We were offered an overnight stay at AKL Jambo house by DVC Friends who could not use (or bank) their reservation, so we were off to Jambo House yesterday.
We were at check in about noon, and were given all the paraphanalia (paperwork, maps, perks, etc) but the deluxe studio with Savannah view was not ready yet.
We left and headed to Red Lobster for lunch. Haven't been there in ages and since nothing at Mara caught our eye, off we went.
We had a pretty nice lunch (lobster bisque for me, with fish and chips, and Herself had a fish sandwich with french fries). We chose not to have dessert. All told, with tip it was about $40. Very decent food, hot and excellent service, and no wait to be seated.
While we were on our way there we received a text message saying our villa was ready, so after lunch we "moved in." We were on the fifth floor, and the view was great. We lounged on the balcony watching the animals, and then went off exploring the resort. We tried margaritas at the pool bar. Herself's was better than mine, but mine was ok. Poked around the resort shop, but nothing really caught our eye.
We returned to our villa (queen bed, pull out couch, small kitchenette) and lazed around some more actually having a nap!
We met some old friends for a drink at Victoria Falls. It was wonderful seeing them again. Their girls have grown SO MUCH!!! After a short visit, they went on their merry way, and we headed to Jiko for dinner.
We originally planned on Sanaa, but the menu didn't do much for us so we switched to Jiko. Yep. We were able to have a reservation for the same day that we tried to make it. It was for 7:50 pm.
We were seated after a fifteen minute wait in the Wine Room. We were happy with that as it was quiet, and more intimate than the main (very noisy) dining area. There was only one child in the Wine Room and she was very well behaved.
We had the Tastes of Africa for an Appetizer and North African Beetroot Salad. Both were very nice.
The entrees? Not so much. I chose the Nigerian Prawns, and Herself the Oak Grilled Filet. When the main courses came, my first comment at her plate was, "Oh gosh. That's ugly." It was the least appetizing plate I've seen in quite some time. The filet was quite thin, and sitting atop a bed of mushy (yep, nasty mushy) "ancient grain." Herself said the meat tasted fine, but the grain was really unpalatable.
The prawns were over cooked and coated in a heavy spice mixture that was essentially a paste. Once I scraped it off, the prawns were a little more tasty. The pea nage (puree of green peas by any other name) and the rice were not seasoned at all, and essentially tasteless.
The service was attentive, and prompt with cheerfulness and not intrusive at all.
Dessert was the Milk Tart with a small (perhaps a tablespoon) serving of goat's milk ice cream that was on a thin wafer of salted dark chocolate. The ice cream was the star of the dessert. The Milk Tart was overpowered by the fig layer at the bottom of the tart crust. The tart crust was soggy and not very tasty.
So, at the close of the dinner we have determined that Disney is no longer the place for "fine dining." Our New Year's Eve meal at Big Fin for approximately the same cost with tip (about $200) was far, far better than Jiko. Disappointing doesn't quite describe it, as Jiko had been a true favorite of ours since it opened.
After dinner we returned to our studio and watched the nocturnal animals a bit before falling asleep. We slept well! Nearly overslept which caused us to move more quickly than I like to in the morning, so that we could have breakfast at Boma.
After Jiko last night we almost canceled, but decided to give it one more try, too. It was far better than Jiko (how sad is that; a breakfast buffet is much nicer than a signature restuarant?!). We felt $50 was too much for breakfast though, so won't be doing that one again too soon.
So there it is, the shortest trip report ever! AKL is a great place to stay. :yes: There were many activities to do, if we had wanted to (marshmallow roasting, bonfire, story telling... you can purchase little events too like a tour of the kitchens, etc.). Really enjoyed the stay.
The food? Nope. Once more Disney has convinced us that eating off site is the best choice for us.
