JAMBO! The UN-official AKL Thread ~ UPDATED(short film/pg 8 & slideshow/pg 12) Part 3

[wendypooh]

HEY LISA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How are you??!!

I"m in planning mode ~ We are headed back in Feb. for Mardi Gras!!!
When are you headed back?? LOL

 

[christinadei]

For Giraffes and Zebras you will want the Arusha Savannah as the other two don't have Zebras.

Great, that's what I was looking for. I will request the Arusha Savannah!

 

[cmp1111]

Great, that's what I was looking for. I will request the Arusha Savannah!

We were actually able to see giraffes and zebras on the Zebra trail, for what it's worth. They came fairly close at feeding time. (We just got back 6/1.)

 

[stepdisney]

Okay, I have been lurking and reading and going back and forth with the idea of staying at AKL. I was once booked here but changed to WL. I keep reading and have finally come up with the WL/AKL split stay. Has anyone done this, which resort would you choose for the beginning of the trip and is there an upcharge for split stays, since both resorts are basically the same price I figure it will cost the same as 9 nights at WL. I thought the first 5 nights at WL and the last 4 at AKL since we planned 2 MK visits at the beginning of the stay. I appreciate any help at all. Also, if you prefer one resort over the other, please give me details as to why. (We've not stayed at either resort before but are looking forward to either or both.)

 

[carol/houston]

Okay, I have been lurking and reading and going back and forth with the idea of staying at AKL. I was once booked here but changed to WL. I keep reading and have finally come up with the WL/AKL split stay.

I think ktink has been giving all of us too many ideas!!

AKL/WL would be a great split vacation. I think you would be wise to do WL on the days you are planning on being at MK because of the boat transportation! Cost really should not be much different if you keep all park tickets linked to the first ressy and only do a 1 day ticket on the last ressy. ktink will be better at this than I am.

 

[stepdisney]

Carol/Houston, you caught me shopping . I look at this like jumping into a cold pool, just close my eyes and do it...right? My biggest fear is that we love one and wish that we had stayed the entire trip. BUT we won't know if we don't do it right. I looked at youtube video that showed both resorts and I can honestly say I cannot decide . I love the idea of waking up with the Savannah outside. I can see myself having breakfast on the veranda....

 

[Tink-in-Training]

Okay, I have been lurking and reading and going back and forth with the idea of staying at AKL. I was once booked here but changed to WL. I keep reading and have finally come up with the WL/AKL split stay. Has anyone done this, which resort would you choose for the beginning of the trip and is there an upcharge for split stays, since both resorts are basically the same price I figure it will cost the same as 9 nights at WL. I thought the first 5 nights at WL and the last 4 at AKL since we planned 2 MK visits at the beginning of the stay. I appreciate any help at all. Also, if you prefer one resort over the other, please give me details as to why. (We've not stayed at either resort before but are looking forward to either or both.)

If you go to the Completed Trip Reports board, I there should be a TR by WDW_Poly_Princess (I think). She recently split her stay between those two resorts.

And it was a great TR to boot!

 

[Flossbolna]

Okay, I have been lurking and reading and going back and forth with the idea of staying at AKL. I was once booked here but changed to WL. I keep reading and have finally come up with the WL/AKL split stay. Has anyone done this, which resort would you choose for the beginning of the trip and is there an upcharge for split stays, since both resorts are basically the same price I figure it will cost the same as 9 nights at WL. I thought the first 5 nights at WL and the last 4 at AKL since we planned 2 MK visits at the beginning of the stay. I appreciate any help at all. Also, if you prefer one resort over the other, please give me details as to why. (We've not stayed at either resort before but are looking forward to either or both.)

I think this is a great idea! And I think the way you are doing it is just right. Of course it makes sense to stay at WL when you plan on being at MK a lot. And I think ending at AKL has the big advantage that you might be more in the mood for relaxing at the hotel after you had a few days exploring the parks. And AKL has so much to offer with regard to activities!

I am sure that you will not hate either of the hotels. Both have their unique advantages and if you just keep those in mind, I am certain that you will not be dissappointed that you spend time at this or that hotel! There are so many people her (if I remeber correctly, including the founder of this thread - kimmar) who really like both hotels!

As far as I know there is no upcharge as such for splitting. However, from your signature I guess that this would be the free dining trip you want to split. This would mean that you need to book two seperate packages and both will have to include at least one day tickets for each member of your party. The number of days does not have to corrsond with the number of nights in your hotel, so you could get passes for 8 days with the WL package and passes for 1 day with the AKL package. As the days get cheaper the more days you add to the ticket, this should be the cheapest way. So in the end, you end up paying more for your tickets as 8-day-ticket plus 1-day-ticket is more expensive than one 9-day-ticket. Also you have to keep in mind as these would be two seperate packages that all your WL food credits will expire at midnight of the day you check out of WL if you haven't used them up by then.

