AKL or WL in aug 2008?

[applecore72]

Hi there,

I'm a first time poster but not a first time reader. Me, my DH and DDs (2 and 5) are planning our trip to the US and DW (we live in Sweden) in aug 2008 and have trouble chosing a resort.

Last time we stayed at POR (1st time on prop) and loved it! This time we would like to upgrade to a deluxe to have some extra space and a balcony (as we love spending time there efter putting the children to bed).

We're trying to decide between AKL (pool view or WL. AKL would suit my oldest since she loves animals, but I've heard about the construction and read reviews about the service being "not-so-Disney-like". WL however seems to have excellent service, but I have doubts about the theme beng to "grow up" fo my little ones. AKL seems to have a nice pool area but WL has the boat to MK... Also the balconies at AKL seems nicer.

Can anyone please give me some advice to help us make a decision? Are the service really better at WL? Are the balconies equal? What about the pools? Which resort have the nicest restaurants (we didn't like the Boatwright at POR because of the noise level)?

[Tinkerbellfan]

Hello,

Personally, I do not think the WL theme is too adult-like for a 5 and 2 - I think the theme is perfect for the ages. It is almost like a fort. And, you can take a surrey bike over to the petting zoo at Ft. Wilderness. If you plan on going to Magic Kingdom a lot, I would pick WL. I really the boat ride to MK from the WL.

The AKL is a great resort with a wonderful pool but I found the inside a bit dark and the resort was far away from everything else at Disney World. I think the AKL has the better pool and slightly better restaurants than the WL - but, not by much. And, there are many other restaurants a boat ride and monorail ride away from the WL.

YOu can only see animals from your balacony at AKL if you pay for a savannah room.

Here is what I recommend:
Stay at the WL but visit the AKL for a meal or two so you can visit the resort and see the animals. I would recommend Boma's for breakfast and Jikos for dinner.

Good luck deciding!

[ibrowse17]

to Intercot! I would agree and say the WL might be the better choice with little ones. Both are well themed and have plenty of appeal, but I like WL better. Either way, have a great trip

[mrs.jacksparrow]

Hi,
We just returned from WL. I had booked two nights at AKL but changed my mind because of the construction, but there was none I could see when we visited there. I AM VERY GLAD WE STAYED PUT AT WL.
We did just what a previous poster suggested went for dinner at Jiko one night. My sister and I went to dinner and my ds stayed at the WL in the Cubs Den (and loved it)
The AKL is beautiful but it is dark. It just wasn't the place I could see my 5 yo DS having a blast at like WL. Wl gave me the more Deluxe feel and still gave my DS a fun place to stay.
You can look out the big viewing windows to see the animals if you want too while visiting.

Good Luck and have FUN!!!!!

We are hooked!!!!

[wdw_bound]

We're WL fans in this house. DD9 and DS2 love it. With little kids, you're probably going to be spending more time at MK than any other park. MK is a short boatride away from WL.

Things my kids love about WL:

The pool
Goging down to the beach and watching the Electric Water Pageant
The geyser
Whispering Canyon
Cubs Den crafts in the afternoon
Taking the boat to MK
Taking the boat to Ft. Wilderness to catch the campfire and a movie
The stream in the middle of the lobby

We've never stayed at AKL, and have only been there once to eat at Boma, but AKL just didn't grab us. It was love at first sight with WL.

Have a great trip!

[mickeymousedabomb]

First off to Intercot!!
Did you consider YC! Oh what a glorious place! Just a magnificent atmosphere at the Boardwalk marina. We have eaten in this hotel's restaurant and it is my 1st choice when I will upgrade to a deluxe. The pool is awesome, it's a shipwreck with slides, sand bottom floors and total fun for kids. At night when the Boardwalk is lite up it's a sight not to miss. They have wonderful looking balconies from what I can see and I believe you can see the fireworks that happen during illuminations at Epcot if you time it right and have a room facing the right direction. Just another little tip. Good luck and have fun planning!

[kim1st]

We loved WL.

We are also kind of torn about where we should stay for our next trip. AKL, WL, CR or BC.

We kind of want bunk beds, which I think limits us to AKL or WL, so we were thinking we'd try AKL just for something new, but based on the reviews here, we might stick with WL.

