Jambo! The newest AKL Information thread

[shanew21]

I like what your suggesting. I have been wanting to stay at WL but their favorite restaurant in Ohana so you can guess where they want to stay.

Yeah that's tough. Unfortunately Poly is almost never available for the full discount of other Deluxes so I never stay there

 

[KenHutch]

Yeah that's tough. Unfortunately Poly is almost never available for the full discount of other Deluxes so I never stay there

Discounts? Those would be nice. As I have said before though when you start parenthood at 40 they tend to own you.

 

[grumpy28]

It took us about 5 to 7 minutes to get to AK, around 10 to 12 on average for Epcot and Hollywood. MK took about 20+. The only bus we could not count on was the MK bus. It as late as much as 30 minutes in just showing up. As much as we loved the place the girls want to stay on the Monorail from now on.

Thanks so much for posting! This helps a lot!

 

[disprincess2213]

Hello everyone!! We are AP and DVC and stay at AKL Jambo at least 2x a year in a DVC studio. We are fresh out of points and have booked a cash stay in coming up soon!! We booked CSR and POFQ- we have NEVER stayed at a moderate in our lives!! I am having major anxiety about it so I looked into cash rooms at AKL and see an amazing deal for a standard view regular room for only $55 a night more- We JUST stayed at Jambo in May and are staying club level in October so we were kinda excited to try something new and save some money. Well today I looked on my Trouring plans app and looked up Jambo "standard view rooms" and realized that there are SO MANY that SEEM savanna view?? I get it as it is a lower floor so not as prime as the other SV rooms, but JEEZ??? I just never realized how man standard views COULD be savanna views? Am I looking at that correctly? NOW I don't know what to do!! AKL is one of our favorites!!

 

[shanew21]

Hello everyone!! We are AP and DVC and stay at AKL Jambo at least 2x a year in a DVC studio. We are fresh out of points and have booked a cash stay in coming up soon!! We booked CSR and POFQ- we have NEVER stayed at a moderate in our lives!! I am having major anxiety about it so I looked into cash rooms at AKL and see an amazing deal for a standard view regular room for only $55 a night more- We JUST stayed at Jambo in May and are staying club level in October so we were kinda excited to try something new and save some money. Well today I looked on my Trouring plans app and looked up Jambo "standard view rooms" and realized that there are SO MANY that SEEM savanna view?? I get it as it is a lower floor so not as prime as the other SV rooms, but JEEZ??? I just never realized how man standard views COULD be savanna views? Am I looking at that correctly? NOW I don't know what to do!! AKL is one of our favorites!!

Most of the standard rooms that appear to view the Savannah have some sort of obstruction. I believe initially they were classified as Savannah View, but after people complained they downgraded them.

 

[RachelTori]

Hello everyone!! We are AP and DVC and stay at AKL Jambo at least 2x a year in a DVC studio. We are fresh out of points and have booked a cash stay in coming up soon!! We booked CSR and POFQ- we have NEVER stayed at a moderate in our lives!! I am having major anxiety about it so I looked into cash rooms at AKL and see an amazing deal for a standard view regular room for only $55 a night more- We JUST stayed at Jambo in May and are staying club level in October so we were kinda excited to try something new and save some money. Well today I looked on my Trouring plans app and looked up Jambo "standard view rooms" and realized that there are SO MANY that SEEM savanna view?? I get it as it is a lower floor so not as prime as the other SV rooms, but JEEZ??? I just never realized how man standard views COULD be savanna views? Am I looking at that correctly? NOW I don't know what to do!! AKL is one of our favorites!!

I know the agony of running out of points - that is also my current situation!!

As someone who often stays at AKL/AKV (and at least half those stays are CL) I just want to add: POFQ is a wonderful Moderate, as is CSR (construction and all!).

I would suggest you look at those resorts’ Disboards FAQ threads and at least consider them!

 

[disprincess2213]

I know the agony of running out of points - that is also my current situation!!

As someone who often stays at AKL/AKV (and at least half those stays are CL) I just want to add: POFQ is a wonderful Moderate, as is CSR (construction and all!).

I would suggest you look at those resorts’ Disboards FAQ threads and at least consider them!

AHHHH !!! It certainly is agony!!! lol!!! Well I already AM booked at CSR and POFQ (split stay as we love to do this) but I am nervous that I will want to be at a deluxe, esp AKL for $55 a night, do you know what I mean!!? I was super excited to try something completely new but of course am worried I wont love it as much!! Thank you for your suggestions- Whatever I decide, Ill be at Disney and that is the most important part!! Thanks again!!

