How bad are AKL standard view rooms?

[NHBelle]

We are on a really tight budget for this trip. We have stayed at the AKL before and its definatley our fave resort,but we were able to get upgraded to a pool view room. I would love to pay the extra for the same room again,but its just not in the budget. I just want to know how bad is the standard room view? Do they all face the parking lot? Are there any that face gardens or trees etc. My only other allternative is staying at the all stars, or maybe a Moderate Resort but I think I would rather stay at AKL with a parking lot view than do that. What do you think????

 

[BigOnDis]

I don't know about all the rooms, but the one we had certainly faced the parking lot. We didn't care too much, we just didn't sit out on the balcony, and we still loved the resort. I will admit though that since then we have always stayed in a pool view or sav. view.

AKL is our favorite resort too, and I would rather stay there with the standard view than stay at the All Stars.

Not to get your hopes up, but one year we had standard view ressies and they upgraded us to sav. view, so maybe you will get an upgrade.

 

[Peter Pirate]

Bad? That seems a bit negative right off the bet. They are, after all, facing the parking lot so how good could they be? It sounds like if it's a budget trip you're on you may consider staying at a moderate with a "good" view (POR, as we're doing over Memorial Day).

As for the std. rooms at AKL, they are the same room, just no view. But the lodge has so much going for it the view is only "so" important, IMO.

 

[All Aboard]

While I've not stayed in one, there seems to be several degrees of quality when it comes to standard view location. I would guess that rooms near the end of Ostrich Trail would tend to have fewer cars and less traffic. While standard rooms at the end of Giraffe Trail are right by the bus stops, and adjacent to the path cars take when entering the resort. Perhaps the least desirable rooms are the two or three on the third floor, at the end of Giraffe. If you step out onto your balcony, you can have a chat with each person who is walking to the bus stop - because they are going to be just a few inches from you.

 

[Kala]

Here's a link to the AKL photo page on AllEars which has alot of really good photos, including views from the Standard View rooms. Hope this helps. Also like you said, I love the resort and the views from the values and moderates aren't always better than that either. And I love the "feel" of being at a Deluxe. Either way, it's still WDW!

http://www.allearsnet.com/acc/g_akl.htm

 

[Mirenza]

Well, I can't exactly say that the parking lot views are "sterling", but the pool views are all pretty nice, if not loud. They have easier access to the food courts and you don't have to have long elevator rides, wither.

 

[leanne11]

we saw and heard people alllll night long walking 2 ft. from us. you can always asked to be moved..and never hurts to ask for an upgrade..the standard rooms are such a small % of the total number of rooms, i would definately try, we loved it .we were upgraded to a sav.

 

[shellybaxter]

We didn't care for the standard view we had at all. We had booked a standard view fully expecting to stay in it and not get an upgrade. We had requested bunk beds as my four year old niece was with us, had seen the "bunky bed" pictures online and was facinated with them. We checked in REALLY late (right around midnight) and no bunk bed rooms were available. The CM even went back to the back for quite some time to "look for" bunk beds. She said our request hadn't been filled because we only had one child. I told her I understood but mentioned how disappointed our niece would be. She offered to move us to a bunk bed room the next day. I thanked her much and accepted the move. We went to our assigned room. The view to of the drop off area at the front of the hotel. Even at midnight it was NOISY and there was no way I could sit on the balcony in the morning in my robe and enjoy a cup of coffee. Too many people would see me, NO PRIVACY.

At any rate, the CM had told me to call bell services in the morning and have my luggage stored, come to the front desk the next day and we would be moved to a bunk bed room. I had hoped for a room further away from the lobby with a bit more privacy.

Since it had been so late, I called to confirm the procedure with the front desk that morning. The front desk didn't answer, but a switch board operator in the hotel did. She looked at my account and said there was no room switch planned for us. I explained what had occured the night before and told her we really needed to switch as I had no told our niece she would be getting a bunk bed that night (because the CM had assured me it was all set). She put me on hold and after a few minutes she said to go ahead and call bell services and store our luggage. So we did. We had breakfast at BOMA and were then going to head out to AK for the day. I still wasn't 100% sure everything was okay so I stopped by the front desk. This CM and the one on the phone were really not very "helpful" and made me feel bad. Like I was trying to get something for nothing.

All I really wanted was a bunk bed room. Which I would have been fine without if I hadn't been offered a choice to switch to one the next day and told my niece we would get to do. I've taught preschool for 15 plus years and the one thing I try not to do is disappoint children.

This CM again looked at my account and said "no room change". I told her the whole story and she said "well you never talked to us here". I said I'd spoken to a check in CM the night before who had offered the change. She acted put out and was very cranky but said to come back after 3:00 and get my new room. I said asked how long after three as I had a four year old who had gotten to bed very late the night before. She then said something like "maybe why after four, room changes are not ready until regular check in is completed". At this point I was pretty much in tears and just left the desk.

I hadn't started this mess and it wasn't going very well. At that point I HATED AKL and wasn't even sure if I wanted to say there. I was ready to move back to the POR where we had stayed the year before and loved. DH convinced me to calm down and go and enjoy the park. Which we did. As I expected our niece started to fall apart about 2:00. We headed back to the lodge and I went to check at the desk about 2:30 (the original CM wouldn't give me a number to call and see if our new room was ready earlier).

This is where our vacation turned around. The CM at the front desk this time was pure Disney magic. I have to say after all this, I really didn't care where our room was, as long as it had bunk beds and I didn't have to disappoint Dniece. This lady was sooooo sweet. She welcomed me back, asked about our day so far and handed me new key cards. She then took out a map and showed me our new room. It was so perfect I started to tear up. It was 4th floor savannah view on the Arusha savannah. I was afraid to ask, but said "does this room have bunk beds". She answered very sweetly, "why yes it does". With tears in my eyes I said, "thank you so much, this is an upgrade. We really just requested the bunk beds." She then said "We liked to do nice things for our guests when we can. Have a magical day".

This CM saved our vacation. The rest was awesome. There were little issues (DH got the flu one day, Dniece was tired and cranky sometimes) but the kindness of this CM just changed my attitude and anything that happened was okay after that.

So, that was a long answer to a short question. For me, the standard views are not worth even the discounted price they are available for. If I had to choose between AKL standard view or a moderate, I'd choose a moderate hands down.

 

[caribear]

I would choose an AKL standard room over a moderate. We have had a standard room overlooking the front of the hotel/ near the porte cochere. I am a light sleeper and it really did not bother me. We have also had a standard room that was above the registration desk, so we were overlooking the roof...but if you are tall or stood on a chair you could see the savannah!