Disney's ANIMAL KINGDOM LODGE Information & Questions

[tatsmx]

Hi!!! Looking at AKL for a stay nov '17.... I will look at renting points for a value villa(david's DVC) to make it affordable..(pesos-dollar exchange nightmare)..

Is it difficult to rope drop (MK) all the way from AKL using disney transportation??
do kids enjoy the resort???

It will be me, DH , DD8 and DD2 at that time.

Thx!!!

 

[pepperandchips]

Excellent information! What room were you in? Did it have bunkbeds?

Thanks! I was in 2374. No bunkbeds, two queens. The structure with the green roof is the "barn" I mentioned - see all the zebras congregating? People pen in foreground. Would love the "standard" view from this room any time!

 

[TeeterTots]

Hi!!! Looking at AKL for a stay nov '17.... I will look at renting points for a value villa(david's DVC) to make it affordable..(pesos-dollar exchange nightmare)..

Is it difficult to rope drop (MK) all the way from AKL using disney transportation??
do kids enjoy the resort???

It will be me, DH , DD8 and DD2 at that time.

Thx!!!

MK is the farthest park from AKL, about 20 minute bus ride. Rope drop isn't impossible since buses run an hour before park openings. The buses do fill quickly which is the biggest complaint.
Your kids will LOVE the resort! The pools, the animals, fun activities etc! Enjoy!

 

[nicolebridget22]

I'm so excited to be staying CL at the AKL for our 10 year anniversary in Sept/Oct! I have a few questions for the pros/regulars. Can anyone tell me...do they do anything nice for anniversaries? Also, I read here that there is no more turn down service and although I never thought it was a big deal before, now that I know it's gone I'm a little sad. It was always such a nice little luxury. How would I go about requesting it? And, does anyone know the best way to request a king bed? It seems like all the online check-in options just pertain to the floor and proximity to elevators. I'm excited that, in booking CL, it says we will have a view of the Arusha savannah which is my favorite, and that we don't have to specially request it. Has that been other people's experience with CL? I remember the first time we stayed at AKL we had booked an Arusha view and they gave us one of the trails instead and I had to "push" for what we booked, which was annoying. I'm hoping that doesn't happen again. Sorry for all the questions, thanks in advance!

 

[dansdad]

I'm so excited to be staying CL at the AKL for our 10 year anniversary in Sept/Oct! I have a few questions for the pros/regulars. Can anyone tell me...do they do anything nice for anniversaries?

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Gifts for special occasions are meant to be little surprises.

Also, I read here that there is no more turn down service and although I never thought it was a big deal before, now that I know it's gone I'm a little sad. It was always such a nice little luxury. How would I go about requesting it?

When you're checking in ask for it.

And, does anyone know the best way to request a king bed?

Contact IPO and request one.

It seems like all the online check-in options just pertain to the floor and proximity to elevators.

Right. Which is the biggest reason why I don't make any room requests during Online Check In. I much prefer to call and have any room requests added to my reservation.

 

[nicolebridget22]

Thanks Dansdad! One other thing...what is IPO?

 

[dansdad]

Thanks Dansdad! One other thing...what is IPO?

Itinerary Planning Office. When you are staying Club Level, the IPO will help you make any ADRs or specialty Cruise reservations, etc.

 

[jvattes]

Hi!!! Looking at AKL for a stay nov '17.... I will look at renting points for a value villa(david's DVC) to make it affordable..(pesos-dollar exchange nightmare)..

Is it difficult to rope drop (MK) all the way from AKL using disney transportation??
do kids enjoy the resort???

It will be me, DH , DD8 and DD2 at that time.

Thx!!!

Alllllllllll the way from AKL we have rope dropped many times with great success. The distance is Overemphasized. You're still in Disney World

 

[smec73]

I've only stayed at All Stars(on race weekend) and at POR with my family. I was able to get a standard room at AKL for what we paid last Nov at POR(we didn't have free dining or a room discount). I'm really excited that we are staying here. Our trip is Nov 26-Dec 2.

 

[utlegaleagle]

Thanks! I was in 2374. No bunkbeds, two queens. The structure with the green roof is the "barn" I mentioned - see all the zebras congregating? People pen in foreground. Would love the "standard" view from this room any time!

No doubt that is a great "standard" view! I am hoping to find something like that with bunkbeds. My boys absolutely LOVED the bunkbeds at Wilderness Lodge, and they have requested that for this trip.

BTW - to whomever monitors this thread, me, DW, DS8, and DS6 are booked in to AKL for October 11-15, 2016!

 

[dizneyluv]

Less than 30 days! Excited to get our MB's yesterday! Can't wait for AKL!

 

[ciera321]

20 days for us. Third stay at AKL, but first DVC stay.

 

[dizneyluv]

Our school (not the county) is out early this year allowing for a May visit. Our first AKL stay and first visit for Epcot's F&G has us very excited. Our son loves Star Wars so he is very psyched for the meet and greets and fireworks at DHS. I'm so happy that a show was added on the night we will be there. We have resort time planned more than usual due to the awesomeness of AKL. I keep watching YouTube videos of the resort and park rides, I have things to do but I can't concentrate!