 

[paradesintherain]

Hello everyone!! We are AP and DVC and stay at AKL Jambo at least 2x a year in a DVC studio. We are fresh out of points and have booked a cash stay in coming up soon!! We booked CSR and POFQ- we have NEVER stayed at a moderate in our lives!! I am having major anxiety about it so I looked into cash rooms at AKL and see an amazing deal for a standard view regular room for only $55 a night more- We JUST stayed at Jambo in May and are staying club level in October so we were kinda excited to try something new and save some money. Well today I looked on my Trouring plans app and looked up Jambo "standard view rooms" and realized that there are SO MANY that SEEM savanna view?? I get it as it is a lower floor so not as prime as the other SV rooms, but JEEZ??? I just never realized how man standard views COULD be savanna views? Am I looking at that correctly? NOW I don't know what to do!! AKL is one of our favorites!!

POFQ is my favorite resort after AKL. It’s compact and so lovely, plus the rooms were just refurbished.

 

[pepperandchips]

POFQ is my favorite resort after AKL. It’s compact and so lovely, plus the rooms were just refurbished.

Don't lie Kara, for $55 we'd BOTH be at AKL

 

[RachelTori]

AHHHH !!! It certainly is agony!!! lol!!! Well I already AM booked at CSR and POFQ (split stay as we love to do this) but I am nervous that I will want to be at a deluxe, esp AKL for $55 a night, do you know what I mean!!? I was super excited to try something completely new but of course am worried I wont love it as much!! Thank you for your suggestions- Whatever I decide, Ill be at Disney and that is the most important part!! Thanks again!!

I definitely get it!! As you said, whatever you decide you’ll be at WDW and that’s what counts!

POFQ has a charm all its own! It will always be one of my favorite resorts (and I’ve stayed in all except Fort Wilderness!)

CSR is very close to a Deluxe! It’s the only Miderate with a health club and the newly refurbished rooms are wonderful!

Best of luck with your decision! It will be a magical trip, no matter where you stay!

 

[paradesintherain]

Don't lie Kara, for $55 we'd BOTH be at AKL

You’re probably right! This actually made me think, “hey maybe I could spend the extra money to upgrade to AKL from Pop”

 

[sndral]

... Well today I looked on my Trouring plans app and looked up Jambo "standard view rooms" and realized that there are SO MANY that SEEM savanna view?? I get it as it is a lower floor so not as prime as the other SV rooms, but JEEZ??? I just never realized how man standard views COULD be savanna views? Am I looking at that correctly? NOW I don't know what to do!! AKL is one of our favorites!!

If it helps take a look at Jambo’s resort map - all of those cash rooms on Giraffe and Ostrich trails that face towards the road & parking lot are also standard view, as are the rooms facing the pool w/ views of roofs - so while you could get a savanna view you also could end up w/ a ‘real’ standard view.
I haven’t stayed at CSR, but the time I stayed at POFQ I thought it was a lovely resort and I really liked that boat ride to and from DS.

 

[TheNJMermaid]

You’re probably right! This actually made me think, “hey maybe I could spend the extra money to upgrade to AKL from Pop”

I fell into this trap and now my poor wallet is hurting! lol But, it is nice to treat yourself every once in a while. I have stayed a Pop a lot more than AKL- I really don't mind it. Only value resort I truly enjoy.

 

[cadien]

I have a Villas question. The information is probably out there but I have tried digging around and am just not getting clarification. We're using a non-Disney travel agent (long story but not optional) and they've booked us in a Jambo House Villa. We had requested Jambo House but I was assuming it would be a regular hotel room, for lack of a more official term. I did just confirm with the agency that it's a DVC villa, since I didn't know whether there was any other kind. I'm pretty sure that's not what we want. We definitely won't be preparing meals or even cold cereal, and I don't want to have limited or even no maid service. Before I ask them to change us to a regular, non-DVC room, is there any advantage I'm overlooking? There must be something, because the agent has already told us that moving to a non-DVC room will decrease our cost. This will be our first WDW trip of any kind. Thanks!

 

[Dis_Yoda]

I have a Villas question. The information is probably out there but I have tried digging around and am just not getting clarification. We're using a non-Disney travel agent (long story but not optional) and they've booked us in a Jambo House Villa. We had requested Jambo House but I was assuming it would be a regular hotel room, for lack of a more official term. I did just confirm with the agency that it's a DVC villa, since I didn't know whether there was any other kind. I'm pretty sure that's not what we want. We definitely won't be preparing meals or even cold cereal, and I don't want to have limited or even no maid service. Before I ask them to change us to a regular, non-DVC room, is there any advantage I'm overlooking? There must be something, because the agent has already told us that moving to a non-DVC room will decrease our cost. This will be our first WDW trip of any kind. Thanks!

