Animal Kingdom vs Wilderness Lodge for Toddlers?

[talktosrp]

Hi Everyone.
I'll be returning to disney for the first time in ...well....35 years. I'm planing a trip in late September bringing 4 1/2 year old niece for her first disney adventure. So, for you seasoned pros I am hoping for help with the following question.

Where to stay. I've narrowed it down to the Animal Kingdom Lodge and the Wildnerness Lodge. My niece loves animals, and as a friend is traveling with me the Animal Kindgom Lodge seems to have more appear for us all. I've read though that the only transportation form from this resort is a bus. We will be staying 4-5 days and hope to do most of the parks.

Does anyone have an idea regarding how logistically demanding it will be to cart a reasonably well behaved toddler on the buses. Are the frequent enough to still allow for good movement through the park without spending al of our time waiting in parks? The Wildnerness Lodge is a second choice for us and I am wondering if the option of water travel has a real upside.

Any help on this great dilemma would be much appreciated.

 

[bradk]

first, i want to say, i've never believed AKL has anything for a toddler. even if they love animals, so what? you're going to DAK, right? isn't that enough for a disney trip? i think all of the theming and the art, etc. will be lost on them. so if you're doing it for a child, i wouldn't.

you have a very valid concern. AKL is isolated. with exception to DAK which is a tiny bus ride away, you'll be spending at least 40/50 mins a day commuting on the bus. the plus is it doesn't share with other resorts. the negative, your room can end up VERY far from the bus stop.

which park will you be spending more time at? I imagine with a toddler and it being disney, MK is the likely candidate. WL pretty much has it there. i don't really think the WL's transportation options are much better than AKL's mind you (except for the nice boat ride to MK if you're so inclined). it is a fun, beautiful place though. and i've been there when all kids wanted to do was run around the lobby area with the bridge. the pool's nice too (when it's open i suppose).

 

[NARM Forever]

Haven't stayed at AK so can't comment there but we stayed at WL with my DS5 & DS8. They had a fabulous time at WL, they made friends, loved the pool & slide, didn't mind the kids club, enjoyed the Whispering Canyon - even when we were not dining there!! The boat trip was fun and a great way to get to MK.

With that age group, WL is a good choice, and as Brad said, its so close to MK and although MGM is the boys fav park, MK was a close second.

NARM

 

[imlazar]

We stayed at WL last year with our boys who were 5 & 3 at the time. The good thing about WL - very close to MK, where I assume you'll spend most of your time. You can take a boat over, you can watch the fireworks every night from the hotel, and you can even see the electric light water parade.

It's also very close to get to Fort Wilderness Campground which has a great kids play area and the Hoop De Doo which our kids loved. There's also a Mickey BBQ on some nights.

The sit-down restaurant, the Whispering Canyon can be VERY loud, our kids had problems with the first night but learned to love it by the third visit. The food is very good and there are a ton of events during dinner (make sure you ask for ketchup), but if your kids don't do well in loud environments you will be very unhappy.

The pool is OK, not great, not bad. Our kids didn't love it, but they did like it. They also liked the beach.

Enjoy!

 

[jojoandhb]

We're staying at AKL with our 3 1/2 year old daughter in May. I picked it over WL because it's dimly lit, has the African music, and I love the atmosphere. My daughter LOVES giraffes. We go to the zoo about 3 times a week, and AKL has that vibe to it. When I showed her slide shows of the 2 resorts on another website, she picked AKL. I'm not worried about transportation since we're driving down there. The two resorts were designed by the same person and look very similar.

 

[sleepingbeautymama]

Hi, we were just at Disney last fall and we stayed at the Wilderness Lodge with our 4 year old daughter. The AKL was one of the places we did think about but decided against it because of it's location. We knew most of our time would be spent at the MK and the idea of being able to ride the boat from WL to MK everyday seemed more appealing. We ended up loving the WL and my daughter enjoyed the boat ride probably more than some of the things at the actual parks. The WL also has a neat pool and every night there is a little light show on the water that I'm sure your niece will like. Also it was easy to get on the boat and go over the Contemporary to get on the monorail. I liked everything about the WL and can't wait until I can plan another trip back. I do have to say though I have never seen the AKL so I can't really make a comparison but it came down to theming and knowing that most of our time would be at MK which is why we chose WL. I'm sure though with Disney, you will love either place.

