Help having second thoughts

[Sunnydaze68]

I booked a postcard rate at AKL (savannah view) for May, but am now having 2nd thoughts. We love the MK area. Have never stayed at a monorail resort, but have stayed at WL. I was thinking about trying to get a monorail resort if they are discounted significantly with the postcard. (We love MK and Chef Mickey and 1900 Park fare) BUT..... the kids really love the animals and we liked WL. AKL just seems so distant from everything. We are only staying 2 nights (quick trip) then to UO. For those of you who have stayed at both mono resort and AKL can you give a comparison. OR should I just stay at AKL and enjoy the animal experience?

Thanks

 

[Sunnydaze68]

just bumping

 

[asaj]

We stayed at AKL with our then 4 year old daughter in 2003. We had a savannah view room, and we all loved it. Yes, it is a bit out of the way, but it feels like an entirely different world there. We had breakfast every morning on our balcony, watching the animals. if your kids are into animals, then I would definitely try AKL, especially with the savannah view. We also loved the pool, and my daughter thought the slide was the best thing ever.

We are going to WL this year, and I only hope it is as good an experience as AKL.

Andy

 

[Pea-n-Me]

We visited AKL last month to have dinner at Boma. Put it this way, we decided to stay there for two nights before our cruise next year. It was really nice. Granted, a different type of experience, but nice in and of itself. Check out the many threads on AKL. Good luck deciding.

 

[westjones]

My kids LOVED AKL and want to go back! We really enjoyed it too. Now we only stayed 1 night before we moved to OKW (we are DVC members). We didn't go to the parks on our day at AKL, we stayed there and enjoyed the activities and restuarants (as well as the pool) at AKL.

NOW, I don't know if I would want to stay there for a whole week. We like the Epcot resorts (it is great just walking back to our rooms from MGM and Epcot). But it is certainly worth going to AKL at least once. It was such a thrill to set out on our balcony and watch the animals.

DJ

 

[Sunnydaze68]

Thanks everyone for your input.. I think I'll just stick with my AKL reservation. The kids do love the animals and it sounds like it will be a new/different experience.

ASAJ (Andy) - We loved the WL. You will enjoy it there. It's our favorite....so far....

 

[asaj]

Thanks everyone for your input.. I think I'll just stick with my AKL reservation. The kids do love the animals and it sounds like it will be a new/different experience.

ASAJ (Andy) - We loved the WL. You will enjoy it there. It's our favorite....so far....

That's what everybody tells me. My only real concern is the size of the pool and the water slide. I think my daughter liked the water slide at AKL as much as she liked anything else at WDW, and the pool was big enough that it wasn't crowded. Seems like the pool at WL is smaller, and same with the water slide. We are going in Oct though, so maybe it won't be as crowded and it will not be an issue.

You will have a great time at AKL, rest assured.

Andy

 

[mwerner2]

We've stayed at the Contemporary and AKL, but we love AKL the most. At the Contemporary you are in "the middle of it all", but at AKL you are "getting away from it all". It does feel like a whole other world. (and it really doesn't take much longer to get to and from the parks--the bus service is good)

Also, don't miss talking with the great CM's from Africa at AKL. They are very friendly and will tell you all about their various countries. There is African storytelling around the firepit in the evenings for the younger kids, and for older folks there is a tour of the African artwork displayed, and a food-tasting tour of the Boma restaurant. Yum!

 

[Sunnydaze68]

That's what everybody tells me. My only real concern is the size of the pool and the water slide. I think my daughter liked the water slide at AKL as much as she liked anything else at WDW, and the pool was big enough that it wasn't crowded. Seems like the pool at WL is smaller, and same with the water slide. We are going in Oct though, so maybe it won't be as crowded and it will not be an issue.

You will have a great time at AKL, rest assured.

Andy

I can't give a comparison of the pools obviously since I haven't stayed at AKL yet, but when we stayed at WL in May of '02 (memorial holiday). It wasn't too crowded. My daughter loved the slide (again I don't know what AKL's is like). The resort as a whole is awesome. You have the beach, easy access to MK which we loved, water mouse etc., bike trails, the atmosphere as a whole is wonderful. It is a beautiful place. I'm hoping we get the same at AKL since they are somewhat similar.