Jambo! The newest AKL Information thread

[rangerxenos]

We are so excited to stay a AKL for the second time April 9-18.
Last year during spring break we were fully prepared for bad bus service because that’s what you hear about AKL. I honestly didn’t think it was bad at all. Two out of 24 bus trips left us waiting a while. Magic kingdom isn’t close but it never really felt long. The other parks were fast enough.

I've stayed at AKL three times, and I never had any problems with the buses.

 

[Micharlotte]

Hi, trying to figure out what area to request for our early December trip. Are Zebra trail and Kudu trail still under construction? We have a standard room booked, and plan on requesting a standard with a partial savannah view. Thank you in advance.

We were in a standard room on Kudu trail at the beginning of September. It was an amazing view and a renovated room and we saw absolutely no construction.

 

[youngdeb12]

Looking forward to our stay January 24 - February 3rd! Took advantage of the room discounts and switched our reservation from WL to AKL and saved almost $1000 USD. We were looking forward to trying a new resort but since we've switched, I have no regrets and am super excited to escape the cold to AKL once again

 

[rangerxenos]

We were in a standard room on Kudu trail at the beginning of September. It was an amazing view and a renovated room and we saw absolutely no construction.

Thank you! I've stayed on Kudu before in a standard room, I think I'm going to request it again. You wouldn't happen to remember what room number, would you?

 

[wendlle]

Just got back from a 9 night stay at AKL Jambo House.
We booked using a DVC rental company and paid for a Standard View Studio Villa. This was our view. It was more than I expected - it was the entire pool!
We found we couldn't use the balcony there were so many love bugs out there, by the end of our stay there were hundreds if not thousands of dead ones. Didn't bother us much but our 3yo wasn't a huge fan LOL
I haven't stayed at AKL for a long time but it was as beautiful as I remember.
Things I loved about our stay:
- The CM's, I loved how they had them stationed at the bus waiting area and around the resort with "animal facts" and the like, we learned some very interesting facts about Poop and The New Lion King movie.
- The smell, I just love the smell of the resort lobby, I close my eyes everytime I walk it and just soak it in.
- The tranquillity, it is so quiet and relaxing, the pool even when full of people was still pretty quiet
- The kids playground, not all resorts have them and they are a must for us now we have two small kids (3yo and 10mo old)
- The Simba's Cubhouse Community Centre - wow what a gem! Some days our 3yo asked to leave the park so she could go do craft at the community centre
Things I didn't like so much about our stay:
- Even though I loved the view from our room all I heard for the ENTIRE stay was the sound of the elevator. Even through earplugs I could hear it all night long. If I didn't have so much stuff to pack and unpack I would have complained and asked for another room (we were in room number 5436)
- The Mara, they have pretty good food there but it just isn't for me, my DH loved it, he got some pretty healthy and "real" food from there but I don't eat much and there was nothing on the menu for me so we got Uber Eats a few nights that we were at the resort.
- The bus - UGH, this is tough for me to say because I've never really had an issue with the bus system before and I'm not one of those people who say "AKL is too far from everything" because I think each resort has parks it is close to and ones it isn't. But my issue was that by the time the bus got to us it was full because they picked up all the Kidani people and there was no room for us. They really need buses to go to each resort especially at peak times. People on the bus weren't so friendly in giving up their seats (even seats with BAGS on them not BOTTOMS) to myself carrying a baby (10 months old) so I had to stand all the way to MK hoping that the bus didn't make any sudden stops or swerves. It was a bit hard on the arm and back.

All in all, we loved our stay, we had a triple split stay. 9 nights here, 4 at Boardwalk Villas and 6 at Boulder Ridge Villas. Each resort had it's own special parts and I can see us coming back to AKL again but maybe when the kids are big enough not to need a stroller, it was too annoying getting it on and off the bus all the time.

 

[tazzy]

Hi, we're arriving at AKL on Friday, first time we've stayed there. On Friday afternoon, we're visiting AK, then on Saturday morning, we're heading to HS for the extra early morning hours, then back to AKL to relax for the afternoon, then we'll head to AK for the special hours that evening.

My question is, what time should we plan to leave AKL to get to HS on Saturday morning in time for the 6 am opening? I'm not a Disney expert, I've only been twice - once in 1989 and then again last year. So I have yet to do an HS rope drop. What are our options for traveling from AKL to HS? Just the bus? What times does it leave HS? It's myself, my husband and our 11-year-old son. So no one too young or too old. I can get everyone up early. They'll just whine!

 

[ZOOMAMA]

So excited! Yesterday I booked our December 2020 trip, staying AKL CL. It will be DH's first trip to WDW (he's pretty sure he will be underwhelmed and bored after 3 days) . DD and I stayed at AKL in a pool view room in 2016 and fell in love with the resort. I cannot wait to see the lobby decorated for the Christmas holiday!

 

[Lilylogan]

Great pictures! Thanks for sharing

 

[Micharlotte]

Thank you! I've stayed on Kudu before in a standard room, I think I'm going to request it again. You wouldn't happen to remember what room number, would you?

It was 4322. Perfect view of animals at all different times of the day. It was just over a people pen. A bit of a far walk from the busses but worth it once you were there!

 

[quietly]

Hello wonderful people! My best friend and I will be staying at AKL for the first time in a standard view room in February. We’re so excited! We’re from Australia and trying to avoid making unnecessary international calls - does anyone know if it’s possible to put in a room request online prior to arrival? Specifically requesting close to transport? Thanks!