 

[castleeto]

My 2 1/2 yr old dd LOVED staying at AKL this past November! We spent plenty of time at Animal Kingdom, but we still had many unique experiences at AKL. She would wake up every morning, throw back the curtains and yell, "WAKE UP ZEBRAS!" It was so exciting for her to be able to see the animals right outside our room. It was also cool to see the animals around the pool area. There were plenty of fun things for toddlers to do there, IMHO. One day, she was invited to play the drums with cast members outside Boma and Jiko. I have also heard about cookie decorating and storytelling outside at night, but we didn't do either of those. She also loved the cartoons playing in the lobby. The cast members everywhere were fantastic too, but especially in the store. My daughter still talks about how they "fixed" her Pal Mickey! (It was just new batteries, but they were so concerned when she told them he "stopped talking"! They replaced the batteries free of charge and celebrated with her when he started working again). We actually had such a fantastic time there that I'm planning to buy into DVC at AKV this year so we can stay there again and again! Here are a few pictures from our stay at AKL in Nov. 06:
Waking up with the animals (and some crazy bedhead!)

Hanging out in our room

Drumming with a cast member

Me and my little princess by the Savannah

On our balcony with Pal Mickey

 

[WDWguru]

Those are two of our favorite resorts, so it's hard to choose. I would say in your case, with a toddler, the proximity of WL to MK is tough to beat.

castleeto - your dd is adorable!

 

[castleeto]

Those are two of our favorite resorts, so it's hard to choose. I would say in your case, with a toddler, the proximity of WL to MK is tough to beat.

castleeto - your dd is adorable!

Thanks guru! How is it in SLC now? I actually grew up there, and my mom and sister still live there.

I just realized that I didn't even mention transportation. It will take you longer to get to MK from AKL than it would from WL. But, not so much longer that it's really a problem unless you plan to go back to the room alot during the day. We have never stayed in the MK resort area though, so maybe that's why it wasn't a big deal to us. But, at AKL you're closer to AK, and the other parks are probably about even. It really just depends on what's important to you on this trip, but we had a great experience at AKL!

 

[Disney Planner Mama]

I would agree that if you are not planning on renting a car then WL is the way to go. However, especially with a toddler renting a car makes life so much easier! You can get some great deals on rental cars in Orlando. If you can rent a car I'd do AKL -- my girls both loved it as toddlers. They have fun activities for kids -- brass rubbings in the lobby, storytimes around the firepit, and of course seeing the animals from the balcony.

I wouldn't do AKL if you didn't have a car.

 

[Bugsmom73]

Here is my side of the story but first welcome to the DIs boards.

I have stayed at WL with a 14mos old and a 3 1/2 year old and at AKL with a 3 year old and a 5 1/2 year old. The 3 year old is on the autism spectrum. As far as transportation, we had very few problems with the buses at AKL. There was one day heading home from Animal Kingdom that we had a 25-30 minute wait, other than that no problems. We found the transportation at AKL better than WL, except for the boat.

We had our car at WL and we took the bus everywhere except MK, which we took the boat. We ran into problems with getting to and from Downtown Disney and we just opted to drive, it made that trip much quicker.

My DD loved AKL, and she wants to stay there again. DS didn't care as much but he is pretty flexible kid.

The food court is bigger at AKL and has a great selection of healthy foods. We were at WL before the Roaring Forks update, but I remember it being small.

Have fun.

 

[WDWguru]

Thanks guru! How is it in SLC now? I actually grew up there, and my mom and sister still live there.

