Animal Kingdom Lodge or Wilderness Lodge?

My wife and I have a 20 month old we are taking to Disney for the week of May 18th. We have the AKL booked with Savanah view. After reading some of the recent reviews I am getting a little hesitant.

I am thinking of switching to the Wilderness Lodge. For two reasons, bigger rooms and closer to parks. I can get a studio that has a fridge, microwave, etc. and looks like a lot more space for about the same price.

I have never stayed at Disney, can some give me some suggestions???

Thanks in advance...

Animal Kingdom Lodge or Wilderness Lodge?

It%26#39;s all a matter of taste and likes/dislikes.

Are you planning on spending more time at Magic Kingdom and Epcot? If so, Wilderness Lodge will be closer and a quicker trip.

The room at AKL should have a mini-fridge, but no microwave.

The Savannah views at AKL are the main reason folks go there...so they can see the animals. If that draw isn%26#39;t so strong for you, go with Wilderness Lodge.

Just make sure you book the W.L. room before cancelling the AKL room.

Animal Kingdom Lodge or Wilderness Lodge?

I would switch. The Wilderness Lodge has two pools ,a kiddie pool, and a small play area on a sandy beach.I don%26#39;t think a 20 mo. old will want to spend an awful lot of time in the parks.

I%26#39;ll be the differing opinion here. Your child is just getting to the age when he/she will be fascinated with animals. There%26#39;s nothing like awakening to exotic animals outside your door. The AKL%26#39;s pool is a beautiful entry pool. There is so much going on at the AKL all the time. I think it%26#39;s a stunning property and unlike anything else in the US. I would recommend driving to most of the parks with a child that age.

Having said that, we%26#39;re staying in a Fort Wilderness cabin for our May trip. We want the boat access to Magic Kingdom since after 2 trips in the last 6 months we%26#39;re tired of going through the TTC during rush hour and we want to focus on the MK this trip. The extra space, FW amenities, and the full kitchen are nice, too, since we have a 5-year-old and a 19-month-old. We had looked at a studio at the Villas at WL and felt that the cabin is a much better deal for the money.

Where ever you decide to stay, make sure you check the new spring rates for good discounts on your room. You can find info on that on mousesavers.com.

We stayed at the Fort Wilderness campground in one of their trailers. If you stayed there, you have your own place and a separate room for the kiddo. It is best with a rental car, tho. It is way quiet for naps, and if you sleep better in a different room this might help. But the savannah view sounds wonderful! The good thing is you park next to the room, and it%26#39;s easy to drive here and back. The boat to Magic Kingdom is fun, too.

Have a great time!

Haven%26#39;t stayed in the WL, but the AKL is an awesome facility. That said, with the 20 mo. old will point out a few pluses and minuses.

Pluses:

1%26gt; The AKL has direct buses that are not shared with any other resorts, and they did seem to run faster than some.

2%26gt; There are few things cooler than stepping out on your balcony in the AM to the sight of a curious Bison or Giraffe wandering by.

3%26gt; AKL features 2 of the better restaurants at the resorts in Jiko and Boma for the adults.

4%26gt; It definitely seemed quieter than some other resorts, good at naptime.

Minuses:

1%26gt; To insure that the maximum possible rooms have a good view of the savannah, the hallways are LOOOOOONG. At the end of a tiring day thats a fun trip with cranky child.

2%26gt; Other than those 2 restaurants, the dining options are somewhat limited.

3%26gt; At night some of the animals do make quiet noises. This might be disturbing to the young un.

Hope this helps...

Thanks to everyone for your help. Obviously either one is going to be great and I don%26#39;t mean to sound greedy. But since we are paying some big $, I would like to stay at the best available.

A bigger place w/ a mini kitchen and/or fridge will really come in handy for us. I think I am going to try to switch, but if we can%26#39;t we will be more than happy at the AKL.

Thanks again,.... we can%26#39;t wait to see the look in our little girls eyes at all of the fun she will be having. Friends and family think we are crazy taking her so young, but there really is not a better place we could think of. We tried the beach, was not much fun for her. At Disney everyone will have fun!

Ok, this sounds a little crazy. I called to look at changing, but WL was booked. They talked me into the Saratogo Springs. It has a separate bedroom, full kitchen, and closer to the action.

We can go by and see the animals if we wish.

Thanks for all of your help!

