Animal Kingdom Lodge - can you help me make a decision please?

[Mazzy]

I think a few of you have stayed at this hotel and would love to hear what you thought of the rooms, views and facilities.

If I can get a good code discount I am considering staying there for a few days at the end of our trip, but not 100% convinced.

I do love the Dolphin and it's Lake Views, but DD Sam really wants to stay at AKL as she is a great animal lover. Do you really see that many animals? I have a vision of the view just being a barren wasteland with the odd creature putting in an appearance! And what about the transportation? As there are only buses do they get pretty full?

I would love to hear from anyone who's stayed there, or even visited, so I can make a decison by the end of the month in time for the discount codes!

Thanks

 

[rob@rar.org.uk]

We stayed there for a week in August and really loved it. At certain times of day there are very few animals around, particularly mid-afternoon when many of them seem to go back to their main quarters for food and check-ups. At other times of day it is busy with lots of different animals to look at, especially first thing in the morning and early evening. There are three savannahs, each with its own set of animals. Our room looked out on to the 'main' Arusha savannah, and we spent many hours on the balcony looking at the animals. We also spent some time looking at the other savannahs from different viewing locations.

The hotel itself is full of intersting African artifacts, and has a number of informal talks and storytelling opportunities throughout the day. The main lobby is wonderful, with lots of deep leather armchairs to relax in and watch the world go by. It also has the very wonderful Boma restaurant.

Can't help with the bus situation as we always chose to drive.

I guess it much depends on your attitude to animals - if you enjoy looking at unusual animals (well, unusual for people who live in the UK) you will enjoy AKL. Jane and I spent many hours gazing at the animals, the giraffes in particular are just amazing. If you have a 'take-it-or-leave-it' attitude with regard to the animals you might find other hotels more enjoyable.

Regards

Rob

 

[BevS97]

Mazzy - it's a fantastic hotel, the view from our window is best summed up like this

and here's the pool -

We thoroughly enjoyed this hotel - the bus service was excellent. It is a bit further to Magic Kingdom, but the hotel has it's own bus, and we never had to wait very long. after last year at CBR, we said we would never take another bus, but we used them quite a bit at the Animal Kingdom Lodge and found them to be excellent.

The restaurants are superb, the hotel is stunning - personally I wouldn't miss it.
We didn't request a Savannah room, so were thrilled when we got one - having stayed in a savannah room, I don't think I would go and stay in a normal room - the savannah made the trip really magical. We were overlooking a small side savannah, in a little extension of the Kudo trail, and saw 3 or 4 giraffes and lots of other animals - no zebra though - they are on the other side.

Bev

 

[Olaf]

We got to stay there for two nights at the beginning of one of our trips. We had originally been booked into All Star Movies, but we arrived really late at night and they were full. So they sent us over to the Animal Kingdom Lodge. We just had a standard room, with a view of the pool, but we were only paying $49 a night (FL resident rate).

I found the room itself a little on the small and dark side, but the amenities in the hotel were fabulous.

 

[BevS97]

Steph,

we also found the rooms dark - they do need better lighting in them,

I can't see your photo's, when I click on the link, I just get a dot photo logo.

Bev

 

[Boo Boo Too]

We went to AKL to have dinner at JIKO (during our trip in early August). I really liked the hotel, but my husband was not so keen.

The lobby was fantastic, the pool looked really nice and there was a sort of outside seating area with bon fires which overlooked the Savannah. I didn't see any rooms.

On the down side it was rather dark (use of dark colours and atmospheric lighting - or lack of ;-)) and it located away from most of the rest of WDW - I wouldn't fancy it without a car (the Dolphin is much better located for non-drivers).

How long is your stay? Why not spend the first few nights at AKL, then transfer to the Dolphin for the rest of your stay (or a week at each?)? Just a thought.

Jiko was great for a nice adult meal, by the way.

I am sure that you will have a great time, whatever you decide (the Dolphin - although I think that I prefer the Swan - is a wonderful hotel).

Boo

 

[Hilary]

I have only visited AKL, not actually stayed there, and have stayed at the Dolphin for only one night, so I may not have a very balanced opinion of them! I enjoyed the Dolphin very much, and was glad I tried it, but I have to say I wouldn't be too disappointed if I never got to stay there again.

