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

[iteachlit]

Anyone else at the lodge at the end of July? We will be there July 25 to July 30.

We check in July 24 and depart July 31. We are staying in a Jambo House savanna view studio. My father and step-mother are also coming with us. We used our points to get them a value studio.

Have a great time!

 

[RachaelRol]

Any recommendations for room request? We have Savana view. I'd like to see lots of animals and be close to the lobby and Mara. Is there such a place?

 

[WDWKOOK]

Any recommendations for room request? We have Savana view. I'd like to see lots of animals and be close to the lobby and Mara. Is there such a place?

When I booked Savanna View for our first AKL stay in August, I requested "Zebra or Kudo Trail, high floor".

I used this map to help me:

 

[Tiggerrn2]

Any recommendations for room request? We have Savana view. I'd like to see lots of animals and be close to the lobby and Mara. Is there such a place?

Arusha Savannah-Zebra Trail near an elevator.

 

[SRUAlmn]

Arusha Savannah-Zebra Trail near an elevator.

This is what I was going to request, except that I was going to say 'near the lobby' instead of 'near the elevator.' Is it better to be near the elevator? Mara is sort of half way between the lobby area (which I know is a few levels up from Mara) and the elevator. If you were closer to the lobby, would you still walk down to the zebra trail elevators, or is there another elevator somewhere in the lobby? Not that I'm trying to be super picky, I'm just wondering. I like to feel the lay of the land before I go somewhere Thanks!!

 

[pepe2123]

Hello everyone, i'm going July 22 thru 26 staying in a 1 bedroom unit at the Kidani Village, we are exactly 5 in our party so we are going to use all of the beds, i'm not sure if the pullout sleeper chair and the queen sleeper sofa in the living room are comfortable??, this pullouts are going to be use for 2 adults and a teen 16 years. I just want everyone to have a good time but comfortable. I booked this villa because we want to stay there and also because this new 1 bedroom villa have 2 full baths. I just need a little more advice because there is not availability for a 2 bedroom unit so if not i'm going to change the resort. If anyone have any experience on this pullouts please help me!!!! I read a thread that someone post telling that this pullouts are a brand new design and that they do not have springs or a bar in the middle of them, but i'm not sure.

Thank you very much for your help

 

[jjohnson]

This is what I was going to request, except that I was going to say 'near the lobby' instead of 'near the elevator.' Is it better to be near the elevator? Mara is sort of half way between the lobby area (which I know is a few levels up from Mara) and the elevator. If you were closer to the lobby, would you still walk down to the zebra trail elevators, or is there another elevator somewhere in the lobby? Not that I'm trying to be super picky, I'm just wondering. I like to feel the lay of the land before I go somewhere Thanks!!

There is another elevator closer to the lobby but if your room was on Zebra and you wanted to go to the Mara, I would take the Zebra elevator.

 

[SRUAlmn]

There is another elevator closer to the lobby but if your room was on Zebra and you wanted to go to the Mara, I would take the Zebra elevator.

Thanks!! "close to elevator" it is

 

[RachaelRol]

When I booked Savanna View for our first AKL stay in August, I requested "Zebra or Kudo Trail, high floor".

I used this map to help me:

Arusha Savannah-Zebra Trail near an elevator.

Thank you. Are there giraffes on the Zebra Trail?

 

[WDWKOOK]

Thank you. Are there giraffes on the Zebra Trail?

You're welcome. I haven't stayed at AKL yet, so maybe this will help us:

http://www.aklresort.com/content/savanna-view-room has this Savanna View info:

There are four different savannas at AKL—Sunset, Arusha, Uzima, and Pembe. (Arusha and Uzima serve only Jambo House; Pembe serves only Kidani Village; Sunset serves both resorts.) Though you'll find lots of differing opinions as to which floor you should request for the best view of the animals, we like the third floor--it gives you a high enough view that you can see the whole savanna, but you're not so high that you don't feel close to the animals.

