Like I said, I totally understand the financial aspect of it. That's why I don't think they will do it. It should have been done when they built Kidani. It would have been an amenity that could have been used to boost sells. Now there's no reason to do it. The safety issue doesn't make sense, though.
It would have been minimal compared to building the resorts, the pools, all the sidewalks, the parking lots, the savannas, etc. They made all those safe. A short 1/2 mile loop somewhere on property would have cost a lot less than all those things. But now that they have sold out, there will be no need to build it. I agree it will never happen. I just wish when they had built Kidani that they had considered that this will be the only resort on property without one.
No kidding!!! We were at kidani in September about 5-6 rooms from the end. Yikes. We luckily scored club level somehow for April at Jambo- I know I’m more excited about the location of the room with DVC Kilimanjaro club, than the club level access itself. No long hallways
New Balance is a big presence at the Marathon Expos. They make Disney themed shoes that get sold out immediately at the expos and online.
I am not suggesting they should have built one bordering the savanna. With that said, I don't recall this being a problem at the existing fences in the viewing areas. I really don't see how that would be different. But like I said, a short trail close to the pools would have been possible. I don't see how this would be any different than any other resort. I mean, here's the description of the trail at Coronado Springs which is in the general area of AKV:
CSR is a convention resort, so they have a nice gym with a spa for business travelers. The trail just goes around the resort like all the others. There is no going "around" AKV/AKL. Not one other resort has a savanna with wild animals. Only AKL/AKV.
My point is that it doesn't have to go around AKV/AKL. A 1/2-mile loop close to the pool or even the parking lot would be fine. It would at least offer a nice place to get exercise. Looking at maps, it looks like there is plenty of room to build one from the Jambo pool to the bus stop. This would be far from the savannas. My reference to the Pangani Exploration Forest Trail was more about the greenery than the animals.
The path from KV to JH is about a half mile long. Same length of your tiny loop. Your loop would be right next to the Pemba Savanna. Any other trail would have guests crossing in front of car, delivery trucks, buses. I guess you haven't heard about the kid getting run over by the bus on his bike at Ft Wilderness. Disney lawyers are not going to let any guest walk near roads unless it is during an official Run Disney event where there is security all over the place.
The place I am talking about isn't anywhere near the Pembe Savanna. That savanna is at Kidani. Where I am referring to is at Jambo. And it sounds like you are saying that it's safe for people to walk/jog/run on the sidewalks next to parking lots (which is what the walk from Jambo to Kidani is)??? And yes, I have heard of the accident at Ft. Wilderness. That happened in 2010. Jambo and Kidani were both built before that accident. That would not have been a consideration when these resorts were built. To reiterate, I understand the financial concerns with a walking/jogging/running trail at AKV, but not the safety concerns.
You are right. People do stupid things. I guess WDW should not have built in the first place. Someone might climb on the railing at VWL and fall into the lobby. Someone might step over the monorail track and fall. Someone might step off a walking trail at OKW and get hit in the head with a golf ball. The list could go on and on. Your reasoning that a walking trail at AKV/AKL is dangerous makes no sense.
I am not set on finding a reason for them to build one. I know it won't happen. If people stop staying at AKL/AKV because they don't have a place to get their daily exercise on a walking/running trail, then that might change. But if AKL/AKV continues to be fully booked, it won't happen. My point is that it could have been easily done safely when the resorts were built. I am not suggesting it should have been built beside a savanna, but that point continues to be completely ignored.
Yes, that is my point, but in past tense. It could have been done when the resort was built. And just like you are speculating why it wasn't, I am speculating as well. I just don't see how it was because of a safety concern if they built pools, a playground, viewing areas close to the savannas, etc. It could have been zoning issues, wanting more emphasis on the savannas rather than providing this type of exercise, or who knows what else. My whole point is that I just find it odd that AKL/AKV is the ONLY resort on all of Disney property lacking this amenity. It just feels strange that I might one day go to a value resort for an amenity that my deluxe resort is missing. When I bought in, I did not walk as part of my daily routine, and I did not take resort days on our vacations. Now that I do both, I miss this aspect.
Yes, that is my point, but in past tense. It could have been done when the resort was built. And just like you are speculating why it wasn't, I am speculating as well. I just don't see how it was because of a safety concern if they built pools, a playground, viewing areas close to the savannas, etc. It could have been zoning issues, wanting more emphasis on the savannas rather than providing this type of exercise, or who knows what else. My whole point is that I just find it odd that AKL/AKV is the ONLY resort on all of Disney property lacking this amenity. It just feels strange that I might one day go to a value resort for an amenity that my deluxe resort is missing. When I bought in, I did not walk as part of my daily routine, and I did not take resort days on our vacations. Now that I do both, I miss this aspect.
As far as Alien Encounter, I never rode it, so I don't know what I missed out on. As for Stitch, my family actually liked it. I guess I am odd in more ways than one.
Interesting. Animal Kingdom Lodge was built in 2001. So there have been no other stand-alone resorts built since then except for AoA, huh? But it was so close to Pop, they built a trail to connect the two? If so, that may be exactly what has happened. We won't know if that hypothesis is possibly correct unless another stand-alone resort that is nowhere near another resort is built. So, we may never know!
