Help please! 1st time Disney trip!

[ckneptune]

Hi everyone! I apologize if I'm posting this in the wrong place, but I would like your advice.

We are traveling to Disneyworld in September. I am torn between a couple of resorts - Animal Kingdom Lodge and Port Orleans Riverside with the updated princess rooms. The Port Orleans Riverside is about $350 cheaper than the Animal Kingdom one is, but if the Animal Kingdom is worth it, I don't mind paying the difference. My kids are 4 & 3 and we will probably spend some time swimming and maybe doing some outdoor stuff in our downtime. The Riverside one looks to be pretty lowkey, which I do like, but don't want boring and bland.

What are your thoughts? Is there something else you'd recommend? Animal Kingdom is at the top of my budget, so that is about as expensive as I can go. If there is anything else in the moderate range you'd recommend, I'd love to hear!

Thank you so much!!

Kim

 

[mmmears]

AKL is an amazing resort. There are lots of activities for kids, plus a great pool and water play area. And of course being able to watch the animals all day is very unique. The theming and architecture are lovely. Plus you get all the amenities of a deluxe resort (private balcony, indoor corridors, queen size beds, QS restaurant, TS restaurants, and room service). If the theming appeals to you at all, I suggest you try it!

 

[vettegirl]

AKL is an amazing resort and worth every penny!

 

[ckneptune]

I would not be able to afford the Savannah view room. Would you still say it's worth it? Do even the regular rooms have balconies? Thank you SO much for your help! I'm a bit overwhelmed with this decision! Lol

 

[MinneyME]

I would not be able to afford the Savannah view room. Would you still say it's worth it? Do even the regular rooms have balconies? Thank you SO much for your help! I'm a bit overwhelmed with this decision! Lol

We always stay in the Rafki section in Kidni - AKL, it is their "standard" room and one of the only sections with a view of the pool instead of the parking lot. We still get to see animals, but just not from our room and the rooms are a bit cheaper.
PO is also a nice resort. We were surprised at the amount of family activities it had, b/c it is not a deluxe, and the pools looked fun for kids.
I do love AKL, but your kids are young enough where they might not completely "get" the animal activities. That said, the water-play area at Kidni is great for younger kids and only the water parks surpass it.

 

[cwt580]

AKL all the way for that price. pay the extra $10 a night and you can get a pool view room. awesome restaurants, etc........


also most deluxes have a patio or balcony........

 

[dawgfan]

AKL would be great yes, but if that is the top of your budget and this is the first trip you will be taking, I would go with POR or POFQ. The difference in amenities between AKL and POR/POFQ is not that much. Really it woudl come down to theme here. Since it seems that you want to make a big impression on the kids, let them take a look at the theme of each place you may be interested in and pay particular attention to the room type at AKL. Some rooms there have a view of the animals and some have a view of the parking lot. You pay for the animal view. POR and POFQ are great resort and in the moderate price range. I think they make great sense here. IF you have the money and you are willing to spend it on a higher end reosrt then AKL is a good choice. Don't forget about the Wilderness Lodge in the same price range. It is also a very impressive place and of great interest for kids. It is also a MK resort. Look at the themes and see which appeals. Then look at the $$$ and decide whether they appeal to the $$ amount.

 

[heidijanesmith]

We stayed in a pool view at AKL, totally worth it. The pool view rooms in the Zebra trail are close to the lobby, Mara and the pool...perfect location.

We were not in the rooom much, so we were not disappointed by the lack of a savanah view. AKL has a wonderful pool and the pool views at night were lovely. One of our favorite things to do, is to sit on our balcony after a long day at the parks and talk about our great day and what's on the agenda for tomorrow.

We stayed at AKL for our first WDW trip and it was wonderful, perfect resort to really feel like you are staying someplace really special for your first trip.

