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Thread: Is a Savannah view worth it?

  1. #1
    Tinkerbell is my homegirl kiki's Avatar
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    Is a Savannah view worth it?

    Hi everyone....Well we are smack in the middle of planning our WDW vacation for July 2010. So far we know that we want to stay at AKL but we cant seem to agree on the view. I want a Savannah view but my mom would prefer a standard view to save on money. I understand that with a standard view we could spend the extra money elsewhere in WDW but I think the experience is well worth it especially since this is our families first visit to WDW. So in your honest opinions should we splurge on the views or use the money for other things? The majority of our party consist of kids ages 17-5 and we will be getting two adjoining rooms. I would love to hear the pros and cons. Thanks


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  3. #2

    In my honest opinion, having stayed at the AKL multiple times, the savannah view is most definitely worth it if you can afford it. You don't have to spring for a central savannah, either - some of the outlying ones are pretty cool. Just get to your room and have a look out the window before unpacking - you may (as I did once) have to go back and request another room. The "savannah" I got on my first check-in was a chunk of grass and a parking lot - not at all acceptable. On the 2nd try they got me into a room with a terrific view of a very large savannah section, right on the path between the animals' nighttime housing. There was always plenty of traffic coming and going, which was very very cool!

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  4. #3

    If you can swing it in your budget you wont regret it. However, that said you can still have an amazing vacation without a view from your room here. There are several viewing spots located throughout the resort so regardless of where your room is you will have ample opportunity to see the savannahs. In fact even when we had a savannah view rooms in the past we still hung out in the public viewing decks an awful lot because they often provided a better view. My bottom line its an awesome perk to have a room with a view here but not if I cant swing some of my other must haves to consider my vacation a success.

    Mily


  5. #4

    I have never stayed at AKL so cannot offer an experienced view. I do however recall that, when we visited AKL and were out at a viewing spot looking at the animals (which was wonderful), I looked up at a mass of rooms with balconies and savannah views. There was not a single person to be seen using that view they had paid for. This was about 7pm at night after we had eaten at Boma. It made me think that, whilst this view must indeed be great, is it really worth the extra spend for the amount of time you might use it? This, I guess, is a personal thing but the experience menas I would not now be likely to splurge for a savannah view. But then I can't afford either view there anyway

     

    If no-one out there understands, start your own revolution and cut out the middle man (Billy Bragg)

  6. #5

    We've stayed at the AKL twice, never had a savannah view (in fact we usually opt for "parking lot view") and never missed it.

    As said above, there are plenty of places to see the animals, and if it frees up some of the budget for other things don't think twice about it.



    Jenn
    Who moved to SoFl to be closer to WDW

  7. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by scoobydooby View Post
    It made me think that, whilst this view must indeed be great, is it really worth the extra spend for the amount of time you might use it?
    While I wasn't standing on my balcony throughout the day (hey, I am in Disney World, so most time is spent in the parks!), the view was still pretty special in the morning and evening. I'd stand out there for 30 minutes or so just enjoying the vibe. So for me, it was indeed totally worth it!
    The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time.
    - James Taylor

  8. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by danyoung View Post
    While I wasn't standing on my balcony throughout the day (hey, I am in Disney World, so most time is spent in the parks!), the view was still pretty special in the morning and evening. I'd stand out there for 30 minutes or so just enjoying the vibe. So for me, it was indeed totally worth it!
    And this is my point exactly to the OP about it being a personal thing. As a parent of 2 under 11's I can't recall the last time I stood still for 30 minutes for anything. If I could I can see that this would be a great day starter and ender at Disney and I'm sure I would be in complete agreement with Dan that it would be totally worth it. Indeed, it would be the icing on the cake. But if you're in a position where you don't have the option to do that taking in the vibe thing, it may not be the best way to spend your hard earned cash.
     