 

[BethanyLynnFit]

I've only stayed at All Stars(on race weekend) and at POR with my family. I was able to get a standard room at AKL for what we paid last Nov at POR(we didn't have free dining or a room discount). I'm really excited that we are staying here. Our trip is Nov 26-Dec 2.

We are making our first stay at AKL (have stayed POFQ, ASMu, POP, & AoA) almost the exact same dates, except we are staying until the 3rd. We are super excited! I booked it on a whim when free dining came out and wasn't sure how my husband would respond (he wanted to do a split stay) but he was more excited than I was!

 

[sndral]

Hi!!! Looking at AKL for a stay nov '17.... I will look at renting points for a value villa(david's DVC) to make it affordable..(pesos-dollar exchange nightmare)..

Is it difficult to rope drop (MK) all the way from AKL using disney transportation??
do kids enjoy the resort???

It will be me, DH , DD8 and DD2 at that time.

Thx!!!

Just FYI the value villas are popular as they don't cost a lot of points thus they book fast, be sure you are ready to reserve 11 months before your stay otherwise you may find them to be already booked.

 

[tatsmx]

Just FYI the value villas are popular as they don't cost a lot of points thus they book fast, be sure you are ready to reserve 11 months before your stay otherwise you may find them to be already booked.

Yess!! We were planning on renting points from david's.. is it possible to secure the room before the 11 months? We are sure on the dates already... or it has to be exactly at 11 months??

 

[OhThePain]

Yess!! We were planning on renting points from david's.. is it possible to secure the room before the 11 months? We are sure on the dates already... or it has to be exactly at 11 months??

There is no guarantee that you will get your first choice (which is why they ask for 3 choices) and the room can only first be booked with points at exactly 11 months out. Get in touch with them about a week before your 11 month mark (for example, if your date is November 8, get in touch with them December 1). This will give you time to fill out what you need and to make your first payment and it will give them time to get in touch with the DVC member whos points you'll be using. The DVC member is the one who is actually making the reservation in your name and will make the reservation at their earliest convenience (in other words, if the rooms become available at midnight at your 11 month mark, they don't have to make your reservation at 12:01AM if they don't want to, they can wait until later in the morning or even that evening if that is when they can make the reservation). David's is just the one that gets the member and renter together. We rented points a few years ago at BWV during F&W. We filled the paperwork and made the payment about a week before our 11 month mark. We were still shut out of our first choice of a Boardwalk View room and ended up with a Garden View (but our Garden View still had a view of the Boardwalk and we were able to see some of the higher IllumiNations fireworks from our balcony).

If the value villas are as hard to get as others have said, hope for one but expect to get your second choice.

 

[tatsmx]

There is no guarantee that you will get your first choice (which is why they ask for 3 choices) and the room can only first be booked with points at exactly 11 months out. Get in touch with them about a week before your 11 month mark (for example, if your date is November 8, get in touch with them December 1). This will give you time to fill out what you need and to make your first payment and it will give them time to get in touch with the DVC member whos points you'll be using. The DVC member is the one who is actually making the reservation in your name and will make the reservation at their earliest convenience (in other words, if the rooms become available at midnight at your 11 month mark, they don't have to make your reservation at 12:01AM if they don't want to, they can wait until later in the morning or even that evening if that is when they can make the reservation). David's is just the one that gets the member and renter together. We rented points a few years ago at BWV during F&W. We filled the paperwork and made the payment about a week before our 11 month mark. We were still shut out of our first choice of a Boardwalk View room and ended up with a Garden View (but our Garden View still had a view of the Boardwalk and we were able to see some of the higher IllumiNations fireworks from our balcony).

If the value villas are as hard to get as others have said, hope for one but expect to get your second choice.

thank you for clarifying the 11 month mark... I will start thinking for other choices, my DD's heart is set on Jambo House! we will celebrate her birthday, so hopefully... I know November is a hard month.

 

[maranara]

We're all booked for AKL at the end of January! I'm SO excited I can hardly stand it. A question...we're thinking about upgrading to club level. For those who have stayed CL...was it worth it? What's the cost that would make it "worth it" to you? We're a family of 3 - my daughter will be 7 when we travel - so I could see us getting a lot of value out of eating breakfast in the lounge every day and maybe snacks as well. I'm also a little confused about the actual cost of upgrading...we're already booked for a savannah view...it's hard to tell online if it's another $40 a night (which would seem to be totally worth it) or another $100+ a night. THANKS!

 

[OhThePain]

thank you for clarifying the 11 month mark... I will start thinking for other choices, my DD's heart is set on Jambo House! we will celebrate her birthday, so hopefully... I know November is a hard month.

Just keep in mind that anything that is listed as a value at any of the resorts is going to have the same issues (little supply, high demand, hard to get). You could still get Jambo, just make the first choice the value studio villa and the second choice a standard studio villa (which I think will cost about $300 more over a week long stay).