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

[IWISHFORDISNEY]

kimmar, I know that I've stayed concierge twice - but both times I was on 5.

So I wondered what made IWISH think that she would be on 6 for sure? chances are she will be on 5 as well.

I didnt specifically ask for 6 but when I called with a room request for my CL booking nonsmoking with 2 queens Juanita said do you want to be on 6 and I said sure not knowing any better. She just said I have to warn you the view is not as good because the roof overhang and then I said as long as we are close to the lounge it doesnt matter. With the little guy; being close to the lounge is more important to me. Then I got to reading here on the board and thought maybe I should request 5 because the view is better so I called and left a message and Juanita called back and said she though I would be happy with 6 and not to change. So I just left it in her hands and figured she knows best. My only real concern was that the balcony have slats not a half wall so that the baby can at least see out. She said it does have slats and not a half wall so I left well enough alone.

 

[Cass]

Interesting, they have never asked me before - in three reservations where I wanted to be. In 5 years at the DIS (I had another name before this one) I can only remember 2 posts from people who were on 6. There is really only a handful of rooms up there compared to the rest of the resort.

I would say not to worry at all, but if you get there and you are really disappointed with the view then say something and get moved to 5.

 

[disneytraveler]

Hi everyone! I am back from my stay at Akl! I was on the 5th floor with room number 5311. A great view for the savanahs and i loved the resort! Besides doing the usual park visits i also used the night vision goggles and viewed animals from my room,the overlooks, and such. I also went ont the Sunrise safari. This safari is usually offered to consergie guests but i was able to book it and it was great! Inadditional, i watched the Cultural safari activity at the lodge.

Avril ,one of the animal giudes from South Africa ,talked about where she lives and the many activities like camping groups are done. I talked with her
for about a half hour before the session was to begin. It was great talking with her.

 

[Cass]

Hi disneytraveller, welcome back

How were the lounge offerings during your stay, did you enjoy the breakfast /snacks/appetizers/desserts? Was it busy?

 

[SeaSpray]

I didnt specifically ask for 6 but when I called with a room request for my CL booking nonsmoking with 2 queens Juanita said do you want to be on 6 and I said sure not knowing any better. She just said I have to warn you the view is not as good because the roof overhang and then I said as long as we are close to the lounge it doesnt matter. With the little guy; being close to the lounge is more important to me. Then I got to reading here on the board and thought maybe I should request 5 because the view is better so I called and left a message and Juanita called back and said she though I would be happy with 6 and not to change. So I just left it in her hands and figured she knows best. My only real concern was that the balcony have slats not a half wall so that the baby can at least see out. She said it does have slats and not a half wall so I left well enough alone.

Hi everyone

Now that we're back from our Disney Magic cruise I've been turning all of my attention to our upcoming Disney Wonder cruise and WDW vacation for February. We'll be staying at the WL before the cruise, and AKL concierge after the cruise. As some of you may remember, we just stayed at AKL this past May, but we didn't stay concierge. I'm really looking forward to concierge this time because of all of the wonderful things I've heard about it!

Anyway, just yesterday I got an email reply from Juanita. I had emailed AKL concierge to make some requests and to ask about a king bed. Here is part of what she replied:

No extra charge for a King bed,I have added this request as well as a 6th floor smoking opt.Pool / savanna room on the Concierge floor.This is a key access floor .With the Concierge and Lounge.

First of all, I told her that we'd like a smoking room, which she does have noted, so how is it possible for her to request a savannah room for us? Also, are there any other view options in concierge besides Pool or Savannah?? Maybe she meant we'll get one or the other?? I fully expect a pool view room because I know they don't want anyone smoking in the rooms that face the animals, I'm just surprised that Juanita didn't come out and say that.

Cass, from the map that you posted for IWISH, I think I see that the only 6th floor concierge rooms are the rooms you highlighted, plus the other side that faces the pool? And I see exactly what you mean about the overhangs. There are overhangs, apparently, beneath every 6th floor room, from what I can see on that map (savannah view side and pool view side).

Has anyone here ever stayed on the 6th floor concierge? What was their experience?? Was it fun to be up there on the 6th floor? When we stayed concierge at the WL, I LOVED being up on the 7th floor (highest floor) and overlooking the lobby. Does the AKL 6th floor overlook the lobby too??

Any comments or opinions are greatly appreciated!

 

[slkant]

Hi everyone! I am back from my stay at Akl! I was on the 5th floor with room number 5311. A great view for the savanahs and i loved the resort! Besides doing the usual park visits i also used the night vision goggles and viewed animals from my room,the overlooks, and such. I also went ont the Sunrise safari. This safari is usually offered to consergie guests but i was able to book it and it was great! Inadditional, i watched the Cultural safari activity at the lodge.

