Just Back from AKL and WL

[Jinnyboom]

Will be happy to answer questions that I can if you have any!!
Have to unpack and order a pizza ... but I'll get back to ya

 

[DrKnow77]

Which did you like better?

 

[Muffy]

I would like to know which you liked best too! Welcome back!

 

[corvair]

We stayed at WL our last trip. We are staying at AKL next trip. Which pool did you like better? How is the Mara. I thought the food court at WL was not that nice. I also am wondering which one you liked better. How did the transportation compare???? thanks...amy

 

[latenthart]

if you didnt like the wilderness lodge food court you might really hate mara. Same kind of food options but Mara isnt as pretty looking as food court at wilderness lodge.

 

[babyblue61]

how was the bus transportation to the parks???

 

[Misti]

What room types did you have at the resorts? I'm curious how you liked the rooms. Thanks and welcome home!

 

[mep319]

How many nites to you do at each and which did you prefer? We are thinking of doing the same thing so I appreciate the imput. Thanks!

 

[Jinnyboom]

Sorry it took so long to respond.......

Please indulge me with the background info on this trip....
We were CBR "refugees" and the AKL was offered to us (for a slightly higher fee)...we always planned on staying at the WL as we had not stayed there previously.........I was extremely excited about the WL....and wanted absolutely nothing to do with staying at the AKL.........
Sooo.........here's the scoop and please understand that the following is only one person's opinion...(oh...the opinion is also shared by my two daughters (ages 12 and 14).....

FAVORED RESORT:

Hands down....of the two....AKL wins out by a landslide
....there is absolutely NO comparison between the two resorts in our opinion.....the AKL is new and fresh....the CM's were absolutely fantastic....very friendly, eager to assist in any way...(we requested additional pillows and they were presented at our door within a matter of minutes)....the beds were far superior to the WL....as were the blankets....Oh my God....the blankets....(Velux)....yes, I checked the brand....and yes...I am going to buy them for our home The lobby is similar to the WL...but more appealing in a way that I cannot describe....the hot tubs were private and secluded...unlike the ones at the WL...which just seemed to be more "open"....(lacking the same degree of privacy)....the pool was fantastic and HUGE....but yet...it never had that "crowded" feeling.
Activities abound at the AKL....much more so than at the WL...
This lodge felt so "warm and fuzzy"

TRANSPORTATION

Again....hands down to the AKL....the bus service is "dedicated"...we never waited more than 7 minutes...(yes, I timed it)...for any bus to the parks...a Downtown Disney bus might take a minute or two more....The WL shares stops with Fort Wilderness...in my opinion...the transportation from the AKL was far superior...unless of course...you were going to the MK...can't beat the boat launch from the WL to the MK

FOOD COURTS

I've read many reviews regarding the food courts...(Roaring Forks at the WL and Mara at the AKL)...and my "opinion" is "decidedly definite" on this one.........

The Mara is an absolute "SUPERSTAR" among food courts is compared to the Roaring Forks at WL...it is MUCH more spacious...easier access to the beverage counter, toaster, microwave...you name it..........the Mara outshines Roaring Forks...any day....any time....again.....this is our opinion and our experience ..Sorry Latenthart...we found nothing attractive about the food court at the WL.

ACCOMODATIONS:

We had a Savannah view room at Arusha Zebra Trail...the view from our balcony was wonderful....the moonlit savannah...the occassional giraffe, zebra, and the steady flow of wildebeasts and ankole cattle was a once in a lifetime experience for us...(guys...its not everyday that you awaken to the aforementioned wildlife outside your bedroom window)
Our AKL room had one queen size bed and bunk beds...the TV at the AKL was MUCH larger than the TV at the WL....(important for
teen dd's who needed to catch the latest episode of the Gilmore Girls and Seventh Heaven)
Everyone needs to take the "walk" from "the lobby" to "the room"....again............hands down......to the AKL.......
The AKL walkways are absolutely "a vacation in themselves"...there are many wonderful window views of different savannahs/animal habitats as you walk to your room....many places to stop along the way and discover a new animal/plant that you had not seen before.........

AND....................this may have made one of the biggest differences of all.........the hallways of the WL are barren....there are marks on the walls...the carpet is worn...the entire journey to the room was nothing less than depressing....NOTHING on the way to the room made it worth it for us.

In defense of the WL....the geyser, the Silver Springs waterfall, the geographic elements of the pool are superior to the outside area of the AKL.....

Sooooo.....If I were to plan the perfect Disney Resort....I would start with the AKL....(I would keep all of the CM's there as they were much more friendly than the ones at the WL)....I would add the geyser...the waterfall...and some pool elements...I would put them all together....and then....(again, in MY opinion only)....that would be the PERFECT Disney Resort)...........

NOTE:....we stayed at the AKL for the first five days of our trip and then moved to the WL for the final two...perhaps our opnion of the WL might have been more positive had we started our vacation there.......(it is however doubtful)...........

If finances permitted and I had to choose again between one of these resorts................................................................................

AKL..................WITHOUT QUESTION

 

[wdwnut61]

Jinnyboom,

Thanks so much for sharing "your" experiences and opinions We are already so excited about our upcoming stay at the AKL. Reading your review makes it that much harder to wait...LOL. Sounds like you all had a great time.

How did your DD's like the bunk beds? Did they have enough room length wise. My two DD's want to try the bunk beds as well but my oldest is almost 5'10" and I am worried she'll be too long.

Welcome back and again I really enjoyed your review

 

[Jinnyboom]

Wdwnut61..........thanks for your reply...I can only tell you that one of my dd's is 5'9" and she had no problem using the bunk bed....
The bedding was so incredibly comfortable at this resort...sleep just seemed to come naturally....(both dd's...assumed a fetal position while sleeping...) the bunk dimensions proved quite adequate!!
Wishing you and yours.......the BEST vacation yet!!!!!!

 

[DrKnow77]

Has anyone else stayed at both WL and AKL? Do you have the same opinions in comparing the two?

Thanks for the feedback, Jinnyboom!

 

[Muffy]

Jinnyboom, I feel the same way about AKL! We will be 1/6 for our second stay! Can't wait!

 

[babyblue61]

Thanks for the wonderful post! I am now very excited about my impending stay at AKL!!