Akl/wl

[Wags]

DW, DS, and I are planning visit to AKL for 3 nites and 3 nites at WL in late August. I really don't want to spend the extra $$ for the savannah room, we really don't spend a lot of time in our room, and am wondering if you can recommend a room(s) in the Standard Category that would be most desireable (or maybe I should say least offensive)?

Also, at WL, I've read some messages from people complaining of both the condition of some of the rooms and the transportation system. My questions are this, is the resort showing wear and tear or do you think the complaint was an exception and not the rule? And, as my son is older, and we would likely spend more time at Epcot and MGM, does the Bus get to those parks in a efficient and timely manner? As far as the rooms at WL, any specific floor and rooms you might recommend, STD, WoodsView, Courtyard?

Or do I just bite the bullet and choose either AKL or WL for 3 nites, and spend the extra to stay at YC for 3 nites? Which would you suggest AKL or WL? And is YC worth the difference?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Rneighh]

Giving you a bump --- I would like to know as well.

Renee

 

[mat2672]

I can only speak about WL. I was there for the first time about 2 months ago and it was so incredible that Im going back next month. You have to be careful when people talk about transportation problems, cast member problems, etc. I do believe that these are the exception rather than the rule. I stay at Disney alot and have had some problems, but they have never been consistent. But when you read some of these threads it seems like some people have one problem with a CM or one time where the bus took forever and they are ready to burn that resort down. And there will always be a room here and there that isnt up to par. If you happen to get one of those, just demand to be moved. As far as the transportation at Wl, I didnt find any problems at all. The boat ride to the magic kingdom and Fort wilderness is cool and I never had to wait very long. Who knows, maybe the next boat after that was 10 minutes late, but thats the exception, not the rule. Try the WL if youve never been there before. Youll love it.

 

[MauraAndIainsDad]

If you will be spending a lot of time at Epcot and MGM, then Y&BC would be a great option for you. We stayed at BC last Thanksgiving and at first I complained a bit because our room was so far away from the lobby. However, to get to Epcot, we only had to walk down the stairs at the end of our hall and we were practically at the bridge to Epcot. Plus you would be just accross the street from MGM and there is also a convenient boat to take you to MGM as well (but it can be a bit slow). There are some good codes currently available for Y&BC so they will not be much more expensive than WL or AKL. We are considering AKL for our next trip (just because of the animals) but I'm concerned about the distance from there to the parks and entertainment (other than AK, of course).

 

[Eeyore1954]

My DW and I were at WL in May. This resort is simply awesome. We've been to WDW 10 times and this resort has become our absolute favorite.

Wear and tear? That happens everywhere. Some rooms may show it more than others. If the room is unacceptable, request (I never demand anything -- demanding is rude) a different room. [In life as in WDW the secret to getting what you want is to ask nicely.]

Transportation: It was fantastic. The boat ride to MK is mahvelous, dahling! Serously, I could have ridden that all day, 'cept I wanted to ride Splash Mtn too much. The bus wait for us was less than 5 mins. practically all the time. Many of the buses were shared with FW, so we went there 1st, then to the park. I believe that the bus for AK stops at FW, then BB, then goes to AK. Travel times are not bad at all.

As for rooms, my preference is woodsview, but then I love waking up and seeing the sunrise through the trees. JMO, ANY room at WL with ANY view is wonderful. Heck, just to stay there, I'd take a room with a view of the parking lot! But then "view" is not important to me. I mean, how much time do you spend in the room staring out the window at the "view"?

 

[kimmar067]

...why not check out the thread "NEW Wilderness Lodge FAQ!!!" and read the posts there? (it'll take a while, though) I don't recall any negative posts concerning room conditions. However, myself included, many were concerned about the transportation system. I would recommend that , wherever you go (and whatever type of transportation you choose, ask the driver first, what the next destination is [ie: ferries going to CR, or FW, or MK, etc.] and make your decision to wait for the next bus or boat)

PS - thanks for the "bump"!!

 

[beccab]

I just posted about standard rooms at AKL on another thread but basically if I were requesting a standard room I would request Ostrich trail. These rooms are on the other side from the bus stop. We had a pool view & did not miss seeing the animals from room. We really enjoyed going to the viewing areas. They are all so nice.

 

[sharoncity]

We were at AKL a few months ago. Can't say enough great things about that place! I can promise that you'll love it. It is still basically new, so room wear is a nonissue. Yes, it is quite removed from some areas of the World, but no waiting for buses. They come about every 10 min it seemed. And other than say after parade or fireworks, no standing either. The bus ride can seem long sometimes, but it is not due too repeated stops or anything.
I liked AKL because it is just so different. There is nowhere else that you can stay and watch zebras and wilderbeasts (sp?) from your resort. To me WL is just too much like home (or about a 3 hour drive away to the Adirondacks). Hands down I would chose AKL over WL. YC/BC? Well if you are going to spend a lot of time at Epcot/MGM, then you should consider it. But if it stretches your wallet too much, don't do it. That would not make for a relaxing, enjoyable vacation. We stayed at AKL for 7 nights and went to all the parks, DD (twice), visited different resorts for dinner/breakfast - in other words, it didn't keep us from doing what we wanted. We rented a minivan for the week for $199, unlimited mileage. Used that to get to some other resorts, DD. Didn't use it for the parks. If your interested at eating at other resorts and going to DD, I would say a car is a big help at AKL.