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

[MagicFam5]

Hi everyone! We're at AKL right now. Checked in today. I have a team of 6 teens I can send out to get info for you. Ask away and we'll try to help. We've been here all week at POFQ and moved here today for the weekend. It was hopping in the lobby around 3:00 when we checked in.

 

[beauandjacksmommy]

Hi -

We are planning a trip at Christmas and are staying CL level. Can you find out if the rooms that are concierge will have a good savannah view? I am hoping that the view will not be messed up due to the construction...my DH has been dying to stay at AKL and I want it to be perfect!

Thanks for your help!

 

[TheresaNY]

Hi -

We are planning a trip at Christmas and are staying CL level. Can you find out if the rooms that are concierge will have a good savannah view? I am hoping that the view will not be messed up due to the construction...my DH has been dying to stay at AKL and I want it to be perfect!

Thanks for your help!

Just got back yesterday..had 3 CL rooms Savannah views..they were awesome views. Jack at CL Check in said all CL rooms are inside savannah - Arusha views...not the outside of the ring. The construction is on the upper left side and I don't see that it had any effect at all on the animals either. Everytime we were walking we saw animals on the opposite side by where the construction is going on. No noise from it either. The trees caused more obstruction to our view than anything else but if you just sit and relax for a little bit the animals keep moving around and you end up seeing them all eventually.

 

[NOVATraveler]

I'm staying in a studio in October. I really don't want to do laundry on vacation. As a non-DVC member, can I use the laundry service?

 

[lovemy2boys]

allearsnet.com has the in room dining menu: http://www.allearsnet.com/menu/menu_aklin.htm

Thank you so much! I forgot they had in-room dining menus on that site!!

 

[kaylie&laurensmom]

I have started a review with lots of pictures around the lodge and of all the food offerings in the concierge lounge:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1888051

 

[njdisneyfreak]

Yes, there are changing rooms. I actually took a couple of pictures of it last February:

The entrance is next to Mara, on the resort map it shows restrooms there as well as the lockers.

You need a room key to enter, but I think you will get your room key when you check in, it will just not work on any room until the room is ready and connected in the system with your key. So I think it should work perfectly well to get in there.

I am so glad to see this posting! We're going in December and want to at least go in the hot tub, and if the weather permits, we'll go in the pool. The lockers means we can bring warmer clothes down with us to change into quickly, rather than wait till we get to our room. How do the lockers work? Are they able to be locked, and if so, how?

 

[Angel16]

Just needed to drop in and say thank you to everyone that has posted pictures and shared their experiences. I just love this thread.

 

[Flossbolna]

I am so glad to see this posting! We're going in December and want to at least go in the hot tub, and if the weather permits, we'll go in the pool. The lockers means we can bring warmer clothes down with us to change into quickly, rather than wait till we get to our room. How do the lockers work? Are they able to be locked, and if so, how?

The lockers are coin-operated. You put in a coin and then you can lock the door with a key. Once you open it, the coin will be returned to you.

However, the changing rooms will most likely not be so much help for the hot tub, as it is on the other side of the pool. Depending on where your room is, it might be quicker to just get into the nearest door leading inside and the continue to your room. I did this a number of times. If you take something that can be used as a substitute for a bath robe, even better. But I have seen a number of people walking to their rooms in swim suits. But then you might not have to worry at all. When we were there in January it was really nice swimming weather!

 

[Marc A.]

We just booked March 1-11th 2009 yesterday at AKV for a 1BR sav. view. It will be our first trip to our home resort (DVC). I was suprised that it was available since it is only almost 7 mths away. We did get the warning about the sunset savannah removing animals around that time but hopefully I can make a request when we get closer.
I did have a question. The DVC rooms do not have PC's correct? You need to bring a laptop and a connection?
Thanks

 

[NashBridges]

Are we able to decorate our doors at AKL?? They look like big heavy wood doors, just wondered if you're allowed to decorate them.

TIA

 

[Donald is #1]

The DVC rooms do not have PC's correct? You need to bring a laptop and a connection?
Thanks

You are correct. You need to bring your laptop and I believe that the connection is a wired (versus wireless) connection. I believe that there is an ethernet cable in each room that can be used with your laptop.

 

[PRaffen]

It has been several years since we were at Disney. In planning our next trip (spring 2009) at AKL, I'm a bit confused with all the changes.

I was hoping to stay concierge but in reading about the construction am wondering:

can savannah views be guaranteed?

can I (a non-member) book one of the DVC villas? If so, are they conceirge? are they savannah view?

I read there won't be any animals on the sunset savannah and I don't want to stay at AKL if we can't see the animals from our room.

Here I thought this would be easy and now I'm so confused!

