Animal Kingdom Lodge Review!
In this review I will cover information about restaurants, pools, unique features, such as the savannas, and transportation available at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.
Animal Kingdom Lodge is an African-themed Deluxe Resort at the Walt Disney World Resort with four savannas. It opened in 2001, and is owned and operated by Disney Parks.
It’s horseshoe-curved design is divided into two sections. You can walk between the two which is about a 5 or 10 minute walk, or you can take the small jitney that takes you between the two. The Disney buses also go between the two hotels as well.
There are many different room options available. They also have rooms that accommodate guests with disabilities including rooms with roll-in showers, and accommodations for hearing impairments. All rooms are non-smoking.
Animal Kingdom Lodge: Jambo House
Jambo House is the main resort.
- Amenities: room service, wi-fi, banking, ATM, laundry-service, spa & fitness center, parking $25 per night, irons, ironing board, hair dryers, make-up mirrors, and an in-room coffee maker.
- Pool: Uzima Springs Pool Bar (details below)
- Savanna: Arusha Savanna is larger than Uzima savanna, and covers the main area behind Jambo House.
Animal Kingdom Lodge: Kidani Village
Kidani Village is made of DVC villas.
Kidani Village is part of the Disney Vacation Club Villas, and opened in 2009. It is a separate building from Jambo House with more than 300 villas. The Sunset Savanna at Jambo House was extended to Kidani Village where more animals were introduced to the savanna there.
- Amenities: same as Jambo House except most rooms here have a full kitchen, stackable washer/dryer, 1-2 bedrooms, and 2-3 bathrooms depending on which room you choose!
- Pool: Samawati Springs Pool (details below)
- Savanna: Sunset Savanna is larger than Pembe Savanna, and covers the majority of area behind Kidani Village.
Restaurants at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge!
There are four dining options in Jambo House. Three are located at Jambo House, and one is at Kidani Village. You do not have to be a resort guest to eat at these table-service restaurants. I will review each one in more detail in related posts. All of these restaurants accept the Disney Dining Plan, Tables in Wonderland, or pay out-of-pocket.
- Jiko: The Cooking Place (Dinner only) which features African-style cooking with influences from the Mediterranean, India, and Europe. The restaurant surrounds an open kitchen with wood burning stoves. Price: 2 table-service credits (Signature Dining), or $$$35/kids-$$$60/adults. Note: They have a dress code. No bathingsuit/pool attire, flip-flops, etc.
- Boma: Flavors of Africa (Open: for Breakfast,Dinner) also located in Jambo House, and features an African-style buffet. You can actually watch the the food being prepared. Price: 1 table-service credit, or $$15/kids-$$35/adults for off-season, and $$$35/kids-$$$60/adults peak season.
- The Mara is a counter-service restaurant in Jambo House that serves American and some African food. You can use a counter/quick service credit here, or entrees average around $10-15 each.
- Sanaa (Open: Breakfast, lunch, Dinner)is a table-service restaurant located at Kidani Village. This restaurant overlooks the Savannah, and serves many different types of African and Indian foods from Tandoor ovens. You can actually watch the animals on the Savannah while you are eating lunch or dinner. Tip: The bread service here is amazing! I highly recommend trying it! Price: 1 table-service credit, or average entree is $$15/kids-$$35/adults per person.
| Restaurant | Type | Menu Type | Price | Disney Dining Plan *Credits are per person |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jiko: The Cooking Place | Signature Dining/Dress Code | Menu | $$$ | 2 Table-Service Credits |
| Boma: Flavors of Africa | Table-Service | Buffet | $$-$$$ | 1 Table Service Credit |
| The Mara | Counter/Quick Service | Menu | $ | 1 Counter-Quick Service |
| Sanaa | Table-Service | Menu | $$ | 1 Table-Service Credit |
How big are the pools?
