AKL LITE unofficial FAQ thread#10 - I believe that's known as a 'Jambo Dozen'

[kimmar067]

Yea....I'm surprised u don't know this already.... Its always the 1st Thur/Frid after election day which is always the first Tues of Nov.

I like to get there prior. Either take the kids out on Friday before or early sat. Problem is the Friday this year is Halloween. The maze that I made was a big hit for the trick or treaters this year, so I may have to up the ante , which means we have to be here for Halloween.

what. a. conundrum.

 

[Shaden]

Ahhh...but see? That's where you are wrong. Disney with toddlers (well, mine anyway) requires copious amounts of booze.

Fair enough !

Isn't that the truth? I love staying CL. My kids don't have huge appetites, and I'm not a big dinner person, so the evening offerings were always fine for me. And if someone wanted more to eat, the Mara was just a few floors away.

A few years back, my sister's flight to Orlando was delayed a few hours. I asked at the CL lounge if I could get a glass of wine to take back to the room for her since she wouldn't be in until after the lounge closed. They packed up a whole bottle for us and added a nice sample of the desserts that would be out that night. It was very nice of them. Now that we're a party of five (and six when our youngest turns three), CL at the AKL is out of our price range. And having stayed in a one-bedroom suite at Kidani (rented DVC points), my husband isn't keen on connecting rooms (which might be doable if we got a nice discount). My son is particularly sad about it because he really liked "that place with the Cheerios."

Hrm, see, that's what I am talkin about ! Going to have to seriously consider this, before we have our little ones and its out of our price range too

 

[kimmar067]

.... My son is particularly sad about it because he really liked "that place with the Cheerios."

 

[tarak]

Fair enough !



Hrm, see, that's what I am talkin about ! Going to have to seriously consider this, before we have our little ones and its out of our price range too

I miss the place with the Cheerios, too. I keep trying to figure out how I can make it work for our next trip. Maybe we'll luck out and be able to snag one of the rare club level rooms they have for DVC.

 

[MrsK41]

I have a few questions for you fine folks re: club level at AKL. What is the best view to request? We want to have a great animal view but not be super far away from the elevator either.

Also, is there bottled water available in the lounge? I'm trying to decide if I need to do a garden gorcer order for water.

Lastly, are the club level rooms larger than the regular standard rooms?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Mommy2Corinne]

I have a few questions for you fine folks re: club level at AKL. What is the best view to request? We want to have a great animal view but not be super far away from the elevator either.

Also, is there bottled water available in the lounge? I'm trying to decide if I need to do a garden gorcer order for water.

Lastly, are the club level rooms larger than the regular standard rooms?

Thanks in advance!

There is no bottled water in the lounge. There is ice cold filtered water in beverage dispenser things near the juice but no bottles. They will give you a pitcher of the water to take back to your room though if you ask.

Each morning before we left for the parks we would fill up our own water bottles with the filtered water in the lounge. Worked well for us.

 

[RachelTori]

I have a few questions for you fine folks re: club level at AKL. What is the best view to request? We want to have a great animal view but not be super far away from the elevator either.

Also, is there bottled water available in the lounge? I'm trying to decide if I need to do a garden gorcer order for water.

Lastly, are the club level rooms larger than the regular standard rooms?

Thanks in advance!

Beth is correct about the bottled water.

The Club Level rooms are the same size as the regular resort rooms, with a few extra little touches, including turndown service.

Almost exclusively (there are rare exceptions), you will have an Arusha Savannah View on the 4th floor, within the first 2 pods off the lobby - Kudu and Zebra Trails. Zebra Trail is closest to the elevator, pool and restaurants, but CL rooms are close to the lobby so either trail should be fine.

I have stayed Club Level over a dozen times and more often than not, I'm on Kudu trail. It's all good!

 

[tiggrbaby]

....you already know when next school year's "Jersey Week" is?

Nov. 6 - 7 2014

 

[kimmar067]

Nov. 6 - 7 2014

....guess I should have just looked at a calendar.....

 

[tiggrbaby]

....guess I should have just looked at a calendar.....

Actually, I google it since my school doesn't come out with a calendar until late spring. That way I can fill it in now in case I want to plan something in advance (though not this year!).

 

[MrsK41]

There is no bottled water in the lounge. There is ice cold filtered water in beverage dispenser things near the juice but no bottles. They will give you a pitcher of the water to take back to your room though if you ask. Each morning before we left for the parks we would fill up our own water bottles with the filtered water in the lounge. Worked well for us.

Great advice! Thanks! We will do that as well!

 

[kimmar067]

Actually, I google it since my school doesn't come out with a calendar until late spring. That way I can fill it in now in case I want to plan something in advance (though not this year!).

....which is what I should have done.... [ ]

 

[AmyinPA]

Hi everyone! It has always been a dream of mine to stay at AKL. We have visited it every time we go to Disney and I always say, "I will stay here one day." Well, my dream has finally come true. I figured what better year than the year I turn 40.

So, I have ready through some of the posts. But my question is, as far as a standard room goes is there any recommendation on a special request I can make, if any at all? From what I reading there are some "long" hallways. We have only every been in the lobby and Boma. So I have no idea on the layout of the resort. I don't even know where the standard rooms are located.

