Like many Disney travelers, especially in this economy, it is very difficult to even think about staying anywhere other than a Value Resort.  Many people opt to go ‘off property’- which is an option that 99% of the time I will not recommend.  That said, we are such die-hard Disney fans, that we try each and every resort at least once.

This time we decided to stay at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, an African themed deluxe resort which opened on April 16, 2001, and has grown to include the newest DVC addition, Kidani Village.  Having stayed at the Wilderness Lodge, one of our favorites, I figured it would be similar in size and detail.

Cast Members
Parking
Size of Room
Price
Cleanliness
Access to Food
Pool
Amenities
Bus / Monorail Service
Theme
Current
Overall Rating: 4.5

Planning:

We purchased (rented) points on line (a process I may go over in a future post), so this gave us a tremendous value for the room selection we made- a Studio at Jambo House.  Currently, there are 6 selections as far as room availability:

• Standard Room- (max 4 Guests)
• Deluxe Room- (max 5 Guests)
• Studio (316-365 sq. ft. in Jambo / 366 sq. ft. in Kidani – Queen bed and queen pull-out couch- sleeps 4)
• One-Bedroom (629-710 sq. ft. in Jambo / 807 sq. ft. in Kidani- Living room w/ queen pull-out couch, full kitchen, and one bedroom- sleeps  up to 6)
• Two-Bedroom (945-1075 sq. ft. in Jambo / 1,173 sq. ft. in Kidani- One-bedroom plus a studio- sleeps up to 9)
• Dedicated Two-Bedroom Vacation Home (Kidani ONLY)
• Grand Villa (3BR sleeps up to 12, 1 level with 2,349 sq. ft. in Jambo / 2 levels with 2,201 total sq. ft. in Kidani)
• Concierge Level

We had 2 Adults and 2 Children in our party, and we have stayed in one-bedroom suites before, so we were concerned that a Studio would be too small.  We decided that the Studio price was right, and the savings allowed us to stay longer, so we booked it and hoped for the best.

There are a few things to consider when you are making your room selection (assuming you have 3-4 in your party):

How long do you expect to be in the room?

If you are going to be spending lots of room (so you will want to maximize the space in the room), you will probably be folding up the couch each morning, which is a pain.  All rooms are large, but it comes down to how much functional space you will need.  If you are worried about those rainy days, there is plenty to do around the World (even inside each resort), so you shouldn’t feel like you are locked in to the room if this happens.

Will you cook?

The Studios come with a kitchenette (Wet bar, small refrigerator, microwave and coffee maker), which is more than enough for the average vacationer- considering the amount of phenomenal food choices on property.  However, the 1, 2, or Grand Villa rooms have a full kitchen.  If you plan on going food shopping (Publix is our choice) then you will need a bigger fridge, and space to prepare, so the larger room is needed.

Most often the microwave and toaster provided in the Suite is more than sufficient to get the kids, and adults, taken care of.

Keep in mind, if you are staying less than ~4days, and you plan on out at the parks until the end of the day, you may just be better off buying meals in the parks.  You are not going to want to start cooking a meal if you are coming back to the room at 10-11pm.  Especially since, most of the time, the kids will be zonked, and they will be sleeping on the couch opposite the kitchen.

However… if you do plan on having full breakfasts, and plan to come back to the room during the day/early evening, then the full kitchen makes total sense.

Neat and Pretty?

The Suite has ONE bathroom with the toilet in that same space.  This could be a problem, depending on how you stagger your guests, and how comfortable you are with one another.  The good news is that the sinks and mirror are outside, so this will help those who spend a lot of time trying to look like Prince Erik.

The 1BR/2BR/GV have at least one bathroom like the studio, and one master bath (with a separate toilet room).  This does make the shuffle out the door quicker, especially if you intend on being at the park for rope drop.

