The All-New "unofficial" AKL/AKV's Jambo & Kidani FAQ thread.....

[disneynewbeemom]

Does anybody know how early the buses arrive to go to Animal Kingdom? We are doing the Wild by Design Tour and need to be there by 8:15 AM.

Also, how early does Boma typically let people in? I know that they state breakfast is typically served beginning at 7:30 AM, but do they ever let you in 5 minutes earlier?

I would like to know the answer to this question as well. We have an 8:00 ADR at Tuskers. What time should we be waiting for a bus?

 

[tinkerbeth]

Hello,,

Are there two different rates for concierge? I know there are two different floors and that some of the rooms are not on the same floor but do they all have savannah view (I think it said they did in the first post...) and is there a difference in the room or in the price?

Thanks!

Beth

 

[pigletto]

Hi AKL lovers!
I have a question regarding the bus service. I will be at AKL for 9 nights in September.
I don't mind waiting for a bus for a little while but would probably be unhappy if the norm was long long waits and sometimes not even getting on the buses.
Would you recommend that we rent a car?
20 minute waits would be no problem. I am just worried about hour long waits
and cranky kids.
Could you share your bus adventures?

 

[MomsOf2boys]

Hi AKL lovers!
I have a question regarding the bus service. I will be at AKL for 9 nights in September.
I don't mind waiting for a bus for a little while but would probably be unhappy if the norm was long long waits and sometimes not even getting on the buses.
Would you recommend that we rent a car?
20 minute waits would be no problem. I am just worried about hour long waits
and cranky kids.
Could you share your bus adventures?

We will be there in September also... 21-26. Are you getting excited yet?

 

[MomsOf2boys]

I booked the ADRs myself, but they can and will do it for you. You can call or email them anytime. They were very helpful. As to the cruise we booked deluxe dining only and are paying oop. I do believe that you have the choice of cruise with the platinum package. Good Luck!

Don was wonderful and I always heard from they by phone same day and within 10-24 hrs email.

I will make sure he knows he comes highly recommended! Thanks for your help. We will have a 17 year birthday during our stay. I may need some "magical" help.

 

[RachelTori]

Hello,,

Are there two different rates for concierge? I know there are two different floors and that some of the rooms are not on the same floor but do they all have savannah view (I think it said they did in the first post...) and is there a difference in the room or in the price?

Thanks!

Beth

I'm assuming you're referring to the Club Level rooms through WDT, not the DVC Villas. There is only one rack rate for CL rooms (although discounts like AAA/CAA are always a possibility). Those CL rooms are all located on the 4th floor, guaranteed Savanna View; they are all the same size (no more Deluxe rooms - those are now DVC villas). Here is a link to some great information you should find helpful:

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=21745599&postcount=1

HTHs!

 

[pilferk]

Hi AKL lovers!
I have a question regarding the bus service. I will be at AKL for 9 nights in September.
I don't mind waiting for a bus for a little while but would probably be unhappy if the norm was long long waits and sometimes not even getting on the buses.
Would you recommend that we rent a car?
20 minute waits would be no problem. I am just worried about hour long waits
and cranky kids.
Could you share your bus adventures?

I've been there, a number of times, in mid to late September.

Average wait for a bus would be somewhere around 10 minutes. We've occasionally waited longer, but NEVER as long as 20 minutes.

 

[drusba]

Hi AKL lovers!
I have a question regarding the bus service. I will be at AKL for 9 nights in September.
I don't mind waiting for a bus for a little while but would probably be unhappy if the norm was long long waits and sometimes not even getting on the buses.
Would you recommend that we rent a car?
20 minute waits would be no problem. I am just worried about hour long waits
and cranky kids.
Could you share your bus adventures?

AKL/AKV bus service is very good. Morning rush hours waits are generally short; mid-day just depends on when you hit the station but generally no more than 20 minutes even if you arrive at the station and have just missed a bus that has left. No real issue with overcrowding and not getting on except possibly coming back from a park and you leave right at end of park closing event when everyone is leaving.

However, whether to rent a car raises other issues -- nice to have if you are going anywhere besides parks. Parks are a direct run by bus, getting to another resort requires taking bus to a park and then switching to transportation to the resort, and thus a car is much faster.

 

[drusba]

Does anybody know how early the buses arrive to go to Animal Kingdom? We are doing the Wild by Design Tour and need to be there by 8:15 AM.

Also, how early does Boma typically let people in? I know that they state breakfast is typically served beginning at 7:30 AM, but do they ever let you in 5 minutes earlier?

Regular busses usually begin about 45 minutes to an hour before park opening. They also have special buses for early morning pre-opening events (such as some of the character meals); ask hotel when you get there.


Boma like other WDW restaurants tends to open exactly on schedule and not earlier.

 

[angiepangie8]

We are going to check our bags in early at AKV, then head to MGM. We plan on coming back to the hotel to relax shortly after lunch at the Hollywood and Vine. Do you usually have to wait until 4 pm to actually get into your room? If we check in early does it increase our chances of getting into our room early?

We are staying in a 2 Bedrooom Savannah View and have made a request for Zebra Trail.

 

[drusba]

We are going to check our bags in early at AKV, then head to MGM. We plan on coming back to the hotel to relax shortly after lunch at the Hollywood and Vine. Do you usually have to wait until 4 pm to actually get into your room? If we check in early does it increase our chances of getting into our room early?

We are staying in a 2 Bedrooom Savannah View and have made a request for Zebra Trail.

Arriving early in the morning really does not increase chances of getting in room before 4. Whether you will is just luck of the draw and appears to depend on whether room assigned to you has been cleaned and reported back as ready by housekeeping. Sometimes you can even get it when arriving in morning because particular room was vacant night before; other times you get there at 3 and it is still not ready.

