Jambo! The newest AKL Information thread

[Ismo]

I know the Kidani Village rooms are in desperate need of a refurb, but how are the mattresses? Are they still comfortable? We have a 1BR stay coming up and I’m hoping it will at least be a comfortable sleep!

 

[Happyjen27]

Question for those who've booked standard view rooms. Did you actually have a "view" as opposed to a rooftop or the parking lot? Touringplans shows a LOT of standard view rooms that seem to have decent views of the savannahs. Thanks.

I got lucky with an amazing view this week. Resort view price and impeccable savanna views.

Except the room had a smell, strong, disinfectant level perfumey smell, much like the lobby but concentrated and overpowering. I aired out the room by opening the door and cutting the AC (yes in August heat). An hour later it was still strong. I turned the AC on, the scent just kept coming. I called the front desk to see if the scent could somehow not be piped into my room. They sent maintenance who sprayed a different spray into some box in the wall. Now I have 2 scents.

I thought it couldn’t be right, but it was my first time here, maybe the rooms just smell strongly. I’ve stayed at poly, CR and GFlo and there are signature scents, but they stay in the lobby.

We slept in the room, I had to sleep under the covers to breathe fresh air. My daughter developed a headache in the night.

I went to the front desk first thing in the morning and asked for the weirdest thing, to smell a different room. She found an empty one across the hall from my room, so we walked together to smell it. It was utterly devoid of scent and what I would expect. She came to smell my room and agreed that is not how the air should smell.

I was reluctant to give up such a magical savanna view at the resort view price, but I had our health to think about. So loooooong walk back to front desk, informed them I would like to change. Long walk back, new key didn’t work. Called front desk (I have advanced arthritis and it hurts to walk) to see if they could activate key card they gave me or magic bands. No call back. Called back again. Got a voice mail on my cell phone asking me to come to front desk. Long walk back, turns out they called the new room I couldn’t get into!

Current view is of fences. Saw a small antelope feeding last night, but no giraffes over here. But I can breathe.

All of that back and forth (3 times to front desk) waiting in line and packing and moving cost 3 hours of a park day, so they gave me genie plus to help make up for it. That was nice but unnecessary, I really just wanted to a room I could breathe in. It also cost me 4200 steps, and I still had AK to do that day!

We’re now under the loudest most awful people with kids pounding and jumping on the bed until 10:30PM and back at it at 8:30AM. Not AKL fault at all, but still adding insult to injury when we had a quiet room with beautiful view but intolerable headache inducing chemicals that even the hotel staff knew wasn’t right.

All of this to say I don’t love it here and won’t be back. I’m not looking to start an argument, people who love it here have valid opinions and reasons to love it. It just isn’t my vibe. I just spent 5 flawless nights at Pop, during hurricane Idalia no less, and have spent a lot of my time here at AKL wishing I was back at Pop. Which says a lot since I’ve always been a deluxe girl.

 

[japanese maple]

I got lucky with an amazing view this week. Resort view price and impeccable savanna views.

Except the room had a smell, strong, disinfectant level perfumey smell, much like the lobby but concentrated and overpowering. I aired out the room by opening the door and cutting the AC (yes in August heat). An hour later it was still strong. I turned the AC on, the scent just kept coming. I called the front desk to see if the scent could somehow not be piped into my room. They sent maintenance who sprayed a different spray into some box in the wall. Now I have 2 scents.

I thought it couldn’t be right, but it was my first time here, maybe the rooms just smell strongly. I’ve stayed at poly, CR and GFlo and there are signature scents, but they stay in the lobby.

We slept in the room, I had to sleep under the covers to breathe fresh air. My daughter developed a headache in the night.

I went to the front desk first thing in the morning and asked for the weirdest thing, to smell a different room. She found an empty one across the hall from my room, so we walked together to smell it. It was utterly devoid of scent and what I would expect. She came to smell my room and agreed that is not how the air should smell.

