Resort Thread Jambo! Disney's ANIMAL KINGDOM LODGE

[snowpack]

There are some standard rooms where you luck out and have at least a partial view of some animals.

I know this will sound dumb, but those standard rooms that we may luck out on would be resort view not water view, correct?

 

[NicoleLarson]

I know this will sound dumb, but those standard rooms that we may luck out on would be resort view not water view, correct?

So by resort view do you mean savanna? Then yes. There's a couple of standard view that face the pool on the 1st and 2nd floor but you can only see bushes. Others will face the parking lot but mostly just greenery, then there are those above the people pens and look out over the savanna. Theres quite a few of these, noted, none are above the Arusha (main savanna)

 

[mrsap]

Walt Disney World Files Permit for Kidani Village Room Refurbishments at Animal Kingdom Lodge

Earlier this month, Disney Vacation Club filed a permit for what is believed to be a hard goods room refurbishment at Animal Kingdom Lodge – Kidani Village. The refurbishment taps Barton Malow as the general contractor for the work, and it has an expiration date of December 31, 2025. As you’d imagine, the permit doesn’t offer any insight as to the scope of the work, simply listing “general construction”.

The lengthy expiration date suggests extensive work, and DVC has previously announced a 2025 room refurbishment. It is believed that this work will be for a hard goods refurbishment, which (generally) means taking the room down to the studs and performing a refresh. Disney Vacation Club has not announced the exact timing for the work yet, but it will start in 2025 and it looks like it is currently planned to be completed before the end of the year.
In addition to the permitted work at Kidani Village, a refurbishment of the Jambo House DVC rooms is also expected during 2025.

 

[HannahBow]

I just got a call that I was moved from Coronado Springs to AKL in a resort view for my arrival Monday! I am beside myself excited!!’ Fingers crossed we get some sort of view. I asked for Savannah view when they called. Some magical pixie dust to make my sons birthday trip even more special!!!

 

[NicoleLarson]

I just got a call that I was moved from Coronado Springs to AKL in a resort view for my arrival Monday! I am beside myself excited!!’ Fingers crossed we get some sort of view. I asked for Savannah view when they called. Some magical pixie dust to make my sons birthday trip even more special!!!

That's fantastic! Have a great trip.

 

[BellesRosesAndBooks]

We were at AKL Jambo for our first ever Disney trip. It was absolutely magical. We had a sunset Savannah view room and constantly saw animals. The baby zebras were playing all the time! We even got to see the Okapi. Cried tears of joy a lot.

 

[Babsy]

I know this will sound dumb, but those standard rooms that we may luck out on would be resort view not water view, correct?

Correct. If you book resort (once called standard) view, then you may get lucky and receive one of the less than perfect savanna view rooms (Savanna view that have 'people pens' in the foreground are considered standard view). Water view rooms overlook the pool and do not include rooms with views of the savanna. So, if booking and hoping for a great value with a savanna view, you need to book resort view and request an obstructed view of the savanna.

You need to be aware, though, that many resort view rooms look at the parking lot or overlook a roof or trees. So don't count upon getting the savanna view. If savanna view is really important, then the only way to be sure to get it is to actually book savanna view.

Good luck!

 

[Simba's Mom]

Correct. If you book resort (once called standard) view, then you may get lucky and receive one of the less than perfect savanna view rooms (Savanna view that have 'people pens' in the foreground are considered standard view). Water view rooms overlook the pool and do not include rooms with views of the savanna. So, if booking and hoping for a great value with a savanna view, you need to book resort view and request an obstructed view of the savanna.

You need to be aware, though, that many resort view rooms look at the parking lot or overlook a roof or trees. So don't count upon getting the savanna view. If savanna view is really important, then the only way to be sure to get it is to actually book savanna view.

Good luck!

But sometimes the standard "partial savannah views" are just as good as savannah views. I once had a savannah view, followed a few months later by a standard, "partial savannah" view. The people pen was off to the right, and I thought I had a better view (or at least as good) as the savannah view I had had just a few months before. And fewer points.

 

[PrincessTess]

Correct. If you book resort (once called standard) view, then you may get lucky and receive one of the less than perfect savanna view rooms (Savanna view that have 'people pens' in the foreground are considered standard view). Water view rooms overlook the pool and do not include rooms with views of the savanna. So, if booking and hoping for a great value with a savanna view, you need to book resort view and request an obstructed view of the savanna.

You need to be aware, though, that many resort view rooms look at the parking lot or overlook a roof or trees. So don't count upon getting the savanna view. If savanna view is really important, then the only way to be sure to get it is to actually book savanna view.

