***The Official AKV Owners And Lovers Thread***. Come And Chat

[Hubalorian]

I've heard that the needs a refurb, does that include the regular rooms? Are they in rough shape as well?
Might we be better off staying at a regular room ( Jambo) instead of a studio? And are the one or two bedrooms any better?

If you are referring to the hotel side, the non-DVC rooms, they were recently renovated as they are on a different renovation schedule then the DVC side

 

[Elephantay]

Yes thanks! I was referring to the hotel rooms.Sorry to be unclear!

 

[TinkAgainU]

BTW - Regarding the kitchenette - I was in a Jambo DVC Studio, so I'm assuming a 1/2/3 bedroom would have other kitchen items...

Next trip, if we stay onsite in a studio I'm bringing a knife, real plates, bowls, cups, and silverware. All that was supplied was paper and plastic. I found that almost funny - so what demographic pays $300-$700 per nite for a room and wants to eat off of cheap paper and plastic? It definitely feels like between that, and changing the renovated resorts to mini coolers instead of mini refrigerators, they are trying to semi-force eating in the restaurants more? As a side, I brought a little egg cooker this time and did use it, but had to go offsite to buy eggs as they did not have them for sale in the resort store. I adore BOMA for breakfast but at $40 plus tax and a tip, it's not going to be my plan every morning, especially since we found both BOMA and MARA very crowded and loud (sensory overload) to start the day.

Last tip - be sure to try the goat cheese appetizer at Victoria Falls. I honestly thought it was better than the bread service at SANAA and reasonably priced.

 

[Debbie Jean]

BTW - Regarding the kitchenette - I was in a Jambo DVC Studio, so I'm assuming a 1/2/3 bedroom would have other kitchen items...

Next trip, if we stay onsite in a studio I'm bringing a knife, real plates, bowls, cups, and silverware. All that was supplied was paper and plastic. I found that almost funny - so what demographic pays $300-$700 per nite for a room and wants to eat off of cheap paper and plastic? It definitely feels like between that, and changing the renovated resorts to mini coolers instead of mini refrigerators, they are trying to semi-force eating in the restaurants more? As a side, I brought a little egg cooker this time and did use it, but had to go offsite to buy eggs as they did not have them for sale in the resort store. I adore BOMA for breakfast but at $40 plus tax and a tip, it's not going to be my plan every morning, especially since we found both BOMA and MARA very crowded and loud (sensory overload) to start the day.

Last tip - be sure to try the goat cheese appetizer at Victoria Falls. I honestly thought it was better than the bread service at SANAA and reasonably priced.

All DVC studios have paper/plastic goods… it’s part of the timeshare and is supported by member fees. This is, I think, a practical consideration since none of the studios has a dishwasher, except at the new Poly Tower… interested to see whether they are different. So yes, if you want to stay at a DVC studio in the future, you will need to bring real plates and cutlery… or book a 1+ bedroom with a full kitchen. Personally, I’ve owned for decades and never minded the paper… enjoy the lower points!

I always get eggs at Johari. Did you ask a CM? Possible they stopped carrying them but I can’t imagine since these are always very popular… I’m thinking they were sold out.

 

[Elephantay]

We like a pool view, but not seeing that as an option...does anybody know what we book for that now?

 

[crazycatlady]

The Riviera has real silverware/dishes/plates in the studios.

 

[sndral]

BTW - Regarding the kitchenette - I was in a Jambo DVC Studio, so I'm assuming a 1/2/3 bedroom would have other kitchen items...

Next trip, if we stay onsite in a studio I'm bringing a knife, real plates, bowls, cups, and silverware. All that was supplied was paper and plastic. I found that almost funny - so what demographic pays $300-$700 per nite for a room and wants to eat off of cheap paper and plastic? It definitely feels like between that, and changing the renovated resorts to mini coolers instead of mini refrigerators, they are trying to semi-force eating in the restaurants more? As a side, I brought a little egg cooker this time and did use it, but had to go offsite to buy eggs as they did not have them for sale in the resort store. I adore BOMA for breakfast but at $40 plus tax and a tip, it's not going to be my plan every morning, especially since we found both BOMA and MARA very crowded and loud (sensory overload) to start the day.

Last tip - be sure to try the goat cheese appetizer at Victoria Falls. I honestly thought it was better than the bread service at SANAA and reasonably priced.

Yes the 1, 2, & GVs have full kitchens with dishwashers & regular plates, glasses, cups, cutlery, etc..

The Riviera has real silverware/dishes/plates in the studios.

Whether a studio has the ‘real’ deal or plastic/paper has been a moving target, all of them used to have the real stuff but Disney started moving away from that circa 2018 https://dvcnews.com/dvc-program-men...lasses-and-mugs-disappearing-from-dvc-studios. Personally, w/ the Noro virus running around ATM, I’d rather have the disposable cups/plates unless I’m in a 1 br.+ & can run what I use through the DW prior to use .

