My family and I just returned last week from our whirlwind trip to Walt Disney World!  It was 5 nights and 6 days of theme parks, fireworks, shows, and non-stop fun!

When traveling with my family I always have such a hard time picking a Disney Resort to stay at.  I definitely do not have one  “favourite” as there are SO many wonderful resorts that have so much to offer.  Each resort is so unique, special, and has a variety of amenities and services available.

For my most recent trip I chose to stay at Animal Kingdom Lodge.  I narrowed it down based on a few factors:

  • Resort that I had never stayed at (only visited in the past)
  • Deluxe Resort for a variety of reasons
  • Room with a unique sleeping area for the kids
  • A unique experience that would blow my kids away!

And let me tell you, we scored all those important factors but more importantly the resort blew my kids away!  This resort offers many upgraded room categories and if staying here I believe upgrading to a Savanna view is a must and that is what we did.  Once entering the room, the kids went straight to the balcony and could view Giraffe’s, Zebras, and many bird species – SO AMAZING!

Our rooms were perfectly appointed with a Queen bed, spacious kid’s area with bunk beds, a separate bathtub/toilet, and double sink area and African inspired touches everywhere.  Watch the video for a walk through:

The main lobby was stunning with cathedral ceilings and wooden banisters making it feel like a truly authentic lodge.  Upon arrival, we were lucky enough to experience an African Choir singing and welcoming us in true style. What a special treat!

One of the biggest perks of staying at a Deluxe Resort is the variety of dining options.  This resort in particular offers a signature restaurant “Jiko-A Cooking Place”, and 2 African Inspired sit-down restaurants, “Boma-Flavours of Africa” and “Sana”.   For those quick mornings on the go, there is also “The Mara” which offers snacks and quick service dining. The resort also has a Kids Club, “Simba’s Clubhouse” where we were able to drop off the kids one night and enjoy an adult-only dinner at a neighboring resort.

The Pools were also fantastic.  They were big and relaxing, with enough entertainment to keep the kids busy without it being loud and disruptive.  The kids also enjoyed the water slides where they met other children in line and became instant friends.

As Animal Kingdom Lodge is in the Animal Kingdom area getting to some of the parks is a few extra minutes drive but as always, I was so impressed with the Disney Transportation System.  Disney buses run on a 20-minute schedule but we never waited more than 5 minutes for a bus.  Even on the night that we visited Magic Kingdom and left immediately after the fireworks, the buses were continuous and we didn’t have to wait for one to arrive.

Animal Kingdom Lodge is a fabulous resort option for those looking for a unique experience when staying at Walt Disney World.  Although it’s not on the monorail like many of the other Deluxe Resorts, it offers so much, such great service and amenities it’s well worth the experience.

For assistance with your future vacation plans, schedule an appointment to chat with us HERE.

Happy Travels!