Why is AKL cheaper than some of the other Deluxe

[tlt]

Why is AKL cheaper than Poly, Yacht Club, and several other of the deluxe resorts? With AKL being so new, I would think it would be more expensive. How do they come up with these prices? I was surprised to see that it is $100 or more cheaper than some of the other resorts.

[zulaya]

1. I think it's cheaper because it's new. They want people to try it.
2. It lacks direct connection to a park. Polynesian, GF, Cont. have the monorail. YC/BC/BWI have walking paths to Epcot and MGM. AKL doesn't even have a path to AK.

[Kimkimba]

This is just my guess - having researched resorts greatly. AKL is out there - not on the monorail, not near Epcot - take the bus. It's pricing is like WL, which is also "take the bus." The other Deluxe resorts offer better transportation options to various parks. This is just my guess.

[DebbieB]

I think one of the main reasons is there is no park within walking or monorail distance. The GF/Poly/Contemporary have the monorail and the great view of the lake and MK, lots of restaurant choices. YC/BC/BW has walking to Epcot & MGM and all the restaurants around the lake. I believe the regular AK rooms, like WL, are smaller than the other deluxe resorts. They only hold 4. You have to upgrade to a deluxe room for 5.

[BrianD]

It's because those prices are for standard rooms, which don't have much of a view and are smaller. As soon as you move up to rooms with upgraded views (i.e. savanna) you're right in the same price range as the other deluxe resorts.

[CaliforniaDreaming]

You really need to take into account the room size. To fairly compare room rates, you would have to compare a deluxe room at AKL to a room at the other Disney Deluxe Resorts. :)

[Terry S]

I agree it has to do with the room sizes. The deluxe rooms at AKL are the same as a regular room at the other deluxes. So if your comparing apples to apples, you would have to compare the deluxe room price at AKL to one of the regular room at a deluxe resort. The nice thing though is even in a standard room at AKL, you still get deluxe amenities.

[cindyfan]

The other thing is that there are no other "activities" at AKL!
All the other deluxes have boat and bike rental. They also have more that one pool.
They all have many restaurant and shopping options....ie..MK delux resort you can walk or hop the monorail to another resort. The same with the Epcot delux resorts...just a quick walk to Boardwalk for example if you are staying at Beach Club. WL is just a quick boat ride.
AKL is beautiful and to watch the animals on the savannah is fantastic......BUT that it about all there is to do.
and only one pool, which can get very crowded during the busier seasons.
So unless you are really into animals and being secluded from everything....it may not be worth the price of a deluxe. Therefore they price the "standard" rooms closer to what a moderate might be....IMHO :D

[skiwee1]

I also think it has to do with transportation. All of the deluxes have direct access to a park. Even the WL has a boat that takes you to the MK so there is no need for a bus. Only the AKL, being a deluxe hotel, has only busses for transportation. I would not pay for a deluxe and have to settle for busses. I can pay for a moderate and get no better transportation. AKL has been the cheapest deluxe out there. I always get postcards for their standard rooms for $134 a night. The WL is even higher then that when I ask for a standard room, $139. So AKL, even comparing standard rooms, are the cheapest out there. I guess they need to compensate for lack of transportation choices.

[drusba]

It is location and room size. The majority of AKL rooms are the same size as most WL rooms (340 sg ft) which are actually the same size as the rooms at Carribean Beach Resort which is a moderate, and smaller than all other deluxes (YC/BC and BW are at about 380, GF, Poly and Cont are over 400). Neither WL nor AKL is located within spitting distance of a park like all the other deluxes. You will find that AKL prices compare similarly to WL prices as Disney considers those two in the same class price-wise just below the other deluxes. Note also that the price comparison can only be done at regular prices. When you have discounts, you get lots of variation, for example Contemporary can sometimes be cheaper than AKL and WL even when they all have discount prices. Thus that AKL may have lower discounted prices at any given time does not render itself to any real long term comparison.

[jillnan]

My family and I have stayed at the AKL and the Poly. Why does the AKL offer rooms at a lower rate? IMHO - Location - location - location! The bus service was sub-par and being so far removed from everything was not the greatest feeling. Don't get me wrong - the AKL is beautiful and the animals magnificent.

