Need help choosing resort, please! AKL, POFQ, or POL?

So I’ve had my resort chosen for a while. We are going in the end of July, 4 of us, 5 year old and 8 year old kids. We chose POFQ because the small size, reasonable room rate, and pool. TS restaurants arent’ important to us, but room comfort, pool fun, and not a ton of extra walking IS. I’d also rather not have busses that stop 100 times on their routes, but that’s not a deal breaker if everything else is awesome.

Anyway, I was all good, then the new Summer Discount came out this morning. This has me considering two other options:

  1. POL, mostly because I can save $30/night, but also because the extra minibed for my 5 year old, as he’s not a good sleeper with other people. I was planning on bringing an air mattress for him at POFQ.
  2. AKL, because well, I can get a standard room for only $20/night MORE than POFQ, and it’s a deluxe! I’m figuring better beds? For sure a nicer pool. and of course, the animals.

Any advice? I’m not planning days of coming back to the resort for naps, (maybe only 1 day of that with MK in a 6 night vacation), but instead am planning mostly early finish or late start days. Should I stick with my POFQ, or make a switch? (I actually already made the switch to AKL this morning to make sure I could get the deal, figuring it’d be easier to switch back if I changed my mind).

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I think you made the right decision in switching over to AK. The kids will love having the animals so close. The pools are supposed to be fabulous and great choices of restaurants! Have a wonderful time!!

At that cost difference, AKL is the logical choice. We have enjoyed POFQ greatly, but AKL is a huge step up in environment and is just a great experience with the Animals etc.

Enjoy…

I agree. you made the right choice. Amazing deal. Good for you guys. I think you would have enjoyed PO-riverside, though for a future trip. And yes that Murphy bed sounds like it would have been a good upgrade for your family too. (I’ve stayed only at the French quarter but loved it.)

Without even reading, AKL. Always AKL.

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Ok now I’ve read :smile:

We had our first stay at AKL 2 years ago on account of the summer discount too. We are addicted.

Enjoy! It’s amazing!

Thanks, everyone! I just went in to look at my reservation and realized that I can also get WL for $50 less than AKL! That’s the one I REALLY wanted initially, but it didn’t show up as cheap on my phone this morning. So if it were between AKL and WL, what would your pick be?

Tougher call - haven’t stayed at WL, but we stopped by in December since we were supposed to stay there. There is construction going on, but it’s relatively self contained. Both are great settings - wonderfully themed. WL is closer to MK. AKL has the animals. If I was spending lots of times in the resort, I’d likely go AKL due to the animals. With WL that much cheaper per night though, I’d be sorely tempted - at same cost, I’d go AKL though…

I’ve stayed at WL. Haven’t stayed at AKL, but I’ve spent a lot of time there. I’d take AKL over WL, in a heartbeat.

I would love to stay at WL someday, but I would hesitate to stay there in 2016 because of all of the construction that’s happening. I’m only mentioning it in case you didn’t know about it. It would be disappointing to book it and then be surprised by the construction.

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AKL! (I feel myself starting to chant…) AKL! AKL!

As @SallyEppcot mentioned, there is considerable construction happening at WL. They are building more DVC rooms. Now, if the discount was like $100, it may be tempting. But, no. AKL! AKL!

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Was that $50 less total? Or per night? For some reason I was reading per night, but re-reading I don’t think that’s true. If $50 total, I’d just do AKL with no construction and enjoy the Animals and the great theming…

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$50/total.

So the difference in distance from the parks shouldn’t way heavier for WL?

Do they both have small kid water play areas? That would sway me as well, as my 5 year old loves the little kid water slides, but is still too small for a larger one.

I found buses from AKL very reliable.
WL shares a bus with Contemporary for most parks. And it’s really only close to MK.

I think I’ve decided that having fewer choices for transportation is actually a bit easier. If you know you’re going to the bus depot no matter where you’re heading, there’s no decision to be made. “Do I take a boat? Do I take a bus?”.

ALK has a great splash area for the kids. That pool area is fantastic.

awesome. thank you!!!

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I don’t want to oversell AKL, but I just have to say that we were blown away by it. It met and exceeded every preconceived notion that we had about it. It’s truly one of a kind in so many ways. Not the least of which are the CMs. Amazing people, amazing animals and a gorgeous resort. Also, it has 3 of the best restaurants on property. Boma, Jiko & Sanaa are all top notch if you are the least bit adventurous eaters.

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Unfortunately, my kiddos are not the least bit adventurous, but I wasn’t planning on eating anything other than breakfast at the resorts, anyway, and that only once or twice, so no biggy.

Anyway, I’m officially booked with AKL, so now just to find a decent “standard” room in the room finder, haha.

Thanks for all your help! I’m so excited that I got to upgrade our trip, haha!

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See above.

Always AKL :wink:

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WL will share a bus with at least one other resort (is it FW or GF? or both?) It will take you 20 mins to get to the parks by bus anyway as a result. You’re quicker to MK by ferry, but is the ferry impacted by the construction at all?

AKL doesn’t share with anyone. Wherever you’re headed, you pick up at the 2 AK resorts (AKL Jambo and AKL Kidani Village) and you’re on your way. It will take you 20 minutes.

I have a theory that Disney groups resort bus sharing to result in a 20 minute ride time regardless. That’s why resorts further out don’t share, but the nearer ones do. Just my theory.

AKL.

Don’t forget how good it smells!

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