Help me understand AKL better!

[lynzi2004]

Alright I took the plunge and we are booked at AKL! I’m so excited and the kids will be thrilled. Thank you all for the information!

 

[thanxfornoticin]

GREAT choice. You and your kids will love it. The resort is one of our favorites anywhere, not just WDW. The food options are really good, your kids will love the animals, and you'll have the choice of 2 great pools. When checking in, I would ask where your room is located - and ask how you can perhaps get your kids a view with animals. If you don't have a room with a view, check out the various lookouts around the resort - a few of them are very close to the pools. Enjoy!

 

[Miffy]

One really great advantage of AKL is that the bus to DAK comes quite often and the ride is only about 5 minutes.

We love AKL and were so happy the discount came out since it worked for our December trip.

 

[LRdismom]

Not sure if this has been mentioned, but Kidani has the better waterside so the pool is worth checking out even if it’s smaller.

 

[Anthony1971]

For the best chance of standard with a view suggest the trail -I cannot recall the name- that is on the left side of the resort in the back not the front part. If you request near lobby or near pool you can almost guarantee a parking lot view. I will warn that the walks can be long and if you are not planning on spending time in your room you likely will see few animals. The animals are feed at different times on each savanna. while we have not stayed there in 5 or 6 years it is still on the top of my list and have stayed there 6 or 7 times. Actually I did spend one night there 2 years ago but that turned out to be maybe 5 hours being my flight was very delayed and we got there around 5 am

 

[Suzabella]

We have never stayed at AKL however, we usually get to the resort to see the animals on visits where we don't do AK. Plenty of viewing areas in both resorts.

 

[NicoleLarson]

For the best chance of standard with a view suggest the trail -I cannot recall the name- that is on the left side of the resort in the back not the front part. If you request near lobby or near pool you can almost guarantee a parking lot view. I will warn that the walks can be long and if you are not planning on spending time in your room you likely will see few animals. The animals are feed at different times on each savanna. while we have not stayed there in 5 or 6 years it is still on the top of my list and have stayed there 6 or 7 times. Actually I did spend one night there 2 years ago but that turned out to be maybe 5 hours being my flight was very delayed and we got there around 5 am

Kudu trail is on the left side facing Kidani/ sunset savannah, Zebra trail is on the right and has the pool and Uzima savannah.

 

[sndral]

The hallways at Jambo are called Trails.
Requesting & getting Kudu trail w/ a standard view room will get at least a partial Sunset savanna view.
Requesting Zebra trail w/ a standard view at Jambo will most likely get partial pool view, maybe a partial view of Uzima savannah. Zebra trail however is very convenient to Jambo’s pool & the quick service restaurant - The Mara.
Giraffe & Ostrich trails are the shorter hallways at the front of Jambo, those front the road/parking lot, but half the Ostrich trail rooms face Sunset savannah - not sure if those rooms are standard or savanna view.
There are tall windows along Ostrich, Kudu, and Zebra trails which overlook savannas, if you are on one of those trails it’s nice to pause as you walk to/from your room to see what animals are visible. The animals are on their savannas at night & there is subtle ‘moon’ lighting, so it’s worth looking around as you return from a park visit in the evenings, especially if you see the feed truck out there, since the animals will move to where new feed is put out.
About viewing the animals, there are several outlooks you can go to to see each savanna. Be aware that for about 90 minutes each morning the animals go to their barns for feeding/checks, each savanna’s animals have a schedule, so if you don’t see animals on one savanna they’re in the barn. Also, the animals move freely around their individual savannahs so one time you may see several animals at one place & another time you’ll see what looks to be an empty savanna however if you’re patient (or the feed truck puts out browse) various animals will wander by.
In addition to a few porches w/ rocking chairs the viewing locations are:
Arusha savanna - behind Jambo’s lobby where the fire pit is.
Uzima savanna - out by Jambo’s pool, this is one of my favorite spots - I’ll often grab food or a drink at the Mara and take it out to a table near the overlook and spend time after I drink/eat just watching the animals.
Sunset savanna - above Jambo’s check in counter & behind Kidani’s lobby, also the Kidani restaurant Sanaa has lovely windows that overlook Sunset savannah, worth scheduling a lunch there & telling them you’ll wait for a window table IMO, if I have a late flight this is my go to when staying at AKL that last day.
Pembe savanna - this is a small savanna only visible from some villas at Kidani, the public viewing spot is by the pool at Kidani.

