AKL conceirge questions

[PRaffen]

Just received a quote for a stay at the AKL next August in conceirge/savannah - very pricey.

I've never stayed conceirge at any WDW resorts but wanted to do the Sunrise Safari. This would be our first trip to AKL.

So is it worth the extra $$$? Is there a special check-in? Are the rooms nicer? What other perks?

What room/area would provide the best view of animals?
Any information would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[budwmn]

We stayed at AKL concierge last year and are going again at Thanksgiving. You check-in upstairs at the concierge lounge. They have a beautiful lounge on the 6th floor overlooking the lobby. Plenty of food and drinks are served there throughout the day. You can have a restricted access 6th floor room or one on the 5th floor. We were on the 5th floor Kudu Trail overlooking Arusha Rock. We loved it. The rooms aren't really any different from other rooms. You do get robes. Otherwise, we thought the best thing was having the concierge make priority seating reservations for us at hard to get places.

 

[SuiteDisney]

It's worth it just to be able to go on the Sunrise Safari. And the Sunrise Safari is worth every penny - and then some!

Here are some pictures of AKL Concierge, and here are pictures of the Sunrise Safari.

 

[Janet2k]

PRaffen, the AKL has my favorite CM's in all of Disney, and the AKL's concierge staff is top-notch (my favorite, especially "Don").

For our AKL concierge stays, we were checked in at curbside. For our first stay (Opening Week), we arrived via a BoardWalk Villas DVC van (we had been staying at the BWV prior to the AKL's opening and one of the BWV's bell hops was kind enough to offer to personally drive us over to the AKL instead of getting us the taxi cab that I had requested). We were greeted under the porte cochere by a CM who had our check-in packet. He personally gave us a mini-tour of the resort as he escorted us (and our luggage) to our room. Then, later on in the day, I went up to the Kilimanjaro Club and signed my credit card slip (to make my stay "official"). For our second AKL concierge stay, we arrived via my parents' vehicle. Again, we were greeted under the porte cochere by a CM who had our check-in packet. He immediately escorted us and our luggage up to our room. At a later point, I went to the Kilimanjaro Club to sign my credit card slip. I found both of those stays just heavenly, especially since the concierge staff and the rest of the AKL staff couldn't have been kinder or more professional to my family and guests.

I adore the AKL and I hope that if you choose to stay there, you will grow to love the resort and its staff, too.

 

[PRaffen]

Thanks for all the replies. You've sold me on the concierge level. Now all I have to do is start saving!

 

[Janet2k]

PRaffen, I'm glad to hear that. I, too, have some photos of my AKL rooms and the Sunrise Safari and Breakfast event (my family attended the very first one) posted in my on-line photo albums: click here. We have stayed on the fifth floor and the third floor (twice). I don't have a preference for any of the floors as I found they all had excellent views of the animals. Don't forget to check out the Dis' AKL FAQ thread (click here). Enjoy researching the resort!

 

[Mich Mouse]

Just returned from nine days at AKL..and going back!! If I choose to stay concierge, am I guaranteed a savannah view? I think I remember reading that it may not be guaranteed.

Also, can somebody give me some examples of rates paid for concierge?

Also, what about views? We loved our second floor room because the animals were so close you could see the expressions on their faces. Is the fifth and sixth floor too far away? Anybody have experience in staying in a regular savannah view that can compare it to concierge savannah view?

Thanks in advance for any information!!

 

[webray]

We love AKL concierge...the food/drink all day long is fabulous.

We were on the 5th floor, kudos trail...it was excellent..the animals are amazing and having the balcony...you just can't imagine (unless you have been to Africa of course).

When you arrive at the gate you tell the guard you are checking in at concierge...someone meets you and takes you directly to your room, or to the concierge lounge if your room isn't ready...to check in (no waiting in line at front desk). They give you a little tour/background of the lodge along the way.

The concierge staff is amazing...we can't wait to go back and do this again. We feel it is worth all the money!

 

[LorieDisneyLover]

I ditto everything that has been said about AKL concierge.

The staff is the greatest. The lounge is very nice -- and everything you would expect for concierge. The offerings are plentiful and the staff is very welcoming.

We were on the 5th floor Savannah view and had a very clear view of the animals.

If you have kids there are tons of activities at the resort. Every day there is something for them to do. My children enjoyed the daily pool activities at about 2:30-3 p.m. They also enjoyed animal tracking, rag doll making, cookie decorating, and medallion shavings -- and it was all free!

 

[stubble94]

What my family does is splurge for 3 nights at the AKL concierge without going into the parks. There's so much to keep you busy at the lodge, you don't necessarily have to leave. The food on the concierge level is amazing....be sure to try the African smoothie.

I asked about getting a small fan sent up to our room as it drowns out my husband's snoring....within 10 minutes I had a full size box fan at my door. They even offered to transfer it to the Polynesian, where we completed our stay.

If you do book concierge, the rooms are a little bigger than the standard rooms. Our room consisted of a queen bed, a day bed, and bunk beds for the children. Be sure to specify that you want concierge service with a deluxe savannah view room. The actual concierge rooms are located on the 6th floor. Unfortunately, these rooms don't have savannah views.

We had a fifth floor room and loved it. On the day we checked out, they even sent us off with bottles of water and transferred our luggage to the Polynesian for us.

