In the 3rd pic that bird looks so incensed that you dare point at it 
Oops… can you delete that question please? She wants to swap out the picture so it’s not linked to her real life… @OBNurseNH
2 Likes
I’d heard late checkouts were hard to come by, but figured it was worth a shot.
The process (as explained to me, anyway) is that you need to call housekeeping via the room phone the morning of checkout. They check with the scheduler and call you back. I called in at 7am, but missed the return call at 10:15am. (Which isn’t that helpful with an 11am checkout anyway!)
I called back in and held for a few minutes to find out the request was declined.
We made to sure to condense into one room before 11am, then took our timing packing up and changing hack into swimsuits.
We do love all the theming details.
15 Likes
After we packed stuff up and dropped it at the car, it was back to Kidani.
We found DM a place in the AC to watch animals and play on her iPad. Hidden Mickey on her new hat!
I sat with her a bit while everyone else headed to the pool. I joined them just as DH’s order came up at the pool bar. He gave me his drink and got back in line for another. 
17 Likes
After 2 hours at the Kidani pool, we switched back to the one at Jambo. And had snack!
Most of that is from the breakfast grab-and-go at Sanaa (plan ahead, people!) For the zebra domes, I thought I was going to need to scramble to get them from Mara during their currently limited hours, but after breakfast I noticed they have them at the Kidani gift shop! So we were able to buy them fresh when needed.
And DM unwittingly adds to The Great Snack Debate…
14 Likes
I was seriously scared you were not going to get any zebra domes!
4 Likes
Finding out they were at the gift shop was a game changer! 
1 Like
Done
2 Likes
Did they have the gluten free ones too?
Oh, didn’t look. Not that I noticed.
1 Like
OH EM GEEEEEEE those cranes are gorgeous! And your breakfast makes me hungry. More trip report, more, please!
A few final thoughts on AKL…
It was good for a 1-night stay to kick off our trip, but I think a 2-night stay here with a resort day in the middle would be perfect, either to break up your trip or start or finish it. (We personally aren’t huge fans of split stays, really, but for those that are.)
I wouldn’t want to stay here longer then that until the other restaurants re-open, I think. It’s just so far away from everything with limited restaurants available.
And/or until the parks are open later so you could have a nice long midday break with a view before heading back out.
Also, they did honor our “lifetime refills” on our Mara cups by giving us disposable refill cups for the day (which would have been much more useful without the very limited hours!).
It’s definitely one of our favorite places to stay, but only if you’ll have a decent amount of time to enjoy the view. Otherwise, it just doesn’t have the location advantage the MK or Boardwalk resorts do.
2 Likes
What did you decide? Will you be visiting parks?
2 Likes
Yep. Just thinking really strategically about minimizing inside time at Universal for the twins. We’ll probably cut some stuff.
So far, Disney seems to be holding the line. At Maji Pool Bar today, the CM wouldn’t let a guy order his drink until he put his mask on. (You’re supposed to have a mask on even if outside and within 6’.)
10 Likes