If you%26#39;re willing to Saratoga Springs, why not look into the cabins at Fort Wilderness? She%26#39;ll see critters right outside the cabin.

I can only tell you what I%26#39;ve learned from research at Saratoga Springs since I%26#39;ve never stayed there. It%26#39;s not really near anything and the theming is pretty blah. I think you can find better for the money.

What is most important to you? There%26#39;s so much pressure when you%26#39;re on the phone with Disney. Step back, prioritize your requirements, evaluated your choices against those priorities, and then approach Disney again. You%26#39;re paying a lot of money for this, so you need to be happy with you%26#39;re getting.

Have to admit I wasn%26#39;t impressed with Saratoga when we did a little resort tour last visit. I%26#39;d go back to AKL given that choice..

Sorry,but if that was one of the original options I would have placed that last. I would now advise you to go back to AKL%26gt;

If you just had a weekend........

OK friends I%26#39;m asking this time, not telling. I have an opportunity to spend a long weekend in Orlando. What would be the most top-shelf way to spend it at the parks....no economy, just a great little holiday?

If you just had a weekend........

This one is very subjective to post for, but here%26#39;s my thoughts.

For a long weekend, I%26#39;d spend one day full day at Epcot, split a day between A.K. and H.S., and spend another full day at M.K. on a non-party night so I could see Spectomagic and Wishes.

If you just had a weekend........

You%26#39;re right, sorry, I should be more specific. I want to have a huge amount of fun on rides, not necessarily coasters, and minimal walking because I%26#39;ll be with someone who is slightly handicapped. Meals aren%26#39;t crucially important except a romantic dinner. An on-property hotel would be necessary too with a great room. I don%26#39;t want to drive at the end of the day.

I suggest a monorail resort for lodging then, perhaps Poly or Grand Floridian. You can do monorail to both M.K. and Epcot from one of them.

For romantic dining, without massive sticker shock, might try California Grill at Contemporary, Narcoossee at Grand Floridian, LeCellier at Epcot.

Thank you KCF. I suppose I%26#39;m talking to the wrong crowd, one that plans two weeks instead of two days. I was just wondering what the ';cream'; two day visit would be. I%26#39;ll book the Grand, it looks nice and the train is a plus. I guess at night it%26#39;s either a parade or a show such as Cirque....

Taxi, In case you don%26#39;t know, Disney has special prices for Florida residents. Go on their website www.disney.com and click on the very obscure label titled FLORIDA RESIDENTS. You can sometimes get a very good price on high end rooms inside the park. Sometimes they also offer park discounts not offered to the general public.

Thanks neighbor!

sweet tommatoes

can any one please tell me what sweet toms is like and what sort of food do they sell there.

sweet tommatoes

Hi, its another one of Orlando%26#39;s famous buffet style eats. This one is pretty special tho imo. Love it. Lots of soups, bread, pasta can%26#39;t think of anything else but im sure others can help you out! Its great and we will be sure to check it out again on our return next month.

sweet tommatoes

buffet style salad, you can get meat in small containers, soup for starters, salad, jackets potatoes, and pastries, the apple cobler with cream is mmmmmm..you pay on entry, meat is extra,and eat as much as you want..well worth the cost, around $8 to $9...that may be not exact but not far off..its a nice change from the steaks,etc...would definately go again..

We don%26#39;t have a Sweet Tomatoes around home, so when we%26#39;re near one I definitely need to go. Can%26#39;t wait. I%26#39;ll be there in three weeks.

Sweet Tomatoes is definitely worth a visit. Like a previous poster said, it%26#39;s a huge salad buffet, with lots of extras. They have three prepared salads (usually Ceasar, Asian Chicken and a specialty salad) along with plenty of ingredients to make your own. They also have prepared pasta and potato salads. They offer a bakery section with fresh breads and muffins, a soup and pasta bar and a bar with fresh fruit, gelatin and pudding.

Very reasonable at under $10.

Hate to rock the boat but this is just another chain with cheap food. With all the wonderful food to be had, find a local NON CHAIN spot and skip this. There was an earlier post a few days back with wonderful local places.

Even I, who usually avoid chain and fast food restaurants like the plague, like Sweet Tomatoes on occasion for lunch. I usually stick to the salads and/or soup and skip the rest, as I find them to be fresher tasting.

