It's NEVER Too Late, for Number 8 - the most UNOFFICIAL, 'official' AKL thread yet!

[princessallegra]

Hi,

Question for all of you AKL experts. Im currently booked in an Arusha view room for my April 2013 trip. When I was on the phone with Disney the CM was checking the price difference between CL and the Arusha view room and she indicated that all of the CL rooms would have the same type of views as an Arusha view. The Disney sight does not indicate that they have the same views, so I wanted to know what everyone else thought. The price difference was only about $200 total for the entire trip. If the view is the same Im willing to pay it, but if not Im not interested. Any insight is most appreciated.

Thanks,
Jennifer

Take it!!!!!! CL is something everyone should experience at least once! If we could afford it we'd stay CL every time.

 

[dgbg100106]

Hi,

Question for all of you AKL experts. Im currently booked in an Arusha view room for my April 2013 trip. When I was on the phone with Disney the CM was checking the price difference between CL and the Arusha view room and she indicated that all of the CL rooms would have the same type of views as an Arusha view. The Disney sight does not indicate that they have the same views, so I wanted to know what everyone else thought. The price difference was only about $200 total for the entire trip. If the view is the same Im willing to pay it, but if not Im not interested. Any insight is most appreciated.

Thanks,
Jennifer

For $200 I would do it. The view is the same.

 

[PoohNFriends]

Hi,

Question for all of you AKL experts. Im currently booked in an Arusha view room for my April 2013 trip. When I was on the phone with Disney the CM was checking the price difference between CL and the Arusha view room and she indicated that all of the CL rooms would have the same type of views as an Arusha view. The Disney sight does not indicate that they have the same views, so I wanted to know what everyone else thought. The price difference was only about $200 total for the entire trip. If the view is the same Im willing to pay it, but if not Im not interested. Any insight is most appreciated.

Thanks,
Jennifer

Jumping on board to say YES, take it. $200 well worth the amenities of CL and the location in the lodge. At AKL I stayed CL in a DVC room which aren't known for the views when staying CL so can't comment on the view part for you. Only problem with staying CL, if you haven't already, is you may always want to stay CL here on out!!

 

[Sue M]

Hi,

Question for all of you AKL experts. Im currently booked in an Arusha view room for my April 2013 trip. When I was on the phone with Disney the CM was checking the price difference between CL and the Arusha view room and she indicated that all of the CL rooms would have the same type of views as an Arusha view. The Disney sight does not indicate that they have the same views, so I wanted to know what everyone else thought. The price difference was only about $200 total for the entire trip. If the view is the same Im willing to pay it, but if not Im not interested. Any insight is most appreciated.

Thanks,
Jennifer

Take it We stayed CL in August and the AKL CL is wonderful. nice lounge, great food offerings, love that coffee machine! Book the Sunrise Safari it was fantastic, and only open to CL.
The only strange thing is that the CL rooms are on the 4th floor, on either Zebra or Kudu trail, scattered around. they are all Arusha View. The other resorts have their rooms on the same floor as the lounge, but it was ok, lounge was only an elevator ride away. We loved it.

 

[zima-cheryl]

Hi,

Question for all of you AKL experts. Im currently booked in an Arusha view room for my April 2013 trip. When I was on the phone with Disney the CM was checking the price difference between CL and the Arusha view room and she indicated that all of the CL rooms would have the same type of views as an Arusha view. The Disney sight does not indicate that they have the same views, so I wanted to know what everyone else thought. The price difference was only about $200 total for the entire trip. If the view is the same Im willing to pay it, but if not Im not interested. Any insight is most appreciated.

Thanks,
Jennifer

CL includes food during most of the day, so if you use the lounge for breakfast most days instead of paying out of pocket you'll save $200 easy. Add in snacks, evening drinks/dessert etc & it would be well worth making the change.

 

[YCFAN]

I agree. IMO this is one of the best deals and best kept secrets at Disney. The AKL CL rooms have the same view as the non-CL Arusha view rooms. Often the rate is very similar and sometimes with the right discounts it can even be less expensive.

 

[NemoLeo]

Thank you all for your help and opinions. Looks like I'll be calling to change to CL!

