Jambo! The newest AKL Information thread

[youngdeb12]

Hi, I'm looking forward to staying at AKL in Feb, my first ever Deluxe resort. I have been following this thread and just watched the video on the refurbished rooms. Two questions, firstly, no more baths? I know showers are more desired these days but I am old school and loved my mid-day soak to ease the tired muscles etc. Second question, can you buy bottles of wine at The Mara quick serve? Okay, yes, it is for my mid-day soak but will also work on the balcony-LOL.
Staying at the AKL is a dream come true, I retired early to care for a family member last year and this will be my retirement gift to myself. I wish my Disneyworld partner (DSis) could be going with me but it was not to be. A solo trip it is. This will be trip #11, a solo trip at a Deluxe with no soaking. There had better be wine. Just kidding, can't wait.

There are some rooms that still have the bathtubs I believe. You may just have to request one.

 

[Starwind]

.....I could very well be incorrect, but I was under the assumption that when the rooms were renovated, the pullout single beds (which replaced the dressers) were added to most of the rooms.....

The renovated rooms at AKL still have actual dressers. No pull-down single bed.

SW

 

[Starwind]

Hi, I'm looking forward to staying at AKL in Feb, my first ever Deluxe resort. I have been following this thread and just watched the video on the refurbished rooms. Two questions, firstly, no more baths? I know showers are more desired these days but I am old school and loved my mid-day soak to ease the tired muscles etc. Second question, can you buy bottles of wine at The Mara quick serve? Okay, yes, it is for my mid-day soak but will also work on the balcony-LOL.
Staying at the AKL is a dream come true, I retired early to care for a family member last year and this will be my retirement gift to myself. I wish my Disneyworld partner (DSis) could be going with me but it was not to be. A solo trip it is. This will be trip #11, a solo trip at a Deluxe with no soaking. There had better be wine. Just kidding, can't wait.

Some of the refurbished rooms have tubs.

The marketplace in Jambo House also sells wine.

SW

 

[Starwind]

That would be ideal. I haven't seen anything saying that though. If someone could report back, I'd appreciate it!

The dressers are still dressers. No pull-down single beds.

SW

 

[gillep]

2 questions that maybe you know the answer to...when we were there in 2017, the Mara had soup of the day each day. It changed daily, and it was usually one of the soups they serve at Boma (I know because my absolute favorite from our first night at Boma showed up for dinner halfway through the trip!). Do they still do that or is it the same soup offered every day? (it's hard to tell on the menu!) I'm also wondering if you have a sense of where they are with construction. We have a savannah view booked for the end of January - I requested Zebra trail with my fingers crossed...THANKS!

Pretty confident that The Mara still has a soup of the day and that it is the same one served in the CL lounge but I can confirm that later, never made it to The Mara last night, we had a bottle of wine and I got a cocktail at Jiko, so I felt it best to just go to the room without making stops, especially since I was getting up early this morning to go to DHS for a ROTR boarding group (got one).

As far as I can tell from walking around both the Giraffe and Ostrich trails are closed, I can't access them at all. There is also work being done on the roof of the Ostrich trail rooms so there are cherry pickers around and a fence up so that the animals can't get too close to those rooms. They may also be doing balcony work but all I have seen is them power washing the thatching of the roof. Nothing is happening on the Zebra nor Kudu trails that I saw.

 

[kimmar067]

The renovated rooms at AKL still have actual dressers. No pull-down single bed.

SW

....ah. Well, there ya have it.....

 

[marchingstar]

Pretty confident that The Mara still has a soup of the day and that it is the same one served in the CL lounge but I can confirm that later, never made it to The Mara last night, we had a bottle of wine and I got a cocktail at Jiko, so I felt it best to just go to the room without making stops, especially since I was getting up early this morning to go to DHS for a ROTR boarding group (got one).

As far as I can tell from walking around both the Giraffe and Ostrich trails are closed, I can't access them at all. There is also work being done on the roof of the Ostrich trail rooms so there are cherry pickers around and a fence up so that the animals can't get too close to those rooms. They may also be doing balcony work but all I have seen is them power washing the thatching of the roof. Nothing is happening on the Zebra nor Kudu trails that I saw.

thanks for the update!

i’m staying at AKL next month and it’s really helpful to have a recent sense of the work being done.

I am interested to see what happens because we’re booked in standard rooms, and most of them along the ostrich and giraffe trails, i think? I hope your update means that we’re likely to have a renovated room, at least, because they’re working on the last round of rooms!

 

[Haliwood]

Many thanks to gillep for her reports and willingness to help. Having recent updates really helps, especially with something like renovations. For many of us, it will not change our plans, but might help us set our expectations accordingly. My trip to AKL is in April. Hoping for more updates between now and then!

 

[Sakiki]

Some of the refurbished rooms have tubs.

The marketplace in Jambo House also sells wine.

SW

This is certainly true - DW and I were at AKL in December, two different rooms (long and irrelevant story) and both had the ‘shower over bathtub’ arrangement. (We would actually much prefer a proper walk-in shower, which is one reason we’ll be staying in a villa on our next trip as walk-in showers are vanishingly rare in hotels of any sort so far as we can see.)

I don’t know about the wine, though...

