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Hotel overview
Share the adventure of a jungle safari in lush surroundings showcasing the grandeur of Africa. With many rooms overlooking the beautiful savannahs, grazing zebra, giraffes and gazelles can be seen roaming free in natural environments. The rhythm of tribal drums...the exquisite cuisine...the rich settings...and the lure of authentic African treasures all come together to celebrate the beauty and wonder of this vast and untamed continent. Three animal savannas are home to more than 200 mammals and birds representative of the African animal palette. Some examples are giraffe, zebra, Thomson's gazelle, ostrich, flamingo, African spoonbill, and sacred ibis.
Location
Animal Kingdom® Resort AreaProperty information
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Hotel details
Hotel advisories
General policies & fine print
Smoking Policy - All Disney owned and operated resort hotels are smoke-free environments. Smoking is permitted in designated outdoor smoking locations only.
Guest Names Policy - Walt Disney World reservations must be booked with the correct guest names. A complete name change to the lead name is considered a cancellation and will require a new reservation.
Deposit Requirements - A major credit card and photo I.D. is required upon check-in to cover phone or incidental charges.
Convention Policy - Guests attending a convention at the hotel may not use this package for their stay. If found attending a convention, guests may be charged directly by the hotel.
Room Taxes - Room taxes are included in the vacation price.
As to Disney artwork, logos and properties: ©Disney
Ratings & reviews
TripAdvisor traveler rating
8366 reviews
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Mar 20, 2023Amazing!
Disney is always an amazing experience and this was no exception. We booked a savanna view room and woke up to giraffes in the distance. What an experience! Everything was clean and well-decorated and the theming was impeccable. We enjoyed every moment.
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Mar 20, 2023
Wow
My daughter and I spent 2 nights at AKL (Jambo). It was a last minute trip and I booked a savanna view room on a whim. Am I glad I did!! I’ve been to Disney many times but have never stayed at this resort. We got in late at night and when we got to the room we went straight to the balcony- and there was an animal (antelope? It was too dark to tell) eating right outside our room. What an amazing welcome! Check-in was very easy. I had checked-in on the My Disney Experience app, and when the room was ready the hotel texted me a map of the hotel and my room number showed up on the app. We got to the hotel and went straight to our room. I was able to use my phone and my magic band to open the door. The room was clean and very nice. It seemed to have been recently updated. We liked that the room had a table with 2 chairs, a large closet, and a fridge that actually stayed cold. The bathroom was very nice. I liked that there was a pocket door between the shower area and the sinks. I also liked that there was a door on the main bathroom (where the sinks were) so that I was able to close the door and not wake my daughter in the mornings. The shower was very nice. We had shampoo, conditioner and body wash. We only ate at Mara and it was very good. We had breakfast one morning (mickey waffles- yum!) and we were able to get bowls of cereal and milk to keep in our room for the following morning. I didn’t use the mobile ordering at Mara, but I saw others using it and it seemed very easy. We did not use the pools but the one at Jambo looked amazing. We loved the atmosphere of the resort. We walked around looking for animals in the morning but didn’t find any. We got back to our room around noon and right outside our window were zebras, cranes, and then here came 2 giraffes! It was amazing. I could have stayed on the balcony all day. We went into Zawadi Marketplace a few times- there were souvenirs on one side and food/sundries on the other. We took a bus to Animal Kingdom (there and back- no problems; probably a 5 minute drive) and a bus to Hollywood Studios (no problems; I didn’t time it but it was not a long ride). We did a split stay and were moving to another resort on our second day. We brought our bags to bell services and everything was tagged and transported for us. (As a side note- we got to our new hotel at 5 pm and the bags were not there yet- but the other hotel handled it and they arrived quickly.) CONS: Our room was one of the farthest from the lobby and it was a looooooong walk with a child and suitcases. There is no soundproofing - we could hear the people in the rooms on either side of us. I will definitely stay here again- for longer next time!!
