Jambo! The newest AKL Information thread

[Dis_Yoda]

Is there a CS at Kidani Village? If you buy the refillable mugs and are staying at Kidani, do you have to go over to Jambo and the Mara to fill them?

There isn't a Counter Service at Kidani Village. Those shop in the lobby has some basic groceries/snacks though. They do have a refilling station at the resort.

 

[P'colaBeachBum]

Hi everyone! I'm considering a May 2019 stay with my DS. I saw this on the WDW Refurb page: Jambo House- room refurbishment- Mid 8/2018- Fall 2019.

Does anyone have any details on how much this will impact people's stays? Thanks!

Do you have a link to that? I can't find that info. There will be refurb on the pool and pool bar but I have not received any word on room refurbs.

ETA: found it. Guess I will call to confirm.

Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge- Jambo House- starting 2/12/2018 pilot program where transactions will be handled with cash free option. All purchases and service will accept MagicBands, credit cards, debit cards, Disney Gift Cards, Disney Rewards Redemption Cards, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, or Google Pay. Children's Activity Center closing 8/1/2018. Jambo House- room refurbishment- Mid 8/2018- Fall 2019. Uzima Springs Pool- Jambo House, Uzima Springs Pool and Uzima Springs Pool Bar closed 9/1/2018- Winter 2018. During this time Samawati Springs Pool and Maji Pool Bar in Kidani Village will be available. A shuttle will be provide to and from the Animal Kingdom Villas to Jambo house. Guests may see or hear construction butnoise should not be heard betweek dusk and 9 AM.


EDIT: just got off the phone with guest services. The refurb will be starting with the Villas.

 

[Ahmne]

Villas are top floors aren't they? We go mid August and now I'm concerned about noise. Wish the refurbish was happening just before we came instead or right after.

 

[KSR0330]

Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge- Jambo House- starting 2/12/2018 pilot program where transactions will be handled with cash free option. All purchases and service will accept MagicBands, credit cards, debit cards, Disney Gift Cards, Disney Rewards Redemption Cards, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, or Google Pay. Children's Activity Center closing 8/1/2018. Jambo House- room refurbishment- Mid 8/2018- Fall 2019. Uzima Springs Pool- Jambo House, Uzima Springs Pool and Uzima Springs Pool Bar closed 9/1/2018- Winter 2018. During this time Samawati Springs Pool and Maji Pool Bar in Kidani Village will be available. A shuttle will be provide to and from the Animal Kingdom Villas to Jambo house. Guests may see or hear construction butnoise should not be heard betweek dusk and 9 AM.


EDIT: just got off the phone with guest services. The refurb will be starting with the Villas.

Any specifics on what they will be doing?

 

[P'colaBeachBum]

Any specifics on what they will be doing?

No, she had to call the resort just to get that much info. I also sent an email to them and also CC it to George.Kalogridis@disney.com. Both the pool/ pool bar, and room refurbs will greatly impact our stay in early Nov. We have a military discount but I'm not sure if it will be that great of a deal due to the noise factor.

 

[MemphisVanessa]

I just sent an email to Guest Services. I was prepared to just go with it until I learned about Stormalong Bay. Our trip is a split-stay between Beach Club and Animal Kingdom Lodge so we are now dealing with back to back pool construction. I'm not sure that anything can really be done for us but I felt I at least needed to voice my disappointment. I do understand the need for refurbishments but what an extreme bummer for our bad timing!

 

[KSR0330]

I just sent an email to Guest Services. I was prepared to just go with it until I learned about Stormalong Bay. Our trip is a split-stay between Beach Club and Animal Kingdom Lodge so we are now dealing with back to back pool construction. I'm not sure that anything can really be done for us but I felt I at least needed to voice my disappointment. I do understand the need for refurbishments but what an extreme bummer for our bad timing!

What's going on with Stormalong Bay?

 

[MemphisVanessa]

What's going on with Stormalong Bay?

It has been a big topic of conversation on the Yacht and Beach Club board. The area in question is the sand bottom kid zone.

"Stormalong Bay Pool
A very small portion of Stormalong Bay Pool will be closed in order to make way for new cabanas. The remainder of the area will remain in full operation. During this time, it is possible that Guests may see or hear construction, but noise should not be heard from Guest rooms between dusk and 9:00am.
Mid-August – Fall 2018"

 

[Carlymouse]

Villas are top floors aren't they? We go mid August and now I'm concerned about noise. Wish the refurbish was happening just before we came instead or right after.

Floor 5 for Jambo villas.

 

[P'colaBeachBum]

Any specifics on what they will be doing?

Got a call back and they are starting with the villas in the main building since they are the oldest. That is all the info for now. They will most likely send out info later. You know they like doing everything at the last moment.

 

[CeruleanMoon]

I wonder if they will be getting rid of the ceiling fans like I hear they have been doing in the other deluxe resorts?

