Jambo! The newest AKL Information thread

[MommyMeNDisney]

The ride you are thinking of at the resort is a private tour booked separately that costs extra. The safari ride at Animal Kingdom Park is included with park admission. It does not go to the resort savannas.

The other resort activities, like cultural representatives, animal information, kids “bead” activities (if they participate a CM hands out collectible beads), etc are included in your resort stay with the exception of certain items that are notated on the resort activities calendar (such as tie-dye t-shirts or painting ceramics).

Thank you.

 

[maryj11]

It's best to stay away from room numbers and just word your request exactly like you did here. It ups your odds of getting what you want if you explain your preferences.

I know. I wasn't going to request one certain room number but just ask for one in the same area. I have had pretty good luck with requesting one on Touring Plans with getting it close. I usually add a request on our reservation and send a fax with Touring Plans. Maybe I will just add it on my reservation and not fax with TP since I'm not sure which rooms are close to the elevator.

 

[DizDaD7]

I'm thinking about adding a room request fax on Touring Plans. Maybe someone here can help me decide. We have a pool view room. We would like Giraffe Trail on the 3rd floor close to the elevator. Anyone familiar with Giraffe Trail? Which of these rooms are closer to the pool elevator 3018 or 3028?

3018 I believe is the 1st studio in that 2nd pod of rooms on the Giraffe trail, and that would be Sooo close to that elevator right there.Take it to the GF & then you'll go right to the pool.Take it to the 2nd level and come out & make a left & you're right near the bus..Also this exit/entrance is handy too when returning from the parks.. I believe we had 5014 DVC value, which was Ideal...so 3018 I think would be better than ours, and also better than 2028

 

[maryj11]

3018 I believe is the 1st studio in that 2nd pod of rooms on the Giraffe trail, and that would be Sooo close to that elevator right there.Take it to the GF & then you'll go right to the pool.Take it to the 2nd level and come out & make a left & you're right near the bus..Also this exit/entrance is handy too when returning from the parks.. I believe we had 5014 DVC value, which was Ideal...so 3018 I think would be better than ours, and also better than 2028

Oh thank you! This helps a lot

 

[kimmar067]

 

[kimmar067]

 

[wdw4rfam]

Just booked for Aug 31-September 8, can’t wait. My favorite resort and can’t wait to be back.

 

[Rowab]

If you are on the dining plan, can you swap a drink for a side at the Mara?

 

[mariamouse]

I'm checking in to the AKL in just over two weeks. Does anyone know where the latest room refurbs are taking place so that, from a room request perspective, I can avoid requesting that trail location (or which trail rooms have already been completed to request)? Are there any photos yet of the refurbed rooms? I haven't noticed any yet, but just wanted to double check. Anything else happening at the resort right now from a refurb perspective (e.g. the pool)?

Refurbed room or not, can't wait to be back at AKL soon!

 

[gillep]

I'm checking in to the AKL in just over two weeks. Does anyone know where the latest room refurbs are taking place so that, from a room request perspective, I can avoid requesting that trail location (or which trail rooms have already been completed to request)? Are there any photos yet of the refurbed rooms? I haven't noticed any yet, but just wanted to double check. Anything else happening at the resort right now from a refurb perspective (e.g. the pool)?

Refurbed room or not, can't wait to be back at AKL soon!

Not sure about the room refurbs, but the pool is completely done, no impact there. They were also painting the balconies and I believe that is still ongoing but I am not positive.

Have a great trip!!!

 

[RachelTori]

Not sure about the room refurbs, but the pool is completely done, no impact there. They were also painting the balconies and I believe that is still ongoing but I am not positive.

Have a great trip!!!

I was at AKV (Jambo) the first week of this month. The only "work" going on was the balcony painting. I don't know how much longer that work will be going on.

 

[gillep]

I was at AKV (Jambo) the first week of this month. The only "work" going on was the balcony painting. I don't know how much longer that work will be going on.

There was one report at least a couple pages back of someone at the resort saying that they saw the rooms themselves being worked on. Now, any time I have stayed at a WDW resort doing room refurbs I have had zero impact on my stay as they tend to work in small sections, so unless you are directly next to (above below etc.) that section you likely would not notice anything amiss. I have seen no other reports of the actual work on the rooms themselves.

