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

[BensMom]

I'll ask my wife if she knows of a place to find the recipe when she gets home.

And, BTW, what time are you having dinner on Christmas Day?

RDuck, sorry, I just saw your post! I got an email back literally right away from Peggy Gentry! She said the short ribs recipe is a highly guarded secret, but she attached the recipe for the lamb shank, which sounds incredible! Now, it's the mad hunt for a good butcher shop in the Celebration area! What time? Hmmmm...whenever the lamb is done?! LOL I am not sure. We will probably have some drop-ins knowing our neighborhood. Feeding may occur all day...

 

[ppony]

OMG! We just returned from our very first trip to the AKL tonight. DANG! We have a new FAVORITE...I mean.... a MUST STAY AT on our next trip whenever THAT might be. We always resort hop, NOT next time though. Literally, we were walking the hallway to our room that first day and my hubby said even then that he wanted to stay at the AKL for the whole trip next time. He fell in love.That says something! We adored the place! We personally didn't see a lot of animnals on the Arusha savannah while we were there looking but we did the sunrise safari so got our fill and great pix there and also a rare chance to see the male lion roaring and grunting quite loudly. THAT was cool. And also the baby giraffe playing with a passing gazelle though the gazelle wasn't amused at the "playing". I'll try to post pix and thoughts when I'm back into life. SO tired. 11 days is just too long for our bods.
I know there were quite a few DISers there at the same time. I overheard a few people talking mentioning DIS but the concierge lounge was pretty busy every time we were in it so I'd BET Cass and a few others were there when I was.
Thanks everyone for hyping it up so much, it was SO worth it! We have a new "home" resort! NOW, to convince hubby of a DVC there.

 

[disneytraveler]

OMG! We just returned from our very first trip to the AKL tonight. DANG! We have a new FAVORITE...I mean.... a MUST STAY AT on our next trip whenever THAT might be. We always resort hop, NOT next time though. Literally, we were walking the hallway to our room that first day and my hubby said even then that he wanted to stay at the AKL for the whole trip next time. He fell in love.That says something! We adored the place! We personally didn't see a lot of animnals on the Arusha savannah while we were there looking but we did the sunrise safari so got our fill and great pix there and also a rare chance to see the male lion roaring and grunting quite loudly. THAT was cool. And also the baby giraffe playing with a passing gazelle though the gazelle wasn't amused at the "playing". I'll try to post pix and thoughts when I'm back into life. SO tired. 11 days is just too long for our bods.
I know there were quite a few DISers there at the same time. I overheard a few people talking mentioning DIS but the concierge lounge was pretty busy every time we were in it so I'd BET Cass and a few others were there when I was.
Thanks everyone for hyping it up so much, it was SO worth it! We have a new "home" resort! NOW, to convince hubby of a DVC there.

Glad your stay at the Akl was a good one! The Sunrise safari is excellent!

 

[kimmar067]

Beautiful pix Koobs - can't wait until I get there myself! I love that little Xmas tree by the staircase - so so cute

Melissa

...I was JUST thinking the SAME thing.....

 

[kimmar067]

OMG! We just returned from our very first trip to the AKL tonight. DANG! We have a new FAVORITE...I mean.... a MUST STAY AT on our next trip whenever THAT might be. We always resort hop, NOT next time though. Literally, we were walking the hallway to our room that first day and my hubby said even then that he wanted to stay at the AKL for the whole trip next time. He fell in love.That says something! We adored the place! We personally didn't see a lot of animnals on the Arusha savannah while we were there looking but we did the sunrise safari so got our fill and great pix there and also a rare chance to see the male lion roaring and grunting quite loudly. THAT was cool. And also the baby giraffe playing with a passing gazelle though the gazelle wasn't amused at the "playing". I'll try to post pix and thoughts when I'm back into life. SO tired. 11 days is just too long for our bods.

...ok, time's UP!!! [ ] WE WANT PIX!!!!

..I know there were quite a few DISers there at the same time. I overheard a few people talking mentioning DIS but the concierge lounge was pretty busy every time we were in it so I'd BET Cass and a few others were there when I was.
Thanks everyone for hyping it up so much, it was SO worth it! We have a new "home" resort! NOW, to convince hubby of a DVC there.

...so glad that you had a great time....don't say that we didn't warn ya that you'd be 'hooked'.....

 

[kimmar067]

koobs ~
This CAN'T be you on the last day....[you look too happy...]

...personally, I'D be 'kicking and screaming' on the floor......

 

[ppony]

...ok, time's UP!!! [ ] WE WANT PIX!!!!
...so glad that you had a great time....don't say that we didn't warn ya that you'd be 'hooked'.....

