WL versus AKL....opinions needed

[be0URguest]

hello fellow Disney lovers.

We're currently booked at CBR for our trip end of October and are getting nervous that even with the gift cards offered the construction there seems extensive and may take away froM my Disney magic perhaps?

Looking into wilderness and akl to possibly switch to... it's not that much more. The issue is we're beach people and love the idea of relaxing by the pool or beach with a few adult beverages (just me and my hubby)...poly would be nice but I'm thinking it's out of the price range and I'm not seeing any discounts as of yet for our dates. Please post your opinions and why... this is wearing on me in that this is my first bday trip to the world and I really want it to be special.

Thanks in advance!

 

[DG25]

I have stayed both AKL and WL. My personal opinion and I know others will say different, but mine is WL. I will tell you why I would not pick AKL. When we were there last year our first problem was the pool, it was way over crowded. Teenagers with parents were throwing wet heavy balls hard, of course I get hit twice, no apology no nothing, and life guards played dumb.mi was hit so hard the second time in middle of back, I went under the water, then started having an asthma attack, but the parent of these kids or the kids never apologized. My other problem wa night time drums, they played late into the night well after 10 pm. To me I found it way to much to sleep, our room was above lobby but I think these banging of the drums would bother me in the very last room on property. Other than that I loved AKL, loved the animals even in a standard room we had all kinds of animals outside out window. I loved the staff. I loved the lodge. But sorry the drums were so bad, and I need a pool with well behaved guest.

WL, love everything about it. Calm quiet, yes there can be some noise from WC but not after 10, and it does not carry far. Love the staff. In oct you will have both pools open, I find neither pool at WL ever feel that packed. You will not have just a drink by the pool but geyser point is between both pools and is an open air concept fo a nice place for an afternoon drink. You are a boat ride away from MK.

That is my opinion. See what others say. And have a great vacation.

 

[jlnten17]

We have stayed at both and WL is a clear winner for us. AKL is gorgeous as well and you would not be disappointed to stay there BUT I would pick WL every time. The boat ride to MK is great. The pool was not overcrowded and the new Geyser Point looks like a great place to grab a bite and relax. We also took the boat to Ft Wilderness which was fun. At AKL we had a standard view over the main entrance so it was really bright and noisy. Of course if you upgrade to Savanna view then you are paying a lot more and may as well stay standard view at Poly. Speaking of Poly, it is our absolute favorite resort and if you can swing a standard room there, almost all standard views are still far better than standard at other resorts. The grounds are gorgeous, great restaurants, easy walk to GF, and view of MK. It cannot be beat!

 

[allsaintsatx]

We have stayed at both and loved both. Those two resorts were both very relaxing for us. If I had to pick a deciding factor, it would be which park I would be going to more during my stay: MK or AK. The bus ride from AKL to AK and the bus ride from WL to MK is virtually the same, 5 to 10 minutes, so it may be more convenient to stay at AKL if you have more AK time planned. We don't mind the bus ride to MK from AKL at all, but if you wanted to enjoy the resort more (we are also the same way! Spend more time relaxing at resort than at a park!) it might be easier to be a 10 minute bus ride away whenever the fancy strikes you. Honestly, either resort you can't lose!

 

[VAfamily1998]

I concur with DG25 about the drumming in the lobby of AKL. I stayed there last month with my two sons and the first room they assigned us was right above the lobby with lots of drumming. Fortunately, it was still very early (before 10 am) and when I asked for a different room they were able to accommodate. Our new room was number 3378 and down the end of a VERY long hall on the Kudu trail. It was much more peaceful and quiet, but if a long walk bothers you, you would not want the room; we are ok with long walks

Fortunately, we did not experience any rude people at the pool at AKL. It was VERY crowded though. We went on two different days; one day it was tough to find empty seats and we finally found *one* that was right next to a gate. The next time there was a little more selection and would have been able to find 2 together--but really I was the only one sitting, my son was in the pool the whole time, so we only took one seat.

Don't get me wrong--I LOVE AKL! But to me it sounds like you would be happier at WL.

I will be staying at WL this summer. I stayed once before but it was several years ago and for a short trip.

