AKL Wine Questions

[KuyaJeff]

We have a trip planned with us staying at AKL, Jambo House. We hear that there is a wide variety of African wines available by the bottle and can be enjoyed at home or in the room. Feel like it would be perfect for enjoying the view from our balcony in the evening... Just had a few questions for those who have decided to enjoy any of it during their stay:

- Are there wine glasses available in the room? If not, is there a way to request for wine glasses to be sent up to our room?

-If all else fails with finding free glasses to use, are they avilable for purchase somewhere?

-Should I bring a wine opener from home? Is there one in the room? Can I purchase one?

-I've tried to look online...but does anyone know how much the average bottle costs?

-Does anyone have suggestions or great experiences with a certain wine? ...recommendations?

 

[greengeen]

You should bring a corkscrew from home, because (unless you're in a villa) there's not one in the room. We also bring wine glasses with us, but you can purchase them at any WDW gift store, including at the resort, and they make great souvenirs. The wine sold at the resort runs about $15-$40 a bottle. Some wines are screw-top and easy to open. I like the Gamekeeper's Reserve, but didn't see it in the gift shop last trip.

 

[magicLAL12]

We have a trip planned with us staying at AKL, Jambo House. We hear that there is a wide variety of African wines available by the bottle and can be enjoyed at home or in the room. Feel like it would be perfect for enjoying the view from our balcony in the evening... Just had a few questions for those who have decided to enjoy any of it during their stay:

1) Are there wine glasses available in the room? If not, is there a way to request for wine glasses to be sent up to our room?

2) If all else fails with finding free glasses to use, are they avilable for purchase somewhere?

3) Should I bring a wine opener from home? Is there one in the room? Can I purchase one?

4) I've tried to look online...but does anyone know how much the average bottle costs?

-Does anyone have suggestions or great experiences with a certain wine? ...recommendations?

1) It depends on what type of room you will be staying in. If you have a regular hotel room, then no- there will not be wine glasses in the room. If you have a villa, there will be wine glasses in the room. I'm sure that you can also request to have them brought to the room by room service.

2) I believe there were wine glasses for sale in the Jambo House gift shop, but I could be mistaken. If not, there are several locations throughout WDW that sell wine glasses, so you shouldn't be out of luck.

3) There was a corkscrew in our villa in early June. However, it was rather flimsy. I would recommend bringing a corkscrew from home in your checked luggage as these may be more difficult to find for purchase (although I did see them as well throughout the parks & DD).

4) I'm not sure what the average price for a bottle of wine was in the gift shop (they were available at Jambo House)- but the average cost for a bottle from Jiko-The Cooking place ranged upwards of $35 (I never saw one on the menu for $15). I'm pretty sure the prices for bottles via room service were around the same prices. That being said, the African wines are wonderful and even the cheapest (which is what we had to buy) were still extremely flavorful and rich.

Enjoy your trip! I'm so jealous of drinking wine on the balcony...wish we were going back!

 

[ZebraDomeCrazy]

If you stop at Victoria Falls Lounge (off lobby), they will gladly open your bottle and give you wine glasses to take to your room. You will just need to tell them that you are going to your room only, as glasses are not allowed anywhere else, like viewing areas, etc., for safety concerns. They will serve you in plastic cups to take drinks outside.

 

[chalee94]

-Does anyone have suggestions or great experiences with a certain wine?

i had a glass of graham beck bliss demi sec at jiko and really liked it. it's a sparkling wine - fairly sweet, fruity and light. might not be a good choice if you prefer something more complex.

 

[KuyaJeff]

You should bring a corkscrew from home, because (unless you're in a villa) there's not one in the room. We also bring wine glasses with us, but you can purchase them at any WDW gift store, including at the resort, and they make great souvenirs. The wine sold at the resort runs about $15-$40 a bottle. Some wines are screw-top and easy to open. I like the Gamekeeper's Reserve, but didn't see it in the gift shop last trip.

Thanks for the heads up on the corkscrew situation...we're going to be staying at a non-villa room. Would you happen to know how much they glasses go for? Also, do they have some sort of logo that would look out of place at home?

Enjoy your trip! I'm so jealous of drinking wine on the balcony...wish we were going back!

I'm pretty sure we wil lenjoy our trip...I just feel like AKL will be one of those places where wine is meant to be enjoyed on the balcony with such great architecture all around and nature nearby.

If you stop at Victoria Falls Lounge (off lobby), they will gladly open your bottle and give you wine glasses to take to your room. You will just need to tell them that you are going to your room only, as glasses are not allowed anywhere else, like viewing areas, etc., for safety concerns. They will serve you in plastic cups to take drinks outside.

That is some great advice! Always good to know there are some freebies in Disney World if you look in the right places.

i had a glass of graham beck bliss demi sec at jiko and really liked it. it's a sparkling wine - fairly sweet, fruity and light. might not be a good choice if you prefer something more complex.

For people in college, we're not that complex...just the concept of having wine alone makes us feel a little sophisticated. But thanks for the reccomendation...we might check it out.

To everyone, thanks for the great resources and reccomendations!