Need Advice on Room Request for AKL!!!!!!

[amber.miller]

Okay so my family and I (Myself, My Hubby, DS 4, DS 2, My Mom) will be staying at AKL August 16-25. I currently have us booked in a Pool View Room. For those who have stayed there, is it worth it over a Standard? Or should I upgrade to a Savannah View? I also am wondering what Room Request I should make for a Pool View and/or for a Savannah View?!?!?!?!

Thanks so much!

 

[BLTLDZ]

I think it is totally worth it to splurge for Savannah view, especially since you have little ones!

I recommend requesting 2nd or 3rd floor, to get a great view of the animals,

 

[sndral]

I thought the rooms start at the 3rd floor @ Jambo, but I could be wrong.
If you have a savanna view and want eye level w/ a giraffe then a lower floor is better. But, unless you are staying in a villa, you'll be on a lower floor, anyway. There are 2 savanna view categories, Arusha (the middle savanna) which is more expensive than just plain savanna view.
I think the pool view rooms are worth the extra $10 or so a night over standard view- ask for Zebra trail as that puts you right by the elevators that go down to the pool, the Mara (fast food) & the kids play area. The other pool rooms are on Giraffe trail (which also has standard view rooms,) and the Giraffe trail rooms do have the advantage of a secret door that cuts down on the walk to/from the bus.
If you opt for savannah view, asking for Uzima on Zebra trail puts you on the pool/food side. If Arusha Savannah view, asking for Zebra trail again puts you by the pool/food side.
The other side is Kudu trail and a bit of a hike to the pool/food or Ostrich trail. Kudu trail rooms face either Arusha savana or Sunset savanna. Ostrich trail rooms face sunset savanna or are standard view.
If it's not a budget buster I'd splurge for a savanna view (but personally wouldn't pay extra for Arusha savanna.) Although the pool views are quite pretty, IMO, just no animals from the balcony.
Here's a map:
http://dvcnews.com/index.php/resorts/animal-kingdom-villas/maps-a-photos - click on the first map 'Jambo'
It's for the villas on the upper floors, so the numbers are different, but it gives you an idea of the layout of the resort.

 

[brertoad]

Personally, I wouldn't want to spend the extra money on a Savannah view. Mainly because there are so many ways to see the animals without it, there is a trail to walk and view, as well as viewing decks with rocking chairs to sit on, the cost for a savannah view is substantially higher than the standard and pool view rooms. Also, assuming you will be going to the Animal Kingdom park as well while on vacation -- you will see animals there too. I certainly can see how some people would like to splurge because it's a unique experience; but to me, there are animals everywhere, you can take time to view them at your own leisure and not pay extra.

We stayed in one of the pool view rooms and we loved it, the pool is gorgeous. Going back for my birthday

 

[Mousemommy1]

Okay so my family and I (Myself, My Hubby, DS 4, DS 2, My Mom) will be staying at AKL August 16-25. I currently have us booked in a Pool View Room. For those who have stayed there, is it worth it over a Standard? Or should I upgrade to a Savannah View? I also am wondering what Room Request I should make for a Pool View and/or for a Savannah View?!?!?!?!

Thanks so much!

Hmmm...I'm thinking your little guy will still be 2 at the time of your trip?? Otherwise, how are you getting 5 people in your room? I'm curious because we are taking my DFIL on his first trip to Disney next April and would love to do AKL, but we are going to have to do two rooms, because there are 5 of us.

To answer your question, if we book AKL, we will book a savannah view. The whole purpose (for us) is that view, DFIL is a retired science teacher, and lifelong learner, so he would be in 7th heaven at AKL.

 

[we3travellers]

Pool view is definitely worth the small price difference. We had a lovely pool view room. Savanna view was a little too much for our budget, but once I was there I did not regret not having it. Like a pp said, there are so many opportunities to see the animals. Just walking down the hall to get to the Mara there were several large viewing windows and we always saw animals, no matter what time of day. Some of the standard rooms at AKL have terrible views, as do most hotels I guess. Like directly over the bus stop!

 

[mickeynut1]

We've stayed both pool and savannah view and I thought the pool view was just as nice . Our room was conveniently located close to the lobby, gift shop, and the elevator to go down to the pool and Mara. Like the pp said, I don't feel having a savannah view is a necessity as there are other places around the lodge to view animals and the pool view, IMO, is very nice for less money .

 

[cleophus12]

AKL Savannah view was one of our favorite Disney vacations. Waking up in the morning and going out on the balcony to see the animals was great fun. It was like being somewhere far more exotic than Disney. If Savannah view is within your budget, I'd say it's totally worth the upgrade. And the third floor is great. You get an up close and personal view of the animals. I also agree that the pool view is worth the upgrade from Standard.

