5 Reasons Why Animal Kingdom Lodge Tops My Disney Resort List

The author stayed as an invited guest of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. All opinions are the author’s own, and neither Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge nor its parent company had input in any part of this review.

Picture this: It’s early in the morning, and your bleary eyes squint against the shimmering sunrise. Warm light creeps across the grassy expanse before you, casting its trees and brush with a golden glow.

A giraffe grazes peacefully in the shade of a nearby tree. With a mug of steaming coffee in hand, you watch the giraffe extend its long tongue into the foliage, tugging down a mouthful of coarse leaves and working its rotating jaw around each bite.

Out of the corner of your eye, you catch another small movement. A bongo gazes around nervously, her ears flicking with quiet suspicion. The bongo trots closer to a small lump in the grass. Looking more intently, you see that the nondescript copper-colored lump has long, fuzzy ears and gangly legs curled beneath its tiny body. A baby bongo.

You stay perfectly still in hopes of reassuring the mother that you’re not a threat. In the unforgiving tropical grasslands of Africa, new life is fragile, and predators lurk around every corner.

Except this isn’t the African savanna. This is Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. You’re on your balcony, and you’ve just witnessed the birth of the resort’s newest resident.

I just returned from a 4-day work trip at Walt Disney World, where I was fortunate enough to stay at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge and witness this tiny miracle for myself. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I will never forget.

I’m here to fill you in on my 5 favorite things about the resort. Besides witnessing the miracle of life, of course. Or should I say, the circle of life? Let’s explore some of the features that make this resort so special.

The 5 Best Things About Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge

1. The Property’s Design

I noticed my first favorite thing quite literally as I walked through the hotel doors: the lobby. The interior of Jambo House is inviting and warm. It’s all dark wood, high-ceilinged, and lantern-lit, with couches and cushioned chairs aplenty.

There are faint notes of vanilla and musk, and to the particularly scent-aware guest, you can catch comforting whiffs from the wood-burning fire pit that resides in the lobby’s back corner.

As you walk to the back of the lobby, you can see from the large windows a view of the sprawling — and very enticing — swimming pool. Beyond it is the captivating sight of the wildlife preserve, designed to mimic African savannas. Even from the lobby, you can catch glimpses of animals like zebras, giraffes, and gazelles.

Bordering the lobby is a gift shop called Zawadi Marketplace. The store is stocked with a variety of merchandise and everyday conveniences like chips, frozen meals, and both nonalcoholic and alcoholic beverages. Much of the merchandise is Animal Kingdom-themed.

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The hotel’s curved design, similar to a horseshoe, is modeled after the African kraal, a traditional enclosure for livestock. It can also refer to a village or group of houses surrounding a livestock enclosure.

These architectural choices suggest the hotel is not just a piece of the reserve’s enclosure but that the guests and staff within are part of a bustling and interconnected community.

From the Boma restaurant, which resembles a lively marketplace, to the many poolside activities and interactive entertainment in the lobby, the property’s lively interior effectively transports its guests to a thriving African village.

2. Lush Savannas

My second favorite thing about Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is, of course, the savannas. I know that not every guest will get to see a baby animal born right outside their rooms, but they are only barely missing out. Disney’s 46-acre wildlife preserve is a sight to behold.

Each morning, we were greeted by gracefully loping giraffes, lazily sunning ankole cattle, herds of gentle zebra, and an array of other varying wildlife. To our city-dwelling party of 3, even the less dramatic storks were exciting to see. The lush savannas contain over 30 species of free-roaming African wildlife, including over 200 birds and hoofed animals.

There are 3 savannas bordering Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge: the Sunset savanna, the Arusha savanna, and the Uzima savanna. Each has unique wildlife, spotted with thousands of trees and shrubbery.

A view of the savanna from your room elevates your stay from amazing to incredible.

For a view of the Arusha savanna or Uzima savanna, stay in the Zebra Trail rooms. The Kudu Trail rooms provide a view of the Arusha savanna or the Sunset savanna. Even-numbered Ostrich Trail rooms overlook the Sunset savanna, but odd-numbered rooms face the valet area, so take care while booking if you’re set on having a savanna view.

While a savanna view is most desirable, any guest can enjoy walking the grounds and taking in the wildlife while staying at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. There are plenty of viewing areas and walking trails to explore, as well as savanna overlooks and paths that take you to various animal habitats.

3. Ease of Transportation

My next favorite thing about Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is a little more practical. Although the hotel is visually captivating, some guests worry it’s too far from the parks and attractions on Walt Disney World property.

During our stay, the buses to and from the parks were found conveniently outside the hotel doors and ran very frequently.

On one particularly late and tired evening, my fellow travelers and I accidentally hopped off at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas: Kidani Village, the hotel neighboring ours. This mistake felt disastrous, especially after walking thousands of steps in the sun all day. We were exhausted.

Thankfully, we were saved almost instantly by a shuttle that runs exclusively between Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge and Kidani Village. We hopped on the shuttle and were back at the correct hotel in no time. Had we walked, it would have been about a 10-to-15-minute journey, but in our haggard state, it probably would’ve been closer to 30.