 

[FanO'TheMouse]

We are here now if anyone has any questions. I'll be here for a week! Jambo!!!!!

 

[AquaDame]

We are here now if anyone has any questions. I'll be here for a week! Jambo!!!!!

Night safari feedback please! Can you ask a CM about it? ...

 

[FanO'TheMouse]

Night safari feedback please! Can you ask a CM about it? ...

Will do. Any specific questions? We aren't going to do it I don't think but I am great at asking questions!!

 

[AquaDame]

Hmm... I think the questions I've seen here are which savannahs, and are there any refreshments? Do they cancel if it rains? Have they been filling up quickly? Thank you!

 

[czmom]

Hi! I am looking into switching my December reservation from AoA and POR to AKL. Can you please tell me about how long it takes to get to each park, once the bus heads out?

Thanks!

 

[kimmar067]

Hi! I am looking into switching my December reservation from AoA and POR to AKL. Can you please tell me about how long it takes to get to each park, once the bus heads out?

Thanks!

....well, obviously it only takes about 5 minutes to get to AK, mebbe 10 or so to get to DHS, about 15 to Epcot, and about 20-25 to MK....assuming there's no traffic.

EDIT: oh, and if I hadn't done so before, !!!

 

[czmom]

Thank you! One other question- is there somewhere at AKL to watch Monday Night Football? Other than our room, of course.

 

[franandaj]

Will do. Any specific questions? We aren't going to do it I don't think but I am great at asking questions!!

Can you book the nighttime safari in advance through calling a CM, or do you have to wait until you are on site and book it with the Concierge Desk?

 

[happysmyly]

Wow--we're back home--and so don't want to be back home... LOVED AKL and yes, I'm hooked. Even more miraculous is my DH is hooked '

It is definitely the place to escape and feel like we were in another part of the world--a life changing stay for us... in a good way.

We were there for 7 nights - Savannah view studio on the Uzima Savannah - on rented DVC points--the room was perfect for us--we liked the more private feeling of Uzima--and were quite pleased with the animals that we got to know on our visit there... next time will be Arusha Savannah

Hardly spent any time in the parks--and I'm normally a rope drop to kick us out kind of gal--and I am OK that we didn't do much in the parks (DH is NOT a disney fan--but LOVED animal kingdom park which we did 3 days). He's already planning our next time there for our 10 yr anniversary - in 3 years... and said that he would actually consider DVC if we were younger and had kids... which is HUGE for him... so yeah - definitely a success!!

I plan to scan into my photobucket account the October list of activities (I know it's almost over - but it will be fairly recent for the next few months) and the list of Hidden Mickeys at AKL and hope to have them on here in the next couple of days.

Thanks again for all of your help over the past few months getting this planned!!

 

[AquaDame]

Hmm... it looks like online check in only lets me choose Kudu Trail, 5th floor or near transportation... I was hoping to ask for Zebra just to have the chance of having a savannah room or pool view blessed upon me... It looks like Kudu has a bit of two savannahs though, so I wonder if it would be better not to request anything or to go for Kudu for maximum chance of being granted one. What do you guys usually ask for? I just have a standard DVC, so I know it is a wing and a prayer but its always helpful to get the pixie dust ready for sprinkling, right?

 

[ciao_gina]

Hi all,

We are going to be 'home' the first week of December, staying in a one bedroom and can't wait. Anyone else staying around the holidays?

 

[Cloudless Nights]

Booked AKL for MLK Day week in January! We are so excited as it's our first time there. We only visited once in 2007 to eat at Boma, and we knew we had to return eventually!

 

[Itinkso]

Jambo!

We are so excited to finally be able to stay at AKL this January! We ate at Sanaa last month and enjoyed everything - especially the Naan bread and dips. DD booked the room and requested savanna view - I have been reading through this thread and learning from everyone's expertise! Many thanks!! Just a couple of questions:

~ With a savanna view, should we request a specific trail or floor?
~ Jiko - has anyone tried the Wild Boar app? Is it spicy/hot or spicy with curry flavors? We are adventurous eaters but DH can't handle hot - sadly, if we walk into a Chipotle he begins to sweat!! Hopefully our server will rate the hot/spiciness factor for us; our Sanaa server was spot on in his descriptions.

TIA!