Animal Kingdom Lodge or Wilderness Lodge

[captainkidd]

Hi all. Just curious to hear some opinions.

We stayed at WL last year for the 1st time and loved, loved, LOVED IT!!! From the 1st time I visited there, I had a feeling I would, and wasn't disappointed.

We do like to try different resorts. We stayed at the Poly this past July, and my feelings were right - We weren't crazy about it. Though we had always wanted to stay there, I just didn't care much for the longhouses and the rooms.

Anyways, we booked AKL for next August. In talking last night, we think that we'd be better off staying at a resort closer to the Magic Kingdom, since we spend most of our time there. We have 3 kids ages 2, 2 and 8. Not sure if we want to spend the money on a monorail resort, so we're thinking about going back to WL.

Here's my question about AKL - I've resd so many great things about it. However, when we visited there, I wasn't blown away by it. I didn't get this WOW feeling like I do at WL. I'm worried that we won't enjoy it as much as WL. Has anyone not been wowed when visiting, but been blown away when staying there?

 

[Philo]

Ah this old question. To me, these are the best two resorts on propertly. Both brilliantly themed and fantastic in almost everyway.

For our honeymoon last April I wanted to stay at WL where as my wife wanted to stay at AKL. We decided to split our stay between them (6 nights at AKL, 5 in WL).

I was worried about AKL because like you, I thought it was great but it didn't quite hit the spot for me. Add to that the many comments on poor transport options and I was a little aprehensive. However, upon arrival and settling in it soon felt right.

AKL is amazing, the whole place is full of atmosphere and more relaxing than other resorts. The transport isn't as bad as people make out either. The only thing that let it down for me was a feeling that you were either in the hotel, by the pool or going to a park. I just thought that you were a little closed in (understandable really!). The themeing makes up for this though by never letting you forget that you in Disney thanks to all the little details.

WL on the otherhand was also equisitly themed and whilst not as relaxing. it was more convinient in terms of transport and to me, more open (i.e. little paths to walk down, boat hire, beach, cycling etc).

So, AKL was great and I would stay there again in a heartbeat but on the whole, I prefered WL - my wife prefered AKL though.

 

[Snowflake82]

Not really giving you the answer you wer asking for, but for what it's worth...

We love the Wilderness Lodge - it's probably our favorite resort, theme-wise. I stayed at the Poly for the first time last year, and really loved that too.

We stayed at the AKL once, and liked it, but weren't wowed. Downsides - It seemed like we had to walk forever and ever from our room to the lobby, bus stop, and Mara (quick service food), and we had a water view (meaning pool), so we really weren't that far compared to most of the savannah rooms. Long bus ride to MK, but not so bad to other parks. We did enjoy the overall theming and the pool was very nice. Overall impression, we spent most of our time at the parks, so we felt that we didn't really get a chance to enjoy what the resort had to offer.

Hope this helps.

 

[durangojim]

We've stayed at both, as you can see in my sig, and prefer the WL. AKL is a cool place but staying there wasn't as convenient, relaxing, or enjoyable as the WL. You have to walk quite a ways to do anything depending on where your room is, and I really like having a lake to look at at the WL, I'm more of an out west guy anyway so WL fits right in.
As an aside, we're thinking about staying at the Poly for acouple of days in Jan, and from other posts, I'm not quite sure what to expect. The price difference between it and the WL is about $300, anyone think I'll be disappointed?

 

[DisneyJoe]

If taking the kids, and plan on MK visits, stay at WL.

If going for a romantic trip, go for the seclusion and stay at the AKL.

We've been to both a few times, our boys love the WL but have yet to see the AKL - and I know they would love it, but for now, its a romantic spot just for us.

I've actually found the CM's at AKL to be better than those at WL.

 

[RalphWiggum]

We really loved AKL and would stay there again in a heartbeat. I would agree with previous posters that there is a lot of walking, but I felt that I walked ALOT more when staying at Caribbean Beach. I really enjoyed sitting out on the balcony in the morning and watching the animals. That is just something you don't get to do anywhere else. It also seemed less hectic to me than other resorts we stayed at. And lastly, the brunch they had was extraordinary and a great way to start a day.

 

[captainkidd]

Thanks for the replies. We talked and decided to switch over to WL. One thing I learned I think from our Poly experience is, if it doesn't feel like you'll love it from a visit, chances are good you won't.

 

[captainkidd]

As an aside, we're thinking about staying at the Poly for acouple of days in Jan, and from other posts, I'm not quite sure what to expect. The price difference between it and the WL is about $300, anyone think I'll be disappointed?

As I said, I didn't care for the Poly. Now, I LOVED having the monorail to MK and Epcot. However, the buses were terrible. The lobby was very nice (not as nice as WL.)

Easiest way I can put it is this - Had I paid the same price at WL as I did at Poly, I still would have felt it was worth it. I didn't feel the Poly was worth it though. The resort itself is in the best location, but it doesn't feel or look as nice and relaxing as Wilderness Lodge, IMO.

 

[DivineMadness7]

You made the right choice to switch back to WL.

