In a Dilemma, need help please !!

[NEL]

Hello Everyone, :wave:

I will be heading down to WDW on May 6-12 for my 5 year olds birthday. It will be me, my wife, and of course our son. We currently are reserved at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. During my extensive research for this trip I looked at Port Orleans Riverside and noticed that if we were to stay there we can actually stay one night more and still save about $300. So I am not sure what would be best for us, stay at a deluxe hotel at AKL for 6 nights or stay at PORS for one night longer and still save $300 in the process.

I have never stayed at a Mod before so I have some reservations. Are their going to be very little resort activities, especially for my son. Is the resort going to be be huge and require very long walks? Are we going to notice a huge downgrade in service, food, room? Is the bus service going to be slow,packed, and far away.

Any sugestions, advice, recommendations, pros and cons, and what would you do?

All help is greatly appreciated. THANKS

 

[real mad hatter]

Deluxe V Moderate?

Good Morning,Well if I had the choice of an extra night for the same price,and was only going for a short vacation,I would opt for the moderate.Here are my reasons.How long will you spend in your room or hotel resort in such a short break?I would guess not alot,and your boy at five will want to be out there in the parks,also AK Lodge is so far out from everywhere.Now this year will be our third out of five vacations,staying at PORS.and we love it,we did visit AKL on our last trip whilst dining at Jikos,and it is a lovely resort but for a short vacation,I'd opt for that super extra day and I reckon your son at that age won't mind at all where he sleeps at the end of the day.:wave:

 

[Poofiesdream]

How about a split stay. A few days at each. :sohappy:

 

[mickeysshoes]

If you spend any time at the resort you will notice a difference if your use to staying deluxe. For me and my family I would opt for the deluxe and one less day. You will have some more walking (would not say it a HUGE amount) at the Mod. and the roooms are very different. Deluxe room doors are inside and Mod are outside. Deluxe rooms have a balcony giving you a more open feel to the rooms. Queen size beds are deluxe compared to doubles at River Side. I would have to say that the only thing PORS has to offer that AKL does not have is the boat to Downtown...but not worth it to us. I say stick with that you have...plus a 5 year old boy will LOVE ALL THE ANIMALS!!!!

 

[draybook]

Why not stay at a Value resort and extend the stay even longer?

 

[real mad hatter]

Disagree.

Well I completely disagree with Mickeysshoes.For one,more walking involved,eh are you hiring a scooter to get round the parks?walking is good for you.number two.PORS and POFQ have queen beds now.What's doors inside or outside got to do with your vacation,your at WDW not Alcatraz.Ok so you've got a balcony,no big deal,and last but not least,All the animals,where?I had friends who paid for the savannah view and saw two giraffes and one zebra in their two weeks vacation,oh by the way,at AK there's a attraction called Kilimanjaro safaris,and there's plenty of animals to see.:wave:

 

[dreamfinder]

POR is spread out. AKL has the single bus stop, and then you walk inside the hotel to your room. POR has the multiple buildings spread around property, some people want to take the bus back to the main area to eat instead of walking there. I definitely say AKL wins on food, but where are you going to be eating? If its just breakfast at the hotel, but the rest are in the parks, look at the food menus online and decide. But if you want to do dinners at the hotel, the AKL wins hand down.

Activites do tend to be more frequent at AKL. I want to say that pretty much from noon til about 6 each day they have at least one activity going on. And then additional stuff at night.

What are you looking for in service? Room service, gotta go deluxe as the mod will just have pizza delivery. Mousekeeping will be similar, but I believe that the deluxes have a higher quality towel/linens and toiletries. Actual CM interactions should be about the same, you may run into CMs having an off day at either location.

AKL has the single bus stop, while POR has multiple stops around property. The walk to the bus will probably be about the same, maybe a bit shorter at AKL. But at Jambo House, once you are on the bus, you are heading to the park. At POR you may still have another 4 or 5 stops on property to make, and possibly a pickup at POFQ depending on the route, before you get to head to the park.

