Animal Kingdom Lodge Building Work

[amystevekai&bump]

I'm thinking of booking a savannah view room in 2008 - do you think the building work will effect whether the animals will be out??

I've always wanted to stay there, but as we will want to spend at least a day at the hotel and pool, we don't want it spoilt by construction work - what do you think???

 

[grandad_p]

I'm thinking of booking a savannah view room in 2008 - do you think the building work will effect whether the animals will be out??

I've always wanted to stay there, but as we will want to spend at least a day at the hotel and pool, we don't want it spoilt by construction work - what do you think???

Hi, Well. In my view the work will affect anyones stay, be it noise or disruption. This from a Disney e-mail:-

Dear Martin,

Thank you for contacting the Walt Disney World Resort.

Disney Vacation Club recently announced that it will build Disney's
Animal Kingdom Villas, to be located at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge.
Construction will occur in phases beginning March 5, 2007, with an
anticipated completion date of April 30, 2009. Guests will hear and/or
see construction staff and equipment inside the resort during this time,
as well as in external areas of the property during the daytime hours.

If you have questions or need further assistance, feel free to contact
us.

We are looking to travel in April 2008 and were intending to stay at AKL, but we'll look elsewhere now

Martin

 

[amystevekai&bump]

thanks for that Martin, I think that has made up my mind as well. It will probably save me some money now as I will stay somewhere cheaper instead!!

I'll just have to wait a little while longer for my savannah view room!!

 

[TreeTom]

We are booked to go to the Animal Kingdom this July (booked it over a year ago). We had a letter from our tour operator yesterday about the construction work going on there. I am furious and so disappointed. We are going with friends and it was going to be a special holiday. I feel that its already ruined. We have only paid the deposit so far, we have to pay the full amount by the 12th May. We don't know what to do. We have rung the AKL and one person says one thing and another says something else. Our tour operator says that if we want to transfer to another hotel we will have to pay the difference (if it costs more) and I don't see why we should.

 

[wickesy]

We stopped by the Animal Kingdom Lodge yesterday and to be honest if I hadn't seen part of the car park blocked off I wouldn't have known there was any construction work going on.

We walked out to the public savannah viewing area and there were animals out. Of course if they are only on the first phase then I suppose things are going to get worse before they get better.

We are staying at the Contemporary and although there is construction work going on here, again it is barely noticeable other than a building site to the left of our balcony

 

[nbodyhome]

I agree that the AKL work doesn't seem obtrusive right now. I stopped there last week on the request of someone on the boards here to take photos (I have those at www.denisesfitnessblog.org/disney - both AKL and Contemporary).

Now, I was told by a cast member that it is sometimes very loud during the day. There is also some work that looks like it's being done off one wing (Sunset Savannah). But I would guess the average guest won't notice much.

 

[TreeTom]

Wicksey and nbodyhome - these comments and photo's are really useful and will help us come to a decision as to what to do. We are going to our friends house this afternoon to see what our options are and make a decision as to what to do. We will be at a computer so I will show them this thread and the photo's. Thanks a lot.

 

[wicket2005]

Also to bear in mind is how much time during the day are you actually going to be spending at the hotel. Usually we spend all our days at the parks then pop back to the hotel for a quick swim at teatime then back out to the parks.

 

[fuse04]

Also to bear in mind is how much time during the day are you actually going to be spending at the hotel. Usually we spend all our days at the parks then pop back to the hotel for a quick swim at teatime then back out to the parks.

Completely agree. We ae due there in 5 days and had a chance to change to Poly but really wanted to go to AKL. We spend all day at the parks so shouldn't effect us...well thats how we figured it!

Rob

 

[nbodyhome]

Also to bear in mind is how much time during the day are you actually going to be spending at the hotel. Usually we spend all our days at the parks then pop back to the hotel for a quick swim at teatime then back out to the parks.

Absolutely!

I have family who spent a lot of time at the WL over the last few days - they went to the parks, and came back for the afternoons. So for them, the AKL might not have been as good a choice. However, I don't think the average room will be effected by the construction. I definitely think that some will be - whoever is facing out on the construction of the new building once it starts. I remember walking to Old Key West recently towards SS and it was LOUD, very loud, during the day. But it also isn't always like that. Just like when I stopped this time at the AKL - nothing going on. But the CM put her fingers in her ears to demonstrate how loud it sometimes was.

If it was me, I'd probably still go. But each person has to make an informed choice, a vacation/holiday is expensive.

 

[nbodyhome]

There is a report on the construction from someone who just came back at the end of this thread:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=18280294&posted=1#post18280294