DD's Dream Resort VS Location, Location, Location

[Tbone17701]

I need a big pep talk on AKL. Our family favorite is WL, but our DD's dream resort is AKL in Savanna View (she's a Lion King nut), which we had booked for her 16th last June and had to cancel with Rona. Nov/Dec 2021 will be our first trip back and now AKL is open to book. We currently have BW booked as that is an area DH & I wanted to try, but DD texted as soon as she saw the AKL news. My biggest issue is the location. We spend a lot of time in the MK area and like being able to pop back to the resort during the day as needed. I realize I'm already forgoing that a bit with a BW stay for MK, but rationalized that I was adding that ease for EP and HS. We usually do one full day at AK and maybe pop back for a bit another day if time permits, so no real advantage there beyond that one full day. The travel times, especially to MK, feel like a killer to me. Maybe it isn't as big of a deal once there though (she asks hopefully)? I know the rooms are recently refurbished and hopefully all resort amenities are up and running by then. It should also be decked out for the holidays and I see that set up is somewhat similar to WL, so we'll probably enjoy that. I honestly feel the Savanna View upgrade is a waste given you can view animals elsewhere in the resort, but it's that or bust for our DD. So, I can find some positives and I get excited about the possibility of trying to surprise her with the switch, but then I think about the buses and travel times and I'm right back to scratch. I'm overreacting, right?

 

[calitook]

What about a split stay? It seems like the perfect solution to me!

 

[lanejudy]

If DD was promised a stay at AKL last year and still wants it this year, I would feel obligated to make that work. PP's suggestion of a split stay may be a good compromise if the focus of this year's visit is a little different than what you had planned for last year.

 

[HolRae]

I love AKL Jambo. I just changed my Yacht Club water view this morning to AKL savanna view. I do love split stays as well as long as your trip is long enough. Best of both worlds.

 

[Tbone17701]

Appreciating all of the input and you've got me there @lanejudy. With the multiple votes for a split stay, does anyone know how that works with Covid changes? Is it best just to Uber and take luggage with? We've only done that once (I think) and I believe we used a Minnie Van.

 

[calitook]

I've never actually done a split stay, but my understanding is that bell services will transfer your luggage for you. I haven't read anything about that being changed because of Covid. What about:
Arrival day AKL/no park (enjoy the huge amount of $ you're spending on Savannah View!!)
Day 1 AK (to take advantage of being so close) and stay one more night at AKL
Day 2 either HS or Epcot and have your luggage transferred to BW while you're off at the park. That way you're close enough to easily get settled in once everything is switched over.

Again I've never actually done this, but everything I've read about split stays makes it sound like this should work.

 

[HolRae]

Bell services will transfer your luggage for you. You just have to drop it off by a certain time(I think 11:00 am but not sure) and they will take it to your next resort. It might not be available until 5pm (again not sure of exact time). Mine has always been there by the time I get back from the park and my room is ready. If you plan to head to the next resort to swim before that time be sure to pack your suits and take them with you.

 

[DizneyFamof4]

Our family rarely goes back to the resort during the day, so, for us, location is not important at all, as a matter of fact neither is transportation options. It seems your DD has her heart set on AKL and you promised so, to me, it's pretty much settled. If you were comparing CR to AKL going to MK then I can see it, but WL is not that much of a shorter trip over AKL. People make waaaay to much of a deal over an extra 5-15 minutes for transportation. I am glad our family is not that way, because it allows us to enjoy all the resorts from value thru deluxe and I can honestly say we have enjoyed them all. AKL is by far the most unique resort you could stay at and I always recommend staying there at least once.

 

[saraheliz]

I am doing this same debate for our next trip so I feel your pain! We're a family of 5 (and really do need two bathrooms, or at least two separate bathroom-is spaces) so that limits us a bit more but the location vs kids dream of staying at AKL is tough. We've never minded the buses but the idea of being able to walk somewhere is so appealing!

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I'm with PP. If you promised it to her last year I would feel obligated to keep my word for this year.

Split stay is a great option too! Start at BW and end with AKL SV for a few days at the end. End the trip with a bang. Also I notice at the end of our trips we're more at ease and relaxed so AKL being further out may not be as much of an issue by that point in the trip. I think once you're there and you see how happy your DD is the transportation times won't even be on your radar.

