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

[ohsodisney]

Thanks Kimmar , you are a wealth of information .I have a feeling ocne we stay here no other will do .

I called yesterday to change 1 of my resses to a table for 7 , when I did this the lady asked if we have all of our dining plans . I told her yes , we have Whispering Canyon , Bomas , Hoop Dee Do Review and breakfast with Donald at AK . She said "Oh, Whispering Canyon? "I asked why she said it that way ? She went on to tell me , bring a camera , don't be late and prepare to ride a stick horse around the resturant and do the Hokie Pokie . My question to everyone is , Do I need to be loaded to go eat here ? HEHE

 

[HockeyGoddess]

Hello all !!!!

I'm Judi & I just wanted to introduce myself and tell everyone what an absolute pleasure it has been lurking in the shadows & reaping all the wonderful information from everyone on these boards.

I never realized all that goes into a Disney World vacation until I started to plan our vacation for February 2007 (very glad I started over one year in advance!). I have been quite busy copying and pasting the information on resorts, restaurants, theme park strategies and soooo much more....until I read the thread on tipping housekeeping I never realized how important it is to tip daily instead of at the end of my vacation, I had always done that previously.

Honestly, thanks to all who contribute it has helped to make so many decisions and I don't feel as absolutely terrifed as I was when I started planning.

DH & I will be at AKL (still not up to par on all the abbreviations ) February 10 - 17, 2007. We're booked for pool view, I really wanted Savannah but I'm afraid we just won't be spending a ton of time at the room since it's our 1st trip!!!

Well, I'm off to the Dining forum since the ADR's are killing me...I can barely decide what I want to eat tonite let alone 90 - 120 days in advance

Looking forward to talking & maybe meeting some of you soon!!!

 

[Cindie-rella]

...Just 9 more days till AKL
Just had to share my excitement with Ya'll ! And no better place to do it than right here! Thanks everyone for helping me plan this well needed and did I mention "deserved ?" vacation !

 

[kimmar067]

Thanks Kimmar , you are a wealth of information .I have a feeling ocne we stay here no other will do .

I called yesterday to change 1 of my resses to a table for 7 , when I did this the lady asked if we have all of our dining plans . I told her yes , we have Whispering Canyon , Bomas , Hoop Dee Do Review and breakfast with Donald at AK . She said "Oh, Whispering Canyon? "I asked why she said it that way ? She went on to tell me , bring a camera , don't be late and prepare to ride a stick horse around the resturant and do the Hokie Pokie . My question to everyone is , Do I need to be loaded to go eat here ? HEHE

Absolutely ASK for KETCHUP when ya get there!!

As for the "Spring Break" week, if you are worried about college students, I would think that MOST of 'em would stay at a VALUE resort - I could be wrong, but that is what I'd guess..BTW ~ I HIGHLY RECOMMEND making a ressie at Le Cellier!

 

[kimmar067]

Hello all !!!!

I'm Judi & I just wanted to introduce myself and tell everyone what an absolute pleasure it has been lurking in the shadows & reaping all the wonderful information from everyone on these boards.

I never realized all that goes into a Disney World vacation until I started to plan our vacation for February 2007 (very glad I started over one year in advance!). I have been quite busy copying and pasting the information on resorts, restaurants, theme park strategies and soooo much more....until I read the thread on tipping housekeeping I never realized how important it is to tip daily instead of at the end of my vacation, I had always done that previously.

Honestly, thanks to all who contribute it has helped to make so many decisions and I don't feel as absolutely terrifed as I was when I started planning.

DH & I will be at AKL (still not up to par on all the abbreviations ) February 10 - 17, 2007. We're booked for pool view, I really wanted Savannah but I'm afraid we just won't be spending a ton of time at the room since it's our 1st trip!!!

Well, I'm off to the Dining forum since the ADR's are killing me...I can barely decide what I want to eat tonite let alone 90 - 120 days in advance

Looking forward to talking & maybe meeting some of you soon!!!