I was reluctant to give up such a magical savanna view at the resort view price, but I had our health to think about. So loooooong walk back to front desk, informed them I would like to change. Long walk back, new key didn’t work. Called front desk (I have advanced arthritis and it hurts to walk) to see if they could activate key card they gave me or magic bands. No call back. Called back again. Got a voice mail on my cell phone asking me to come to front desk. Long walk back, turns out they called the new room I couldn’t get into!

Current view is of fences. Saw a small antelope feeding last night, but no giraffes over here. But I can breathe.

All of that back and forth (3 times to front desk) waiting in line and packing and moving cost 3 hours of a park day, so they gave me genie plus to help make up for it. That was nice but unnecessary, I really just wanted to a room I could breathe in. It also cost me 4200 steps, and I still had AK to do that day!

We’re now under the loudest most awful people with kids pounding and jumping on the bed until 10:30PM and back at it at 8:30AM. Not AKL fault at all, but still adding insult to injury when we had a quiet room with beautiful view but intolerable headache inducing chemicals that even the hotel staff knew wasn’t right.

All of this to say I don’t love it here and won’t be back. I’m not looking to start an argument, people who love it here have valid opinions and reasons to love it. It just isn’t my vibe. I just spent 5 flawless nights at Pop, during hurricane Idalia no less, and have spent a lot of my time here at AKL wishing I was back at Pop. Which says a lot since I’ve always been a deluxe girl.

Did you also post this in a Facebook group? I read something similar yesterday I think and wondering if it was your post or if someone also had this issue, which would be concerning.

 

[Happyjen27]

Did you also post this in a Facebook group? I read something similar yesterday I think and wondering if it was your post or if someone also had this issue, which would be concerning.

It was me! I sincerely hope it doesn’t happen to anyone else. It seemed like a very unique situation, nothing I’ve ever experienced in any resort.

 

[Best Aunt]

All of this to say I don’t love it here and won’t be back. I’m not looking to start an argument, people who love it here have valid opinions and reasons to love it. It just isn’t my vibe. I just spent 5 flawless nights at Pop, during hurricane Idalia no less, and have spent a lot of my time here at AKL wishing I was back at Pop. Which says a lot since I’ve always been a deluxe girl.

I had a similar feeling at a different resort. When I stayed at Wilderness Lodge, I spent a lot of my time wishing I was at Yacht Club/Beach Club/Boardwalk. I swore I would never go back to Wilderness Lodge. So although my experiences at Animal Kingdom Lodge were fine, I understand about not being happy at a resort which other people love. I'm sorry you're not happy.

 

[preemiemama]

It was me! I sincerely hope it doesn’t happen to anyone else. It seemed like a very unique situation, nothing I’ve ever experienced in any resort.

AKL is our DVC home resort, and we have enjoyed our stays here. However, the smell you are describing would absolutely have me feeling the same way. I am super sensitive to "perfume-y smells"- I would not have lasted the night in the room you described. And it absolutely would have made me never want to stay there again. So sorry you have had to deal with that!

 

[Peaseblossom36]

Arrived yesterday and we are in love with AKL. After a very chaotic travel day it was amazing to walk into the lobby, I was amazed by just home calm and quiet it was. And our room was ready when we go here!

I had used touringplans to make a request and ended up the opposite of where I requested but am thrilled regardless. We ended up with a great view and have seen giraffes and zebras! My toddler is so so happy.

 

[Peaseblossom36]

I got lucky with an amazing view this week. Resort view price and impeccable savanna views.

Except the room had a smell, strong, disinfectant level perfumey smell, much like the lobby but concentrated and overpowering. I aired out the room by opening the door and cutting the AC (yes in August heat). An hour later it was still strong. I turned the AC on, the scent just kept coming. I called the front desk to see if the scent could somehow not be piped into my room. They sent maintenance who sprayed a different spray into some box in the wall. Now I have 2 scents.

I thought it couldn’t be right, but it was my first time here, maybe the rooms just smell strongly. I’ve stayed at poly, CR and GFlo and there are signature scents, but they stay in the lobby.

We slept in the room, I had to sleep under the covers to breathe fresh air. My daughter developed a headache in the night.

