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Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge receives accolades for its service, with staff often described as friendly and efficient, though some guests have experienced occasional lapses. The hotel's cleanliness is a standout feature, with meticulous rooms that garner appreciation for their upkeep. While the lodge's location offers unexpected wildlife vistas, a few guests note its remoteness. The rooms earn a mix of reactions; they're celebrated for their views and tidiness but critiqued for appearing worn and needing updates.
The atmosphere is generally admired for its immersive theming despite some dated areas. However, the value proposition is contentious, as numerous travelers question the worth given the premium pricing. The amenities, including the animal encounters, multiple dining options, and pools, are highlights, yet some suggest there's room for enhancement.
Location
Picturesque
Atmosphere
Uninspiring
Rooms
Dated
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Immaculate
Service
Friendly
Amenities
Abundant
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This long awaited trip to Disney World with my five-year-old granddaughter was just perfect. Our visit included a 6 night, 7 day “vacation” with Animal Kindgom Lodge room accommodations; 4 day park passes; the meal plan package; and “memory maker”. I did use an “ Disney Specialist” Travel agent who made our trip as seamless as possible. She booked 6 months in advance and secured preferred hotel rooms; activity reservations, airport transfers to and from hotel and offered numerous suggestions to maximize our experience. Advantages of staying in a park hotel enabled us to have early access to the parks; evening perks; with the ability to book park rides and activities 7 days in advance. Using “ lightning lane passes” judiciously enabled the 5 of us to save time and see more attractions. Having a “magic band” eliminated carrying cash and credit cards which also expedited financial transactions and keyless entry to our hotel. I did book at the concierge level as it provided a full breakfast (which saved us money and time at a restaurant) snacks and beverages during the day and substantial hors d’oeuvres, beverages including wine and beer from 5-10 pm. We arrived on a Sunday and the evening selections were sufficient for dinner. I recommend taking the meal package (even though you may not use ALL of your credits) it will save you money as Disney restaurants (delicious!) are exorbitantly expensive! Because we had five full days; Monday through Friday we scheduled Monday (Magic Kingdom) and Tuesday (Epcot) in a park; Wednesday as a resort day (enabled us to unwind as the pace can be hectic and August was hot) And Thursday (Magic Kingdom again as we were traveling with a 5 year old) and reserved Friday for Animal Kingdom Park as it is a “less aggressive” itinerary as we were leaving early Saturday morning to return home. I do advise using a Disney specialist travel agent. Ours was very experienced; saved us a lot of money and eliminated a lot of stress that goes into planning a Disney experience. My agent is Donna Bickert. donna@hihovacations.com.
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Date of stay: August 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Book 60 days out but at midnight. These are got tickets but if you staying here you could check at 8.30 or 10pm for people who do not show up.
Have a coat as it can get cold. You are given night vision goggles costing over $3,500. They are good. It's a great experience to view animals in the habitat and at night. You can if you have right camera, take photos through the goggles.
If you travelling from another theme park, try picking Animal Kingdom that day as its a quick 10 minute drive to the hotel. Plan ahead. If you staying at another resort, take the bus back to a park or Disney springs and transfer from there.
Get here earlier and have a walk outside and view the animals up close. Visit both lodges. Jambo has the better giftshop. You visit this hotel too many times they start to recognise you.
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Date of stay: October 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled solo
Room Tip:Plan your visit to and from the hotel if staying at another resort.
Have questions for the guide.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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We stayed here for 3 nights last month. ThisDisney hotel has the wow factor, more so than others I believe. It’s heavily themed throughout and feels special as a result. We had a standard, two queen bed room. Our room overlooked the savannah, albeit the edge so not a full view of all the animals all the time - we hadn’t paid for a savannah view so didn’t expect animal animal views to be honest, but we saw giraffes, zebras and more from out balcony.
The room was spacious and spotlessly clean, comfortable beds, good bathroom and the complimentary water was great.
We made use of the laundry room too - loved the app which told me when to return. Cost $3 dollars per washing machine or tumble dryer and $1 dollar for laundry detergent for one load. Quick and efficient, ideal to refresh our laundry before moving elsewhere in our trip around Florida.
We ate at Jill - fabulous, though not cheap. Was an axing meal and the staff and service was exceptional throughout.
We went out to see the animals and encountered Richard, one of the cultural staff there who was very informative and interesting telling us about the animals.
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Date of stay: August 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This resort is nothing what it advertises. The rooms are definitely showing its age and mousekeeping was non existent. Dumping fresh towels without taking used ones or making beds does not count.
