Difference between AKL Savanna View & Arusha View?

[seetheworld]

What is the difference exactly and is it worth the big price difference as well?

 

[vicki_c]

Arusha is one of the savannahs.

They are Arusha, Sunset and Uzima.

I know they changed the room categories around for next year, but I think Arusha would be a savannah view, so I'm not sure what you are trying to compare. But I have not looked to see what the current booking categories are.

 

[seetheworld]

Arusha is one of the savannahs.

They are Arusha, Sunset and Uzima.

I know they changed the room categories around for next year, but I think Arusha would be a savannah view, so I'm not sure what you are trying to compare. But I have not looked to see what the current booking categories are.

Thank you for your response. I should know the answer to this question myself after staying there many times, but when I booked my savannah view room, they offered me [for a much higher price] the Arusha view for Feb. I had never heard of paying different prices for the different savannah's. This was even the case online too, so it wasn't just a CM saying this. I was wondering if anyone had an answer to this??

 

[quantum]

What is the difference exactly and is it worth the big price difference as well?

The Arusha Savanna is the primary savanna at the AKL-Jambo House (the original main lodge)...it is the savanna contained within the C-shape of the main lodge.

It is the most often requested savanna for savanna view rooms, so Disney has now made rooms with this view their own (more expensive) catagory.

Rooms listed as just "savanna view" would have a view of one of the other 2 savanna's (Sunset, to the left of the main building, and Uzima, to the right of the main building).

See this map to help visualize: http://www.wdwinfo.com/resortmaps/aklmap.htm

As far as if it is worth the price difference, ultimately you have to decided that, but I'd say probably not...all of the savanna's have animals on them, and if you want to view the Arusha Savanna, you can easily do so from several public viewing areas (including the Arusha Rock Overlook).

 

[sndral]

I just looked @ the WDW site and it looks like club level standard rooms and club level 2 bedrooms refer specifically to Arusha Savanna view. I suspect the difference in price is due to the fact that these rooms are club level. These rooms are on the 5th and 6th floors and offer access to Kilimanjaro club w/ snacks & evening beverages.
Note, I believe you may have a view of Arusha savanna in a normal savanna view room. Arusha is the central savanna and rooms on Zebra and Kudu trail may look out onto the Arusha savanna. The public viewing area just off the lobby is in Arusha savanna.

 

[weswife]

Thanks for asking!! I wanted to know too!

 

[DebbieB]

I just looked @ the WDW site and it looks like club level standard rooms and club level 2 bedrooms refer specifically to Arusha Savanna view. I suspect the difference in price is due to the fact that these rooms are club level. These rooms are on the 5th and 6th floors and offer access to Kilimanjaro club w/ snacks & evening beverages.
Note, I believe you may have a view of Arusha savanna in a normal savanna view room. Arusha is the central savanna and rooms on Zebra and Kudu trail may look out onto the Arusha savanna. The public viewing area just off the lobby is in Arusha savanna.

Club level is separate. Here are the categories for 2011:

Standard Room with Standard View
Standard Room with Pool View
Standard Room with Bunk Beds, Pool View
Standard Room with Savanna View - Standard room with savanna view offers view of one of the savannas at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge. Fall rate $360
Standard Room with Bunk Beds, Savanna View
Standard Room with Arusha Savanna View - View of the Arusha savanna of Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge wildlife reserve. Fall Rate $390
Standard Room with Bunk Beds, Arusha Savanna View
Kilimanjaro Club Level with Concierge Service - Standard Room - Club Level standard room offers a view of Arusha savanna at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge. Fall Rate $400
Club Level with Concierge Service - 1 Bedroom Suite
Kilimanjaro Club Level with Concierge Service - One Bedroom Suite
Kilimanjaro Club Level with Concierge Service - 2 Bedroom Suite
Kilimanjaro Club Level with Concierge Service - Royal Kuba Vice-Presidential Suite
Kilimanjaro Club Level with Concierge Service - Royal Asante Presidential Suite

 

[namenottaken]

im wondering about this as well. what aparently are we missing out on if we are at one of the others?