And just to toss this out, if you already booked your flights, will you get hit with a change fee? The costs to change your flights/new flight costs may easily eat up any savings in the hotel.

Ok so you've got a balcony,no big deal,and last but not least,All the animals,where?I had friends who paid for the savannah view and saw two giraffes and one zebra in their two weeks vacation,oh by the way,at AK there's a attraction called Kilimanjaro safaris,and there's plenty of animals to see.:wave:

Then your friends must have spent the week with their shades closed. Any time I step out any of the observation areas, or looked out my balcony, I saw numerous animals. Routinely saw 3 giraffes at once, and several times saw around 7-8 different species of wildlife in the same area. Not once have I been at AKL, and looked outside towards any of the savannas have I not seen animals.

 

[mickeysshoes]

On a dark wet evening or in the heat of August your room being on the inside make a world of difference. At least to us.

 

[mickeysshoes]

AKL we could tell time by the aniamls we saw from our balcony. There was never a time when we saw NOTHING. But I can assume that the time year would play a huge role in what you would see. We were there in March but say July or August in the heat of the day I could see where they might hide in the more shady parts.

 

[ThinkTink721]

We have stayed at POR many times & have really enjoyed it.
Of course, it won't be as nice as a deluxe, but it is still nice.
We are not in our room much, so the room is not a big deal for us.
I would recommend the longer stay at a cheaper price!

 

[Ariel484]

Having stayed at both, I'd agree with the split stay option...would that still allow you to tack an extra day on to your stay? Maybe the first 5 nights at PORS and the last 2 at AKL?

We liked PORS and the boat to Downtown Disney, but were only there for a weekend so we didn't get to fully explore the resort. We only tried the quick service place for breakfast and thought it was fine...never got to try Boatwright's. Depending on where you stay, you could have a bit of a walk to the lobby area (5-7 minutes?). As dreamfinder says, there are multiple bus stops, and I don't remember thinking the buses were packed. We liked the boat to DtD a lot more than we expected, but we thought the rooms were just okay in terms of theming. The grounds of the resort are beautiful though.

If you stay at AKL and don't get a savanna view room (another way to save some cash) there are common areas where you can see the animals and talk to the guides, who are always full of great information. And AKL has the huge advantage of housing two of our favorite restaurants on property - Jiko and Sanaa - so that's a huge bonus for us. We liked the Mara too for breakfast.

Either way, you're going to Disney! Yay!

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Off-topic, my apologies!

Not to be argumentative, but with some background knowledge it is actually possible to have a general idea, not exact, of what time it is by which animals are out or more-so, which are not. We learned about this on the Sunrise Safari in January 2010 from the Curator of Animals for the lodge(s). He came into that position from the AK park where he worked with the animals since construction/pre-opening doing behavioral training. The animals on display at the lodge(s) are part of the show. Obviously they don't want to ever have a potential full-absence of animals during their "show". When you have people's hotel rooms perched for the "show" 24/7 they never want to kill that entirely. The animals, however, must be brought back to their shelters daily for check-ups and necessary care from the caretakers. How do they accomplish this without disrupting the show by working out on the savannas or blasting the entire area with calling the animals' names? Throughout the day they literally "call" each species in by a sound that each species has been trained and conditioned to recognize as theirs. It could be a whistle of sorts or, oftentimes, sounds that aren't audible to the human spectrum. When each species hears their sound they know where to go to get some treats and TLC. They listen for it. They only pull 1 or 2 species at a time, tho, so as not to ever completely clear the savannas of every animal. He explained how some species are such creatures of habit that over time they innately know when it's about to be their time to be in their enclosures so before their sound is called the caretakers will often find the lot of the critters they want to see milling about near the entrance to the enclosure area. Ever noticed what looks like narrow paths thru the various savannas? It's the habitual critters who literally will walk the exact same path to/from specific areas. Cows in pastures do this. Also, (useless farm critter info warning), if a farmer tends to feed his pigs, cows, horses, etc. at the same time every day at the same location it won't take long before the animals know when & where he'll be with what they want so before he ever arrives at that usual spot the animals will be there waiting for him to show up. They just know. It's fascinating, really. Anywhoo, tecnically it is possible to know the approximate time of day by which animals are out on the savanna if you know the approximate time each critter is generally called away. No giraffes when normally they're out? Well, if you know they usually go in at 9:00 a.m. (example, I really don't know the schedule) it's a good chance you're within an hour of 9:00. Does that make sense? :wave:







