Suites? AKL or WL?

[dylcon]

We're planning our trip, and waffling on where to stay based on the accomodations....I've narrowed it to either the Animal Kingdom Lodge, Or Wilderness Lodge.

Never stayed at either....have stayed at the CR only, and want to try something new.

Been checking out Deluxe accomodations at both AKL and WL...would like to stay in one of the suites (I understand the WL "Deluxe" rooms were the "Junior Suites")...haven't found any pictures of either!

Has anyone stayed in either of these properties' suites that can tell me a bit about them? Are they worth it? Do they have decent views (WL especially, since their location seems to be at the corners)?

DO the suites automatically include concierge service??

TIA for any help!

 

[josierac]

Here are pictures of the WL deluxe rooms just scroll on the left to find them.

 

[JimC]

Have stayed at both. In my opinion, AKL is the best themed resort on property. There is nothing to compare to a savannah view room. It is only available to concierge guests. A central view savannah is something to behold. It was all we could do to leave the balcony in the mornings. The Mara is fine for breakfast and snacks. Jiko was a fabulous dinner. Boma was one of the best family buffets on property, but it was a tad bit noisy.

If you stay in concierge level, take the sunrise safari. It is a 45 minute private tour of the AK safari with breakfast afterwards. It is limited to 28 guests.

When we stayed at the WL, we thought that was fabulous. Boat ride to Contemporary or MK. Access to big lake, beautiful resort. Artist Point is a top notch restaurant. But I must admit, given a choice, and having already enjoyed SL, AKL would be where I would go.

Use this link to access a photo gallery of the resorts. You can also access great reports about room views and the like at the same site.

http://www.wdwig.com/gallery.htm

 

[daannzzz]

I have stayed at both but only in a Jr. Suite at the WL. I don;t think there is a Jr. Suite at the AKL of comperable value. The next up from a deluxe room at AKL is a 1 bedroom.
I loved both resorts and wqould pick either one. I prefer the room decore by far at the AKL. BUT the Jr. Suite at WL was great. I liked it because it isn't just a square boxey room or two standard rooms opened up to eachother. It has loads od windows and two balconies though one is standing room only. IT has french doors and a small fridge under the wet bar. The fridge has and ice maker which was great. We had one of the JR. suits that was part way down the wing and had a view of the pool and courtyard and lake and trees. Some of them at the end of the wings look into trees with the lake behind them and some look directly at the lake.
The deluxe room at AKL was not really that big but is was great with an awesome view and we were lucky enough to get one of the large balconies under the hut at the end of the wing.

 

[dylcon]

Thank you for the replies!

Although the WL deluxe rooms seem to be of better value (I've seen the layout), I'll look into the 1 & 2 bdrm suites at AKL since that's the next step up from concierge.

I see that the AKL Deluxe concierge rooms are slightly larger rooms....at a slightly higher cost...but no "Junior" suite accomodations like WL.

Anybody who's stayed in AKL's larger concierge room notice any discernable difference??

Since there's 5 of us...3 adults and 2 children (8 & 10), I'm trying to decide between either 3 adjoining (concierge) rooms, or a 1-2 bdrm suite.

Seems the price of the suite should be on par with that of 3 concierge rooms....and getting 3 adjoining in a preferred location might be difficult...especially since I'm looking to go within the next 3 weeks (the beauty of living a little over 1 hour away!).

 

[Janet2k]

Dylcon, welcome to the Dis!

I have only stayed in a standard room at the WL, however, I have stayed in a savannah room, a one-bedroom suite, and a two-bedroom suite at the AKL. I have some photos posted of some of my WDW suite stays in my on-line photo albums: click here to view them.

For the normal one-bedroom and two-bedroom AKL suites, they are basically identical (except for the fact that the two-bedroom suites have an extra bedroom). The AKL is also home to two of the most gorgeous suites -- the Presidential & Vice-Presidential suites. Those suites are stunning, *sigh.*

If you have any particular questions, please feel free to post them here or to PM (Private Message) me directly. The AKL is my favorite resort.

 

[bjakmom]

Great pictures, Janet! I was considering 2 rooms next Jan - hoping to get a good deal for concierge and try that this trip. Now that I see your pics for 2 bedroom I'm wondering if that would be about the same price (?). Questions: are the suites automatically concierge level; are there ever discounts offered on the suites? I'm trying to take my whole family for my 50th - there would be 6 - 8 of us and one new grandbaby who's on the way. My plan right now is to spend most of the trip at BWV - my kids (25,23,14) like that location the best - but after staying at AKL this past summer, I just have to have a day or two there to show it to them - if we do that, we will not even bother with the parks, just start off our first day soaking in the AKL atmosphere - which leads to another question - do you have to have park tickets to do the Sunrise Safari? Thanks!

 

[Janet2k]

Bjakmom, I have never gotten a discount on any of the WDW suites that I have stayed in (and I have always been told that suites are never discounted).

