Resort Thread Jambo! Disney's ANIMAL KINGDOM LODGE

[BarbLynnM]

We’re going to be in Jambo in April, and have a Savannah view room. Is my memory correct in recalling that sometimes people don’t actually get the view they ask for? I’m worried that we’ll get there and have a fine view of the trees. I would assume that if we got there and there wasn’t a view of the Savannah, we could change rooms if possible.

Also, if I do the online check in, are the rooms first come first serve? Would it be better to do so asap, or actually wait until we get to the AKL to check in?

This is our second try at a honeymoon, as we had reservations in January but I came down with a fine case of flu, and we had to cancel. I want everything to be as perfect as possible, but I’m kind of worried about the room we get.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Savanna view is an actual booking category, so you'll get a savanna view from your balcony. Some views are certainly better than others, but you should have savanna (and animals!). I'd recommend you check in online (doesn't seem to matter if you do that today or closer to the trip), but perhaps stop by the front desk as early as you can on check-in day to talk with the cast member at the desk. Your room is assigned days before you arrive. The cast member at the front desk can see what room you're assigned, but won't share that until the room is ready for you to move into. However, they should be able to confirm it's a savanna view and what area it is. They might also have a limited option to switch you to a different room if you think it might be better. Hopefully, they already know this is your honeymoon!

Hope you have a wonderful delayed honeymoon! AKL is a perfect place to enjoy a trip like that!!

 

[CarolynFH]

I’m worried that we’ll get there and have a fine view of the trees.

The trees on the savanna are spaced so that they don't obstruct the views from the rooms. They're not very close to the building at all, and they're not very close together. Plus, the giraffes keep them trimmed pretty high off the ground, so you can see the animals as they roam about. So I wouldn't worry about that. But you might visit with the front desk when you arrive, as suggested above, because there are areas that the animals seem to like to hang out in more than others.

 

[TinkAgainU]

I would make any room requests a week or more in advance. If you wait until check-in they may not be able to change much.

 

[jess2022]

I’ve had two drivers, Walmart and Lyft go to the Theme Park instead of Jambo. Confirmed the address at front desk and bell services - both said it is 2901 Osceola Parkway… does someone have another address theory? The signage is Clear but these guys never look up from their gps!

We've been taken to the theme park instead of the lodge by Uber too. We've now learned to specify LODGE when we get in the car for same thing if staying at Wilderness Lodge (to avoid ending up at the campground).

 

[zanzibar138]

We’re going to be in Jambo in April, and have a Savannah view room. Is my memory correct in recalling that sometimes people don’t actually get the view they ask for? I’m worried that we’ll get there and have a fine view of the trees. I would assume that if we got there and there wasn’t a view of the Savannah, we could change rooms if possible.

Also, if I do the online check in, are the rooms first come first serve? Would it be better to do so asap, or actually wait until we get to the AKL to check in?

This is our second try at a honeymoon, as we had reservations in January but I came down with a fine case of flu, and we had to cancel. I want everything to be as perfect as possible, but I’m kind of worried about the room we get.

We just got back from our honeymoon, which included a few nights at AKL. We booked a savanna view room. I wanted to be on the inside of the horseshoe so I requested a view of the Arusha Savanna, and mentioned we'd be on our honeymoon so would prefer a quiet location. We were given a room just over halfway down the Zebra trail. It was perfect. We had a great view of the savanna with the hotel/lobby area as a backdrop. We were far enough from the pool and restaurants for it to be nice and quiet, but the walk wasn't far from that side of the building using the lift halfway along. We were very happy! I actually wasn't able to check in online, so we just did it when we arrived at about 5:30pm.

I hope you have a wonderful delayed honeymoon!

 

[BarbLynnM]

We just got back from our honeymoon, which included a few nights at AKL. We booked a savanna view room. I wanted to be on the inside of the horseshoe so I requested a view of the Arusha Savanna, and mentioned we'd be on our honeymoon so would prefer a quiet location. We were given a room just over halfway down the Zebra trail. It was perfect. We had a great view of the savanna with the hotel/lobby area as a backdrop. We were far enough from the pool and restaurants for it to be nice and quiet, but the walk wasn't far from that side of the building using the lift halfway along. We were very happy! I actually wasn't able to check in online, so we just did it when we arrived at about 5:30pm.

I hope you have a wonderful delayed honeymoon!

Thank you for the info . I can’t wait until April, and all that warm weather (as I look out at the 3 feet of snow in my front yard lol)

 

[zanzibar138]

Thought I would put up some further thoughts on the resorts and our rooms in case it's helpful for anyone.

We spent 3 nights at AKL in a savanna view studio (via rented DVC points) - moved from BLT on 7 Feb, and checked out on 10 Feb. I had put in a request for a room overlooking the Arusha Savanna, as I wanted a room on the inside of the horseshoe, with preference for a quiet room. We were given room 5523 in the Zebra Trail.

It turned out to be a great room! We loved the view over the savanna from the balcony, and saw a variety of different animals at all times of the day and night. The hotel building was a lovely backdrop to the view. The walk to the pool and restaurants was pretty quick using the lifts halfway down the corridor. It was a bit of a hike through the lobby to get to the buses.







We both agreed the room was probably our favourite of the trip (compared to Poly and BLT). We thought it was a pretty logical layout with a good use of space, and enough USB charging points for all our devices. We enjoyed sitting on a proper couch to watch TV. We loved the theming and really loved the balcony! My only real complaint was that there was no bedside table on my side of the bed.

