As of January 1, 2019, we have closed our forums. This is a decision we did not come to lightly, but it is necessary. The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk. The server software itself must be updated, and it cannot be without removing the forums.
So it is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to our long-running forums. They came online in 2000 and brought together so many wonderful Disney fans. We had friendships form, careers launch, couples marry, children born ... all because of this amazing community.
Thank you to each of you who were a part of this community. You made it possible.
And a very special thank you to our Guides (moderators), past and present, who kept our forums a happy place to be. You are the glue that held everything together, and we are forever grateful to you. Thank you aliceinwdw, Caldercup, MrsM, WillCAD, Fortissimo, GingerJ, HiddenMickey, CRCrazy, Eeyoresmom, disneyknut, disneydani, Cam22, chezp, WDWfan, Luvsun, KMB733, rescuesk, OhToodles!, Colexis Mom, lfredsbo, HiddenMickey, DrDolphin, DopeyGirl, duck addict, Disneybine, PixieMichele, Sandra Bostwick, Eeyore Tattoo, DyanKJ130, Suzy Q'Disney, LilMarcieMouse, AllisonG, Belle*, Chrissi, Brant, DawnDenise, Crystalloubear, Disneymom9092, FanOfMickey, Goofy4Goofy, GoofyMom, Home4us123, iamgrumpy, ilovedisney247, Jennifer2003, Jenny Pooh, KrisLuvsDisney, Ladyt, Laughaholic88, LauraBelle Hime, Lilianna, LizardCop, Loobyoxlip, lukeandbrooksmom, marisag, michnash, MickeyMAC, OffKilter_Lynn, PamelaK, Poor_Eeyore, ripkensnana, RobDVC, SHEANA1226, Shell of the South, snoozin, Statelady01, Tara O'Hara, tigger22, Tink and Co., Tinkerbelz, WDWJAMBA, wdwlovers, Wendyismyname, whoSEZ, WildforWD, and WvuGrrrl. You made the magic.
We want to personally thank Sara Varney, who coordinated our community for many years (among so many other things she did for us), and Cheryl Pendry, our Message Board Manager who helped train our Guides, and Ginger Jabour, who helped us with the PassPorter-specific forums and Live! Guides. Thank you for your time, energy, and enthusiasm. You made it all happen.
There are other changes as well.
Why? Well, the world has changed. And change with it, we must. The lyrics to "We Go On" for IllumiNations say it best:
We go on to the joy and through the tears
We go on to discover new frontiers
Moving on with the current of the years.
We go on
Moving forward now as one
Moving on with a spirit born to run
Ever on with each rising sun.
To a new day, we go on.
It's time to move on and move forward.
PassPorter is a small business, and for many years it supported our family. But the world changed, print books took a backseat to the Internet, and for a long time now it has been unable to make ends meet. We've had to find new ways to support our family, which means new careers and less and less time available to devote to our first baby, PassPorter.
But eventually, we must move on and move forward. It is the right thing to do.
So we are retiring this newsletter, as we simply cannot keep up with it. Many thanks to Mouse Fan Travel who supported it all these years, to All Ears and MousePlanet who helped us with news, to our many article contributors, and -- most importantly -- to Sara Varney who edited our newsletter so wonderfully for years and years.
And we are no longer charging for the Live Guides. If you have a subscription, it's yours to keep for the lifetime of the Live Guides at no additional cost. The Live Guides will stay online, barring server issues and technical problems, for all of 2019.
That said, PassPorter is not going away. Most of the resources will remain online for as long as we can support them, and after that we will find ways to make whatever we can available. PassPorter means a great deal to us, and to many of you, and we will do our best to keep it alive in whatever way we can. Our server costs are high, and they'll need to come out of our pockets, so in the future you can expect some changes so we can bring those costs down.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for your amazing support over the years. Without you, there's no way us little guys could have made something like this happen and given the "big guys" a run for their money. PassPorter was consistently the #3 guidebook after the Unofficial and Official guides, which was really unheard of for such a small company to do. We ROCKED it thanks to you and your support and love!
If you miss us, you can still find some of us online. Sara started a new blog at DisneyParkPrincess.com -- I strongly urge you to visit and get on her mailing list. She IS the Disney park princess and knows Disney backward and forward. And I am blogging as well at JenniferMaker.com, which is a little craft blog I started a couple of years ago to make ends meet. You can see and hear me in my craft show at https://www.youtube.com/c/jennifermaker . Many PassPorter readers and fans are on Facebook, in groups they formed like the PassPorter Trip Reports and PassPorter Crafting Challenge (if you join, just let them know you read about it in the newsletter). And some of our most devoted community members started a forum of their own at Pixie Dust Lane and all are invited over.
So we encourage you to stay in touch with us and your fellow community members wherever works best for you!