 

[mickeynut1]

hello fellow Disney lovers.

We're currently booked at CBR for our trip end of October and are getting nervous that even with the gift cards offered the construction there seems extensive and may take away froM my Disney magic perhaps?

Looking into wilderness and akl to possibly switch to... it's not that much more. The issue is we're beach people and love the idea of relaxing by the pool or beach with a few adult beverages (just me and my hubby)...poly would be nice but I'm thinking it's out of the price range and I'm not seeing any discounts as of yet for our dates. Please post your opinions and why... this is wearing on me in that this is my first bday trip to the world and I really want it to be special.

Thanks in advance!

We've stayed at both and love both for different reasons. WL is great as it's close/convenient to MK, as well as to the monorail resorts for a variety of dining options. The woodsy atmosphere is beautiful, the pool is great, and Roaring Forks is great for quick CS meals/snacks. With that said, we think AKL is just as great. The resort is sort of isolated, but that's one of things I love about it as I find it very quiet & peaceful. The pool is nice, Mara and Boma are both great dining options (haven't tried Jiko), and it's convenient to AK. Transportation is by bus only, but we've always found that to be fine. In our experiences, it's taken maybe 5 extra minutes to get around compared to other resorts. I don't think you can go wrong with either resort as they are both great. Good luck!

 

[Babsy]

We've stayed at both and love both for different reasons. WL is great as it's close/convenient to MK, as well as to the monorail resorts for a variety of dining options. The woodsy atmosphere is beautiful, the pool is great, and Roaring Forks is great for quick CS meals/snacks. With that said, we think AKL is just as great. The resort is sort of isolated, but that's one of things I love about it as I find it very quiet & peaceful. The pool is nice, Mara and Boma are both great dining options (haven't tried Jiko), and it's convenient to AK. Transportation is by bus only, but we've always found that to be fine. In our experiences, it's taken maybe 5 extra minutes to get around compared to other resorts. I don't think you can go wrong with either resort as they are both great. Good luck!

 

[Tar_Heels_Love_WDW]

I've stayed at both as well, and I'm gonna hop on the WL train for this one. If you enjoy spending time at the resort and the pool (the resort is my favorite part of a Disney vacation), then I think WL is better for you. Don't get me wrong, I love AKL. The animals are great to see when you're having your morning coffee, but it's not a quiet resort (like others have mentioned). I will also add that if you spend lots of time at the AKL pool, ever now and then when a breeze blows, you'll get a strong smell of the flamingo pond...and it's horrible. I will say though, I think Jiko is a better restaurant than Artist Point, but I like them both. I don't think OP can go wrong picking either resort, I just believe OP would enjoy WL more based on their stated preferences.

 

[richmo]

We've stayed at both and liked both.

Some above have complained about the drumming in AKL...as a counterpoint, in WL you get the yelling out of Whispering Canyon Cafe. Neither especially bother me, but I suppose either could be annoying.

Both have really nice pools and although the theming is totally different between the two, they're very similar resorts in many ways and I believe were both designed by the same architect.

Both are in beautiful, but very different settings. But, if having to choose with everything else being equal, I'd probably pick Wilderness for a couple reasons: One is the transportation to MK is better. The other has to do with the grounds. Animal Kingdom Lodge is much more restrictive outdoors. A large portion of the rear of Jambo house is dedicated to the savanna. Once you get past the uniqueness of seeing animals, there's not much you can do there. At Wilderness, you're free to roam around, grab a boat, watch the Electrical parade at night, the geyser, take a walk to Fort Wilderness, etc.

You won't go wrong with either place, but I give a slight edge to WL. If your budget is getting stretched too tight, I'd also give a look at Port Orleans Riverside...

 

[OKW Lover]

Love both resorts. Its hard to beat AKL for the view of the animals right from your balcony.

 

[DisneyFansInNYC]

I too would agree the WL would get our vote. We love AKL but since we are MK/EPCOT people we would be forever on a bus. If your stay is long then do a split stay - that would be great. We love the restaurants at both hotels. Boma and Sanaa are our two of our favorite restaurants - but we do like WCC as well.