I went to the AKL not expecting to enjoy it as much as the other resorts. However, I fell in love. Our concierge host told us that the AKL is considered a "quiet" resort. You know, he was right.

Have a great time!!!!

 

[CaipiraBob]

Hi,

I didn't read all the other posts yet but wanted to get your attention on this fact:

<b>YOU ARE NOT GUARANTEED A SAVANNAH VIEW WITH AKL CONCIERGE!!!</B>

You can <i>request</i> it, but by no means is it guaranteed.

This is an issue I've discussed with the lodge previously. I think it's rotton policy. I wouldn't stay nor pay concierge without a guarantee, but they won't give it in the same fashion you can book a garden/lagoon view at the Polynesian.

So while AKL concierge is among the best, this is an issue I want you to be familiar with.

Hope you have a wonderful, safe trip...

 

[LorieDisneyLover]

I definitely recall being told I was guaranteed a Savannah view ... because that is what I paid for ... and the reservations stated AKL Concierge Savannah view. Maybe there has been a change in policy. Our trip was a month ago in late July.

 

[johnsonet]

this is what's keeping me from booking a concierge room. Concierge rooms are NOT necessarily sav. view rooms. There are pool view concierge rooms. I have booked a sav. view room and at check-in I will ask whether they have any sav. view concierge rooms and if so I will upgrade to that. All suites also get concierge amenities and use of lounge. Some of these are on the 3d and 4th floors. Otherwise, concierge rooms are on 5th and 6th floors. All concierge rooms are "deluxe" rooms - more square footage. Good luck!

 

[germanbini]

Ok, concierge and AKL sound nice, but I have several questions, though, and maybe some of y'all can help? Ok, concierge and AKL sound nice, but I have several questions, though, and maybe some of y'all can help?

Background:

1) This time we are only able to go 1 day to Disney World, since it will be directly after our 4 day cruise to the Bahamas.

2) We decided we didn't want to try to rush right off the ship and only have a half day at Disney, so we'll take it easy on Thursday. I've already booked us for December 4th on the $20.03 rate for the Courtyard (thanks to y'alls reccomendations! ).

3) We want to visit Disney World (DH has picked the "Magic Kingdom" park for us (2 adults and an 11 year old girl) on Friday.

4) I think we'd like to splurge and stay Friday night at AKL, and maybe even upgrade to do the "concierge" thing. The rate I've found for AKL that night is about $200 + tax.

Is this right, upgrading to Concierge costs $425?!


Questions:

A) Does anyone know any discount codes for AKL for Dec 5, 2003? I have AAA if that helps.

B) How much is the concierge upgrade?

C) What exactly do I get with the concierge upgrade?

D) I also understand an additional tour (the Sunrise Safari Breakfast Adventure) is availible ($40 each) for folks with concierge upgrade; can we take that on Saturday morning, even if we're not going to pay for admission on Saturday to Animal Kingdom? (That's the day we're checking out).

E) Has anyone taken that tour? How do you get back to the hotel? ("Transportation back to the Resort is *on your own*.")

Thanks in advance for everyone's help!!!!

Sabrina

 

[johnsonet]

If you are only staying one night and visiting only MK, you might reconsider your resort. Maybe go with one of the resorts on the monorail. Don't mean to be a downer but it would mean more time for you in the park as well as in your resort if you stayed at Wilderness Lodge or Grand Floridian or Polynesian or Contemporary. You know what I mean? Plus, concierge for Dec. 5th would be $425 rack rate - I don't know about AAA discounts but others will...
Also, I have asked the same question re. the Sunrise Safari. I believe it only runs on Tues. and Sat. only and yes you DO have to have admission to the park PLUS the extra fee. People say it is INCREDIBLE, though! Good luck!

 

[Richyams]

The actual concierge rooms are located on the 6th floor. Unfortunately, these rooms don't have savannah views.

I was in a sixth floor savanah view room.

If you are standing at the balcony with your back to the concierge desk, the rooms down the left side are all savanah view, Sunset Savanah. All the rooms on the right side are on another savanah.

When we did it almost a year ago, Savanah View was NOT guaranteed. There was no way at all to get a guaranteed savanah view when staying concierge.

 

[*Flower*]

When we were there last year (December), the right side rooms (when facing away from the concierge desk) were smoking pool view rooms.
I just called to make a reservation, and when I was told that for my dates all that was available were pool view rooms. When I asked if the pool view rooms were still smoking rooms, I said that I had to have a non-smoking room (DH is allergic).

Hazel actually put me on hold (with apologies) to check with guest services- and came back to tell me that she could guarantee a non-smoking savannah view room. I don't know if this was because of the allergy, but I was extremely pleased that she went the extra mile to keep my reservation active.

Just a thought......

 

[stubble94]

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The actual concierge rooms are located on the 6th floor. Unfortunately, these rooms don't have savannah views.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Although, I've never personally stayed on the 6th floor, the CM who made my reservation very specifically told me to book a 5th floor deluxe savannah view with concierge service upgrade as the 6th floor rooms did not overlook the savannahs.

Although I thought it very odd that concierge level rooms would not overlook the savannah, I just went along and did as she suggested.

Maybe she was just referring to what was available. Please enlighten, as I am a travel agent and don't want to be giving out bogus information.

Thanks

 

[*Flower*]

Half of the 6th floor rooms overlook the Sunset Savannah, and the other half overlooks the pool. The pool side has smoking rooms.

I hope that this helps......