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Turning the corner into the Animal Kingdom Lodge drive is like beginning a journey to a far off land. The vision of the thatched roofs and massive carved wood structure invites you to explore this phenomenal deluxe resort even further. Step through the doors and you are greeted with an intoxicating fragrance of smoky woods, coriander, and other exotic spices that are delicately used in the resort’s restaurants, Boma, Jiko, and the Mara. As you lift your eyes to take in the massive lobby, you may even gasp at the rich beauty that awaits you. But this is only the beginning. If you take your time and look to your feet, you will see beautiful, intricate floors, inset with medallions. The lobby is filled with comfortable furniture that invites you to relax and enjoy the peaceful retreat from the frenetic pace of the parks.
As you pass through the lobby, take note of the works of art, including the Igbo mask, the only one of its kind to leave Africa. Pass down the stairs at the far end of the lobby and even more surprises await you as you enter another world…the world of the savanna. giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, Tommies (Thomson’s Gazelles), and more await you as you step out onto Arusha Rock. Pass the fire pit and explore the habitats of these fascinating creatures. Along the way, make sure to take time to visit with the cast members. They love to talk about their homes in Africa and you will see their faces light up as they tell you stories and share their customs. Even if you are just visiting, it is worthwhile to come in the evening, around 10:00 pm (check with the resort for times) and experience the savannah through night vision goggles. It is astonishing what can be seen in the dark.
We have always been fortunate to have a savannah view room and one of my fondest memories is sitting on our balcony, rocking my youngest child to sleep to the sound of a wildebeest just at our feet, grazing and chewing the grass. It was so quiet and peaceful; we could actually hear the grass tearing and its teeth chewing. Where else in America, but at the Animal Kingdom Lodge? Even if you are in a standard or pool view room, there are ample viewing areas for the savannas. Sometimes, after my children and husband are asleep, I will sneak out into the corridor with my laptop or journal to record my thoughts for the day, sitting on a bench by the window watching the zebra graze or the Ankole cattle nuzzle their young.
The zero-entry pool is a pleasure for everyone. My children can play and slide while I wade, and babies giggle as the water gently laps their toes. The lush landscaping and surrounding kraal (corral) construction of the resort makes you feel a world away. Take time to experience the programs the resort offers as well. My children both participated in “bead activities” where they learned about flamingos, animal tracking, music, and more while earning beads for a necklace. At the conclusion of the final activity, they were allowed to choose a “totem” bead and to talk with a cast member from Africa about what the children could do to make our planet a better place. How exciting to watch them enjoy learning from people whose homes are half a world away! Even a full weekend of just resort time wasn’t enough to experience all the Animal Kingdom Lodge has to offer.
There are three dining options and we have enjoyed two -- Boma (buffet) and the Mara (counter service). We find the food to be fresh, tasty, and reasonably priced. I now make many of our favorites at home to remind us of the scents and flavors we experienced. We have not yet had the pleasure of dining at Jiko, but plan to remedy that on our next visit. Often, after our meals, we wander into Zawadi Marketplace, the Lodge’s shop that is so much more than just a gift shop. Items here range from the traditional stuffed Mickey to traditional African-carved stone eggs. Beautiful wooden giraffes and intricate masks can be purchased for much less than you would expect. There is so much to see that we usually have to make several trips just to enjoy the craftsmanship of the African people. The selection is so diverse that I have had no trouble finding beautiful souvenirs for my African-inspired office-on-a-budget.
Many people express concern that the resort is “too far” or “inconvenient”, and it is fairly distant from all theme parks but Disney's Animal Kingdom. That, however, is also the beauty of it. An advantage is that buses are not shared with another resort, so transportation is quite easy. There is nothing quite as relaxing as passing through the doors and being greeted with that marvelous aroma after a long day in the parks. Quiet, peaceful, exotic, and beautiful... Animal Kingdom Lodge is our Walt Disney World home.
Dawn is a scrapbook and tie dye designer who homeschools two of her four daughters and is always looking for an excuse to talk about Walt Disney World!
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We thought we'd try AKL (and take advantage of free disney dining plan) this August. We visited this resort on our last trip and it looked lovely. After booking, I have read so many bad things about AKL on tripadvisor.com and allearsnet.com. Mostly about dirty/dusty rooms (which reflects on bad mousekeeping) and other negative comments about CM's, location of this resort (which I know is furthest away).
First, we're renting a car, so driving a little extra is no big deal to me. I've been all over the Disney property and actually enjoy looking at other things around the property.
Second, folks had complained about the dingy dark low lighting in the rooms and around the resort..saying it had a depressing feel to it. I just assumed it's all part of the African theming. So again, I don't think I'll have a problem with it.
Third, if I find some dust...I'll just grab something and dust it myself...no big deal to me there either.
So, that leaves the CM's... and in my opinion, everyone is different..and everyone has a bad day. I've encountered some CM's that weren't as helpful as others (never anyone rude to me in WDW). If I'm not happy with something in my room and I don't get it resolved properly or within a reasonable time-frame, I go straight to management (in a polite way). My situation always gets resolved eventually and I don't let it ruin my trip.
