JAMBO! The UN-official AKL Thread ~ UPDATED(short film/pg 8 & slideshow/pg 12) Part 2

[stepdisney]

Thanks Flossbolna,

Right you are. I was reminded that it was the choice of the children DS (12) and DS (6) for us to stay at WL because my 12-year-old loves the idea of camping and the wilderness. It really is about them and I'm happy just to see them happy. My DH would probably like the AKL but maybe we will save that one for a quick get away for just the two of us. Thanks for the pictures.

 

[ktink]

Hey Stepdisney! Just remember wanting to try a new resort just gives you reason to plan another trip. What was this changitis that you & I were talking about the other day?

 

[ugadog99]

I am having serious AKL withdrawal right now! I'm so hoping for an AP rate for July. Right now we are booked at POR, but I want to be "home". I keep calling every morning trying to get a AAA rate for AKL, but so far no luck. Come on July codes........

 

[stepdisney]

Ktink:

oops! I told you it's contagious.

We are just coming back from dinner where I brought up the idea of AKL and was met with a chorus of NO's. I couldn't even get my point in before my DS says "You promised I could pick it" My husband just looked at me with a blank " a bed and a bathroom is all I need" look that slowly turned into a "whatever makes you all happy look that I love to see." Needless to say, we're staying at WL. (for now anyway )

 

[MushyMushy]

Ktink:

oops! I told you it's contagious.

We are just coming back from dinner where I brought up the idea of AKL and was met with a chorus of NO's. I couldn't even get my point in before my DS says "You promised I could pick it" My husband just looked at me with a blank " a bed and a bathroom is all I need" look that slowly turned into a "whatever makes you all happy look that I love to see." Needless to say, we're staying at WL. (for now anyway )

Sounds like my DD. DH and I would stay AKL for the rest of our lives, but she's tired of it. She wants to try Swan/Dolphin or WL next time. (Let's not tell her this, but it'll probably be Swan/Dolphin because of the teacher discount, but I'll let her think it's because we're rich -- she thinks those are the ritzy resorts)

Spoiled child.

 

[MushyMushy]

I posted this on the CB, but you guys will probably understand how happy I am. I got these on e-bay:

AKL Curtains

AKL Armoire

I've never been so excited about household goods in my life!

 

[stepdisney]

Sounds like my DD. DH and I would stay AKL for the rest of our lives, but she's tired of it. She wants to try Swan/Dolphin or WL next time. (Let's not tell her this, but it'll probably be Swan/Dolphin because of the teacher discount, but I'll let her think it's because we're rich -- she thinks those are the ritzy resorts)

Spoiled child.

My boys aren't even thinking about the ritziness of the resorts and my biggest fear is that next year they will want to rough-it and we'll be sleeping in sleeping bags at the campground or on the football field of allsports or on the boardwalk instead of at the boardwalk inn! .

Also, love that furniture. There is a picture of a chair in the AKL that I would love to have. Love the decor at AKL more than any other resort at Disney. I'd love to win a home makeover by the the person who designed the AKL, now that would be a great prize for YOAMD!

 

[Flossbolna]

stepdisney, i seriously considered postponing posting more pictures until after you had a great stay at WL! Not staying at WL this time will be a great reason why you definitely have to come back to WDW (and at a time when you do not have to worry about construction noise either).

Because here a some more shots of various areas inside the Lodge:

Let's start with a picture of Boma in the afternoon before they have opened up:

and a detail from there, one of the lamps:

leaving Boma you can use this staircase to get up to the lobby level...

...or stop at the bar - Victoria Falls - halfway up the stairs:

I really like it that this railing in the lobby was not just plain metal bars:

And I think I have seen other pictures of the lamps along the hallways before, but they are allways nice to look at, I think:

 

[ktink]

Ktink:

oops! I told you it's contagious.

We are just coming back from dinner where I brought up the idea of AKL and was met with a chorus of NO's. I couldn't even get my point in before my DS says "You promised I could pick it" My husband just looked at me with a blank " a bed and a bathroom is all I need" look that slowly turned into a "whatever makes you all happy look that I love to see." Needless to say, we're staying at WL. (for now anyway )

I know what you mean w/ the family. DH is the same way, however we watched the planning DVD and he told me that one dya he'd love to stay at AKL even over Poly. He's a horsetrainer so he loves animals. The DDs have had it w/ me changing. I told them that since I had such a hard time deciding we received a call from WDW and they told us they were deciding for us and they're putting us at Pop. They just looked at each other and rolled their eyes. They're all sick of talking to me about it. That's why I love the DIS. There's plenty of other Disney freaks here.

Flossbolna, I've said it before but those pictures are gorgeous. DH even commented on how great they are.

 

[MushyMushy]

My boys aren't even thinking about the ritziness of the resorts and my biggest fear is that next year they will want to rough-it and we'll be sleeping in sleeping bags at the campground or on the football field of allsports or on the boardwalk instead of at the boardwalk inn! .