 

[eeyoreandtink]

Hello wonderful people! My best friend and I will be staying at AKL for the first time in a standard view room in February. We’re so excited! We’re from Australia and trying to avoid making unnecessary international calls - does anyone know if it’s possible to put in a room request online prior to arrival? Specifically requesting close to transport? Thanks!

You should be able to do that when you check in online, but sometimes that is spotty. If it doesn't show up then you will need to call.

 

[Lovetherodent]

I was pretty pleased with bus service in December. Never waited any longer than I did for buses anywhere else (and the POP was way worse) I think buses, now that the seats are configured to fold up and hold multiple scooters, just don't hold as many (especially when multiple scooters are on one) and they seem fuller.

 

[quietly]

You should be able to do that when you check in online, but sometimes that is spotty. If it doesn't show up then you will need to call.

Thanks for your reply! Ok thanks for that. Cause we’re arriving at the hotel at like midnight on the first night I don’t think waiting til check in will be ideal so I might just have to call in advance. Thanks again!

 

[Micharlotte]

Thanks for your reply! Ok thanks for that. Cause we’re arriving at the hotel at like midnight on the first night I don’t think waiting til check in will be ideal so I might just have to call in advance. Thanks again!

I called in my request and got an amazing room! I downloaded google hangouts on my phone and use that for international calling. It’s free on wifi.

 

[sndral]

Thanks for your reply! Ok thanks for that. Cause we’re arriving at the hotel at like midnight on the first night I don’t think waiting til check in will be ideal so I might just have to call in advance. Thanks again!

I think what eeyoreandtink meant was that you can log in to your My Disney Experience account for WDW online and do online check in long before you fly to WDW.
When you log into MDE you will see a link saying “want to skip the front desk” - click on that link & fill in the information which should allow you to make rather generic room location choices like upper floor/lower floor, near lobby, near transportation, room available early, etc.. Thus, long before your trip you can go online, check in as described above & check the box for ‘near transportation’ as your request. That’s assuming that the request link isn’t broken - it often is, unfortunately. If the link is broken, you’ll need to call to make room location requests.
In your case even if you’ve done online check in you’ll still have to swing by the front desk upon arrival to collect your magic bands, since Disney won’t ship them to Australia, but at least you can note your near transportation room request w/out an expensive international phone call.
I’ve read that WDW assigns rooms around 3 days before your arrival, so make sure you make your requests either via the MDE online check in or via phone call @ least 1 week ahead of your arrival.

 

[NMPensFan]

I’m getting ready to call in my room request. Right now I was thinking of requesting: Kudu trail, upper floor, renovated room.

I know all the rooms on kudu are renovated but just in case we don’t get kudu.

Instead of requesting Kudu, should the first request be partial savannah view?

Should I also give a room number? I saw someone did this as well and it worked out.

 

[eeyoreandtink]

I’m getting ready to call in my room request. Right now I was thinking of requesting: Kudu trail, upper floor, renovated room.

I know all the rooms on kudu are renovated but just in case we don’t get kudu.

Instead of requesting Kudu, should the first request be partial savannah view?

Should I also give a room number? I saw someone did this as well and it worked out.

Here's what we do:
Focus on ONE thing you want, maybe 2. Putting in a specific request with 3 or 4 requirements decreases the likelihood that it will be filled. Lots of people want the "perfect" room and with the number of rooms in any one Disney resort, filling those kinds of detailed requests is often difficult. If you ask for one thing, its much more likely to happen.

What's most important to you? rennovated room, being on the top floor, or the specific trail? Go with that one request. If you don't get it, or you aren't happy with the location, it will be easier to negotiate at the front desk.

 

[quietly]

I called in my request and got an amazing room! I downloaded google hangouts on my phone and use that for international calling. It’s free on wifi.

Thanks so much for that tip I’ll look into that for the call!

 

[quietly]

I think what eeyoreandtink meant was that you can log in to your My Disney Experience account for WDW online and do online check in long before you fly to WDW.
When you log into MDE you will see a link saying “want to skip the front desk” - click on that link & fill in the information which should allow you to make rather generic room location choices like upper floor/lower floor, near lobby, near transportation, room available early, etc.. Thus, long before your trip you can go online, check in as described above & check the box for ‘near transportation’ as your request. That’s assuming that the request link isn’t broken - it often is, unfortunately. If the link is broken, you’ll need to call to make room location requests.
In your case even if you’ve done online check in you’ll still have to swing by the front desk upon arrival to collect your magic bands, since Disney won’t ship them to Australia, but at least you can note your near transportation room request w/out an expensive international phone call.
I’ve read that WDW assigns rooms around 3 days before your arrival, so make sure you make your requests either via the MDE online check in or via phone call @ least 1 week ahead of your arrival.

Thanks so much! Yeah I know from previous trips we can’t get our magic bands here which is why I didn’t think I could do online check in because we’d eseentially be checking in twice. But if we can just put the request in via the “check in” thing that would be great. It’s already available on my booking but l don’t go til feb - it’s there a time that’s too early to check in? Hahaha. I like the idea of checking in now being like “IM READY NOW” in October!

 

[jenushkask8s]

DH and I will be at Jambo in a standard view king room 11/27-11/30! We did 1 night there last year and we're looking forward to a slightly longer stay!