Requesting Partial Savannah at AKL

[Bridget060504]

What method is the best for placing a room request? Should I use my travel agent, call Disney, Touring Plans?

 

[Mom2Anna&Elsa]

I placed a room request through Touring Plans for a standard view DVC studio in Jambo House and got a savannah view-- I got the exact room # I had asked for, which rarely happens.

No guarantees but it worked for me.

 

[gharter]

We have used the room request through Touring Plans as well. Sometimes we have gotten the exact room, sometimes close, and sometimes far, far away.
It seems to be hit or miss at best.

 

[Doug S]

Touring Plans is the best option. Disney is very much aware of them and actually requested a change in the system a few months ago. They now send it out 30 days rather than a few days before check-in.

 

[eeyoreandtink]

Touring plans is your best choice, but be aware:
1. There are very few "partial Savannah view" rooms
2. From our experience, this could mean anything from a swath of grass to a view of the people pens. Very rarely are you going to see things like giraffes from these rooms. Maybe some cattle or antelope.

 

[Shellbells]

We booked a standard last month and requested partial Savannah view through TP. We got a full Savannah view room. It was so exciting and we loved every second of it.
However, I know the odds are slim of this happening again so we booked WL for our BB.
I loved AKL but after having that view once we wouldn't want a standard view and the cost is too much for us.

 

[P'colaBeachBum]

I have done all our AKL requests when I book a room through Disney reservations. Of the 4 times I requested a partial savanna only 1 time did I not get it, they gave us a pool view. This last trip I booked full savanna view and it was close to the other partial views we got in the past. On all the partial savanna rooms we requested Kudu Trail and did see giraffes from our balcony.

 

[Sue M]

I would have it on your reservation thru your TA. You can also use Touring Plans but I always have request noted on my reservation in addition to using an outside source.

 

[sndral]

I call and have my request noted on my reservation, at AKL last December I had a standard view & requested & got Kudu trail. All of the Kudu trail rooms front either Sunset or Arusha savannas and there are several that front Sunset savanna that are considered standard view. We saw giraffes several times from our standard view balcony.

 

[Minniesgal]

DVC won't take a view request from people who have booked a standard view.

 

[Bridget060504]

I have done all our AKL requests when I book a room through Disney reservations. Of the 4 times I requested a partial savanna only 1 time did I not get it, they gave us a pool view. This last trip I booked full savanna view and it was close to the other partial views we got in the past. On all the partial savanna rooms we requested Kudu Trail and did see giraffes from our balcony.

Do you recall your room number?

 

[SL6827]

If you use Touring Plans, (which has worked out awesome for me with many trips) and you use your TA as well, make sure the request are exactly the same. I did this with my trip at SSR last April. I put in a request for building #85 with Touring Plans and also requested it directly with DVC, which at the time I owned. This is not the first time I got my request with room locations, but it was the room location that I will never forget. I hit the location LOTTERY at SSR with a standard view room that was a 3 minute walk to the carriage house.

 

[SL6827]

DVC won't take a view request from people who have booked a standard view.

???????

 

[sndral]

DVC won't take a view request from people who have booked a standard view.

Since OP is using a travel agent, they aren’t booked through DVC, so they’ll be able to make a view request
Although DVC won’t take view requests for the value villas at AKL (the smaller villas on Giraffe and Ostrich trails which front either Sunset savanna, the parking lot or the pool) IME they do take view requests from members using their own points for standard or savanna views. DVC won’t take view requests at any resort from renters of points - you need to have the owner of the points call.

 

[Minniesgal]

Since OP is using a travel agent, they aren’t booked through DVC, so they’ll be able to make a view request
Although DVC won’t take view requests for the value villas at AKL (the smaller villas on Giraffe and Ostrich trails which front either Sunset savanna, the parking lot or the pool) IME they do take view requests from members using their own points for standard or savanna views. DVC won’t take view requests at any resort from renters of points - you need to have the owner of the points call.

Sorry this is not entirely correct. DVC will to take a view request for a standard view room. I have this by email from MS

 

[karen4546]

Sorry this is not entirely correct. DVC will to take a view request for a standard view room. I have this by email from MS

They will accept the faxes from Touring plans. Before we became member, we rented at least 5 times and used the "request this room" feature on touring plans. So, you are absolutely correct! I will add that we booked standard view and we are 4 for 4 partial Savannah room. It may have the "people pen" in the view, but we saw zebra, giraffe, antelope, and those really big black & white birds.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

I’ve never heard of requesting through Touring Plans, we’ve always just done it ourselves or had our member do it when renting DVC. Is this something to up our chances of success? Can you even do it when renting DVC points?

 

[Jfsag123]

We put in a room request through TP for a partial savannah view on a standard view studio room booked through DVC point rental and got it. We were directly above one of the people pens and had a great view of the savannah beyond

 

[SL6827]

I tell you, Touring Plans has worked for me very well with at least 4 of the 5 trips I used with them. But I also know a whole lot about what and where I try to request. That goes a long ways.

 

[zoo2tycoon]

Remember a request is only a request. A certain room can't be guaranteed. Don't request a category of room you didn't book. Don't get upset if a request isn't fulfilled - don't get mad at the CM who can't magically make your request happen because the room isn't available.

Requests are great but for all those who get what they requested many many more did not.