***The Official AKV Owners And Lovers Thread***. Come And Chat

[Yarbogash]

You do not say which building, Jambo or Kidani, the reservation is in. At AKV, you cannot make a request to be in another "building" than the particular one you have reserved. The requests you list would indicate you have Kidani because (a) all standard and savanna view rooms at Jambo are on the fifth floor and thus it is pointless to request high floor, and (b) Kidani has a community hall, Jambo does not. Assuming you have Kidani, then I would recommend that your lead request be a view of Sunset savanna, the large savanna that has giraffes and zebras (the smaller Pembe does not). More than 80% of the savanna view rooms at Kidani overlook Sunset, and thus chances of having that request granted are high.

Your second listed request should not be high (or low) floor because requests are considered and granted in the order given and next to getting Sunset savanna view, the most important request to make is one for an area location in the building. The Kidani building is, from end to end, close to 2/3 mile long, meaning if you get a room anywhere near the end of one of the two wings, your walks to the pool, lobby, restaurants, store and bus station can be forever.

As to an area request, if you want to be near community hall, I would recommend requesting a room near the Timon elevator. That elevator on the south wing (front entrance of Kidani faces west) provides a short trip to the bus station and a reasonable distance to lobby, community hall (which is right next to lobby) and the pool (on the north wing). I would not request to be near Community Hall because that is essentially the same as requesting near the lobby. If you get that request granted it is fine. But the the problem with a near lobby request is that large numbers make that request and many do not get it because of the excess requests for it, and if a location request cannot be met, they just stick in any available room, which at Kidani is often one far from everything. Note, if you would rather be close to the pool and a similar reasonable distance to the lobby and the bus station, then request near the Rafiki elevator, which is on the north wing.

Third request, if you want to make one (we never do) could be high floor for more panoramic view or low floor for more direct view of the animals (many prefer the latter but we are fine with either).

Any requests should go through MS and you should then not use the area request page provided in the online check-in system. Doing so will wipe out any requests made through MS and the requests listed on that online page border on the ridiculous, e.g., at Kidani you can request near "an elevator." There are three elevators located along each of the two wings, and unless you can actually name the elevator you want in making the request, like Timon or Rafiki, a near elevator request can be met by putting you in any room in the building.

Hmm, any tips on what to do if we already put in requests on the request page? Not ALV, but OKW. Trying to get near HH. Any point in contacting MS or is what’s done is done? Apologies if this should be on different thread.

 

[twinklebug]

Hmm, any tips on what to do if we already put in requests on the request page? Not ALV, but OKW. Trying to get near HH. Any point in contacting MS or is what’s done is done? Apologies if this should be on different thread.

You can always change your requests. If the website is not allowing it, just give MS a call and they'll be happy to help. That's an easy job! They love easy ones!

 

[PRmamiDEdos]

Has anyone ever seen a private event being held at the Sunset Overlook Lounge? I call it the library room. It’s past the reception desk on your left. My husband and I would like to renew our vows in that room. We love Jambo and would love to celebrate our 20th there!

 

[twinklebug]

Has anyone ever seen a private event being held at the Sunset Overlook Lounge? I call it the library room. It’s past the reception desk on your left. My husband and I would like to renew our vows in that room. We love Jambo and would love to celebrate our 20th there!

Never seen a private event, but have seen it blocked off for cast members.
Not sure that's the best location for a vow renewal though. It's a very dark room with walls in the middle.

 

[PRmamiDEdos]

Never seen a private event, but have seen it blocked off for cast members.
Not sure that's the best location for a vow renewal though. It's a very dark room with walls in the middle.

They won’t talk to us until a year out but I’m hoping it can be used. I know it has the wall in the middle but it would be for maybe 15 people and I truly love the space.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Before Covid they had night CM talks there, so it was used for small groups. I hope you can get it!

 

[c0reyann]

Has anyone ever seen a private event being held at the Sunset Overlook Lounge? I call it the library room. It’s past the reception desk on your left. My husband and I would like to renew our vows in that room. We love Jambo and would love to celebrate our 20th there!

The problem you are probably going to have is that they're going to want to force you into a Disney Wedding package which you can only use their approved spaces of/pricing structure for. Be warned, it's not cheap!

 

[Bullseye]

My grown son HATES the pull-out bed - we now bring a memory-foam topper in it's own separate duffle every time we go - it's the bar in the middle problem.

Just curious what size mattress topper you bring? I will have two adults sleeping on the pull out and they will be miserable without a topper.
Is yours a queen size and how many inches thick is it? I was thinking about doing the same thing, but I didn't think it would be that easy to compact it into a duffle bag or suitcase? TIA!

 

[nasmith]

Just curious what size mattress topper you bring? I will have two adults sleeping on the pull out and they will be miserable without a topper.
Is yours a queen size and how many inches thick is it? I was thinking about doing the same thing, but I didn't think it would be that easy to compact it into a duffle bag or suitcase? TIA!