I went to the front desk first thing in the morning and asked for the weirdest thing, to smell a different room. She found an empty one across the hall from my room, so we walked together to smell it. It was utterly devoid of scent and what I would expect. She came to smell my room and agreed that is not how the air should smell.

I was reluctant to give up such a magical savanna view at the resort view price, but I had our health to think about. So loooooong walk back to front desk, informed them I would like to change. Long walk back, new key didn’t work. Called front desk (I have advanced arthritis and it hurts to walk) to see if they could activate key card they gave me or magic bands. No call back. Called back again. Got a voice mail on my cell phone asking me to come to front desk. Long walk back, turns out they called the new room I couldn’t get into!

Current view is of fences. Saw a small antelope feeding last night, but no giraffes over here. But I can breathe.

All of that back and forth (3 times to front desk) waiting in line and packing and moving cost 3 hours of a park day, so they gave me genie plus to help make up for it. That was nice but unnecessary, I really just wanted to a room I could breathe in. It also cost me 4200 steps, and I still had AK to do that day!

We’re now under the loudest most awful people with kids pounding and jumping on the bed until 10:30PM and back at it at 8:30AM. Not AKL fault at all, but still adding insult to injury when we had a quiet room with beautiful view but intolerable headache inducing chemicals that even the hotel staff knew wasn’t right.

All of this to say I don’t love it here and won’t be back. I’m not looking to start an argument, people who love it here have valid opinions and reasons to love it. It just isn’t my vibe. I just spent 5 flawless nights at Pop, during hurricane Idalia no less, and have spent a lot of my time here at AKL wishing I was back at Pop. Which says a lot since I’ve always been a deluxe girl.

So we stayed at AKL for 8 nights and didn’t have an issue with scent BUT we moved over to Kidani for one night and that room had the strongest perfume-y like cleaner smell. It was awful. It kept me awake for quite awhile and when I did finally get to sleep I woke up with headache. It was so odd since our AKL room just smelled clean but no scent or anything. We really regretted moving, for multiple reasons.

 

[Wells Larsen]

Does anyone know if the "Hey Disney" (Alexa) devices have been deployed to Animal Kingdom Jambo House?

 

[Peaseblossom36]

Does anyone know if the "Hey Disney" (Alexa) devices have been deployed to Animal Kingdom Jambo House?

No, nothing like that in our standard room last week.

 

[Wells Larsen]

No, nothing like that in our standard room last week.

Thank you

 

[ReaperMouse]

No, nothing like that in our standard room last week.

Does anyone know if the "Hey Disney" (Alexa) devices have been deployed to Animal Kingdom Jambo House?

The Alexa dot may be included in the soft refresh, along with Murphy beds!

 

[Peaseblossom36]

The Alexa dot may be included in the soft refresh, along with Murphy beds!

Is Jambo house getting a soft refresh? It really didn’t look like it needed one.

Kidani on the other hand was in realllllyyyy rough shape. Looked like it needed a full refresh

 

[Jsharp13]

Is Jambo house getting a soft refresh? It really didn’t look like it needed one.

Kidani on the other hand was in realllllyyyy rough shape. Looked like it needed a full refresh

I was checking out the Disney site yesterday, playing with a few different reservation ideas (regular Disney World site, not DVC). When I checked into the Kidani villas, it said construction February to September 2024. That same message did not appear for Jambo.

 

[Peaseblossom36]

I was checking out the Disney site yesterday, playing with a few different reservation ideas (regular Disney World site, not DVC). When I checked into the Kidani villas, it said construction February to September 2024. That same message did not appear for Jambo.

That’s good! That notice was there when we booked this year too, we only spent the one night there but did walk over a couple other time and never heard or saw anything. It was supposed to be roof work.

The space was really nice but we much preferred Jambo.

 

[DISNEY FIX]

No, nothing like that in our standard room last week.

What kind of coffe maker a d filter type was in the room? 3 weeks away. Ty

 

[Peaseblossom36]

What kind of coffe maker a d filter type was in the room? 3 weeks away. Ty

At Jambo it was a kuerig and at Kidani it was a coffee pot.