    If no-one out there understands, start your own revolution and cut out the middle man (Billy Bragg)

  9. #8

    We've stayed there a couple of times, once with a savannah room, once without. The time we had the savannah room, we made a point to sit on the balcony to watch the animals, and probably actually sat there watching the animals for no more than maybe 45 minutes total, over the course of a day or two. In that case, we made a point to take the time to enjoy the view-ordinarily we would not sit on the balcony that long. There are some great places around the hotel to watch the animals. We had some excellent views from hallway windows (from the DVC section of the hotel), and from the bridge suspended over the lobby. For us, we were "spending" our DVC points, and it wasn't a money issue. Generally, we don't spend extra money for a view from the room-calculated what it "costs" per minute for the time we would actually spend looking out the window or sitting on the balcony, it's not really worth it.


  10. #9
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    Is a Savannah view worth it or necessary?

    Gonna spend another 10 day trip at WDW in Fall 2010. Wondering if Savannah view is worth it? Did you see alot of animals during your stay? We will be viewing the entire resort and will be at AK too.

    A Savannah view is alot more points than a standard view. What is a standard view? Or a value view?

    Thanks

    Mikala

  11. #10
    Tinkerbell is my homegirl kiki's Avatar
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    I asked that same question a few months ago and most of those who resopnded said no unless you plan on spending quite a bit of time in your room. Check out the post thread that I posted.

    http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showthread.php?t=134340


  12. #11
    Read Everything-Assume Nothing GusMan's Avatar
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    The value rooms are smaller than the standard rooms, and pretty much have a standard view. There are very few value rooms available and they do go fast.

    A standard view room usually has a view that is not of the Savannah or the pool area. Standard view rooms usually look over the parking lot or some other basic view.

    Having a Savannah room is not required to see many of the animals that are in the Savannah areas. There are many viewing areas throughout the resort. We have done Savannah rooms and it certainly is cool to see the animals right outside the door. However, if I had a choice between a longer stay and a Savannah room, Ill do the longer stay.

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  13. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by GusMan View Post
    A standard view room usually has a view that is not of the Savannah or the pool area. Standard view rooms usually look over the parking lot or some other basic view.
    We had a standard view room last June and it was overlooking the pool. We still saw plenty of animals when we were out and about, so for us, Savannah view would not have been worth the extra points (DVC).
    Anne

  14. #13
    Read Everything-Assume Nothing GusMan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by acpalmer View Post
    We had a standard view room last June and it was overlooking the pool.
    Then you got a cool bonus because usually standard view rooms dont have such a nice view. (Thats a general rule for all DVC resorts, not just KV@AKV)
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  15. #14

    the "worth" part of the question makes it particularly difficult to answer. we've stayed at AKL the last 6 years. we have had savannah views and standards, mostly based on the cost. we love the savannah view. makes being in the room it's own experience. taking a mid-day break or just waiting for the wife to get ready in the morning or dinner... can be cool. we have so many great photos of the giraffes, zebras and other animals it insane.

    however, you can see the animals form many locations throughout the resort, so it's not required that you have a savannah view. you can always ask when you check in for any availability of an upgrade - you might get lucky or at least a lower cost to do so.

    that being said, if money wasn't an issue - yes the savannah view is worth it.

     

  16. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by GusMan View Post
    Then you got a cool bonus because usually standard view rooms dont have such a nice view. (Thats a general rule for all DVC resorts, not just KV@AKV)
    I don't know, the only two view categories at AKV Jambo are Standard and Savannah (Value, I know, but that's really not a view category), so all of the pool views must be standard there as they obviously can't be Savannah. And it is the Value units that overlook the parking lots, so if you book a Standard view at Jambo, I think pool is what you will get.
    Anne

  17. #16

    I had a savannah room and it was well worth it to me. You have to consider how much you'll be there during daylight hours though.


  18. #17

    I have stayed at AKL once and we had a Savannah room. We hardly spent anytime in the room. I saw the animals in the am b4 we left and by the time we came home.. it was dark. I mean I didn't get the use of the extra $ put in ( but I didn't pay either hahhahh)

    **Kristin**
    You just have to have it in you... the MAGIC*



  19. #18

    I've stayed at the AKL a couple of times. The first time I had a terrific savannah view - not the central savannah, but one of the outer ones. It was right on the path from the animals' nightly lockup to the main savannah, so there was always plenty of animal traffic. For that one trip I thought I really got my money's worth.

