Our first stay at the AKL - any tips or advices?

[Spike-in-Berlin]

Yesterday we changed our reservations for our fall trip (September 27th to October 13th) from 12 nights at the Pop and four nights at the CBR to 11 nights at the Pop and five at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. We are very glad about that because we normally want to stay the last 4-5 days at a deluxe and we originally only booked CBR because there were no AP-holder rooms left for the deluxes we were interested in.
Well some CM at disney reservations screwed up our bookings and left us with a one day gap between our check-out at the Pop and check-in at the CBR. Because our desire to sleep one night on some park benches is quite negligible we wanted this corrected and when I called after they corrected their error I just asked, without big hope, if they have any AP-rooms in the WL, AKL, Poly or Contemporary. And the big surprise, they had a room in the Jambo House, standard view left! So I changed the reservations again and we are staying the last five days at the AKL, just like we had originally planned.
As I don't know anything in detail about the AKL do you have any tips or advices etc. for a AKL-first timer? How far (time, not mileage) is it from there with the buses to MK, EPCOT, DHS and DTD?
Thank you.

 

[ddrongowski]

snip As I don't know anything in detail about the AKL do you have any tips or advices etc. for a AKL-first timer? How far (time, not mileage) is it from there with the buses to MK, EPCOT, DHS and DTD?
Thank you.

1. Have and use your own vehicle, rental or your own. Bus trips for AKL are long.

2. Have a glass of cold Jamba juice.

3. Take your own binoculars. Small 10x units work well. Take your night vision also. Yes I have my own.

4. Listen very carefully and you will hear a certain type of animals knees make a really neat sound. But to do this it has to be quiet around you.

5. Do not feed the animals.

6. Touch the lucky art at the exit every time you leave.

7. Take a good long look at the lobby and what it has in it.

8. Buy an ostrich egg.

9. Get a room on the West side of the resort. This is a shorter walk to the pool, spa, etc...

10. Schedule a massage at the spa.

11. Find the hidden tunnel to the bar.

11a. Look at the hidden lion face between the stairs that lead out to the main observation area. Hint, put you back against the wall and focus wide.


12. Eat, drink and be merry.

 

[The Mom]

Is it only a name or is there really a waterfall?

Yes, there is an indoor waterfall, with multiple levels overlooking it, along with bridges crossing the stream. So, you can be seated at balcony type areas with just a couple of tables, or somewhat larger, depending upon your level. It "ends" at BOMA at the bottom, with a pool, as I recall. There is also bar seating. And the tunnel, as mentioned above.

It's hard to explain, but it's quite lovely and relaxing.