I know we have stayed in standard rooms at other resorts which are always a hike, but you can request certain "buildings" or "sections" which are not so much of a distance. I remember one year we wanted the free dining and stayed at POR, I swear it was a mile walk everyday to the food court. At least I got my exercise!

Thank you for any recommendations. I am just excited to be staying here!


P.S. We are staying 6/14-6/21 it looks like people are being added to threads for the time they are going? Sorry this is all new to me! Thanks!

 

[kimmar067]

....first of all, ....the Ostrich and Giraffe trails have the standard rooms. Personally, I prefer Giraffe Trail but Ostrich Trail is very quiet and serene....

 

[MrsK41]

Almost exclusively (there are rare exceptions), you will have an Arusha Savannah View on the 4th floor, within the first 2 pods off the lobby - Kudu and Zebra Trails. Zebra Trail is closest to the elevator, pool and restaurants, but CL rooms are close to the lobby so either trail should be fine.

I have stayed Club Level over a dozen times and more often than not, I'm on Kudu trail. It's all good!

Thank you! This is very helpful! I just read a review in which someone that said they stayed CL and had to take a different elevator to her room than the elevator to the lounge. Do you use a different elevator bank depending on where your room is located?

 

[The Sunrise Student]

Educate me oh wise and noble vets of AKL

Like AmyinPA I have never stayed at AKL however I have gone to Boma's several times and AKL stay/trip is on my bucket list... and I am finally going to take the plunge in May/June 2015!

I want to spoil myself and do it RIGHT! So I am planning and budgeting now so I can get my dream vacation. I have been to WDW many times as you can see by my past trips and stayed in a variety of locations. BUT AKL is my resort, or at least it is in my minds eye

I have been scanning the thread trying to get a grip on things like...

Club Level
Rooms with a view
Trails?

I am almost certain I am going to go for a club level room not just for the benefits but for the guaranteed view! BUT I would like to know what the benefits of a CL room at AKL are compared to other resorts?

Rooms with a view, am I right by saying different views have different animals? And how do I know which animals are in view of which rooms?

Trails? does AKL call there different wings trails?

It will be just my boyfriend and I on this trip so I am looking for a king size bed room as well.

Thanks in advance for any advice....

 

[kimmar067]

Thank you! This is very helpful! I just read a review in which someone that said they stayed CL and had to take a different elevator to her room than the elevator to the lounge. Do you use a different elevator bank depending on where your room is located?

...there are elevators in various locations of the premises. For instance, there is an elevator about halfway down the 'arm' (or hallway) of Giraffe Trail, which allows you to go all the way down to the first floor directly to the pool area. There is another elevator near the beginning of the 'arm' of Zebra Trail which also allows guests to go directly to the pool, the arcade, The Mara, and the like. The only elevators that allow access to the CL level are the 4 elevators that are to the right of the lobby as you enter AKL. Remember, the lobby is actually on the THIRD floor - the restaurants and the outside area are really on the ground, or first floor.....

 

[kimmar067]

I have been scanning the thread trying to get a grip on things like...

Club Level
Rooms with a view
Trails?

I am almost certain I am going to go for a club level room not just for the benefits but for the guaranteed view! BUT I would like to know what the benefits of a CL room at AKL are compared to other resorts?

Rooms with a view, am I right by saying different views have different animals? And how do I know which animals are in view of which rooms?

Trails? does AKL call there different wings trails?

It will be just my boyfriend and I on this trip so I am looking for a king size bed room as well.

Thanks in advance for any advice....

....first of all, king beds are a bit more difficult to come by and they aren't located in many different locations. You must decide whether a view or a size of bed is higher on your priority list, as well as the animals you care to view while on your balcony. Once you decide that, you can get a better feel for what savannas house which animals, therefore which Trail you'd like to opt for....

 

[The Sunrise Student]

....first of all, king beds are a bit more difficult to come by and they aren't located in many different locations. You must decide whether a view or a size of bed is higher on your priority list, as well as the animals you care to view while on your balcony. Once you decide that, you can get a better feel for what savannas house which animals, therefore which Trail you'd like to opt for....

I will take a queen size bed and view over a king size bed. I like alot of different types of animals, is there a list of which ones are in view of which rooms?

I also just noticed that I don't want a suit but the only non suite in club level is standard view?!?! Worried about this.... I thought standard view is not necessarily the best view?

 

[RachelTori]

Thank you! This is very helpful! I just read a review in which someone that said they stayed CL and had to take a different elevator to her room than the elevator to the lounge. Do you use a different elevator bank depending on where your room is located?

There are elevators mid-way down for both Kudu and Zebra Trails. Those elevators are between the 2nd and 3rd room pods (click on the link below), but no one HAS to use them! The main elevators go to all levels and you can get to any room from them.

I prefer to take the stairs, myself. From the 4th floor, Kudu side, you can take the stairs to the 5th floor, where there's a gated entrance to Kilimanjaro Lounge (up another flight of stairs and enter in the "back entrance").


If you click on this link, you can see where the elevators are on Kudu and Zebra trails; also the main elevators on one side of the lobby.
http://www.wdwinfo.com/resortmaps/aklmap.htm

Club Level rooms are in the pods that start with numbers 4226 and 4210 (Kudu side); 4407 and 4423 (Zebra side).

OK, I wrote all this before Kimmar posted!