You can find their menu on their webite at:

www.sweettomatoes.com

i am also generally anti chain but i love sweet tomatoes. i dont care for their pasta, but the soups and salads are fantastic, and i think its a good value for the money and fresher than alot of buffets around

We love Sweet Tomatoes. It is so nice to be able to get a healthy meal. We are vegetarians, and this is the best place for us to eat.

If you sign up to their %26#39;club veg%26#39; on their website, they will email you some vouchers to use. Tip: sign up only a few days before you go, as the vouchers expire in 14 days (they should send you a voucher after you sign up). You also get a voucher on your birthday. Sometimes there are discount coupons in the local newspapers too.

I%26#39;m a fan of Sweet Tomatoes/Soup Plantation as well. And while it%26#39;s great to support local eateries, let%26#39;s face it - they%26#39;re not always the most cost-efficient way to go, especially when you%26#39;re on a vacation budget.

Sorry dont agree with Norgetroll!! found sweet tomato very different from usual buffets. Food very fresh, tasty, as wellas good value. Our party included chef, who was most impressed! They even set timers and change salad bowls every 20 mins. Well worth visit - Also good for carry out service. Near enough Universal/Islands for one of the party to go for carry out lunch. Beats expensive, unhealthy, rubbish food served in parks.

Check out menus on Sweet tomato web page to appreciate choices available.

Chinese goods in Disney

It appears that most all the souvenirs for sale in Disney are %26#39;Made in China%26#39;. Given the recent general bad press against Chinese goods in the US (especially toys) and the calls this week for UK citizens to boycott Chinese goods over the troubles in Tibet, does anyone forsee trouble ahead for Disney or are Politics and Theme Parks just so diametrically opposed that no-one will bat an eyelid.

Chinese goods in Disney

It%26#39;s more a matter of nowhere in the US has the capacity to make what Disney needs at a price where people would buy it. It%26#39;s why a boycott won%26#39;t succeed, its not that there%26#39;s another option out there that%26#39;s any better.

Chinese goods in Disney

Phossey,I see you are from the UK ,but this is capitalism. We pay attention to warnings and recalls,but in general don%26#39;t expect the government to make every personal decision for us. Tibet issues and saber rattling over the Taipei government has been going on a very long time. I suspect when most folks visit Disney they leave all that stuff at the front gate.This is escape entertainment, not the place for political statements.

Boston, do I interpret this as you thinking the UK is not a capitalist country?

Ok, trying to bring it back...

My expectation is that their will be no observable effect, though part of me would be interested to see how Disney responded if it did escalate enough that consumers made a stand. I know I%26#39;ll cave in to my kids and any stance I make will be made on monetary grounds rather than ethical terms. I kid myself that it%26#39;s because the kids wouldn%26#39;t understand the ethical stance, but the reality is different I think. Not particularly proud of myself to admit it though.

By the way Boston, my question was honest enough, I thought you were inferring that the UK was not a capitalist country, and I found it a surprising view that%26#39;s all. I have a sneaking suspicion that many consider us a nation of socialists still.

Um... I traveled to George Washington%26#39;s Mount Vernon home last summer. I scoured the gift shop for anything not %26#39;Made in China%26#39;. The best I could come up with was an ornament that was %26#39;Made in Russia%26#39;.

If that doesn%26#39;t say something about America, I don%26#39;t know what does.

I don%26#39;t see why Disney should be any different.

On a side note I was listening to a Rick Steve%26#39;s podcast about China and it was mentioned that some lackey who let the lead-ridden products be shipped to the U.S. was executed.

In a Global community it seems that no one is really in charge of general safety - and it doesn%26#39;t pay to be middle-management in China!

Key West Condos

We had a great trip to Key West 2 weeks ago. Loved our stay at the Harbor Inn.

I have now been tasked to try and find a 3-4 BR condo for next years trip. I would like to stay again at Harbor Inn but the thinking is it would be more affordable for the other couple we may bring if we went with a condo/house.

Could anyone offer any help in finding such a place? I would really like to stay as close to the ';Harbor Inn'; neighborhood as possible.

Key West Condos

Not terribly close (but on a small island, not terribly far either) from the Harbor House is the Truman Annex area near the Green Parrot. I%26#39;m bett%26#39;in lot%26#39;s of folks will chime in on these and a coup;le of other places.

Key West Condos

The Truman Annex has a lot of nice condos and houses to rent. There are several reputable real estate agencies who handle vacation properties all over Key West. I%26#39;ve used this particular agency with great success in the past:

http://athomeinkeywest.com/

http://vacationhomesofkeywest.com/

i love house/condo renting. i can briefly feel like it%26#39;s home. have fun choosing

Whopper...

