We were upgraded at AKL!

[jeffemy]

We just got back 6/22 from a fantastic WDW/Universal trip. We stayed at The AKL for the first part of our visit and absolutely LOVED it!! Originally we were booked at a standard room with a code, so I had no real expectations that we would be given any type of upgrade, and for the first night we actually spent it in a standard view, which really wasn't bad at all. We actually liked the room and were quite happy considering what we paid and we spent a lot of time at the overlook viewing the animals so we didn't feel we were missing out by not having a better view. The 2nd day of our stay we had designated as our break day and were spending the day at the pool. That morning while in the bathroom, I saw 2 rather large bugs(I was told they were Palmento bugs, not roaches, but they still freaked me out) and politely informed the front desk who apologized and sent some one to spray while we were at the pool. A few hrs. later, I went to the room for a book for my DH, and there were more bugs! I called again, still polite, and was transferred to a supervisor who asked if we would like to change rooms and we agreed. We had assumed it would be to another standard view; however to our delight it was to a beautiful pool-view!We were very pleased although if it hadn't been for the pests, we would have been more than happy with our original room.A little Disney Magic that helped make our trip special!

 

[floridafam]

Yuck.

Not to gross you out but Palmetto bugs ARE roaches.

Glad you had a good time!

 

[>>^..^<<]

Hi there... do these bugs have wings? I mean are they coming from the open balcony doors or what? LOL

I was there for 10 days - saw one spider - bugs in the room would freak me out too.

Glad you had a chance to have a nice poolview

>>^..^<<

 

[jeffemy]

Originally posted by floridafam
Yuck.

Not to gross you out but Palmetto bugs ARE roaches.

Glad you had a good time!

I was grossed out because I thought they were a roach, but the supervisor INSISTED they weren't!? Anyway, I didn't want to stay in a room where I saw ANY kind of bug!

I don't know if they came in from the balcony , we never opened the door because it was sooo hot, maybe from the previous guests?

 

[floridafam]

May I ask what part of the room the bugs were in? Were they confined to one area like near the balcony door or were they on the beds or something?

Just curious.

Were they really big or small?

 

[ScottOKW2K]

Originally posted by floridafam
May I ask what part of the room the bugs were in? Were they confined to one area like near the balcony door or were they on the beds or something?

If they were near the balcony, had they been outside smoking ? If so, they were probably told to come back in (jovial comment referencing another AK thread ).

 

[mep319]

I spent 15 yrs of my life living in FL and I can assure you Palmetto bugs are roaches...flying roaches no less.........sorry to gross you out!

 

[lenshanem]

So what about the pool view? We have a pool view in a few weeks. We've had a standard view there once before. Was the pool view nice?

 

[jeffemy]

They were really BIG and they were in the bathroom and under the sink area. I still get chills thinking about them!

The pool view was GREAT- we were on the 4th floor , so when you looked out from the balcony, you were looking down the middle of the pool(sorry, but I can't remember the room #).

 

[jeffemy]

Originally posted by ScottOKW2K
If they were near the balcony, had they been outside smoking ? If so, they were probably told to come back in (jovial comment referencing another AK thread ).

LOL, I missed that post when I replied before. Sorry, but I didn't stop to ask-it was shriek then squish! I still can't believe I killed one. I'm really the squeamish type, but I was just getting out of the shower when I saw the 1st one, and I kinda wanted my privacy!

 

[Harambe]

For those of you familiar with these lovely creatures - are they around through out the year - or only in the summer months?

 

[mep319]

Great thing about FL is the bug season is ALL year long...that is why they get so big...yuck!!

 

[jessgood1]

the South!!! I swear, aren't they the nastiest things you've ever seen?!?!?!?! I absolutely cannot stand a roach, or anything that looks like it - give me a snake anyday <LOL> I'm in NC, where palmetto bugs (aka GIANT roaches) roam freely.

Just a warning - don't squish these things with a bitty piece of paper or a small shoe. You need something large! (They are quite splatty!) YUCK! Another freaky tip about them - they make noise!!!!! OMG! I'm grossed out just thinking about them. I actually had one crawling on me one time ~ EEEEEK!!!!!

Glad you got an upgrade out of it though!

 

[EEyorelover22]

Was the standard room really okay? We loved the AKL and want to go back there, but would probably go with a standard room. The deals this summer were great, but I am not sure that they will always be there in the future. Which trail were you on too?

 

[lenshanem]

EEyorelover22,
We tried for standard and it was all full for two different weeks this summer. We had to get a pool view.

 

[ilovefh]

I'm in NC, where palmetto bugs (aka GIANT roaches) roam freely.

Ok I hate hate hate bugs and am now very very very thankful I never encountered one in the 4 yrs I lived in NC!!

 

[wendyq]

If you are going to be in South Ga or Fl, you will run across those yucky things. They just live there and it doesn't come from being nasty. We lived down there for years and was told it was hard to get rid of them by spraying because they live in tree roots. Maybe they are all under the huge tree in AKL!! LOL

 

[kimmar067]

...it seems to me that you are thinking about it the wrong way. After all, if it hadn't been for their yukky grossness, you wouldn't have gotten switched to a more awesome room ! Yet another case of: "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade!!"[LOL]

 

[BlueFairy]

They may be roaches (I would know, they are everywhere here in AL) but they most definitely are not the same as the indoor roaches you find in nasty kitchens and such. These do not infest a house, but come in from outside. They like wooded areas and are especially common around bird feeders or anything that stores food. So I'm not surprised they have them at AKL. Food for the animals, plus FL (bugs all the time) and people leaving balcony doors open = bugs. Their size has nothing to do with FL. They are just a different species of roach. And they do get that big here too (2 inches long and 1/2 inch across). Have wings will fly, and land on you! Yuck! Unfortunately they will be year round at WDW due to the lack of freezing temps.
I must say, that I am stunned and pleased by the polite reaction. How nice of you not to berate the CMs for something they have no control over. No wonder they upgraded you. Many others would have let the experience ruin their whole view of AKL.

 

[Alice42]

back in '98 we stayed at CBR, Trinidad South, 2nd floor overlooking a huge tree.
we awoke one morning to discover a HUGE roach near the vanity/mirror crawling on the wall-we were totally grossed out, heebie jeebies all day.
we called to complain and they sent someone over and they grabbed the roach like it was nothing and left. they also sprayed while we were gone.
we didn't see any other bugs in our room for the rest of the stay, but we saw them everywhere outside, it was really gross.
We have been there many times after that and have not seen any roaches since-thank god!!!!!!!!!!
Glad you got upgraded, but seeing those bugs is VERY traumatic!!!!