Is Disney World’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Worth It?

You’ll likely spend more on your Disney World hotel than you will on any other part of your vacation, so it’s gotta be perfect. Lots of people love Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, but is the juice worth the squeeze?

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[ailanycastillo]

I'm not even going to Disney, but I watch the videos because her voice just sounds so genuine and happy. <3

[rccaldwell]

A quick, heartwarming story, relating to your mention about fussy eaters....several years ago, we booked dinner at Sanaa. We always do our research and communicate ahead of our visits with the restaurants, as our son is on the Autism spectrum and is very limited in what he will eat.
In spite of having communicated ahead of time with Sanaa, when we arrived, the lady at the front desk had no record of our request, and was shockingly dismissive of the whole thing. We were visibly upset as we got seated (she was the least "Disney" cast member we had ever encountered) and were debating our options. Our waitress came over and I guess noticed we were explained the situation, and she winked at us, and said "What does your little guy like, and leave it to me!" About 15 minutes later, a massive plate of chicken nuggets and fries was placed in front of our smiling turns out that the waitress had one of the kitchen staff ride over to the Mara on a bike, to pick the food up!!! (Suffice to say, this wonderful lady turned what was shaping up to be one of our worst Disney experiences, into a story I have told many people as one of our reasons why we go back to WDW all the time!)

[gerrysalvati]

Took my gf now wife to Disney for the first time. Booked pop century but they over booked and put us at akl no up charge and got a savanna view. Talk about a deal.

[nomnom]

Eating frosting out of a can while watching a giraffe baby awkwardly eat leaves...

...I told you that in confidence 😑

[nancybilcheck]

To sum up: if you’re not interested in the animals, don’t go. If you are interested in the animals, get a savannah view. That’s not to say you can’t look out hallway windows to see the animals but, going out on your balcony at night and seeing a giraffe sleeping under the room next door is priceless.

[theatricallyjim]

My DVC member sister is sending me to Kidani Savannah View for my 50th birthday. There are NO drawbacks when you get 7 nights at a WDW Deluxe resort for free. I will enjoy every one of those long walks to breakfast!

[Michelleybellin]

I think the parking garage is a HUGE pro! It is so nice to have a car in the shade rather than out in the hot Florida sun. I wish that more of the Disney resorts had this parking arrangement!

[EmilyGVolz]

I stayed here for a few days as a kid because it was my mom's dream to drink her morning coffee while watching a giraffe. And it was worth it for that. It was probably cheaper back then, but we only stayed a few nights and spent the rest of our trip in a cheap off property hotel.

[allenbozeman]

As a former cast member, I can admit it, I actually enjoyed and appreciated this video. Disney's WOW factor is awesome but it can also be a very big distraction from other important details that might be important to the guest. This video comprehensively highlights these factors that many guests overlook and don't realize until they are in the resort experiencing these disappointments first hand. Great Job!!

[JustinDoesDisney]

I’m just impressed with 30 minutes of B-roll of a single resort! 😁

[TheJoker]

Although it's pricey, we always stay at AKL with a savanna view room. It is incredible to wake up and see the animals out the window from bed. Also, Boma is our favorite restaurant!

[octaekwondo]

This is our "home resort" through DVC and I couldn't be happier! Especially hearing how much a 1 bedroom costs per night! We've definitely gotten our money's worth through Disney Vacation Club! With small kids, we have stayed many times at AKL without visiting the parks. So. Much. To. Do! We could stay a week just enjoying the animals, the resort activities, the pool (and poolside games), the community hall, etc.

[htsgaming]

I love that she is listing the price between that really helps me decide thank you Disney food blog!!

[KNHarrison]

I haven't been to Disney since 2012 but I still love to sit down and watch these videos. AJ has such a calming voice and I feel like in addition to being very informative, I can live vicariously through these videos. Lol

[Thebehaviournerd]

Sometimes a nice option is staying at a value resort but booking a meal at a deluxe resort and experiencing some of the ambience.
Book breakfast at Boma and take a sunrise stroll to watch the animals eat breakfast and then head over to AK park to keep the theme rolling!

[Mike_Vlogs_YT]

I’d love to stay in Animal Kingdom lodge with a Savannah view. I love the theme and it’s not everywhere you can wake up to see a giraffe 🦒 outside your window

[suzannebayer]

My ex husband was a major reason the safari trips at the lodge started up in the early 2000s. He loved driving on certain nights as the program got started and they hired permanent safari guides

[karedis]

We stayed here in July 2016 for only $250 a night! It was Amazing! We drive so the distance doesn’t bother us. One plus not mentioned is the music! There is just something about walking into Jumbo House and hearing that music for the first time! It is instantly calming! It is just so beautiful here with it without the animals. There is also a free hidden Mickey scavenger hunt they do.

[ciarabelanger]

you should make this into a series with all deluxe resorts!!! i love too see one at the yatch club as i’m staying there soon!!

[cynnerfull]

I have just booked a reservation for AKL and after this video I’m more excited than I was before. Thank you DFB for keeping all of us informed.