Yuu will not have limited/no maid service if your room was booked through Disney. You only receive limited maid service if you are staying on points - not cash.

The DVC villas are on the highest floor of the hotel so that is an advantage for some.

 

[goofygal531]

It took us about 5 to 7 minutes to get to AK, around 10 to 12 on average for Epcot and Hollywood. MK took about 20+. The only bus we could not count on was the MK bus. It as late as much as 30 minutes in just showing up. As much as we loved the place the girls want to stay on the Monorail from now on.

In February, the bus ride from POP to MK was exactly 30mins. I’m estimating the bus ride to be at least 40 mins from AKL.

We’re going into this trip knowing every bus ride will be longer. This is the reason we’ve never stayed at AKL before. I joke it’s located in Georgia! After 20 years of visiting WDW, we’re looking forward to experiencing a new resort. We’re ok with the distance, but well aware of it

 

[pepperandchips]

I have a Villas question. The information is probably out there but I have tried digging around and am just not getting clarification. We're using a non-Disney travel agent (long story but not optional) and they've booked us in a Jambo House Villa. We had requested Jambo House but I was assuming it would be a regular hotel room, for lack of a more official term. I did just confirm with the agency that it's a DVC villa, since I didn't know whether there was any other kind. I'm pretty sure that's not what we want. We definitely won't be preparing meals or even cold cereal, and I don't want to have limited or even no maid service. Before I ask them to change us to a regular, non-DVC room, is there any advantage I'm overlooking? There must be something, because the agent has already told us that moving to a non-DVC room will decrease our cost. This will be our first WDW trip of any kind. Thanks!

Pros: if it's a studio, you will have a queen bed and a queen sleeper sofa. You can fold up the sleeper sofa when not in use and have a sitting area. This makes the room feel bigger to us, as we occasionally like to sit on the couch and relax, watch tv, etc. You will also have a full size coffee pot, microwave, toaster, mini fridge, wet bar, and disposable plates. If you are big coffee drinkers, this is an advantage as you can get your morning coffee fix without making multiple individual cups or going to the Mara. As @Dis_Yoda said, I like the high floor.

Cons: You don't get two queen beds, you get one queen bed and one pullout couch. This is a dealbreaker for some people. Occasionally mousekeeping might "forget" to service your room since you are on the DVC floor, but a quick call would rectify this. For what it's worth, that hasn't happened to me even when I stayed on a cash reservation versus points. You also might find the DVC rooms so great you'd end up buying DVC. Happened to me

If you're not set on having the kitchenette/wet bar or are really averse to the sleeper sofa, I would probably ask the TA to move me to a standard hotel room to save the money.

 

[dansdad]

In February, the bus ride from POP to MK was exactly 30mins. I’m estimating the bus ride to be at least 40 mins from AKL.

We’re going into this trip knowing every bus ride will be longer. This is the reason we’ve never stayed at AKL before. I joke it’s located in Georgia! After 20 years of visiting WDW, we’re looking forward to experiencing a new resort. We’re ok with the distance, but well aware of it

Looking at my notes in 30 bus rides between AKL and MK, the longest ride was 22 minutes. The shortest was 18.

 

[Tksolomom]

I have a Villas question. The information is probably out there but I have tried digging around and am just not getting clarification. We're using a non-Disney travel agent (long story but not optional) and they've booked us in a Jambo House Villa. We had requested Jambo House but I was assuming it would be a regular hotel room, for lack of a more official term. I did just confirm with the agency that it's a DVC villa, since I didn't know whether there was any other kind. I'm pretty sure that's not what we want. We definitely won't be preparing meals or even cold cereal, and I don't want to have limited or even no maid service. Before I ask them to change us to a regular, non-DVC room, is there any advantage I'm overlooking? There must be something, because the agent has already told us that moving to a non-DVC room will decrease our cost. This will be our first WDW trip of any kind. Thanks!

You also have 1 bed an pullout in the villa. I am not sure how many of you there are, so that may be a benefit or a drawback. Even though you get maid service every day for the villa, sometimes they miss you because of a mixup. I would change to a regular room if it is cheaper and you don’t want the microwave and larger fridge.

 

[goofygal531]

Looking at my notes in 30 bus rides between AKL and MK, the longest ride was 22 minutes. The shortest was 18.

Thank you, this is very helpful.

I’m hoping for average 20 min bus rides but going in expecting it to be more. Better to be pleasantly surprised than aggravated, right?