So, are these negative reviews coming from folks who are making too much of things? I cannot imagine a deluxe Disney resort to be as horrible as I have read.
I wouldn't make too much of it. We've always had a great experience at AKL, and have stayed there a number of times. Never had any problem of the lighting. I think it contributes to the ambience!!
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I had a great time last June with my cousin there. We had just graduated high school and the CMs at AKL even left us a little present in the room... and then we magically got cards from Mickey and Minnie mailed to us after we got home! Those CMs get an A+ in my book
I have stayed at AKL several times as you can see from my signature. I have never had a problem with a CM there and in fact find them very friendly and willing to accommodate you in any way they can. As far as being dark I don't think the rooms are that dark and in fact I could never figure out what all the hype was about. I know how you feel though. When I booked my first stay there I to read reports from different boards and found that what I had read was in fact not true for me at least. Also, being away from the parks a little has an advantage at lest to me and that is the ability to escape from all the activity for just a little while every day. I have always used the bus transportation since I don't have a car when there and have never had a problem with it. Enjoy your stay it is a great place.
We stayed at AKL last August and loved it! Yes, it is dark, but our room was very clean and all the CM's were extremely nice to us. I think the dark decor helps to relax after a long day in the parks. We had a beautiful view of the pool and some animals out in the savannah. The halls were very clean, too. We had wonderful bus service to MK .... never hd to wait once for a bus there. In fact there was always a bus waiting for us. We drove our car to the other parks. Enjoy!
We just came back last week. I really enjoyed AKL, but it didn't live up to my expectations....I didn't feel that it gave me that much "bang for my buck". We did a split stay, and the four of us actually like CBR better. There were many comparisons to be made, many pluses and minuses, and in my trip report I will be touching on all of them, and I haven't gotten to the AKL portion of our trip as of yet - but let me just say this -
AKL is fairly dark inside, it is part of the decor there, if that's what you're expecting, then that's okay. The restaurants, the lobby, the hotel rooms, they are all dark. Unfortunately, our room was not as clean as I would have liked upon check in. I had to get on my hands and knees to open the bottom drawer in the dresser, and the console for the TV was just covered in dust, as was the cable box & the remote. There was also two gum wrappers sitting on the floor in an area that clearly hadn't been vacummed in a while as well. It was a little gross. Mousekeeping also hadn't put a fresh roll of TP in the bathroom - they just left the partial, almost gone roll from the last guests. That really annoyed me. Now, the Mousekeeper we had the following day after checkin was great, when we came back later that evening the room was spotless, there were lots of towels, she left a mickey towel display and little candies for the kids, and she even did a fancy display with the hand soaps & such too. She tucked all of Matthew's toys into bed. So, I guess it's just hit and miss. But, the rest of what I noticed I will mention in my trip report.
I've stayed there twice and both times it was fabulous
ABSOLUTELY!!!
Both times we have been to disney. We stayed at AKL, and we are dissappointed that we wont be able to the next time I love the whole atmosphere. It completely stimulates all five senses.
We AKL. We were there for 5 nights in Jan. The resort wow'd me the moment I stepped into the spectacular lobby. Our room was great, and spotless. The wood is dark, but our room wasn't dark. Lots of light coming thru the balcony sliding door. Great food options. Love Boma, and The Mara is a great CS. Very nice pool area.
Enjoyed some of the resort activities, Evening Cultural exchanges, night time animal viewing thru the night vision scopes, very cool. And the culinary tour of Boma and Jiko.
I didn't find it very far. We used the resort bus and the furthest park, MK is only 20 min. by bus.
We have stayed several times at AKL and ended up buying into the DVC villas there we liked it so much. We have never had a problem with the room being clean and the CM's have always been great. It does have a darker feel to the rooms but I personally like it. It is relaxing to me especially after a long day in the parks. The transportation also has never been a problem for us. It really isn't that far to any of the parks from there. I am always amazed at people saying how remote it is when the parks are just up the road. Anyway, just my opinion but I don't think you can go wrong with a stay at AKL. Oh, and the pool and restaurants are awesome too!
We also became DVC owners at AKL because we loved it so much. We have always had a great experience there, and no complaints. We find it beautiful and truly transporting. Hope you love it as much as we do!
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There were many comparisons to be made, many pluses and minuses, and in my trip report I will be touching on all of them, and I haven't gotten to the AKL portion of our trip as of yet - but let me just say this - 
AKL. We were there for 5 nights in Jan. The resort wow'd me the moment I stepped into the spectacular lobby. Our room was great, and spotless. The wood is dark, but our room wasn't dark. Lots of light coming thru the balcony sliding door. Great food options. Love Boma, and The Mara is a great CS. Very nice pool area.
ANGIE
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