AKL View Request Probability

[cursivesailor]

I just did our online check in. One of the questions was what was a preference - animal view or early check in. We arent staying in an savannah room though.

So my question is - how often to standard rooms actually get one with an animal view? Is it worth asking for, or should I just ask for the earliest room available?

 

[Swissmiss]

There are many standard rooms that are "less than perfect" savannah views, so if you'd like to try for one, you should put that it is more important than early check in. I've gotten these "less than perfect" views on more than one occasion and I've loved waking up and having my coffee on the balcony while watching the giraffes.

 

[Disney4family]

We were told to call 10 days before the trip and place the request again. You will be put into their system 10 days before your trip. It can't hurt to make the call and try. It doesn't guarantee anything, but with a little faith, trust and pixie-dust, it just may come true!

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

how often to standard rooms actually get one with an animal view? Is it worth asking for, or should I just ask for the earliest room available?

We've stayed twice at AKL. Our first 5 day visit we paid for a Savannah view and really enjoyed the experience. Our second trip last year we spent our entire 14 days at AKL. We booked 2 standard rooms but were thrilled to get 2 Savannah views - now I don't know what @Swissmiss means by a "less than perfect savannah view" but ours were brilliant.
It's the luck of the draw

 

[Swissmiss]

@CAPTAIN HOOK - I agree with you - the view was fine for me too but from what I understand some of the rooms on the savannahs are considered to have "less than perfect" views so they are in fact standard rooms and not savannah. I was perfectly ok with this

 

[Much-Pixie-Dust]

I have booked standard and got a "less than perfect" savanna and I have also been bumped to the Arusha Savanna View. I actually like the less than perfect view better because the zebras and giraffes came closer to our balcony. The Arusha is beautiful and expansive, but I loved the cozy little view we got from the savanna view in the standard category.

 

[The_Jobu]

I too booked the standard room and thought I'd be treated to a view of the parking lot. I was very pleasantly surprised by how nice our view of the animals was and how close they came.

 

[DABIGCHEEZ]

We NEVER book a savanna view as it is not worth the extra points or cash... there are plenty of locations to look at the animals at the resort. Last month we again had booked a 1 bedroom standard view. In the past we had standard room views looking over the parking area and we would actually look at the marshy area between the AKL KV pool and the rec/sports area. We would always find gators in that water. Anyway... this year we were surprised that for the first time ever, our room was ready when we got there at 1pm and on top of that when we opened the door we had a savanna view. I don't know the name of the savanna we were on(Pembe maybe?), but we saw Okapi, Sitatunga, Ground Hornbills, Waterbucks, Red River Hogs, Crowned Cranes, and Impala on our savanna(and literally right under our balcony) and Ankoli Cattle, Zebra and Ostriches on the adjacent one. It was great to see the behavior of the African Crowned Cranes protecting their youngster(who were all being introduced to the savanna that day according to the keepers out there observing) against the Red River Hogs, Waterbucks, and Okapi which were all just curious of the new occupants.

While it was neat, I still will never pay for it in the future, as I said IMO it is not at all worth the extra points or $$.

 

[cursivesailor]

Thanks for all the info yall. I am planning on calling 10 days before to notify them that this will be a whole family trip celebrating my parents 40th anniversary and to have them please note that on the reservations. So maybe that will add to the "faith, trust, and pixie dust" factor a little bit. I know its a gamble, so it is what it is. I will be happy to get a good view, but am not going to get my hopes up too much. As to not be disappointed.

 

[cursivesailor]

Thanks for all the info yall. I am planning on calling 10 days before to notify them that this will be a whole family trip celebrating my parents 40th anniversary and to have them please note that on the reservations. So maybe that will add to the "faith, trust, and pixie dust" factor a little bit. I know its a gamble, so it is what it is. I will be happy to get a good view, but am not going to get my hopes up too much. As to not be disappointed.

 

[cursivesailor]

I just went to go check the settings and the only ones I see are room locations (upper, lower, near lobby near transport) I dont see the room view options anymore. Did it change? Am I doomed? I hate planning it!! I get so stressed out.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

I just went to go check the settings and the only ones I see are room locations (upper, lower, near lobby near transport) I dont see the room view options anymore. Did it change? Am I doomed? I hate planning it!! I get so stressed out.

What exactly are you looking for? The room views are separate categories for booking, so if you want a savannah view, you have to pay extra for it.

 

[cursivesailor]

What exactly are you looking for? The room views are separate categories for booking, so if you want a savannah view, you have to pay extra for it.

Actually if you had read the original post, the online check in gives you options for preferences when doing your online check in. And even as a standard room, I was able to request a savannah view if it was available. Which I did during my online check in on 9/9/16.

But now when I just went to double check what I had chosen during online check-in, that section was not available. Its strange.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

Actually if you had read the original post, the online check in gives you options for preferences when doing your online check in. And even as a standard room, I was able to request a savannah view if it was available. Which I did during my online check in on 9/9/16.

But now when I just went to double check what I had chosen during online check-in, that section was not available. Its strange.

Sounds more like a glitch in the system, as I wouldn't think you could request a savannah view if you had not paid for one.

 

[cursivesailor]

Standard rooms can sometimes still have an animal view. But its not the perfect view you would get if you had paid for the savannah room. We wont be in the room much, so it wasn't worth the extra price for it. But if theres a chance we could get one of these "partial" views, then thats what we would prefer, over say earlier check in. Which is what this post was about originally.