CaptainAmerica
Premium Member
What? No.
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Animal Kingdom Lodge or Caribbean Beach?
- Thread starter mja1228
- Start date
CaptainAmerica
Premium Member
Even then...
Also, I'm not sure what the OP's comment about the bus service is... Like he was going to stay at CBR because it has better bus service than AKL? Even that isn't true.
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
Caribbean and Saratoga have by far the worst bus service.
jaklgreen
Well-Known Member
We have been going for over 20 years and have stayed at almost all of the resorts. CBR is our least favorite! It is too spread out and way too many bus stops. Not to mention now all of the construction going on. While AKL is down on our list, mostly because of the distance to all of the parks except AK, it is a beautiful resort. I personally would stay at POFQ if you are considering staying at a moderate resort.
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
Well...since I’m edubacated in Caribbean...I can shed light here.
Caribbean was a prototype. It lead the other moderates and the values.
The mistakes were: too laid out (cost more money for logistics as well as customer difficulties)
Too decentralized (having 8 dull pools and 7 bad bus stops accomplished nothing)
Services are all off (notice they never did a separate check in/service area again?)
But Caribbean has been really popular over the years...it’s successful in spite of itself. Just like the contemporary.
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
What price?
Patcheslee
Well-Known Member
I see where CBR has the draw for us. We already drive so bus service is a nonissue. The layout I personally prefer because it seems more secluded, which after a day at the parks I need. Definitely not everyone's thing but I'm not one for the Deluxe resorts just because the style isn't my thing. Poly would be the only exception which price wise just isn't justified with only 3 people in a room.
EricPZ
Active Member
Nightly average for our trip last week was less than $140/night.
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
That’s not bad...but that’s at steep discount because the rack is $180-$280 ish now...with the average somewhere In the $229 range.
That’s too much for what they built...which means they are outpricing the moderates as they unsuccessfully have done with the deluxes over the last 20 years...
...hence the arrival of dvc.
wagner1225
Member
AKL hands down, we never had any trouble with bus service, the Mods were we had long waits
jaklgreen
Well-Known Member
My issue with the buses is not that they had bad service, but that the resort is so far away and it felt like I was on a bus a lot staying there. I have been going for over 20 years and always use the bus system. My stay at AKL was the only time I was sick of the buses.
CaptainAmerica
Premium Member
I suspect that might be more psychological than anything. Animal Kingdom looks far on a map, but average transportation time to the parks is right in line with what you'd get at any of the other resorts. Roughly speaking, Walt Disney World's main roads are laid out like a giant upside down T with an extra cross. World Drive forms the center North-South spine, while Osceola Parkway and Buena Vista Drive form the primary East-West routes. Animal Kingdom Lodge is on the southwest corner of property, but it also has immediate access right to Osceola Parkway. Other resorts might look closer to things on a map, but when you start winding through back roads and sitting at stop lights just to get to the main "highways," they don't end up saving you any time.
I've posted this in other threads, but I think it's worth sharing again:
Polynesian to Magic Kingdom: 13 minutes
Polynesian to Epcot: 45 minutes
Polynesian to Hollywood Studios: 20 minutes
Polynesian to Animal Kingdom: 26 minutes
Contemporary to Magic Kingdom: 10 minutes
Contemporary to Epcot: 34 minutes
Contemporary to Hollywood Studios: 19 minutes
Contemporary to Animal Kingdom: 25 minutes
Animal Kingdom Lodge to Magic Kingdom: 21 minutes
Animal Kingdom Lodge to Epcot: 20 minutes
Animal Kingdom Lodge to Hollywood Studios: 19 minutes
Animal Kingdom Lodge to Animal Kingdom: 18 minutes
GotEarsSayCheers
Member
Seen better days? The resort is beautiful as it is and with the mega makeover its getting its going to be amazing!
CaptainAmerica
Premium Member
Not when the point of comparison is Animal Kingdom Lodge.
jaklgreen
Well-Known Member
Yeah, we usually stay at POFQ which is pretty central. I guess we got a bit spoiled. But when I go solo I hop more and go back to my room more often, hence being on the bus more. Plus I spend most of my time at EPCOT and that is really close to POFQ.
GotEarsSayCheers
Member
Might be a different story once the new port royal and the skyliners are open for business.
Okay, I know I am in the minority here. I am a Disney Bubble guy, and I like to be near the parks, preferably a monorail, boat ride or soon to be sky ride away from a park. Caribbean Beach does not satisfy that yet, but the sky ride is coming. AKL is amazing, has incredible restaurants, but is so far removed from any where but Animal Kingdom. I lose a little bit of (the hard to explain) Disney Magic when I am there. That's just me. Animal Kingdom still has lots to offer.