Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
Staying Deluxe at Disney
I recently spent 5 nights at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge and was completely wowed by all it had to offer! I’ve visited the lodge often and have eaten there a time or two as well, but staying there and enjoying its serenity is in a league all of its own!
Animal Kingdom Lodge had two main buildings connected by a pathway. Jambo House and Kidani Village. The architecture is reminiscent of an African-style lodge complete with savannah lands and roaming African animals.
Jambo House is the original building at Animal Kingdom Lodge followed up by Kidani Village which opened as a new DVC property with over 300 villas in 2009, just 8 years after the original lodge was opened.
For Additional Pictures of Animal Kingdom Lodge visit here.
Resort Size
- 955 Rooms – accommodate up to 4 guests, plus one child under age 3 in a crib.
- Club Level accommodations available
- Rooms have either 2 queen size beds, or one queen size bed and bunk beds, or one king size bed.
- 15 Suites
- 216 Jambo House Villas
- 493 Kidani Village Villas
Jambo House 
- Standard Room – 4 guests
- 1 Bedroom Suite – 5 guests
- 2 Bedroom Suite – 8 guests
- King with bunk bed – 4 guests
(pictures shown above are the updated rooms as of May 2019, bunk bedroom shown below is prior to the room refurbishment)
Kidani Village
- Deluxe Studio – 4 guests
- 1 Bedroom Villa – 5 guests
- 2 Bedroom Villa – 9 guests
Room Size
- Standard Room 344 sq ft
- 1 Bedroom 777 sq ft
- 2 Bedroom Suite 1,083 sq ft
- Deluxe Studio – 316 sq ft
- 1 Bedroom Villa – 710 sq ft
- 2 Bedroom Villa – 1,173 sq ft
Check In/Check Out:
- Check In: 3 pm
- Out: 11 am
- Guests arriving earlier or later can check in and have their bags held with the bellhop.
- Guests can pre-check in from the My Disney Experience app
Dining Options
Signature Dining/Table Service
- Jiko – The Cooking Place, dinner
Table Service
- Boma-Flavors of Africa, breakfast and dinner buffets
- Sanaa – lunch and dinner
Quick Service
Lounges
- Cape Town Lounge and Wine Bar
- Sanaa Lounge
- Victoria Falls Lounge – a favorite place of mine to relax and unwind while staying at the lodge.
Pool Bars
- Maji Pool Bar
- Uzima Springs Pool Bar
Special Experiences
- Dine with Animal Specialist
- Jiko Wine Tasting
- Wanyama Safari
In Room Dining Available
Amenities:
- 2 pools with slide
- Children’s pool
- Interactive Water Feature
- Playground
- Whirlpool
- Health Clubs
- Select spa services
- Family rec room
- Arcade
- Movies under the Stars
- Sports courts (tennis, basketball, shuffleboard)
- Grills
- Animal programs at the savanna viewing areas
- Safari tours exclusively for guests staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge
- Daily activities
Stores
- Zawadi Marketplace
Transportation
- Bus to all 4 Parks, Disney Springs, Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach
- Minnie Van Service
Concierge Level
- Exclusive Check-in Line
- Concierge team to assist with reservations and other needs pre and during stay
- Kilimanjaro Club Access includes:
- Continental Breakfast
- Mid-day snacks
- Evening wine and appetizers
- Deserts
- The Animal Kingdom Club Level guests can also purchase the “Sunrise Safari Breakfast” at Animal Kingdom Theme Park. This is a private, guided safari with a zookeeper followed by breakfast. See concierge host for information.
Resort Location
Located near the Animal Kingdom
Additional Things to Know
- The Animal Kingdom Lodge savannas have views of African wildlife and are worth paying an upgrade for!
- To enjoy the views of the savanna from your personal balcony, reserve a savanna view room
- To get between the main lodge and Kidani Village you can walk apx 10 minutes or use the inter-bus system at the resort.
Other Deluxe Resorts at Disney World
- Contemporary Resort and Bay Lake Towers
- Boardwalk Inn and Villas
- Grand Floridian Resort, Spa and Villas
- Polynesian Resort, Villas and Bungalows
- Wilderness Lodge, Villas and Copper Creek Cabins
- Yacht Club Resort
- Beach Club Resort and Villas
- Old Key West Resort
- Saratoga Springs Resort, Spa and Treehouse Villas
Moderate Resorts and Value Resorts
Need more help planning your Walt Disney World Vacation? I’m happy to help! Email me! jamie@lotmv.com