 

[maryj11]

I'm checking in to the AKL in just over two weeks. Does anyone know where the latest room refurbs are taking place so that, from a room request perspective, I can avoid requesting that trail location (or which trail rooms have already been completed to request)? Are there any photos yet of the refurbed rooms? I haven't noticed any yet, but just wanted to double check. Anything else happening at the resort right now from a refurb perspective (e.g. the pool)?

Refurbed room or not, can't wait to be back at AKL soon!

With other resorts I have usually seen a schedule of which rooms and sections are being worked on and when done. I haven't seen anything with AKL. I wish we had more info on it.

 

[mariamouse]

Not sure about the room refurbs, but the pool is completely done, no impact there. They were also painting the balconies and I believe that is still ongoing but I am not positive.

Have a great trip!!!

I was at AKV (Jambo) the first week of this month. The only "work" going on was the balcony painting. I don't know how much longer that work will be going on.

There was one report at least a couple pages back of someone at the resort saying that they saw the rooms themselves being worked on. Now, any time I have stayed at a WDW resort doing room refurbs I have had zero impact on my stay as they tend to work in small sections, so unless you are directly next to (above below etc.) that section you likely would not notice anything amiss. I have seen no other reports of the actual work on the rooms themselves.

With other resorts I have usually seen a schedule of which rooms and sections are being worked on and when done. I haven't seen anything with AKL. I wish we had more info on it.

Thank you all for the insight! It sounds like the ongoing refurbishment shouldn’t really impact us regardless, so no worries either way. This is all helpful information, though, and I’m glad to hear the pool is fully functional! Appreciate it and counting down the days!

 

[sachilles]

Does the magical express typically share with other resort locations for the trip from the airport to the resort? Just trying to get a feel for how long the trip in from the airport might take. I would assume Jambo and Kidani would share a bus, but not much else is in the same area....maybe Cornado?

 

[cadien]

I'm checking in to the AKL in just over two weeks. Does anyone know where the latest room refurbs are taking place so that, from a room request perspective, I can avoid requesting that trail location (or which trail rooms have already been completed to request)? Are there any photos yet of the refurbed rooms? I haven't noticed any yet, but just wanted to double check. Anything else happening at the resort right now from a refurb perspective (e.g. the pool)?

Refurbed room or not, can't wait to be back at AKL soon!

We were in a non-DVC room in Jambo last week on Zebra Trail and the room looked like the older photos I'd seen.

ETA: But now I can't find anything online that looks right. I wish I'd taken some photos of the room now. It was the really dark wood, not the mottled brown. There wasn't any sort of bed runner.

 

[paradesintherain]

Does the magical express typically share with other resort locations for the trip from the airport to the resort? Just trying to get a feel for how long the trip in from the airport might take. I would assume Jambo and Kidani would share a bus, but not much else is in the same area....maybe Cornado?

Have definitely stopped at Coronado (I think usually) and maybe Pop Century?

 

[sndral]

Does the magical express typically share with other resort locations for the trip from the airport to the resort? Just trying to get a feel for how long the trip in from the airport might take. I would assume Jambo and Kidani would share a bus, but not much else is in the same area....maybe Cornado?

There are those who report being the first DME stop when going to AKL/AKV, I have always been the last stop.
Yes Kidani/Jambo typically share, DME resort stops before AKL that I’ve had have been some combo of the values including some or all of the Allstars, AOA, and POP and CBR or Coronado Springs. One particularly memorable DME trip stopped at all of those!
Balanced against that, my DME bus has always headed straight from Jambo to MCO when it’s time to return to the airport.

 

[dansdad]

Does the magical express typically share with other resort locations for the trip from the airport to the resort?

In our experience, yes all 4 times. Once we stopped at all 3 All Stars then to AKL, twice it was Pop, AoA, CBR then AKL, and the other time was Pop, CBR then AKL.

 

[RachelTori]

I got lucky several weeks ago on DME. AKL was the first stop. More often than not though we’ve been the last. I guess it depends on the guests arriving at a particular time as to where the bus goes and in which order.

Even when AKL is last, it doesn’t add much time to the ride!