What to do...what to do...PLEASE help

[disneybliss2]

Here's my dilemma: we currently have a split stay booked for this summer with 7 nights at POFQ and 2 nights at the end at AKL. I'm strongly considering upgrading our entire stay to AKL, but I would love to hear feedback, positive or negative, as to whether this idea is good or bad. To help you understand us better, you should know money is not an issue. We could have afforded the upgrade when initially booking the resort, but we are very conservative with our money. While we easily have the money to spend on the upgrade, we don't want to feel we're willy, nilly just throwing money away when we might enjoy ourselves just as much at POFQ the whole time. Disclaimer in advance: I'm sorry this is so long. I really need help though because I'm very torn on this decision!

Here's a little more about us that might be helpful to know: We've been to WDW three times; this will be our fourth trip. We go once every two years. We stayed the first two times at POP. On the second trip, a GP discount was offered which allowed us to upgrade to POFQ. We loved it! We were blown away by the difference in quietness, pool, ease of transportation. On our first trips I always said, "Give me the cheapest room. We'll spend most of our time at the parks anyway." We still spent most of our time at the parks, but we saw the additional cost of the moderate was well worth it. No more values for us. So here we are now...it's DH, DD9, DD5, and myself. We'll still plan to spend most of our time in the parks, but for the first time we have a morning break off from the parks following a light show and a couple of afternoon breaks

Pros to switching: **My oldest DD is obsessed with animals. Not just your puppies,kittens kind of thing either. She loves wildlife, and since she's an avid reader at a very advance level, she spends most of her time reading books most kids her age can't about wild animals. She'd rather watch an animal documentary any day rather than a movie/cartoon. You get the idea...I know staying at the AKL would thrill her. She would be thrilled for the two nights only though, sort of like a little treat at the end. My girls are not greedy in the least, so I know if I were to ask her where she'd like to stay, she would say wherever was the cheapest just as long as we could go. **With morning/afternoon breaks it would be nice to enjoy the amenities of AKL on our down time, which we currently have scheduled for our POFQ time (following light shows, midweek when need a break, etc). **By staying at AKL the entire stay, you avoid having the hassle of having to pack up your things twice; pain. **Currently I have our Sanaa & Boma meal on our last two nights since that's when we'll be staying at AKL. It would be nice to spread those out. **It would be nice to enjoy the lodge amenities (African story tellers, etc. all throughout the stay and not feel like we have to cram it all in on the last two nights. **By being at AKL the entire stay, we could be more flexible with our schedule. As it stands now, I feel like we can't do a light show or stay later at the parks the last two days, because since we'll only have two days at AKL at the end, I want to spend my time enjoying the pool and resort activities while we're there.**We could have all of our reservations under one # and dining all tied together, so less hassle with 2 cards. Could use dining over the course of stay & not have to use up credits before 1st resort stay was up.

Cons to switching: **The obvious: money ($1,100 is a lot), **longer bus rides to MK & Epcot, so a little concerned about bus transportation; okay, a big concern of mine**We felt POFQ was a goldmine compared to POP, so will we feel like we're leaving a hidden gem?**While we can easily afford the upgrade, I would feel guilty. We're not big splurgers; that's not to say we are skimpers with all we do, but I would feel guilty. I've been hoping for a discount (pin or GP, neither has came), so rather than making my trip cheaper, I'd actually be making it more expensive. ARG!

So thank you patient reader. I know that was grueling to get through. Please share your thoughts and help me decide. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

 

[sleeperclan]

This is certainly a tough one! AKL is my #1 absolute favorite and we stay there every chance we get. BUT, the extra $1000 is a big expense even if you can "afford" it. If it were me, I'd leave things as they are. Port Orleans is a beautiful resort and more centrally located than AKL (although we've never really had a problem with the buses). Think of it as getting a taste of AKL this year and if you really love it, you can save up and stay there next time (you say you go every 2yrs). I think your plan for staying there at the end of your trip is a good one. Yes, switching resorts can be an slight inconvenience, but it's a great way to experience different resorts and a wonderful way to end your trip!

 

[Phatoomch]

Personally, I think leave it as it is and like you said AKL would be a treat for the end of the vacation. Getting a taster of AKL would put you in a better position to feel confident about booking an upgrade for the full vacation next time if you wish.