Good luck!

If you're hoping to request an obstructed / partial view, is it recommended to ask upon check-in? Or prior to arrival? Thanks

 

[Babsy]

If you're hoping to request an obstructed / partial view, is it recommended to ask upon check-in? Or prior to arrival? Thanks

Rooms are assigned in advance, so I would make the request in advance. They used to be assigned 5-6 days in advance. I'm not sure if it still works that way or not. In any case, You can simply call and have the request added to your reservation at any time. Keep it simple and try to make a general request that can be fulfilled with any of a number of available rooms. Also, try to keep your requests limited to two or three at most. You may be lucky and arrive to a room that you were hoping to have assigned. It's rare, but possible.

But if the room is less than perfect upon arrival, you can also make another request at check in. Simply go to the front desk and politely ask a CM if any other rooms in your booking category might be available. We have had some success with changing our room this way, especially when the resort was not fully booked. The earlier that you arrive, the better, but that is not always under your control. Sometimes, especially late in the day, the CM will offer to move you the next day. They really do try to help but are often limited by lack of availability.

Touring Plans is a paid website that shows the rooms and room views that match your booking. you can make a selection and they will automatically send that request to Disney on your behalf. I have used their service and I have made the request myself. There isn't any difference in the result in my experience.

Wishing you magical pixie dust!!!

 

[Babsy]

But sometimes the standard "partial savannah views" are just as good as savannah views. I once had a savannah view, followed a few months later by a standard, "partial savannah" view. The people pen was off to the right, and I thought I had a better view (or at least as good) as the savannah view I had had just a few months before. And fewer points.

Yes, absolutely! Disney has some very odd categories for rooms sometimes. Less expensive rooms are sometimes nicer than the more expensive ones. I have definitely had standard view rooms at the BC, for example, that I greatly preferred to some of my water view rooms. Totally happens! In the same category you can get wonderful and terrible rooms.

Great when you get a better room than expected. Not so great when the room is substandard, or you find that you have been downgraded.

I guess that my point is that with a standard view booked, you may get a parking lot view and not see the savanna at all. If you book a savanna view room, you are much more likely to see that savanna. If you see savanna when you paid for standard (resort) view, then the world is a happy place indeed.

Even at WDW, it's not a perfect world. Sometimes, it's magical, though.

 

[OhThePain]

...Touring Plans is a paid website that shows the rooms and room views that match your booking....

We rented points for an AKV-Jambo Deluxe Studio Standard room. According to TP, it seems all those rooms overlook the pool. Out of curiosity, does anyone know if there are any AKV-Jambo standard view studios that have savanna views? It's not really important as we are just spending 2 nights there pre-cruise and don't plan on leaving the resort at all, so we will have plenty of savanna viewing relaxing around the resort. We'd actually probably prefer to be closer to the elevators and lobby (we've been in the last room all the way at the end and that is a long, long walk), so it's more out of curiosity if we should prioritize that or requesting our room being ready when we arrive during check in.

 

[erionm]

We rented points for an AKV-Jambo Deluxe Studio Standard room. According to TP, it seems all those rooms overlook the pool. Out of curiosity, does anyone know if there are any AKV-Jambo standard view studios that have savanna views?

Most will overlook the Uzima Pool, but there are some with a limited/partial savanna view.

 

[Babsy]

We rented points for an AKV-Jambo Deluxe Studio Standard room. According to TP, it seems all those rooms overlook the pool. Out of curiosity, does anyone know if there are any AKV-Jambo standard view studios that have savanna views? It's not really important as we are just spending 2 nights there pre-cruise and don't plan on leaving the resort at all, so we will have plenty of savanna viewing relaxing around the resort. We'd actually probably prefer to be closer to the elevators and lobby (we've been in the last room all the way at the end and that is a long, long walk), so it's more out of curiosity if we should prioritize that or requesting our room being ready when we arrive during check in.

I would request near lobby or ready at checkin, whichever is more important to you. If you don't like the room assigned, you can always go to the front desk and try to get it changed at checkin.

If you request 'ready at checkin" or "early checkin" (which is what I guess you mean? After 4:00 pm arrivals will usually have the room ready at checkin.), it is my understanding that room assigners generally assume that this request is a priority over any other requests. Hence getting other requests becomes more unlikely.

Room assigners have to interpret what is most important if you give multiple requests. Some say to put your most important request first and limit your requests to 2-3 at most. Also, people say to try to be careful not to request something that doesn't exist. I didn't know that there were partial savanna view rooms for the deluxe studio room category, so I have no idea where they are located with regard to view. Are any near the lobby elevators?