As for the resort itself... we loved the theming and all the little nooks around the lobby and grounds to hang out and watch the animals. We both agreed it was perfect for a relaxing few days at the end of our trip. Unfortunately we never got to the pool or the lounge, which both looked very appealing. As expected, the buses weren't ideal. I've said it before and I'll say it again. I hate buses. And WDW buses are no exception. AK wasn't too bad being so close, but for HS it was a bit of a nightmare. For that reason, unfortunately I would only consider AKL as part of a split stay.

We had a couple of meals from Mara. Actually getting breakfast was chaos! But we both enjoyed the savanna platter and kids Mickey waffles. Unfortunately I wasn't much of a fan of the lunch or dinner options, but when I went down to pick up lunch (which I had ordered through the app after the breakfast experience), it was far quieter and a nicer experience. We enjoyed dinner at Boma our first night, although it was also a little chaotic and noisy. It was nice to eat something a little different, and I really enjoyed the bread pudding and zebra domes.

Overall, we really loved our stay and were glad we decided to finish off with a few nights there. The highlight was definitely watching the animals from the balcony, and the general theming and vibe. Low point was the inconvenience of having to deal with buses.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

There are folks who don't like riding the buses. No question they're not for everyone. We don't use them very often, so we almost always have a car to navigate around WDW. We are a family that avoids the Skyliner! Just our choice, but we've had more bad experiences there than with any bus ride.

And yes, AKL is one of several WDW resorts that have bus-only transportation to the theme parks. Even your BLT part of the stay would require taking buses to HS and AK, if you wanted to visit there without a car. And BLT to AK is one of the longer bus rides - just like riding AKL to MK. I might be missing a resort, but I can't think of any WDW resort that doesn't require bus transportation to at least 2 of the theme parks.

Glad you enjoyed your AKL stay - sounds like you had an awesome view (nice pictures!) and a great experience - and you still haven't enjoyed the pools or lounge yet! But hopefully you don't let a bad bus ride to HS prevent you from returning (even as part of the split stay). Overall, we find it to be the most peaceful and relaxing resort on property, even if we have to hop on the bus every now and then!

 

[zanzibar138]

Oh of course, I totally understand that buses are part of the experience when visiting WDW. We had to take buses from the Poly and BLT for AK and HS. They weren't as crowded as the buses we experienced at AKL though and just seemed to be a better experience overall. Plus being able to have a rest from buses probably helped too. We certainly wouldn't let it stop us from staying at AKL again for a similar experience - a more relaxed few days at the end of a trip. And I wouldn't let it stop me from recommending AKL to anyone else either! It may not have come across in my original post, but it wasn't a deal breaker.

 

[mrsap]

Quoting myself as they Confirmed:

Uwanja Camp at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas Is Closed For Refurbishment

Unfortunately, the water play area is currently closed for refurbishment

Based on what we could see, the refurbishment’s focus is the Departure Zone water tower.

As you can see, construction crews have rebuilt the tower with new wood.

Fresh lumber was also lying on the pool deck nearby.

At this time, it is unclear how long the refurbishment of Uwanja Camp will take. By the look of things, however, the work is relatively extensive.

Hopefully, we learn more soon!

As a follow up, a picture was posted on FB yesterday, showing the tower, where work appears to have been completed. However, fencing was still around the splash pad area. I’ll update if anyone posts any further updates.

 

[trishadono]

Oh of course, I totally understand that buses are part of the experience when visiting WDW. We had to take buses from the Poly and BLT for AK and HS. They weren't as crowded as the buses we experienced at AKL though and just seemed to be a better experience overall. Plus being able to have a rest from buses probably helped too. We certainly wouldn't let it stop us from staying at AKL again for a similar experience - a more relaxed few days at the end of a trip. And I wouldn't let it stop me from recommending AKL to anyone else either! It may not have come across in my original post, but it wasn't a deal breaker.

Enjoyed all three of your reviews. As someone who has stayed at all 3 resorts many times I agree with everything.

Thanks for taking the time to post.

 

[mrsap]

As a follow up, a picture was posted on FB yesterday, showing the tower, where work appears to have been completed. However, fencing was still around the splash pad area. I’ll update if anyone posts any further updates.

View attachment 941782

It was reported on FB that the Splash Pad reopened today. Enjoy!

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Does anyone know if there is a good supply of ears to purchase at Jambo house gift shop? We may want to buy some ears on arrival day.

 

[OhThePain]

Does anyone know what the going rate is for a liter bottle of water from the marketplace? My wife and I are trying to decide if we should stock up on a couple of bottles to bring with us on our DCL cruise or pre-purchase the 16 oz bottles for our room.

 

[Elephantay]

We haven't done SV the past few trips but are considering it for our next one. Basically, for the giraffes. We are planning a lot of resort time and I could sit on the balcony very happily, but I know all rooms won't have them. Are the odds good that a Jambo room would?

 

[PollyannaMom]

Does anyone know if there is a good supply of ears to purchase at Jambo house gift shop? We may want to buy some ears on arrival day.

I think I remember seeing quite a few the last time we stayed there.

 

[mindreader]

Does anyone know what the going rate is for a liter bottle of water from the marketplace? My wife and I are trying to decide if we should stock up on a couple of bottles to bring with us on our DCL cruise or pre-purchase the 16 oz bottles for our room.

 

[mindreader]

Does anyone know if there is a good supply of ears to purchase at Jambo house gift shop? We may want to buy some ears on arrival day.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

View attachment 954458

Perfect!