Disney Animal Kingdom Lodge Review (2022 UK GUESTS)

Introduction

disney world package holidays are becoming ever more popular with range of ages from young couples, families with young children all the way upto elder generation disney fans.

In this Disney Animal Kingdom Lodge review, we will cover as many things as possible in order to help you decide whether or not this is the place for you and your family to stay. We’ll cover the theme, room types, room rates, dining, recreation and more.

 

 

 

 

Brief History Of Resort

 

The Disney Animal Kingdom Lodge first opened up to the public on April 16^th, 2001. The design and planning for the resort took place from 1997-98 and it took a total of two and a half years for it to be completed. It’s original building, now know as the Jamba House, was the first building to open and in 2009 they opened up another complex called Kidani Village.

 

They hired the architect Peter Dominick to design the lodge because they knew of his creative abilities to develop a vision into reality for they had worked with him before when he designed and created the Wilderness Lodge and Grand Californian at Disneyland. It was his ability to take the Disney vision and create what you see today.

 

 

 

 

Resort Category & Rating

 

Disney Animal Kingdom Lodge is a deluxe resort and that means, that it is one of the most expensive of all the resorts that Disney has to offer. It also means that it offers the top quality in generally everything that they have to offer when compared to value and moderate resorts. The average rating this resorts receives from those who have stayed here is a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

 

 

 

 

Resort Theme

 

The Disney Animal Kingdom Lodge is broken down into two main areas and that would be the Jamba House and Kidani Village. The Jamba House is where the lobby is located and many believe it’s one of the most beautiful lobbies out of all of the Disney resorts. The lobby is filled with a variety of authentic African artwork and artifacts and the entire lobby is wide open and massive an many say is breathtaking.

 

The entire resort is mean to transport it’s guests to the African savanna without ever having to travel to the African continent. Their goal probably was huge in the beginning maybe even impossible but guests claim that Disney went far beyond reaching their goals with this incredible resort. This is a place that not only does all they can to replicate an African environment, but it’s complete with dozens of live animals from Africa that are allowed to roam the animal reserve freely.

 

 

 

 

Last Major Refurbishment

 

The last really major refurbishment at the Animal Kingdom Lodge were the rooms in 2019 and there have been ongoing refurbishments since at various pool areas and other outdoor areas throughout the resort. These continued refurbishments will last through part of 2023.

 

 

 

 

Location, Transportation & Accessibility To Parks

 

The location of this resort is one of the most farthest out than any of the other Disney resorts and that was because they needed enough land to be able to have such a large resort and plenty of land for the animals that call the resort home. Having so much space allows for their guests to see a variety of wild animals roaming freely during their stay. Because of being so far out, it’s going to add time to your traveling to other parks and resorts longer, but the beauty and serenity this resort offers, makes it worth it for most guests. However, it is only five minutes away from the Animal Kingdom theme park.

When it comes to transportation this resort does seem a bit lacking in that category. The main reason is because of how far out it’s located. However, you need to have all this land surrounding the resort in order for the theme to work. Unless you want to rent a car, you will have to uses their bus system and from there you can go any of the theme parks, Disney Springs, Typhoon Lagoon, and Blizzard Beach water parks.

 

 

 

 

Room Types & Rates

 

As always, there are a variety of types of rooms and different views to choose from. The price ranges depend upon those things as well as what time of year you decide to visit Disney World.

 

This resort does offer their guests club level rooms which gives these guests access to special perks like dedicated check-in desk or line, private lounges, specialized vacation planning, key card access to special private floor, special foods and drinks, plush robes, etc.

 

 

 

Jamba House Rooms

 

All the rooms at the Jamba House are done in warm tones of oranges and reds. This gives you a feeling of warm morning sunrise on the African plains. The rooms also have carved dark wood furniture and accessories that add a wonderful touch of authenticity.