Active Children

All of the rooms have enough room for active kids, but the 1BR/2BR/GV offer much more room, and will satisfy the needs of those with, shall we say, the need for speed.  And as a side-note, all rooms seem to be quite adequate for those with special needs, however 66 are specifically designated for this need.  Pack ‘n Play Playard are also available (if not already in your room).

Jambo or Kidani?

The answer to that is YES.

I am a little biased in favor of Jambo, because we stayed there, and because it has the most wow factor as far as theme, but I don’t think you can go wrong with either.  On our next trip, we may try Kidani, or Bay Lake, and I will update you.

To Savanah view or not to Savanah view, that is the question

The short answer is, if you can afford it, do it.  If not, don’t worry yourself about it.

There are plenty of places around the resort to view the animals on the Savanah.  Of course it is cool, and can give the whole family some easy entertainment right outside on your balcony.  But if you want to save some money, you can always use one of the viewing areas.

Arrival:

We got there nice and early in the morning, mostly to get our tickets, dump our bags, and get over to the parks. Parking was not so far away (50-100 yards), and you can do valet parking if you don’t want to walk.  Disney Transportation (Bus) service is right there as well.

One thing to keep in mind, the resort is shaped like a horseshoe with the lodge in the center, which can be a very long walk if you are at the ends.  The only door with access to the parking and bus stop is through the lodge, so the closer your room is to the lodge, the better.

What can I say… the resort is beautiful! The detail that went into the lodge is simply amazing.  The main building is a 6 story tall lodge with an African theme.  But this is much more than just a simple theme, it is a period piece.  The resort has all of the modern amenities, but has a quality about it that makes you feel almost spiritual.  The matching music helps to place you in the experience, as well.  You could tell that the Imagineers really spent their time wisely on this project.

All of the cast members were great, and in true Disney fashion, the interacting with the kids began immediately, getting them even more excited about their stay.  Check-in time was 3pm, but our room was ready ahead of schedule, so we were given our Studio keys and location to dump our bags. We were fortunate enough to get a room right inside of the main lodge, right by the 5th floor bridge (5406).

The Room (Studio):

My initial fear was that the room would be noisy, inconvenient, and our view of an empty pool area would be boring.  Despite the room not being quite ready for us (oops, we were early) it was spacious, and the location couldn’t have been better!  It was NOT noisy at all, we were very close to both the elevator and the stairs, and the bridge was convenient b/c the ice machines were on the other side.  Also, it was really nice to walk out right onto the bridge in the morning.

The furnishings are all very well made, plenty of hidden mickey’s to satisfy, and even though it is only 381 sq. ft, it feels much larger.  The theme is carried into the rooms, the towel art is in full effect, the beds are comfortable, and you most-notably feel at home.  This is one  is one of the many reasons why staying on-property keeps the Disney experience with you when you are not in one of the parks.  Some rooms (like ours) had a flat-screen tv, which frees up space, and is much appreciated.  There are tables and chairs for sitting down for breakfast, allowing you to grab everyone, pull out the map, and plan your day.

If I had to make a few changes, I would recommend the following:

• Have an optional kids TV remote- One full featured remote, and one kids themed remote.  Granted, the TV turns on to the standard Disney information channel.  But to have some quick favorites buttons, with familiar logos, would allow the little ones to feel more in control.  Especially if they are staying in a 1BR, 2BR, or GV where the kids are most likely to be out on the LR couch.  You can have them at the front desk, and can give them out on-demand.
• In the GV’s, put a Keurig coffee maker, rather than a regular coffee machine.  You can sell the packs of pods in the resort store, but this makes both clean-up, and coffee selection better.  You don’t need to make a whole pot of coffee if only one or two people drink coffee.
• There are two types of devices to clean floors in non-standard rooms- a vacuum, and a broom.  The broom is good for tile floors, and the vacuum is good if you plan on doing the whole room (but not at 11pm).  Possibly offer an old-school carper sweeper.  It’s green, and works better on carpets than a broom.
• Free Wi-fi please.  There are so many advantages to having open hi-fi access at the resort (and the parks).  The thousands of maps that would be saved, special offers, dining reservations, ride schedule updates, geo-location for you to find events, ordering/changing park tickets which would instantly update to your room keys, and of course, the inter-webs.

