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mrs.jacksparrow
04-05-2007, 12:24 PM
Hi!

First time poster here! We are going to Disney for the first time Oct 3rd to Oct 10th 2007.
We are booked at the Wildreness lodge, my son ( 5 years old) saw info on AK Lodge and asked if we could stay there for two of the nights. I called to change the booking and was informed there would be construction and workers around at AK lodge. I didn't change anything. I wanted to see what you experts thought about construction of Villas (like at the W Lodge) and if it would ruin the experience of AK Lodge. Should we just stay put and visit AK lodge or do you think Disney is good at handling construction too? thank you :mickey:

locodemickey
04-05-2007, 12:46 PM
Welcome to Intercot!! You will love this place and get really helpful information here:thumbsup: I have never stayed at the AKL but have stayed at the WL 3 times. We love it there!!! It is such a beautiful hotel with a great boat ride over to the MK. The AK is rather isolated but I understand that it is quite nice too. Disney is pretty good at hiding construction but I think there are a couple of days (weeks?) that it will be more obvious - I don't know what those dates are though. Others will be along with their thoughts...:welcome:

Jasper
04-05-2007, 12:59 PM
Welcome to Intercot! :welcome:

Unless you are planning on spending a lot of time during daylight hours at the resort I wouldn't get worried about the construction. Disney is good about trying to hide it and keeping noise and dust to a minimum, especially during the evening.

honeybear
04-05-2007, 01:02 PM
Hi there and :welcome: to Intercot! I think that it would only be worth it if you get a Savanah view. If you aren't going to have a Savanah view, then I would just stay at Wilderness Lodge and go visit Animal Kingdom Lodge. As far as the construction is concerned, I don't think it will be too bad!

Goofeygal
04-05-2007, 01:11 PM
we have stayed at both places and loved them both. I am not sure if there is construction and workers around if I would bother staying at AKL. If there is the animals might be scared and not out much.:mickey:

ctennis
04-05-2007, 06:44 PM
When we travel to WDW we typically split our trip between two resorts.

However, I would recommend (others many disagree) that you not do it in this case. I would stay at either the AKL or the WL (they are both amazing and beautiful), but not both on the same trip.

I personally prefer the AKL over WL purely on asthetics. I don't buy into the "it's so far out of the way" notion that some people claim. When staying there you find that it's still quite fast to get wherever you want to go.

The themeing is certainly very distinct between the two, but the overall style and feel of the implementation of the resorts is quite similar. I don't think you'll go wrong with either resort, and I wouldn't worry at all about the construction at AKL.

I think you'll be happy with either!

TammiMcMan
04-05-2007, 11:51 PM
A few people that I've talked to have stated that it is some major construction going on, both inside and outside the resort. It's my understanding that if you were on the end of Kudo Trail, you would see and hear the construction of a new animal enclosure. Construction inside won't be seen, but it is heard and a recent report was that they had some interruption of water for 2 hours one day. Construction is taking place daily from 9am - 5pm, so afternoon naps (if needed) may be a little tough. Unless they have set backs, most of that construction will be completed by the fall and early winter.

I imagine that this could bother some guests, while others would just take it in stride.

mrs.jacksparrow
04-06-2007, 02:25 PM
Thank you for all your answers. I took the plung and decided to book AK for the last two nights of our stay. So we will have 5 at WL and 2 at AK. My son really wants to do it and the worse that can happen is no naps but I can't imagine that by OCT it will still be MAJOR construction maybe just finishing work.
Again thanks for everything! All of your input helped me decide!

ScottyP
04-07-2007, 09:17 AM
We are headed there in May also and I posted a question with the same concern. We have three small children and factor a nap in our plans every day as well as some time by the pool. Has anyone been there recently who can confirm if this will take away from our relaxing experience?
Our youngest is 10 months and missed naps are not an option.

TammiMcMan
04-07-2007, 02:35 PM
Has anyone been there recently who can confirm if this will take away from our relaxing experience?I have not been there recently, but have spoken to someone who just returned. My previous comments were based on her first hand experience. My suggestion would be to try and stay on a lower floor, as interior construction is currently on the 6th floor and soon to be on the 5th floor as well. Outside noise shouldn't be a major concern, especially if you have your balcony doors closed. It would most affect those staying at the very end of Kudo trail.

Spaceship Tigger
04-07-2007, 04:41 PM
We originally booked for the AKL in September but switched to the WL after I heard the extent of the construction. We always spend time in our room during the middle of the day and knew that work covering the entire 5th and 6th floors would be major enough to be a daytime disturbance. Also, the Lodge is losing a huge number of rooms to DVC in this process, which makes it less likely that we would be able to get a room in an area that we want there.