To us sitting on the beach watching the geyser erupt and watching the Electrical Water Pageant is wonderful. Enjoy - no matter which hotel you pick.

 

[siestakeys04]

I am partial to WL it was our first resort and I really loved the theme. I have eaten at AKL and the decor is nice but I love the fact that I could take the boat and go to GF or MK. The bus never took that long.

 

[Shellyred8]

We have stayed at both and I will give the edge to WL. I loved being able to take the boat over the the Contemporary or Ft. Wilderness to have a meal at one of those resorts. Or just wander around and check out the things at those resorts. Ft. Wilderness has the Tri-Circle D ranch where they house some of the draft horses that they use in the parks.

We enjoyed AKL, but felt like it was so far away from everything. We also ended up with a room at Kidani that was at the wwwaaayyyy end. I think we were like 3 rooms from the end of the building. Needless to say, we didn't just "run down to the lobby quick" for something. We made sure we planned ahead during that trip. That being said, we did have a savanna view and it was pretty awesome to watch the animals when we were in the room.

 

[MrsHammer]

My family and I have stayed at both too. I've tried to compare a few points below:

• Rooms = not considering views, I would give AKL the very slightest edge here. The rooms are very similar, but our AKL room just seemed a little less worn. Take into consideration though that we stayed at WL in 2012 and AKL in 2016. WL has undergone many changes since then. At AKL, you could have a pretty long walk from the lobby to your room.
• Views = Obviously, AKL will win most of the time on views. But, this is very subjective. If you are not in your room much and don't care so much about the animals, then both should be satisfactory. WL is still under construction, so your view could be a little less scenic than you prefer.
• Noise = I think this largely depends on where your room is located. Many others have mentioned the drums in the AKL lobby. We could not hear those at all from our room. However, there was a lot of hallway noise that bothered us sometimes at night. At WL, the main sound annoyance for me was the boat horns. Those things about drove me crazy! Our room was also ground level and right next to the walkway to the pool. There was a moderate amount of noise from people walking the path to the pool and then pool noise itself.
• Pool = I'm not a huge pool person, so I'll rely on my 10 yr old's opinion. She loved the AKL pool more than the WL pool. It's bigger, has a zero depth entry, and a better waterslide. We never had any issues with rude or unruly guests at either location. That can happen no matter where you go.
• Food = I prefer the dining options at AKL over WL. We ate at both Whispering Canyon Cafe and Roaring Forks and both were perfectly fine food wise and I would not hesitate to eat at them again. That said, Roaring Forks was always small and crowded for breakfast. But, it is undergoing refurbishment and now Geyser Point is a new option. At AKL, I liked the Mara. We ate there every day for breakfast (Mickey waffles!) and ate one early dinner there. It is large enough that you aren't going to have the crowding issue of Roaring Forks. I'd say the only drawback for us with Mara is that you actually have to go outside the main building to get to it. Sort of inconvenient if the weather is colder or rainy. BOMA! Love it....what more can I say. I haven't eaten at the other table services at either place.
• Resort theming = You can't go wrong with either one. Both are spectacular. I did find the AKL to be a little more dark than WL. Also, I did get a little tired of the 'smoky food' smell at AKL. I could smell it on my clothes after we would leave.
• Transportation = Voting for WL on this one. Proximity to MK is a very big plus. Also, being a short boat ride away from the monorail system (from either CR or MK) is a plus in getting to other locations. We were at the AKL during Spring Break, so the buses were very full and we had to stand almost every time. This was difficult for my daughter who had a hard time keeping her balance during stops and turns. She wasn't tall enough to hold onto the straps and I could tell she was getting a little panicky about falling down a couple of times. Again though, this experience varies greatly depending on the time of year you are visiting and the time of day you are riding.

With all that said, my vote goes to WL. I just felt more 'content' there for some reason. I would absolutely stay at the AKL again, but I honestly would want to have my own car though. My husband and daughter still prefer AKL overall even with the transportation issues that we had.

 

[be0URguest]

Wow thanks for all of the really great responses and the kindness. It's great to hear that people have had great experiences at both. I will discuss this with the hubby tonight and we can decide . We're def more Epcot slash magic kingdom people even tho we love AK as well.