 

[TinkAgainU]

... Personally, w/ the Noro virus running around ATM, I’d rather have the disposable cups/plates unless I’m in a 1 br.+ & can run what I use through the DW prior to use .

Good point, although the studios DO come with dish soap and a new sponge, which we used to wash stuff during the trip. I thought I was going to hurt myself trying to cut cheese with a plastic knife, but bringing a knife in carry on luggage was not going to end well lol. In hindsight, I probably could have asked for room service to bring me one.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

BTW - Regarding the kitchenette - I was in a Jambo DVC Studio, so I'm assuming a 1/2/3 bedroom would have other kitchen items...

Next trip, if we stay onsite in a studio I'm bringing a knife, real plates, bowls, cups, and silverware. All that was supplied was paper and plastic. I found that almost funny - so what demographic pays $300-$700 per nite for a room and wants to eat off of cheap paper and plastic? It definitely feels like between that, and changing the renovated resorts to mini coolers instead of mini refrigerators, they are trying to semi-force eating in the restaurants more? As a side, I brought a little egg cooker this time and did use it, but had to go offsite to buy eggs as they did not have them for sale in the resort store. I adore BOMA for breakfast but at $40 plus tax and a tip, it's not going to be my plan every morning, especially since we found both BOMA and MARA very crowded and loud (sensory overload) to start the day.

Last tip - be sure to try the goat cheese appetizer at Victoria Falls. I honestly thought it was better than the bread service at SANAA and reasonably priced.

You can request the plates and knife from housekeeping.

 

[DeeCee735]

We like a pool view, but not seeing that as an option...does anybody know what we book for that now?

At AKV, Jambo standard (resort view now I suppose) can have views of the pool from higher floors. We stayed many years ago in a “standard” at Jambo and had a beautiful view of the foliage and pool.

 

[Debbie Jean]

The Riviera has real silverware/dishes/plates in the studios.

Even VGF studios have paper/plastic so that’s really interesting!

 

[DeeCee735]

Even VGF studios have paper/plastic so that’s really interesting!

You can ask housekeeping for real plates cups and utensils and they will provide them. This is one of the reasons why I prefer the one bedrooms.

Dee

 

[drusba]

We like a pool view, but not seeing that as an option...does anybody know what we book for that now?

If at Jambo, the rooms are now classified as savanna view, resort view (formally standard view), value, and club level. The club level are the the point-expensive club level rooms on the sixth floor above the lobby, and all other DVC rooms are on the 5th floor. The Value's are the smaller rooms in the front of the building which can have savanna, pool or front entrance area view (and view cannot be requested for value).

There are no savanna view pool views. A little under half of the resort view rooms have pool view and you can actually request pool view through MS (a non-guaranteed request). The rest of the resort view rooms (more than half) have savanna view. If you want one of those, the best request to make through MS is for a room on the Kudo trail side of the building because all resort views on that side overlook the Sunset Savanna. If it matters not whether you get pool or savanna view, make no location requests.

If at Kidani, there are two booking categories: savanna view and resort view (formerly standard view). There are no savanna view rooms with a pool view. Well more than the majority of the resort view rooms do not have pool view. Moreover, even the rooms that provide pool view do not directly overlook the pool and thus you would see the pool area at some distance from the building. Best request if you actually want a resort view room with pool view is to put in a request to MS for a room near the Rafiki elevator and high floor. However, if you do not mind long walks to the lobby and bus station, you might request a resort view room to be near the Pumbaa elevator -- all resort view rooms in the two building units for which that elevator is in-between have Pembe Savanna view.

Also, as I mentioned any request should be made by contacting MS. The online page that provides location requests when doing online check-in should be ignored, including because the requests you can make are limited and some are ridiculous, e.g., you can request high floor at Jambo, but all DVC rooms are on the fifth floor except the club levels on the sixth; at Kidani you can request near an elevator, but with three elevator locations along each of the two wings, such a request can be met ny putting you in any room in the building.

 

[sndral]

We like a pool view, but not seeing that as an option...does anybody know what we book for that now?

Interestingly, I noticed that for cash bookings of AKL Jambo hotel rooms Disney does offer a ‘water’ view which I assume must be a pool view since there are no other visible bodies of water other than a couple of small ponds .
As mentioned none of the AKV DVC view categories specify pool view, the best you can do is book a resort view and request a pool view. The standard view villas that overlook the pool are on Zebra trail & above the lobby on the Zebra/Giraffe trail side, however, the lobby villas overlook the roofs below. I’ve highlighted in blue the stretch of villas overlooking the pool but not the roofs. They are all even numbers & range from 5420 - 5436 (along the main Zebra trail hall) & 5454-5472 (down the first spur off the main Zebra trail hall.)
Touring plans has an interactive map for WDW resort rooms/villas views which you can use w/out paying to join their service w/https://touringplans.com/hotel_maps/disneys-animal-kingdom-lodge?date=02/17/2025&filters[rack_rate]=any&filters[view]=233&filters[lobby_distance]=any&filters[transportation_distance]=any&filters[floors]=any&filters[sound]=any&filters[accessibility]=any&filters[connect]=&filters[ug]=&commit_str=Show+Matching+Rooms

