Newbie here...This will be our first time

[amelia1]

at Disney. We have 2 DD's ages 4 and 2 at the time of our trip. We are planning on a trip in early Sept. My oldest DD and I both love wildlife and all things animal! Would you recommend staying at AKL or somewhere closer to the MK, like Swan and Dolphin? Any input would be appreciated.

 

[TheDizMom]

I have not stayed at these resorts myself, but I can tell you my sister has stayed at the swan and the AKL. She highly recommended the AKL because you have the animals wandering around your resort and get to see them up close . She said her room was fabulous and her children 9,7,4, and 2 loved it . She is a vet so the animal loving is a big thing with her obviously, and I must say she was able to get some amazing pictures of the animals and of her kids near them. As for the location I don't necessarily think it makes a huge difference unless you really plan on spending more time at MK than anywhere else. If you do, for purposes of getting to the park faster, then you may want to stay closer. A good way to determine if this location will work for you is decide what is most important for you to do. If the things you want to do the most are no where near AKL then you may want to pick a different resort. If you want to stay at a D resort keep in mind that though you are able to get most of the perks of a D resort when you stay at the Swan or Dolphin, they are not owned by D. If you don't care and they are closer to the attractions you want to spend the most time at then by all means stay there.

Have a great trip

 

[Worfiedoodles]

Because of the age of your dds, I would recommend that you look into a resort close enough to get back to the hotel for nap times in the middle of the day. A monorail resort would be very easy for you, and I suspect you will spend alot of time at the Magic Kingdom, anyway. If you're not doing the naps, then I guess it isn't as important. The Swan & Dolphin have a launch to Epcot, so you could commute easily that way, as well. AKL is kind of off on it's own, but you would have dedicated buses, and a kids' club, if you're looking for a night out.

I recommend you go to allearsnet.com and look at pictures of the resorts as well. Get a sense of what they have to offer, and the distance to the parks where you will spend most of your time. Also, do you want character dining on site? A food court? table service? At the age of your girls, I would be more into the amenities I needed. They will feel the Disney magic wherever you stay!

 

[mm6mm6]

I think you'd love AKL. One thing I disagree with many on this board is the concept of being "close" to a park.
Most people, on an average 6 night/7 day trip, visit MK on day 1, AK, MGM and Epcot on days 2, 3 and 4. Then another day at MK because it's so big and so much fun for kids. With a day at a water park or a day to relax at the resort, that's about it. It's not like you'll be spending 3-4 days at MGM so you should be close to it. Or 2-3 days at Epcot so you should be "close."
Once you're on a bus, it's a short drive to just about anywhere from anywhere. It's not like you're looking at 45 minute rides anywhere.

I would never recommend picking a resort based on it's location. That's just not important enough in the scheme of things...it's about 10th on the list.

Go with what you can afford, then what kind of theming you like.

 

[Perditamarie]

I agree with mm6mm6 ... if you and dd really love animals, staying at AKL will just enhance your whole Disney experience, and give you another layer of magic to savor. It is pretty easy and quick to grab a bus anywhere.