The Resorts Gal Guide to
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is one of the top resorts at Walt Disney World. We love it so much that it’s even ranked as Resorts Gal’s top pick for the best deluxe resort.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is a four-star resort hotel located in the Animal Kingdom theme park area of Walt Disney World. The resort is spread out across 75 acres and features 972 elegant rooms and suites at the main Lodge, also known as Jambo House.
This guide will provide you with all of the information we’ve collected over the years about the hotel. We recommend using this guide as a starting point. But if you want to learn more, we’ve included a list of our articles that go into detail about individual aspects of the resort. For example, if you plan to spend time at the pool, our resort pool guide has tons of photos.
The Basics at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Here are a few basic things you’ll want to know about the resort:
- Check-In (3:00 p.m.)
- Check-Out (11:00 a.m.)
- Self-Parking (Complimentary)
- Free Wi-Fi Internet
- Address: 2901 Osceola Parkway. Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830
A Note on DVC Resorts
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is home to Animal Kingdom Lodge Villas at Jambo House and Kidani Village, a Disney Vacation Club Resort. Therefore, this section of the resort operates a little differently from the average Disney Resort Hotel. Members of Disney’s Vacation Club will have a first-come, first-serve choice of rooms when reservations become available. However, it is rare for rooms to fill up, so Disney makes these rooms available on a cash basis to regular resort guests. So, you do not have to be a DVC member to stay at this or any other Disney Vacation Club Resort.
Kidani Village sits next door to the Lodge and offers nearly 350 additional guest rooms. This area features room types like deluxe studios and villas, which are predominantly for larger families or groups. Meanwhile, the rooms at Jambo House range from standard hotel rooms to deluxe studios and villas. Rooms at the Animal Kingdom Lodge and Kidani Village offer either savanna or standard views. Savanna rooms are a considerable upgrade, but this is one of the few resorts we recommend paying for a room view upgrade.
Animal Kingdom Lodge Resort Benefits
Guests of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge (Jambo and Kidani Village) can participate in Disney’s early theme park entry, a perk extended to all Walt Disney World Resort guests.
Early Theme Park Entry: This perk allows resort guests to enter any Walt Disney World theme park 30 minutes before officially opening to the general public. This early entry provides several advantages:
- Lower Crowds: Being among the first to enter the park allows you to experience popular attractions with shorter wait times. This will help you to check off must-see rides and experiences ahead of the crowd.
- Photography Opportunities: If you love capturing the magic of Disney, the early hours provide a fantastic opportunity for photos in front of iconic landmarks with fewer people in the background.
- Cooler Temperatures: Morning hours are often cooler, making outdoor activities more comfortable. But if you visit during cooler weather, don’t forget a jacket!
Extended Evening Hours: Disney Deluxe and Deluxe Villa Resort guests, which includes those staying at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge (Jambo and Kidani Village), enjoy the privilege of spending extra time in select theme parks on specific evenings. During extended evening hours, these parks stay open later than their regular closing time, usually for an additional two hours.
This benefit offers several advantages as well:
- More Ride Time: This allows you to enjoy additional nighttime rides and attractions when lines tend to be shorter.
- Magical Nighttime Atmosphere: Disney parks take on a unique and enchanting ambiance at night, with beautifully lit landscapes. So you’ll have time to savor the nighttime magic for longer with fewer crowds.
- Less Rush:Â With extended hours, you can explore at a more relaxed pace.