 

[JRoyster86]

Hi everyone! I’m super excited to stay at AKL for the first time this August. We are booked in a standard view, king size bed. I’ve tried looking at TP’s room finder, but I’m struggling. Does anyone know where our room is likely to be? Are all of the standard view king beds in one location or are they spread out?

We will be there August 12-20!

 

[mandis77]

Pretty confident that The Mara still has a soup of the day and that it is the same one served in the CL lounge but I can confirm that later, never made it to The Mara last night, we had a bottle of wine and I got a cocktail at Jiko, so I felt it best to just go to the room without making stops, especially since I was getting up early this morning to go to DHS for a ROTR boarding group (got one).

As far as I can tell from walking around both the Giraffe and Ostrich trails are closed, I can't access them at all. There is also work being done on the roof of the Ostrich trail rooms so there are cherry pickers around and a fence up so that the animals can't get too close to those rooms. They may also be doing balcony work but all I have seen is them power washing the thatching of the roof. Nothing is happening on the Zebra nor Kudu trails that I saw.

Thank you this is so helpful! We arrive in 19 days. We requested Zebra trail, close to lobby and I have been watching the boards carefully to hear about the progress of Zebra.

 

[wendypooh22]

Sitting in the lounge on the 6th floor now with my coffee and a mimosa!!!

I love a few of the other hotels, but AKL feels like ‘home’, so glad to be back!

Jiko for dinner tonight.

Tag me if you have specific questions, but I have really only ever stayed on the 6th floor in the DVC CL rooms, so I am not very knowledgeable regarding the different trails and such but I will try my best.

Hello! I am staying DVC CL in March and I was curious what the choices for alcohol are.. Do they offer beer and wine thru the day or only in the evenings?
This is my first ever trip to WDW and I am getting pretty excited!!

 

[gillep]

Hello! I am staying DVC CL in March and I was curious what the choices for alcohol are.. Do they offer beer and wine thru the day or only in the evenings?
This is my first ever trip to WDW and I am getting pretty excited!!

They have beer and wine out self serve in the evenings but it is available all day if you ask a CM, don’t be shy about asking either! I will see if I can get pictures of the offerings before I go. Last night there were three reds, three whites and at least three beers. They also have sparkling but I have never seen that self serve. I really like the mimosa with jungle juice and the sunrise sangria which is a red wine with jungle juice floater.

 

[wendypooh22]

Thanks. Mimosas are great in the mornings and I will add the jungle juice mimosa to my list!!
Enjoy your vacation!!

 

[gillep]

Thanks. Mimosas are great in the mornings and I will add the jungle juice mimosa to my list!!
Enjoy your vacation!!

Self serve tonight:

Red wine
Indaba: Mosaic Red Blend 2018
Excelsior: Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
Fairvalley: Pinotage

White wine
Two Oceans: Moscato (2017, I think, my picture is blurry)
Indaba: Chardonnay (no idea year the lighting by the white wine was not ideal)
Fairvalley: Chenin Blanc

Bottled beer:
Sweet Water Extra Pale Ale 420
Stella Artois
Angry Orchard Original
Michelob Ultra
Blue Moon
Tusker Lager
Orlando IPA

 

[Starwind]

This is certainly true - DW and I were at AKL in December, two different rooms (long and irrelevant story) and both had the ‘shower over bathtub’ arrangement. (We would actually much prefer a proper walk-in shower, which is one reason we’ll be staying in a villa on our next trip as walk-in showers are vanishingly rare in hotels of any sort so far as we can see.)

I don’t know about the wine, though...

FWIW, at Copper Creek Villas, "Deluxe studio with walk-in shower" is actually a booking category, at least for the public booking cash stays via Disney. We have had those rooms twice now and really liked them -- and their shower

One thing I do like about the AKL bathtubs in the renovated rooms is no more icky shower curtains -- they have sliding glass doors. Likewise the walk-in showers have glass doors, too.

SW

 

[Mom2Colin]

We are doing a split stay between Pop 2/8-2/13 and AKL Jambo 2/13-25. I was disappointed to hear that work was not complete at AKL since we are going to be under construction at Pop as well. We are requesting 2 connecting rooms but I want to try to request a king room and a 2 queen room. Does anyone is this exists? Also, trying to get a room that is away from construction so any updates that anyone can provide on Ostrich trail would be great. We are booked as a standard room. Can't wait!!

 

[gillep]

I forgot to mention, as of today all of the Christmas decorations are still up, including the tree. I expect them to be taken down any evening now.

 

[gillep]

We are doing a split stay between Pop 2/8-2/13 and AKL Jambo 2/13-25. I was disappointed to hear that work was not complete at AKL since we are going to be under construction at Pop as well. We are requesting 2 connecting rooms but I want to try to request a king room and a 2 queen room. Does anyone is this exists? Also, trying to get a room that is away from construction so any updates that anyone can provide on Ostrich trail would be great. We are booked as a standard room. Can't wait!!

I posted earlier that Ostrich and Giraffe trails appear to be completely closed off and that I could see them power washing the thatching of the roof on the Ostrich trail. As of today I can now clearly see then painting the balconies on the Ostrich trail.

 

[Mom2Colin]

I posted earlier that Ostrich and Giraffe trails appear to be completely closed off and that I could see them power washing the thatching of the roof on the Ostrich trail. As of today I can now clearly see then painting the balconies on the Ostrich trail.

Thank you! Maybe they will be opened when I arrive next month!