We returned to Animal Kingdom Lodge this year, for 10 nights, after a lovely stay last year.
Last year was fabulous - until checking out. The bellhop service was appalling. However, those disappointing last 10 minutes didn’t put us off staying again.
We’d stayed at Loews Royal Pacific resort for four nights prior to our stay this year. We’d had a fabulous time there - see separate review - but we were so excited to return to AKL.
We had car hire for our entire trip and as we pulled up outside Jumbo House it was a little busy. Between my family of three we had six large suitcases, three cabin cases and a few bags.
A member of the bellhop staff walked by and my partner asked if we could have a little help, he mumbled a reply about being back soon. So my daughter and I pulled the cases and bags to the side and my partner drove off to the car park to find a space.
When he returned no one from bellhop had come over to help us. So, we went into reception to check in. That was quick and easy and the person who checked us in was warm and friendly. There wasn’t a queue of people behind us but no one from bellhop was available at that point - despite three members of staff around their desk - so my partner asked to borrow a trolley and he was told no.
So, off we went with all our luggage to find our room.
Moving luggage around the hall was fine, the floor is wooden, but once you’re in the corridor, the carpets make moving luggage around quite difficult. We made a wrong turn and, as you can imagine with all our cases, we were getting a little annoyed. I made the decision to find our room and told my family to stay put and I’d be back. I dragged two large cases, a cabin bag and some other bags and eventually found our room. As soon as I’d placed the bags safely I went off to relocate my family, but, unbeknownst to me, my daughter had hurt her finger trying to move her cases out of the way off other guests in the corridor she was waiting in. Because of this my partner and our daughter had returned to the bellhop and asked, again, for help, he wasn’t rude, but insistent, suddenly someone was available.
As I couldn’t find my family I returned to our room and waited. Sure enough, my family appeared a few minutes later - bellhop in tow.
Now, to say we felt a little let down, was an understatement. My daughter was injured, we were all a hot sweaty mess, but, we were overjoyed with the view from our room. So, we decided to chalk off the bad start.
Our room had been renovated and was beautiful. As I stated, the view was fabulous and giraffes were happily eating their lunch just outside our balcony. I could’ve stayed there the whole time watching the animals.
The beds were extremely comfortable, nice, clean, crisp linens. We loved the curtains, with Simba, Timon and Pumbaa displayed on. The shower was lovely, great temperature control and power.
The wardrobe was very small, not big enough for a couple, let alone a family. The room we’d stayed in, the previous year, had a massive wardrobe, but it was small this year as there was an interconnecting door to a neighbouring room. Luckily, there was ample drawer space we could use instead.
There were plenty of power points around the room, ample to charge phones, Magic Bands etc…
The only slight negative, and we didn’t notice at first, the under bed storage was massive - great for hiding all the cases, but when we pulled out a case a few days later, it was absolutely covered in thick dust from the floor. Because of the space - it should be easy to clean between guests.
The whole hotel is stunning. The reception hall takes your breath away.
The shop is great for Knick knacks and all the staff so welcoming and friendly.
During our stay we had breakfast and diner at Boma - both are fabulous. We used The Mara a few times for light bites, by the pool and to fill our resort cups.
We had dinner at Sanaa, again, really lovely.
We didn’t need to use the transportation but buses were always readily available to get guests to all the parks.
The pool is fabulous.
Everything about AKL is just stunning. It truly is a magical resort and, after coming home only yesterday, we’re already massively missing the place. Disney can be busy and manic, but Jumbo House is so calm and chilled. It feels like a second home.
Now for the negative - the day after we checked in, my partner received a survey - my check in experience - he was honest and wrote his disappointment at the bellhop service. A few days later, we received a call in the room from a manager, Miranda, who wanted to talk to my partner about the survey. My daughter took the call, we were at the pool. Miranda asked her to pass on her apologies, and if my partner wanted to speak to her she’d be available at any time.
We were happy with an apology and didn’t feel the need to rake up a bad experience - we were having such a lovely holiday.
That was until check out.
The corridor between our room and reception was closed.
My partner took two suitcases to the car - it took almost 45 minutes.
He had to go up to floor five, across the reception hall bridge, over to the other wing, back down to reception level and out to the car park. Due to a lot of people checking out, it was manic.
Because our wing was affected by the corridor closure - we hoped bellhop would prioritise guests checking out from our area. They didn’t.
We called down asking for help and was told there was a wait of over an hour - this would’ve taken us past 11am - the time we needed to vacate our room. Again, we asked to borrow a trolley. We were told no.
We’d bought so much stuff on holiday, we had to buy another case - so in total we had seven large suitcases - two had already been taken to the car, three cabin bags and three rucksacks.
So, we left our room with the five large suitcases, and everything else, and struggled trying get a lift up to floor five - across the resort and down to the lobby.
In this time, we passed many people with a trolley - we asked how they’d managed to get one and they all said bellhop were giving them out.
I hate to say this, but it was clear, if you’re American, you’ll receive help from bellhop or given a trolley - anyone else - you get left to do it yourself. We saw it last year checking out. This year at check in - it’s evident bellhop only want to help Americans as I’m guessing they think they’ll get a nice tip. We would’ve tipped, gladly, but we weren’t given the opportunity to do so THREE TIMES!
We managed to get all our luggage down to the lobby, where we witnessed other guests - with one or two cases - being helped by bellhop straight away - there was no wait. We had been lied to.
At this point, my partner went off to find Miranda. She was very friendly and disappointed at our experience and said it wasn’t the level of service they wanted to provide. She totally understood our frustration and assured my partner they do not prioritise American guests - but we saw it, multiple times, the bellhop certainly do. She asked how they could put things right - at this point, there was nothing they could do. We’d done everything ourselves!
Again, Miranda apologised and promised things would change in future.
My partner got the car, pulled up and as we were loading a guy from bellhop services asked if we needed any help - when we’d loaded almost everything into the car ourselves. It’s clear he was after a tip - for what exactly?! We politely declined his offer.
So, again, we left with a bitter taste.
Animal Kingdom Lodge is magnificent. The ONE place it has consistently let itself down is the bellhop service. It is abysmal.
When we checked in, and out, of Loews Royal Pacific, the bellhop were absolutely fantastic - and they got tipped handsomely for it.
We’re not returning to Florida next year, as we’re going to Tokyo instead, but, if we were coming back, I can honestly say, I think we’d overlook AKL now. It’s such a massive shame, but as they say, fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me.
I don’t want to stay anywhere where we’re overlooked or treated as a second class citizen.
Animal Kingdom Lodge deserves 5 stars, but bellhop have certainly tainted their score.
AKL - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Bellhop - ZERO