Willowwind
04-07-2007, 06:02 PM
Covering the ENTIRE 5th & 6th floors? :unsure:

Okay, now I'm worried. How is Disney's track record with finishing these projects on time? I've got Dec 4th club level reservations.

TammiMcMan
04-07-2007, 06:45 PM
Okay, now I'm worried. How is Disney's track record with finishing these projects on time? I've got Dec 4th club level reservations.I believe at that point, club level rooms will be located on the 4th floor and the lounge will still be up on the 6th.

Usually Disney does a pretty good job staying on track with construction time. Weather can be a major issue though. I remember that a lot of projects did get pushed back the year they had numerous hurricanes go through the area.

An early project plan that I saw, had the 3 phases within the lodge being completed in July, September and December respectively.

Tinkerfreak
04-08-2007, 07:41 PM
We are staying there at club level at the end of this month. I will let you know how it goes for us as soon as I get back.

Spaceship Tigger
04-09-2007, 07:13 AM
Covering the ENTIRE 5th & 6th floors? :unsure:


That's what the release posted here says:
http://www.intercot.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=94730

To me, this is a bit disappointing. I believe those floors had all of the slightly larger deluxe rooms that could hold five people. Someday our family may number five and I was hoping that we would be able to stay in one of those rooms (most WL and AKL rooms only hold four). Now they will likely be all gone. This also majorly reduces the number of normal AKL rooms, meaning that free upgrades are considerably less likely there in the future.

tyandskyesmom
04-09-2007, 02:18 PM
I have not been there recently, but have spoken to someone who just returned. My previous comments were based on her first hand experience. My suggestion would be to try and stay on a lower floor, as interior construction is currently on the 6th floor and soon to be on the 5th floor as well. Outside noise shouldn't be a major concern, especially if you have your balcony doors closed. It would most affect those staying at the very end of Kudo trail.


We have 3 nights at AKL in the beginning of July just for a hotel trip (NO PARKS!). Any info from your source as to how much construction can be seen? We are planning a lot of pool time and animal watching so the visual aspect will be more of a thing for us than the noise. Just wondering...

Oh ya, and does anyone know what type of room open onto the lobby?

Willowwind
04-09-2007, 04:28 PM
That's what the release posted here says:
http://www.intercot.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=94730


Thanks for posting that link, I hadn't seen the thread before. I think we may be switching over to the Poly.:lei:

Trixie1822
04-16-2007, 10:41 AM
I will in AKL for 9 nights in July too and I wonder too about the seen construction...

Yano
04-17-2007, 11:22 PM
Hi,
I just came back from AKL last night, and I got to tell you I stayed alot of the time in the hotel, some days I left around 9 came back to rest around 3 and went back to the parks again around 5. some other days I stayed at the hotel until about noon befor we left to the parks. I did not once hear any construction work. our room was on in the midle section of the Kudu trail.
I did see some constuction once, when I accadently walked all the way to the end of the Kudu trail on the 3rd floor and took some outside stairs out. I was hunting for hidden Mickey's with my kids, and dont know exactly where we went, but if you go to the regular places in the hotel you will not see or hear a thing. BTW we stayed there for 5nights and 6 days. so either on week days ir weekends we didnt hear anything,
:grad: :flower:

Spaceship Tigger
04-18-2007, 07:16 AM
Hi,
I did not once hear any construction work. our room was on in the midle section of the Kudu trail.

According to the statement by WDW, Kudu trail is not scheduled to be complete until December, so they're probably not working on that section yet. The conversion of these rooms is going to require knocking down walls to create suites - I can imagine that the daytime noise could be pretty disturbing at times.

Figment!
04-18-2007, 09:19 AM
From rehabs (http://www.intercot.com/discussion/../infocentral/calendar/refurb.asp)
The Animal Kingdom Lodge will conduct a major construction project March 5, 2007 through April 30, 2009. The project entails the addition of the new Animal Kingdom Villa buildings in the vicinity of the Lodge, Guests may see and/or hear signs of construction. All construction is scheduled for daytime hours only; such that, Guests will not encounter any disruptions during normal sleeping hours.

During Spring 2007 through Spring 2008, the Animal Kingdom Lodge will convert its 5th and 6th floor rooms into part of the Animal Kingdom Villas. The conversion will take place section by section. The Zebra trail will be under renovations starting in March 2007, re-opening some units in July 2007 and the remainder in September 2007. The Kudu Trail will be under renovations starting in May 2007, re-opening in December 2007. The Ostrich Trail and Giraffe Trail will be under renovations starting in October 2007, re-opening in May 2008. The Lobby Section will be under renovations starting in March 2008, re-opening in May 2008. Work is expected to be contained to the 5th & 6th floors and pose no significant inconvenience to Guests.