Changing from SSR to AKL. Nervous!

[Hollywoodsign]

Hello.
We have always stayed at SSR and love the peace and quiet it provides. Most evening in Sep are spend round the adult pool with just a few quiet other adults. Other evenings we like to take the short stroll over to Disney Springs and grab a Starbucks and people watch.

2018 we are staying at AKL. I've noticed there is only two pools. I am slightly worried there will always be a lot of noise and children and not much opertunity to relax. Also do people like to 'reserve' the loungers with towels leaving you nowhere to lay?

How about other evening activities? Is Disney Springs going to take us around half an hour each way??

Many thanks

Steven

 

[Marthasor]

I've never stayed at SSR so I can't compare, but, yes, the pool at Jambo was pretty rowdy, IMHO. I can't recall if people saved chairs, but we never had difficulty finding one. There are other areas of AKL that are relaxing - the bar area, the animal viewing area at the back of the lobby, for instance.

To get to DS, I highly recommend just getting uber. Easier, faster and will probably cost about $5-$7 each way.

 

[barbliny]

Take your cocktails, or other beverage choice, to the outside observation 'porches' and sit on the rocking chairs. Accessible by going up a flight of stairs from the lobby and taking the first exit door in the hallway. I believe there is something similar on each floor - I can't quite remember (maybe someone can jump in and correct me) They pipe in music and you can watch the animals and the people watching the animals below.

There are also rocking chairs around the firepit at the ground level of the savannah viewing area outside the lobby. These are nice, but if you can get to one of the public balconies and find the one pair of rocking chairs empty - you will have a memorable and relaxing time.