We also like the Arusha savanna because it gives us a backdrop view of the beautiful Jambo House lobby’s picture window. The Arusha savanna is also the hotel’s “main” savanna, located right off the lobby; because of this, you can be assured that there will always be a wide variety of animals on this savanna. It can, however, be the savanna that offers the least privacy—at any given time hotel visitors will be oohing and aahing over animals at the public viewing areas, most of which look out onto the Arusha savanna.

Sunset Savanna is to the left of the Lodge, and is a shared savanna with Kidani Village, AKL's separate Disney Vacation Club building. Sunset is where you get the best sunset views (natch), and also remains the only savanna on which you can find ostriches.

Uzima Savanna is on the far right side of the hotel--the same side as the Uzima Springs Pool and all of AKL's restaurants. We like rooms on the Uzima Savanna because you're usually just a hop, skip, and jump from the pool (and the flamingos!).

Pembe Savanna is exclusive to Kidani Village, and can be viewed from North Wing rooms and Maji Pool Bar. This is the only savanna currently home to the okapi!




And more room view info. from: http://www.aklresort.com/content/rooms



ROOM LOCATION:

Because AKL is large and has several different room view types, the location of your room really does matter. And because the resort is far away from most of Disney World’s attractions, travel times can be extensive--a drawback to staying at AKL. This is why many Disneyphiles only consider AKL worth their money if they’re staying in a savanna view room. Here are our top picks for room location, in order of importance:

Savanna View: You should weigh your priorities here. Some folks really love the atmosphere and away-from-everything location of AKL, making the less expensive standard view and pool view rooms worth their cost. Others consider the remote location of the hotel to be a drawback and will only consider staying at AKL if they have a great view of the animals.


Arusha Savanna View: There are three different savannas at AKL—Sunset, Arusha, and Uzima. We like the Arusha savanna because it gives us a backdrop view of the beautiful lobby’s picture window. The Arusha savanna is also the hotel’s “main” savanna, located right off the lobby; because of this, you can be assured that there will always be a wide variety of animals on this savanna. It can however, be the savanna that offers the least privacy—at any given time hotel visitors will be oohing and aahing over animals at the public viewing areas, most of which look out onto the Arusha savanna.


Zebra Trail: There are four trails that make up the resorts four architectural arms: Zebra, Kudu, Ostrich, and Giraffe. Only Zebra and Kudu offer views of the Arusha savanna, and the Zebra trail offers the added benefit of being closer to the pool and restaurants.


Third or Fourth Floor: Being on the third or fourth floor offers just about the perfect animal viewing level; floor 2 feels too low, giving you a less expansive view of the whole savanna and decreasing your ability to spot animals farther away, and floors 5 and 6 can feel so high that it’s hard to get a close-up, intimate look at the animals on the ground.


Halfway Down the Trail: This is very much a matter of preference. The Zebra and Kudu trails are very long and it can take several minutes to walk to an end-of-the-trail room depending on your speed. This walk gets frustrating at the end of a long day in the parks, if you’ve forgotten something in your room and have to run back for it, or if you have mobility concerns. We like to be situated about halfway down the trail, as many of the animals dislike venturing very close to the lobby/public viewing areas and tend to stay further out on the savanna.

 

[LBollengier]

You're welcome. I haven't stayed at AKL yet, so maybe this will help us:

http://www.aklresort.com/content/savanna-view-room has this Savanna View info:

There are four different savannas at AKL—Sunset, Arusha, Uzima, and Pembe. (Arusha and Uzima serve only Jambo House; Pembe serves only Kidani Village; Sunset serves both resorts.) Though you'll find lots of differing o-be Savanna is exclusive to Kidani Village, and can be viewed from North W-

ROOM LOCATION:

Because A-
Arusha Savanna View: There are three different savannas at AKL—Sunset, Arusha, and Uzima. We like the Arusha savanna because it gives us a backdrop view of the beautiful lobby’s picture window. The Arusha savanna is also -----ike venturing very close to the lobby/public viewing areas and tend to stay further out on the savanna.