My daughters (10 & 5), have both agreed their favorite hotel is the Poly. Access to the Monorail, TTC and boat to MK are part of the reason. Other reasons are the pool, beach, boat rentals, Electric Water Parade and general atmosphere of the hotel. I don't mind paying more for the convenience of staying at the Poly. Plus, the rooms seemed bigger at the Poly. We had a savannah room at the AKL.

After our last trip to AKL, we went to the character breakfast at
the Poly. My girls stated quite emphatically - "We want to stay here next time!!!". And we will! :D

[Gabrielle]

I think of WL and AKL as the semi-deluxes.

No character meals, not on the monorail, and smaller rooms.

[skiwee1]

WL used to have a character meal up until September 2001. Maybe they will bring it back as business picks up.

[JulesMom]

I agree the the other posters. The room is very small! And the resort is isolated.

BUT, it is a great experience to stay there!:)

[DeeP]

It is a combination of all the things listed, the rooms are small, there is only bus transportation, there are no activities like bike, boat rentals and the resort is located far from everything. When AKL first opened they were not having all of the discounted rates like they are now, maybe they are not getting enough guests booking at AKL so they need to discount the rooms to fill them. We have stayed at AKL and thought it was a beautiful resort and loved Jiko but we are not in a hurry to stay there again for all of the above reasons.

[Darla and Alfalfa]

WOW, I was surprised to read on Zulaya's reply that AKL does not have a path to AK. I assumed it was like the Epcot resorts with a short walk away. Do you have to take a bus to the AK park also?

[Peter Pirate]

AKL is cheaper because it is new and hasn't attracted a big following yet, probably in part due to a lot of the misconceptions I've seen repeated here.

First, the transportation. I've seen one post say it was "sub-par" and this just isn't true. The Bus Service at AKL is SUPERIOR to all the other resorts as it doesn't share a bus. Surely some people will occasionally have a bad bus experience (as happened here) but I have stayed at AKL 5 times and it is exemplery, which is the predominant opinion on this board, as well.

Second, someone said there is nothing to do at the Resort...Does the word zoo mean anything? Not to mention a huge pool & many interactive programs with CM's. If animals, learning about them & their native habitat at your hotel would not impress you, DO NOT stay at the AKL.

Third, the room size. This has no bearing on the cost...It is simply supply & demand.

Fourth, location and the AKL is "way out there" theme. It is true there is no other entertainment within walking distance. If you need that, the Boardwalk area hotels are for you. But it is complete fallacy that AKL is "out there". It is 2 minutes from AK, (a short) 5 from MGM & Epcot & 12-15 from the MK...Hardly isolated in the hinterlands.

Certainly the AKL as with every other Disney hotel will not be for everybody (which is a good thing) but if you want to stay at the AKL for these reasonable prices I'd do it now because once it catches on, $200 bucks per night will be bargain basement.

Oh, there is a rumor floating around (pun intended) that WDW is looking at boat service to AK (from AKL). There is water there but canals would have to be dug...AND a walking path is currently being considered as well.
:cool: :cool: :bounce: :cool: :cool:

[DeeP]

Peter Pirate, I can tell you are a big fan of AKL and that is wonderful that you enjoy this resort so much but.....

All of the deluxe resorts except AKL have more than bus transportation available to their guests. that is what I think many people mean by the sub par transportation system at AKL.

Watching the animals and going to the CM talks around the fire is wonderful but many people expect to have more things offered if they are staying at a "deluxe" resort something again comparable to the other deluxe WDW resorts.

Room size is a big thing to most guests when they are paying top dollar to stay at a deluxe resort.

AKL is far removed from everything and the bus transport times you said are far less than what we have experienced while either staying at AKL or going there to eat at one of their restaurants.

The fact that the room prices at AKL have come down considerably since opening and this is also the resort that people are posting they have been moved to from a moderate resort when there was a problem and they STILL paid the moderate resort price at AKL is not a good sign. You are right AKL is not for everyone and it seems as though it is for alot less people than Disney thought it would be. Disney never lowers resort prices if they do not have to.

