Animal Kingdom Lodge
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Reviewer's Name:
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Greg Paula |
Reviewer's Email Address:
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gppaula@home.com |
Rate / Night (for your stay):
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$214 |
Date(s) of Stay:
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4/26-4/30/01 |
Accommodation Used:
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Standard Room / Studio |
Accommodations Review:
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Before this trip, the Wilderness Lodge had been my favorite hotel,
but Animal Kingdom Lodge has now claimed this spot.
The exterior of the hotel and the lobby are very impressive. The
only way they could have been more intensely themed would have been
to give each arriving guest malaria. When I first got to the hotel,
however, there wasn't an animal in sight. I looked from many of
the hotel's public areas, and I looked from my room, and I couldn't
see anything.
However, my momentary disappointment soon disappeared. In short
order, groups of zebra and wildebeast ran past my window. Words
cannot describe the thrill of seeing these animals from such a close
distance and without apparent barriers between you and them. I was
enthralled. Over the course of my stay, I saw many other animals
as well. It was so cool. In general, I've had good experiences with
Disney cast members, but the ones at this hotel were especially
friendly. I never walked past a member of the housekeeping staff
without him or her saying hello. One of the staff members at the
front desk went out of her way to get an answer to one of my questions.
I think the cast members at this hotel exceeded Disney's already
high standards.
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Why Did you Select This Resort for your Stay?
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I wanted to see the new hotel, and the introductory rate sealed
the deal. |
Room # and Location Description:
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I was in Room 2593. I had a savannah view room, though it didn't
look out over the main savannah. Rather, it looked out over one of
the spurs off the main savannah. I think that was a good thing. Since
the area was smaller, animals that passed by were forced to get closer
to the rooms. The cast members regularly put out food the attracted
the animals to the area. |
Room Location Pros & Cons:
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It was a great room for animal viewing. The only con was that it
was a very long walk from the lobby - I think it was as far from the
lobby as it's possible to get. As long as the guest has no disabilities,
though, this is not a major issue. |
Check-In / Check-Out Comments:
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No problems. |
WDW Transportation Comments:
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Everything was very smooth and pleasant. I never had to wait an
unreasonable amount of time for a bus to arrive. |
Restaurant / Lounge Review:
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I ate at the counter service location, and I had breakfast at the
buffet. The pizza at the counter service place was palatable but nothing
special. However, the pecan pie was the best I've ever had - just
the right mix of pecans and whatever that other stuff is. The breakfast
buffet was great. (Try the frunch.) |
Pool Description / Comments:
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The whole pool area is very nice. Naturally, at this hotel it's
cool to have a savannah view, but even a view of the pool isn't so
bad. The size of the pool and the number of lounges and such seemed
adequate for the size of the hotel, though I don't believe all of
the hotel is open yet. Still, I don't think that this will be a problem. |
What Suggestions Would you Give Anyone that is Considering This
Resort?
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I suspect that the introductory rate is gone by now. I recommend
it if you can afford it. It's lovely, but it's not cheap. If a family
is going to WDW for a week and can't afford to stay there for all
the nights, perhaps they might want to stay at the Animal Kingdom
Lodge for a day or two and then move to somewhere else. Even two days
are enough to see all the animals there. |
Other Comments:
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I also liked the hotel store a lot. It had a good mix of traditional
Disney souvenirs and African arts and crafts. I thought the prices
on the African items were reasonable. |
