AKL Pool View Rooms - Giraffe vs. Zebra Trail

[LillsnJills]

We're T-10 days and counting til our trip! We've already checked in online, and I've heard that we can request a specific trail to stay in. The question is... which to pick?

We booked a pool view room (couldn't see paying the extra for the savannah view since we won't be in the room THAT much, but didn't want to look at the parking lot when we ARE there ) Easy/quick access to the buses would be nice - I have bum knees, so while I know I'll be doing a ton of walking in the parks, not having to hike ten miles to get to the bus would be a plus. So that seems to argue for Giraffe trail. But everything I've seen seems to indicate these are the least desirable rooms, for whatever reason.

So for those of you who've stayed in these two trails, how bad of a hike is it to get to the bus from Zebra trail? Are the views/quality of the rooms there that much better than Giraffe trail? Any input would be greatly appreciated!

 

[danceintherain]

I really enjoyed the location of our room on the Zebra trail. I thought it was a very easy walk to the bus stop, and conveniently located for everything else.
I think the only thing that would give Zebra trail an edge over Giraffe trail is that the Zebra trail has savanna views across the hall, so there are public viewing areas along that wing. You have to walk the length of the lobby to get to the viewing areas from the Giraffe trail.

Maybe someone else has more of an idea of what would be ideal.

 

[aubriee]

We just got back this past weekend from AKL. I had booked a pool view room and had the CM put as my request 'Zebra Trail with nice view'. When we checked in Sept 1st, we had been upgraded to wonderful Savanna view on the Zebra Trail facing the Arusha savanna. It was a perfect location--- as you go across the lobby, if you went down the stairs to the right like you were heading onto Arusha rock and looked to the right, you'd see a hallway off to the right. We were in the second room up that hallway (just steps from the Arusha Savanna and lobby in that first pod of rooms). I have also stayed there in a pool view room where I requested first floor Giraffe trail and that's exactly what I got.

 

[LillsnJills]

danceintherain and aubriee thanks for the feedback! I did call today and request to be on the zebra trail. I didn't specifically ask for a nice view, but did mention that we were honeymooning, and the CM said she'd make a note of it. An upgrade would be nice (especially since I see so many people say they get them all the time), but I'll be happy with whatever room we get!

 

[realmikeo]

What a coincidence. We checked into the AKL on September 1st for our honeymoon. They said they were really busy for the weekend and weren't able to upgrade us to a Savannah room, but we tried again Monday night and we got an amazing Arusha Savannah view right in front of a pond for the rest of our stay. If you aren't able to get upgraded right away, ask them how the availability is for the rest of your trip and try back in a couple days. It's certainly easier to fit you into a Savannah room for 3-5 days than 7-9 (or however long your trip is).

Even if you have to pack your bags for 1-2 nights its absolutely worth it. It really is like being in another world. After we moved from our pool view room we would wake up every morning, make coffee and sit on the balcony and take in the view. One night we even cancelled dinner reservations just to sit on the balcony and watch the animals. It's hard to justify the initial booking cost (would have been $1500 more for us) when there's such a high probability to get upgraded for free, but it's absolutely worth doing whatever you can to get the free upgrade.

If you can't get the upgrade, try for a pool view room on the Zebra Trail on the second floor near the triangular area where the elevators are. There's a viewing platform right off that area. If you're close to that, you'll be able to step out of your room and go there. Also, you'll pass by that viewing area every time you enter/leave your room so you can pause and go outside if there happens to be a bunch of animals walking around at the time.

 

[aubriee]

What a coincidence. We checked into the AKL on September 1st for our honeymoon. They said they were really busy for the weekend and weren't able to upgrade us to a Savannah room, but we tried again Monday night and we got an amazing Arusha Savannah view right in front of a pond for the rest of our stay. If you aren't able to get upgraded right away, ask them how the availability is for the rest of your trip and try back in a couple days. It's certainly easier to fit you into a Savannah room for 3-5 days than 7-9 (or however long your trip is).

Even if you have to pack your bags for 1-2 nights its absolutely worth it. It really is like being in another world. After we moved from our pool view room we would wake up every morning, make coffee and sit on the balcony and take in the view. One night we even cancelled dinner reservations just to sit on the balcony and watch the animals. It's hard to justify the initial booking cost (would have been $1500 more for us) when there's such a high probability to get upgraded for free, but it's absolutely worth doing whatever you can to get the free upgrade.

If you can't get the upgrade, try for a pool view room on the Zebra Trail on the second floor near the triangular area where the elevators are. There's a viewing platform right off that area. If you're close to that, you'll be able to step out of your room and go there. Also, you'll pass by that viewing area every time you enter/leave your room so you can pause and go outside if there happens to be a bunch of animals walking around at the time.

Odd, we didn't even ask for an upgrade (and never would). Our room had been assigned before we even arrived. We checked in about 3:30 Sat Sept 1st and the savanna room was ready. When the CM told us how to get to our room, I told him I loved the idea of a savanna view, but we had booked a pool view room. He laughed and pointed to my 79 y/o mom and said we got it because of her, then he laughed and said actually he did not know why we got the free upgrade, the room assigner just gave us some pixie dust. There are CMs who work the front desks of some of the resorts that post here on the DIS and they say that free upgrades are usually given prior to check in and the best way to guarantee you don't get one is to ask for one. They would rather surprise someone with some pixie dust. I go to WDW 4-6 times a year and have gotten quite a few upgrades over the years, but have never asked for one.