As far as the rumor, I think that is all it is. I was just at AKL in May and was speaking to a manager about the remote location, no access to AK and was told they could not have walking paths, boats, etc because of how close the resort is to the animal shelters and AK. It could be a potentially dangerous situation. This is what I was told by the AKL manager, so I am merely repeating what I was told.

[Peter Pirate]

Deep, it's all just my opinion, but with the transportation issue I was referring to the busses & the times (as were a number of the posters). The times I gave are accurate (unless I've been lucky 5 times!) and you'll see this verified thoughout DIS reports. If people say 'sub par' to mean lack of choices of transportation...I agree & always have.

Room prices at AKL are currently a sign of very little. 9/11 happened just six months or so after AKL opened & vacation habits since then are changing. As to the prices, my last visit to AKL I payed 189.00 for a Savanahh room...Could have had Poly for 194 or Beach Club fo 199 (not much different ) & WL for 149!

As for the rumors, that is all that they are at this time, but I can't concieve Norm Noble (AKL GM) having not heard these, but the person I heard them from is further up the Disney food chain than Mr. Noble...
Watching animlas & going to the CM's talks around the fire is wonderful but many people expect to have more things offered if they are staying at a Deluxe...
Well, there is far more interaction actually set up on a daily basis than the "fire talks" and which other Resort has a multi-million dollar zoo outside of it's windows??? I agree that if animals and African culture don't intrigue you don't visit AKL. If the determining factor of deluxe value is seeing the Castle or having a Boardwalk, then other Resorts are for you. AKL is NOT like other Disney Resorts, it is unto itself. It is, IMO, the finest WDW Resort & I've stayed at them all (except the Contempo & GF) and love everyone.. If AKL's not your cup of tea thats fine but review the offerings closely & be fair in the criticisim. What I hear so frequently is akin to a DIS restaraunt reviewer who says "we ate at 'Ohana lat night and I'm a vegitarian & the rest of the family doesn't like smoked meats - what a horrible experience we'll never eat there again!" I

If you want a true Afrcan adventure (in the heart of Central Florida) the one available to you at AKL is truly magnificent...If transportation choices, the ability to walk to other atttractions or normal Disney prefab entertainmet is your thing, don't stay at AKL, you WILL BE disappointed...
:cool: :cool: :bounce: :cool: :cool:

[Disneylvr]

Thank you Peter Pirate! I like your attitude. :) I can't wait to stay there in September. Watching animals is my thing, I don't care for renting boats, bikes etc. so the AKL is for me.

[jmarie]

Peter Pirate--well-said. Part of the ambiance of an African Savannah is being off the beaten track. Obviously, if this resort were to sit on the highway under the Castle, it wouldn't be the same. This is not for everybody--it's for those who want something a little quieter and different that the usual Disney experience.

[J. Thornhill]

Hear Hear, Peter Pirate!

Peter has gotten right at the mark! Appreciating AKL does not require exclusive tastes but it does require an open mind. In other words, when it comes to AKL's theming, you don't have to be some sort of cosmopolitan genius to "get it", but you should be prepared for a very different and non-traditional lodging experience. That being said, it is still probably not for everyone. Disney has taken a significant and commendable risk in the design of AKL, and IMO has succeeded admirably.

Can you tell I'm looking forward to returning next week? :)

Jonathan

[BevS97]

we just got back from AKL - Why did we stay there? Those lower room prices. We would have never considered a deluxe resort - I was quite excited when we got to CBR last year, but since they had a special offer on, and we got a room for $153/night, we decided to give it a try. (and as an added bonus, we got a savannah view, which we didn't expect)

I think it's a superb hotel - it is a little isolated, but we found the buses ran very regularly, and we ended up using them even though we had planned on taking our car.

There are loads of activities on - we had a list in our room and we were disappointed that we didn't have a day free to spend at the hotel and just try all the activities - there was something nearly every hour throughout the day. One that I remember, that I've not heard mentioned before, was cookie decorating in Boma - my dd would have loved that.
We also went out on the Arusha Rock one evening and there was a CM with a night scope to allow you to view the animals after dark. It's not mickey - but it was amazing - we had mickey and characters all day, it was nice to come home to something different and unusual.