 

[Donald is #1]

It has been several years since we were at Disney. In planning our next trip (spring 2009) at AKL, I'm a bit confused with all the changes.

I was hoping to stay concierge but in reading about the construction am wondering:

can savannah views be guaranteed?

can I (a non-member) book one of the DVC villas? If so, are they conceirge? are they savannah view?

I read there won't be any animals on the sunset savannah and I don't want to stay at AKL if we can't see the animals from our room.

Here I thought this would be easy and now I'm so confused!

Here goes, hopefully I don't add to the confusion.

AKV CL: There are only 5 2 BR lock-offs and they are on the 6th floor. This means that best case there are only 10 rooms. There is no guarantee of a savanna view and the savanna view is the sunset savanna (where the construction is). As a non-member, you could try to rent from a member for CL level, but I don't know if there is any availability. If you want to go through CRO and pay cash for the room, then in theory you can do that. However, I doubt that there will be any availability. The advantage to the AKV rooms are that they are on the 6th floor near the concierge lounge.


AKL CL: I believe that there is better availability here than at AKV. These rooms are on the 4th floor though I have heard a couple people mention that they were on either the 3rd or 2nd floor. I believe that these rooms are savanna view rooms. The disadvantage here is that you have to walk further to get to the concierge lounge on the 6th floor. I am not sure which savannas these rooms are on, but if you are concerned with the construction, then request Arusha or Uzima savannas.

 

[ang38]

If you book a regular CL room you will be guaranteed an Arusha Savanah view since that's where they are. I tried to get a different view since we'd already stayed Arusha once and couldn't get it since I was told that ALL CL rooms are Arusha. Your best bet for a good view would be to book regular CL and not DVC since DVC rooms do not have a really good savanah view. While it is a bit of a hike to the lounge you can find short cuts to take and what you're really staying savanah view is for the view~

It has been several years since we were at Disney. In planning our next trip (spring 2009) at AKL, I'm a bit confused with all the changes.

I was hoping to stay concierge but in reading about the construction am wondering:

can savannah views be guaranteed?

can I (a non-member) book one of the DVC villas? If so, are they conceirge? are they savannah view?

I read there won't be any animals on the sunset savannah and I don't want to stay at AKL if we can't see the animals from our room.

Here I thought this would be easy and now I'm so confused!

 

[snowdrift7]

Your best bet for a good view would be to book regular CL and not DVC since DVC rooms do not have a really good savanah view.

Is it true that the views from DVC "savannah view" rooms aren't very good? If so, we will have wasted our points,be extremely disappointed and I guess should rethink staying there in October.

I thought I'd read here - a while back - that DVC rooms near the Zebra Trail and by the elevator had good views. That's what I requested - was I wrong?

TIA.

 

[Marc A.]

Is it true that the views from DVC "savannah view" rooms aren't very good? If so, we will have wasted our points,be extremely disappointed and I guess should rethink staying there in October.

I thought I'd read here - a while back - that DVC rooms near the Zebra Trail and by the elevator had good views. That's what I requested - was I wrong?

TIA.

Please say this is not a problem???

 

[ang38]

As far as I know, the DVC CL rooms are on the 6th floor with sunset savanah views. I personally would not want a sunset view since it is mostly of the new construction. I would rather stay in a non cl dvc room. I think those rooms are on the 5th floor with varying views of all the savannas .

Is it true that the views from DVC "savannah view" rooms aren't very good? If so, we will have wasted our points,be extremely disappointed and I guess should rethink staying there in October.

I thought I'd read here - a while back - that DVC rooms near the Zebra Trail and by the elevator had good views. That's what I requested - was I wrong?

TIA.

 

[karylrocks]

Is it true that the views from DVC "savannah view" rooms aren't very good? If so, we will have wasted our points,be extremely disappointed and I guess should rethink staying there in October.

I thought I'd read here - a while back - that DVC rooms near the Zebra Trail and by the elevator had good views. That's what I requested - was I wrong?

TIA.

The savanna rooms being referred to are the DVC Concierge Level rooms, some of which have a view of the Sunset Savanna (where the construction is) and some have a pool view. If you booked a regular DVC Savanna View, they are in a different location.

 

[eeyoresnr]

If you book a regular CL room you will be guaranteed an Arusha Savanah view since that's where they are. I tried to get a different view since we'd already stayed Arusha once and couldn't get it since I was told that ALL CL rooms are Arusha. Your best bet for a good view would be to book regular CL and not DVC since DVC rooms do not have a really good savanah view. While it is a bit of a hike to the lounge you can find short cuts to take and what you're really staying savanah view is for the view~

just how far is it from the lounge to the CL rooms?