And one last tip, if you want them to do this, WDW will transfer you luggage from one hotel to the other while you are at the parks.

 

[Flossbolna]

for those of you who have wondered, where the smoking areas might be, there is a new thread with new maps of all the resort with the official smoking areas.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1473605

it seems that there are three at AKL, however two of them seem to be in highly frequented areas. I am not so sure I like these locations. But then, where else would you want to put them at a resort where most of the open area is only accessible for animals. They really can't open up the people's pens for smokers!!

 

[pilferk]

for those of you who have wondered, where the smoking areas might be, there is a new thread with new maps of all the resort with the official smoking areas.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1473605

it seems that there are three at AKL, however two of them seem to be in highly frequented areas. I am not so sure I like these locations. But then, where else would you want to put them at a resort where most of the open area is only accessible for animals. They really can't open up the people's pens for smokers!!

AKL has always had "designated smoking areas", I think, because balcony smoking,etc, is prohibited to protect the animals.

Two of them are the same...the one out front and the one by the pool bar. I'm not sure on the one just outside Jiko's/Boma's....that may or may not be new.

 

[stepdisney]

If you go to the Completed Trip Reports board, I there should be a TR by WDW_Poly_Princess (I think). She recently split her stay between those two resorts.

And it was a great TR to boot!

I'm on my way to view the TR. Thank you very much.

Flossbolna, I am sooo enjoying your food review by the way.

 

[mydogisbo]

Ok, AKL Vets---how long will it actually take me to get to the MK by bus?

Here are the specifics--the date is Sept. 18, we have an early morning breakfast ADR (8:15). It is actually at the GF, so we need to get to MK & then take boat or monorail on over to GF.

Also wondering about late afternoon--we have a 4:35 ADR at Tony's before the MNSSHP on 9/14. We'd like to get to MK by 4:00.

Just wondered if the estimates in the UG are accurate.

Thanks!!

 

[MARY-IN-OH]

Ok, AKL Vets---how long will it actually take me to get to the MK by bus?

Here are the specifics--the date is Sept. 18, we have an early morning breakfast ADR (8:15). It is actually at the GF, so we need to get to MK & then take boat or monorail on over to GF.

Also wondering about late afternoon--we have a 4:35 ADR at Tony's before the MNSSHP on 9/14. We'd like to get to MK by 4:00.

Just wondered if the estimates in the UG are accurate.

Thanks!!

I'm not an AKL vet, but I know I have seen this question asked before on various boards, and many recommend taking a cab for an early morning ADR. I understand it only costs about ten bucks, and you won't have to worry about being late for the adr. just something to consider if possible for you.
-mary

 

[cmp1111]

The actual drive is about 15 minutes, but you have to catch a bus. We never had a hard time getting to MK before it opened - maybe the service is upped then? - but going places a bit later we sometimes did have a bit of a wait for the bus.

 

[mydogisbo]

So, if I got to the bus stop at 7:00 should that be enough time to get to MK & catch my second mode of transportation? We'll have our car too, but after breakfast we were planning on heading over to the MK to play until after lunch, so I didn't think I could leave it parked at the GF for that long.

 

[cmp1111]

So, if I got to the bus stop at 7:00 should that be enough time to get to MK & catch my second mode of transportation? We'll have our car too, but after breakfast we were planning on heading over to the MK to play until after lunch, so I didn't think I could leave it parked at the GF for that long.

That seems reasonable to me - plenty of time to get there using their bus service/boat. Good luck!

 

[hogue123]

We were there May 20-27. It took 15 minutes tops to go to MK by bus. We did not go back during the day so I do not know how it was in the middle of the day. In the evenings we never really had to wait on a bus more than 5 minutes. In the morning it was the same way. The bus transportation at AKL is by far the best we've had. The big plus is that you don't share the bus with any other resort. They are just for AKL so you have no stops (with the exception of the MGM bus having to stop at Blizzard Beach, but that just takes a minute).

 

[christinadei]

We were actually able to see giraffes and zebras on the Zebra trail, for what it's worth. They came fairly close at feeding time. (We just got back 6/1.)

Thanks! When is feeding time, do they advertise it so we can be sure to be around?

 

[scoutsmom99]

HEY LISA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How are you??!!

I"m in planning mode ~ We are headed back in Feb. for Mardi Gras!!!
When are you headed back?? LOL

Hey Wendy If good AP rates come out for September I hope to spend some of my stay at AKL I have been reading the thread, but not doing much posting because I'm in AKL withdrawal since last fall

 

[scoutsmom99]

We were actually able to see giraffes and zebras on the Zebra trail, for what it's worth. They came fairly close at feeding time. (We just got back 6/1.)

Zebra Trail and Kudu Trail are the two trails that will have rooms facing the Arusha Savannah, but I would say it is best to request Arusha because by only requesting the trail you can end up on one of the other savannahs. I agree feeding time is a great time to see the animals up close