 

[Disney grandma]

Kidani is part of the Disney vacation villas so you would be staying in Jambo house. It is a beautiful resort, one difference in deluxe would be interior corridors and each room does have a balcony. There are many viewing areas to watch the animals, and the pool is zero entry which younger children might enjoy. I personally like the lodge feel and when you leave your room you enter into the main lobby and not have to go outside for the gift shop or restaurants.
If you have girls, I'm sure they would like the princess rooms, so there isn't really a wrong choice. It can all be overwhelming for your first trip, and it seems like you have done research on your options.

 

[*Fantasia*]

If you want a fun room for kids, then I would go with POR Mansion for Royal Room. The landscape is beautiful.. If your kids love animals, then AKL would be the pick. You can view the animals from different areas of the bldg. But whichever you choose, the kids will enjoy their stay on WDW! To see Cindy's Castle, the rides, and to meet the characters will be a "magical" moment for them!

 

[diznymom]

Just a note: You can go visit AKL and see the animal w/o staying there.

AKL is our #1 favorite resort, but we can't always afford it, or we want to try something different. On the trips we stay elsewhere, we always make at least 2 trips to AKL just to visit.

 

[mommydoll]

I would think more of what park do you think you'll spend the most time? I personally haven't stayed at either of those resorts, but I'm sure they're both great. I like being close to the Magic Kingdom, so I think I would choose the Port Orleans. I'm sure you'll have a great trip either way!

 

[Splash Mountain Kid]

POR doesn't have any slides for the kids and AKL does so I would say it's worth it to stay at AKL. My kids love it and POR is boring to them because there's no slides. I hope I helped!!!

 

[mmmears]

I would not be able to afford the Savannah view room. Would you still say it's worth it? Do even the regular rooms have balconies? Thank you SO much for your help! I'm a bit overwhelmed with this decision! Lol

There are so many lovely balconies and terraces (with huge rocking chairs) that are available all around the resort, overlooking the different savannas. Of course it's nice to have a balcony overlooking the animals, but there are so many lovely, shady spots for you to use even if you book a standard room.

There are different animals living on the different savannas, so even though we had a savanna view, we still went to all the other overlooks and spent time watching the animals.

Like others have said, many people say the $10 upgrade to pool view is worth it. And as far as I know, every room at AKL has a balcony.

 

[Duplexdis]

I would go for POR. The Royal Rooms are beautiful, and I am a huge fan of both Port Orleans Resorts. AKL is beautiful as well, but it is so far out of the way of everything except Animal Kingdom. To me, if you are paying top $$ for Deluxe, you shouldn't be that far away from the action.

 

[dmband]

Just a note: You can go visit AKL and see the animal w/o staying there.

AKL is our #1 favorite resort, but we can't always afford it, or we want to try something different. On the trips we stay elsewhere, we always make at least 2 trips to AKL just to visit.

Do you know if the animals are out during special times?
I was thinking of taking my kids over to have a look but don't want to go t a time that is limited or totally off limits as far as seeing animals goes
Thanks

 

[Castillo Mom]

I would highly recommend AKL. We've stayed twice at Kidani Village. We had a savannah view villa but there a lot of places to see the animals without having to say in a savannah view room. There are lots of activities for the kids and they'll have a great time in the water play area.

As for when the animals are out, we always saw a lot of them between about 1:00 - 3:00 when we would return from the parks to our villa which we really loved. Nothing like coming back to your room and seeing giraffes and zebras right outside your balcony!

 

[mommadjones]

POR doesn't have any slides for the kids and AKL does so I would say it's worth it to stay at AKL. My kids love it and POR is boring to them because there's no slides. I hope I helped!!!

POR does have a slide at the main pool as does POFQ. They are sister resorts so a stay at one gains you access to both pools. The pool slide at POFQ seems a bit tamer however on our last trip my 13 and 3 year old would go up, 13 yo would send down the 3 yo and I would be at the bottom to catch him. We have never stayed at AKL but have visited for dinner on multiple occasions. Its a beautiful resort but I can't comment on the rooms. The rooms at POR are lovely and newly refurbished.

Would you be making a return trip in the next year or so? If yes I would stay this time at POR and next time at AKL. If you plan this to be your one and only Disney trip I would go deluxe!

Good Luck with your choice!