Animal Kigdom Lodge

[HoosierDisneyFan]

My wife and I are planning an adult only trip in late September and plan on staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge. We are getting 30% off a Pool View room. This will be our first stay at the resort (but have visited a few times to eat at Boma).

Any suggestions? Highlights? Tips? Tricks?

[Cinderelley]

My friend and I stayed here in May, and it was amazing. We tried the chakalaka for breakfast, and it was delicious. He even found the recipe when he went back home and makes it at his house now . Make sure to talk to the CMs. They were the nicest, most helpful CMs of our whole trip. We had a pleasant dinner at Sanaa our first night there. You can walk to the restaurant or take a shuttle.

[VacationDisney]

Our favorite place to stay. The pool area is amazing. It's tucked away in the back of the resort and the landscaping just gives it a very "private" feel.

You should try Jiko. It is amazing. Don't be afraid of the menu. Some things are or can be spicy, but there are items to pick from that are wonderful & not spicy at all. Waiter will be more than happy to help you out if you have any issues.

We were just there in May and our room had a partial view of the animals. It was so relaxing to go on the balcony and see the animals roaming around. The room is warm in it's textures and coloring and makes for a VERY comforting feeling. Did not hear anything once we closed our door at night.

You'll have a great time

[#1donaldfan]

We loved staying there !! We've been lucky enough to have stayed there twice and love it !! The pool was the best, in my opinion and it has a great food court for a deluxe !!

[Grace]

We love AKL -it's Disney theming and detail at it's best. Have early morning coffee on Arusha Rock or one of the savanna viewing areas. You will see plenty of animals and birds coming out for their breakfast. Spend some time at Zawadi marketplace. They have a great variety of unique merchandise (variety that is sorely lacking at WDW these days). Relax by the pool, the landscaping and foliage is so dense it seems like you are at the edge of the jungle.

[faline]

Stop and chat with the cast members out by the viewing areas. I believe they still have the night vision goggles available for animal viewing after dark.

There is a fire pit out back and, while it is used for story telling for part of the evening, it can also be a pleasant place to relax. Indoors, there is also a circular fireplace in the lobby area.

Explore the resort - there are many artifacts throughout the building. Take a walk across the bridge that is suspended above the lobby.

Even without a savannah view room, there are any number of spots where you can pull up a chair and view the animals - we found these locations were never used much and we often had them to ourselves. You can find one of these porches, verandahs - whatever you want to call them - a nice relaxed spot to have your morning coffee etc.

If you're looking for an adult beverage, Victoria Falls Lounge is a pleasant place. Downstairs, just outside the entrance to Jiko is the the Cape Town Lounge and Wine Bar which is often overlooked. I'm not sure what the current situation is but, in the past, we were told we could order from the Jiko menu at this location.