AKV savannah view worth it?

[Kim Gillihan]

I am considering booking SAV view for my summer 2020 trip.. taking my cousins family and their first time to stay at AKV... and I think if I knew 100% I would get the good sav view with giraffes etc, I would feel better.... but wasting those extra points on bad sav view added with we won't be in the room very much.. they are park crazy people... I have never had sav room either..

Any thoughts?

 

[Splashboat]

I would not book SV under the circumstances you describe. Seeing the animals is hit or miss depending on when you are in your room. You can find them easily by walking around the resort when they are out and about. When you are at the resort just walk by any of the windows or walk out back.
We only used points for SV one time.

 

[sara mom]

I couldn’t imagine being at AK not not booking savannah view. But I’m also not a crazy park person. So if they would not spend the time in the room to enjoy the animals- probably not the best for them.

 

[Kim Gillihan]

Thanks for you replies... I appreciate it.. I am still considering....

 

[iheartglaciers]

If you don’t think that you’ll be in the room much, I would skip SV. But that said, it is a really cool experience, even if you don’t get the giraffe side. I did it once when I had a lot of friends coming with me and we got a 2-BR, but the trip included a MNSSHP day where we hung out at the resort in the morning.

 

[RaymOOOnd]

I book savannah view because I usually sit on the balcony and watch the sun rise with coffee and headphones -- and I've found few better experiences at WDW. If however you don't plan on having hours to spend out there, it's not worth it. You can get great views of the animals from a thousand other places throughout the resort.

 

[a1tinkfans]

I love early mornings looking at the Savannah and enjoy late at night... the entire peaceful setting.
In your situation, not sure id do it. If u truly think that no one would enjoy that Experience, save the expense of it.
There really are many places available to see the animamals.
Enjoy, wherever u stay.

 

[cruisin5]

Seeing the animals in my pj's is one of my favorite all-time things to do! We are not park commandos and thoroughly enjoy the balcony and animals. If you don't expect to be in your room very much during day light hours, skip it!

 

[Kim Gillihan]

Thanks for all replies.. I know I would love it... I am still considering.. I did book standard today but I may switch..... I will probably rest more than them because I get to go to Disney so much more... I can see myself sitting enjoying the animals and coffee while they rope drop! HMMMM I just may talk myself into this afterall.....

 

[iheartglaciers]

Thanks for all replies.. I know I would love it... I am still considering.. I did book standard today but I may switch..... I will probably rest more than them because I get to go to Disney so much more... I can see myself sitting enjoying the animals and coffee while they rope drop! HMMMM I just may talk myself into this afterall.....

That sounds like a perfect plan! It is so relaxing starting the day by eating breakfast on the balcony in the morning

 

[Deb & Bill]

When my son was a CM, he got us a Jambo House hotel room a few times. We got a people pen once that wasn't bad, but the other time we got pretty much nothing. When we stay on points, we always get a savanna view. It's just a bit nicer to sit on the balcony and watch the animals, take pictures. Like Groucho Marx once said, "I shot an elephant in my pajamas. What he was doing in my pajamas, I'll never know."

 

[Frederic Civish]

Savannah View is one of the jewels of Disney World. It also is a unique experience that is not available at any other hotel, anywhere in the world.

If you are in Kidani, which is a great place in its own right, and if you have a Savannah View room, then ask for a room near the lobby, or near the Timon elevator (it is the next elevator to the south of the lobby, and has good access to the parking garage and bus stops) and ask for a room on the Sunset Savannah. There are two Savannahs at Kidani. Sunset is by far the largest. But Pembe Savannah is to the far north end, and it IS NOT worth it, if you ask me. On the other hand, the OTHER SIDE of the far north end (or all the savannah views of the south end) looks out over the Sunset Savannah. Sunset Savannah is the biggest and very often has Giraffes and Zebras and various antelope-like species that you can see. DO NOT EXPECT THAT ANY OF THE SAVANNAH VIEWS ARE GOING TO LOOK LIKE THE NATURE FILMS WITH THOUSANDS OF ANIMALS MIGRATING. Even in Africa, those migrations only happen twice a year. The rest of the time, the animals are just scattered around the savannah. At Kidani, if you ask for a room on the 2nd or 3rd floor (the lowest floors available) you will be closer to the animals. But I have also had rooms on the 5th and 6th floors and was quite satisfied. If you are at Kidani in a Standard Room and want to try for a partial savannah view, ask for a room up in the north end, by the Pembe Savannah. It is past the pool and is quite a walk, but maybe worth it.

