We recently had the pleasure of staying at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge for the first time. We’ve spent time dining and hanging out at this resort before, and it was always near the top of our Disney ‘bucket list’, for places we wanted to stay, so when we had the chance to to spend the weekend in a savannah view room, we jumped on it. The Animal Kingdom Lodge usually has lower price points than other deluxe resorts, mainly due to it’s location. Located far from every park, except for The Animal Kingdom, the location is not considered prime real estate. We think that once the nighttime entertainment at Animal Kingdom opens, and Avatar Land after that, this will change, and the prices for The Animal Kingdom Lodge will begin to rise. For now, though, if you want to stay at a Deluxe Resort, without always having to pay top-shelf Deluxe prices, this is your resort.
The Animal Kingdom Lodge is styled like a South African game reserve resort. One of the things that is so cool about Walt Disney World, is that it gives people the chance to experience things that they might never have the chance to experience again. Most people, will never have the chance to go to Africa and stay at a resort overlooking a savannah – Disney gives them the opportunity to do it.
Rooms at the lodge are decorated tastefully, with the African lodge influence being carried out in a beautiful but understated way that never feels gaudy. The most desired rooms are the savannah view rooms, that have incredible views of different animals, including giraffes, zebras, antelopes, and ostrich.
One of the biggest perks of staying at The Animal Kingdom Lodge (in our opinion!) is being in close proximity to some of the best restaurants on property. The Lodge has the fine dining steakhouse Jiko, the varied and innovative buffet Boma, and the casual, Sanaa with great views of the savannah. The Animal Kingdom Lodge also offers their own version of a food court, in The Mara, where you can pick up something quick, including a box of zebra domes (aka morsels of heaven) to-go!
The Animal Kingdom Lodge has one of our favorite pools on property, with a zero depth entry, a bar, a couple of hot tubs, and a slide. One of the coolest features of the pool is that it has a stunning view of the backside of the lodge, which really gives you the immersive feel that the hotel is trying to create.
All in all, the Animal Kingdom Lodge is truly vying for the top spot on our list of most loved Disney Deluxe Resorts. We love it, and highly recommend it.