To the OP: I'd have to weigh my decision on what I wanted out of my trip. If I wanted more of a resort experience then I'd go with the more involved, deluxe resort. If my trip was geared towards being in the parks the majority of the time with little time spent at the resort (like the peeps who say "I only need the room for sleep & shower) then the less-expensive option makes more sense. There's nothing wrong with either scenario and, really, neither is better or worse than the other. Not everyone goes commando at the parks. Even former park commandos can evolve into the resort-relaxers. It's all good. Just different. Personally, I feel like certain deluxe resorts are destinations unto themselves. I could easily go spend a week at AKL or the Yacht/Beach Club without ever stepping foot in a park. There's planned activities, amazing pools, plenty of dining & services, etc. to keep one sufficiently occupied and happy. I've never stayed at POR but I have POFQ. I don't know if the organized activities offerings are more elaborate at Riverside or not. POFQ had some stuff but not a lot that sticks out in my memory. The deluxes offer a LOT. If you do choose POR, the updated rooms with the more immersive theming might be fun for your little one. I think the Alligator Bayou rooms with the new Murphy-style beds look really fun! :wave:

 

[sweetpee_1993]

The OP is traveling with a 5-year-old. Some 5-year-olds really like animals. This might be reason enough to stay at AKL.

Kilimanjaro Safaris is a fun way to view animals but it misses the point.

I cut out the bits of this post that made me think of some good points. :animwink:

There is a very big difference between riding the safari ride and seeing animals in passing and living up close & personal with them. I imagine this could be a particular joy for people or children who really enjoy animal-watching, not just animal-seeing. My son is a good example. I bet he would've slept on our balcony to be near the animals if I had let him. Seeing the animals in passing is cool. But what about sitting and just observing them for lengths of time? This, for some, is just as enjoyable as any attraction. One night during our stay at AKL it was pitch-dark outside and you couldn't really "see" much of anything out on the savannah. However, standing on our balconies we could hear just below us the distinct sounds of an animal eating. It was truly amazing to experience without ever seeing a thing. We heard: riiiip...smack-smack...pause...riiiip...smack-smack...pause... It was cool. You could hear whatever animal it was literally tearing the grass up then chewing it. It was really neat! That's just 1 of many behaviors we observed from the animals during our AKL stay. Those aren't things you'll likely get from riding the safari ride. :wave:

 

[slappy magoo]

What's doors inside or outside got to do with your vacation,your at WDW not Alcatraz.

If you're staying in a resort that doesn't have interior walkways - like Riverside - and it's particularly hot and humid, you're walking into your room hot and humid. If you want to go to the food court or the arcade or anything not in your room, hot and humid. Whereas in the Animal Kingdom Lodge, you have long interior walkways that are fully air conditioned so you can decompress quite a bit before ever getting into your room. You also don't necessarily have to have your room's air conditioning on so high, because it's already cool outside. And even though you have to go outside for a bit to get to Mara or the arcade, most of the walk can be done in the cool of the interior.

I don't know if this sort of thing would affect anyone else's decision on where to stay, but some people may appreciate any opportunities outside of the parks to not be out in the sun.

Back to the OP...Animla Kingdom Lodge's rooms are amongst the smallest deluxe rooms, though still bigger than the mods. Both resorts have nice pools, though Riverside has all those extra quiet pools. There are more onsite restaurants at Animal Kingdom Lodge, plus room service. With a child that young, early nights back at the resort may be necessary, so those are nice options to have. Another plus for Riverside is rivercraft rental onsite and the boats to Downtown Disney.

