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

[twinklebug]

Just back from a great stay in a two-bedroom at Jambo. I was surprised the tree wasn't up yet when I arrived on the 20th, but all the decorations went up overnight and were there when I woke up the next day. We had standard view room number 5228-5230 with a great view of the savannah including a watering hole which attracted a lot of animals. It was hardly 'standard' - saw more animals than I've seen in other savannah view rooms.

Bus service was great but stopping at Kidani first on the way back was annoying after a while. With ECV's, as there tends to be, it adds a good 5-10 minutes to the trip. After a long day in the parks I just want to get back to the room- looking forward to my first stay at Kidani in April and being dropped off first.

But that Kidani first drop off is so nice when staying at Kidani! I know what you're saying though... In fact we'll be doing that loop to Jambo this trip too. Now I'm wishing I had a car

 

[nikerbokers]

Planning our first stay at AKL November 16-23, 2019. Is there a pattern of when the Christmas decor is usually done there? Hopefully during our stay? My oldest’s only request is to have a ton of Christmas decorations. Our WDW home is Poly so we plan on 11 month that and then at 7 months hopefully get a 1 bedroom Savannah. *fingers crossed* first WDW trip in 25 years and only DVC resort we have been to so far is VGC (my first home) so we are so excited to be less than a year out.

 

[aoconnor]

Planning our first stay at AKL November 16-23, 2019. Is there a pattern of when the Christmas decor is usually done there? Hopefully during our stay? My oldest’s only request is to have a ton of Christmas decorations. Our WDW home is Poly so we plan on 11 month that and then at 7 months hopefully get a 1 bedroom Savannah. *fingers crossed* first WDW trip in 25 years and only DVC resort we have been to so far is VGC (my first home) so we are so excited to be less than a year out.

Great choice- you’ll love AKV. Christmas decorations go up in the parks the first week of November. Resorts come in the weeks after with everything up by Thanksgiving. This year the decorations at AKL didn’t go up til the day before Thanksgiving but it varies from year to year. It’s been decorated as early as the second week of November.

 

[nikerbokers]

Great choice- you’ll love AKV. Christmas decorations go up in the parks the first week of November. Resorts come in the weeks after with everything up by Thanksgiving. This year the decorations at AKL didn’t go up til the day before Thanksgiving but it varies from year to year. It’s been decorated as early as the second week of November.

Thank you for the response. We were debating going that week or the week after Thanksgiving- 11/30-12/7 but didn’t know if the Thanksgiving crowds would still be lingering plus airfare increasing coming on the 30th. Maybe it may be worth it to do that December week just to get some Christmas magic mixed in.

 

[aoconnor]

Thank you for the response. We were debating going that week or the week after Thanksgiving- 11/30-12/7 but didn’t know if the Thanksgiving crowds would still be lingering plus airfare increasing coming on the 30th. Maybe it may be worth it to do that December week just to get some Christmas magic mixed in.

Surprisingly the week after Thanksgiving has relatively low crowds (certainly less than the rest of December). I’d go for that.

 

[J and R's mom]

Where can I find a link to the December 2018 recreation guide?

 

[shells4]

We just left Jambo after a three night Value studio with Savannah view stay.

Am happy to say there were 4 mugs, 4 real glasses and the usual assortment of paper plates.

We saw some animals, and crown cranes and the two ostriches who seem to love that part of the Savannah.

We both enjoyed some food from the Mara. I am glad AKV is a home, and that I was able to book this value studio before this year’s DVC’s MC![/QUO

Would you mind sharing the room number you stayed in? We r going in January and I would like to out a room request in. Thankd!!

 

[shells4]

Would you mind sharing what room number you stayed in? We r going in Jan. And I would like to out a room request in. Thanks!!

 

[aoconnor]

Would you mind sharing what room number you stayed in? We r going in Jan. And I would like to out a room request in. Thanks!!

They won't take any requests for a value category room. You have a 40% chance for savannah view, 40% pool view, 20% parking lot.

 

[sndral]

Would you mind sharing what room number you stayed in? We r going in Jan. And I would like to out a room request in. Thanks!!

Based on a prior post I believe you have a standard view villa booked and you can make view requests for those. Bobbiwoz was staying in a value villa which are slightly smaller than the standard and savanna view villas and there are just a few of them - so even if you requested Bobbiwoz’ room number you wouldn’t get it as you are booked in a different category villa.

 

[drusba]

Would you mind sharing what room number you stayed in? We r going in Jan. And I would like to out a room request in. Thanks!!

If, as mentioned above, you actually have standard view, then the potential view is either of the pool area or savanna view (due to a lot of rooms that were converted several years ago to standard view). If you want best chance of getting a savanna view with a standard view room, put in a request through member services for a room on the Kudo Trail side of the building; all standard rooms on that side have savanna view.

 

[TeeterTots]

Does anyone know the status of the pool? I’ll be there Marathon weekend Jan 11-15?

 

[DenLo]

That reminds me of checking into a hotel and getting up to the room to discover a package of ear plugs on the night stand. Freeway side in Sacramento.

We got those on the nightstand at a hotel near I-10 in Mobile. I immediately thought OH NO. But we didn't need them. We lived in downtown Denver for 11 years and usually slept with the window open so traffic noise is sort of a white noise for us.

 

[DenLo]

Does anyone know the status of the pool? I’ll be there Marathon weekend Jan 11-15?

The pool reopened at Jambo House in early November (it was open November 4th). We walked by it on the way to Mara a couple of nights ago and people were in the pool despite it being around 48 degrees out.

