Jambo! The newest AKL Information thread

[disney-inspired]

I don't have a lot of experience, but the value studios are usually booked completely by DVC owners and not available to book through Disney. If you're not a DVC AK owner, you shouldn't count on a value studio.

Good point, they do get to book 11 months out so our chances are pretty small that we can score a value studio. I'll just have to make my cousin aware that they may have to get the deluxe studio.

 

[disney-inspired]

Who knows how DVC deposits rooms?! It seems to make no sense. But we have booked a value villa cash before so you can cross your fingers and wait. We had better luck booking cash than with DVC since we own elsewhere haha!

Yay! You’re giving me hope!
We are booking using the Armed Forces Salute discount, granted that it’s renewed for 2019, and I’m wondering if I can book a room at AKL and a 1 bedroom villa AKL Jambo house. The rules requires us to stay at the same resort so not sure if they count as the same resort.

 

[sndral]

Yay! You’re giving me hope!
We are booking using the Armed Forces Salute discount, granted that it’s renewed for 2019, and I’m wondering if I can book a room at AKL and a 1 bedroom villa AKL Jambo house. The rules requires us to stay at the same resort so not sure if they count as the same resort.

You do know that there are 1 br. villas in Jambo house where the hotel rooms are, right? So part of your group could be in a 1 br. villa at Jambo on the 5th floor (where most of the DVC villas in Jambo are) and the other part of your group could be in a regular room on a different floor also in Jambo.
Jambo has both hotel rooms and DVC villas (studios, 1, 2 & 3 br.s.)
Kidani, the other AKL building, only has DVC villas and does not have hotel rooms.

 

[disney-inspired]

You do know that there are 1 br. villas in Jambo house where the hotel rooms are, right? So part of your group could be in a 1 br. villa at Jambo on the 5th floor (where most of the DVC villas in Jambo are) and the other part of your group could be in a regular room on a different floor also in Jambo.
Jambo has both hotel rooms and DVC villas (studios, 1, 2 & 3 br.s.)
Kidani, the other AKL building, only has DVC villas and does not have hotel rooms.

I don't know why I was thinking they wouldn't be considered the same resort. I tell you, my mind likes to create problems out of nothing!
Thank you for providing that info - now I just need to adjust numbers for my cousin's family to reflect the standard hotel room cost.

 

[Jon84]

9 days

 

[h&D3]

We are staying at the AKL on Club level in August. We used to contact the AKL IPO office about 10 days prior to the 180 day mark with some requests. However, I thought I heard that they now have one central IPO for all the resorts. Does anyone have that email address that they could send me.

Thanks!
~D

 

[SmithSmith]

Hi all! I’m beyond excited for my dream stay at AKL CL but I need your help.

Does anyone have experience getting to Animal Kingdom from Animal Kingdom Lodge for RD using Disney busses? I’m hoping to be one of the first in line for Pandora. I’m going midweek, low crowd season and with regular hours. According to The Hub, busses start running at 7:15 am for Animal Kingdom. So, in theory, because of the proximity to AK, Animal Kingdom Lodge busses should be the first ones to arrive, right? I figured a 7:30 arrival at Animal Kingdom would be possible. Is that what others have found?

...or should I take my car?

 

[disney-inspired]

Hi all! I’m beyond excited for my dream stay at AKL CL but I need your help.

Does anyone have experience getting to Animal Kingdom from Animal Kingdom Lodge for RD using Disney busses? I’m hoping to be one of the first in line for Pandora. I’m going midweek, low crowd season and with regular hours. According to The Hub, busses start running at 7:15 am for Animal Kingdom. So, in theory, because of the proximity to AK, Animal Kingdom Lodge busses should be the first ones to arrive, right? I figured a 7:30 arrival at Animal Kingdom would be possible. Is that what others have found?

...or should I take my car?

Oooo, I want to know too. Our group has kids who LOVE animals so definitely making Animal Kingdom one of our priorities. Also, I need to see Pandora!

 

[BaseballMoM2007]

How successful have people been with getting Uber or Minnie Vans from AKL in the morning time frame. Planning a Thanksgiving 2018 trip and we've stayed Poly, VGF and BC the last few years but kids voted to try something different this time which is fine with us but want options for travel!

We used uber and minnie van several times throughout our trip the week of Christmas and never waited more than 5 minutes for either. Including a 630 am minnie van going to Magic Kingdom one morning.

 

[RaquelP]

Does the Kidani lobby have the same wonderful aroma as the Jambo House lobby?

Thank you for asking this! We're going to stay at Kidani and I'm embarrassed to say one of my main concerns is that it won't have the same fragrance lol

 

[jcjen519]

We will be in a one bedroom at jambo house in February. Haven't stayed there since 2014. Does anybody know if they still do the bead bracelet thing? Our son was 5 and loved it and I think his little sister would enjoy it too! Thanks!

 

[SmithSmith]

We will be in a one bedroom at jambo house in February. Haven't stayed there since 2014. Does anybody know if they still do the bead bracelet thing? Our son was 5 and loved it and I think his little sister would enjoy it too! Thanks!

Are you referring to the bead activities, where kids complete an activity and earn a bead? If so, then yes. You can check the resort activities schedule to find when and where bead activities take place. I know you’ll definitely be able to find the activities schedule posted near the checkin area of Boma. You could also find it online prior to departure.

