Review: Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge

Start from the top: What are you first impressions of this hotel?
It’s impossible to talk about Animal Kingdom Lodge without first mentioning the 74-acre animal reserve that wraps around the resort. About 200 animals live on the property—and yes, they're visible from the guest rooms and the public viewing stations.

Very cool. So how did this place come about?
Disney’s team of Imagineers visited nearly two dozen African lodges to research the design. There are more than 380 pieces of African art in the public spaces at Animal Kingdom Lodge, and 4,000 more in the guest rooms.

Speaking of guest rooms, what can we expect?
Rooms have hand-carved furnishings in deep wood tones. Spring for a savanna-view room, and you might wake up to the sight of a giraffe or a gazelle grazing outside your balcony.

How about the food—any good spots on site?
Jiko serves African, Indian, and Mediterranean fare and has the largest South African wine list in the United States. Sanaa is a popular pick thanks to its ground-level location adjacent to one of the resort’s four savannas. Start with the bread service, which comes with nine accompaniments like cucumber raita and coriander chutney.

How's the check-in process?
Use the My Disney Experience app to check in before you arrive and bypass the front desk. The app or the MagicBand you received pre-arrival also work as your room key.

What else can we find nearby?
Animal Kingdom Lodge is adjacent to Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park, and isn’t far from Epcot and Hollywood Studios. Still, it can take up to 40 minutes to make the trek by bus to the Magic Kingdom.

Anything you'd change, if you could?
Because of its location, the only way to get to Animal Kingdom Lodge is via car or Disney bus; unlike other Disney deluxe resorts, there's no boat or monorail service here.

Anything else we should know about the hotel?
The daily schedule of events includes cultural activities like folklore storytelling around the fire pit, or music programs where you can play traditional African drums.

Nice. So would you recommend this hotel, and why?
Animal Kingdom Lodge offers an experience unlike any other in Central Florida. Combine that with its relatively low price—at least compared to Disney’s other deluxe resorts—and it’s absolutely worth a stay.