- Jambo House: Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge’s Uzima Pool has an 11,000 square-foot Zero Entry pool with a 67-foot long waterslide, and a splash area which features a small water slide, a children’s pool, and two hot tubs. Uzima Springs Pool Bar at Jambo House offers multiple selections from a quick service menu, and you can dine by the pool.
- Kidani Village: Samawati Springs Pool is 4,700 square feet with a 128-foot waterslide!! It also features water slides and an aquatic playground; Maji Pool Bar has a few items for lunch. We like the turkey sandwich although I didn’t see it on the menu recently. range for a sandwich is around $10.
| Resort | Pool Size | Waterslide | Food | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jambo House | 11,000 sq. ft. | 67 ft. | counter and table-service | size, food options |
| Kidani Village | 4,700 sq. ft. | 128 ft. | table-service | slide, seclusion |
Unique features of Animal Kingdom Lodge!
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge has some unique features.
- All of the deluxe resorts have a fitness center, and spa services. Zahanati Massage & Fitness Center is open 24 hours/7 days a week. The fitness center is free. Note: You must make reservations for spa services, and there is an additional fee for those services.
- One of the best features of Animal Kingdom Lodge is having a savanna with live animals right outside of your room.
- There are also some night safari-style activities you can book for an additional cost.
- Another activity that is only available at select times is a FREE night savanna view using night vision binoculars to see the animals at night. We saw zebras, and giraffes, and a few other herbivores. There are no carnivores (meat-eaters) on any of the hotel’s savannas.
Tip: You don’t have to be a guest to view the savanna. You can visit the lodge anytime, or if you have a dining reservation.
Tip: Not all of the rooms face the savanna, so you must request this when booking your stay.
- Jambo House has a fire pit out by the main Overlook area where you can roast marshmallows, and they have other fun activities that are available during the day. Check the activities schedule for more information. You can look at the animals on the savanna during the day, and at night time they have special night vision goggles to look at the animals that are on the savanna. There’s always a cast member there to answer any questions, and to assist you. You do not have to be a guest of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge in order to do this.
- Kidani Village also has a fire pit and overlook with a cast-member to answer any questions you have. Sometimes there are characters roaming around! We saw Chip and Dale and Goofy in the lobby. This is very exciting when you are on your way to or from the parks and you run into characters without the long lines. There is no announcement of their visit. It’s a surprise moment!
How do I get to the parks from Animal Kingdom Lodge?
The only real negative part about this hotel is that there is only one way to get to and from the parks!
Tip: Yes, it’s close to the Animal Kingdom theme park, but not close enough to walk. I do not recommend walking from Animal Kingdom Lodge to Animal Kingdom park.
- Disney Bus-Allow travel time as it is farthest from Magic Kingdom/Epcot area (about 30-40 minutes). Cost: FREE
- Rental car or taxi at your own expense. Cost: varies/$$
Final Thoughts:
We just love Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge! If you don’t mind the 30+ minute ride to Magic Kingdom, or Epcot then you will love it here! If you like a little hustle and bustle then Jambo House is a good fit, but stay at Kidani Village is you prefer a more secluded hotel. Here is a recap of our favorites!
| Amenity | Winner | Reason |
| Lodging | Kidani Village | -Secluded feel to it, but due to the layout it is often a long walk to the room. |
| Dining | Jambo House | -More options especially the counter-service! |
| Shopping | Jambo House | -Zawadi Marketplace is a much bigger store, so more souvenir options! |
| Pools | Kidani Village | -Both are beautiful, but we prefer the secluded atmosphere of Samawati Springs Pool |
That’s my Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge review. I hope you found it informative.
Note: Due to Covid-19 and a phased re-opening, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge has not yet reopened.
2022 Pool Refurbishment: Kidani Village Samawati Pool is being refurbished January 2022- April 2022. Kidani Village guests may use Uzima Springs Pool at Jambo House.
Have you stayed at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Resort? Which part of the resort do you prefer?