 

[pepperandchips]

Hi all! I’m beyond excited for my dream stay at AKL CL but I need your help.

Does anyone have experience getting to Animal Kingdom from Animal Kingdom Lodge for RD using Disney busses? I’m hoping to be one of the first in line for Pandora. I’m going midweek, low crowd season and with regular hours. According to The Hub, busses start running at 7:15 am for Animal Kingdom. So, in theory, because of the proximity to AK, Animal Kingdom Lodge busses should be the first ones to arrive, right? I figured a 7:30 arrival at Animal Kingdom would be possible. Is that what others have found?

...or should I take my car?

If you're serious about being one of the first in line, I would drive. That line builds fast and Disney has been letting guests in earlier than the advertised opening. Better safe than sorry, time-wise!

 

[SmithSmith]

If you're serious about being one of the first in line, I would drive. That line builds fast and Disney has been letting guests in earlier than the advertised opening. Better safe than sorry, time-wise!

Oh, I should’ve been more careful with my words. I think I’d like to be in the first 100 in line. Still drive?

Thanks

 

[disney-inspired]

Ok, just how bad are the buses out of AKL to the parks?
We are flying in and do not want the added expense of a rental car so we are using Disney transportation the whole time.

My crew consists of myself (been to WDW 3x and do 99% of the planning), My sister and her family (been once to WDW, 2 adults, 1-4yo, 1-2yo) and my cousin's family (Newbies, 2 adults, 1-4yo, 1-2yo). I figure if we give ourselves enough time we'll be fine but what are the standard travel times from AKL to each park.

We will be going in January, after marathon and before MLK weekend if that helps.

 

[PackYourPixieDust]

Ok, just how bad are the buses out of AKL to the parks?
We are flying in and do not want the added expense of a rental car so we are using Disney transportation the whole time.

My crew consists of myself (been to WDW 3x and do 99% of the planning), My sister and her family (been once to WDW, 2 adults, 1-4yo, 1-2yo) and my cousin's family (Newbies, 2 adults, 1-4yo, 1-2yo). I figure if we give ourselves enough time we'll be fine but what are the standard travel times from AKL to each park.

We will be going in January, after marathon and before MLK weekend if that helps.

It’s been a couple of years since I’ve stayed here but I found the buses to be fine.

See you next week at the Lodge! I’ll be there too! Woot woot.

 

[pepperandchips]

Oh, I should’ve been more careful with my words. I think I’d like to be in the first 100 in line. Still drive?

Thanks

I'm a worrywort so I would, but I'm also an annual passholder and wouldn't wait more than 45 minutes in line for anything! (And yes, get off my lawn, lol)

I guess I'd weigh the pros and cons of driving. I love just parking my car and not using it until it's time to go home, but with such a short drive to animal kingdom from AKL and the guarantee of arriving exactly when you want, it's hard to choose. Also keep checking for Flight of Passage fast passes. I picked up a pair for less than an hour from when I was checking while I was there before Christmas! I was trying to get a dinosaur fastpass while I was in line for Everest and FOP came up and I practically squealed!

Ok, just how bad are the buses out of AKL to the parks?
We are flying in and do not want the added expense of a rental car so we are using Disney transportation the whole time.

My crew consists of myself (been to WDW 3x and do 99% of the planning), My sister and her family (been once to WDW, 2 adults, 1-4yo, 1-2yo) and my cousin's family (Newbies, 2 adults, 1-4yo, 1-2yo). I figure if we give ourselves enough time we'll be fine but what are the standard travel times from AKL to each park.

We will be going in January, after marathon and before MLK weekend if that helps.

I have always had better bus service at AK than at almost any other resort. The Grand Floridian's buses were awful sharing with Poly... never had a complaint at AKL!

 

[disney-inspired]

It’s been a couple of years since I’ve stayed here but I found the buses to be fine.

See you next week at the Lodge! I’ll be there too! Woot woot.

I wish I was going next week! We're going 2019.

 

[SmithSmith]

I'm a worrywort so I would, but I'm also an annual passholder and wouldn't wait more than 45 minutes in line for anything! (And yes, get off my lawn, lol)

I guess I'd weigh the pros and cons of driving. I love just parking my car and not using it until it's time to go home, but with such a short drive to animal kingdom from AKL and the guarantee of arriving exactly when you want, it's hard to choose. Also keep checking for Flight of Passage fast passes. I picked up a pair for less than an hour from when I was checking while I was there before Christmas! I was trying to get a dinosaur fastpass while I was in line for Everest and FOP came up and I practically squealed!

Lol

Okay, thanks for the your advice. I’m still unsure. You’re swaying me more towards driving. My only hesitation with that is I’ve never driven to a park before. Eek! I’m sure there’s nothing to it but it still makes me nervous. OTOH, I’ll be a nervous wreck if I have to wait too long for a bus. Decisions...
Oh well, I am hoping to become a local later this year so I should probably get used to driving.

I do have a FP for FoP but it seems like everyone is in agreement that one ride just isn’t enough. So I figured I’d plan on riding twice.

OMG! Scoring a same day FP for FoP would be epic! Squealing is entirely appropriate in that situation.

 

[Murt17]

Yippee - Just booked (with purchased DVC points) a 2BR Jambo Savannah for a trip with DD and family December 1-8th!