 

[Sue M]

The Arusha savana is the most requested, maybe it has the most popular animals? Or more variety? I guess WDW is banking on people wanting to pay more for that view. Personally, I think it's going to backfire. I wouldn't pay extra for Arusha. We had Sunset and it was very nice. There are many lookouts that you can go to for a view of Arusha.

 

[DebbieB]

The Arusha savana is the most requested, maybe it has the most popular animals? Or more variety? I guess WDW is banking on people wanting to pay more for that view. Personally, I think it's going to backfire. I wouldn't pay extra for Arusha. We had Sunset and it was very nice. There are many lookouts that you can go to for a view of Arusha.

Looking at the map, you can see the entire Arusha savannah from almost any room. For Sunset & Uzima, you will only get a partial view.

 

[justbishop]

The Arusha savana is the most requested, maybe it has the most popular animals? Or more variety? I guess WDW is banking on people wanting to pay more for that view. Personally, I think it's going to backfire. I wouldn't pay extra for Arusha. We had Sunset and it was very nice. There are many lookouts that you can go to for a view of Arusha.

I'm guessing that there will be some people willing to pay the premium for the Arusha view, but not enough to keep the higher priced Arusha rooms full. The regular, NON-Arusha savannah views will probably be in higher demand, and will overflow by way of some who book them receiving free upgrades at check in to the Arusha view rooms. Even if Disney books just a few of the Arusha rooms at the higher price and hands out upgrades to fill the rest of them, they're still making more money than if they priced all of the savannah views equally.

Sorry if that didn't make sense, it's been a long, tiring weekend, lol!

 

[DebbieB]

I think it's following the trend for many resorts for 2011. Disney looked at the most requested and put them into a higher price group. They already had it at the values, now they have it at the moderates and AKL.

 

[seetheworld]

Thank you everyone!!!! It makes much more sense now!!!

 

[johnvree]

I would pay for the Arusha Savanna. We stayed at the AKL twice. Both times we requested the Arusha Savanna. Both times we got the smaller savannahs. IMO, the smaller savannas are not as pretty and look like zoos. So for me, I would pay more.

 

[sndral]

Interesting, maybe I was looking @ 2010 @ the WDW site, or maybe I was distracted by the baseball game (go giants) I have always read that all 3 savannas are the same size, 10-11 acres each, is this not the case?
Not sure I'd be happy to pay more for Arusha and have to hike all the way to the end of Kudu trail for my room.

 

[nurse.darcy]

I saw that the other day about the "new" category for Arusha. Personally, I like Sunset Savannah, Kudu trail. I would NEVER pay extra to stay on Arusha. I say book a savannah view if you want it but sunset, kudu. no extras.

 

[DebbieB]

Interesting, maybe I was looking @ 2010 @ the WDW site, or maybe I was distracted by the baseball game (go giants) I have always read that all 3 savannas are the same size, 10-11 acres each, is this not the case?
Not sure I'd be happy to pay more for Arusha and have to hike all the way to the end of Kudu trail for my room.

The way the building is constructed, you can see more from any room on Arusha. See this map. Arusha is in the middle. Sunset is on the left, Uzima is on the right.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/resortmaps/aklmap.htm

 

[hellokittiemama]

We had sunset savannah - kudu trail.. we were far down.. at the end and could look across and see Kidani - it was a long walk and the first day as we found our way to the room my husband and I both thought about calling and requesting a different room. As soon as we walked out on our balcony (2nd floor) we both jaw dropped - TONS of animals. The giraffe especially were plentiful here.. 4 of them would congregate and actually go to sleep right outside our room. It made the walk so worth it. Knowing this, I wouldn't pay extra for one of the arusha rooms. I'd request a "quiet room" on Kudu Trail.