AKL on a budget!

[mouse_luv]

I find the boat to be wonderfully-relaxing before or after a hectic day in the parks. And as I spend much more time in MK than DAK, I prefer to be closer to MK. If you are the type that prefers DAK, stay at AKL.

I also find it infuriating that the buses from the parks go to Kidani first, then Jambo house, making the already slow bus service at AKL even worse if you are staying in Jambo as buses often fill up at Kidani at prime times. WL is always picked up first on its bus loops (with a 2nd stop at either GF or FW). I find WL's transportation to be far superior to AKL. Plus you can take a boat to FW or Contemporary if you are eating there.

That's not always true. We don't even go to DAK anymore (nothing there for us) and we love staying at AKV, and don't feel like it's a longer ride on the buses, there were times the bus came to Kidani (with no one on it) and left to go to the parks and during that time it wasn't busy and there were buses catering to just Jambo. There were only a few times and it was on the way back to the resort that we would stop at Jambo then Kidani. And like once, it went to Jambo then came to get us (at Kidani) before going to the parks.

There were times we didn't even use the buses to get to the MK, if the EPCOT bus came first we'd hop that and I'd gladly ride the monorail to the MK. *shrug* that's just me though perhaps.

I hate the buses, but I when it came to VWL, I gladly took a bus over the boat to the CR etc because I am not fond of the boats and find them too slow and overcrowded. And they are ridiculous to try to get on at the end of the night at MK.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[mousehockey37]

Wilderness Lodge is usually the same price and if you aren't going to have a view of the animals anyway, in my mind, you might as well stay at the resort that arguably has the nicer pool along with the convenience of the boat to the Magic Kingdom.

The OP isn't asking about the Wilderness Lodge, so anything and everything you've said here is pretty much null and void. The OP is asking about Standard View at AKL....

I find the boat to be wonderfully-relaxing before or after a hectic day in the parks. And as I spend much more time in MK than DAK, I prefer to be closer to MK.

That's all fine and dandy as long as the weather doesn't keep the boats docked. You leave the MK during a storm or have just a choppy day on the water.. .you're riding the bus.

I also find it infuriating that the buses from the parks go to Kidani first, then Jambo house, making the already slow bus service at AKL even worse if you are staying in Jambo as buses often fill up at Kidani at prime times. WL is always picked up first on its bus loops (with a 2nd stop at either GF or FW). I find WL's transportation to be far superior to AKL. Plus you can take a boat to FW or Contemporary if you are eating there.

Nice contradiction by the way too. You're infuriated with the bus loop path through AKL, I'm guessing you were on the back end of the stops there, leaving you with fuller buses by the time it got to you, so you find WL transportation to be superior because it's at the front of the bus path?

Also, boats aren't for everyone. As I said, you have an unsettled weather day, they may not launch the boats, you're then stuck on the bus.

To the OP... When you stay at the AKL, there is a shuttle that goes back and forth between Jambo and Kidani, so you can use that to get back and forth to see animals (don't always need a bus) and the AKL resorts have the monitors showing when the buses will be arriving, it gives you the chance, like another poster said, to jump a different bus and maybe ride the monorail to where you want to go.

 

[Swissmiss]

Every post I have read regarding likes and dislikes of AKL were from people that have stayed in Savannah view, Arusha view or Club Level rooms. To inform those of us with a much smaller budget, what are your opinions of the resort for those of you that have stayed there in Standard rooms? We will be there in early May and would like to know what to expect (not that we can change it now). Thanks.

We've stayed twice at AKL and each time although we booked a standard room we were very lucky and had rooms with some savannah view. . I sincerely wish the same for you, as it was really cool to drink coffee on the balcony in the morning with the giraffes. But even if you don't end up with a view of a savannah from your room I am sure you will still have a fantastic stay at the hotel - all the artwork on display in the hallways is a nice touch and there are lots of areas where you can sit and watch the animals so if you can't see them from your room it won't really make much difference. You can just grab some coffee and go to one of those spots and it will be just the same. Have fun!!