Judie to the DIS, and ESPECIALLY to our humble thread. We are a happy group [remember: Hakuna Matata...]and there is always someone here to help you with any questions that may arise....since you requested a pool view, request a higher floor/end of Giraffe Trail - you will still get to see animals!

 

[kimmar067]

...Just 9 more days till AKL
Just had to share my excitement with Ya'll ! And no better place to do it than right here! Thanks everyone for helping me plan this well needed and did I mention "deserved ?" vacation !

....WOOHOO!!Cinie-rella is doin' the "single-Digit Dance"... !

 

[padisneylover]

...Just 9 more days till AKL
Just had to share my excitement with Ya'll ! And no better place to do it than right here! Thanks everyone for helping me plan this well needed and did I mention "deserved ?" vacation !

Doing the single digit dance for you and here is some Disney magic for a great trip

Hope you take lots of pictures to share and a great trip report when you get back so the rest of us waiting to go will have something to help pass the time.

 

[stephwynn]

I've been reading this thread for the past few nights, and wow...there sure is a lot of great info and pics on it!

We are booked for June 29 - July 8, a graduation/end of junior high for our two daughters. The best part of this trip is that it is FREE!!! Yep...9 nights at AKL, including all our hopper/waterpark passes...
FREE...(well, I earn "points" through my work, and paid for it with these "points", which basically is like free...cause it didn't cost me a cent! not even taxes!!! Still can't believe it)
So....We decided to bring a friend for each of them this trip! DD17 is bringing her DBF (so no time wasted on the phone or pining!), and DD15 is bringing a long time family friend (17). I have booked two rooms, requested connecting, one with queen and bunks (for DD and the BF....) and the other room can be either king or two queens (for DH and myself). In your experience, what is the chance of getting this request?

To use the points I had to book through a travel agent that I have never used before (and so far not totally impressed..been asking for a confirmation number for a month now to book ADR etc, and so far no luck, although she tells me it is booked).
Also, I have been reading about the Sunrise Safari, and wondered if a person could upgrade to Concierge, for a night or two, but stay in the same rooms, to be eligible to go on the Safari? DD's DBF is originally from South Africa, and he is soooo excited to be staying here (total coincidence, as I really didn't know exactly what I was getting into, except that I thought the animals would be a neat addition to our trip, and the fact that we could go deluxe on the points), anyway I thought it might be a neat surprise to take in the safari, but don't really see the total benefit of going concierge for the entire trip, as we really do plan to do a lot of the parks etc. Any thoughts? Does anybody know how much it is to upgrade to Concierge? I would likely do this on my own, and not through the points, that is if I can get AKL to find my ressie....

Thanks for all the interesting reading over the past few nights...and I look forward to lots more between now and when we go!!!

 

[mollycruiser]

how do you make arrangements to go on the culinary tour and is there a fee?

 

[Aisling]

stephwynn, we are in similar situations!

I'm currently book at the Poly June 29-July 5 concierge, with a junior high graduate ready to celebrate. But I'm on the verge of cancelling and switching to AKL, because we just LOVE it there. I really wanted to try something different, but oh well, maybe somewhere in the future, because even my kids want to go back to the AKL.

Here are my questions, I hope someone will give me some opinions!

It'll be me, DS20, DGF22, and DS14.
I want concierge, a room with 1 queen, bunks, and a daybed, a pool view, and on the 6th floor. Have any of my fellow Disers had all this? Is it too much to ask? We've done savannah and really want to experience poolview (which we actually did, but only for one pre-cruise night). We really liked the lighting at night coming in through the balcony with the poolview.

I think it would be less awkward for the girlfriend to be on a top bunk instead of on a daybed, a tad more privacy while in bed.

And the 6th floor because I want to be right there near the concierge lounge. I never thought I'd spend the extra money for concierge, that it would be a waste for our family, but we visited the lounge in Dec. with friends who were staying there, and it was so relaxing. We'd really take advantage of it in the evenings and early mornings.