Wow, what awesome info!! Now a stupid question, do I ask the resort ahead of time about which section to put us in? DO you ask ahead of time? I am actually getting a travel agent at DU to help me, would she be the one to tell preference? All I know is we have a "Savanna View"

I would like to be near the bus station, the kids would like to be near the awesome pool and playground and husband wants to be near the cafe to refill his Coke!! LOL

 

[PNO4TE]

Wow, what awesome info!! Now a stupid question, do I ask the resort ahead of time about which section to put us in? DO you ask ahead of time? I am actually getting a travel agent at DU to help me, would she be the one to tell preference? All I know is we have a "Savanna View"

I would like to be near the bus station, the kids would like to be near the awesome pool and playground and husband wants to be near the cafe to refill his Coke!! LOL

Since you are working with a travel agent, she actually "owns" your reservation and is the one to make the requests on your behalf. Let her know that you would like to be "near the bus station, the kids would like to be near the awesome pool and playground and husband wants to be near the cafe to refill his Coke!!" She should be able to make those for you. Just remember they are only requests. Good luck!

 

[TxMickeyLover]

Is the afternoon jewelry-making activity still going on in Simba's Clubhouse? If so, is it everyday, or only certain days? Also what time? And adults are allowed to do this activity, right?

Thanks!

 

[CoffeeCup]

When we were at AKL about a month ago, jewelry making was several mornings each week. When we went, it was all adults, and when several children came in to play with toys, they were told they had to leave. There are baskets of beads sorted by color and shape everywhere, and I think young children would want to play with the beads and mess up the way they have been sorted. It was quiet and relaxing with only adults, and the information says it is aimed toward teens and adults. I would imagine older children under the supervison of an adult could participate if he/she seriously wanted to make jewelry and was willing to sit quietly while working on the jewelry.

 

[SRUAlmn]

When we were at AKL about a month ago, jewelry making was several mornings each week. When we went, it was all adults, and when several children came in to play with toys, they were told they had to leave. There are baskets of beads sorted by color and shape everywhere, and I think young children would want to play with the beads and mess up the way they have been sorted. It was quiet and relaxing with only adults, and the information says it is aimed toward teens and adults. I would imagine older children under the supervison of an adult could participate if he/she seriously wanted to make jewelry and was willing to sit quietly while working on the jewelry.

How fun!!! So even though it's in Simba's Clubhouse, it's for adults? Does it cost anything? Do you get to keep what you create? Love it

 

[Kara]

I am so sick of the Florida rain!! I planned for short showers not this!
Hoping Fantasmic doesnt get rained out tonight

 

[jjohnson]

Thanks!! "close to elevator" it is

I cant decide what to do about your request....If you request close to elevator you may be on the Kudu or Ostrich trail. Maybe you should request Zebra???

 

[SRUAlmn]

I cant decide what to do about your request....If you request close to elevator you may be on the Kudu or Ostrich trail. Maybe you should request Zebra???

Well, at the risk of sounding too picky, I was thinking of requesting Zebra trail, Arusha Savanna, close to elevator. I mean, I don't know if saying Arusha Savanna would be totally necessary because there aren't 'that' many rooms on Zebra trail/close to an elevator that are on Uzima Savanna, but I don't want to take that chance. I haven't called yet because I'm still debating Thanks for thinking along with me and trying to help

 

[jjohnson]

It is tough. Last time our original room was on Kudu but DD was in a wheelchair so I wanted to be closer to the lobby/elevator. Ended up on Sunset. I could count on one hand how many animals we saw in 3 days.

 

[SRUAlmn]

It is tough. Last time our original room was on Kudu but DD was in a wheelchair so I wanted to be closer to the lobby/elevator. Ended up on Sunset. I could count on one hand how many animals we saw in 3 days.

That's what I'm afraid of, and it's the reason we were trying for 3 weeks to switch to pool view, but there aren't any available anymore. I took it as a good sign that we'll have a great view and a great time