For the past few years, suites have automatically given you concierge status. However, that was not true when I first began staying in suites at WDW (to be safe, always verify concierge status at time of booking).

When I first attended the Sunrise Safari, park tickets were required. My family had Annual Passes, so they were taken from us in the Kilimanjaro Club before we left for the safari, and returned to us on the bus that took us to the event. From what I’ve read, that still holds true. As always, though, please check with the AKL concierge when you book your Sunrise Safari & Breakfast event for the current park ticket policy (since everything Disney is always subject to change at any moment).

You mentioned that you have six to eight people in your party. Depending upon their ages & relationships, you would have to figure out their sleeping arrangements and then select your accommodations accordingly.

The one-bedroom suite that I stayed in could sleep six people (and one or two babies): the bedroom had two queen-sized beds, and the parlor had a sofa sleeper.

The two-bedroom suite that I stayed in could sleep up to nine people (and two or three babies): the master bedroom had a king-sized bed (two people and a baby), the parlor had a sofa sleeper (two people and a baby), and the second bedroom had bunk beds, a queen-sized bed, and a daybed (five people and a baby).

I should note that there are other suite arrangements. What I listed above are just two of the arrangements that I know of from personal experience.

Here are the room rates for the AKL that I copied from the www.disneyworld.com website:

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AKL 2003 Room Rates (tax not included)

Room Type / Value / Regular / Peak / Holiday
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Standard / $ 199 / $ 239 / $ 289 / $ 324
Water/Pool / $ 260 / $ 295 / $ 345 / $ 390
Savannah View / $ 275 / $ 315 / $ 365 / $ 410
Deluxe, Water/Pool / $ 340 / $ 385 / $ 445 / $ 500
Deluxe, Savannah View / $ 350 / $ 395 / $ 460 / $ 515
Deluxe, Savannah View Bunk / $ 350 / $ 395 / $ 460 / $ 515
Concierge / $ 425 / $ 480 / $ 545 / $ 610
Presidential Suite / $ 1945 / $ 2115 / $ 2275 / $ 2505
Vice Presidential Suite / $ 1690 / $ 1860 / $ 2055 / $ 2290
1 Bedroom Suite / $ 635 / $ 710 / $ 795 / $ 900
2 Bedroom Suite / $ 1135 / $ 1250 / $ 1395 / $ 1575

Value season for 2003 is 1/1 - 2/12, 7/4 - 10/1, 11/2 - 12/19
Regular season for 2003 is 4/27 - 7/3, 10/2 - 11/1
Peak season for 2003 is 2/13 - 4/26
Holiday season for 2003 is 12/20 - 12/31

Most rooms have a maximum four-person occupancy per room. Suites have a four-to-eight-person occupancy per suite, depending on the type of suite. Prices are per room and do not include the 11.5% Resort tax for 2003. There is an additional adult charge of $25 per adult per night for more than two adults in a room. Prices, benefits, and other terms are subject to change without notice. Length-of-stay requirements may apply. Rooms subject to availability. Certain nights are already sold out. Prices are in U.S. dollars.
- - - - - - -

Now that I have mentioned some of the sleeping arrangements that a suite could give you, and have also listed the current suite prices, it should be easy for you to select accommodations that will suit your party’s needs. By the way, happy early birthday! Yahoo! I should mention that the BoardWalk Resort is my second favorite resort (right after the AKL), so your upcoming trip sounds perfect to me. May I join you?!

 

[bjakmom]

Thanks, Janet! All that info really helps - now if only I could make up my mind!! The problem that I have with planning so far ahead is never being sure just who is going to be along for which days. Now I'm thinking I might just try renting points for 2 br BWV the entire time and take everyone over to AKL for dinner - oldest DD is feeling a bit overwhelmed at having to move around with a 5 month old (her first) - even though I know the moves would go smoothly, I don't want her to feel anxious before we even get there. We'll see....

 

[Janet2k]

Bjakmom, you're welcome. I know how you feel trying to plan so far in advance and not knowing what the future holds.

I had a vacation planned a year or two ago that was supposed to have included nine of us in total. Four in my family (2 adults / 2 kids), three in my sister's family (1 adult / 2 kids), and my two parents (2 adults). I decided that booking two-bedroom suites at the GF and the YC would be a lot of fun, and so I did. Less than two weeks before that vacation was to begin, my parents pulled out. Arg! That meant that I had to change all my group PS reservations around, and it also meant that I had to decide what to do about the suites -- should I keep them or should I turn them into concierge rooms (which might have been impossible to do at the last minute). I stuck it out with the suites and never looked back. It would have been cheaper to have gone the concierge room route, but I really like being in a suite (or villa) because then my niece & nephew can run into my bedroom screaming, "Get UP, Aunt Janet! GET UP! It's time to head to the theme parks!!"

Whatever you decide to do, I'm sure it will be perfect. I love the BWV. You really can't go wrong with studios or villas over there.