 

[CdnKayDee]

Well the big danger here is you transfer to AKL and love it but only have 2 days. Split stays are a pain and we feel you really lose a day a vacation. Now when choosing between POFQ and AKL I would forget about the mod and deluxe thing. POFQ can easly hold its own. As you know POFQ is well worth the money and staying here your entire trip is probably not a bad idea.
Now AKL has a ton of stuff and of course animals. The pool area is nice and large.The food court has some very good food. When it comes to busses we rent(which I highly recommend) however we brought DGram and DGramp with us there and they took the busses somedays and said better then SSR.
We are POR lovers so we know the feeling at these 2 resorts and the big difference between POFQ and AKL is when you open your door one you step outside the other into a hallway. Now would I stay at POFQ for sure. How about AKL all the way. If you believe AKL presents a unique setting for your family take it. One thing about AKL a room with a savana view is really nice.
When it comes to the money is it worth it well thats hard to answer.I always look at the mods as value deluxes. The one thing I know I would not do is the split stay.

 

[gert]

My DD10 is also an animal lover and sounds a lot like your daughter! We've stayed at both FQ & AKL (and they both rank up there as our favorites). I'm going to echo what was said above though, keep what you have and just get a little taster of AKL. The bus rides aren't that bad, but sometimes it's more the walk to the room from the bus stop that'll get ya - especially if you have a Savannah view. That's one of the things we loved about FQ - the compactness of it.

 

[gwynne]

We love POFQ, too. But, if I was bringing kids who really enjoyed animals, I'd go with AKL for a whole trip at least once. There are so many opportunities to view the animals, enjoy fun cultural learning experiences for all ages, even a trip to the pool gives you a view of those amusing flamingos.
FWIW, we're careful with money, too. We save in lots of ways over the course of a year so we can afford a few splurges on things we really enjoy-like Disneyworld.
Whatever you decide, hope your trip is wonderful!

 

[disneybliss2]

Thanks for everyone's quick responses and bearing through that long post. I GREATLY appreciate your help. I'm still teetering, but people's comments are helping me to make a decision. I'm anxious to hear other's thoughts.

 

[Kae]

We love AKL. And we like Split stays. AKL is a great resort with so much to do. Could you maybe split it differently maybe 5 & 4. If my last 2 night were AKL with no parks I would say keep it but if we were doing parks while staying at AKL then I would make AKL longer. Do you have a savanah view?

Kae

 

[goofy4tink]

I love AKL. I also love POR (not FQ but similar). So, here's what I would do. I would spend fewer days at FQ and more days at AKL.
Try to spend maybe 4 nights at FQ and 5 nights at AKL...get a savannah view room though..it's worth it!!!
Yes, AKL is a longer ride to the parks. But not by all that much. What's another 5-8 mins when you have such a wonderful resort??
Start at POFQ and end up at AKL. The kids will love it there. It's a entirely different type stay than any other resort.

 

[Chelley00]

DD wants t be a vet so when we went for her birthday we upgraded to AKL. The single best decision. Watching her eyes light up when she saw all these animals walking around was worth every last penny. We made sure to spend some time just exploring the resort and doing all the activities. I think if you have time to really enjoy what AKL has to offer, and you aren't just using it as a place to sleep, you should upgrade the whole trip. If you arent planning downtime, then keep what you have.

 

[eeyoresmom]

I would definitely split your stay down the middle. My family doesn't mind a split stay as long as we have at least 4 nights in one resort. In fact, I think switching to another resort for just 2 nights may leave you with more of a "let down" or rushed feeling. They are both fantastic resorts.

 

[shellybaxter]

Two days at AKL is not enough. It is a wonderful place to stay and you will need time to explore. Forget the split stay and go for all AKL. You've done POFQ already. Make this a totally new vacation. Besides it is so much more relaxing not to have to pack everything up in the middle of a vacation to move resorts.

 

[glocon]

We've stayed at both and would not hesitate to stay at either again. But AKL does win out between the two. Love the ambiance, food and savannah views. We got a bunkbed room that also had a queen bed and it was divine. I like the idea of a split stay for you also, with just a couple of more AKL days though. It is truelly a resort that begs to be enjoyed as a desination on its own. You will not be disappointed if you did POR 5 days/AKL 4 days. And it will be all the more special for your little animal lover.