I'm so excited, I'm about to get on the phone to make the switch. We can go to the Poly for dinner, but we really want to stay at the AKL.

How do my requests sound?

If I have to prioritize them, it would be
1. concierge deluxe room with bunkbeds (I know I snuck 3 requests in that one!)
2. poolview
3. 6th floor

Thank you, I'm loving this thread.

 

[Mickey Fliers]

If I have to prioritize them, it would be
1. concierge deluxe room with bunkbeds (I know I snuck 3 requests in that one!)
2. poolview
3. 6th floor

Thank you, I'm loving this thread.

Well, actually, wouldn't you have to BOOK a Deluxe, concierge room? So those would really be guaranteed since they have to be paid for. So, the way I see it, the only requests you would actually have would be Poolview and 6th floor. HTH

 

[padisneylover]

If I have to prioritize them, it would be
1. concierge deluxe room with bunkbeds (I know I snuck 3 requests in that one!)
2. poolview
3. 6th floor

Your priorities sound right and I would ask for the bunk beds specifically first if that is your most important request. Your room should be Deluxe since you are staying concergie. I would also send your request to the CMs at AKL in the Concergie Planning Office so that you have your requests registered both places when you introduce yourself.

 

[kimmar067]

Concierge wouldn't necessarily guarantee you a deluxe room (which has the sofa/daybed) OR bunks! However, I did get a concierge deluxe room with bunks but it overlooked the Arusha Savannah and was on the FIFTH floor. Although you could DEFINITELY get a pool view on the sixth floor, I don't know if it would be a deluxe room (a room with the daybed/sofa set-up), not to mention getting a queen/bunk configuration. I would request a 5th floor deluxe room with queen/bunk set-up and a pool/ lobby view. That way, you would be RIGHT near the elevators to go up one flight to get to the concierge lounge. Also, it would be more likely that you wouldn't have to switch rooms when changing from conierge to non-concierge (I know - been there, done that!)....just a suggestion !

 

[scoutsmom99]

how do you make arrangements to go on the culinary tour and is there a fee?

The culinary tour is free and you just show up at the scheduled time for the tour.

 

[loveFL]

i am staying pool view. what is the best room location to ask for?

thank you.

 

[kimmar067]

i am staying pool view. what is the best room location to ask for?

thank you.

You will be staying in either Zebra Trail or Giraffe Trail - Giraffe Trail is a little bit shorter - if you are on the first floor, you will be on the same level as the pool, and your room will have DIRECT access to the pool....

EDIT:
Is THIS what you had in mind??

(Courtesy of LiteBrite )

 

[loveFL]

yes, that does look like it would have a nice view. i have two rooms reserved, but made no room requests. are all the rooms no smoking? i want adjoining rooms as well. should i ask for the highest floor, too?

thank you so much. i appreciate your help.

 

[kimmar067]

yes, that does look like it would have a nice view. i have two rooms reserved, but made no room requests. are all the rooms no smoking? i want adjoining rooms as well. should i ask for the highest floor, too?

thank you so much. i appreciate your help.

No problem...glad to help out. If I were you, I'd list my priorities on type/location of room. Which is more important - queen/bunk vs queen/queen vs king configuration, or room floor (lst, 2nd, etc.)? Do you absolutely HAVE to have adjoining rooms? (BTW ~ a very common misconception is the adjoining/connecting room location. Adjoining rooms are just next to each other; connecting rooms have a door between the two and there is access to BOTH rooms). The pic above shows a king DELUXE (extra charge for that) room, located in Zebra Trail...

 

[lovespoohbear]

I will be at AKL in 296 days for a 7 night stay for christmas and college graduation and a well deserved vacation with my cousin i cant wait. come on december!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[DVC@BWV]

We're staying at AKL for the first time in June. Doing a split stay between BCV and AKL...can't wait!