On the subject of transportation, there are also a few options when planning your trip to and from Orlando International Airport (MCO).

Mears Connect buses offer affordable pricing and deliver guests to any of the hotels on Disney property. You can purchase tickets in advance or upon arrival for the same price.

A one-way trip using Mears Connect from Orlando International Airport to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge costs $16 per adult and $13 for children. It’s free for those under 2. Although this used to be included for free with Disney resort stays (and I’m still a little salty about the loss), $16 is still far better than ride-sharing.

This is because prices fluctuate when booking transportation with ride-sharing apps like Uber or Lyft. On average, you can expect to pay anywhere between $30 and $60 for these services.

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Overall, I found the proximity from Disney’s Animal Kingdom to the parks to be very reasonable. Most bus rides to the parks were between 15 and 20 minutes, and it was never too long a wait for a bus to arrive. The unique theming and beauty of the hotel made the distance a small price to pay.

4. There’s No Shortage of Trademark Disney Magic

My fourth favorite thing about Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is a quality you’ll find almost everywhere on Walt Disney World property.

You might feel it as a tangible rush of joy while walking down Main Street; you might hear it in the rising harmonies of the Dapper Dans, serenading you with familiar tunes that feel like home; you might see it in the turrets and towers of Cinderella’s Castle at dusk, alight and alive under a dazzling display of fireworks.

If you haven’t guessed already, that secret quality I’m alluding to is magic.

As soon as I walked through the hotel doors, I was met with an unexpected surge of excitement and adrenaline. The high, beamed ceilings, glittering lantern light, and rustic wooden furniture brought me back to life.

“I’m finally here,” I thought to myself in wonder. My exhaustion evaporated, and in its place, I had enough energy to run a marathon — or at least walk 20,000 steps at Animal Kingdom. I’d call that magic.

There’s something distinctly wonderful about staying on Walt Disney World property.

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Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge staff members do an amazing job at fostering this magic environment. Cast members at check-in were friendly, accommodating, and welcoming, making us feel immediately at home.

At the hotel’s entrance, we were greeted daily by the rhythm of the Congo. Two drummers, known as the Tam Tam Drummers of Harambe, sat on either side of the doors, the beat sending us dancing out into the sunshine.

The curated atmosphere at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is just casual enough to feel warm and just elevated enough to feel sophisticated. With the efforts of the staff, the feng shui of the tranquil African-themed interior, and the ever-present view of the stretching savannas, my experience at the hotel was nothing short of … magical.

5. Unexpected Upgrade

Though I could go on and on about what I loved about Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, my fifth and final favorite thing about my stay was my room — which I landed by sheer luck. Or was it magic? I’ll let you decide.

I was visiting Walt Disney World as a part of a media trip, which means my room was booked for me. The room was categorized as “resort view,” which Walt Disney World’s website describes as having “views of rooftop or parking area.” Resort-view rooms range anywhere from $150 to $200 less than savanna-view rooms, a more economical choice for budget-conscious travelers.

Upon entering and pulling back the curtains, I was delighted (and shocked) to find a wide stretch of savanna directly below my room.

To the right, the last curve of the horseshoe-shaped hotel somewhat obscured our view. To the left and directly ahead, giraffes, zebras, and bongos grazed and lounged happily in their predator-free home. We all felt like we had won the lottery.

I shared an anecdote at the beginning of this article about a baby bongo being born (say that 5 times fast). While that magical moment was a story in itself, there was a little more to the tale that made our unexpected savanna view even more of a lucky draw.

Let me take you back: The baby bongo is nestled in the grass, with its mom standing guard in the shade nearby. This tranquil scene soon drew a crowd of curious guests onto their balconies, and the entertaining scene only grew from there.

A watchful groundskeeper made her way closer to the bongo and its calf. She spoke with us bystanders, letting us know that he would be collected with his mother and brought to a barn on the grounds for closer inspection.

We learned that it was rare for babies to be born on Walt Disney World’s wildlife preserve, let alone so close to the hotel itself. Like I said, we were very lucky.

The bongo calf was bundled and carried gently by staff to a golf cart to be transported. The staff explained to us bystanders that they wanted the baby’s young mother, May, to follow her calf to safety. May, however, was not interested.

We watched in amusement and dismay as a small army of staff attempted to herd May out of her enclosure. She trotted, leaped, and pranced out of their reach. In a scene of cinematic hilarity, May disappeared into the safety of some tall shrubbery and appeared to leap back out the other side moments later.

We had been so entertained by the events of the bongo and her calf that we left for the parks a little later than intended, but it was completely worth the extra time. I’m not sure how they ended up herding May to her baby’s side, stubborn as she was, but I can confidently say she is in the best possible care.

Final Thoughts

Time always moves too quickly when you’re having an amazing time. Though my fun-filled days in Orlando are behind me (for now), I left richer, pockets lined with magical memories I won’t soon forget.

One of the best things about my trip was my stay at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. I’ve been to more than a handful of Walt Disney World resorts. Although I’ve always had a nice time, the theming and animals really put it above the rest. I can’t wait to return.