Absolutely do NOT pay the additional charges for a Savannah Room. After 4 days the only thing we saw from our room was egrets which we have in our pond at home. We asked for a feeding schedule so we could attempt to schedule around that in an attempt to enjoy our balcony but they could not provide one saying the front desk had no information. We asked for a contact with the animal care team and they would not provide one. We were simply told the animals are free roaming and there was nothing that could be done. We understand that but there is always someway to address concerns.
Instead the front desk manager Jeffery was outright rude and told us that he had the power refund us the difference in funds between paying for our Savannah Room and paying for a Standard View but he would not. Ummmm…. Why mention something that he could do but was not willing to? Seemed like he was just trying to make himself feel like a big deal. The whole exchange made no sense as we were not asking for compensation to start with.
There are many lovely Disney Resorts but this one should not be included anywhere near the Deluxe resort conversation. If you are going to pay that kind of money stay somewhere with monorail or SkyLiner access.
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Date of stay: December 2024
Value
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Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Our recent stay at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge was far below the magical experience we’ve come to expect from Disney. This was our second stay at Club Level at Animal Kingdom Lodge, and unfortunately, it once again failed to meet the high standards we associate with Disney.
We ended up at Club Level due to a series of issues with our original savannah-view room at Kidani Village. A gas leak near our balcony created a hazardous situation, compounded by a leaking shower. While the team at Kidani acted swiftly to address the problem, Disney was unable to offer us the same room type, so we were relocated to a two-bedroom Club Level room at Jambo House.
While we appreciated the effort to provide an alternative, the new room was not an ideal solution. It lacked key amenities we rely on, including a kitchen to accommodate dietary needs and laundry facilities. Despite these setbacks, we initially tried to make the best of the situation.
Unfortunately, the service at Club Level further marred our experience. A cast member, Jack, made offensive remarks about my accent and implied language ability, which were both unprofessional and deeply disrespectful. When I raised this with the Concierge Manager, Laney, her response was dismissive and condescending. She made matters worse by focusing on the cost of the “upgrade” (over $5,000) that we never requested, trivializing our concerns and implying we didn’t “deserve” the room.
Dining was also a significant issue. Allergy-friendly and vegan options, which were assured to us by the chef, were inconsistently provided. On one occasion, soy beans were served despite us clearly stating a soy allergy.
Additionally, linked reservations that were meant to prevent unnecessary room changes were not honored. Despite repeated attempts to resolve this, Laney provided no helpful solutions, further undermining our trust in the service.
While staff members like Rafael at the front desk and Francisco at the club level went above and beyond to assist us, their efforts could not fully offset the unacceptable behavior from others or the systemic failures we experienced.
This stay left us feeling unsafe and unwelcome—a stark contrast to the Disney magic my family has cherished for years. I hope Disney takes this feedback seriously to address safety concerns, improve guest relations, and eliminate bias from staff interactions. Every guest, regardless of background, deserves to feel valued and respected at Disney.
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Date of stay: December 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This hotel is well off the beaten path from most of the Disney resort hotels. It is considered to be in the top tier of their resorts, but readers should not expect this hotel to be comparable to the Grand Floridian (GF) or others in this category. It lacks the ambiance and the tangible service level of the GF. No room service is provided at any hours. Nor is there dry cleaning or laundry services. Further, a guest must request their room be cleaned, as this service is not customarily provided each day (when we did request this, it was a very light touch…change towels, make the bed; but no trash emptying, nor collection of all dirty wash rags, nor replacement of in room amenities).
The ability to watch the animals is a unique opportunity and is the topmost draw for a guest to select this resort. I recommend ensuring you reserve a room with a balcony overlooking the animals if you choose this property.
Transportation to/from parks is either on your own, or Disney bus only. No other forms of transport exist for this property. If you have a vehicle, as we did, readers should be aware that valet parking is very limited and guests are essentially pushed to self park.
Pool at the hotel is surrounded by lush landscaping and the pool is in good condition with one children’s slide. There is no pool service, nor cabanas offered. However, plenty of chaise lounges and umbrellas are available on a self service basis. There is also a small bar in the pool area offering drinks for walk-up service only.
Restaurants offer a unique flavor generally consistent with their African-themed motif. Thus the spices used are a bit unique and not “mainstream”. This could be considered a favorable differentiator depending on a guest’s tastes.
There is a concierge or “club room” offered, referred to as the Kilamanjaro Club. If this is provided at no additional cost, a guest may find it a helpful addition. However, I do not recommend paying incremental for this feature. The food and drinks provided are sparse (as compared to the numbers of guests that have access). Drinks seem to be reluctantly provided and bottled water (Dasani)is only available upon verbal request, presumably because the management team believes guests will “hoard them”. This creates an awkward exchange that guests may find easier to avoid and just buy their own in the store on the lobby floor.
