Jambo! The newest AKL Information thread

[TikiRob]

Has anyone been recently to Jambo House know what activities are open? Community Hall? Movies at Night? Anything else?

I can tell you in 12 days!

 

[ThinkBelieveDream&Dare]

Hoping the US allows UK visitors to visit in August as we have reservations for AKL Jambo 5th to 19th.
Is it wishful thinking that Boma and The Mara will be open by then? (not holding my breath lol)

 

[HiStitch626]

Mara is open for breakfast. But I don’t see Boma opening until the hotel part of Jambo is open.

 

[Best Aunt]

Has anyone been recently to Jambo House know what activities are open? Community Hall? Movies at Night? Anything else?

I think the Community Hall is at Kidani Village, not Jambo House. But maybe you already knew that.

 

[StuckinPA]

Hello! I'm booked at Coronado for April 24-27 but may be making the move to Kidani to a standard studio. What are the chances of lucking into a partial savanna view here? I'd prefer Kidani regardless and there are no savanna studios open but it will be my boyfriend's first Disney trip, so curious of the odds. Also, I'm getting conflicting reports: is the pool open?

 

[HiStitch626]

There are some standard rooms at Kidani with a partial view of the Pembe savanna. You would want to request a room on the north side of the resort. The pool is open, and you can also use the pool at Jambo.

 

[dgbg100106]

Hoping the US allows UK visitors to visit in August as we have reservations for AKL Jambo 5th to 19th.
Is it wishful thinking that Boma and The Mara will be open by then? (not holding my breath lol)

August
8/5 - 8/19 ThinkBelieveDream&Dare Jambo
8/15 - 8/22 GinnyBear's_mom - AKL
8/17 - 8/21 Wayland10 - Kidani
8/18 - 8/25 myth2001 AKL
8/27 - 8/30 myth2001 - AKL
8/30 - 9/3 Naglejen - Kidani

 

[Njber116]

So we are doing a split stay - 3 nights at AKL - Kidani followed by 3 nights at YC. On our transition day, my daughter will still have virtual school though and will need to be online from about 8 - 2 PM. What's our best bet for making sure she can be online. We'll surely have to check out of the room before 2 but I'm also sure we won't be able to get into our YC room before 8 AM. I haven't stayed at either resort before so wondering, is there a quiet and not-to-busy (read: COVID-safe) spot at either resort where she can log in to her Chromebook and attend her virtual classes? (Preferably at AKL) Any recommendations? Maybe Jambo lobby is less busy with that side not fully open?

 

[HiStitch626]

Jambo is extremely quiet right now and you can sit in the lobby area or even in the Victoria Falls lounge area.

 

[sabrecmc]

Hoping the US allows UK visitors to visit in August as we have reservations for AKL Jambo 5th to 19th.
Is it wishful thinking that Boma and The Mara will be open by then? (not holding my breath lol)

I'm cautiously optimistic. I think things will really be looking up by summer and people are ready to get back to something approaching normal.

 

[Best Aunt]

So we are doing a split stay - 3 nights at AKL - Kidani followed by 3 nights at YC. On our transition day, my daughter will still have virtual school though and will need to be online from about 8 - 2 PM. What's our best bet for making sure she can be online. We'll surely have to check out of the room before 2 but I'm also sure we won't be able to get into our YC room before 8 AM. I haven't stayed at either resort before so wondering, is there a quiet and not-to-busy (read: COVID-safe) spot at either resort where she can log in to her Chromebook and attend her virtual classes? (Preferably at AKL) Any recommendations? Maybe Jambo lobby is less busy with that side not fully open?

If you're in the Jambo House lobby heading toward the back (like you want to go to the overlook), there is a little area off to your left. It's like a separate room but no door. If there's nobody in there, it might be a good spot.

 

[Kerr84]

We will be at Kidani June 7-10th. I'm very excited, but also nervous with minimal QS food options. Has anyone been recently and can give a little more information about ordering from the pool bar for lunch/dinner? How long was it open? How long did it take? Seating? I cannot believe Disney isn't opening the Mara for Lunch/Dinner. I understand why, but AKL is so isolated that you cannot easily go somewhere else.

 

[bluecastle]

I posted this in the other AKL thread also, so please forgive me if you are seeing it twice. Thanks for your input!
I am planning a trip for February 2022 with my DH, DD and her husband,and my DGD who will be 2 and a half and going on her first trip to WDW. We have stayed, (cash reservations), in 2BR villas and love them! We decided this trip will be more resort-centric with less time spent in the parks, so we would like to try either Jambo or Kidani.
At first I assumed we would try for Kidani: closer to animals if on lower floor, larger square footage, extra bathroom, and first bus stop. Then I watched a video and noticed that in the dedicated 2BR the beds in the 2nd BR are high up. We would prefer the sleeper couch in the lock-off for our granddaughter. I know that all the 2BR in Boma are lock-offs, so that would guarantee we get one.
I guess my question is, can you help me figure out which one to try for? Are there more children's activities, assuming they bring them back by then, at Jambo? We don't need to have the animals close up since we will be hanging out at both and exploring the viewing areas. I also liked the kitchen set up in Jambo. Which villas are newer?
Also, how do I even book a 2BR at Jambo online? Do I book a 1BR and a studio since they don't list 2BRs as an option? Should I call instead?
Thanks for any advice, info, and opinions!!

