Hi there! I haven't stayed at AKL, but I paid a nice long visit in April. The lobby is an atrium ~ nice and grand ~ similar to GF and WL atriums just different colours really. The shop is wonderful with lots of Africian looking souveniers. We had dinner at the Mara and found it to be one of our fav food courts! The pool is lovely and the lookout was fun ~ although I expected more animals. You'll get wonderful info on AKL on the RESORTS BOARDS.
As far as AK ~ we've been several times starting with 6 weeks after the opening up until it's 4th Anniversary on Earth Day this April. It's so much hotter than the other parks ~ but we like it. Lion King is a show not to be missed and Dinosaur ride scares the geebeez out of me ~ it's great! S