 

[wdw4rfam]

I got lucky with an amazing view this week. Resort view price and impeccable savanna views.

Except the room had a smell, strong, disinfectant level perfumey smell, much like the lobby but concentrated and overpowering. I aired out the room by opening the door and cutting the AC (yes in August heat). An hour later it was still strong. I turned the AC on, the scent just kept coming. I called the front desk to see if the scent could somehow not be piped into my room. They sent maintenance who sprayed a different spray into some box in the wall. Now I have 2 scents.

I thought it couldn’t be right, but it was my first time here, maybe the rooms just smell strongly. I’ve stayed at poly, CR and GFlo and there are signature scents, but they stay in the lobby.

We slept in the room, I had to sleep under the covers to breathe fresh air. My daughter developed a headache in the night.

I went to the front desk first thing in the morning and asked for the weirdest thing, to smell a different room. She found an empty one across the hall from my room, so we walked together to smell it. It was utterly devoid of scent and what I would expect. She came to smell my room and agreed that is not how the air should smell.

I was reluctant to give up such a magical savanna view at the resort view price, but I had our health to think about. So loooooong walk back to front desk, informed them I would like to change. Long walk back, new key didn’t work. Called front desk (I have advanced arthritis and it hurts to walk) to see if they could activate key card they gave me or magic bands. No call back. Called back again. Got a voice mail on my cell phone asking me to come to front desk. Long walk back, turns out they called the new room I couldn’t get into!

Current view is of fences. Saw a small antelope feeding last night, but no giraffes over here. But I can breathe.

All of that back and forth (3 times to front desk) waiting in line and packing and moving cost 3 hours of a park day, so they gave me genie plus to help make up for it. That was nice but unnecessary, I really just wanted to a room I could breathe in. It also cost me 4200 steps, and I still had AK to do that day!

We’re now under the loudest most awful people with kids pounding and jumping on the bed until 10:30PM and back at it at 8:30AM. Not AKL fault at all, but still adding insult to injury when we had a quiet room with beautiful view but intolerable headache inducing chemicals that even the hotel staff knew wasn’t right.

All of this to say I don’t love it here and won’t be back. I’m not looking to start an argument, people who love it here have valid opinions and reasons to love it. It just isn’t my vibe. I just spent 5 flawless nights at Pop, during hurricane Idalia no less, and have spent a lot of my time here at AKL wishing I was back at Pop. Which says a lot since I’ve always been a deluxe girl.

I understand completely. We absolutely love AKL and not saying you are wrong, if things like that happen, it sours your opinion and I definitely would be mad at that situation. We just had a similar nightmare at SSR and will never go back. After finally getting our room and unpacking all of our stuff, someone locks their “service dog” in the room and leaves for the evening. (We saw them leave) It barks uncontrollably for hours. It’s the adjoining room. After walking back and forth and finally demanding a different room ANYWHERE, we got moved to OKW. Moving all of our stuff at 10:00 at night was not magical. Dumb dog was still barking as we left and no “security” ever showed. They were not nice about it at all. I am not a complainer and have never in 25 years complained about my room or been moved. But on the other hand we absolutely loved OKW and it was never on my radar before. So I guess something good came of it. We are booked at AKL in spring and now are booking OKW for next fall.

 

[DISNEY FIX]

At Jambo it was a kuerig and at Kidani it was a coffee pot.

Interesting....thank you.

 

[Disneychick75]

So excited to get back to AKL! We're taking our grandchildren on a surprise trip.The army is sending their parents to S Korea for the next 4 yrs. Such a wonderful experience for all of them! My husband and I will miss them and are hoping this trip will be especially memorable for our sweet 6 & 7 yo. The parentals are happy because they will get packing done while we're gone. They leave the 1st week of December.
Had booked at CBR but we feel like seeing the animals from ur balcony will make the trip that much more magical.

On what trail are the AKL rooms located? Last time I was here we stayed in a DVC villa.