Don't forget your camera!

 

[elaw]

Well the big danger here is you transfer to AKL and love it but only have 2 days.

I think 2 days is enough to get a taste of the resort and keep you excited for your next trip

Split stays are a pain and we feel you really lose a day a vacation. ....

I disagree .... if you pack carefully and only unpack what you need for a particular split, packing and moving is a breeze. We get up early on move day, drop our luggage off with bell services for a resort transfer and head to the park closest to our new resort (express checkout means no check out hassles). ... this whole process, including packing, takes us less than 30 mins. We usually stay at the park until 1:30ish and then head to the new resort to check-in (1:30 avoids the big check-in crowds) ... this also takes under 30 mins. if the room isnt ready, we explore the new resort until they text us the room number. Resort transfers usually happen between 3-4pm so once we've got our luggage and get settled a bit, we head out for a nice evening at the park for a few hours.
I'd say, on average, we usually only end up with 45 mins of "lost time".

I like the idea of a split stay for you also, with just a couple of more AKL days though. It is truelly a resort that begs to be enjoyed as a desination on its own. You will not be disappointed if you did POR 5 days/AKL 4 days. And it will be all the more special for your little animal lover.

 

[we3travellers]

I'm with the others and say split it 5 and 4. Also, don't forget POFQ was just renovated, so if you thought it was a gold mine find before, just wait! We stayed at AKL in 2010 and loved it. Pool view room but still saw plenty of animals every time I walked by a window facing the savanna. Beautiful! This year we are probably doing POFQ and I am still very happy about it.

 

[Mousemommy1]

I'm in agreement that the split should be more even. I'm not sure how I feel about split stays (we are doing our first one in July), but we are doing 5 nights at Poly and 5 nights at BC. For me, it would not be worth it to pack up for just 2 days and then have to turnaround and pack up again.

 

[kdawg8762]

I say go with AKL. Here is the thing, we are just like you with our finances. We have been blessed and can afford a deluxe resort, but we are very frugal. One year, I asked why are we so frugal, the reason is always the unknown or an emergency, etc...well, we are still frugal, but not with WDW, sometimes you need a positive "emergency" if you will. You can't take it with you and there will be numerous times where money is needed for some unknown bad thing that happens, why not splurge on something good every now and then?

 

[HiHoOffWeGo]

I don't see a problem here. You have given all the reasons for AKL and non for a split stay. Reread you post on the pro's.

The only concern you have is spending the money and you say you have it. This is a no brainer. AKL for the whole stay. Do the split some other time.
.
You really want AKL but you want us to make you justify things, well proceed to go (AKL).!!!!!!!!!!

The only time to do split stays is if you are 10 nights and split 5-5. Never just 2.
Stop the guilt trip and do AKL this time and split some other time.

 

[glocon]

Split stays are not that hard or time consuming- you hear about it all the time on these boards. If they were that bad so many people wouldn't do them! We always do split stays- but between WDW and Universal. We stay at WDW for a day or two than on to UO for the rest of the week. It is no big deal, and you get to enjoy everything that you want to, be it two resorts or two parks.

Both AKL and POR are beautiful in different ways, and if your heart says AKL, than let your heart lead the way. Don't feel guilty spending more if you can afford it, because you will be giving your daughter memories at AKL that she can't get anywhere else. Making memories is what WDW is all about!

 

[monica9]

Definitely go for AKL. It doesnt even make sense why you wouldn't (IMHO).
Pro's
1.AKL has so much to offer and you won't have time to do it all in 2 days and still go to parks. YOu will feel rushed and your daughter won't get the experience that you would want her to.
2.Your daughter loves animals......why stay anywhere else. Like you said, you don't splurge a lot, you only come to WDW every 2 years, why wouldn't you want your daughter to get the full experience of the resort at this time in her life?
3. If money isn't that big of an issue, rent a car. They have some good deals going on. If you want, schedule the days you will be at MK/Epcot close together and rent a car only for a couple days.
4. Youv'e been to the other resort already, you've never been to AKL.

DO IT....SPLURGE!

Or....split your stay half and half so you have more days with the animals!