Stay at AKL or move to BWI?

[2vets]

Another "I can't decide on my resort" thread ....

I am meeting family for MNSSHP in a few weeks, staying CR club level for those two nights - yay(!) and also ouch (!!). But I wanted some solo time first, currently two nights for that - my priority is to stuff myself at Boma, OF COURSE, and I also have a ticket for AH at DHS on my arrival night.

Resort decisions... I have a room booked (35% AP discount, water view) at AKL, and I also just booked a (30% open discount, resort view) at BWI.

AKL: cheaper, Boma is right there, gorgeous resort, but buses everywhere including to/from AH, and those are some looooong hallways.

BWI: $300 total more (I can absorb this since I am using award miles for the trip), no QS inside, though I don't eat breakfast and so that doesn't bother me in the morning - but walkable to everything except my porky face stuffing at Boma - I would rideshare for that. I do wonder if it will be a little weird to walk back to BWI after AH as a solo female, but I assume there will be other people doing the same.

Thoughts? Opinions? TIA!

ETA - I meant No QS inside the building at BWI .

 

[meremac]

Another "I can't decide on my resort" thread ....

I am meeting family for MNSSHP in a few weeks, staying CR club level for those two nights - yay(!) and also ouch (!!). But I wanted some solo time first, currently two nights for that - my priority is to stuff myself at Boma, OF COURSE, and I also have a ticket for AH at DHS on my arrival night.

Resort decisions... I have a room booked (35% AP discount, water view) at AKL, and I also just booked a (30% open discount, resort view) at BWI.

AKL: cheaper, Boma is right there, gorgeous resort, but buses everywhere including to/from AH, and those are some looooong hallways.

BWI: $300 total more (I can absorb this since I am using award miles for the trip), no QS, though I don't eat breakfast and so that doesn't bother me in the morning - but walkable to everything except my porky face stuffing at Boma - I would rideshare for that. I do wonder if it will be a little weird to walk back to BWI after AH as a solo female, but I assume there will be other people doing the same.

Thoughts? Opinions? TIA!

I would do BWI personally. We just stayed at ALK for the second time a few weeks ago, and although I just LOVE the resort, I was quickly reminded of how inconvenient it is. Plus BWI does have QS: The Boardwalk Deli and the Pizza Window!

 

[2vets]

I love AKL for a night at the start of a trip, but I am spoiled bc I tend to stay walkable usually. Thanks for the reminder about BWI - they have Carousel Coffee, too, right? That is my key requirement for CS, I will be running over to Epcot for lunch .

 

[meremac]

I love AKL for a night at the start of a trip, but I am spoiled bc I tend to stay walkable usually. Thanks for the reminder about BWI - they have Carousel Coffee, too, right? That is my key requirement for CS, I will be running over to Epcot for lunch .

Yes, Carousel Coffee is open!!

 

[Dave006]

Yes, Carousel Coffee is open!!

And they open at 6:30 AM!

Dave

 

[2vets]

And they open at 6:30 AM!

Dave

And guess who will be first in line? OK, maybe not. But before 7 fo sho.

 

[PalmettoPath]

Another "I can't decide on my resort" thread ....

I am meeting family for MNSSHP in a few weeks, staying CR club level for those two nights - yay(!) and also ouch (!!). But I wanted some solo time first, currently two nights for that - my priority is to stuff myself at Boma, OF COURSE, and I also have a ticket for AH at DHS on my arrival night.

Resort decisions... I have a room booked (35% AP discount, water view) at AKL, and I also just booked a (30% open discount, resort view) at BWI.

AKL: cheaper, Boma is right there, gorgeous resort, but buses everywhere including to/from AH, and those are some looooong hallways.

BWI: $300 total more (I can absorb this since I am using award miles for the trip), no QS, though I don't eat breakfast and so that doesn't bother me in the morning - but walkable to everything except my porky face stuffing at Boma - I would rideshare for that. I do wonder if it will be a little weird to walk back to BWI after AH as a solo female, but I assume there will be other people doing the same.

Thoughts? Opinions? TIA!

Definitely BWI if I were in your situation with the points you noted (and there is QS!)

 

[ktink]

We've stayed at both & would go w/ BWI. AKL was great other than the transportation.

 

[Counting Stars]

I do wonder if it will be a little weird to walk back to BWI after AH as a solo female, but I assume there will be other people doing the same.

I have done this walk back to BWI with family after DHS has closed. At the time it was lit, but not terribly well. Did not see very many actually walking at midnight- 1am. For myself, I would choose the bus rather than a solo walk. At the end of the evening its not a short walk either

 

[2vets]

I have done this walk back to BWI with family after DHS has closed. At the time it was lit, but not terribly well. Did not see very many actually walking at midnight- 1am. For myself, I would choose the bus rather than a solo walk. At the end of the evening its not a short walk either

This is helpful. My husband is sweating me doing that solo walk back to the resort after AH. This was initially the reason I was game for AKL - if I am taking a bus anyways....

 

[Marthasor]

Another "I can't decide on my resort" thread ....

I am meeting family for MNSSHP in a few weeks, staying CR club level for those two nights - yay(!) and also ouch (!!). But I wanted some solo time first, currently two nights for that - my priority is to stuff myself at Boma, OF COURSE, and I also have a ticket for AH at DHS on my arrival night.

Resort decisions... I have a room booked (35% AP discount, water view) at AKL, and I also just booked a (30% open discount, resort view) at BWI.

AKL: cheaper, Boma is right there, gorgeous resort, but buses everywhere including to/from AH, and those are some looooong hallways.

