Resort Thread Jambo! Disney's ANIMAL KINGDOM LODGE

[Disneytam]

Thank you all for your replies! I figured it would come down to a personal decision of what the value is, I was just curious if there were any perks I was unaware of.

EmilyGahr mentioned package delivery to your room, but I thought any resort guest could have packages delivered from the parks to at least their resort, if not exactly their room.

Also, my sister and brother-in-law live in Orlando, if they came to the resort to visit us one day, could we take them up to the lounge to check it out, or is each guest required to scan a magic band at the concierge desk or something? Not trying to "game the system" or get something for nothing, but my sister loves AKL and has never been to the Kilimanjaro Club, so it would be a nice treat for her to check it out and spend a little time there.

I also have a family member who lives in Florida and there has never been any problem with having them come up to our room when we stayed club level. We have always asked and been told no problem. This was at both the Boardwalk Inn and at AK. I wouldn't think covid would have changed this.

 

[kimmar067]

You're going to love the GV at Jambo! It's amazing. You know you are living when you have a pool table in your villa!! Hope you get a nice view. The deck/balcony is enormous with a GV. Our crew spent many a morning with coffee and breakfast on the balcony overlooking the giraffes! Enjoy.

...were you on Zebra Trail? Ours was on the 5th floor at the end, the first right where you can catch the elevator to Simba's Cubhouse.

[...directly to the left of that light pole]

 

[thanxfornoticin]

No, we were away from the pool area. To be honest, I'd have to look up the specifics (it's been 4 years now), but we were not by the pool. Since there are only 5 or 6 total, the remaining options are few! But they are spectacular rooms. Every morning we had breakfast with 2 toddler giraffes playing. It was a special way to start the day!

 

[StarCruzer]

For Jambo DVC, do you feel like the Savannah views near the lobby are OK, or too much disruption from the central viewing area platform area that extends out from the back of the lobby? Basically, is a longer walk from the lobby worth the view?

Since we're getting a DVC studio we already know we'll be on ta higher floor. We have a nice set of binoculars from a different wildlife-viewing trip and we are very prepared to use them

 

[rangerxenos]

Can someone suggest an area to request a room for Standard rooms that have a partial Savannah view? I know in the past when I was lucky enough to get my request for a partial, it was on Kudu trail.

Thank you!

 

[bsmcneil]

For Jambo DVC, do you feel like the Savannah views near the lobby are OK, or too much disruption from the central viewing area platform area that extends out from the back of the lobby? Basically, is a longer walk from the lobby worth the view?

Since we're getting a DVC studio we already know we'll be on the fourth floor. We have a nice set of binoculars from a different wildlife-viewing trip and we are very prepared to use them

I enjoyed the view I had (I think it was 5241 though it could've been 5421 - I switch up numbers). I wasn't in the room a lot - so I didn't get great pic; but, I probably have some I could find and post. But yeah, I thought it was okay and recognize everyone's perspective is different. I have been in a room further down and personally preferred it (but honestly, I don't recall what room it was - it was just a regular hotel room).

 

[StarCruzer]

I enjoyed the view I had (I think it was 5241 though it could've been 5421 - I switch up numbers). I wasn't in the room a lot - so I didn't get great pic; but, I probably have some I could find and post. But yeah, I thought it was okay and recognize everyone's perspective is different. I have been in a room further down and personally preferred it (but honestly, I don't recall what room it was - it was just a regular hotel room).

I tried to request a room that was near the end of the first "block" of rooms out from the lobby. I have some minor mobility issues and have stayed in rooms at the very end of Kidani Village and Jambo House...and it was a rough walk.

 

[bsmcneil]

I tried to request a room that was near the end of the first "block" of rooms out from the lobby. I have some minor mobility issues and have stayed in rooms at the very end of Kidani Village and Jambo House...and it was a rough walk.

Have you tried Touring Plans where they can show you views?

 

[bsmcneil]

I tried to request a room that was near the end of the first "block" of rooms out from the lobby. I have some minor mobility issues and have stayed in rooms at the very end of Kidani Village and Jambo House...and it was a rough walk.

re: touring plans - try this https://touringplans.com/hotel_maps/disneys-animal-kingdom-lodge?trip_id=870698

I went back - here's my info:

Your room number:	5421
Your room location:	5th Floor Zebra Trail Jambo House

There's a map here that might help.

And those were the pics from 5421 (Sept '21). I think I have some from Dec '15 from a room that it sounds like you're thinking of (I'll do that in a new post).