 

[MomsOf2boys]

Arriving early in the morning really does not increase chances of getting in room before 4. Whether you will is just luck of the draw and appears to depend on whether room assigned to you has been cleaned and reported back as ready by housekeeping. Sometimes you can even get it when arriving in morning because particular room was vacant night before; other times you get there at 3 and it is still not ready.

I'll be checking in early as well. do I need to leave luggage in the car or do they have a place they stick it until your room is ready? Also, if i check in will they tell me which room I will have so I can come back whenever or do I need to come back at 3ish?

 

[pilferk]

I'll be checking in early as well. do I need to leave luggage in the car or do they have a place they stick it until your room is ready? Also, if i check in will they tell me which room I will have so I can come back whenever or do I need to come back at 3ish?

1) They (bell services) will hold your luggage for you. They'll give you a number to call, when you get to your room, so they can bring it up to you.

2) They usually will NOT tell you the room number you're going to be in. They WILL tell you the general section you're going to be in. At least...they have every time we've checked in to find our room not ready.

3). They will give you a number to call that you can use to check on your room status throughout the day. When your room is ready, they'll give you your room number.

 

[angiepangie8]

thanks for the info drusba and pilferk

 

[MomsOf2boys]

1) They (bell services) will hold your luggage for you. They'll give you a number to call, when you get to your room, so they can bring it up to you.

2) They usually will NOT tell you the room number you're going to be in. They WILL tell you the general section you're going to be in. At least...they have every time we've checked in to find our room not ready.

3). They will give you a number to call that you can use to check on your room status throughout the day. When your room is ready, they'll give you your room number.

That sounds perfect! Thank you for your help. I think once we head to the world we won't want to head back too early.

 

[dmccarty]

Regarding Bell Services/luggage.

Is there a way for ME to lock up a bag? I'm going to have one carry on bag that will have about $5,000 in camera gear and a $1,000 laptop. I don't want that bag just hanging around for someone to steal.

We will be getting to AKL between 9-10am by ME from MCO so we don't have a car to leave the luggage locked up. With a check in at 1600 that is a long time lug around that bag.

 

[CJsMom]

Hi AKL lovers!
I have a question regarding the bus service. I will be at AKL for 9 nights in September.
I don't mind waiting for a bus for a little while but would probably be unhappy if the norm was long long waits and sometimes not even getting on the buses.
Would you recommend that we rent a car?
20 minute waits would be no problem. I am just worried about hour long waits
and cranky kids.
Could you share your bus adventures?

We were there in December and never waited more than 20 minutes for a bus. In fact, the norm was more like 5 - 10. I was very impressed by the bus service.

 

[Tinkaroo]

For those asking about check-ins to villas...

Although I haven't stayed DVC at AKV as of yet, we're DVC members, and at the other DVC resorts we've stayed, it seems to be the general rule that you will be waiting until closer to check-in time for your villa. DVC rooms take a lot longer to clean than regular hotel rooms; the time of year/occupancy of the resort can factor in, too.

AKL is also the only resort we've ever waited beyond the normal 3 p.m. check-in time for regular WDW guests. Of course, that was the time we were needing to change for the P&PP and catch a 5:00 ADR at the MK. That didn't happen. I hope you have better luck!

Regarding Bell Services/luggage.

Is there a way for ME to lock up a bag? I'm going to have one carry on bag that will have about $5,000 in camera gear and a $1,000 laptop. I don't want that bag just hanging around for someone to steal.

We will be getting to AKL between 9-10am by ME from MCO so we don't have a car to leave the luggage locked up. With a check in at 1600 that is a long time lug around that bag.

Are you talking about Bell Services at the resort, or Magical Express itself?

If it's your carry-on bag, you should have to keep it on you upon getting to the resort (the only luggage you won't see until later in the day is any luggage you put the ME tags on, and checked from your home airport). I don't believe Bell Services will "lock up" or take responsibility for a bag per se, although obviously the bags aren't accessible to just any guest as they're being held.

If I were you, I'd do one of 3 things:

1. Bring a lock (or those plastic cable ties) from home, and secure the bag yourself.

2. Remove the really valuable items from your carry-on bag, and have them hold it in the hotel safe for you. (Space is somewhat limited - DH had them hold his DSLR camera and bag, and it just barely fit in the space allotted).

3. Take the bag with you to the parks, and rent a locker there to store it in, until you head back to the resort.

 

[dmccarty]

Are you talking about Bell Services at the resort, or Magical Express itself?

If it's your carry-on bag, you should have to keep it on you upon getting to the resort (the only luggage you won't see until later in the day is any luggage you put the ME tags on, and checked from your home airport). I don't believe Bell Services will "lock up" or take responsibility for a bag per se, although obviously the bags aren't accessible to just any guest as they're being held.

If I were you, I'd do one of 3 things:

1. Bring a lock (or those plastic cable ties) from home, and secure the bag yourself.

2. Remove the really valuable items from your carry-on bag, and have them hold it in the hotel safe for you. (Space is somewhat limited - DH had them hold his DSLR camera and bag, and it just barely fit in the space allotted).

3. Take the bag with you to the parks, and rent a locker there to store it in, until you head back to the resort.

Its a carry on bag. No way will it be checked.

I think I'm just going to have to lug it around AKL until we check in to the room. The bag is big. It is under the airlines carry on size limit but its heavy. Or you number 3 suggestion but even that makes me uneasy...

I was hoping the resort had some sort of locker we could use.

 

[thatgirl23]

Stupid question but I keep reading conflicting information... is the Sunrise Safari offered Thursdays and Sundays or Thursdays and Saturdays? I checked in the first post in this thread but I also saw that some of the other info was dated so I wasn't sure if it was up-to-date. Thanks!