In my experience, the people who love AKL will tell you oh no, it's not that far from anything. Sorry, but it totally is. It doesn't have a boat to MK. When you look on the map, AK is a little more isolated than the rest.

The only way I would stay at AKL would be if I could get a savannah room. I've only stayed at WL but I loved it so much that I can't imagine liking AKL any more. Have fun! :wave:

 

[DisneyJoe]

When you look on the map, AK is a little more isolated than the rest.

I'd even go so far as to say that AKL is the MOST isolated resort in all of WDW.

To many, that is a good thing - its like having a vacation from your WDW vacation.

 

[SchultzFamily]

I'd even go so far as to say that AKL is the MOST isolated resort in all of WDW.

To many, that is a good thing - its like having a vacation from your WDW vacation.

I agree...I like being away from the center of everything. That being said, the AKL is the only resort that we haven't tried that we'd like to some day (we don't care for the WL at all after several visits and have no desire to stay there). We are happy where we are though for now and will save the deluxes until the kids are out of college (if that ever happens :ROFLOL

 

[captainkidd]

I'd even go so far as to say that AKL is the MOST isolated resort in all of WDW.

To many, that is a good thing - its like having a vacation from your WDW vacation.

That was a huge factor to me. When I'm at WDW, I want to feel like I'm at WDW.

 

[YankeeMouse]

We've stayed on the property over 50 times and have stayed at Poly, Contemporary, WL a lot, POFQ a lot, Caribbean Beach, and Beach Club. We stayed at AKL for the first time last year. We also spend a lot of time in the MK and thought it would be too far in distance from AKL. We had a savannah view, and I found myself anxious to get back to the resort to go out on the balconey and experience the tranquility of watching the animals move through the savannah. I was quite pleasantly surprised. THe dedicated bus means actually a quick trip to MK. Having said that, we have not been back there for a year, making three trips and staying at WL twice and POFQ once. But I got a great bounceback discount code for AKL so we'll be back in December. THe only thing I didn't like is that the quick service restaurant is adjacent to the pool, and you have to access it from outside. But in the grand scheme of things, it was a slight negative.

All in all, this is not a bad problem to have, choosing between WL and AKL, right?

 

[slappy magoo]

Thanks for the replies. We talked and decided to switch over to WL. One thing I learned I think from our Poly experience is, if it doesn't feel like you'll love it from a visit, chances are good you won't.

AKL is my hands-down favorite resort. But for your situation (3 kids, intending to spend most of your time at MK), I can't blame you for switching.

Do yourself a favor though, and book both a dinner AND a breakfast at Boma over the course of your stay (or a breakfast at Boma and a dinner at Jiko), and allow yourself some time to look around.

 

[rsoxguy]

Threads such as this one are great! I am considering WL for the coming Summer and the opinions expressed here are a huge help. Thanks to all. :sohappy:

 

[durangojim]

I agree...I like being away from the center of everything. That being said, the AKL is the only resort that we haven't tried that we'd like to some day (we don't care for the WL at all after several visits and have no desire to stay there). We are happy where we are though for now and will save the deluxes until the kids are out of college (if that ever happens :ROFLOL

Blasphemy! :lol:

 

[shoppingnut]

I haven't stayed at WL yet, but have been there a number of times to eat. It's very nice and the locations is good.

I've stayed at AKL in a savannah view room and all I can say is I'm not sure why we needed a room, they could have just given us a balcony. You'd get back to the room and head right outside to the balcony to see who might be out there. We spent so much time on the balcony looking at the animals, it was great and even down by the pool we would go to the various overlooks there to see the other animals. Also, every night from 9-11p they have night vision goggles you can use to look at the animals at one of the overlooks which was great. I really enjoyed AKL and it's an experience very different from any other hotel with the animals.

 

[PhilharMagician]

WL has location and the shear beauty of the resort and AKL has the shear beauty and great views if you have a savannah view. Also AKL has many more childrens activities going on all the time. I was really surprised at all the activities offered there. AKL's pool I think is a little nicer than WL's with the secluded hot tub. In the evenings the story telling around the fire can be a lot of fun. As for the walking it is no farther of a walk then WL if you have a non-savannah view, but if you have a savannah view it can be a haul. At WLV it can be an extremely long walk. once we satyed in the last roomm on the top floor in the WVL and that was a haul back to the main BLDG.

The best part of WL is the boat transport to MK, but that can be a long wait if you hit it at the wrong time. We have had to wait for a second boat a few times and total time can get near 30 minutes just waiting. I also like to go out to the beach at WL and watch the Water Pagent pass by.

I know you already made a desision, but I figured I would put in my 2 cents. If it were me I would go with AKL if you have kids because of the activities offered for them, if not WL. Savannah view is also the only way to go.

 

[durangojim]

Yeah, if you're not doing the savannah room, I don't see much point to staying at AKL. I'd rather just go there to eat or hang out.

 

[captainkidd]

I visited AKL for the 1st time last year, and like I said, it just didn't "hit" me like walking into the WL did. It was nice no doubt. And since I've stayed at All Stars so many times, I should be used to being way out of the way. There was just something very isolated about AKL that I didn't care for. And I know that's the idea, but it just didn't work for me.