We really loved the theming at WL - the kids too! The pool area was really nice. I think the highlight for us was really the boat transportation. It made the trip to MK more magical. AND there were boats to the contemporary and to Ft Wilderness, which made some of our dining options more convenient as well.

[BugeyedMuggy]

I vote for AKL especially with little ones. There is always something going on for them to do. We were there in late Sept. and the cm's were very friendly. The construction was not an issue. We never even heard a thing. The only thing we saw was a crane in the distance. We never had a full bus & never waited more than 2-10 mins for one to show up. The pool & hot tubs were very empty and relaxing. Have a great trip whatever you choose.

[Disney Diva 71]

We loooovvvvee WL. We have stayed in both. We have an 8 year old and a 14 month old. We have done WL 7 or 8 times. (Leaving on Sun for WL) AKL 2 times. We love the themeing here, my kids love it too. The whole thing is amazing from the moment you walk in. The smells and the music...aahhh. I wish I could bottle it and take it home. My DH and I almost tear up everytime we wlk through the front doors. Just thinking about it makes me misty eyed. The pool and slide area is great. You can take the boat over to the MK. (We love that) You are just a walk or a bike ride or a boat ride away from the Fort Wilderness campground. Go and see the AKL for the animals and food but stay at WL!!!

[applecore72]

Thank you for the warm welcoming!I think you have convinced me - we're going for WL

[vicster]

Another vote for WL! We stayed at a moderate this year because we met friends there (and we totally like it) however, we really missed WL. We like to get a courtyard view at WL and do enjoy sitting out on the balcony at nite or having coffee there early in the morning. And do have dinner at Whispering Canyon - it's noisy but the kids will really enjoy it. Have a great trip!

[Tygger7]

Hello,

Personally, I do not think the WL theme is too adult-like for a 5 and 2 - I think the theme is perfect for the ages. And, you can take a surrey bike over to the petting zoo at Ft. Wilderness. If you plan on going to Magic Kingdom a lot, I would pick WL. I really the boat ride to MK from the WL.

The AKL is a great resort with a wonderful pool but I found the inside a bit dark and the resort was far away from everything else at Disney World. And, there are many other restaurants a boat ride and monorail ride away from the WL.

Here is what I recommend:
Stay at the WL but visit the AKL for a meal or two so you can visit the resort and see the animals. I would recommend Boma's for breakfast and Jikos for dinner.

Good luck deciding!

I agree 100%, especially with little ones. WL is much closer to everything, especially the MK. The pool at WL is fantastic, and there's also a beach where the kids can play in the sand. Be sure you take the kids to the Whispering Canyon in WL at least once for dinner. They will have a blast.

[WDW Dreamer]

Stay at both! We're going to be in WDW Dec. 8th - 18th and will be staying at WL, AKL and BC! It's fun and you get a chance to try several resorts instead of just one.

[GrmGrninGost]

WL is my favorite resort! Hope you enjoy!

[thejens]

You can't go wrong with either resort, but I have to vote for AKL. I loved it and so did my kids. We had the Savannah view which is great if you like to stay in your room or balcony, but we found so many other areas to view the animals. The cast members were very nice and knowledgeable about the animals. I like the dark, exotic feel better than the WL, personally. Boma and Jiko are awesome!! I like the counter service Mara's too. We love pool and patio, it is lush and tranquil. If you have little kids the zero entry pool is nice. There are kids activities there too. But you can't go wrong either way! Let us know how you like whichever you choose!

[Kwesty]

A vote for AKL. It is my husband's absolute favorite and he would stay there every time if I'd let him. I like to move around and stay at different places so were are debating WL or Cont. for our next visit. The restaurants at AKL are outstanding, and the pool is very nice. My daughter (3 at the time) loved it. We did have the place to ourselves however because it was one week after 9/11, so our perspective may have been skewed a bit. Have fun!

[Tigger&Stitch]

Another vote for WL!

Hubby and I have stayed at both resorts, and love the WL so much more. While we don't have children, we are definitely children at heart. =) I believe there are more activities to do at WL - even the main restaurant is fun!

The animals at AKL are cool to look at, but you can't get near them.

I think the first poster had a great idea - stay at WL and visit AKL (and AK!).

Enjoy! We'll be at the WL from late Aug-Sept 2008. YAY!