Are AKL rooms really that dark?

[POOH&PIGLET]

I have read that AKL rooms are so dark that it is hard to read in the room, especially at night.
My DW usually reads in the evening & I like to look over our plans for the next day.
I've heard people say they needed flashlights to read (but find that hard to believe).

So, is there enough light in the rooms to read at night?

Thanks!

 

[DizGirl20]

Although I have never stayed at AKV we did take a tour to check out the resort during our last visit. The CM at the front desk was wonderful and gave us our own private tour of the rooms. I did not find them dark at all. Yes, the furniture is dark wood but I would consider it to be more "cozy" than "dark". I remember reading all the "dark" comments and thinking "what is everyone talking about"?!?! All I can surmise is that the furniture/carpeting is darker than say OKW or BCV but you can see perfectly fine in the rooms!

As you can tell from my signature we plan to stay there in April and I simply can not wait! Interested to see other comments...

 

[DeeCee735]

In my personal experience, at dusk when the lights are first turned on, yeah, it's really dark. If you are sitting next to a light on the couch or in bed, of course you can read though. And if you are sitting at the table with the plans for tomorrow in front of you, absolutely you can read.

As the night gets darker, the lights seem to get brighter unless that's just my eyes adjusting.

I must admit, that when we bring guests, I do think about the impression at AKV to a first timer, because that's the first comment they make....."why is it so dark in here?", but as stated above, once we're in the room and the dusk turns to night, its just fine. If you are going for a Savannah view, IMHO, it just can't be beat anywhere on property. We really LOVE the BWV, our first home resort, but once we stayed at AKV, we just had to buy points there, cause waking up with the giraffe and zebra outside the balcony is just amazing. The resort its is just beautiful, and the food is AWESOME!

Enjoy your stay and have a GREAT experience at AKV!

 

[Brandis]

No idea how someone would need a flashlight to read in the AKV rooms, if the lights are turned on.

Below is a picture I took with my iPhone 3, whose photo sensor isn't very light sensitive, so even in only slightly dark conditions, the photo would turn out almost black.

As you can see this is not the case.

 

[drusba]

Have stayed in both Jambo and Kidani. Yes, the lighting is not great, Jambo is somewhat worse than Kidani. Everything is energy efficient bulbs with not enough wattage and leaves the room with a "dusk" lighting effect. And yes, it is difficult to read with the lights at night particularly if you are like me, older and eyesight is not that sharp.

 

[POOH&PIGLET]

Thanks for the responses. My DW will be very uposet if she can't read. As I like my life, I will not say my DW is "older and eyesight is not that sharp." Maybe I'll bring an incandescent bulb with me (just in case).

Off topic ... Diane, we also love BWV (our favorite resort so far). We do have a Savannah view. I am hoping AKL will be my new favorite! Thanks again to everyone for the quick responses.

 

[cvjw]

I had no trouble reading at Kidani. It was a little darker in the bathroom than I would have liked, but I thought the rest of the 2 bedroom was fine for reading. After staying at Kidani, it quickly turned into one of our family's favorite places to stay!

 

[parlay]

I had no problems with the lighting while reading in bed or at the desk.

 

[Daddio]

Animal Kindom rooms are probably the darkest on property (followed by Wilderness Lodge), but you should't have any troube reading by a light in the evening.

David

 

[dizzneebabe]

While I admit the decor and lighting are darker than other properties (it is supposed to be Africa-the dark continent), I've never had a problem at Jambo or Kidani with reading. The lights do take some time to warm up, so at first glance it may seem dark, but after that, you should be just fine!

 

[gatordoc]

No trouble reading, but it is really dark. The main problem I had was with the bathroom - could barely see well enough to shave, for example. Guess I'm just used to having some bright lights over the mirror.

 

[adminjedi]

I have read PLENTY of books at AKV.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I have both kind of lights in my house with the same wattage noted on the bulb. The newer energy efficient fluorescent bulbs take a little bit to warm up, but they are much brighter than the older incandescent bulbs.

When you turn your lights on in the room, you are asked to close your drapes. There are cameras on the grounds and they can look right into your room. The cameras are there to protect the animals.

 

[Mfgs]

The decor at AKV (Kidani) is dark - dark wood, dark finishes, carpeting, bed spreads etc... However, I have never had a problem reading with the table lamp on in the evenings. I also have not had a problem with the bathroom lighting. I was able to my make up on and my DH was able to shave without any issues.

 

[andreadoiron]

we stayed at kidani in june and there are lamps everywhere in the 1 bed unit. i read by the couch, at the table, in bed at night, with no problems. the rooms are not light and airy say like okw but it's not w/out ambient lighting either.
we loved kidani btw! i thought it was the poshest by far of all the dvc resorts we've stayed at (ssr, okw, bcv) and the service was excellent both at the restaurants and any general requests.
lots of fun kid activities as well both at jamba house and kidani so make sure to check the activity calendar. our kids loved the cookie decorating at jamba house

 

[bytheblood]

I dont think so. But then again, when I am in the room, I am there to shower and sleep. Maybe that is why it is a non-issue for me.

 

[toniosmom]

I was there in March with extended family and didn't have any trouble with the lighting. We had two days of torrential rain, so it was very dreary those days, but I still had no problem with lighting. As a previous posted stated, you can't beat a savannah-view room!

 

[jbdisneymom13]

We stayed in a one bedroom in Jambo in July. I had heard all the "dark" stories before we left and I'm still trying to figure it out. The lighting was perfect in my opinion. Read many evenings in bed - no problem! The resort is fantastic. Enjoy!!

 

[ABE4DISNEY]

Only had problems with putting on my makeup---otherwise an awesome place to stay!!