AKL, on the other hand, is high on my list of 'must go back'. I would like to stay at AKL, but I wouldn't think it worthwhile if I was planning to spend most of the day in the parks - it seems to be very much a place for relaxing on the balcony enjoying the view of the animals. For that reason I think I would want only a couple of nights there, rather than a whole holiday, as I might get a bit blase about the animals after a while!

We had a fantastic meal at Boma's (my favourite meal of any at WDW ever), and I enjoyed just looking around the lobby area at AKL.

Have you ever visited WL? If so, and if you liked the 'Wow!' factor of the architecture and decor there, then AKL is just as impressive PLUS animals!

 

[UKDEB]

We stayed at AKL for the first two nights of our trip last July/August. I was very worried about the darkness of the rooms having seen photos on the internet before we went and the reality was very much as depicted in the photos. <i>But</i> I came to really love the room quite quickly and the hotel has a fantastic ambiance, especially during the evening.

We were in Concierge overlooking the Arusha Savannah. Concierge was fabulous, but the downside is that, being on the fifth floor, you don't get such a good view of the animals as you're looking down through the trees. Looking at Bev's photos, I would imagine she was on a lower floor and if I stayed there again I would stuggle with choosing between concierge and the better view from the lower floors.

AKL is right at the bottom left-hand corner of WDW and, with the exception of AK, you are a long way from the parks. I wouldn't fancy it without a car, but if you don't mind buses, the comments others have made seem quite encouraging.

I agree with the comment about staying just a couplle of nights. Even if you decide not to stay there, it's definitely worth a visit - Boma and Jiko are both superb, although depending on your attitude to food you might prefer one over the other.

 

[BONZO]

.....cariboo nibbling the croquet hoops.........I digress!

LOL

 

[BevS97]

Debbie, you are right, we were on the 2nd floor - it's quite strange as the lobby is on the third floor, so we had to go down to get to our room.

Concierge is unlikely to be an option for us, but I would certainly recommend the lower floors - we had a fab view and felt very close to the animals.

bev

 

[Mazzy]

Thanks everyone for your views

Bev, thanks so much for posting the photos, they are great! It certainly looks like the lower floors are the way to go if we do decide to stay there. Did you use a zoom on your camera or was the giraffe really that close to you?

Steph, I've just noticed your photos are now showing! Thanks for posting, the rooms do look dark, but cosy in a wintery sort of way - and as we will be there in January when it gets dark early I guess it is the right setting for that time of year!

 

[BevS97]

Mazzy, I do use a zoom, but the giraffes were pretty close.

there is a road around the edge of their area, right next to the hotel, and they can come right up to the edge of the road, so maybe 10 feet from the building?

Bev

 

[WDWfan uk]

Regards the busses, they have a good reputation and bear in mind that they do not share with any of the other resorts - we used the bus service to get there and back and it looked as if as one left another turned up!
There were plenty of animals to see early evening and guides on hand at each of the savannahs with whom we chatted about the animals - a stunning resort!

Why not spend some time at the Dolphin and some time at the AKL Mazzy?

 

[Mazzy]

Thanks Bev

Shirley - the plan is to just stay somewhere different for the last 3 or 4 nights of our stay, as we have 15 nights to play with altogether but it's hard making a decision!

Thanks everyone for your help and photos, my first choice is the Polynesian, but it may be over-budget, unless there are some really great codes out next month - fingers crossed!

Is anyone else as indecisive as me?!? LOL!!!

 

[Olaf]

I love the Poly Mazzy, although I've never stayed there. DH is Air Force, so we've stayed at the Shades of Green many times. While staying there, we sometimes walk across the street and catch the monorail from there. Beautiful hotel.

 

[Mazzy]

Yes Steph, the Polynesian really appeals to me, and I'm really hoping that for January, which is the quietest time of year, I can get a good deal and stay there a few nights.

I have a vision of myself swaying too and fro on a hammock on the beach, sipping a cocktail, watching the sun go down - but as it will be January, maybe I'll be wearing wooly hat and gloves!

I can definitely afford a garden view room, but it has to be Lake View or nothing, not fussy am I!