Jambo! The newest AKL Information thread

[act1980]

Does anyone know what the new rooms are going to look like after the refurb?

 

[goofygal531]

Does anyone know what the new rooms are going to look like after the refurb?

I was told they were swapping out the TV and dresser and replacing it with a flatscreen tv and new dresser with more drawer space similar to the ones in the Yacht Club.

I do not believe this is a full room refurb.

 

[act1980]

Thanks!

 

[ibelieveinmagic]

just a question, we have a very large group, 16 people ,4 studio rooms, one of the people is an infant 1 year old, if my daughter wanted to bring an extra person would it be over the people allowed in the room (4) with the infant, so there would be 5 in the room? Asking just in case!

 

[JoJoGirl]

It was very cold for a few of the days we were there in January and we noticed that we were not seeing giraffes and that there seemed to be fewer animals overall. My husband met the GM of the resort while getting his picture taken with safari Mickey after the marathon (special photo op set up by the GM) and he mentioned that the giraffes didn't do too well in the cold and were hanging out in their barn and the other animals could basically decide individually if they wanted to be out or in the warm barn. A day or two later when it warmed up they were all back out and seemed extra energetic. We have stayed at AKL in January about 10 times and there have only been a handful of days total that we have noticed fewer animals out likely due to the cold. So yes, it can definitely happen, but the few times it has happened it has been quite cold.

That’s great info, Thank You!

 

[Tksolomom]

just a question, we have a very large group, 16 people ,4 studio rooms, one of the people is an infant 1 year old, if my daughter wanted to bring an extra person would it be over the people allowed in the room (4) with the infant, so there would be 5 in the room? Asking just in case!

4 guests plus one infant under 3 is allowed.

 

[ibelieveinmagic]

thank you so much Tksolomom!

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

One week to go

 

[Somnia]

I get to book my ADR's on Friday... the Disney hype train has officially began for my first DVC stay and first stay at Kidani! (though definitely not my first AKL stay)

 

[MarinLezlie88]

Hey all!!! 1st timer at AKL here and am hoping to ask a question! Do you know if all ALK rooms (even the cheapest) have the little kitchenette in them? fridge, toaster, microwave ect?

Thank you all!

 

[pepperandchips]

Hey all!!! 1st timer at AKL here and am hoping to ask a question! Do you know if all ALK rooms (even the cheapest) have the little kitchenette in them? fridge, toaster, microwave ect?

Thank you all!

No, unless you book a Deluxe Studio. The standard hotel rooms have a mini fridge and coffeemaker only. The toaster and microwave are in Deluxe Studios (which can be comparable in price to the hotel rooms so it doesn't hurt to check).

 

[jerseygal]

Can anyone chime in about how busy the hotels get on the weekend vs weekday? I am thinking on trying the Kidani pool during the week and the water parks on the weekend. I wonder what they will do if Kidani hits capacity or they run out of chairs around the pool. They cannot always send people to the water parks when it closes at 5:00.

We will have to use Kidani pool as well while the Jambo pool is under construction for our October trip. My opinion is that Disney can't be too concerned about overcrowding IF for example DVC won't do ANYTHING for its members. Understand that there no available rooms in October since F&W is such high demand time, but they are INFLEXIBLE in that we booked back in Dec, 2017. IF we had known about pool reconstruction, would have made other choices. Booked a Jambo studio for DH and me. Non DVC bookings were offered to change resorts, BUT when I asked to be relocated to a deluxe hotel resort instead(knowing that there are NO standard studios available for my October stay) they refused and simply offered to book a resort room at the regular point per night rate.
Very disappointed in Disney inflexibility and lack of customer service with this issue. IMO, perhaps they could have offered to reduce the per point per night at a deluxe resort to make up inconvenience to members.. Never happened! PS!!! As of today, NO postal mail notification for our October Jambo trip!

 

[MarinLezlie88]

No, unless you book a Deluxe Studio. The standard hotel rooms have a mini fridge and coffeemaker only. The toaster and microwave are in Deluxe Studios (which can be comparable in price to the hotel rooms so it doesn't hurt to check).

THANK YOU!

 

[bwbuddy5]

What room number is that, if you don’t mind? Never mind....just saw it above but don’t know how to delete post

Kidani 7218, I actually read about that 2BR Villa several months back on these boards based on seeing someone else’s pictures!

One note, we rarely saw animals in the morning before we left, but there was literally a menagerie in the afternoon and early evening.

 

[Somnia]

Not necessarily related to AKL, but I'm getting mixed messages. I always assumed the booking time for ADR's was 7AM EST, but someone is saying I can book at 6AM EST online? Maybe I've always done it an hour late lol

 

[bwbuddy5]

Not necessarily related to AKL, but I'm getting mixed messages. I always assumed the booking time for ADR's was 7AM EST, but someone is saying I can book at 6AM EST online? Maybe I've always done it an hour late lol

Yes, I booked 6am online (sometimes while I was on the way to work and pulled over)

 

[Somnia]

Yes, I booked 6am online (sometimes while I was on the way to work and pulled over)

Guess I need to set my alarm even earlier

 

[Jpmoore]

From what I’m reading on this thread, the Jambo House room refurbishment doesn’t seem to be very extensive? Am I understanding that correctly? We just stayed there club level in December and loved it. Starting to plan a trip for February and would like to return to Jambo. I would like opinions on whether the refurbishment should prompt us to stay somewhere else. Thanks!

 

[sunset7132]

It was very cold for a few of the days we were there in January and we noticed that we were not seeing giraffes and that there seemed to be fewer animals overall. My husband met the GM of the resort while getting his picture taken with safari Mickey after the marathon (special photo op set up by the GM) and he mentioned that the giraffes didn't do too well in the cold and were hanging out in their barn and the other animals could basically decide individually if they wanted to be out or in the warm barn. A day or two later when it warmed up they were all back out and seemed extra energetic. We have stayed at AKL in January about 10 times and there have only been a handful of days total that we have noticed fewer animals out likely due to the cold. So yes, it can definitely happen, but the few times it has happened it has been quite cold.

that happened last december i am praying for a warmer december

 

[jerseygal]

Kidani has an actual changing room and shower near the gym which is by the pool. It was great to be able to shower the kids and change them with lots of space. Usually we had to manage in a regular bathroom.

I do not recall what the bathrooms Jambo had near the pool.

THANKS for the tip, nice to have an actual changing room and shower. This is I guess, LOL a "consolation prize" to having a overcrowded pool with Jambo refurbishment! Come on DVC, GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER and SERVICE YOUR MEMBERS! UNHAPPY WITH LACK OF NOTIFICATION on pool refurbishment, STILL for our October trip! We went on our 3rd timeshare presentation by the Marriott when we were in Aruba recently...looking better and better. At least Marriott throws someone who agrees to listen to the one and a half hour presentation a $150 gift certificate that you use not only at the Marriott restaurants on site in Aruba, but many many great restaurants outside the resort. We enjoyed the $150 for dinner at a very upscare restaurant, yum, very nice! DVC gives you basically NADA, oh I forgot some Fastpasses were thrown at us back in 2008. REALLY???