AKL Savannah View; AKL Room Choice

[Pan's Dad]

What do you think is worth the extra costs? We are staying 3 nites at AKL in Sept (after staying 4 nites at either Vistana Resort or Grand Vista)...

1. Should we stay at the std rate $133

2. Would you upgrade to the pool view for an additional $43

3. Do you honestly feel it is worth an addtl $150 or would you stay at pool view or std view?

4. what room (area) of resort would you request?

5. is there a lot of noise if you take pool view?

Is the AKL tour worth taking?

thanks.

 

[HopperFan]

Trip #1 booked standard view for $119 ~ postcard rate. Were bumped up to Savanna View. Had an awesome room on an short hall off the zebra trail (4th floor) looking at giraffes and others, with a a backdrop of trees. We did not look at another part of the hotel which made for a very real experience. We loved sitting there, even in the rain.

Trip #2 so afraid we'd get a standard if we booked it but couldn't swing savanna, so booked pool view with a code for $160. ABSOLUTELY not worth the money. As opposed to our other room we never used the balcony and didn't even want to sit out there. Was alittle noisy (if you sat outside - room itself was quiet), could see roofs of restaurants and really did not enjoy the view of the pool. Also was not very private. We either sat AT the pool or enjoyed the hotel or we were gone.

There are so many neat viewing areas all over the hotel to see animals, that the next time we are booking standard. If we get bumped up to savanna again, great a nice treat ! If we don't - no big deal, we'll spend our money elsewhere. (But I would want to be up off the ground floor which had some rooms with balconies literally on the sidewalk to the buses).

 

[buzzz1]

Okay, I have a question... when you say you were "bumped up" does this mean UPGRADED ???

Just wondering because I don't really understan the whole "upgrading" thing.

We have ressies for pool view at AKL in September. I would love to know how we do the upgrade.
Do you just ask when you check in ??
Please fill me in !!

 

[HopperFan]

I'm not sure how they determine it, but it seems like alot of people get "upgraded" to a better room from standard at AKL. Best I can figure is they purposely overbook standard to fill the very large hotel.

I was already there on postcard rate. At check-in he said "Do you want two queens or a queen and bunkbed ?" I said "bunkbeds would be great since I have a boy and girl". The next thing he said was "I hope it's okay if we put you in a Savanna view room?" I responded "if you must ".

Our room was awesome, right under the rooms with the large balcony so we had a huge roof that kept our balcony bone dry during the storms. View and animals were great.

When we went with the pool view, not a word and all I asked for was a room as high up as possible. I thought maybe I would have a shot at a deluxe pool room, but the hotel was packed.

QUESTION - has anyone ever reserved pool view and then gotten an upgrade to savanna ? Seems like I only hear standard to savanna.

I have never tried to ask for an upgrade - guess I'm just not that hotel savvy yet - and I'm usually there on a great rate to begin with, so I always feel like I wouldn't be one they would upgrade. It sounds like people just ask for a better room than they reserved for the same rate at check in - I don't know......

And the funny part was the only time I have ever paid full price at a WDW hotel, they downgraded me and I had to fight for an hour to get the water view I had paid for...........