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Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge-
- Thread starter skiertrav
- Start date
epcotisbest
Well-Known Member
Great pools at both AKL locations. I think the worth of a savanna view would depend on if you are going to be spending much time at the resort. If so, I think yes. If most of your time will be spent at the parks, maybe not. You can still enjoy Jambo or Kidani with a standard view, and still see plenty of animals in the public viewing areas.
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DisDadWoz
Well-Known Member
Both pools are great and have what seems to me as more actual shaded areas around them than most resorts. Could just be me however. Also if you plan on spending any time in your room it's worth the upgrade. If you are doing WDW Commando when you are up before dawn and home after dark, then don't splurge.
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epcotisbest
Well-Known Member
I agree about the shaded areas at the pools. I think that is one of the things I like best about them. Being someone who burns easily, shaded areas makes a big difference at the pools. We really like the Kidani pool, especially early morning.
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MagicalMommy
Active Member
I stayed at the Animal Kingdom Lodge in a standard view room last December. I added a room request to my reservation for a partial-savanna view, which of course was not guaranteed. We did get a partial view, and I felt like it was a great value! However, if you definitely want a savanna view and the extra cost is not an issue, book that room type so you are guaranteed to have it. That said, I would not hesitate to book a standard view there again, as there are many areas around the resort to enjoy the savanna views. Let me know if I can help answer any more questions about the resort!
Edited to add: We used the pool at Jambo House even though it was December; it was 80 degrees out! It was great, and my five-year-old loved the water slide.
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Gaston's gal
Well-Known Member
It is definitely worth upgrading to the Savannah. We stayed in a Standard room once and missed our views of the animals. Enjoy your trip!
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HouCuseChickie
Well-Known Member
My issue here...and don't get me wrong, I LOVED my savanna view...is that so many people wind up with some form of savanna view regardless of what room category you've booked. I was booked in a pool view in 2013, and when it came time for online check in, I had three different savanna choices for my room preferences. My friends booked a standard view last year and had one or two savanna options in their online check in room preferences. Before all of this, I had several relatives book AKL standard view rooms and end with savanna views. I know some people wind up in legit standard views, but nearly everyone I know that's paid for a standard view winds up in a savanna view...so this all would make me say the odds are in your favor to get one without paying the splurge rate.
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englanddg
One Little Spark...
I'm gonna second this (even though I enjoyed our view, which was Savannah View)...
The lodge has plenty of places where you can get the same view yourself if you want to animal watch, with observation decks all over and likely within a short walk of your room already. Is it neat to do it from your balcony? Heck yeah. But, if it's significantly more, I'd say no (unless you just want to check it off a list).
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ninjaprincesst
Well-Known Member
We are going to be staying at AKL this year for the first time ever an I too am very curious about how people fell about AKL. We were booked at the WL as usual but changed to get free dining for our entire stay so I am on one hand kind of excited as I have never even seen the outside of AKL much less the inside, but I am also really nervous because it is so far away from everything except AK.
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I've stayed at AKL numerous times and my family loves it. It's their favorite. I've stayed in the pool view, Savannah view and Savannah view bunk bed and the club level rooms.
If you are going to spend a decent amount of time at the hotel or you love seeing the animals from your room, yes splurge. If not then utilize one of the viewing areas at the hotel to check out the savannahs. I love their club level, but again we do spend more time at the hotels when I go down since I am there a lot for work.
The main pool is very nice and you can sit there and have lunch at one of the tables since Mara is right there too.
Have a great trip and good luck in deciding!
Pam
If you are going to spend a decent amount of time at the hotel or you love seeing the animals from your room, yes splurge. If not then utilize one of the viewing areas at the hotel to check out the savannahs. I love their club level, but again we do spend more time at the hotels when I go down since I am there a lot for work.
The main pool is very nice and you can sit there and have lunch at one of the tables since Mara is right there too.
Have a great trip and good luck in deciding!
Pam
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dreamfinder
Well-Known Member
There is a great tool over on the Touring Plans site that shows you exactly how each room at AKL is classified. But it seems that WDW classifies savannah view as one that overlooks the main savannah, and not rooms. There are indeed a large number of rooms that overlook animals, but not the main savannah, so you either see other rooms directly across the way, or perhaps overlook part of the enclosure. So it's definitely an animal view, just not the same quasi wide open view of the main savannah. There are definitely standard view rooms that have no animals and overlook either the pool or the parking lot, so it is a small gamble.
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mikenatcity1
Well-Known Member
Honestly, the distance doesn't feel so far
I thought that the first time we stayed there, but shortly after didn't mind a bit- i've felt that other resorts feel far away too- it depends where you're going in the resort.
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ninjaprincesst
Well-Known Member
Thanks , I feel better now.Honestly, the distance doesn't feel so far
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Ghostdog
Well-Known Member
I've never stayed at AKL but we visited twice last week. We had dinner at both Saana and Boma; Saana was by far our favorite of the two and our favorite dinner of the week. Do yourself a favor and book at dinner reservation you won't be disappointed. We also sat out on the verandas and watched the animals, it was amazing.
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