Wandering- The indoor Safari:

The really great things about the resort is are the places you find artwork, or animal viewing areas, or simply curling up with a book on a rocking chair (Adult or Child sized).  I can’t help but think that this was intentional.  Going on Safari to find these places would fit with the theme.  There are so many of these, and the best time to do this is early morning.  Three of my favorite places are, the Library, the indoor folktale fire-pit, and the outdoor fire-pit.

One very cool thing that you will find at most of the resorts: events.  There are lots of events inside of the resort, if you choose to take the day off from the parks.  Take advantage of these!

Restaurants:

There are a few food & drink choices at Jambo:

• Boma–Flavors of Africa – Relax in the soothing colors of an African sunset at this restaurant where American meals, blended with multi-cultural influences, can be paired with impressive wines. | Price Range: $$$$ (over $100 per person)
• Jiko – The Cooking Place – Cuisine: African | Price Range: $$ ($15-$29.99 per person)
• The Mara - Open morning to night, The Mara offers a sweeping selection of soups, sandwiches, salads, pizza and burgers.  Dine indoors or poolside.  Kosher on-demand available. | Price Range: $ ($14.99 and under per person)
• Cape Town Lounge and Wine Bar- Meet friends for a pre- or post-dinner cocktail at this balcony bar above Jiko – The Cooking Place.
• Victoria Falls Lounge- Order your favorite libation with an African twist and listen to soothing sounds of cascading water in this intimate lounge and bar. | Price Range: $ ($14.99 and under per person)

Other things to note:

• Zawadi Marketplace- crafts, ceramics, and clothes
• Zahanati- Massage and Fitness Center (6:00 a.m. through 9:00 p.m.)
• Simba’s Cubhouse, a supervised activity center for children ages 4-12 that affords parents a carefree night on the town. (Additional fee required)
• 24-hour, high-tech game room
• 24-hour playground
• Pick up an Animal Guide at the front desk
• Kilimanjaro Club Level with Concierge Service
• Uzima Springs “Zero-Depth Entry” pool

Last word:

The AKL is a magical resort.  You will absolutely have a fantastic time. You are left with an appreciation of African culture, a deep sense of calm, and an awe of architectural know-how.  The cast members were wonderful, even when we had some issues with the room being ready.  Disney quality is legendary, and cast members are what make the entire guests experience memorable.  This trip was no exception.

Take advantage of the events, and special programs, offered at this resort.  Sure, we all want to run to the parks.  But there is an incredible amount of things to see and do right at your resort.  And this resort puts the ‘D’ in Deluxe.

If you pay for the suite without being a DVC member, it is pricy, no doubt.  This IS very much a deluxe resort.  There is a way to stay in the resort for a lot less, and you can ask me about how to do that.  That being said, I think that it is worth the money. AKL is a complete experience, and has now become our favorite Disney resort.

We can’t wait to get back!!!!  Perhaps we will try Kidani next time.

Map:

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
2901 Osceola Parkway
Bay Lake, FL 32830
(407) 938-3000


View Larger Map

The Pics:

Click here to view the embedded video.

And they shall name it, Aulani.

Yesterday we got our first real look at the details surrounding Disney’s newest resort, Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa in Ko Olina, Hawai`i, a premier oceanfront resort on the Wai`anae Coast of the island of O`ahu.  Boy, that’s a mouthful!

It looks absolutely spectacular!  The theme will be, you guessed it, Hawaiian culture.

You can get more information, renderings, photos, and updates on the Aulani site.

*images are property of Disney.

You can get the Lei of the land, here:

View Larger Map

View Larger Map