is the Kid!

So here it is:

Me, DH, DD 15, DD 14, & DD 13
DBIL,DBIL, DN9 & DN7
August,14-16th Universal
16-23 AKL Savannah view 2Bedroom lockout Jambo House

 

[kimmar067]

…..remind me again of WHY you are bringing your 3 DDs???

 

[Disney Queenie]

…..remind me again of WHY you are bringing your 3 DDs???

cause I do not have any takers to leave them at home with

ugggh, over the years I would read of parents having bad trips due to teen drama...I always thought oh that will never happen to us, our kids love Disney too much Well that was a big ol sucker punch realization last trip when it happened to me and I realized we were that family.

The other day, my DH gave me a hug after an afternoon of teen drama and I said into his chest "they better not ruin Disney" he chuckled and said if they do, we will leave them with their Uncles...love that man

 

[kimmar067]

…..fair enough.

 

[kimmar067]

….it gets better….I promise.

 

[hill6]

Have a great time Disney Queenie. I love AKL.

 

[wendybeth75]

So Excited doing a split stay starting with AKV-Jambo April 4-9. The one con that I hear about AKV is the buses and how far away it is from the parks. Is it really THAT bad? How are the lines back to the AKV after say wishes or illuminations? That has been the worst thing when we stay at POR, nighttime buses back. Thanks in advance!

 

[MomofDisneyLoversx3]

cause I do not have any takers to leave them at home with

ugggh, over the years I would read of parents having bad trips due to teen drama...I always thought oh that will never happen to us, our kids love Disney too much Well that was a big ol sucker punch realization last trip when it happened to me and I realized we were that family.

The other day, my DH gave me a hug after an afternoon of teen drama and I said into his chest "they better not ruin Disney" he chuckled and said if they do, we will leave them with their Uncles...love that man

I see you are in MA. Feel free to drop the darlings at my Memere's house. She loves all kids---but puts teens in line!

What awesome BILs!!!! Enjoy your trip. There is nothing better than the animals out your window.

I'm worrying over the teen thing myself. Dd 13 has ALREADY complained about having to get up for RD in Aug.

 

[MomofDisneyLoversx3]

Disney Queenie--just looked at your dates---looks like we will have an overlap! If you see a harried looking woman who keeps muttering 'why can't my sister just be where she needs to be on time' that's me! We are staying at WL this time because we need 2 deluxe rooms.

 

[kimmar067]

…we should all have your DD's problem….

 

[MomofDisneyLoversx3]

…we should all have your DD's problem….

That's basically what I said. Although I may have said 'you just need to get your bum up and be in the lounge. You don't have to speak to anyone or make eye contact'

 

[tarak]

Disney Queenie--just looked at your dates---looks like we will have an overlap! If you see a harried looking woman who keeps muttering 'why can't my sister just be where she needs to be on time' that's me! We are staying at WL this time because we need 2 deluxe rooms.

I see you're from PA. Does your sister live in Northern California and take an inordinate amount of time getting ready in the morning, too? Maybe we're related.

My oldest is only ten, and the drama is already unreal. Our last trip, she had a meltdown because her sister (9, and terrified of roller coasters) wouldn't go on thunder mountain with her. You'd have thought there was some personal vendetta involved. Versus a fear of coasters.

Enjoy AKL! What a wonder BIL. I have to admit it feels weird to be staying somewhere other than AKL (I booked a bounceback for this August at YC - taking my mom and the three older kids). I'd love to sneak in a lunch at Sanaa, but I don't know if I'll be able to pry my kids from the pool on our resort days.

 

[kimmar067]

...I'd love to sneak in a lunch at Sanaa, but I don't know if I'll be able to pry my kids from the pool on our resort days.

….stick 'em in Simba's Den….

 

[MomofDisneyLoversx3]

I feel like I'm cheating on AKL!!! Nah my sister is not from northern Cali. She just tries my patience. I may have told the IPO that they needed to order an extra case of wine for our week!

 

[scoobydooby]

Myself and my 12 year old DD are taking a girls only trip May 22 to 31. We are traveling from the UK and this is an unusually short trip but I sneaked it in as an extra one!!! My husband would never stay at AKL, he thinks it is too far away from everything, so we decided this was our best bet to stay here and we both cannot wait! I couldn't afford a savannah view, so what can we expect from a standard view? Car park? Roof? Had a flat roof view at the Beach Club a couple of years ago which was fine. If I looked to the right I could actually see the Epcot ball!

Also. Does anyone know if they sell any British newspapers at the resort?

 

[jeffbear]

Also. Does anyone know if they sell any British newspapers at the resort?

I've never noticed any UK newspapers at the resort, but I'll make a suggestion. You can download a Kindle app to your smartphone or pad and get Kindle versions of most UK dailies for cheap. It's not the same as the e-reader versions are light on pictures and the layouts are weird, but it's cheap and keeps you in touch with home

 

[kimmar067]

I feel like I'm cheating on AKL!!! Nah my sister is not from northern Cali. She just tries my patience. I may have told the IPO that they needed to order an extra case of wine for our week!

….just so ya know, The Mara has some EXCELLENT wines….

 

[DevonsDisneyMom]

So Excited doing a split stay starting with AKV-Jambo April 4-9. The one con that I hear about AKV is the buses and how far away it is from the parks. Is it really THAT bad? How are the lines back to the AKV after say wishes or illuminations? That has been the worst thing when we stay at POR, nighttime buses back. Thanks in advance!

We have stayed at both Kidani village and Jambo house several times and buses have never been an issue for us. Like any Disney resort there are days when u might wait for a bus here and there, but I expect that and anticipate that. As far as long bus rides. I say longest is to MK and that might be 20-25 mins tops. Again I think no matter where you stay trying to get back to the resort after wishes or illuminations there are going to be waits.

 

[BlueGiraffe]

The only issue I recall with buses was one day at AK when the heavens opened and eveyone decided to leave at the same time. We queued for about an hour to get on a bus back to AKL (and it rained continuously into the night!).

The only other issue was getting the bus back from Epcot in time for the DME from AKL back to the airport. They switched drivers when the bus arrived and the new driver insisted on doing a full check of everything on the bus before she'd let us on, lol. Luckily we made it back in time.

But they were were the only problems we came across. We were there for a week and bussed it eveywhere, in and out all day. And I never felt we were too far away from anything.