You've also got 2 superb restaurants at the hotel - and a lovely pool. I will admit I was a little disappointed with the shop - we have been to other deluxes to eat, and I've always enjoyed browsing the extensive stores, but the store at AKL is a little small for my shopping appetite!

If a view of giraffes and impala playing outside of your room appeals, then I would say try AKL - we spent hours on the balcony just watching the giraffes.

I don't know how big the rooms were compared to others - we found it ok but nothing special - the only slight complaint was that it was very dark - they could have used some more lighting.

Bev

[cindyfan]

DeeP.....ditto to everything you said!!:)

Peter....I don't think we are debating wether AKL is an excellent resort or a much different experiece.
AKL is a BEAUTIFUL resort and quite a wonderful and magical experience.....but.....
The poster was just curious as to why the lower price for AKL vs the other deluxes.
and I think we all gave excellent reasons.

As for "....Does the word zoo mean anything?..." we live within 20 minutes of a major zoo and visit it often. The animals at AKL can also been seen on the Safari while at AK. Don't get me wrong.....I love to watch them from the room.....stayed at AKL last year and loved it......
But the other deluxes have other activities that AKL doesn't.

AND .... IMHO..... the room size does matter. And I have experienced good and bad with the buses at all the resorts. I don't feel AKL is superior....but just the same as the others.

AKL is definitely one of our FAVORITES!! and yes may not be for everyone.....but there are differences that make it less likely to be as popular as the other deluxes.:D

[eeyore0062]

Well, this is just my opinion, but this is why I think that AKL is cheaper than other (not WL) deluxes.

1) Not within walking distance of any parks, must rely on bus transportation everywhere you want to go, or have your own car.
It is farther removed from everything.

2) room size. The rooms are only 340 square ft, compared with 400-500 plus sq feet at other deluxes.

3) no bike or boat rentals, only one pool.

We have never stayed there, but if we go, and aren't interested in seeing or doing too much in the parks, it would be a nice place to stay. Otherwise, I would rather save the money and stay at a moderate.

[Steven Forrest]

Location, location, location.

[CernyJ]

I don't know how Disney sets their rates but I can comment on our experience. We have stayed at meny of the resorts from the AS up to the highest priced hotels. Last year we stayed at the AKL with a discounted room price and really enjoyed the hotel, pool, restaurant, and of course the animals. It was a great hotel at great price. The only drawback was the long bus rides to everything. The bus service was fine because the bus only runs to the AKL. The long ride is because of the location of the hotel.

[PatriciaH]

It is funny that everyone thinks the busses are the worst transportation option. I enjoy the monorail and the boats but find them painfully slow. The walking paths are a nice option but sometimes you don't want to walk any more when you have walked all day in the parks:) I love the busses when they are not shared (CSR, AKL.) When they are shared they are slow and crowded (YC, BC, BW, GF, WL.)

Some of the AKL standard rooms look out on the bus stop, highway and parking lot so this may be why they offer low prices too-to fill those rooms.

[jillnan]

Just one more comment - and correct me if I'm wrong......The AKL is so far removed from everything, it has a different tax rate from the other hotels.....

[Tiffany]

Originally posted by jillnan
Just one more comment - and correct me if I'm wrong......The AKL is so far removed from everything, it has a different tax rate from the other hotels.....

The AKL is located close to the AK park. The next closest would be Blizzard Beach and the CS resort along with the All Star resorts.

I believe the AKL has the same tax rate as the All Star becuase I think they are all in the same county. I am not sure about CS.

[daannzzz]

What is this about the Long bus rides from the AKL. It is 2-3 miles from World Drive. That is like 3-4 minutes longer on a bus. So if the ride on the bus to MK from The Epcot resorts is 10 minutes and the ride from AKL is 15 is that considered long????
Sure a boat ride from your hotel is great. And monorails can be fun but are people so jaded that an African themed resort with real african animals wandering outside your balconey is not worth an extra five minutes to get to the castle???
While I don't agree with Mr. Pirate much on a different board I sure think he hit this one on the head.