 

[2kids2luv]

We stayed in a pool view room and the kids loved it. We stayed on the 2nd floor Giraffe trail and the bus stop is a two minute walk away plus we were close to the pool and Mara. If your kiddos are light sleepers you may not want the pool view. You can here pool noise and the music inside the room. Kids loved exploring and the savannah rooms can be very far from the bus stop.

 

[Sue M]

http://allears.net/acc/aklmap.jpg Last time we stayed at AKL we were on Sunset Savana off Kudu Trail. We loved sitting out on the balcony in the morning with my coffee watching the savana.

One thing I didn't like was it was kind of a horseshoe, and sound really carries. So when someone is on his cell phone on the balcony on the other side of the horseshoe, we could hear every word. Extremely annoying when I just wanted some quiet time. Don't know why some people on cell phones think they have to talk loud

Anyway this time we've booked a pool view room. I've requested an upper floor on Zebra Trail. I'd like to be on the same side as the Pool & The Mara. Although it's not a huge deal to be on the other side, just sl. more convienent.

We had orig. booked standard view, but for a few dollars more decided to go with pool view.

 

[look1angel]

I think it is totally worth it to splurge for Savannah view, especially since you have little ones!

I recommend requesting 2nd or 3rd floor, to get a great view of the animals,

I 100% agree. I never stay at the AKL without having that SV

 

[mggeary]

If want non-savanah room near Mara and near the main lobby, should book a pool view room?

 

[Eeyore's My Favorite]

AKL Savannah view was one of our favorite Disney vacations. Waking up in the morning and going out on the balcony to see the animals was great fun. It was like being somewhere far more exotic than Disney. If Savannah view is within your budget, I'd say it's totally worth the upgrade. And the third floor is great. You get an up close and personal view of the animals. I also agree that the pool view is worth the upgrade from Standard.

DH & I have only stayed at AKL one time & our room was on the Sunset Savanna & it was absolutely amazing. Perfectly relaxing vacation - loved sitting on the balcony at all hours of the day & watching the animals. It was during the construction of the villas so there was some noise, but worth every penny.

Next month we're going back to celebrate my nearing the end of year long chemo treatment & we've decided to splurge once again on a savanna view room. We'll cut other corners but not on the room itself. We didn't mind the walk to the pool or MARA but we did find the most of the viewing areas throughout the hotel could become very crowded during certain times of the day.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[akl-fan]

Although the SV rooms are great they are not essential for a great holiday. We have stayed in all categories and had a fabulous time. If you are stretching your budget to afford it then pass on it this time. You can always plan another trip in the future.

 

[amber.miller]

Thank you so much for all of your information! Sorry I've just been able to get back on. I think I'll stay with Pool View for this trip and go with the Zebra trail. And yes, my 2 year old will actually turn 3 during our trip, so we can get one last year in 1 room

 

[carly chloe]

If we dont need the buses and want to be closer to the pool, the Mara and lobby where's the best place to make a request? We have a pool view.

 

[aubriee]

Thank you so much for all of your information! Sorry I've just been able to get back on. I think I'll stay with Pool View for this trip and go with the Zebra trail. And yes, my 2 year old will actually turn 3 during our trip, so we can get one last year in 1 room

Personally I'd request a ground floor pool view room on the Giraffe Trail. The first time we stayed there we had a Savanna view on the third floor of the Kudo trail facing the Arusha savanna. It was a fantastic view and we loved being on the third floor (same floor as the lobby). However, it felt like it was mile to our room every night. The second time we stayed there we had a ground floor pool view room on the Giraffe trail. Our view was mainly just trees with a glimpse of the pool through them, but the location was the best I've ever had at any resort. We were like three doors down from the health center, where the door is that goes out to the pool and hot tub. Both were less than 2 minutes from our door. We also loved being on the ground floor, because we could walk right out and be on the same level as the restaurants. It was about 3 minutes to get our mugs refilled. We loved being on the Giraffe trail, because about halfway up that walkway between the bus stop and the lobby, there is a doorway on the right that leads directly into the Giraffe trail. Your KTTW key opens it. We used that shortcut every day to get to the buses and back to our room, so didn't have to walk up that walkway all the way into the lobby or gift shop, then back to our room. We used the stairs to go from the third floor down to the ground floor, but there is also an elevator there. That shortcut made our room just a few minutes from the buses. I swear it was the most perfect room location ever. If I ever go back to AKL, I'll pay for a pool view and request first floor Giraffe Trail, close to health club. Rooms in that area are close to everything you could possible use (healthclub, restaurants, mug refill station, pool, hot tub, and buses).