Disneyland Animal Kingdom lodge is one of the high end resorts that Disney has onsite, or rather close to the sites of all the parks. Features of DisneyWold Animal Kingdom loge include concierge services, three restaurants, pool, stores, lounge areas, buses to all of the Disney Parks and best of all very close overlooks for all sorts of african animals within just a few feet.
Our Arrival at Disneyworld Animal Kingdom Lodge
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge was a bout a 30 minute drive from the Orlando airport and it was a logn day travelling from Calgary out to Orlando.When we arrived on site to the Animal Kingdom Lodge we were greeted by one of the ladies from the concierge service. We were very thankful to be going to Orlando as part of Childrens Wish (our 13 year old daughter has Kidney Disease inherited from us).
So after a long day of travelling we were quickly checked in and up into our Arusha View room overlooking the Savanna. Even though when we arrived fairly late in the evening we could see giraffes and other animals right off the deck and of course every morning and evening we would see more. I think though the kids were initially most excited that the room had bunk beds for them to fight over (What’s with kids and bunk beds?).
Views from the Animal Kingdom Lodge
There are views of the Savanna not only from the rooms (not all rooms of course) but there are also views from a few different viewing areas. There is a really big viewing area at the back of the resort and there is another great couple ones tucked away by the pool. There always seems to be some kind of wildlife around, we even saw little lizards around the pool and gulls actually landing in the pool (staff don’t seem to like that so much 🙂 )
The animals are always showing up or leaving based on their own daily schedules as the area around the resort is huge so at different times we saw giraffes, gazelles, zebras, flamingos, ostriches, and lots of strange birds. Absolutely amazing to say the least.
Access to the Disneyworld Parks
We had access to parking at the parks but often it was easier just to take a shuttle. The shuttles are free between the Disney Parks and there is a great system and schedule that seems to take you too and from Animal Kingdom Lodge to each of the parks. The only problem we found was trying to get back late at night after a park had closed. We found it best to take the shuttle for half a day to a park and then go back to the hotel to cool off in the pool, and then drive back to a park in the evening so that we would not have to fight crowds to leave. The Disney staff is fantastic but of course there is only so much they can do when thousands of people are trying to leave all at once and every kid is tired.
Restaurants at Animal Kingdom Lodge
We didn’t really eat at any of the restaurants at the resort as they were a bit pricey for us. The food is fantastic and fairly formal restaurants don’t seem to work very well with our crazy kids. There was one eating area that was great though, The Mara is a more casual, grab your own food kind of area where you just get your food and is more of a quick service/casual area without wait staff. I was able to get popcorn for the kids from there and juice which came in really handy for us.
The other restaurants are the Jiko, which is a formal finer dining type restaurant, and the Boma, which I now wish I would have gone to as it is a buffet style restaurant with authentic African foods to try to your hearts content.
Animal Kingdom Lodge Amentities
The pool needs a place of its own. Wow, what an experience. The pool is huge and has a special little waterslide for the kids, three lifegaurds, some games for the kids and is open from morning to really late. My kids swam in the pool at some point everyday except one and loved it.
There is a full gym (which I never used) that was well stocked. Had all the weights and machines needed and was really clean. I find when I travel on business that a lot of hotel gyms are small, dirty and really an afterthought but the gym here was big and had a lot of room between equipment which is super if you have anything left in your legs after all the walking at a Disney Park.
And finally the hotel stuff. We had Wifi in the room which is really important when you have kids and a very connected family, the concierge people were fantastic and seemed to have lots of info for what to do and where to go even when the questions are absolutely not Disney related (Where’s WalMart, target, and cheap fast food?) and always friendly with the kids.
Location to other stuff
One of the problems with the whole Orlando area is that there are so many things to do and see and such a large distance. We started and finished at the airport of course but also went to Universal Studios and Seaworld along with all of the parks. The great thing about the area is that highways do connect everything up which is great.
If you are going to any of the Disney Resorts it is close to drive or shuttle but if you plan to go to Seaworld or Universal I really thing you need a car as it is a long drive (30 minutes or so). Having a rental car also helps if you want to get food or do any shopping around. Within about 10 minutes drive there are a bunch of stores, restaurants and other things to see.
Hope this is good info for you. Our family was absolutely blown away by the area, the hotel, the staff, and the amenities of the DisneyWorld Animal Kingdom Lodge and although it is a pricey place it really offered us everything we could possibly want.
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