Disney's ANIMAL KINGDOM LODGE Information & Questions

[Best Aunt]

What do you stock it with to save $$? If you are not cooking? Can we bring in our own beer?!! That would help.
Hehehe
Say we rent points and stay 8-10 days. What would you use it for , dead of summer.
I have never gone in summer before and we don't do well with heat so just thinking it through. If we do this, we will plan plenty of resort time for sure.

Eat breakfast in the room. Drinks, snacks. Easy meals like sandwiches and fruit.

 

[DizDaD7]

.....now THAT.

would.

NEVER.

happen.

And Why Wouldn't that?????

 

[RachelTori]

Eat breakfast in the room. Drinks, snacks. Easy meals like sandwiches and fruit.

What do you stock it with to save $$? If you are not cooking? Can we bring in our own beer?!! That would help.
Hehehe
Say we rent points and stay 8-10 days. What would you use it for , dead of summer.
I have never gone in summer before and we don't do well with heat so just thinking it through. If we do this, we will plan plenty of resort time for sure.

Exactly what Best Aunt said! And YES........ BEER!!!

 

[ELSA711]

Exactly what Best Aunt said! And YES........ BEER!!!

Thanks Ladies!! Yep good call.
Our trips are usually 8-10 days and one thing my kids miss is their fruit and yogurt every morning. Having a longer trip it will definitely be needed.
I wasn't even thinking.
Considering we are driving it will be easy peasy picking up stuff.

 

[sndral]

... I can't find answers or accidentally over looking. Deluxe studio savannah view which floor is that on and which trail? Also if I book Wanyama Safari would I have time to get off plane at 1:20, take DME to resort, and have time to make it? Thx

DVC deluxe studio savannah view (non club) will be on the 5th floor and you'll be on Kudu or Zebra trail.
Regarding Wanyama, I would not risk a 1:20 airport arrival. You meet at Jiko at 3:30, so you have 2 hours to deplane, take the faux monorail to the terminal and make your way down to DME in B terminal. Then you may wait for your DME bus or wait to leave the airport, then your bus could stop at 2 or more resorts to unload people before they reach AKL. All of that assumes your flight is on time, and doesn't have to wait for a gate to let you deplane, etc.. The Wanyama Safari costs so much, I wouldn't risk scheduling it for arrival day when flying.
I do like doing Wanyama early in my stay because I learn some of the stories about the animals that I'll be seeing for the rest of my vacation and feel like I 'know' them, especially the ones that become regulars near my balcony.

 

[berryinDC]

I'm considering doing the Wanyama Safari during our trip in Sept. How early do I need to book it? Our 180 day window opens in a few days. I'm waffling between doing the safari or just enjoying our one resort day with relaxation and taking advantage of free activities (plus a Jiko dinner reservation). What do you think?

 

[OhThePain]

I'm considering doing the Wanyama Safari during our trip in Sept. How early do I need to book it? Our 180 day window opens in a few days. I'm waffling between doing the safari or just enjoying our one resort day with relaxation and taking advantage of free activities (plus a Jiko dinner reservation). What do you think?

Book it at 180 days. You have to contact AKL-IPO in order to book it. You could always cancel if you decide not to do it, but you may not be able to book it if you wait, especially if you are planning on doing it on a specific day. There are only 12 openings each day (guests must be 8 and older). My wife and I are planning on using our Wanyama day in May as a resort day. We'll just relax by the pool and around the resort. This time we are doing it later in our trip because we wanted to do it on our anniversary (we did it the first time the night we got engaged).

I would not recommend booking it on your arrival day, no matter what time your flight lands. We did it our arrival day the first time and that was 180 days of no sleep, and our flight arrived a 10AM. By the time we got into our room, we had about 20 minutes to get engaged, get ready and go down and meet for the safari. Part of the no sleep was because I knew I was going to propose, the other part was because of the $400 I'd be out if we didn't make it for whatever reason.

 

[brnrss34]

DVC deluxe studio savannah view (non club) will be on the 5th floor and you'll be on Kudu or Zebra trail.
Regarding Wanyama, I would not risk a 1:20 airport arrival. You meet at Jiko at 3:30, so you have 2 hours to deplane, take the faux monorail to the terminal and make your way down to DME in B terminal. Then you may wait for your DME bus or wait to leave the airport, then your bus could stop at 2 or more resorts to unload people before they reach AKL. All of that assumes your flight is on time, and doesn't have to wait for a gate to let you deplane, etc.. The Wanyama Safari costs so much, I wouldn't risk scheduling it for arrival day when flying.
I do like doing Wanyama early in my stay because I learn some of the stories about the animals that I'll be seeing for the rest of my vacation and feel like I 'know' them, especially the ones that become regulars near my balcony.