 

[Best Aunt]

I am planning a trip for February 2022 with my DH, DD and her husband,and my DGD who will be 2 and a half and going on her first trip to WDW. We have stayed, (cash reservations), in 2BR villas and love them!
Also, how do I even book a 2BR at Jambo online? Do I book a 1BR and a studio since they don't list 2BRs as an option?

No, do not book a 1BR and a studio and hope that equals a 2 BR. You could get a 1 BR in one area and a studio in another area. A 2BR is a booking category. If you want it, you have to book it.

You didn't say when in February, and you didn't say if this will be another cash reservation or a reservation made on points.

For reservations made on points: members can only book 11 months ahead, and only at their home resort, meaning the resort for which they have a DVC contract. So if, for example, you wanted a points reservation for the end of February, it can't be done yet because it isn't 11 months out yet. Members can book at any resort at 7 months out.

For cash reservations: the number of DVC rooms which become available for cash reservations is limited. More might become available closer to your travel dates, if DVC members have not booked them. I put in some random dates at the end of February 2022 for cash reservations, and the DVC hotel options right now are extremely limited.

You can't check availability for one method and assume there will be rooms to book for the other method. Sometimes rooms are available for cash reservations but not for points reservations, and vice versa.

Another thing to keep in mind is that some DVC members have a lot of points to use now, because they could not or would not travel earlier in the pandemic. So that could make it harder to book a DVC room.

If your dates are definite, you might want to book regular hotel rooms. If DVC rooms become available to book, you can cancel the regular hotel rooms.

Also keep in mind that Feb 21, 2022 is Presidents' Day. Pre-COVID, some schools gave vacations for the whole week, making that a popular time to go to Disney World. I don't know what schools are doing next year.

 

[bluecastle]

No, do not book a 1BR and a studio and hope that equals a 2 BR. You could get a 1 BR in one area and a studio in another area. A 2BR is a booking category. If you want it, you have to book it.

You didn't say when in February, and you didn't say if this will be another cash reservation or a reservation made on points.

For reservations made on points: members can only book 11 months ahead, and only at their home resort, meaning the resort for which they have a DVC contract. So if, for example, you wanted a points reservation for the end of February, it can't be done yet because it isn't 11 months out yet. Members can book at any resort at 7 months out.

For cash reservations: the number of DVC rooms which become available for cash reservations is limited. More might become available closer to your travel dates, if DVC members have not booked them. I put in some random dates at the end of February 2022 for cash reservations, and the DVC hotel options right now are extremely limited.

You can't check availability for one method and assume there will be rooms to book for the other method. Sometimes rooms are available for cash reservations but not for points reservations, and vice versa.

Another thing to keep in mind is that some DVC members have a lot of points to use now, because they could not or would not travel earlier in the pandemic. So that could make it harder to book a DVC room.

If your dates are definite, you might want to book regular hotel rooms. If DVC rooms become available to book, you can cancel the regular hotel rooms.

Also keep in mind that Feb 21, 2022 is Presidents' Day. Pre-COVID, some schools gave vacations for the whole week, making that a popular time to go to Disney World. I don't know what schools are doing next year.

Thank you, Best Aunt, for your very informative reply. We are not DVC members, hence the former stays in 2BRs I mentioned as cash customers. We have never even rented points because I have always gone for room only reservations with the 5 day cancellation policy. My parents are in their 90's and there are other reasons I like to have that option.
Usually I book 2 regular rooms way ahead of time and then keep checking on villa availability. I have been very lucky in that regard. This trip is very different both because of COVID and DVCers using their points, and the fact that we only want to stay in AKL because of this trip being resort-centric. I'm planning on first week of February because I looked at the rate seasons on MouseSavers and that was the least expensive in February. I also read that it was not a super high demand time, but as you said, that could change because of people using up their points.
I wish I could reserve 2 regular rooms at Jambo, but with no opening date, that may be less likely than scoring a Kidani 2BR! Is it true that the villas at Jambo are not available for cash reservations?
Thanks again!!

 

[Groot]

How do the buses work there? Do they drop off at Jambo and if so, do you have to walk all the way to Kidani or is there another way to get there for those of us who don’t/can’t walk that distance?

 

[karen4546]

How do the buses work there? Do they drop off at Jambo and if so, do you have to walk all the way to Kidani or is there another way to get there for those of us who don’t/can’t walk that distance?

Buses will drop off/pick up at Kidani first. We have not stayed at AKV Jambo since re-opening, but before, there was an internal bus that would go to Kidani and the Disney Springs bus stopped at Jambo first then KIdani.

We were @ Copper Creek in September and October, the Polynesian in November, and Boardwalk in December.

We are going to stay at our home resort and I can't wait. I just wish they would at least open the gift shop and the Mara. and Boma and Jiko..... well everything.

We will be staying at Jambo house in 14 days.

 

[Best Aunt]

Is it true that the villas at Jambo are not available for cash reservations?

I haven't heard of such a rule. However, DVC members may be grabbing them.

 

[steg]

We're booked the May 10th to the 21st at Jambo House, hoping for Jiko to be open....

 

[Elleshoodat]

When not staying at AKL, we often visit Jambo House to have a meal and "visit" the animals. Is that permitted at this time? We will be there in a couple of weeks, then again in May.