AKL Jambo Standard View

[bookgirl2632]

We are thinking of making the jump to Deluxe on our next trip, hopefully October 2021. AKL would be in our budget, but probably only if we book a Standard View. That said, I’d rather not be looking at a parking lot. Touring Plans seems to indicate that there are quite a few Standard rooms that face the Savanna. How accurate are they about this?

 

[P'colaBeachBum]

We are thinking of making the jump to Deluxe on our next trip, hopefully October 2021. AKL would be in our budget, but probably only if we book a Standard View. That said, I’d rather not be looking at a parking lot. Touring Plans seems to indicate that there are quite a few Standard rooms that face the Savanna. How accurate are they about this?

When we booked standard view we always requested a partial savanna view. 3 times we got a great one, once we got pool view. After the pool view one we just booked savanna view from then on.

 

[doleddanielle]

When we booked standard view we always requested a partial savanna view. 3 times we got a great one, once we got pool view. After the pool view one we just booked savanna view from then on.

Agreed! We booked standard once and got the pool view and it was super noisy so they moved us to another standard view location, which was across the hall from a true savanna view. It wasn't quite a savannah view we got, but we were in the more interior rooms of the kudu trail and were still able to have a good view. We basically saw the construction, ankole cattle, and the occasional ostriches.

 

[hereforthechurros]

Make a request. However after getting stuck staring at the parking lot for our standard view AKL I’d definitely recommend paying for the view you want.

 

[MickeyMouse3!]

Personally, if I were to bump up to deluxe, I would want to go all in and get the view I want. That view, and the cost of that view, would also be dependent on how much time I would actually be spending at the resort. We've had a savanna view before, but only really saw it while getting ready in the morning and a short time on the balcony with our coffee, before heading to the parks. Upon return, we're so wiped out that we didn't spend much time on the balcony to watch the animals (most of which are asleep in their bedding areas). Savanna views are also available throughout the resort via viewing areas.

 

[dreynolds1982]

AKL is my favorite Deluxe, BTW. The Savannah view is hard to beat, but I get that it can be a significant price jump. I actually like the pool view (we had an AKL Jambo House Pool View King Room booked for our trip in Aug but since Jambo isn't open we got moved). I've never found it to be especially noisy, and Jambo House's pool area is gorgeous. It's like looking out on a watering hole in the middle of the jungle. To me, pool view is a good compromise price-wise, but that's just my opinion. I know some don't like pool view.

 

[JM23457]

We are thinking of making the jump to Deluxe on our next trip, hopefully October 2021. AKL would be in our budget, but probably only if we book a Standard View. That said, I’d rather not be looking at a parking lot. Touring Plans seems to indicate that there are quite a few Standard rooms that face the Savanna. How accurate are they about this?

Yes, we booked a Jambo standard room and had amazing animal views 24/7, including giraffe. We were on the Kudu Trail, 3rd floor (same floor as the lobby). Our room was close to a feeding station & watering hole, which is why animals were there every time we looked outside. It wasn't classified savanna view because we had no sweeping view of the savanna, but the view was nice and I bet we saw more animals from our balcony than many who paid for savanna view.

I would never book pool view at AKL. That's the one category that offers no chance of seeing animals.

 

[Wild4Walt]

From what I have read, only the Value category are guaranteed a parking lot view because of where in the resort they are located. We booked a Standard View DVC Studio in Jambo house and received a partial Savannah view which was pretty much all Savannah ( some of it was part of one building and a what looked like a pen for some birds. ) Because they were working on the pool during our stay the only thing I requested was a non-pool view. We had traveled in September after kids were back in school.

 

[Jeff Laughlin]

Yes, we booked a Jambo standard room and had amazing animal views 24/7, including giraffe. We were on the Kudu Trail, 3rd floor (same floor as the lobby). Our room was close to a feeding station & watering hole, which is why animals were there every time we looked outside. It wasn't classified savanna view because we had no sweeping view of the savanna, but the view was nice and I bet we saw more animals from our balcony than many who paid for savanna view.

I would never book pool view at AKL. That's the one category that offers no chance of seeing animals.

You don't mind me asking if you remember the room number by any chance? I'm curious to what a possibility like that even looks like

 

[lorimt]

We had Kidani standard view in March and thought it was great. No giraffes and zebras on the side we were on but lots of other animals.

 

[SamFaniam]

like a pen for some birds.

The birds at Jambo are all free roaming. What you saw is one of the “people pens“ that serves as evacuation areas in case there’s an issue within the building and people need to be evacuated out into the Savannah area. Although I’m sure some people would like to wander freely with zebras and giraffes, it would not be safe.

 

[SarahC97]

Of all the Disney resorts we've stayed at, AKL is one where the view will make or break how much you love it (IMO). I mean, it's a nice resort but the animals are what make it special. We've booked a standard view twice and once got a standard view facing the parking lot and another time got upgraded to a pool view. So, while there are many partial savannah views, there's no guarantee you'll get one. If you think that'll impact your experience, then you should book somewhere else or pony up for a savannah view.

 

[doleddanielle]

So, while there are many partial savannah views, there's no guarantee you'll get one. If you think that'll impact your experience, then you should book somewhere else or pony up for a savannah view.

Unless you're definitely someone that says "A room is just a room to sleep," I agree on that statement about the Savannah view! Yes, you can still enjoy the grounds of the resort and walk around to see the animals, but it's definitely a greater experience to wake up and go to sleep to animals outside your balcony. It really does make or break the stay at the resort for me. I was lucky enough to stay in a Standard room that gave a partial Savannah view. One thing I love doing is staying Savannah view at Jambo and bringing breakfast from the Mara back to the room just to sit outside the balcony. Usually, the Animal Keepers go around and put feed out for the animals at this time, so it's just such an experience to observe everything and the animals' habits. It's definitely worth the difference in cost.

 

[Disneyhanna]

We had a standard view this past December. The only request we made was top floor from the drop downs. We lucked out with a 4th floor savanna facing standard room, the room above us was a DVC savanna studio!

As awesome as it was, unless you’re the type to sit on the balcony with coffee for an hour every morning I wouldn’t pay $100+ a night extra for the savanna view, even if I had a parking lot view for standard. There are so many viewing spots around the resort and we kept the blinds closed most of the time. No lights at night so we couldn’t see anything when we came back from the parks anyways.

 

[tjosmith]

AKL is our favorite resort. We used to pay for the expensive view, but we learned quickly that unless we had lots of resort days we were better off with the standard view of the parking lot.
We usually do lots of park days and just one resort/pool day. Our feeling is there are so many places to view the animals, inside and outside, that we’re just happy being at AKL!

 

[JM23457]

You don't mind me asking if you remember the room number by any chance? I'm curious to what a possibility like that even looks like

Maybe 3261? I checked Touring Plans & looked at the 3rd floor in the area that I know we were in, and for a King bed room, which we had. The view from that room could have been ours. I remember it being prettier than the view in the picture, and as I said, there were always animals there. But it was that type of view with animal space up close & the other building in the background.

 

[Liberator]

When booking AKL Standard View please consider that one might get one of the more or less non-view rooms along the walkway to the bus stops.

I saw a picture of these rooms on an older posting on these boards and AKL SV for us is not an option anymore since I saw this.

The view/balcony is covered by a roof. Great. I think the posting was within the worst-room-view thread. There were lots of bad views wich pictures, but AKL SV was my "favourite".