Animal Kingdom Lodge

Well all you're guesses were good yesterday, no one guessed correctly! The night before our training begins I'll be staying at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge! Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge is split in half into Jambo House and Kidani Villa. The Kidani Village is part of Disney's Vacation Club resort.


From waltdisneyworld.com:
Step into the heart of Africa at this magnificent Resort hotel. Inspired by the traditional African kraal, the horseshoe-curved design provides spectacular views of 4 lush savannas that over 200 hoofed animals and birds call home. Delight in dazzling pool areas, exciting animal programs and one of the largest collections of African art in the United States as you experience your own African safari adventure with a touch of Disney magic. 
Location
One of the very few downfalls of this gorgeous resort is it's location. Many guests complain that travel time to and from the parks take a bit longer then they would like.  It is located about 15-20 minutes from Magic Kingdom while Hollywood Studios and EPCOT are much closer. It's a little further then if you were staying in the EPCOT/Hollywood Studios area but I have never noticed a huge difference.


Themeing are looking for a resort that is quintessential Disney, Animal Kingdom Lodge is it.  The themeing and detail that was put into this resort is amazing!  The grandeur of the lobby is breath taking and around every corner you'll find something new!  The simple fact that you can stay in a room where you can wake up in the morning, pull back your curtains and walk out on your balcony to view animals grazing is pretty amazing!


Amenities
This is one of my favorite resorts for extra amenities!!  Besides the usual pools, this resort offers a Kids Club (for those special, adult only nights out),  a spa and fitness center as well as an arcade but check in at Front Desk to find out what other cool activities are being offered daily.   This resort also offers exclusive safari rides for guests, night vision goggles to view the animals on Savannah, wine tastings and much more!


The restaurants located at Animal Kingdom Lodge are also some of the most unique offerings on property! While they offer the traditional quick service location at Mara, you'll also find Boma. Boma is a buffet that serves both breakfast and dinner. It offers a mix of both traditional American fare as well as African offerngs.

At Jiko you'll find the nations LARGEST selection of African wines as well as exotic dishes.  Over at Kidani Village you can dine at Sanaa with amazing views of the savannah.


Rooms
You'll find a wide variety of rooms here at Animal Kingdom Lodge. Similar to Wilderness Lodge you'll not only find standard rooms but you'll also find Bunk Bed Rooms (some of my favorites!).

Here you'll also find a variety of views:
  • Standard
  • Pool (with and without Bunk Bed)
  • Savannah (with and without Bunk Bed
  • Arusha (main Savannah)

A lot of people ask whether or no the Savannah view rooms are worth it.  It really depends on your vacation! The Lodge has many places to see the animals from so if you are traveling with young kids and are spending the majority of your time in the parks, on the go, the Savannah view might not be worth it! If you plan to be more leisurely with your vacation, it might be nice to get up and have your cup of coffee on the verandah with a beautiful view of the Savannah, instead of the parking lot.


Besides offering these rooms, Animal Kingdom Lodge offers some amazing Club level Suites!!  Club Level rooms are available in Standard, 1-Bedroom, 2-Bedroom and Presidential Suite!!

Animal Kingdom Lodge is home to the Disney Vacation Club as well.  With the Vacation Club you'll find studios, 1 and 2 bedroom Villa's with varying views. Remember that since owners get first dibs, these rooms can be limited certain times of the year. On my next trip I'll be staying in a Deluxe Studio Villa in the Jambo House.  This means that I'll have a Queen bed, pull out sofa, and a small kitchenette. It's just for one night until we move over to the Contemporary so it's more than adequate.



Downfalls
I think for me, the biggest downfall is location.  This resort is one of my favorites and is pretty spectacular across the board. It has amazing rooms with updated decor, delicious food options, fun and unique activities...you name it!  This is definitely one of my top picks at Disney!



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