AKL Vs POR January 2022

[tink111]

Hello

Looking like our December/ January trip is back on now

I am hoping to move about my booking with BA a little bit and have a week in Disney at the end of our holiday

I would love to book Animal Kingdom Lodge as ive always loved the idea of staying there but it is coming in at £1000 more for a week than some of the moderates!

My alternate pick would be Riverside i think... It is just me and my boyfriend and think this would be a nice moderate choice for us!

My question is what would you pick? Is AKL worth the extra money? Im worried that time of the year may effect it as ive heard people comment on how dark the hotel is?

I wouldnt be paying for savannah view either which makes me question it again

There are so many great hotels its hard to pick! Leaning toward AKL i think but thought some advice from people who have been to the two may help!

[loldis]

The dark comments were probably before the latest room refurb, they are much brighter now.

For me, this is entirely a budget choice. Do I think AKL is worth 1k more for a normal trip? No. But I stopped paying deluxe rates a few years ago, they're too high now for what you get. But if it it was a special occasion, I'd consider splurging. Only you can decide if that 1k is better spent elsewhere.

But because the offer next year isn't that great, you could always do a split stay of 5 nights at POR and then the last few at AKL. Bell services will transfer luggage for you, it's very easy.

[YorkshireT]

I found the hotel dark in the middle of summer- when it was raining/ overcast. This is in the main lobby etc, which is very in theme and excellently done, but it does lead to a dark feeling, unlike, say Wilderness Lodge. They have brightened up the non DVC rooms. DVC already had white walls. I didn’t find the actual rooms too dark.
It isn’t our favourite, but we like to walk and run and keep fit on holiday and didn’t find it ideally suited to that. The gym treadmills were often taken as there’s nowhere outside to run or walk apart from around the car parks.

[tink111]

Thanks for these responses! Good to know about the room refurbs! I’m going to try to sort in the next few days … we don’t really plan on going back in a long time so think we are leaning toward going for it!