Welcome back and thanks for the report. On another message thread that I started, we've been compiling descriptions of the AKL activities. One of the activities still lacking a description is the Cultural Safari. Could you tell us a little more about it either on this thread or or the other one I mentioned?

The other thread is at http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1221166&page=2

We are really looking forward to staying at AKL.

 

[Cass]

Hi SeaSpay!

The 6th floor completely overlooks the lobby, the lounge and all the rooms pool or savanna - it is really gorgeous up there. You are correct, on the map I posted those (yellow stripe) are the only savanna rooms on 6 and directly across from the only pool view rooms - there are really not that many.

I believe you will get a 6 floor poolview room if you want smoking - this is the view from those rooms.

Although, I must say I'm pretty confused about smoking at AKL because quite often I have read that they really can't stop you from smoking on the balconies even if the room in non smoking. This is a big complaint amongst the non-smokers

 

[Disneyanajc]

Hello all wise and wonderful AKL experts I have tried to read through this thread (this is a VERY active thread) and even tried "Search" but I still have a question. Can someone tell me where the one bedroom suites are located? What trail they are on, and if they have a pool view or savannah view?
Last year, after a dinner at Boma, we spent some time and looked around the hotel and FELL in Love with it We are so looking forward to our stay.
Thank you for any help.
JC

 

[John's Mom]

I know that there are smoking rooms, savannah view, on the 5th floor. A guest in one of these rooms said that they could smoke in the room, but not on the balcony. During my stays on the 5th floor, I have seen guests smoking on the balcony.

 

[dee slack]

I also went ont the Sunrise safari. This safari is usually offered to consergie guests but i was able to book it and it was great!

oooh, how did you manage that? We'd love to do it, but can't stretch to concierge.

 

[John's Mom]

Liz,

I agree with Cass. If you don't like the view from the 6th floor, ask to be moved to the 5th floor. Any deluxe room can be a concierge room.

Kathy

 

[SeaSpray]

Hi SeaSpay!

The 6th floor completely overlooks the lobby, the lounge and all the rooms pool or savanna - it is really gorgeous up there. You are correct, on the map I posted those (yellow stripe) are the only savanna rooms on 6 and directly across from the only pool view rooms - there are really not that many.

I believe you will get a 6 floor poolview room if you want smoking - this is the view from those rooms.

Although, I must say I'm pretty confused about smoking at AKL because quite often I have read that they really can't stop you from smoking on the balconies even if the room in non smoking. This is a big complaint amongst the non-smokers

Hi Cass: Thanks for replying! I would love to get a room up on the 6th floor because I love looking down at the lobby from high up, like we did at the WL. However, are all of those rooms on the 6th floor "deluxe" rooms? We're booked in one of the new "standard Kilimanjaro Club" rooms, and I even mentioned this in my email to AKL concierge. So I wonder, would they put us up on the 6th floor if all of those rooms are deluxe?? Guess we'll have to wait and see what happens. lol

Regarding smoking on the balconies of non-smoking rooms; NOBODY should be smoking on the balconies of the non-smoking rooms at ANY of the resorts!! I read once about someone who stepped outside onto their savannah-view balcony and lit up a cigarette and their phone immediately rang telling the person to put the cigarette out. They have tons of cameras facing all over the balconies at AKL, as I'm sure you know! LOL

When we were there in May we had a smoking room and it was a pool-view room. I was always told that there are NO smoking savannah-view rooms at AKL because they don't want anyone smoking anywhere near the animals.

Well, as long as we get a smoking room with a view of anything other than the parking lot or a garbage dumpster, then we'll be happy. We loved our pool view room the last time.

 

[gems_smiling]

Hello everyone, well I'm back from a magical vacation at WDW and i had a fantastic time. Great weather, low crowds and even some pixie dust along the way. Staying at AKL for the 3rd time was as breathtaking as the first time and guess what both our rooms were upgraded from standard views to savannah view rooms. We had 2 connecting rooms on the 3rd floor overlooking the giraffe trail. 1 room had 2 double beds and the other 1 bed and a daybed. Great rooms with great views. The atmosphere at AKL is so relaxing, its just what you need after a long day at the parks. we ate at Boma twice for dinner and twice for breakfast and like on previous visits the food was amazing and full of flavour. We enjoyed the pool although this year there were more flying insects about. Disney transportation to the parks was good however a little slow from the parks back to AKL but it wasn't a problem. AKL is still our favoiute resort and we cant wait to stay there again.

More about our vacation

Most rides were walk ons after labour day weekend which was great. We have never got to ride our favorite attractions so many times.

All the restaurants were very busy (luckily we had ADR's), people were still getting angry because they could not get into FS restaurants and i noticed a lot of people being confused about what they got on the DDP even though everything was clearly labeled (we were not on the DDP).

