Trying to decide on where to stay.....(m)

[amelia1]

My heart says stay at AKL but my brain says stay closer to monorail for easier access to hotel. My girls will be 4 and 2 at the time of our trip. We are wildlife fanatics and DD wants to stay "where the animals are". I am worried about access to the hotel since we will attempt to take naps. Key word there is attempt. I need to hear both sides. The good and the bad experiences please.

 

[Mainebound]

My heart says stay at AKL but my brain says stay closer to monorail for easier access to hotel. My girls will be 4 and 2 at the time of our trip. We are wildlife fanatics and DD wants to stay "where the animals are". I am worried about access to the hotel since we will attempt to take naps. Key word there is attempt. I need to hear both sides. The good and the bad experiences please.

We had an absolutely perfect stay at AKL when my boys were almost 2 and 4. We did return to the hotel each day for "naps" (often swims and tv). We used our own double stroller (umbrella) and WDW transportation and all went very very smoothly.

We would so love to go back, but we visit in peak season for 10 days and need two rooms and just cannot justify the expense. But a return to AKL is first on our list if we win the lotto!

 

[amelia1]

for the bus back to AKL?

 

[Mainebound]

for the bus back to AKL?

No, not at all. And believe me, with kids that age you remember long waits on a vacation!

Also, I think AKL is a very relaxing resort, compared in our experience to the WL, for example. It is just more laid back and the music is soothing African music. when the kids got back to AKL, they relaxed.

When they got back to WL, it was party central, noise at all hours, loud restaurant, ugh.

 

[amelia1]

with my heart and stick with AKL.

 

[all4fun]

We did a 2-day stay at AKL once w/Savannah view and loved it. I do believe that AKL has dedicated buses so that helps speed things up quite a bit. I think you will really like it. We are DVC members and are looking forward to when the new villas there open up. We will definitely be staying there again some day.

 

[Mainebound]

We did a 2-day stay at AKL once w/Savannah view and loved it. I do believe that AKL has dedicated buses so that helps speed things up quite a bit. I think you will really like it. We are DVC members and are looking forward to when the new villas there open up. We will definitely be staying there again some day.

It did have dedicated busses when we were there. Only occasional stops at Blizzard Beach.

In contrast, when we stayed at the Swan, we stopped at the Dolphin, and often also the Boardwalk and/or BC/YC, both coming and going to the parks. so although the Swan was physically closer to MK, the ride was the same as from AKL.

To the OP: You ought to ask specific questions about AKL on the resorts board. I have only been once, and there are people on that board who stay at AKL every year (lucky ducks!). They would be happy to help.

 

[mom2aredhead]

He LOVED the animals in his "backyard" (we actually paid for a standard view room and were magically upgraded to Savannah - love that Pixie Dust)
The buses were never an issue for us - longest we waited was maybe 15-20 minutes but that was at MK after MNSSHP. Best part was NO other stops - direct to the resort. (and if you look at a map, it really doesn't look that much further out than the All Stars resorts) Granted you can't walk to any of the parks, but the zebras and giraffes make up for that.
I always say that staying at AKL is like 2 different vacations - one at an exotic wildlife lodge and the other at the parks - but all rolled into one.