 

[likesdisney]

I've been looking at the forecast for the next week and they have it raining every day. Will I be able to see many animals (savannah view room) if it's raining a lot? Really hoping to see giraffes.

 

[KSR0330]

Got a call back and they are starting with the villas in the main building since they are the oldest. That is all the info for now. They will most likely send out info later. You know they like doing everything at the last moment.

Thanks for the information. I guess I'll have to just wait and see what they are doing as May gets closer.

 

[KSR0330]

It has been a big topic of conversation on the Yacht and Beach Club board. The area in question is the sand bottom kid zone.

"Stormalong Bay Pool
A very small portion of Stormalong Bay Pool will be closed in order to make way for new cabanas. The remainder of the area will remain in full operation. During this time, it is possible that Guests may see or hear construction, but noise should not be heard from Guest rooms between dusk and 9:00am.
Mid-August – Fall 2018"

It's crazy to me that they are doing so much work throughout so many resorts.

 

[sibesx2]

Do you have a link to that? I can't find that info. There will be refurb on the pool and pool bar but I have not received any word on room refurbs.

ETA: found it. Guess I will call to confirm.

Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge- Jambo House- starting 2/12/2018 pilot program where transactions will be handled with cash free option. All purchases and service will accept MagicBands, credit cards, debit cards, Disney Gift Cards, Disney Rewards Redemption Cards, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, or Google Pay. Children's Activity Center closing 8/1/2018. Jambo House- room refurbishment- Mid 8/2018- Fall 2019. Uzima Springs Pool- Jambo House, Uzima Springs Pool and Uzima Springs Pool Bar closed 9/1/2018- Winter 2018. During this time Samawati Springs Pool and Maji Pool Bar in Kidani Village will be available. A shuttle will be provide to and from the Animal Kingdom Villas to Jambo house. Guests may see or hear construction butnoise should not be heard betweek dusk and 9 AM.


EDIT: just got off the phone with guest services. The refurb will be starting with the Villas.

I thought I read that the pool wasn't supposed to be closed until Sept. 4? Is it closing on the 1st?

 

[SweetSerenity]

It's crazy to me that they are doing so much work throughout so many resorts.

I know. It doesn't seem like you can pick anywhere right now that's not going to be under some sort of construction. I want a little peace and quiet, and I'm not talking about the noise that comes from other guests and children. I'm talking about the moving around of furniture, the banging, the closing off of amenities.

 

[HollyMD]

The room refurbs are a big bummer for us. We go in Oct and have a 2yr old and intended afternoon naps. We are going on rented DVC points so nothing we can do

 

[pepperandchips]

Is there a CS at Kidani Village? If you buy the refillable mugs and are staying at Kidani, do you have to go over to Jambo and the Mara to fill them?

I didn't see anyone else mention that if you are just looking for a quick breakfast, Sanaa now serves a QS breakfast. Not sure about mug refills there but as was mentioned you can refill mugs in the gift shop. Sanaa is table service at lunch and dinner but we usually sit in the lounge area and share small plates which makes the price more similar to a QS. I need to go catch up on your PTR! I know it is frustrating to get all the news of refurb but I am still jealous!!!

 

[gillep]

I didn't see anyone else mention that if you are just looking for a quick breakfast, Sanaa now serves a QS breakfast. Not sure about mug refills there but as was mentioned you can refill mugs in the gift shop. Sanaa is table service at lunch and dinner but we usually sit in the lounge area and share small plates which makes the price more similar to a QS. I need to go catch up on your PTR! I know it is frustrating to get all the news of refurb but I am still jealous!!!

Sanaa breakfast is really good, I actually prefer it to The Mara, as I think the food seems fresher and more made to order, that said, they do not have any mug refill options at Sanaa breakfast, so you would need to refill your mug in the gift shop separately from your breakfast in Sanaa but they will let you bring your mug in if you are staying to eat breakfast in the restaurant.

 

[gillep]

Is there any benefit to checking in in person rather than online? What about checking in now (32 days out)?

We always do online check in whenever it becomes available so that we don't forget, as we like the option of getting our room ready text prior to arrival. That said, online check in does not preclude you from still going to the desk. If you haven't received your text or email yet you can stop by the desk to say hi and see if they may have something available sooner, or if you have received your text and you don't like your room assignment, you can ask to see if they have something else available. We take a red eye flight from CA so we pretty much always stop by the desk when we arrive to let the know we are at the resort and will take the first available room in our booking category even though we have already done online check in and let them know we want first available, I would say about half the time they have a room available that they can assign us.

So they are doing a pool refurbishment at AKL after Labor Day? Is the pool currently in bad shape? We will be going in June, and we had planned a pool/resort day.

The pool is still in great shape, you won't notice anything run-down in June as it relates to the pool and pool bar.