Thx

 

[kimmar067]

And Why Wouldn't that?????

...hey, you know I moved, right?

 

[kimmar067]

Thanks Ladies!! Yep good call.
Our trips are usually 8-10 days and one thing my kids miss is their fruit and yogurt every morning. Having a longer trip it will definitely be needed.
I wasn't even thinking.
Considering we are driving it will be easy peasy picking up stuff.

...when we drove to WDW, we stocked up on cases of water and iced tea.....SOOOOOO much cheaper!

 

[Lisann]

Does anyone have photos of the comparison between standard rooms and deluxe/concierge rooms at Animal Kingdom? On the first page of this thread, it states that there is a difference in square footage. I'm wondering if it's noticeable.

Thanks.

Anyone? Or can anyone describe the difference? I've just never heard of a square footage difference in a club level vs standard room.

 

[brooke789]

Does anyone have a pic of the DVC laundry facilities?! I'm really just wondering how many machines are there?

Eta: we're staying in Jambo.

 

[kimmar067]

Anyone? Or can anyone describe the difference? I've just never heard of a square footage difference in a club level vs standard room.

....while the square footage of the rooms is negligible, the main difference is the amenities offered in CL, like prime location, access to the CL lounge, etc....

 

[TeeterTots]

Does anyone have a pic of the DVC laundry facilities?! I'm really just wondering how many machines are there?

Eta: we're staying in Jambo.

There are 2 washers and 4 dryers

 

[brooke789]

There are 2 washers and 4 dryers

Thanks! That really doesn't sound like much. We're going to be on a 2 week trip...I'm going to have to do laundry a couple times!

Anyone who has used them in the past - do you usually find you can do laundry without trouble?

 

[kimmar067]

....I've used the laundry facilities while staying at AKL....not too many problems, but I did have to use a lot of quarters to dry the clothes....

 

[TeeterTots]

Thanks! That really doesn't sound like much. We're going to be on a 2 week trip...I'm going to have to do laundry a couple times!

Anyone who has used them in the past - do you usually find you can do laundry without trouble?

I know there is another coin laundry that is non-DVC, but I'm not sure how many machines they have

 

[RachelTori]

Thanks! That really doesn't sound like much. We're going to be on a 2 week trip...I'm going to have to do laundry a couple times!

Anyone who has used them in the past - do you usually find you can do laundry without trouble?

Are you an early riser? That's the perfect time to do laundry! (early morning or late at night!) The DVC laundry room requires your magic band to enter. It's on 5th floor, Zebra Trail, just off the lobby.

Kidani has laundry facilities, but I can't say how many machines or even where they're located.

The 1- and 2-bedrooms all have machines in the villas. I really miss that when I stay in a studio!

 

[brooke789]

Are you an early riser? That's the perfect time to do laundry! (early morning or late at night!) The DVC laundry room requires your magic band to enter. It's on 5th floor, Zebra Trail, just off the lobby.

Kidani has laundry facilities, but I can't say how many machines or even where they're located.

The 1- and 2-bedrooms all have machines in the villas. I really miss that when I stay in a studio!

We would have loved a villa for the laundry but we're in a standard room while we only count as a family of 4 and have the option!

Definitely an early riser, so that may work, but gosh I'd have to be up crazy early to get it washed and dried before RD! That should probably be my plan though, especially if both machines are available!

 

[berryinDC]

Book it at 180 days. You have to contact AKL-IPO in order to book it. You could always cancel if you decide not to do it, but you may not be able to book it if you wait, especially if you are planning on doing it on a specific day. There are only 12 openings each day (guests must be 8 and older). My wife and I are planning on using our Wanyama day in May as a resort day. We'll just relax by the pool and around the resort. This time we are doing it later in our trip because we wanted to do it on our anniversary (we did it the first time the night we got engaged).
.

I didn't know you could cancel it after booking. That makes the decision much easier! Thanks so much for the tip (and the cautionary tale). I just arranged it for our last evening. We should be good and relaxed by then. Also, they let me book 182 days out! Now all my dining reservations are done.