 

• Standard View

Views of rooftops, parking area, or landscaping. Offers 2 queens or 1 king and sleeps 2 to 4 people. Rates: £416214 to £763.95

 

• Pool View

Views of one of resorts pools. Offers 2 queens or 1 king and sleeps 2 to 4 people. Rates: £448.97 to £801.22

 

• Savanna View 

Views of four different savannas. Offers 2 queens or 1 king and sleeps 2 to 4 people. Rates: £596.26 to £1004.41

 

• Club Level Savanna View

Same as the Savanna View rooms but with the perks of the club level rooms. Offers 2 queens or 1 king and sleeps 2 to 4 people. Rates: £713.38 to £1317.62

 

• 1 Bedroom Suite – Standard View

Offers views of rooftops or parking areas. Has separate bedroom with queens and in living area 1 queen sofa sleeper. Sleeps 4 to 6 people. Rates: £1105.56 to £1897.02

 

• 1 Bedroom Suite

Offers views of one of the four savannas. One bedroom with 2 queens and 1 queen sofa sleeper in living area and sleeps 4 to 6 people. Rates: £1166.78 to £2133.04

 

• 2 Bedroom Suite

Offers views of one of the four savannas. Has two bedrooms one with 1 king, one with 2 queens, and 1 queen sofa sleeper in living area. Sleeps up to 8 people. Rates: £1866.85 to £3364.59

 

 

• Value Studio

Offers views of landscaping or parking areas. Comes with 1 queen and 1 full size sofa sleeper and sleeps up to 3 or 4 people (if two are children). Rates: £391.29 to £1210.26

 

• Deluxe Studio

Offers the same as the value studios. Rates: £449.85 to £1224.46

 

• Deluxe Studio – Savanna View

Offers views of one of four savannas. Comes with 1 queen and 1 full size sofa bed and sleeps up to 4 people. Rates: £584.72 to £1304.31

 

• Club Level Deluxe Studio

Offers view of pool or one of the savannas. Comes with 1 queen and 1 full size sofa sleeper along with club level perks. Sleeps up to 4 people. Rates: £584.72 to £1304.31

 

• Value 1 Bedroom Villa

Offers views of parking area or landscaping. Comes with 1 king and 1 queen size sofa sleeper and sleeps up to 4 people. Rates: £638.85 to £1527.91

 

• Standard View 1 Bedroom Villa

Offers views of parking area or landscaping. Comes with 1 king, 1 queen size sofa sleeper, and 1 twin chair sleeper. Sleeps up to 5 people. Rates: £638.85 to £1572.27

 

• Savanna View 1 Bedroom Villa

Offers views of one of four savannas. Comes with 1 king, 1 queen size sofa sleeper, and 1 twin chair sleeper. Sleeps up to 5 people. Rates: £584.72 to £1304.31

 

• Savanna View 3 Bedroom Grand Villa

Offers views of one of the savannas. Comes with 1 king, 4 queens, 1 queen size sofa sleeper. Sleeps up to 12 people. Rates: £2360.18 to £3870.35

 

 

Kidani Village Rooms

In this building you’ll find that the rooms are more like you are experiencing dusk instead of a sunrise like the Jamba House. Here the color tones are more darker browns and taupe with a variety of African inspired accents.

 

• Deluxe Studio Standard View

Views of landscaping or parking lots. Comes with 1 queen and 1 full size sofa sleeper. Sleeps 2 to 4 people (if you have two children). Rates: £415.25 to £743.55

 

 

• Deluxe Studio Savanna View

Views of one of the savannas. Comes with 1 queen and 1 full size sleeper and sleeps up to 4 people. Rates: £594.48 to £984.00

 

 

• 1 Bedroom Villa Standard View

Views of parking lot. Comes with 1 king, 1 queen sofa sleeper, and 1 twin chair sleeper and sleeps up to 5 people. Rates: £684.10 to £1204.05

 

 

• 1 Bedroom Villa Savanna View

Views of one of the savannas. Comes with 1 king, 1 queen sofa sleeper, and 1 twin chair sleeper and sleeps up to 5 people. Rates: £803.88 to £1354.00

 

 

• 2 Bedroom Villa Standard View

Views of parking lot. Comes with 1 king, 2 queens, 1 queen sofa sleeper, and 1 twin sleeper chair and sleeps up to 9 people. Rates: £1027.48 to £2111.74

 

 

• 2 Bedroom Villa Savanna View

Of one of the savannas. Comes with 1 king, 2 queens, 1 queen sofa sleeper, and 1 twin sleeper chair and sleeps up to 9 people. Rates: £1212.03 to £2520.78

 

 

• 3 Bedroom Grand Villa Savanna View

Views of one of the savannas. Comes with 1 king, 4 queens, and 1 queen sofa sleeper and sleeps up to 12 people. Rates: £2332.68 to £4030.06

 

The regular guest rooms all come with free WiFi, large flat screen TVs, phone with voicemail, hairdryer, iron, ironing board, coffee maker, mini fridge, safe and more. The villas and suites will include just about everything you’d expect in your own home like toasters, microwaves, full fridge, cook tops and more.