Its a memory foam topper, don't know the brand ( probably bought during amazon prime days (read the reviews- as long as the majority of reviews are positive...)); 2" thick. They come packaged really small- but once you unwrap them, they expand ( by alot)- so the duffle ( an XL llbean rolling duffle) fits only that mattress topper (thankfully I fly SW usually). It's a full size- a little smaller than the bed, but he's just one (large(6'4")) person- so doesn't "use" the whole bed when he sleeps.

For that matter, if it's just one person, you could probably get away with a twin.....

as an aside- I hardly ever come to the boards anymore- can't believe I saw this post in such a timely fashion- talk about serendipity!

 

[musicman85]

I was just going to ask about the pullout couch situation, I'm going in 2 weeks and have the option of the pullout couch or the chair/bed. I have a bad back and pullout couches always have that bar right in the middle and are uncomfortable.

How is the chair/bed? I sleep curled up so I don't mind if my feet are hanging off and I'm about 5'7 in height.

Or is the couch not turned into a pullout an ok option too?

TIA!

 

[DisneyDiana]

The chair bed is slightly better for me, I have a bad back also. I always bring a memory foam topper though since I can’t tolerate either without one.

 

[CarolynFH]

I was just going to ask about the pullout couch situation, I'm going in 2 weeks and have the option of the pullout couch or the chair/bed. I have a bad back and pullout couches always have that bar right in the middle and are uncomfortable.

How is the chair/bed? I sleep curled up so I don't mind if my feet are hanging off and I'm about 5'7 in height.

Or is the couch not turned into a pullout an ok option too?

TIA!

My dad was 84 years old at the time, and he found the chair bed at BLT very comfortable. I’ve seen many reports of how uncomfortable the sofa beds are in the DVC resorts (which is the reason most are gradually being replace with Murphy beds) but very few reports complaining about the chair beds.

 

[Debbie Jean]

Agree with this. I have done the chair bed at AKV, BLT and OKW and found it surprisingly comfortable. I’m short so length was not an issue. Might be for someone taller.

 

[sndral]

I don’t have a bad back, but after a few nights sleeping on the AKV sleeper sofa my back started to ache, so I switched over to the chair bed & viola back ache disappeared - I’m 5’6” & didn’t feel that the chair bed was too small/short.

 

[cruella4me64]

Double checking: can a dvc on points studio AKL Jambo have 4 adults and a 1 year old stay? We’re set to arrive around 10 pm but as of now, our 2nd room reservation doesn’t start until next day. Thanks!

 

[bobbiwoz]

Double checking: can a dvc on points studio AKL Jambo have 4 adults and a 1 year old stay? We’re set to arrive around 10 pm but as of now, our 2nd room reservation doesn’t start until next day. Thanks!

Yes. The one year old will have a pack n play to sleep in.

 

[bluecastle]

To anyone who has been to Kidani recently: did you notice any construction going on near the bus stop or on the outside of any buildings? I remember seeing something about that and that it would be done by early October. Going next month and hoping there won’t be any construction going on! TIA

 

[jayt684]

Regarding AK Kidani Studio rooms: any tips to maximize sleeping comfort for 3 adult guests, especially the one relegated to the pullout couch?

My wife & I rented DVC points for a weeklong stay in a Savanna Studio in December, and we’re allowing her sister to “stowaway“ with us to see WDW during the holidays - she gets the pullout couch.

In retrospect, I would have booked a One Bedroom if I knew she’d be joining us ahead of time, but the ship had already sailed

 

[twinklebug]

Regarding AK Kidani Studio rooms: any tips to maximize sleeping comfort for 3 adult guests, especially the one relegated to the pullout couch?

My wife & I rented DVC points for a weeklong stay in a Savanna Studio in December, and we’re allowing her sister to “stowaway“ with us to see WDW during the holidays - she gets the pullout couch.

In retrospect, I would have booked a One Bedroom if I knew she’d be joining us ahead of time, but the ship had already sailed

Mattress topper and extra blankets are your friend when it comes to sleeping on those couches.
Sometimes the resorts have them in a storage room, but it seems that during the shut down their mattress toppers were tossed. Not sure if they have any back in stock (they were usually the ones left behind by others who brought them or had them delivered)

 

[TinkB278]

I was wondering if anyone could advise me on how they like staying at Jambo with small children. We are going in may with an 8 month old and 3.5 year old and my waitlist just came through for a studio. We currently also have grand Floridian booked but I’d rather stay at AKV as it’s always been my second favorite resort but I haven’t stayed there since having kids and am worried about the transportation issue and the pull out couch rather than real second bed. We are doing a split stay with our home resort of riviera so we’d only be here three nights… curious if I should give it a go or if VGF is safer with small children and multiple transportation options. Thanks!!