FL Orlando Animal Kingdom Lodge WDW

[Autumn96]

My 8 yr old daughter and I stayed here June 16th -June 21st.

I had booked a standard view room with annual passholder rates. I couldn't do the extra $75 a night it would have been for the savannah view. I asked for an upgrade at check-in, and with a big smile towards my daughter, I was given a really nice savanah view room on the 3rd floor. I thought it was the perfect floor. Not too low so you could see the full savannah, and not so high that you're not practically face to face with the animals. It's nice to know that though I was using discounted rates I was still given a very nice upgrade.

We arrived at 11:30 am.. our room was ready and we were shown to it right away! I thought I'd have to store my luggage until 4:00. I had our swim suits in my napsack so we could use the pool while we waited, but there was no wait!

This resort is rated very highly and rightly so. There are a couple of complaints below, but nothing that would keep me from staying here again.

The resort itself is so beautful! Check in was quick. The room was immaculate and very roomy. 2 queen sized very comfortable beds, table with 2 large comfy chairs, 27" tv, coffee maker, refrigerator, bathroom adequate (not very large, but not too small) with outer double sinks. Balcony with two chairs and a table.

They give you a check list of the animals you may see so you can keep track. My daughter got busy right after she stopped crying (see below). She was amazed and sat out on the balcony happily trying to figure out which was a wilderbeast and which was the something cattle..lol. I don't remember what they were, but they were big. I did recognize the zebras and giraffe though:) There was almost always some animals walking around when we looked out the window.

Housekeeping was very good and so friendly! Always a big smile with a hello as you pass in the halls. They are willing to come in anytime at all, just spin your "do not disturb" sign around to "make my room". They made little animals out of towels as some of the housekeeping at WDW do (they didn't do it at the Coronado Springs though). Lots of towels, everything replaced daily (coffee, towels, soaps/shampoos). Everything was clean and sparkling daily.

There are viewing areas all over the hotel to see the animals if you don't have a savannah view.

Pool area.

Very clean! The water is wonderfully warm like bath water! The slide is nice, though suprisingly not as as nice as the one at Coronado Springs (a moderate resort). Not as long or as interesting. CS has a cheetah or some large cat spitting water at you as you pass under it. Plenty of towels and a nice cabana type place for drinks (though I had no alcoholic ones since I was alone with my daughter....sigh). Lots of seating, some shaded areas.. tables with unbrellas too. Easy access to the Mara (counter service) for quick snacks.. they have an arcade right there.. and they have daily childrens activities/crafts. Actually the whole resort does! (My daughter especially loved the time she got to use night vision googles so she could view the savannah at night).

We ate at the Mara (counter service) a couple of times. Average prices for WDW (which means a bit high), the food was pretty good, fast and convenient.

We had the African dinner buffet at their full service restaurant Boma. WOW! Great service and the food was wonderful! I tried as much as possible without exploding.. different salads, meats, sauces.. all wonderful! They aslo had traditional things such as prime rib for the less adventurous. This is a not to be missed restaurant.

Valet parking was very convenient and only $7. I think very reasonable. We used it a couple of times when I was too exhausted (lazy) to go park myself. Parking was convenient only if you got there early enough and got the parking area in front of the main entrance... otherwise it was a bit of a walk. We were on the Zebra trail overlooking the Arusha savannah. We were nicely convenient to the pool area (just an elevator ride down) with the Mara and arcade there.. and only a little walk to the lobby. So that was nice. If you're on the other end of the hotel though it's probably quite a walk to the pool area, but a slightly shorter walk to the outer parking lot since you can enter the hotel by a couple of side doors with your room card.

I can't say enough how beautiful and wonderful this resort is. All over the resort there are cast members available to tell you about the animals you will see there. They were all very friendly and informative and we loved the whole experience....

Ok.. the cons now:

When we first entered the room and were waiting for bell service to bring up our bags, my daughter looked towards the balcony and saw a pack (herd?) of Zebras passing. In her excitement she ran to the balcony without opening the sliding glass door. She bounced off the glass like a cartoon character. It was hurricane proof or maybe she would have walked through it. She had a very nasty bump on her head that, even after quite a while of icing, was still prominent. The bellman came just after she hit the glass and got some ice for me. He said that it was a common thing that happened, and once a rather rowdy boy had even broken his nose running into it.

If this is not uncommon, then why doesn't Disney put a more noticeable sticker... or frost the glass in some places? There is a sticker that says not to feed the animals, but it's pretty far to the right and is easily hidden by the curtains. Not a fun begining.. but it still didn't spoil the magic for my daughter of seeing all of those animals right there at her window.

The only other thing I have to complain about was contacting the front desk.

I was in a non smoking room, and it seemed that the whole section was non-smoking as all of the rooms had the designation on the doors. The first day in the evening time when I was getting some disney dollars at the front desk I inquired if smoking was allowed on the balconies. I was told it was not.. not even in the smoking rooms. I told them that someone was smoking on the balcony 2 down from ours and it was disturbing because when we sat out there the smoke came right in our faces. We had to go inside. It happened several times that day. They said that when it happened I needed to call the front desk so they could approach the guests as it was happening. It happened daily and often, especially in the morning when I would like to sit out to drink my coffee and my daughter her hot chocolate. I tried calling the front desk at least four different times without getting through.. once for more than 20 minutes being on hold! I did visit guest relations again and told them it's impossible to reach them by phone. they have the room number of the other guests and nicely informed them that smoking was prohibited anywhere in that section, and prohibited at all balconies and public areas at the resort. This was after 3 days, but it did stop. They seem to have a well staffed front desk as large as it is.. I don't know why I couldn't get through. The person I spoke with finished my sentence when I told her I tried calling.... she said, "and you couldn't get through". So it seems to be usual. Oh, and before we left we ran into our neighbors in the room right next to ours.. they had complained about the smokers too. It must have been worse for them being right next to them. I wonder if the resort would have called them directly like that if I had been the only one complaining.

This complaint is only about not being able to contact the front desk... not about the smokers. I know the hotel can't totally control the rude people smoking on the balconies. It is stated in the rules not to do that.. and if you're in a non-smoking section.. the other guests are not smoking and don't want to be subjected to it while relaxing on the balcony.

This resort is a wonderful experience... the savannah view is awesome. I don't know how we could stay here again without one, but of course getting an upgrade like that was good luck and availability. It's worth the extra if you can afford it.

My passholders rate was $155 per night (taxes and fees included). I believe the savannah view was $224 before taxes and fees. Well worth it.... I will be staying here again next year for as much of our 2 weeks as I can manage to afford.