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Mar 19, 2023
The crown prince of Disney hotels
Asking someone to recommend a hotel in Orlando is akin to asking a librarian to recommend a book at the Library of Congress: there are just so many great choices! The Animal Kingdom Lodge distinguishes itself from the 430+ hotels in the greater Orlando area by sporting a sumptuously decorated lobby, immaculately manicured landscaping, and downright delicious dining. For these reasons I highly recommend the property and consider it to be the finest hotel Disney has ever built. Let’s start with the lobby. This three-story atrium boasts the opulence of a cruise ship and the expertly curated sophistication of a museum. In fact, the collection of African art on display is one of the largest in the region. Architects obviously spent a great deal of time getting every detail right, from the antipope motifs on each atrium pillar to the grand staircase backed up by a humongous wall of savana-facing glass. Warm color pallets and luscious wooden paneling lend themselves to a rustic but luxurious atmosphere truly befitting of Disney royalty. If you’re lucky enough to score a “Savana View” guestroom, know that the sights off your balcony will be nothing short of stunning. Wildlife such as giraffes, wildebeest, and flamingos will greet you each morning, making for a surreal and breathtaking experience. The rooms themselves are decorated much like the interior of a Jeep Wagoneer, which is to say they the design choices here are unsubtly grand. I found the beds to be inscrutably comfortable, while the bathrooms appeared newly appointed and clean. What’s more, a flatscreen television offers 24/7 Mickey cartoons for guests like myself who are young at heart. My only complaint: the sound insulation of my room left something to be desired. I could hear noisy guests at times passing by in the hallway. Logistically, the hotel is conveniently located right next to a bus terminal with direct lines to all the Disney parks. (If you’re going to the airport or Universal, you’re out of luck. Hail an Uber.) It’s an easy, 25-minute drive to MCO with no traffic. The pool at the Animal Kingdom lodge is splendid, complete with a water slide, bar, and jacuzzi on site. Even on sub-70 degree days, the water is quite comfortable. I further recommend the hot tub to anyone with sore muscles from walking around the parks all day. Expensive but generally delicious dining options abound at this property. I tried two of its eight restaurants and had no complaints. For breakfast, the Mara offers chocolatey pastries, waffles, oatmeal, bagels, coffee, hot chocolate, and a surprisingly eclectic tea selection. But I liked the buffet at Boma even more. The French toast bread pudding is especially grand, dripping with vanilla glaze and studded with golden raisins. Come back for dinner and you’ll enjoy a dinner spread with prime rib, steamed salmon, and picturesque domes of chocolate mousse. This is Disney dining at its finest. Overall, I consider the Animal Kingdom Lodge the best hotel Disney has to offer in Orlando. From the relentlessly friendly staff to the views of tropical flora and fauna at every turn, I never forgot I was somewhere special during my stay. This is far from the most economical option in the area, but if you feel like splurging on a truly remarkable holiday, the Animal Kingdom Lodge is your best bet.
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Mar 16, 2023
An amazing experience
Stayed in one of the Club Rooms which looked out over the savanna and it was amazing to see giraffes and other animals from our balcony. The room was clean and spacious enough for 4 adults. The cost of the club room includes access to a special food lounge on the top floor where you can get delicious food and drinks throughout the day - a great choice of buffet food and friendly staff. Lovely ambience throughout the hotel and lots of nice areas to walk, sit and watch the wildlife. Would highly recommend a stay here.
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Mar 06, 2023
Great ambience, animal-viewing and service!
We had a club-level, savannah view room, and it was truly exceptional! Loved sitting on our balcony watching the animals - it really was a highlight of the trip. Club level amenities were much appreciated. Lounge area was sometimes crowded, but it's Disney. Service - both club-level and regular - was always welcoming, knowledgeable and efficient. Hotel ambience also was a highlight. Wished we'd had more time to just relax and enjoy the hotel. Housekeeping was available for us every day, although we did not always utilize it. Only slight downsides are limited dining options on-site and having to rely on the buses. The buses were reliable and mostly on-time, but having to use them adds a built-in delay to getting to the parks (other than Animal Kingdom).