 

[Elephantay]

If at Jambo, the rooms are now classified as savanna view, resort view (formally standard view), value, and club level. The club level are the the point-expensive club level rooms on the sixth floor above the lobby, and all other DVC rooms are on the 5th floor. The Value's are the smaller rooms in the front of the building which can have savanna, pool or front entrance area view (and view cannot be requested for value).

There are no savanna view pool views. A little under half of the resort view rooms have pool view and you can actually request pool view through MS (a non-guaranteed request). The rest of the resort view rooms (more than half) have savanna view. If you want one of those, the best request to make through MS is for a room on the Kudo trail side of the building because all resort views on that side overlook the Sunset Savanna. If it matters not whether you get pool or savanna view, make no location requests.

If at Kidani, there are two booking categories: savanna view and resort view (formerly standard view). There are no savanna view rooms with a pool view. Well more than the majority of the resort view rooms do not have pool view. Moreover, even the rooms that provide pool view do not directly overlook the pool and thus you would see the pool area at some distance from the building. Best request if you actually want a resort view room with pool view is to put in a request to MS for a room near the Rafiki elevator and high floor. However, if you do not mind long walks to the lobby and bus station, you might request a resort view room to be near the Pumbaa elevator -- all resort view rooms in the two building units for which that elevator is in-between have Pembe Savanna view.

Also, as I mentioned any request should be made by contacting MS. The online page that provides location requests when doing online check-in should be ignored, including because the requests you can make are limited and some are ridiculous, e.g., you can request high floor at Jambo, but all DVC rooms are on the fifth floor except the club levels on the sixth; at Kidani you can request near an elevator, but with three elevator locations along each of the two wings, such a request can be met ny putting you in any room in the building.

Thank you, this is very helpful! I appreciate your detailed response very much.

 

[Elephantay]

Interestingly, I noticed that for cash bookings of AKL Jambo hotel rooms Disney does offer a ‘water’ view which I assume must be a pool view since there are no other visible bodies of water other than a couple of small ponds .
As mentioned none of the AKV DVC view categories specify pool view, the best you can do is book a resort view and request a pool view. The standard view villas that overlook the pool are on Zebra trail & above the lobby on the Zebra/Giraffe trail side, however, the lobby villas overlook the roofs below. I’ve highlighted in blue the stretch of villas overlooking the pool but not the roofs. They are all even numbers & range from 5420 - 5436 (along the main Zebra trail hall) & 5454-5472 (down the first spur off the main Zebra trail hall.)
Touring plans has an interactive map for WDW resort rooms/villas views which you can use w/out paying to join their service w/https://touringplans.com/hotel_maps/disneys-animal-kingdom-lodge?date=02/17/2025&filters[rack_rate]=any&filters[view]=233&filters[lobby_distance]=any&filters[transportation_distance]=any&filters[floors]=any&filters[sound]=any&filters[accessibility]=any&filters[connect]=&filters[ug]=&commit_str=Show+Matching+Rooms
View attachment 939493

Thank you very much, this is very helpful!

 

[Mirabell Rose]

The Riviera has real silverware/dishes/plates in the studios.

Very interesting. I can’t see how over time one use disposables are cheaper than the real thing. RIV has no dishwasher. I don’t think no dishwasher rules out real table wear. There are many households who have no dishwasher and manage to clean their table wear.

 

[wdw4rfam]

Very interesting. I can’t see how over time one use disposables are cheaper than the real thing. RIV has no dishwasher. I don’t think no dishwasher rules out real table wear. There are many households who have no dishwasher and manage to clean their table wear.

Yes many households wash their own dishes- but no other people other than them have had that silverware/ glasses in their mouths and trusting that housekeeping took those somewhere else and washed them properly after they were in other people’s mouths. I don’t even use glasses in hotels because of this. Individual wrapped or no thanks I’ll bring my own disposable.

 

[twinklebug]

Yes many households wash their own dishes- but no other people other than them have had that silverware/ glasses in their mouths and trusting that housekeeping took those somewhere else and washed them properly after they were in other people’s mouths. I don’t even use glasses in hotels because of this. Individual wrapped or no thanks I’ll bring my own disposable.

I prefer glassware over plastic any day. I just wash them prior to use.
It's no different than a restaurant re-using glassware for people we don't know. It's simply cleaned first.

 

[jimmytammy]

Can someone direct me to a good place to look for room numbers at Kidani, please? We have an upcoming trip, SV 1 bedroom and would like to see room numbers to put in requests