Bottom line for me (YMMV) is that I prefer the Animal Kingdom Lodge, and if it were the difference between, say a 9 day or 10 day vacation, I'd stick with Animal Kingdom Lodge. But for the difference between a 5 day and 6 day trip, I'd be more tempted to switch to Riverside. If nothing else, that's a day you can spend with your kid renting a boat, or bikes, or fishing, if you didn't actually want one more day in the parks.

 

[disneygirl1]

Tough choice! We have stayed at AKL and all I can say is if you plan on spending time at the resort, there is NOTHING like AKL, especially with a 5 year old boy. I say slurge! But then again and extra day in Disney is worth it too!

 

[ShookieJones]

We usually stay at moderates, but have stayed at AKL..I'm not huge fan to be honest. Pool leaves a lot to be desired...we had the very last room in the building...with the parking lot being far from the main building...the walk from our rental car to the room???...holy sheeze...that was the longest walk I've ever had at a resort.....With that being said...

Why not stay at POFQ you'd probably save the same amount of money and get the extra stay and it's a tiny resort. Very little walking.

There are obvious differences between Deluxe and Moderates as many of the other posters have mentioned you've even pointed out a few such as activities for the kids..etc...- but an extra day in the parks...eh..that's a no brainer for me.

AKL bye bye.......PORS or POFQ here I'd come! :animwink:

 

[vjgraham]

I have never stayed at AK, but we have been to both POR and POFQ. We have indeed stayed at Deluxe resorts and Villas. Port Orleans is fine and given the choice I would go with the moderate and enjoy another day with more spending cash to boot. POFQ rooms have been through a complete refurbish, and most POR rooms will be remodeled with queen beds, flat screens, remodeled bathrooms, etc., by the time you arrive. While Beach club is my favorite resort, we sometimes opt to pay 1/2 or 1/3 the price (depending on specials) and stay at Port orleans instead...

 

[NEL]

We've done both AKL and POR. We liked the two about the same. AKL has the animals and a wonderful main lobby, as good as the one at WL. We really enjoyed POR as well but had rooms that were close to the main building. I'm not sure we would have enjoyed POR as much if we had a long walk.

There really isn't too great of a difference between Deluxe and Moderate Resorts. Both offer many of the same services. Besides price, the biggest difference is the layout. Deluxe Resorts such as AKL tend to more like upscale hotels. The rooms are connected to the main lobby via indoor elevators. Moderate Resorts such as POR are more spread out and the room doors open to the outside. Unless you book a preferred room, there's a good chance you'll have a long outdoor walk to the main lobby.

The food, service, and room at the 2 are comparable. (Boma is the exception, see below.) If you search the Internet, you'll find stories of wonderful and less than wonderful stays at both resorts. We had pleasant stays at both resorts.

We rarely have table service meals at the resort we're staying at; we prefer eating at the parks or DTD. We've never eaten at Boma (AKL) but it looks wonderful. When we are at the resort, we prefer the quicker food court. We think the food court at POR is better; more selections and a nicer atmosphere.

The resort pool is important to us. We like to return for a mid afternoon swim. POR's pool is slightly better than AKL's. It feels more lush (the AKL pool is surrounded on 3 sides by the AKL itself while the POR pool is surrounded by green) and the POR pool is more interesting in terms of shape and water effects. The POR pool is located on a central island so it's usually not too far of a walk from any room. The AKL pool is surrounded by the AKL so the walk to the pool is usually shorter.

Generally, the outdoor walks at POR are enjoyable if the weather is nice. They can be tedious if you want to make a quick run over to the main building (e.g. lobby or food court) or at the end of the evening when you are returning from the parks.

I don't think either resort's location is ideal. Both are on the fringes of WDW. We've had long bus rides to the theme parks from both resorts.