While on big thunder mountain during evening EMH, it broke down as we were going up the biggest hill. They soon came and got us all out. We got to walk along the track and through backstage areas under the mountain.

Expedition Everest did not disappoint, it was brilliant.

 

[disneytraveler]

Hi disneytraveller, welcome back

How were the lounge offerings during your stay, did you enjoy the breakfast /snacks/appetizers/desserts? Was it busy?

Hi Cass,
I did not have concergie level access since i was on the 5th floor. I was given
access so i could go on the safari though. The morning safari provides a breakfast buffet afterwards at Tusker house in the Animal Kingdom park. So i just had juices at the lounge. The parks were not busy at all. I could walk on to all the rides. I wanted to go onto Expedition everest but after a very filing meal i decided not to. I already want to go back to the Lodge but it will have to wait to some other time.

 

[TyRy]

....errrrr, won't that be messy??!?!




....have fun...we'll be waiting for those pix.....

HA - I think my mind is already in Disney mode. Finally started packing today...now as long as those nasty hurricanes stay away!

All I have on my ressie is non-smoking, 3rd floor or higher, anniversary. Is that enough? Too much? We have a pool view room, should I ask for anything specific when we check-in?

Ty

 

[kimmar067]

HA - I think my mind is already in Disney mode. Finally started packing today...now as long as those nasty hurricanes stay away!

All I have on my ressie is non-smoking, 3rd floor or higher, anniversary. Is that enough? Too much? We have a pool view room, should I ask for anything specific when we check-in?

Ty

...if you paid for a pool-view room, I would suggest Graffe Trail, because it isn't very long (going back to your room after a long day at the parks!) a walk and there is an elevator about halfway down the hall, that leads to the pool area....

 

[scoutsmom99]

Hey Lisa ~~

We thought the parks were good on tue/wed/thur. but then it got crowded, at least to us, as we go in Jan. Feb. when NOONE is there!!! Sun and Mon. we thought were the most crowded!! Anyway, the lodge was seemed pretty empty, and on friday the pool was awesome!!! DS and I were there pretty much all day, till about 2:30 or so. As for the dining plan, yes, we were on it, and omg, it was a ton of food!!!! Glad you guys had a good time, I'm scouring your pics to see if I see "us"!!!

Have fun next week!!!

We thought the parks were great everyday with the excption of Sunday 9/3 and Friday night 9/8 at Epcot (EMH everyone was there). The parks felt pretty empty to us (we did use TGM). On labor day we went to Epcot and it was pretty empty we walked on most everything.

I will have to go over and check out your trip report. I see you are staying at the Poly for your next trip. I keep trying to change my upcoming ressie to the Poly or Gf for part of my trip, but I have had no luck.

 

[Disney8704]

I posted this over at the community board but also had to come over here and tell all my friends over here at the AKL thread and especially to Johns Mom:

Well its official. DH is coming home from Iraq and will be home either at the end of this week or sometime next week. He originally wasnt coming home until the 1st week of October, but his replacements got there early, so which means he gets to come home early! Im really glad about this not only because he'll finally coming home after a 4 month deployment but now I can know how much he's getting back from his deployment FINALLY and as soon as I find out then I can factor in and figure out how much exactly we need to save for our Disney trip for our 3rd anniversary in August!

Just an added part for the AKL thread: Cant wait till August and get to be home at the AKL.

 

[kimmar067]

I posted this over at the community board but also had to come over here and tell all my friends over here at the AKL thread and especially to Johns Mom:

Well its official. DH is coming home from Iraq and will be home either at the end of this week or sometime next week. He originally wasnt coming home until the 1st week of October, but his replacements got there early, so which means he gets to come home early! Im really glad about this not only because he'll finally coming home after a 4 month deployment but now I can know how much he's getting back from his deployment FINALLY and as soon as I find out then I can factor in and figure out how much exactly we need to save for our Disney trip for our 3rd anniversary in August!

Just an added part for the AKL thread: Cant wait till August and get to be home at the AKL.

...that is such WONDERFUL NEWS!! [the part about going back to the AKL ain't bad, either! ]

 

[kimmar067]

Interesting, they have never asked me before - in three reservations where I wanted to be. In 5 years at the DIS (I had another name before this one) I can only remember 2 posts from people who were on 6. There is really only a handful of rooms up there compared to the rest of the resort.

I would say not to worry at all, but if you get there and you are really disappointed with the view then say something and get moved to 5.

...there aren't quite as many 6th floor rooms as 5th....the lobby-facing rooms are on either side (since the 3rd side is where the lounge is) and only part of the way along the Kudu and Zebra Trails....