 

 

 

 

Resort Dining

 

One thing for sure about deluxe resorts, you will be treated to some great dining experiences and the Disney Animal Kingdom Lodge Resort won’t disappoint.

 

 

• Jiko The Cooking Place

Offers a wide variety of foods many of which are African inspired. Is a very classy table service restaurant that is a guest favorite. Offers dinners cooked in wood burning stoves.

 

 

• Boma Flavors of Africa

Is another table service restaurant that offers plenty of savory meat dishes and a variety of other dishes to choose from. They offer breakfast and lunch all you can eat buffets along with a great dinner menu.

 

 

• Sanaa

Offers a vast variety of interesting dishes many of which are inspired by Indian food.

 

 

• The Mara

This is their quick service dining experience where you can get breakfast, lunch, and dinner with a variety of different choices of food to choose from.

 

They also offer a variety of lounges and pool bars where you can enjoy your favorite beverage and bar snacks:

• Maji Pool Bar

• Springs Pool Bar

• Victoria Falls Lounge

• Cape Town Lounge and Bar

• Sanaa Lounge

 

 

 

 

Amenities & Recreation

 

You’ll discover there is an abundance of things to do and see at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, in fact, if you weren’t interested in going to any theme parks, this resort has enough to keep you busy your entire trip to the area.

 

 

The pool at the Jamba House area is 11,000 square feet has a 67 foot water slide, zero entry and natural sandy beaches to lounge around on. This feature pool is called Uzima Springs Pool which is an oasis with views of the savannas, making it one of the most unique pools at Disney.

 

 

Samawati Springs Pool is found at Kidani Village and it’s 4,700 square feet and even though this pool is half the size of the other pool, the water slide is twice as big as the one at Uzima Springs Pool. It also has a nice water playground for the kids for three different age levels.

 

 

Here is just a sample of some of the things that the Disney Animal Lodge Resort has to offer:

• Zahanati Massage & Fitness Center

• Designated walking and jogging trails

• Pumbaa’s Fun & Games arcade

• Jambo House Sunset Lounge

• Zawadi Marketplace

• Asante Terrace

• Animal & Discovery Programs

• Savanna Guides

• Wildlife Games

• Primal Parade

• Animal Stamp Collecting

• African Face Painting

• Music of the Savanna

• Drum Cafe

• African Journey

• Playground

• Movies Under the Stars

• Usiku Nightly Festival

• Dinner & Safari

 

 

 

 

Pros & Cons For Staying At Animal Kingdom Lodge

 

As always, every resort or hotel comes with it’s pros and cons and the same goes for the Disney Animal Kingdom Lodge. Here are a few pros and cons listed here:

 

Pros

• Absolutely one of the most elegant resorts at Disney World. It’s the charm and grace are what make it so special.

• Dining is excellent at the resort and offers plenty of variety for everyone. It includes it all, room service, table service, pool bar service, and quick service.

• Wild animals can be seen from a variety of different locations and even from some of the rooms.

• It’s educational. There are tons of different learning programs and activities for people of all ages.

• Excellent attention to detail when it comes to being authentic.

 

 

 

Cons

• Furthest resort away from the theme parks.

• Extremely expensive.

 

 

 

TripAdviser Reviews

 

Here are a few reviews from TripAdviser from guests who actually have had the experience of staying at the Animal Kingdom Lodge.

 

 

“We stayed at the Animal Kingdom Lodge -Jambo House side. We are 2 adults and 2 kids ages 10 and 12. The kids loved the pool, pool slide, and games (corn hole, ping pong). The lobby itself is like a gorgeous museum. The staff is knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. We opted for a Savannah View and it did not disappoint! It is definitely worth it- you will see animals. We were able to check in early through the app – at like 11am! We came to the room and saw giraffes and zebras right away. Love this resort. The bus transport to the parks was always available too. I would highly recommend and would definitely come here again! We are still here and thinking about when we can return. “

 

 

 

“We were worried we would not see animals from there balcony, but most times we went out there there was something to look at.