OOO! Kimmar is pushy! I'm going though my pix right now and I'll post some shortly! And yes, you guys DID warn that one could get desperately hooked on the AKL. You were 1000000% right! It happened, the AKL bug bit all 3 of us in my family. My only wish was that I could have met some DISers. But THANK YOU for the tip on the Victoria Falls Mist. MMM MMM!!!! My very first drink I've had in over 3 years. And WELL worth it. I'd describe it as green apple meets juicy fruit. Nice indulgence as son was at Simba's. (which he loved BTW)

 

[ppony]

Okay, first...Sunrise Safari. Just a small smattering of pix. The driver stopped for most of what we all wanted but there were several times we wanted im to stop and he kept going so I missed some really cool ones. It would have been worth doing twice for SURE. And regrettably we didn't go back and do the regular safari this time. Not enough time. We've done it before so we know what it is about although the animals are differnt all the time of course. It was foggy that morning and it wasn't burning off as fast as usual so that's the explination for the fogginess and I had to use some digital zoom on others so some might be a bit grainy. I brought 3 cameras (2 disgital 1 film) and a video camera with is to WDW but I just ran out of energy fast to carry more than this one that did most everything and the video camera. I felt like a camel with the backpack all the time so I didn't bring my digital with the 10x zoom. Sorry. : ( I SHOULD have on this one. Live and learn.

Big ol ROAR!

 

[kimmar067]

OOO! Kimmar is pushy! I'm going though my pix right now and I'll post some shortly! ...

...YAY!!

 

[Viki]

WOW!!! Those photos are SUPER!!!

 

[ppony]

Okay, more. these are ones I took at the lodge. I did the best I could but my family was rushing me along. They were pretty patient with all my picture taking so I didn't like to intrude on their time more than necessary.
Sorry about the blur. I was the driver. I stopped the car and rested the camera on the door but it was still difficult and I didn't find my tripod until a few days before we left and was just too plain exhausted to go back and retake photos.

The view of the Arusha savanah rooms from our room.

Sunrise from our room on our last morning.

Being an artist, I especially loved the art and architecture. I admired it more than my boys did.

"The Sopranos"

 

[ppony]

I have a sheepish request of Cass when she is back. Hon, Can you e-mail me a few of those awesome pix of the cattle you have so I can scrapbook with them? I was SO bummed to not have seen them like you did and they are my favorite! Send me a PM and I'll give you my addy. PEEEEAAAAZ???

 

[Viki]

Marty GIRL!!! (The Bad-Girl of the the BAD BOY savannah is the zebra at 1:00).

Her full name being Mardi Gras!

 

[brookelizabeth]

ppony! i LOVE your pics! i think the fog enhances the pics...so beautiful!

 

[brookelizabeth]

Just booked a quick first trip to the AKL for 2/5-2/8 pool view, tell me about the pool view rooms, they did not have any savannah rooms, and reservation agent told me they only had 3 rooms left at AKL for those days. Anyway, we just returned from 9 day stay at WL on 12/2 and I can't believe i booked another trip so soon, but got really cheap airfare. We ate at Boma during our nov/dec trip, but did not look around much. we did fall in love with WL during trip. any pics of pool view to post. thanks

I've only stayed pool view, but we really loved it. There are many places around the lodge to watch the animals, we didn't feel like we were missing out or anything. The pool is very beautiful-see pics below. If we go back and stay at AKL, we will choose pool view again.

Taken from pool-side:

Taken from our balcony:

The pool at night:

 

[koobs]

Those pictures are great. One of these days, we'll have to do the safari. (Listen to me talk. Everytime I think it's going to be my last trip, I start planning another one.)

 

[budbeerlady]

I have to say this is my new favorite place. We were there Dec 10-15 and it was wonderful! I loved watching all the animals and it was just great. I cannot wait to go back when we have more time to roam the hotel, 5 days just isnt enough!

 

[Cass]

Jambo!

We arrived back late last night, everything was great, AKL is a beautiful and peaceful retreat from the parks, bus service was wonderful. The longest wait we had was 15 minutes for MK the night of a MVMCP. We were in 5435 on the Zebra trail and the room was beautiful and well kept, towel animals and little birthday surprises. The Concierge lounge had the same nice foods I remember from our last stay there 3 years ago. Everything was perfect and we had a super time.

Met SuperDuperBounce and his family, and ran into Dreamer on the bus to MK one morning

I'll post a TR and some photos over the next few days. Saw an eland with a box stuck on his horns like a grey plastic feed box, it was trying to shake it off and it was funny to watch, he eventually flung it like 20 feet in the air and all the zebras were watching him.

 

[RachelTori]

Jambo!

We arrived back late last night, everything was great, AKL is a beautiful and peaceful retreat from the parks, bus service was wonderful. The longest wait we had was 15 minutes for MK the night of a MVMCP. We were in 5435 on the Zebra trail and the room was beautiful and well kept, towel animals and little birthday surprises. The Concierge lounge had the same nice foods I remember from our last stay there 3 years ago. Everything was perfect and we had a super time.

Met SuperDuperBounce and his family, and ran into Dreamer on the bus to MK one morning

I'll post a TR and some photos over the next few days. Saw an eland with a box stuck on his horns like a grey plastic feed box, it was trying to shake it off and it was funny to watch, he eventually flung it like 20 feet in the air and all the zebras were watching him.

Hi, Cass! We were so relieved when SuAnne posted that you all got to AKL on schedule. Happy to hear you all had a great time and met up with other DISers! I'm looking forward to your trip report.

I'm packing today. We leave early Friday morning - can't wait!!


Happy Holidays everyone!!

 

[Cass]

Hi Rachel, you will have a great time