The two bedroom suites are at the extreme ends of the corridors of the hotel, making for a very long walk to and from the room. Once at the extremities of the hotel, the balconies are nice and overlook a very quiet area. I recommend inquiring if any suites exist closer to the center of the hotel. Be aware that sitting on the balcony will inevitably exist of listening to children above and below you screaming at the animals or their parents….to be expected at Disney (but don’t be surprised).
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Date of stay: May 2022Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Balcony overlooking animals is important. Higher floors offer better vistas. Parking is mostly...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We decided to stay at this resort for the second half of our thanksgiving vacation to Disney in November. This has been a resort on our bucket list for a while, but we’re apprehensive because the rooms hadn’t been updated until recently. All of the hotel rooms have been recently renovated and they are really nice!
We paid for a Savannah room, which was so worth it! We were so spoiled sitting out on the balcony and watching Giraffes, Zebras and other wildlife wander by, we never fully got used to that. While it was nice to have a Savannah view, I would be okay if we didn’t pay for it considering that the resort has so many outlooks for guests to see the animals wandering throughout.
The theming of this hotel was immaculate, and I felt like I was on a wildlife reserve in Kenya! The staff were extremely helpful and even though the resort is big, it never felt crowded. The quick service had a few interesting options, but aside from that it was the basic food provided across Disney World. We didn’t try the sit down options, but heard great things about them.
We found the price to stay here affordable in comparison to other deluxe resorts. My son loved the pool and especially loved the water slide. The rooms were on the small side and would have felt cramped with four people (there is only 3 of us).
One of the biggest complaints about this hotel is its proximity to the parks. We never used the bus system, because we had our car and didn’t find any of our drives to the parks to feel any longer than when we stayed at a resort like Saratoga Springs or Coronado.
We can’t wait to stay here again one day!
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Date of stay: November 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
My boyfriend and I were beyond excited to book this resort and stay here for our annual trip to Orlando. We have been talking about it for years and finally pulled the trigger. We got a killer deal through the DVCShop, so we were able to rent points and get a significant discount compared to booking straight through Disney. We loved how off the beaten path this resort is; it is very secluded. We ended up staying in a Deluxe Studio Standard View at Kidani, in the Rafiki section. Our room had a view of the street/recreation area, but it was still beautiful. Our room was directly off the elevator and closest to ice/vending machines, also not a far walk to the Kidani lobby. Past guests are right when they say the hallways are long, so we lucked out getting this room for our visit. Whenever we parked at Rafiki, we had virtually no walk to get to our room. It was very nice, especially on those long park days. We were very ambitious with this trip, so we never had an off day from the parks. We will definitely plan that into our agenda next time so we could enjoy more of the resort. The room itself was just what we needed. The bed was comfortable! We liked the fact that the bathroom was split, toilet behind one door, the sink/shower behind the other, allowing more privacy. We absolutely loved having a kitchenette and used that to the fullest extent, microwave, coffee pot and fridge. Having plates, cutlery, etc. was clutch. We always have leftovers, not just from sit down meals, but even snacks that we purchase throughout the parks, so we really loved having the kitchen (one of the best perks of staying DVC). The room was decorated accordingly. The resort and room, itself were extremely quiet and we appreciated that. I would suggest the upgrade this room deserves is a walk-in shower option. On our last day we explored Jambo House. The lobby is breathtaking and definitely supersedes Kidani. We sat on the rocking chairs and looked out at the Savanah, took the trails around the pool saw the flamingos and took the other trails to get a closer look at the Giraffes. We mobile ordered lunch at the quick service Mara and just chilled inside. The flatbread, and chicken tenders/fries were your typical quick service food, nothing amazing, but we would get them again. They were hot and fresh! Every interaction we had with a cast member was great, everyone was extremely helpful and had excellent moods! I feel like we only caught a glimpse of what this great resort offers, so we will definitely be back to explore more!
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Date of stay: January 2023
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
As new Florida residents with two girls (7,8 yrs ) we’ve taken advantage of a short ride to Disney. The Animal Kingdom Resort Kidaini was our favorite ROOM by far. It was ; spacious, meticulously clean and kept and equipped with all amenities for a small family. The fact that it had a washer /dryer unit was CLUTCH for drying swim and clothing that got soaked at pools and parks. We chose a savanna view 1 bed and found the two bathrooms, kitchen and large balcony plenty spacious. Bonus points for the pull out couch AND chair in addition to a blow up mattress option. The pool area kept our girls wildly entertained and the breakfast was surprisingly delicious. Negatives: it’s further from other areas with only bus transportation and dining options are skewed towards authentic African cuisine(super cool but can be an issue for kids) . Otherwise we found it above Polynesian and Contemporary and the animals are clearly a major bonus.