Also, love that furniture. There is a picture of a chair in the AKL that I would love to have. Love the decor at AKL more than any other resort at Disney. I'd love to win a home makeover by the the person who designed the AKL, now that would be a great prize for YOAMD!

That would be to die for! The very first time we stepped foot in the lodge, we were awestruck (as I'm sure many here were too). I told DH that I really wanted to decorate one of our rooms in an AFrican style to try to capture the AKL essence, and we're doing it. I've found some tribal masks and things like that, and when we're there this coming June, I'm going to try to take some good pictures of the animals and lodge to frame and put on the walls. I'll have my AKL house -- just maybe not as good.

 

[stepdisney]

Flossbolna, you're killing me . You have captured the one reason I really want to stay at AKL. I really, really love the theming. We ate at Boma in 2005 and I was hooked. In the back of my mind, when planning this trip I was thinking, please say AKL and when we couldn't get WL it was all set...but noooo, out comes free dining and WL opens up and now ... I really am happy with either choice, you just keep reminding me why AKL is my first choice.

Keep posting the pictures. I'd love to see more. You really have managed to capture the essence of the lodge very well. Do you have any of the outside of the lodge?

Ktink, my kids are sick of me also. They see my coming with a disney packet and they say things like, mom, didn't we already do this? I tell my husband all of the time that all my friends live inside the computer and their address is DIS .

 

[Flossbolna]

Thanks for all the compliments for my pictures.

ktink, I hope they will help you to keep your AKL reservation this time, since you are a member of the "Jambo!" WildBunch, you really ought to stay there once

stepdisney, the only outside picture I have not yet posted are the savannah pictures, so here they are:

looking out towards Arusha Savannah from the suspension bridge in the lobby:

two basic savannah pictures:

and one of the informative boards that can be found all around the grounds:

 

[pooksma]

You know, I have been worrying about our time at AKL because of that Con-word. Your pics remind me why we said- who cares? We'll be at AKL even if its only for a short time. Thanks!

 

[ktink]

Flossbolna, we're staying put this time. I've wanted to stay at AKL for about 3 years now and I've let everyone else have their way. Now I think DH is on board w/ me! That makes it easier too!

Keep those gorgeous pics coming.

pooksma, I have the same thoughts as you on the construction. I know some people have had some bad experiences. But DH and I know going into it what to expect and I'm just excited to be there.

 

[Dis Ohana]

You know, I have been worrying about our time at AKL because of that Con-word. Your pics remind me why we said- who cares? We'll be at AKL even if its only for a short time. Thanks!

I was concerned about the construction too, I thought about cutting AKL out of our plans. We watched the show on Travel Channel about the resort and that was it, the whole family agreed that this was the one place that we could not miss. I think Disney is doing a pretty good job of informing guests that there will be construction going on, so as long as you go in knowing what to expect you shouldn't be disappointed. I think DIS people have the advantage in that we're so informed we know the progress of construction and what area to request. I booked our stay for the weekend, so I'm hoping they won't even be working the two days we're there.

Flossbolna: Thanks again for sharing your pics. Everytime I see pictures like yours I get more excited about our trip!

 

[2manypets]

Love the pics. Thanks for posting them. Ya'll are getting me so pumped up about our stay at AKL

 

[ktink]

I was over on the YOAMD's threads and was reading some of the upgrades people had been given. For example, there was someone who was upgraded from one of the All Stars to the Polynesian. I was telling the girls about that. DD 10 says, it'd be great if they moved us from Pop to GF. DD 6 says, no, it'd be good if we could go to AKL and see the giraffes. My heart melted. DH just looked at me and grinned.

Off topic: But I've got a little good news. We added park hoppers! I'm excited because one of the things we gave up to stay at AKL were the hoppers. DH told me we could do that but we weren't adding on the extra night.

 

[heatherlynn444]

my parents just got off magical express and checked into their AKL savannah view room, and they said they see no sign of construction (so far) just thought I'd give an update.

 

[Flossbolna]

once again, thanks for all the nice comments! I can totally understand that you are all getting excited about you upcoming trips! Unfortunately I have no idea when I will have a chance to return to WDW and AKL... Loooking at my own posts and my pictures, February 2008 seems more and more a great time for a vacation in Florida... it would be a shame not to take advantage of the (for me) extremely favourable Dollar-Euro exchange rate

Well, on with the pictures. This time the topic is: Zawadi Marketplace. The beautiful shop at the lodge.

a general overview - mainly with Disney souvenirs:

while hear you get to see some of the African souvenirs available:

I guess with the security rules on airplanes, these African products are mostly consumed during the stay at the lodge, and less often taken home as a souvenir:

But in my opinion the best thing about the shop were these ladies:

 

[2manypets]

Yikes...looks like I'll have to put more money away. I'll be taking home some of the carved animals and masks. Wonderful pics!