    But the last time I stayed I got a "pool view" room, which was really more of a dense jungle right outside my room and a distant hint of one corner of the pool. No view, no animals, no nothing. Very uncool room, but you get what you pay for I guess.

    The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time.
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  20. #19

    We bought two contracts just to get the SV so I may be partial BUT I LOVE it! We eat breakfast on the balcony a few times just to enjoy the animals. Even if we eat out we sit and have coffee while watching them. My favorite time was at night which was unexpected. We didn't think we'd have much visibility at night but we were wrong! We ended every night with a drink on the balcony watching the animals.

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  21. #20

    We just got back from Kidani Village and had a standard view, which ended up being a view of the bus loading area. I enjoyed listening to the music that was being played out there, but I did not enjoy listening to the beep beep of the cherry picker that was being used outside the building at 8 in the morning (seeing how I'm from California and that felt really early to me.) We are going back in October and I'm thinking this time we'll get the savannah view. I'll miss the music, but I think I would like a little more quiet.


  22. #21
    Quote Originally Posted by DVCmom View Post
    We bought two contracts just to get the SV so I may be partial BUT I LOVE it! We eat breakfast on the balcony a few times just to enjoy the animals. Even if we eat out we sit and have coffee while watching them. My favorite time was at night which was unexpected. We didn't think we'd have much visibility at night but we were wrong! We ended every night with a drink on the balcony watching the animals.
    I agree with DVCmom - the savannah view is definitely worth it, but consider your traveling party. I usually wake up earlier than everyone else and to have that hour sipping coffee watching the animals was well worth the cost. At the end of the day, we'd get beer and wine from either Mara or the gift shop (I think both sell it, but I may be wrong) and just sit outside on the balcony. I'd much rather sit on the balcony than watch tv at the end of a good day at Disney. I do think room placement is worth considering as we were on the second floor (ground floor doesn't have guest rooms so it could be considered the 1st floor) mid-way on the arch on the "zebra" trail...best spot IMO as the giraffes were eye-level and we were far enough away from the lodge to get a good view, but not too far in terms of access to food, pool, and buses.

    Either way, you can't go wrong with AKL!
    Sam

    "When you wish upon a star..."

  23. #22
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    We stayed at AKL last week. We paid for a standard room, and were graciously upgraded to a bunk bed, savannah-view room for free. Before we went, I figured that savannah-view wasn't worth it - we are out of the room from 8AM to 10PM every day. I was wrong. We loved the view. It was amazing to get up in the morning and have the animals right there, and to see them at night when we returned. Even though we didn't pay for the view, we're spoiled now, so in the future we'll probably pay for it. The only problem was with the other guests. At night, when we got back and went out on the balcony, there were frequently other guests on balconies yelling and smoking. We even saw cigarette butts thrown into the Savannah.


  24. #23
    Quote Originally Posted by runner110 View Post
    there were frequently other guests on balconies yelling and smoking. We even saw cigarette butts thrown into the Savannah.
    What a shame It should be noted that there is no smoking allowed in those areas and that must have been a group of ill-mannered guests - I can't believe they threw their butts in the Savannah - how rude!
    Sam

    "When you wish upon a star..."

  25. #24
    Read Everything-Assume Nothing GusMan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Samrain View Post
    What a shame It should be noted that there is no smoking allowed in those areas...
    And to add to that - they should have been reported for smoking in what is, in essence, a non-smoking area.
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  26. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by GusMan View Post
    And to add to that - they should have been reported for smoking in what is, in essence, a non-smoking area.
    Sorry it took me so long to respond - I've been dealing with an unexpected 45 inches of snow outside of Washington DC. Not a nice thing to return to from Florida.

    GM - I would have gladly reported them. Heck, I would have gladly thrown them off the balconies. But they weren't directly next to me, and I couldn't pinpoint the rooms. And there were lots of them. And I'm admittedly a little bitter about Disney's lack of enforcement of serious infractions when they involve Brazilian tour groups, after our disaster at POR two years ago. There are cameras trained on every balcony (there are signs on the balcony doors warning guests of this), and these people weren't being discreet. IMHO, if Disney had any desire to enforce the smoking rule, they could clearly see what was happening. But in hindsight, I probably should have made the call.

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