 

[bsmcneil]

re: touring plans - try this https://touringplans.com/hotel_maps/disneys-animal-kingdom-lodge?trip_id=870698

I went back - here's my info:

Your room number:	5421
Your room location:	5th Floor Zebra Trail Jambo House

There's a map here that might help.

And those were the pics from 5421 (Sept '21). I think I have some from Dec '15 from a room that it sounds like you're thinking of (I'll do that in a new post).

Sorry - I took terrible pictures this trip. But - the view from 4270:

 

[bsmcneil]

re: touring plans - try this https://touringplans.com/hotel_maps/disneys-animal-kingdom-lodge?trip_id=870698

I went back - here's my info:

Your room number:	5421
Your room location:	5th Floor Zebra Trail Jambo House

There's a map here that might help.

And those were the pics from 5421 (Sept '21). I think I have some from Dec '15 from a room that it sounds like you're thinking of (I'll do that in a new post).

And these are from (roughly) the same vantage point as 5421 (but this isn't in the room - it's at the end of the lobby):

 

[TreAntDeu]

We lucked out several times with partial savannah views in Standard rooms in past stays, and happily exchanged a short walk for savannah!

So what counts as savanna or partial savanna?

We book DVC at Jambo every trip there(context: only stayed at Kidani once, just prefer Jambo) and always book standard view and "1 bedroom" room size.

But we always see animals outside our balcony anyway. Its just small alcove areas and stuff usually, but we still get all the animals. We are also usually a fair distance from the lobby as well.

 

[TreAntDeu]

We lucked out several times with partial savannah views in Standard rooms in past stays, and happily exchanged a short walk for savannah!

So what actuaully counts as savanna or partial savanna or standard?

We book DVC at Jambo every trip there(context: only stayed at Kidani once, just prefer Jambo) and always book "standard view" and "1 bedroom" room size.

But we always see animals outside our balcony anyway. Its just small alcove areas and stuff usually, but we still get all the animals. We are also a fair distance from the lobby, usually to the right. Are we lucky or is there some technicality we are blissfully unaware of?

 

[rangerxenos]

So what counts as savanna or partial savanna?

We book DVC at Jambo every trip there(context: only stayed at Kidani once, just prefer Jambo) and always book standard view and "1 bedroom" room size.

But we always see animals outside our balcony anyway. Its just small alcove areas and stuff usually, but we still get all the animals. We are also usually a fair distance from the lobby as well.

We always book Standard rooms, but some of the rooms that are in that category actually have a pretty good view of the animals, which we found out by accident on our first stay when we were placed in one!

I tried using Touring Plans room finder yesterday, and it was not working properly for some reason.

 

[rangerxenos]

So what actuaully counts as savanna or partial savanna or standard?

We book DVC at Jambo every trip there(context: only stayed at Kidani once, just prefer Jambo) and always book "standard view" and "1 bedroom" room size.

But we always see animals outside our balcony anyway. Its just small alcove areas and stuff usually, but we still get all the animals. We are also a fair distance from the lobby, usually to the right. Are we lucky or is there some technicality we are blissfully unaware of?

Not sure as I am not DVC, but we luck out sometimes when booking Standard (that's all my budget will allow), we get a view of the savannahs.

 

[ktink]

DH & I will be staying at Jambo in late January. We've booked a standard king room. I used touring plans to put in my room request. Hoping for one of the partial savannah views.

 

[AquaDame]

DH & I will be staying at Jambo in late January. We've booked a standard king room. I used touring plans to put in my room request. Hoping for one of the partial savannah views.

Same room cat but in June - may I ask how you framed your request? Did you pick a specific number?

 

[NicoleLarson]

So what actuaully counts as savanna or partial savanna or standard?

We book DVC at Jambo every trip there(context: only stayed at Kidani once, just prefer Jambo) and always book "standard view" and "1 bedroom" room size.

But we always see animals outside our balcony anyway. Its just small alcove areas and stuff usually, but we still get all the animals. We are also a fair distance from the lobby, usually to the right. Are we lucky or is there some technicality we are blissfully unaware of?

So standard view DVC is either a pool view or a room above the people pens. The rooms in the pic below are on the Uzima savanna, zebra trail. The rooms above the fence would be considered standard view. Our room was savanna.

 

[jjb1974]

Considering that my viewing time is in the morning before anyone would be out in the common areas off the lobby with the Savanna view, I wouldn't be bothered by it.
When I was selecting a room, I went a section "out" from the lobby only because I felt like that "human" space jutting out was taking away from potential animal viewing space, if that makes sense.

 

[ktink]

Same room cat but in June - may I ask how you framed your request? Did you pick a specific number?

I went through touring plans to make the request. Poly opened up for the week that we are there so we've now changed over to BWI & Poly.