Our last trip in February we stayed in the annex. We had a 3 bedroom condo called Mango Dreams. For 6 people it was perfect, 2 of the 3 bedrooms had a balcony, private back deck with a grill, a shared pool, very tastefully decorated and clean!

NOT as close to the Harbor but we hung out in that area every day and did not mind the short walk...or stumble. (although when we return with just the 2 of us we plan to stay at the Harbor Inn)

Check out Coral Hammock, very reasonable 3 bedroom/3bath townhomes and is supposed to be very well maintained and spacious. We are staying there for our vacation starting May 28th! It was hard for me to find a 3/3 condo or townhome. It%26#39;s not within walking distance of Duval street however it%26#39;s been highly recommended to me.

Just stayed at Coral Hammock in early March- we were 5 people in a 3 bedroom/3bath unit.

It was a beautiful gated community-all modern conveniences, spotless and an awesome pool/pool area with clubhouse.

I believe we were in unit 20-well decorated with a washer/dryer-comes in very handy when staying a week.

Located at mm5 on Stock Island, Duval is mm0, so it%26#39;s a 10 minute ride-mostly due to traffic on 1 rather than distance.%26#39;

We would park in the dirt lot on Simonton just around the corner from Sloppy Joe%26#39;s for a flat rate of $10. They didn%26#39;t care if you were there until 4am. Cheaper and more convenient than the Old Town Parking Garage on Grinnell.

If you go to the Key West main website, you will find a list of many real estate agents that rent in Key West. I have tried several and been happy with all of them. Some of the homes and condos in Key West have a clause that does not let them rent for only a week. The websites will let you know which ones can be rented for a week or less.

Key West is a small island and any place can be reached by taxi within a few minutes depending on traffic. Renting a car in Key West is not usually a smart thing to do unless you plan on visiting the other Keys. Parking in Old Town is very limited and some of the parking lots have removable signs that they change according to the time of year,the weekend and sometimes just for the time of DAY. The Public Garage has fixed rates and is usually a better bargain in the long run.Or do what the natives do, ride a bike!

This is an interesting thread as I%26#39;m getting to the point, age wise and near retirement wise, where we might be able to spend a month or two in KW as opposed to our annual 10 day visit. What, on average, would be the monthly price for a basic condo in say the Truman annex? Thanks

Simkeith, I just checked out the website you recommended and that was very very helpful and informative!!

get time from datetime

Temperature of Sea in Feb on Gulf coast and down to Keys

We are looking to go to Sanibel next Feb and would like to know how warm the sea will be at that time of year. It is about 18 years since we were Florida going Disney with my son and then we went to down to the Keys but just cant remember how hot it was. We were thinking of flying into Miami . Any information would be appreciated

Temperature of Sea in Feb on Gulf coast and down to Keys

For water temps see

http://www.nodc.noaa.gov/dsdt/cwtg/egof.html

Use Naples for Sanibel as that is the closest point. The air temps get warmer as the month gets later in Feb, but usual highs are in the 70%26#39;sF and night time temps in the 50%26#39;sF.

Miami is about 2.5 hours away. Alligator Alley is now a toll road, so be prepared. Not a great night time drive. You can also fly into Tampa [TPA]. It%26#39;s about the same difference, but flights into Miami might be cheaper.

Condos are the best bet for Sanibel. See www.sanibel-captiva.org for places to stay and ask when you get a feel for what you want.

Temperature of Sea in Feb on Gulf coast and down to Keys

Hi - When my family comes over from coincidently, Yorkshire and London, they have found the best deals flying into New York, then Miami, then Ft Myers. I think you might be able to fly into either NY or Miami and then puddle jump into Ft Myers (RSW).

The only real difference is Tampa airport is much more user friendly than Miami airport.Been to both,and,yes I live in Tampa,but TIA is a much more user friendly airport.In and out is a breeze.Drives are about the same.

Boy do I agree with this. Miami international arrivals is a mess.

Which terminal

Hi ya, just booked to go to Orlando on the 24th of May with Cosmos. I have been trying to find out whhich termianl they fly out from. It says we fly Monarch but cant seem to find any info on it. Does any body know which terminal it would be from Gatwick please?

Which terminal

South

Which terminal

Many thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!