My personal experience:
I have been lucky and gotten exactly what I requested once out of about seven trips staying at the AKL. A few other times, I received a room that was almost what I wanted, but not ideal. Multiple times I have been assigned less than desirable rooms (from my perspective) and lived with it.

My philosophy:
Choose a room category where the worst room possible is at least acceptable to me. If I can accept staying in the worst room, then that is the category that I book. I love savanna view rooms, but they can be very far from the lobby. Due to mobility issues, being near the lobby is very important to me. So many rooms in this category are unacceptable to me. All pool view rooms are within an acceptable distance from the lobby, so I book pool view as close as possible to the lobby. (this is the request that I have only had once, but it was wonderful!)

Good luck! Wherever your room is, the AKL is still a wonderful resort!

 

[Debbie Jean]

I would request near lobby or ready at checkin, whichever is more important to you. If you don't like the room assigned, you can always go to the front desk and try to get it changed at checkin.

If you request 'ready at checkin" or "early checkin" as a priority, it is my understanding that room assigners generally assume that this request is a priority over any other requests. Hence getting other requests becomes more unlikely.

Room assigners have to interpret what is most important if you give multiple requests. Some say to put your most important request first and limit your requests to 2-3 at most. Also, people say to try to be careful not to request something that doesn't exist. I didn't know that there were partial savanna view rooms for the deluxe studio room category, so I have no idea where they are located. Are any near the lobby?

My personal experience:
I have been lucky and gotten exactly what I requested once out of at least seven trips staying at the AKL. A few other times, I received a room that was almost what I wanted, but not ideal. Multiple times I have been assigned less than desirable rooms (from my perspective) and lived with it.

My philosophy:
Choose a room category where the worst room possible is at least acceptable to me. If I can accept staying in the worst room, then that is the category that I book. I love savanna view rooms, but they can be very far from the lobby. Due to mobility issues, being near the lobby is very important to me. So many rooms in this category are unacceptable to me. All pool view rooms are within an acceptable distance from the lobby, so I book pool view and request third floor, as close as possible to the lobby. (this is the request that I have only had once, but it was wonderful!)

Good luck! Wherever your room is, the AKL is still a wonderful resort!

Just an FYI

All AKV-Jambo rooms are on the 5th floor so floor requests are irrelevant.

 

[Babsy]

Just an FYI

All AKV-Jambo rooms are on the 5th floor so floor requests are irrelevant.

Thank you. Yes, I knew that. I only mentioned my floor request as part of an example of how I frame my requests. NOT as a suggestion that the OP should request the same. I never book studios at Jamba, just regular rooms so third floor makes sense for my pool view choice. But I see the confusion. I will go back and edit my post to make that clear.

Thanks for pointing that out to me!

 

[Debbie Jean]

This is the Jambo AKV standard studio I usually wind up with… it’s a handicapped unit which I need. I actually enjoy the view and it is two doors down from the elevator… take it to the 1st floor and you are at the entrance to both the pool and The Mara.

 

[CarolynFH]

This is the Jambo AKV standard studio I usually wind up with… it’s a handicapped unit which I need. I actually enjoy the view and it is two doors down from the elevator… take it to the 1st floor and you are at the entrance to both the pool and The Mara.

View attachment 906279

I’d enjoy that view, too. Thanks for the photo!

 

[Leight19]

Bit of a random question but has anyone eaten at Victoria falls lounge recently? Online I see listed as “rotating selection of lite bites”. I’m going to be staying at jambo in 2 weeks and wondering what food options may be here. I recall gettting a burger here I enjoyed before but not sure how often it rotates menu.

 

[Babsy]

Bit of a random question but has anyone eaten at Victoria falls lounge recently? Online I see listed as “rotating selection of lite bites”. I’m going to be staying at jambo in 2 weeks and wondering what food options may be here. I recall gettting a burger here I enjoyed before but not sure how often it rotates menu.

Our last stay at AKL was Jan 2024, so not recently. But I believe that they had the burgers there at that time. I did watch a review of the 5 best foods at AKL on You Tube about two weeks ago and the Braai burger was featured. Also Cape Town Slap chips and spiced goat cheese dip. the Mara didn't have much, mainly flatbreads and some grab and go items. Of course, there was Jiko, which is excellent and Boma when you are REALLY hungry.

A short walk next door to Kidani also has Sanaa for the breads and dips or Maji pool bar with some good items such as a nice Caesar salad with tandoori chicken or Spiced Pork Nachos.

Lots of pretty good places to eat at AKL, in my experience.

We are going in Jan, so let us know how it turns out when you get back?