AKL in January - Animal activity

[CozumelDisneyFan]

Anyone have experience on how the animals are in the winter? Any tips on animal viewing for a first trip tp AKL?

 

[bethclayton]

we stayed at AKL a few years ago in January and it was awesome. we had a pool view room and there was a viewing area right down the hall, where you could sit on rockers and watch them. there was also a great viewing area near the pool and off the main lobby. many more, i am sure, but those were the three we frequented. the animals were very active, even though it was cold. they seemed to be a bit less active (out and about, just not as "hyper") when it was in the 40's, but in the 50's and up, they were wild and crazy to watch- running and chasing each other, etc.

 

[CozumelDisneyFan]

Thanks do much for responding! Glad to here it, I was afraid that they would all be snuggling in from the cold.

We also booked a pool view room..... how busy was the hotel?

 

[bethclayton]

we loved our pool view! it had a wonderful location! right off the pool and two hot tubs, right near all the restaurants, right near the flamingoes and animal viewing... we would totally get pool view again.

how busy was the hotel? according to them? booked to capacity. we went end of jan-beginning of feb and when we arrived, we had booked a standard view room that was a disgrace. we asked if there were any other rooms we could move to, and said we would pay whatever the difference was, and were told there was only one other room, a pool view. we took it and loved it. so according to them, they were booked solid. but the resort never seemed full at all, and was relatively quiet, so i have always wondered whether that was accurate. i will tell you that the whole 8 days we were there, the parks were empty. i remember a picture i took of the bus to epcot the morning of dh's bday, 1/29, where we were the only ones on the bus.

 

[windsor2005]

we loved our pool view! it had a wonderful location! right off the pool and two hot tubs, right near all the restaurants, right near the flamingoes and animal viewing... we would totally get pool view again.

how busy was the hotel? according to them? booked to capacity. we went end of jan-beginning of feb and when we arrived, we had booked a standard view room that was a disgrace. we asked if there were any other rooms we could move to, and said we would pay whatever the difference was, and were told there was only one other room, a pool view. we took it and loved it. so according to them, they were booked solid. but the resort never seemed full at all, and was relatively quiet, so i have always wondered whether that was accurate. i will tell you that the whole 8 days we were there, the parks were empty. i remember a picture i took of the bus to epcot the morning of dh's bday, 1/29, where we were the only ones on the bus.

Hi,
I have a standard room booked for late January.
I was wondering what about your standard room was a disgrace? Did you have to pay for them to switch your room?

 

[bethclayton]

Hi,
I have a standard room booked for late January.
I was wondering what about your standard room was a disgrace? Did you have to pay for them to switch your room?

our standard room overlooked the smoking area, the smell wafted in terribly with the sliding doors open, and the balcony had a very high wall (instead of a railing) that my kids could not see over whatsoever (and they are tall!). it also had bunk beds- which i know many people would prefer- which made the room feel very dark and closed in. we paid for the upgrade to pool view, which was only about $10 per night.

 

[chocovrdmicears]

our standard room overlooked the smoking area, the smell wafted in terribly with the sliding doors open, and the balcony had a very high wall (instead of a railing) that my kids could not see over whatsoever (and they are tall!). it also had bunk beds- which i know many people would prefer- which made the room feel very dark and closed in. we paid for the upgrade to pool view, which was only about $10 per night.

fyi - there are pool view rooms that overlook the other smoking area (near the hot tub) - if this is a concern for you be sure to note it on your reservation.

 

[marmar]

we were there in early Jan 2010. It was during the marathon and they had record cold. It snowed on the 1/2 marathon!!! We booked Kidani Villas. I had visions of sitting on the balcony early mornings watching the animals while my family slept. It was so COLD the animals would not come out of their warm barns. Of course with the frost on the windows I couldn't have seen them anyway.

 

[TwinsFan]

We were there the last week of January 2011 and the weather was great, sunny and 70's, which I thought was great, spent lots of time at the pool and had lots of animal activity. Although I understand many folks from the south think 70's is cold I saw many wearing parkas

 

[minnie mum]

we were there in early Jan 2010. It was during the marathon and they had record cold. It snowed on the 1/2 marathon!!! We booked Kidani Villas. I had visions of sitting on the balcony early mornings watching the animals while my family slept. It was so COLD the animals would not come out of their warm barns. Of course with the frost on the windows I couldn't have seen them anyway.

We were there at the same time. I'm from Canada, so when I say it was cold, it was COLD. Even we needed our heavy jackets and gloves in the mornings and evenings. Brrr. My shorts stayed in the suitcase all week- and we didn't see temps in the 70s except for a brief period one afternoon.

But to answer the OPs question- even on that week we saw the animals all out and about.