**New Title** Best Resort for One Day Only? No parks.

[coachwnh]

AKL offers many different free activities! One of our favorite things to do is cookie decorating. It usually takes place in Boma, but we have also done it in Jiko. Both kids and adults are welcome to participate.

There are other daily activities with CMs in the lobby. Ask at the counter what activities are planned that day and when they start. Many of them feature a CM from Africa and are like hands on show and tells. They have story telling outside on the observation deck in the evening as well.

There is also an observation area by the pool where CMs tell you about the animals. This is amazing and there are so few people who take advantage of it. There is never a big crowd for any of these activities. We have done many of them several times and its always fun. Hope this helps.

 

[21stamps]

AKL offers many different free activities! One of our favorite things to do is cookie decorating. It usually takes place in Boma, but we have also done it in Jiko. Both kids and adults are welcome to participate.

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There are other daily activities with CMs in the lobby. Ask at the counter what activities are planned that day and when they start. Many of them feature a CM from Africa and are like hands on show and tells. They have story telling outside on the observation deck in the evening as well.

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There is also an observation area by the pool where CMs tell you about the animals. This is amazing and there are so few people who take advantage of it. There is never a big crowd for any of these activities. We have done many of them several times and its always fun. Hope this helps.

Thank you so much for this information! It really does help! If there are enough activities to fill the day, without leaving the property, then it makes the price difference a lot more justifiable.
Do you recommend a certain area of the resort? It looks like Jambo studios are available and regular rooms. Is there a size difference between the 2, or convenience factor when choosing?

 

[Chezman1399]

I am currently booked at the Swan on Thanksgiving and Black Friday, arriving @ 2am Thanksgiving night, so 2 nights, but only one day.

I've decided to take Epcot out of the mix and just do a resort/Disney Springs day before we leave for our cruise on the 26th.

I haven't stayed at either one before. So for those that have, which is better for a "resort day"?

Thanks in advance!!!!

Even though I hate staying at the resort because I feel it's too far from MK and Epcot for me, if I was just going to have a resort day I'd have to stay at Animal Kingdom Lodge. Beautiful pools, All the different animal stuff to see, Great bar area, good restaurant choices, it's not too close to Disney Springs though.

 

[coachwnh]

Thank you so much for this information! It really does help! If there are enough activities to fill the day, without leaving the property, then it makes the price difference a lot more justifiable.
Do you recommend a certain area of the resort? It looks like Jambo studios are available and regular rooms. Is there a size difference between the 2, or convenience factor when choosing?

We have always asked for a savanna view room, even when we booked a standard room, and always got one! I cant say thats the norm, be we were never denied. We have even asked for savanna view with bunk beds, and have always got the request! If you plan on just staying at the resort, look into a club room. It is a bit more, but you get the continental breakfast, light afternoon snacks, and evening munchies (including beer, wine, soda, etc) and you get the savanna! Its the best club level dollar for dollar in WDW. Just a thought. Let me know if you have and other questions.

 

[21stamps]

We have always asked for a savanna view room, even when we booked a standard room, and always got one! I cant say thats the norm, be we were never denied. We have even asked for savanna view with bunk beds, and have always got the request! If you plan on just staying at the resort, look nto a club room. It is a bit more, but you get the continental breakfast, light afternoon snacks, and evening munchies (including beer, wine, soda, etc) and you get the savanna! Its the best club level dollar for dollar in WDW. Just a thought. Let me know if you have and other questions.

I had thought about club level, mainly because a concierge should be able to direct me to recreation activities, and also, we won't be doing any big meals that day, so is the only time I would ever take advantage of the lounge. The next day we leave for 7 nights on the Fantasy followed by 4 nights at the Contemporary with at least one character meal per day + whispering canyon lol.

Jambo House is sold out for club level, but AKL is available.

The other option is Old Key West. I have stayed there, my son has not. It's not an option for us on future trips due to my preference of smaller resorts. But if I went that route we could rent a small watercraft and I actually just noticed that they have a cute little community room.

Money wise OKW is less of course, but that difference would be made up with a 2 hour trip to Disney Springs and a boat ride. So really it's a wash there.

 

[coachwnh]

I had thought about club level, mainly because a concierge should be able to direct me to recreation activities, and also, we won't be doing any big meals that day, so is the only time I would ever take advantage of the lounge. The next day we leave for 7 nights on the Fantasy followed by 4 nights at the Contemporary with at least one character meal per day + whispering canyon lol.

Jambo House is sold out for club level, but AKL is available.

The other option is Old Key West. I have stayed there, my son has not. It's not an option for us on future trips due to my preference of smaller resorts. But if I went that route we could rent a small watercraft and I actually just noticed that they have a cute little community room.

Money wise OKW is less of course, but that difference would be made up with a 2 hour trip to Disney Springs and a boat ride. So really it's a wash there.

With a standard room club level at AKL (where we have stayed several times), you get a savanna room included and the snacks, drinks, etc, too! So many poeple are unaware that a "standard room" at AKL for the club is the savanna view. As far as Disney Springs, the bus ride really isnt that bad from AKL to all of the action. It really isn't. Im not sure why so may people think its such a big deal. It never bothered us. And we've stayed at GF, Contemp, Poly, WL, BC, YC, and Boardwalk. Depending on what we wanted to do, longer or shorter trip, etc. The rides just never bothered us. If you really wanted to spend time at Disney Springs and want the resort activities and club, Id say stay at AKL. You will not be disappointed. Ive never been to OKW, so Im of no use to you there as far as what they have to offer as a resort. All I can say is AKL wont let you down, especially if you take advantage of the club level for the day. have fun.

 

[21stamps]

With a standard room club level at AKL (where we have stayed several times), you get a savanna room included and the snacks, drinks, etc, too! So many poeple are unaware that a "standard room" at AKL for the club is the savanna view. As far as Disney Springs, the bus ride really isnt that bad from AKL to all of the action. It really isn't. Im not sure why so may people think its such a big deal. It never bothered us. And we've stayed at GF, Contemp, Poly, WL, BC, YC, and Boardwalk. Depending on what we wanted to do, longer or shorter trip, etc. The rides just never bothered us. If you really wanted to spend time at Disney Springs and want the resort activities and club, Id say stay at AKL. You will not be disappointed. Ive never been to OKW, so Im of no use to you there as far as what they have to offer as a resort. All I can say is AKL wont let you down, especially if you take advantage of the club level for the day. have fun.

Thanks so much for all of the info! I am cancelling the Swan and going with AKL!

 

[coachwnh]

Thanks so much for all of the info! I am cancelling the Swan and going with AKL!

Awesome!!!!! Have a great time

 

[Disone]

Jambo House is sold out for club level, but AKL is available.

Just for clarity, there is only one Club level at AKL and it is at Jumbo House. The regular Jumbo House rooms concierge level rooms have access to the lounge on the 6th floor. In addition to this there are 10 DVC rooms that are actually on the 6th floor with the lounge itself. So if you're in a DVC room concierge-level, you are literally on the same floor with the lounge. ( fun trivia note, these are the only 10 DVC concierge rooms in the entire world. Not just Disney World.... world.) If you are in a Walt Disney World style room you're on a different floor with key card access so that the elevator will take you up to the 6th floor.