As to when the resort is decorated, once we went to MVMCP on November 17th and came back that night to semi trailers parked under the porte chochere and the next morning Jambo House was fully decorated. We went over to Kidani the next day and it was decorated too.

I guess we have never stayed at AKV in December before where the weather is often up and down in temperatures. We noticed that once the temps are below 60 the zebras and giraffes are taken in at night. When it gets below 50 degrees the antelopes, cattle and even the birds are taken in at night and they are real slow to come out in the morning. Even when the food truck comes around the animals are hanging out at the barns until the temperature gets back up to 55 degrees. Thank goodness we are not experiencing the really cold weather like they have had in the midwest and east coasts.

 

[sndral]

The pool reopened at Jambo House in early November (it was open November 4th). We walked by it on the way to Mara a couple of nights ago and people were in the pool despite it being around 48 degrees out.

As to when the resort is decorated, once we went to MVMCP on November 17th and came back that night to semi trailers parked under the porte chochere and the next morning Jambo House was fully decorated. We went over to Kidani the next day and it was decorated too.

I guess we have never stayed at AKV in December before where the weather is often up and down in temperatures. We noticed that once the temps are below 60 the zebras and giraffes are taken in at night. When it gets below 50 degrees the antelopes, cattle and even the birds are taken in at night and they are real slow to come out in the morning. Even when the food truck comes around the animals are hanging out at the barns until the temperature gets back up to 55 degrees. Thank goodness we are not experiencing the really cold weather like they have had in the midwest and east coasts.

They bring the animals in to the barn in the mornings. First Sunset’s barn, then Arusha and Uzima which share a barn. Did you see the animals actually going into the barn at night - or perhaps just leaving after their morning checks/feeds?
When we were on the Wanyama safari last Monday the guide told us that they take the giraffes into the barns when the temperature drops below 45F - it’s the first time I’ve heard that (and we’ve done several safaris) and she mentioned another species that was cold intolerant also being brought in during cold snaps, but didn’t say anything about taking the zebras or any other animals in during cooler weather. She did say that the giraffes had nice heated stalls whereas most of the barn stalls weren’t heated. The red river hogs go in - but not to the barns.
Despite the cooler evening temperatures we did see 2 of the 3 giraffes currently on Sunset savanna from our balcony on several nights during the last week .

 

[Lakegirl]

Thank you for the response. We were debating going that week or the week after Thanksgiving- 11/30-12/7 but didn’t know if the Thanksgiving crowds would still be lingering plus airfare increasing coming on the 30th. Maybe it may be worth it to do that December week just to get some Christmas magic mixed in.

I would go the week after first because of your sons request and second because of the low crowds that week. I was checking wait times that week this year and they were next to nothing. Enjoy!

 

[twinklebug]

Just got home from our Dec '18 trip. Had a night in a value with a savanna view (wonderful view, saw plenty of animals), followed by 2 nights in Kilimanjaro Club (loved everything about it, including the pool view), followed by 6 nights in another value studio with a pool view, equally as nice as the savanna view in my opinion.

The only thing that bothered me this trip were the buses. The start of the trip we had very good luck with them and the crowding wasn't over the top. By the end of the trip however we had the opposite experience. I'm a head down and take it for what it is person, but it was bad.

 

[twinklebug]

I should mention that the Kilimanjaro club has a brand new cappuccino machine. It made amazing lattes. Now I need one... think they run only about $3K and up.

As it seemed near everyone needed an instruction manual for use I'll quickly add how I was taught:

Left side is for hot water, milk, straight up coffee.
Only the right side can make cappuccinos and lattes.
Pop your cup onto the appropriate staging area.

1: Pick a pod, straighten out the edges and insert into "coin slot"
2: Gently lower the lever
3: Press one of the 8 (?) buttons available, watch the show.
4: Enjoy your drink.

 

[gillep]

I should mention that the Kilimanjaro club has a brand new cappuccino machine. It made amazing lattes. Now I need one... think they run only about $3K and up.

As it seemed near everyone needed an instruction manual for use I'll quickly add how I was taught:

Left side is for hot water, milk, straight up coffee.
Use the right side only for cappuccino and lattes:

1: Pick a pod, straighten out the edges and insert into "coin slot"
2: Gently lower the lever
3: press one of the 8 (?) buttons available, watch the show and enjoy your drink.

I saw a picture of this on the CL thread a bit ago and I have been excited to try it out, glad you enjoyed it! I love my Nespresso at home and can't wait to try this one and see what the options are. Less than a month and I will be at the Kilimanjaro club in a studio for a week!!!

 

[twinklebug]

I saw a picture of this on the CL thread a bit ago and I have been excited to try it out, glad you enjoyed it! I love my Nespresso at home and can't wait to try this one and see what the options are. Less than a month and I will be at the Kilimanjaro club in a studio for a week!!!

Oh I envy you. Next time I'm there I'm not leaving, ever. I'm going to need a billion points.

Side story: We kept having wrist band issues during our trip, so on the day we were leaving club level, moving down to our value room I decided to tap my band on the club button one last time just to see if it would work. YUP! FINALLY! Unfortunately, we were getting off on the 5th floor where our new room was, but the elevator was now still headed up. A smartyass man hopped on just then and I tried to helpfully comment that it was going up, not down... to which he yelled "NO, IT CAN'T GO UP, IT CAN ONLY GO DOWN".... okay... whatever... I hope he enjoyed his side trip.