AKL - why so much "cheaper"?

[vtwep]

Hi All,

While comparing prices between the AKL, GF, and Poly, I noticed that the AKL seems to be quite a bit cheaper (note...NOT cheap! just cheaper than the others).

Why is there such a large difference? The AKL is a deluxe and can get Svaannah views, etc. Is it simply location? Or is there more to it?

Thanks.

 

[IWISHFORDISNEY]

I would guess because it is not on the monorail line and the rooms are smaller like 344 sq ft versus about 400 sq ft. The rooms did not feel small to us and the buses were great!! I think it is a great value for your dollar.

 

[pooh2001]

Room size - about 20 square feet less in size.
Buses to all Parks. Other resorts have a monorail or a boat to some parks.
Also AKL is very close to AK = but about a 45 minute to hour ride away from other parks.

AKL is still a nice resort and you can get a room with bunkbeds for kids.

 

[kfalsey]

is the monarail train better than the buses for getting to the parks.

 

[Kristybell]

I'm not an expert, but I'll take a crack at it.

I think it's a matter of room size and possibly location. The GF and the Poly are on the monorail for MK and I believe that location is a premium. Also, their rooms are a bit larger. The GF rooms come in at 440 sf, the Poly at 415 sf compared to AKL at 344 sf. It really depends on your preferences and how large your party is.

I see from your tag that you stayed at the Yacht Club. We stayed at the Beach Club two years ago and moved from that resort to the Wilderness Lodge last year and LOVED it! We went from a 381 sf room to a 344 sf room and never noticed the diff. Then again, there's only 3 of us and we liked the slightly smaller resort.

Hope that helps!

-kristy

 

[vtwep]

Thanks for the replies! I didn't realize the room size difference. Thanks for pointing it out. So, it sounds like room size, location, and transportation. We'll be with a Grand Gathering in 2009 so all of those will be pretty vital, plus some rooms may have cribs/pack-n-plays so the room size could be pretty signifcant.

Kristybell - thanks for the WL recommendation! We loved the Yacht Club and that area in general. This year we are doing GF. We are trying to decide on the resort for a grand gathering in 2009 and that one we are considern AKL, Poly, or GF...but it's not my choice (but I will provide the above info to the planners!). But WL has looked intriguing to me as well. If I get my way, I'll try a different deluxe resort each time (yes, I realize there will come a time when I'll have to "start over!"!). But with a family of four, I'll have to keep the room sizes in mind.

Thanks again!

 

[yxe dad]

Also AKL is very close to AK = but about a 45 minute to hour ride away from other parks.

I may be wrong, but I don't think you have taken a bus or driven from the AKL to the MK or any other park because your times are way off. It took us between 18 - 22 min on our Feb/Mar 08 trip. Epcot was in the 14 min range, and DHS took less than 10. I find the AKL to have the best bus service of all the WDW resorts.

JMHO

 

[toyotaae86lg]

Also AKL is very close to AK = but about a 45 minute to hour ride away from other parks.

I was about to say that sounds like a really really long time..I was thinking more around the 15min range if that.

 

[jenfur]

I always though it was due to the room occupancy difference. I guess because that is the main reason I have never stayed there.

 

[kimmar067]

Room size - about 20 square feet less in size.
Buses to all Parks. Other resorts have a monorail or a boat to some parks.
Also AKL is very close to AK = but about a 45 minute to hour ride away from other parks...

....ummm, it's not THAT far....please note that there is more space to walk around in a qu/bunk config. vs. a qu/qu room and even more in a kg room....

 

[EnnEss]

WL and AKL are both the same price I think, and WL is close to MK. Its the lack of monorail. Its nowhere near 45 minutes from MK by the way, maybe if you're riding a bike it would take that long. WDW simply isn't anywhere near that big. Probably 10 - 15 minutes at most.

The animals at AK are just so awesome, I think this may be one of the most underrated resorts.

 

[kaytieeldr]

....ummm, it's not THAT far....please note that there is more space to walk around in a qu/bunk config. vs. a qu/qu room and even more in a kg room....

Um, yeah - wouldn't 45 minutes get you most of the way to Tampa?

 

[livie1205]

we LOVE staying at AKL ...we always have our car so it is about a 10 minute ride to other parks (that is even pushing it) no where in wdw takes that long to drive to now if your on a bus maybe but not driving....it is a little farther out than other resorts but not like you think, all the trees and stuff make it feel more "out there" I am glad it is a cheaper deluxe because we love it there!

 

[skipperkim]

I'd love to stay at AKL, mostly because it does not share buses with any other resort. It will once AKV opens. But that's still far less than any other deluxe.

 

[BuzzandAriel'smom]

I find the AKL to have the best bus service of all the WDW resorts.

Me too!

 

[rodkenrich]

.

 

[boomhauer]

Also AKL is very close to AK = but about a 45 minute to hour ride away from other parks.

With all due respect, that's a bit of an exaggeration. Maybe a 15-20 minute ride to other parks. 45 minutes if you're waiting a long time for a bus, but that can be said for any resort.

 

[Astro Orbiter]

About 18 months ago WL was cheaper than AKL - but that seems to have switched recently.

It may have something to so with the construction (AKV) that's going on - or it may not. I'm booked into there for next week. When I made my initial reservation it wasn't mentioned to me, but when I called back to change it last weekend it was. Every review I've read here on Disboards says it's not intrusive - you may hear something in the distance - so I'm going for it.

Buses may take 45-60 minutes at peak times coming home from parks, like right after fireworks, but I've had the same problem with POR and Pop. We drive, so I can't speak with any conviction on that except to say that I doubt it.

 

[lilyv]

....ummm, it's not THAT far....please note that there is more space to walk around in a qu/bunk config. vs. a qu/qu room and even more in a kg room....

Appreciate you pointing out the space information...and 45 minutes???
So, I guess by using that estimate someone staying off site in LBV has to plan on, oh, 2-3 hours to get to the Magic Kingdom each day????
Maybe I've had bad luck on the monorails, but I had two occasions this last trip where it just stopped....and we waited....and waited....and waited at the Contemporary while the "voice" kept loudly running the announcement track.

 

[bsbrady]

The buses are really good at AKL, one of the reasons, is they dont stop at any other resorts. If u take a bus from the parks to the hotels, there will be 1 bus that stops at Poly, GF & Con or All of the All Stars. The AKL bus goes only to AKL.