Jambo House looks out over the Sunset Savannah from the southeast side of the savannah. Ask for a room along the KUDU TRAIL, with a look out over the Sunset Savannah. The other savannahs at Jambo are the Arusha Savannah in the middle of the building (between the wings of the building). I don't know how that view is, since I have never had a room with that view. And the Uzima Savannah, which is a smaller Savannah to the east, more comparable to Pembe at Kidani. I don't necessarily recommend that one, either, but I don't know. All the DVC rooms at Jambo are on the 5th floor, I believe. If you are at Jambo in a Standard Room and want a partial savannah view, ask for a room along the Kudu trail. It will give you a partial view of the Sunset Savannah.

 

[kboo]

We are thinking of trying for savanna view next summer with another family that may be less-experienced Disney-goers. We have typically been park commandos, but I think that booking savanna view is a good choice if not everyone chooses to do everything together. We'll have young kids that may need to go to bed earlier, or who may get up earlier than others, so it would be good to have that option.

Thanks @Frederic Civish for the room request info!

 

[la1037]

Just my humble opinion... I would stay at Wilderness Lodge or Beach Club or Boardwalk rather than a non-Savanah room. A poor view at one of these other resorts still puts you in a cool resort but also closer to Magic Kingdom or Hollywood Studios, but staying in a non savanah room at AKV puts you a ways away from the parks and its cool, but not special (again IMO). But it completely depends on your situation. Disney is expensive! So no judgement on your choice - its your money. However... If you can swing it and if its not a huge financial burden or if you have the points, I think its completely worth it to have a Savanah view. It takes your hotel from a cool Disney resort to one of the coolest places in the entire world. Late night with a glass of wine watching animals while the kids sleep or throwing open the curtains to see animals first thing... where else do you get that? Sure you can take a peak from the lobby balcony or the windows in the hallway but its just not the same.

This is just me. And I have been enough times that that I admittedly am not a park warrior. We hit the parks hard every day... but we make room for other stuff too.

 

[drusba]

One thing you may consider is getting standard view at Jambo and requesting rooms on the Kudo Trail side of the building. All original standard views at Jambo overlooked the pool. In 2012, numerous savanna view rooms were converted to standard because the quality of the view was not considered the best. As a result, more than half the standard views at Jambo are converted savanna views, and many of those have fairly decent savanna views. All the standards on the Kudo Trail side of the building were formally savanna view rooms. Going that route comes with the risk of not getting your request\, but if you believe you will be away from the room most of the day, it may be worth the shot.

 

[JoeA]

They have non-savana view rooms? That never entered my mind!

 

[Spartan86]

We love both AKV buildings and also bought points enough to book savanna. Drusba does offer a possible compromise. We did book a str 1 BR at Jambo and had a pretty good savanna view. We also booked once and had pool view. So you never know. As has been said above: if you need to carefully manage points, will spend most of your time in the parks etc it may not be the best value. But with that said we have loved our SV rooms! Tough choice!

 

[Frederic Civish]

They have non-savana view rooms? That never entered my mind!

Yes they have Standard View and Savannah View rooms. Standard views usually look out over the pool OR a ‘partial’ Savannah view, which partial views, frankly, are probably better views at Jambo than at Kidani, though being near either pool is fun. Uzima pool at Jambo is considered one of the better pools at DW, and the pool at Kidani is very popular with the kids.

Even the Standard rooms are nice, and I have family that chooses them to save points, but if you can swing it, Savannah is best and is, what, maybe 4 or 5 more points per night. I personally think it is totally worth it

 

[JoeA]

Yes they have Standard View and Savannah View rooms. Standard views usually look out over the pool OR a ‘partial’ Savannah view, which partial views, frankly, are probably better views at Jambo than at Kidani, though being near either pool is fun. Uzima pool at Jambo is considered one of the better pools at DW, and the pool at Kidani is very popular with the kids.

Even the Standard rooms are nice, and I have family that chooses them to save points, but if you can swing it, Savannah is best and is, what, maybe 4 or 5 more points per night. I personally think it is totally worth it

I was hoping my smiley indicated I was being sarcastic!

We’ve owned there pretty much since day 1 and have only stayed in savanah. Nothing like waking up in the morning and taking your coffee on the deck watching animals...worth the points IMO. I have also put friends and family in a savanah view so they can have the experience.

We have a grand villa at Jambo the first week of Dec and can’t wait. The multiple patios there are amazing!!

 

[Frederic Civish]

I was hoping my smiley indicated I was being sarcastic!

Yeah, I get it now. I'm kind of stupid.