 

[rangerxenos]

Kudu trail is on the left side facing Kidani/ sunset savannah, Zebra trail is on the right and has the pool and Uzima savannah.

I'm pretty sure there are some partial views in Standard rooms on Kudu trail, we've gotten lucky a couple of times with savannah views.

 

[NicoleLarson]

I'm pretty sure there are some partial views in Standard rooms on Kudu trail, we've gotten lucky a couple of times with savannah views.

Yes, we've had standard view rooms that overlook the savannah on both trails. There are actually more standard view rooms on the Kudu trail because there's more people pens.

 

[rangerxenos]

Yes, we've had standard view rooms that overlook the savannah on both trails. There are actually more standard view rooms on the Kudu trail because there's more people pens.

Thanks, filing this info away for future stays!

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Yes, we've had standard view rooms that overlook the savannah on both trails. There are actually more standard view rooms on the Kudu trail because there's more people pens.

The 'people pens' make me laugh for some reason! I know they're for emergencies, and I sure hope to never need any of them during a stay! When I see them, it seems like they're there to protect the animals from the humans!

 

[a1tinkfans]

thank you! It actually doesn’t work for our December dates, we are going earlier in the month, but thanks! I wonder why they didn’t send me an email.

Me either .. frustrating!

 

[Familyof14]

"Be aware that for about 90 minutes each morning the animals go to their barns for feeding/checks, each savanna’s animals have a schedule"

Is there a certain time in the morning that animals can be spotted before going to the barns? We will be at AKL in a few weeks and have a Savanna booked...mainly for the animal sighting. We are early risers, so hoping to see some before heading off to the parks?

 

[sndral]

"Be aware that for about 90 minutes each morning the animals go to their barns for feeding/checks, each savanna’s animals have a schedule"

Is there a certain time in the morning that animals can be spotted before going to the barns? We will be at AKL in a few weeks and have a Savanna booked...mainly for the animal sighting. We are early risers, so hoping to see some before heading off to the parks?

They do follow a schedule, although I don’t know what it is & it isn’t written in stone, because animals are somewhat unpredictable. Most of my info. is what I’ve gleaned from several Wanyama safaris through the years & things do change.
My understanding is that at Kidani Sunset & Pembe savannas have their own barns & at least it used to have one husbandry team as well. At Jambo Arusha and Uzima share a barn & husbandry team so if it’s the Arusha animals turn, then the Uzima animals will be out on their savannah. So if you’re at Jambo and you see an empty savannah from the Arusha overlook go over to the pool to see Uzima.
I once had a room where I could see the animals as they left their barn - it was like watching Noah’s ark since the animals come out in species groups.

 

[Lisa_lvspplmvr]

When we stayed at AKL a few years back we were in a standard view room . We actually were given a partial savannah view and the kids were in heaven! A year or so later we booked a savannah view club level. We were given an upgrade to a bunk bed room but our savannah view included one of the lookouts . It really ruined the magic . If we stay there again we would definitely book a standard and try to get a partial view . Your kids are young so I can see them taking care of that request .

*Yes , yes I know . I shouldn’t promise anything. Its just my opinion based on our experiences. Don’t come for me people !

 

[DJFan88]

Today the Disney Visa card discount came out and puts AKL into our price range.

Just making sure you mean the AP discount and Not Visa, since I don’t want to miss out if there’s a visa discount rn

 

[lynzi2004]

Just making sure you mean the AP discount and Not Visa, since I don’t want to miss out if there’s a visa discount rn

No it’s the Disney visa discount. I don’t know how to link it here but it is a limited number of hotels for about 2 weeks right before Christmas.

 

[Familyof14]

I once had a room where I could see the animals as they left their barn - it was like watching Noah’s ark since the animals come out in species groups.

Thank would be so neat to see.

Thank you both!

 

[DJFan88]

No it’s the Disney visa discount. I don’t know how to link it here but it is a limited number of hotels for about 2 weeks right before Christmas.

Okay, that’s exactly what the AP discount is. Strange, can’t find any mention of it anywhere for visa. No matter, we’re the first weeks in January so it wouldn’t apply.

Edited: Okay found info on the December discounts forum. It’s the same discount offered to APs.
This is encouraging to see a Visa offer.