 

[Shanti]

hello fellow Disney lovers.

We're currently booked at CBR for our trip end of October and are getting nervous that even with the gift cards offered the construction there seems extensive and may take away froM my Disney magic perhaps?

Looking into wilderness and akl to possibly switch to... it's not that much more. The issue is we're beach people and love the idea of relaxing by the pool or beach with a few adult beverages (just me and my hubby)...poly would be nice but I'm thinking it's out of the price range and I'm not seeing any discounts as of yet for our dates. Please post your opinions and why... this is wearing on me in that this is my first bday trip to the world and I really want it to be special.

Thanks in advance!

My vote is for AKL. WL is still under construction, and even though it's relatively close to MK, it is not on the monorail & transportation there isn't particularly efficient. We stayed at AKL last month and loved it. Here are my notes:

Building: Gorgeous lobby, good views of animals from around the resort, & even from some standard view rooms (like ours, which was on the Kudu trail). Our stateroom was beautifully decorated. I liked the mosquito-netting effect over the bed's headboard and the old-style safari wallpaper in the sink area. Dark wood furniture & muted wall paint lent a tasteful & subdued atmosphere to the room- it was really relaxing to return to after a long day.

Grounds: No odor from animals at all despite their proximity. Lots of trees & vegetation contributed to the resort's tranquil feel. Towering bamboo over the huge hot tub made it extra relaxing to soak there for a while.

Transportation: The buses were efficient. Always arrived in a timely manner & it was great that we didn't have to share them with another resort. AKL is often described as being "out of the way", but none of the bus rides seemed excessively long. No problem arriving at MK 30 minutes before 7am EMH on Easter weekend.

Food: At the quick-service Mara, the food was tasty & both the indoor and outdoor seating had good ambiance. I like that they also have a table service buffet (Boma), & we enjoyed a good dinner with view of the animals at Sanaa (on the Kidani side).

Recreation: My son liked that he was allowed to use two feature pools at this resort: the one at Jambo & the one at Kidani. Both have nice waterslides. There was no rowdy behavior at either pool.

Overall: Loved it. Surprised at how much we loved it, actually. Now one of our favorite deluxe resorts.

 

[Juliet0778]

We were at this decision too for June. We picked AKL partly because of the construction at WL, partly because we liked the restaurant choices better, and partly because we are really, really animal people. We also got better AKL feedback from our personal friends who go a lot. And honestly, the out of the way part is a big draw for me!

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

We have stayed three times in AKL and love it. We've never seen rude guests at either pool, and the pool areas were never overcrowded (stayed twice in July and once Thanksgiving week with gorgeous, warm weather, so would have expected big crowds).

We stayed right over the lobby once and right next to the lobby once and were never bothered by the drums. We spent a lot of time at the resort. The rooms were very quiet and the sleep quality was excellent.

We were also never bothered by animal smells, either in our room or in the pool. AKL has one of the most heavenly scents of any resort anywhere.

The staff is friendly, knowledgeable, and professional, and the resort activities are fun and educational.

Can't recommend it highly enough.

 

[wdwthanksgiving]

WL - hard to beat the location and ability to easily get to other locations via watercraft---throw in great food, pool, ambience and it is a winner! ...AKL is beautiful but the location makes it tougher to get around if you want to take a quick trip somewhere...both are really special resorts - good luck with your decision!

 

[dkrauss]

My wife and I have done both...........they're the same yet so different

The lobby's are very similar.........and so beautiful. I think the restaurant's at AK are better (Jiko is one of the best on property) but who doesn't love Whispering Canyon Café. With the addition of Geyser Point at WL.....the gap could be closing. For a beach person to me its a wash.........neither is really a beach style resort, not even close. The pools are equivalent but don't come close to the Poly of Stormalong at BC/YC. AKL does have the animals and that is a big plus in my mind. The biggest difference is access.......you have the busses at both, however at WL you get the boats that take you to the Contemporary, Ft Wilderness, and the MK.

My wife and I enjoy both.......we consider WL our home resort.........access is big for us. Really.........you can't go wrong with either.

Doug