Surprising her is also a great idea! I have a 15 year old daughter and we're planning a trip for next year. She absolutely loves BC and wants to stay there next year. I haven't promised her anything and she knows BC is pricey. I told her IF I can make it happen we can stay there but that a moderate was most likely going to be the resort. She's perfectly fine with that but I'm thinking of doing a split stay and doing BC at the end for a few nights and surprising her once we arrive.

 

[Eastern]

I've never actually done a split stay, but my understanding is that bell services will transfer your luggage for you. I haven't read anything about that being changed because of Covid. What about:
Arrival day AKL/no park (enjoy the huge amount of $ you're spending on Savannah View!!)
Day 1 AK (to take advantage of being so close) and stay one more night at AKL
Day 2 either HS or Epcot and have your luggage transferred to BW while you're off at the park. That way you're close enough to easily get settled in once everything is switched over.

Again I've never actually done this, but everything I've read about split stays makes it sound like this should work.

How many nights are you going? I would probably do one more night at AK.

When we do split stays, we usually plan a nearby park for the hotel we are going to transfer to. We get up early and get Lyft to take us and our luggage to the resort we are going to stay at. Leave the luggage there at bell services and go to the park or have breakfast somewhere. (So in your case that park day would be Epcot or HS). That way if we return midday, we can collect our luggage from bell services rather than having to wait until evening.

I don't think it's all that easy to pop back to a resort no matter where you are staying. Transportation takes time out of your day and for that reason we usually don't do more than 2 parks per day, morning til noonish and then evening hours.

 

[Dug720]

Add me to the chorus of this is what she was promised for her birthday, and it sounds like this trip is the one replacing that cancelled trip. So to me AKL wins out. Especially now that she KNOWS AKL will be open again.

I don't get the appeal of split stays personally - especially when it's just a night or two before moving.

It may be an unpopular opinion, but honestly I think that if this trip is mostly is to celebrate her, it should be about her - especially since she was promised it last year. Save the one that excites you and DH for another time - maybe a couples' trip to celebrate an anniversary or something.

Edit to add: I'm probably a bit biased as I love AKL (I changed my Aug 2022 pre-cruise stay from the Poly to AKL and considered changing the dates of my birthday trip to be able to move from the WL to AKL, but decided I'd rather be there over my birthday itself) and the BW themeing and decor leaves me cold.

 

[Tbone17701]

Okay, the multiple nods to giving her the promised trip from last year have pushed me to do what I knew I'd probably do anyway. I guess I was looking for, "Are you nuts?! AKL is worth every minute on the buses!!" I don't think we'll do the split stay just for the sake of convenience, but I figure if we check off this bucket list item for her now, that will free up future resort choices a bit for DH & I. Thanks again for all of the input!

 

[loves to dive]

If you were staying at BW you would still be far away from MK. AKL is not really that far from Epcot and HS and everything except the monorail and WL are far from MK. AKL is in the same area as the value resorts.

 

[tjmw2727]

AK and BW are our favorite resorts and IMHO if your staying at AK then yes - spend the extra for the savannah view. We haven't had issues with bus service but that was before covid - you can always budget a few extra vacation $ for ride share if you need to get somewhere quickly or if your going from resort to resort.

AKL is beautiful and we could spend our time there without even visiting a park

 

[CarolynFH]

I’m glad to hear you’ll book AKL for your daughter! Just this morning we switched our 3-day BWV studio reservation in January to AKL Savanna view. If AKL had been available when we bought DVC, we might have bought there. I’m looking forward to sipping coffee on our balcony in the mornings!

 

[Miffy]

AKL is my fave resort--and I'm so happy that this thread mentioned that it was now bookable, because I didn't realize that! My sister and I just changed our December rez to AKL.

As far as the transportation issue:

(1) Transportation to DAK is awesome from AKL. The buses come regularly, the ride is 5 minutes or so, and since DAK is my fave park, this is great for hopping. We like to end the night with a quick trip over to DAK and a ride on NRJ. Very serene.

(2) Transportation to the other parks is fine. But if it's not fine with you, then you can always take a rideshare or cab. I've done both. If the wait for a bus seems too long (and this can happen anywhere and everywhere on property), then we just call for a rideshare. Problem fixed. But more often the bus wait times aren't all that bad.

(3) Yes, you cannot walk to any park from AKL. But that's true of a lot of resorts on property.

Have a great stay, OP. Your daughter will be thrilled. And I hope you will be as well. There's really nothing else that compares to AKL.