In summary, AKL advantages:

- Main lobby
- Animals
- Boma
- Walk to pool and bus stops

POR advantages:

- Price
- Food court
- Pool

Great points and analysis, this is very helpful.


THANKS !!

 

[NEL]

The OP is traveling with a 5-year-old. Some 5-year-olds really like animals. This might be reason enough to stay at AKL. There are 2 ways to view the animals at AKL: pay the extra money for a savanna room or take a stroll past the pool. For us, we decided to save the money and not pay for a savannah room. We viewed the animals a couple of times from the grounds and that was enough for us. Conversely, I'm one of those who can't imagine staying at the beach without an actual view of the ocean from the room. I prefer to upgrade to an ocean view even though my DW thinks this is a waste of money. To each his own. For the OP, being able to view animals from the hotel room or grounds might be an important consideration, like being able to view the ocean from the room is an important consideration for me.

Kilimanjaro Safaris is a fun way to view animals but it misses the point. The OP is trying to decide between 6 nights at AKL or 7 nights at POR. In deciding between AKL and POR, is being able to view animals from the room or resort grounds an important consideration for the OP? Only the OP can answer this.

The OP indicated that he's never stayed at a Moderate Resort and is concerned about staying at one for the first time. A Disney Moderate Resort is a nice hotel. I suspect most guests would be content with a Moderate Resort. However, in general, a Moderate Resort is not as nice as a Deluxe Resort. There are reasons why a Deluxe Resort costs more. For the 2 hotels in question, my family prefers the POR pool, food court, and cost. For my family, other considerations either favor AKL or are a wash. For many, it would be tough to choose between 6 nights at AKL or 7 nights at POR & save $300. Having stayed at both resorts and been to WDW many times, I'm not 100% sure what I would do if I had to choose between the two options but I'm pretty sure I know which option my DW would pick!

It is a difficult choice, that is why I summoned the help of my friends at wdwmagic. I do believ my son will love to see the animals at AKl, but then again he would alos love one more day at WDW. And the extra activities we may do with the extra cash. Choices, choices.

 

[NEL]

POR is spread out. AKL has the single bus stop, and then you walk inside the hotel to your room. POR has the multiple buildings spread around property, some people want to take the bus back to the main area to eat instead of walking there. I definitely say AKL wins on food, but where are you going to be eating? If its just breakfast at the hotel, but the rest are in the parks, look at the food menus online and decide. But if you want to do dinners at the hotel, the AKL wins hand down.

Activites do tend to be more frequent at AKL. I want to say that pretty much from noon til about 6 each day they have at least one activity going on. And then additional stuff at night.

What are you looking for in service? Room service, gotta go deluxe as the mod will just have pizza delivery. Mousekeeping will be similar, but I believe that the deluxes have a higher quality towel/linens and toiletries. Actual CM interactions should be about the same, you may run into CMs having an off day at either location.

AKL has the single bus stop, while POR has multiple stops around property. The walk to the bus will probably be about the same, maybe a bit shorter at AKL. But at Jambo House, once you are on the bus, you are heading to the park. At POR you may still have another 4 or 5 stops on property to make, and possibly a pickup at POFQ depending on the route, before you get to head to the park.

And just to toss this out, if you already booked your flights, will you get hit with a change fee? The costs to change your flights/new flight costs may easily eat up any savings in the hotel.



Then your friends must have spent the week with their shades closed. Any time I step out any of the observation areas, or looked out my balcony, I saw numerous animals. Routinely saw 3 giraffes at once, and several times saw around 7-8 different species of wildlife in the same area. Not once have I been at AKL, and looked outside towards any of the savannas have I not seen animals.

Great points they are very helpful. The room service is not a big deal to me, since we have stayed at deluxe many times and never once ordered room service. Bus transp is important to me. You said there are multiple stop at PORS, please explain. Any tips on which one I should go to and how to avoid long waits and crowded buses?