We moved here in 1993 for a work transfer and sort of "accidentally" ended up staying. SLC is great - we love it. LOVE the weather (it's about 65 today and sunny, but still plenty of snow to ski up in the mountains), it's so clean, people are so nice and it's really easy to travel out of (which we do a lot). Our downtown condo has a fantastic view of the city and the Wasatch mountains to boot. Who knew a couple of hipster childfree folks would love it here so much?

 

[chris4disney]

We stayed at the AKL in 2004 and we LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT!! We loved the sounds you heard in the lobby as you walked through. We loved the smells coming from Boma and Jiko! We loved the artwork and decor found throughout the resort! We loved the massages we got at AKL! Loved the pool! Oh and yes, of course we loved the animals right outside our balcony every day! LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!! At the time of our trip, we had our 18 month old son with us and he did seem to enjoy it, but was too young to remember it. He is now almost 4 and a Disney pro! On a daily basis he gets out our WDW brochures with maps and goes through all the parks pointing out rides and attractions he likes and ones that mommy and daddy like! Ask him where we are staying this October... "We're staying at the Beach Club mommy!!!" He even recognizes Dave, Erin, Stacey and Luke from the old planning DVD!

Anyways... as for the WL, we have never stayed there, but have eaten there and looked around while visiting. It is a nice resort and the boat ride to MK does seem like a nice plus, but DH and I just didn't get that same feeling as we do walking into the AKL. Just our personal preferrence though. I'm sure you couldn't go wrong with either one. I mean hey, you'll be at Disney!!!

 

[pigletforever]

We stayed at AKL last October with our 4 year old son. He loved every minute of it. The transportation was not an issue. I loved the fact we didn't share buses with other resorts. especially in teh evening when I was ready to get back to the hotel. I knew the next stop was AKL and no where else. We had a Savannah room but you can see the animals from so many places it really isn't a requirement. There are great kid activities around the hotel.

We loved it so much we are going to stay there again this October and are bringing grandma to enjoy the fun.

 

[SheriRDH]

We stayed at the AK in 2002 with a 3 year old and 10 year old. It was beautiful, peaceful, and we loved it...However my husband just reminded me that the pool is not very toddler friendly, if that is an issue for you.

 

[wedance6]

We stayed at the AK in 2002 with a 3 year old and 10 year old. It was beautiful, peaceful, and we loved it...However my husband just reminded me that the pool is not very toddler friendly, if that is an issue for you.

Actually my toddler loves the pool, it's great with zero depth entry and not too wide to wander off, there is also a small wading pool which is nice for just hanging out and playing with buckets, etc. AKL is very relaxing and quiet, does not create over stimulation for the younger set. great place to break up the stimulation from the parks. Also, it has alot of activities for the kids, not all the deluxe resorts do. (I'm not sure about WL)

 

[cdrn1]

We have stayed at both with our DGD and although we LOVE AKL and she loved it too, we do think WL holds the edge when it comes to things to do with a toddler. We rode the boat to MK which was a treat for her; we played in the sand along the beach almost every day; we rented a pontoon boat and the surrey bikes; we went to FW and rode the ponies. Also the pool was nice and she loved the geyser.
In defense of AKL, the bus service is very, very good and the zero-entry pool is great for little ones. Also the animals are soo much fun to sit and watch in the morning.
We truly love both but just think WL has more to offer for us when we have the little one along.

 

[LibertyLover]

I have had my toddler to AKL twice and am going back in April with her. It's great in the morning to be able to point her in the direction of the window and tell her to count the giraffes while mommy gets a few more minutes of sleep . The second time we stayed at AKL we were on the savannah with the baby giraffe and my little one was thrilled each time she saw him. She is a fairly adventerous eater, so Boma and Jiko were wonderful options. However, we are hoping to go at Christmas time and plan to stay at WL for its proximity to the MK and theming. I've never stayed there, but in the end, you probably can't go wrong with picking either one.

 

[pilferk]

Hi Everyone.
I'll be returning to disney for the first time in ...well....35 years. I'm planing a trip in late September bringing 4 1/2 year old niece for her first disney adventure. So, for you seasoned pros I am hoping for help with the following question.

