One resort I have always wanted to stay in at Walt Disney World is Animal Kingdom Lodge, as I love giraffes. They are one of my favourite animals. Mr Disney even treated me to feed them back in 2021.
{youtube}5AseM-yH0rY{/youtube}So when we finally booked five nights here, expectations were high. Animal Kingdom Lodge is really two resorts in one: Jambo House, the main hotel, and Kidani Village, which is all DVC. We stayed at Kidani in a Deluxe Studio with a savannah view, and this is our honest take on it. And I was not disappointed.
Kidani Village versus Jambo House
Kidani Village is the main DVC resort at Animal Kingdom Lodge, and you can stay in Jambo with DVC as well.
Jambo House is a lot larger than Kidani and is the main one that most people stay at when they come to Animal Kingdom Lodge, while Kidani was smaller and more cosy. The two buildings sit about a five-minute walk apart, and there is a shuttle bus that runs between them if you would rather not walk. The thing that struck me most was the difference in atmosphere. When we went over to Jambo House, the main reception area was quite noisy, whereas Kidani felt calm and quiet by comparison.
When booking a stay at Animal Kingdom Lodge, I highly recommend asking for a savannah view, as the other rooms basically look out over the car parks of the resorts.
The room: Deluxe Studio with savannah view
We stayed in a Deluxe Studio with a savannah view. The room was a good size, and there was a small kitchenette area with a drip coffee machine, a microwave, a toaster and a fridge. You also had some plastic cutlery and paper plates and bowls. There was a double bed and a sofa bed (which we did not use), a moderate sized wardrobe for hanging clothes, and a large chest of drawers with the TV mounted on the wall above. There was also a round table with two chairs, two bedside tables and plenty of power sockets. The bathroom was a moderate size, with a shower bath, a large vanity sink and a separate toilet cubicle. Our room had a Savanna View which meant we looked over where the animals roamed. I sat for hours just watching the giraffes and zebras wandering around along with other animals. I found it very calm and relaxing.
The savannah and the animals
The Savannah is the name given to the area towards the back of the buildings where the animals roam freely during the day. Both Jambo House and Kidani have a savannah. The one at Jambo House also has a lookout area you can walk out into, whereas Kidani is more secluded. Because Kidani does not have that lookout area, the savannah-view rooms feel a bit more private than the ones at Jambo, as there is no public path running past your view, and it did not feel like someone could look into your room and see what you were doing. There was a deck area just off the reception where there were some wooden rocking chairs for you to sit and relax watching the animals. Of a night you can do a guided Savannah Safari, which is something we did not do this time but is on our list. We seem to have an ever growing list of things we want to do :-)
The Kidani pool
The pool was accessed by a gate where you use your MagicBand or room key to enter. There is a fun children's splash area, a bar where they do some bar snacks and quick bites, and drinks fountains to refill your resort mug. The pool had step-free access, and even on hot days it was not too busy at all. There is also a slide, but we did not try it. Towels are also provided at both pools at Animal Kingdom Lodge. We had the nachos each time we went, and they were lovely and not too expensive either. The drinks fountains were ideal for keeping you hydrated while you chilled, and there were lots of palm trees, so ample shade on hot Florida days. There is also a larger family pool over at Jambo House, which is also step-free entry and has a slide. We did not use this pool though, as we just used the one at Kidani Village where we were staying.
Other facilities
There are several places to eat across the two buildings. Boma, located in Jambo House, is a buffet doing breakfast and dinner. We tried the dinner but not the breakfast. Jiko, also in Jambo House, is a fine dining sit-down restaurant. Sanaa, over in Kidani, is another sit-down option. We did not have dinner there, but they do offer a quick service continental-style breakfast daily. The Mara, located in Jambo House, is also quick service, offering a wide range of bits including the Zebra Domes and classic Mickey waffles at breakfast.
I plan to do a full review of the dining at a later date, so I will keep it brief here for now.
Both Jambo and Kidani have a shop as well, where you can buy a range of animal inspired merchandise along with some of the more classic items. The shop in Kidani also has a drinks fountain station, and a section where you can buy some groceries, as Kidani is all Disney Vacation Club (DVC).
There are three bars at Jambo House, two inside and one out by the pool. The pool bar is the one we have used, and it is a nice spot. There is no bar or lounge in Kidani, as the building is smaller than Jambo House.
Closing thoughts
So what did I think of Animal Kingdom Lodge? I quite liked it. I enjoyed sitting watching the animals and chilling by the pool. Boma was lovely (my review coming soon), and the whole resort was lovely themed.
The only real negative is that Animal Kingdom Lodge is one of the furthest resorts from Magic Kingdom, Epcot and Hollywood Studios, and you are limited to using the buses for transport. That said, I would still love to go back and stay there again.
A caveat: at the time of writing, the DVC rooms at Kidani Village are undergoing a refurbishment in stages, so some of the things I have mentioned in the room may not necessarily be there now.