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Date of stay: August 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:We stayed on floor 5, and walking to elevator was LONG- if you have little babes or mobility-...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This was our second stay at Animal Kingdom Lodge, it is a beautiful resort that holds a special place in my heart. We booked a DVC deluxe studio and there were four of us staying in one room, two of us on a queen size bed and two teenagers on a sofa bed. We booked a standard view and were lucky enough to overlook one of the people pens and so actually we had a partial savannah view. We LOVED our room location this time it was perfect and to see the giraffe, zebra and ostriches right outside our room when we were expecting a car park view was magical and something I am so grateful for.
The sofa bed: we requested a mattress topper from reception as the sofa beds are notoriously uncomfortable, we knew this in advance from reading other reviews so we were prepared for this. It’s just about passable with the topper but this needs to be addressed by Disney going forward as I feel they do let the room down for DVC guests. Last time we stayed in a normal guest room with two queen beds and that was much more comfortable. I believe the Dvc rooms are due a refurb so perhaps this will be addressed then.
Space: for four adult sized guests drawer space is limited and there is no under bed storage. In the DVC room there was also no sliding door closet, the wardrobe was small and freestanding and so cases had to be stored in the room in the vanity area. Having stayed for two nights at the drury plaza Disney springs, this room felt smaller in comparison. I will also say that we found the walls to be very thin between the DVC rooms, perhaps because they can be booked as interconnecting rooms. There was a young baby in the room next door who kept us awake at night crying.
We did really like the kitchenette area and this was very useful for making breakfast in the room. We had a grocery delivery from garden grocer held at bell services on arrival so each morning we made toast/cereal in the room. For UK guests who drink tea be aware there is no kettle only a coffee pot.
We love the pool area, we ate at Sanaa which we highly recommend, we ate also at Boma for the evening buffet and this was great too. We thought food at the Mara was not quite as good as it was on our last trip but it was fine.
We booked DVC through David’s Vacations because it was over £2000 cheaper than booking direct with Disney, the trade off for that was there was no house keeping visits, the sofa bed wasn’t the most comfortable (which I knew about in advance) and the interconnecting room was noisy (we were probably just unlucky with the baby to be honest) but we got the partial savannah view which was absolutely incredible.
All in all we love this hotel, it’s beautiful and none of what I’ve said above is me being negative, just things that I’m glad I knew/would like to know before we arrived! We love Animal Kingdom Lodge!
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Date of stay: May 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I'm not an expert on Lightning Lanes or Genie Plus. But I have been to all parks using the early entry.
You are allowed in a half hour early. Once when I was at Hollywood Studios they let us in earlier than that, but my experience is that they are pretty precise as to a half hour.
That being said, you can do one ride, sometimes 2 in that half hour. But the number of rides open are very limited.
Also be aware that if you stay at a Deluxe Resort, like AKL, on Monday at Epcot and Wednesday at Magic Kingdom you can stay after "closing," and the parks are pretty empty then.
Niagara Falls, Canada1,142 contribution85 helpful votes
I actually just quit vaping before this trip so I never got a chance to scope out the smoking areas BUT the front desk will gladly tell you where they are
North Woodmere, New York1,157 contribution290 helpful votes
Not within walking distance. However, if you have a car, here's what to do: When you leave the resort (in other words. pass the security booth) you will see a road on the right at the traffic light. That is Sherberth Road. If you get on that road it is a short drive to the Irlo Bronson. Make a left, and you will see on the right a huuuuge Walmart. They have food there. Also, if you want to drive a little more, there is an Aldi.
There are more places to choose from in the Orlando area.
PRICE RANGE
₹35,336 - ₹54,263 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
disney animal kingdom lodge, animal kingdom florida, disneys animal kingdom lodge, disney animal kingdom resort, disney animal kingdom hotel, animal kingdom lodge disney, animal kingdom lodge orlando, animal kingdom hotel disney, disneys animal kingdom hotel, animal kingdom hotel florida, animal kingdom resort disney
LOCATION
United StatesFloridaCentral FloridaOrlando
NUMBER OF ROOMS
972
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect average nightly room rates, including taxes and fees that are fixed, known to our partners, and due at time of booking. Please see our partners for more details.
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