Where to stay. I've narrowed it down to the Animal Kingdom Lodge and the Wildnerness Lodge. My niece loves animals, and as a friend is traveling with me the Animal Kindgom Lodge seems to have more appear for us all. I've read though that the only transportation form from this resort is a bus. We will be staying 4-5 days and hope to do most of the parks.

Does anyone have an idea regarding how logistically demanding it will be to cart a reasonably well behaved toddler on the buses. Are the frequent enough to still allow for good movement through the park without spending al of our time waiting in parks? The Wildnerness Lodge is a second choice for us and I am wondering if the option of water travel has a real upside.

Any help on this great dilemma would be much appreciated.

First off, don't let your niece hear you call her a "toddler". My 4 1/2 year old daughter would lynch me if I did that.

Second, I must respectfully disagree with the poster that said there is "nothing at AKL" for a toddler/preschool age child.

For starters, you have the obvious: the animals. I don't think you can overstate how fascinated the wee ones are with being able to watch the animals...especially if you have a savannah view room. That balcony will get more use than you'll expect, even if you expect heavy use.

Next up, you have the zero entry pool. For kids, it really is a god send. They actually HAVE a shallow end to the pool to play in, where they can get some independant (though supervised) play time. The zero entry pools, IMHO, are actually the best variety at Disney for the under 5 set, especially if they're not real strong swimmers (and maybe even then).

You also have the small, but fun, playground right near the pool. Our kids loved it, FYI, when we were just visiting last trip and walking around the resort after dinner at Bomas.

There's a TON of kid activities at AKL, too. You have the activities run by the lifeguards at the pool (which are always pretty interesting), you have the cultural reps all over the lodge who are VERY good with kids, you have the "story time" each night at the firepit on the Arusha overlook, you have a TON of other kids activities being run by Cast Members (animal checklist, hidden mickey checklist, find the beads, etc, etc). And (though WL has the Cub's Den, too) you have the Simba's Clubhouse kids club for childcare (booking required in advance) when you and your friend want to grab a bite at Jiko's or a drink at Victoria's Lounge. there is a TON of stuff for preschool kids to do at AKL....actually, maybe more than any of the other Disney resorts I've stayed at

I also saw transportation mentioned. Yes, you MAY spend 40 to 50 minutes on a Disney bus....about 15 to 20 min (10 to 15 if you drive your own car) to get to the MK and about the same back. Compare that with about 10 to 25 min transport time from WL (about 5 to 10 min each way...maybe a bit longer if you take the boat, depending on boat loading times, etc). AKL transport is especially efficient because it doesn't share with anyone. Also keep in mind that the boat transport back to WL is not air conditioned.

If I were you, I'd go with AKL (heck, look at my siggie...I AM going with AKL...or rather AKV...with young kids!). It's an experience you simply can not get anywhere else at Disneyworld....or anywhere else in the country, currently.

 

[kimberh]

I just want to say, that as a DVC owner, I own at Both. You really cannot go wrong with either choice. We have taken our children and grand children to both. They love the Animals! They cannot get enough of them. Then the theming of WL is just wonderful. As someone aleady stated, AKL doesn't share a bus, the ride is not that bad. Bomas has one of the best breakfast buffets on property. It is a fair price, too. There dinner is awesome. We eat there every trip, it is usually after our AK day.
A 4 year old is going to be happy, no matter where they are... they are at Disney! My Granddaugher was 3 when she was at AKL, I was a little concerned about her not liking the resort, it was just the opposite... they had a separate room from us...every time I saw her, she would tell me about what she had seen that morning.
The pool is great at both resorts. The WL pool has just finished a major overhaul. It is scheduled for opening the end of March. The boat ride to Magic kingdom is really nice. That is our preferred mode of transporation to the MK. How many days are you going to attend the MK? MGM and AK both have many things for a 4 yr old. Ak is very close to AKL. It is a toss up for time there...My Grands love AK.