The rooms are a bit small. Not a lot of space to put your stuff. And I think that made it harder to clean up after us. But our dirty and empty wine glasses and soda cans were left in the room, until we put them in the hallway. for the price i would not expect that,

Bathroom is small with the shower and toilet right next to each other. No tub. Shower was like a fiberglass shower stall with a rain shower head. Good water pressure and the bathroom was very clean on arrival. There is a separate sink area so someone else can get ready at the same time.

Club level we did not use a lot. But the staff was nice, and we always could get some water to go, or a drink at night. There isn’t a menu. Which makes it harder to pick a drink. I am still not sure what they have. I asked what beer they had and she said well, just tell me what you want. I said an IPA. They didn’t have any. But they did have a selection. I don’t expect everything to be available but something to look st would be better. We ate a little here and there and the food was good. But if busy, there is was not enough seating. Concierge always had the answers to our question. And coffee every morning.

The hotel has a great feel. Feels like you would expect. the shop has a lot of carvings in it, then one day we saw someone there carving. And when we came back in the evening the piece was for sale. So we bought it, a nice memento. The large window and overlooks onto the savannas are wonderful. Staff was out there to answer questions, and s’mores campfire in the evening.

The location is a bit far away. it’s nice in that you get the chance to find some quiet. But getting to and from the parks can be time consuming. They have buses and you can track them in the app. We used the Minnie Vans a lot which are faster and always an enjoyable ride. But the price went up from the $20 flat fee to a distance based cost. So most rides were costing us 30-40 dollars plus tip. But, they drop you off at the buses (vs regular Lyft). So there are many ways to get back and forth but it takes some time, especially if you want to take advantage of the early park hours for hotel guests.

The pool was ok. Wasn’t a lot of shade mid day and much of the seating faces away from the pool. the slide is designed for younger kids. And I didn’t like the bar drinks from the pool that much. the temperature was good and the area seemed clean.

We did the star light safari that they offer. This was one of the highlights of the trip. they take you through the savanna for an hour at night. You get a night vision monocle and get so close to the animals. The guide is one of the zoo keepers and we learned so much in that hour. I would make the trip from another resort to do that again.

We had a great stay here, and look forward to returning.”

 

 

 

 

“Amazing Stay, pre checked via app, and our room was ready without physically checking in.

Stayed on a corner suite with a balcony overlooking one of the savannas.
First day we saw 3 Giraffes, no animals after that…

We had to call the 3rd day to have Maid Service.

Comfortable beds, pillows, and cold AC through out our stay.

Shuttle bus to the parks and Disney Springs were constant and we waited around 10mins max.”

 

 

 

 

“We stayed here for the first time the first part of September. It was my husbands first time to Disney. We stayed Kidani in a one bedroom villa with a savanna view. Beautiful hotel, and the room was amazing. We loved starting our day with coffee on the balcony with the animals. The weather was insanely hot but it was so nice to walk thru the doors to this room ! We did three parks and the lines weren’t terrible. Longest was for avatar which was 25 minutes. We can’t wait to go back!!!”

 

 

 

What Families Resort Best For

 

There is probably not a single family that would not love this resort. The only issue would be the price, but if you save up for it, it will be an adventure that will ever be forgotten. For most, it’s the closet they’ll ever get to the continent of Africa and go on safari.

 

 

 

 

Other Properties Similar

 

To be honest, there really are no other properties or resorts that come close to being similar. This is definitely a one of a kind resort.

 

 

 

 

Our Thoughts & Verdict

 

When it comes to our Disney Animal Kingdom Lodge review we’ve discovered that this is an incredibly unique resort and for many people it could be a trip of a lifetime. There is probably no other resort in America like it and if you can afford it, we highly recommend that you consider giving it a try.

 

 

To help take the stress out of organising your Disney holiday, The House of Travel offers some excellent package holidays to Disney world Florida This ensures that you can enjoy your time here, with all of the planning in hand. After all, there’s no better way to explore Disney than by letting the experts take charge! Either give us a quick call on 0203 950 7371 or simply fill this quick form here for a call back request today.