BWI: $300 total more (I can absorb this since I am using award miles for the trip), no QS inside, though I don't eat breakfast and so that doesn't bother me in the morning - but walkable to everything except my porky face stuffing at Boma - I would rideshare for that. I do wonder if it will be a little weird to walk back to BWI after AH as a solo female, but I assume there will be other people doing the same.

Thoughts? Opinions? TIA!

ETA - I meant No QS inside the building at BWI .

I would do AKL. The $300 savings more than pays for a rideshare or Minnie Van back to AKL after AH. I've stayed at both and I always, always have noise issues at BWI.

 

[kwdw]

As a frequent solo, female traveler to WDW, I normally feel very safe at WDW in general. However, I would not do that walk from HS after an After Hours event. During the day, sure. Those events really are small, I’m just not sure there would be enough folks around.

I love AKL, but for me, that place needs savanna view or it’s not worth it. I don’t love BWI, so honestly, not good a contributor to the which resort question. I have definitely gone to Boma for solo breakfast! Many times, actually.

 

[2vets]

As a frequent solo, female traveler to WDW, I normally feel very safe at WDW in general. However, I would not do that walk from HS after an After Hours event. During the day, sure. Those events really are small, I’m just not sure there would be enough folks around.

I love AKL, but for me, that place needs savanna view or it’s not worth it. I don’t love BWI, so honestly, not good a contributor to the which resort question. I have definitely gone to Boma for solo breakfast! Many times, actually.

I really appreciate this. I have been solo (a night or two) before meeting family, and have also done a few 4-day solo trips and have never felt unsafe. But that walk is next to roadways, the water (without boats or skyliner service at that time of night), etc. The AH events have not been selling out for July and August, either. That walk late at night was one of the key reasons I have been waffling on my normal walkability priorities. I have only ever done AH at MK, and I am always at GF or CR, so the walk is fast and well-lit. GF, I actually was able to take the boat.

I would love to do a savannah view room, but I haven't been able to snag one with a discount. I am stalking every day and have tried every trick, including checking overlapping dates, clearing cookies, etc etc!

 

[0FF TO NEVERLAND]

AKL all day, everyday. BW feels like a resort I can stay anywhere. AKL is disney magic. Buses always come and never had an issue waiting long coming or going. Boma, the bar, hanging in the lobby, coming back at night and walking through that lobby. Just love it. Water view won't be a far walk down the hallway. That walk back to BWI after HS will be longer then any walk at AKL. At least you can sit down for 12 mins and be taken home.

 

[2vets]

AKL all day, everyday. BW feels like a resort I can stay anywhere. AKL is disney magic. Buses always come and never had an issue waiting long coming or going. Boma, the bar, hanging in the lobby, coming back at night and walking through that lobby. Just love it. Water view won't be a far walk down the hallway. That walk back to BWI after HS will be longer then any walk at AKL. At least you can sit down for 12 mins and be taken home.

I should have been more clear - those are long hallways when you are a control freak pulling your own roller bag on the carpet!! The distance of either walk doesn’t bother me, even at the end of the day. It’s more that if I don’t walk back to BWI after AH, it is not worth the spend. I am 95% on the stay at AKL train. I am hopeful that obsessive stalking of the website will yield the savannah view I want. With a triple long walk with my roller bag, but eaaaasy access to Boma

 

[NicoleLarson]

I will add please do not walk HS to BWI at night by yourself. I've done it at night with family and did not feel good about it. It's not well lit and although there might be a couple of folks it won't be crowded. Do the friendship boats run for AH events? You could take that or bus but please don't walk it. As far as AKL, I love a savanna view but There's so many look out areas that I don't feel like I'm missing out if I don't have one. Pool view is fine too, but if you like quiet standard view might be a better option, the pool can get loud. Also several standard rooms look out onto the savanna they're the rooms that are above the "people pens". Where people would go in case of a fire. So directly down would be dirt and fence but if you look out, you see savanna!

 

[2vets]

I will add please do not walk HS to BWI at night by yourself. I've done it at night with family and did not feel good about it. It's not well lit and although there might be a couple of folks it won't be crowded. Do the friendship boats run for AH events? You could take that or bus but please don't walk it. As far as AKL, I love a savanna view but There's so many look out areas that I don't feel like I'm missing out if I don't have one. Pool view is fine too, but if you like quiet standard view might be a better option, the pool can get loud. Also several standard rooms look out onto the savanna they're the rooms that are above the "people pens". Where people would go in case of a fire. So directly down would be dirt and fence but if you look out, you see savanna!

Thanks so much! The boats don’t run after AH - I got lucky the time I got one from MK to GF, it was the last one and later than usual. Hearing from several people that the walkway is not well-lit or well-traveled at night was enough to convince me to cancel BWI. I have only been able to get the water view, unfortunately - I had a great standard view last year, over the pens, and would do that again if I could!! It’s over a month away, so things should open up…

 

[Mazz519]

AKL would be our choice, has to be a savannah view my wife could sit out there on the balcony for hours !!!...lol

 

[katyjeka]

AKL...irs just so peaceful and always seems less crowded.

 

[jemtx]

I have done this walk back to BWI with family after DHS has closed. At the time it was lit, but not terribly well. Did not see very many actually walking at midnight- 1am. For myself, I would choose the bus rather than a solo walk. At the end of the evening its not a short walk either

Just wondering if either the water taxi or the skyliner are open for after hours?
Nevermind… just reread the entire thread. I’m sure you’ll enjoy either resort.