POR or AKL?

[marykatmp]

We are 10 days out and this is a last minute trip as it was booked within the 45 day window. We are currently booked for POR in a standard Royal Room. If I change we would be moving to a standard at AKL. This is our last chance to stay in either of these as my youngest will be three in January. I have three boys but the oldest is six, and none of them really hate princesses, in fact my middle one really liked them up until a few months ago. We ate dinner at Boma last year and liked AKL, and DH and I stayed at POFQ on our honeymoon 8 years ago and thought POR looked nice.

The price difference is only about $170, so that is not a concern. What would you all do?

 

[tallen429]

POR is our favorite Mod (well, the only one we stay at, actually) but AKL is so amazing!
Your boys would LOVE all the animals and the interaction with the CMs. There is SO much to do at the resort and tons of activites every day.
You can still stay at POR another time as some rooms sleep 5, but AKL (unless you have a villa) only sleeps four so I would go for it!!

 

[deej696]

While I'm a fan of POR, for only $170 savings I'd still go with AKL. If it were a more dramatic savings, then I would consider it, but there's really no comparison in the experience of AKL compared to a mod...

 

[prune1977]

We are 10 days out and this is a last minute trip as it was booked within the 45 day window. We are currently booked for POR in a standard Royal Room. If I change we would be moving to a standard at AKL. This is our last chance to stay in either of these as my youngest will be three in January. I have three boys but the oldest is six, and none of them really hate princesses, in fact my middle one really liked them up until a few months ago. We ate dinner at Boma last year and liked AKL, and DH and I stayed at POFQ on our honeymoon 8 years ago and thought POR looked nice.

The price difference is only about $170, so that is not a concern. What would you all do?

Most definitely go with akl. We stayed there this past January & stayed standard (though I'm pretty sure we were upgraded) loved the bunk bed room we were given & sitting out on our balcony in the am & evening watching the giraffes, zebras, and those one things with the huge horns lol.

 

[OutpostLarry]

Hard to compare the two. But AKL is amazing. Kids love the animals and way more to do and eat there than POR. Worth the extra $$. Our next trip is planned for there.

 

[smileymomof3]

Only $170 more? That is great!! When I priced out the 2 resorts, AKL was 3 times as much! I would do AKL for only $170 more!!

 

[marykatmp]

I just double checked, it is $186 more. We had already booked the royal rooms which increased the price, and with the special offer that is running until the 14th we get 30% off AKL versus the 20% we are getting at POR. I am going to run it by DH when he calls at lunch and probably upgrade. Thanks for your help guys!

 

[Herbie]

AK for only $170 more? I would make the switch before someone changes their mind and ups the price!

We just stayed at AKL last weekend and really enjoyed it. My only complaint was the bus service from the hotel to the parks.

 

[mickeynut1]

I would go with AKL. We've never stayed at POR, but we really enjoyed our stays at AKL.

 

[hill6]

AKL without a doubt. The kids will love the animals and you may get pixie dusted with a savannah view. That would be priceless.

We stayed there last year. I can't wait to stay again

 

[danceintherain]

I would definitely go with AKL. In my mind, it would be a lot easier to swing two rooms at POR over two rooms at AKL in the future.

I have a similar dilemma (WL/AKL vs. Moderate) for the trip I'm trying to convince DH we need to take, but the difference is closer to $1000. If it was less than $200, I would be at AKL in a heartbeat.

 

[Wicket's Mom]

I had booked POR for this Sept., hadn't stayed there before. Had some doubts & was able to do AKL instead. That will be our first time there, so lookiing forward to AKL! I say go for it!

 

[Mom2Elliot]

Well, I was staying at POR earlier this week and checked out early to move over to the AKL. I found POR to be overrun - hard to get a seat in the counter service places, and a long walk outside in the dark to refill mugs even though we were in a preferred room location. We are LOVING AKL!!! For $170 it is just so much of a better atmosphere - we could stay here and relax and do none of the parks! Plus being able to use both the Jambo house pool and the Kidani pool is perfect. And not to suggest this will happen to you, but we were booked in a standard room and we were granted major pixie dust to be upgraded to a savannah view bunkbed room! Giraffes outside our window! And AKL has balconies as opposed to no outside space at POR. For buses, I disliked all the stops at POR and found the buses at AKL to be busy but not anymore time due to all on the internal stops at POR. Have I made my point that AKL is the way to go? good luck!!

 

[marykatmp]

Well, I was staying at POR earlier this week and checked out early to move over to the AKL. I found POR to be overrun - hard to get a seat in the counter service places, and a long walk outside in the dark to refill mugs even though we were in a preferred room location. We are LOVING AKL!!! For $170 it is just so much of a better atmosphere - we could stay here and relax and do none of the parks! Plus being able to use both the Jambo house pool and the Kidani pool is perfect. And not to suggest this will happen to you, but we were booked in a standard room and we were granted major pixie dust to be upgraded to a savannah view bunkbed room! Giraffes outside our window! And AKL has balconies as opposed to no outside space at POR. For buses, I disliked all the stops at POR and found the buses at AKL to be busy but not anymore time due to all on the internal stops at POR. Have I made my point that AKL is the way to go? good luck!!

Thanks for sharing. I hear so many wonderful things about POR, and what you touched on are the things that worry me. I am so indecisive, but I am calling this morning to change to AKL. I checked online and there still is availability thankfully. My hubby will be glad and I can possibly move on to packing.

 

[glocon]

My vote is for AKL. We have stayed at both, loved both, but I bet your kids would love the animals at AKL.

 

[pigletto]

For that small of a price difference I would switch to AKL. I've stayed at and loved both. One of the major pluses to POR for me is that I can save so much over a deluxe and still love my resort.
However, with the prices so close, I think AKL is the better choice.

 

[marykatmp]

Thanks everybody! We made the switch and even the CM was shocked the price difference between the two was so little. I am looking so forward to AKL!

 

[jlk806]

I am just in love with AKL - though have always stayed in Kidani Village, never Jambo House. It is such a beautiful, peaceful resort! We actually werent even gonna stay there this trip but I just called 2 days ago and switched our last 3 nights there because I realized I just couldnt stay away. Our son loves the animals and they always have a ton of cool activities for the kids going on.

 

[tng123]

I had booked POR for this Sept., hadn't stayed there before. Had some doubts & was able to do AKL instead. That will be our first time there, so lookiing forward to AKL! I say go for it!

If we get a good discount, we are trying to decide between POR & AKL as well. Since you did AKL, could you let me know what you thought? Are you glad you upgraded? Also, how far is the bus stop to the entrance of the lobby? I keep hearing people say you have to walk up a huge hill from the bus stop to the lobby...Is it that bad?? Thanks for any help!

 

[marykatmp]

If we get a good discount, we are trying to decide between POR & AKL as well. Since you did AKL, could you let me know what you thought? Are you glad you upgraded? Also, how far is the bus stop to the entrance of the lobby? I keep hearing people say you have to walk up a huge hill from the bus stop to the lobby...Is it that bad?? Thanks for any help!

We loved AKL and would stay there in a heartbeat again. We really wish that they had rooms that slept five people. We are very glad we upgraded. It is a little hill, but it is comparable to every other hotel on property. We had no problems getting to buses with three little ones and do not foresee it being a significant issue for anyone. All in all, I say if you get a good price for the room jump on it. It is wonderful!!!