Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge

Reviews

• PD

  Pam Devendorf

  3 days ago
  5.0
  Our first stay at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge absolutely lived up to the hype! After hearing rave reviews from friends, I went ahead and booked our Trip in the Fall which ended up saving us $$ for a 4 Night, 3 Day Park Pass for 2 people for April. We stayed at the main Resort: Jambo House. As we approached the entrance, we were warmly greeted by Cast Members with a cheerful “Welcome Home!” Stepping inside the breathtaking 5 story lobby, you are instantly transported to Africa. Check-in experience was easy peasy. Cast Members stand in front of the desk, NOT behind to personally greet You. Everything is linked to your Disney Magic Band. So, if you pre-purchased your bands like I did, now's the time to bring them out to have the Cast Member activate them.The Band links You to everything: Park tickets, lightning lane and single ride passes, hotel room key, credit card, etc. NOTE: The Hotel Room has a large charging station for several USB ports to recharge your bands. Initially it was a bit confusing to get to our room. Once we understood the unique “topography” of the lodge, we got it. We had to go "down" to get to the 2nd floor, not up. Our room was also African-inspired with a balcony which overlooked the huge pool. We never used the pool: Too busy visiting the Disney Parks. Next time, we will factor in pool time! OMG, LOVED all the personalized Disney bathroom essentials (took them all home with us!). From the Cast Members’ warmth and excellent customer service to the thoughtful amenities throughout the property, everything felt special and well done. BTW, take advantage of the Disney Bus transportation. It will save you $30 in daily parking fees versus driving your car to a Disney park and again it's easy peasy! We would absolutely return and highly recommend this immersive Resort.
• MS

  Mandy Shaw

  3 days ago
  2.0
  I would prefer to give feedback to Disney directly, as I’m not one to typically post negative reviews online, but Disney is now asking for Google reviews instead of direct feedback, it seems. We had an extremely disappointing stay at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. We live out of state but are lucky enough to visit Walt Disney World several times each year. We are annual passholders. We stayed club level at AKL for 7 nights for a RunDisney weekend. For some people, paying to stay club level does not make a financial difference. For me, it means working extra nights and weekends, but it is something I choose to do for my family. I recognize my privilege to be able to make that choice. This club level is not worth the money. Not at all. It has been oversold. In order to do this, they scatter the “club access” rooms around the resort. Rooms are far from the club. This was not disclosed to us upon booking nor during the few phone calls before the visit. Because it is oversold, cast members seem overwhelmed, the food offerings are often empty, and a table in the club is hard to come by at times. The majority of the cast members in the club don’t seem to want to be there. This has not been our experience at other clubs on property. We were reprimanded by a cast member for taking a food offering during the posted hours because “it wasn’t open yet”. I’m still not sure how we were to know that we were not allowed to take food during the available food hours. That being said, there were a few wonderful cast members who were friendly and helpful. I am well-aware that being disappointed in a club level stay at a deluxe Disney World resort is a quintessential “first world problem”. But had I known this before my stay, I definitely wouldn’t have chosen to stay there, and I won’t make that mistake again. If you are choosing to stay club level at WDW, choose any other resort. One positive from the stay was that we had excellent views of the savanna from our room. This was not the case when we stayed there several years ago. That was the one redeeming quality of our week-long stay.
• SH

  Sophie Halliday

  4 days ago
  5.0
  Our stay at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge was honestly one of the most incredible resort experiences we’ve ever had! We stayed in Jambo House in a one bedroom villa with a savannah view on the 5th floor, and it was so worth it. Waking up and seeing animals right outside your balcony never gets old. It truly felt like a whole experience on its own. Our location near Zebra Trail and the elevator made a huge difference too, especially with a 4 year old and a 21 month old. It just made everything so easy. From the moment we arrived, the cast members were amazing. So kind, helpful, and genuinely engaging, especially with the kids. They loved spotting hidden Mickeys and chatting with staff who shared fun facts and trivia about the animals and the resort. It added such a special layer to the whole stay. The pools were incredible. We spent time at both, but personally preferred the Kidani Village pool. It had more shade, which made it a bit more comfortable with little ones. That said, both were beautiful and we easily could have spent even more time there. Transportation was seamless. The buses were frequent and reliable, which made getting around with kids way less stressful than expected. The food was amazing across the board, and we did the dining plan, which for us was absolutely worth it. There were so many options, and honestly, we barely scratched the surface of everything the resort has to offer in just four days. We ended up extending our stay for an extra night and had to switch rooms. We were originally booked into a resort view on the 2nd floor, but the cast members surprised us with a savannah view upgrade, which was such a special touch. That room was closer to where the animals gather, so we saw so many giraffes and zebras. The kids were completely obsessed. It was a bit of a longer walk from the lobby, but totally worth it for the views. If anything, our only regret is not staying longer. There is so much to do at the resort itself that you could easily dedicate full days just to being there. If you are on the fence about staying here, do it. Especially with kids. It is not just a hotel, it is an experience you will remember forever ✨
• JJ

  Jen

  Apr 21, 2026
  5.0
  After a rough start to our trip at Coronado Springs, moving to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge (spanning both Jambo House and Kidani Village) was the absolute highlight of our vacation. From the moment we arrived, it was clear that AKL operates on a completely different level of hospitality. The resort is beautiful, but it’s the little details that make it feel so special. There is an incredible, homey warmth to the lodge and a distinct, comforting scent of firewood throughout the property. It is quiet, clean, and feels like an escape from the chaos of the parks (and life). We spent so much time just enjoying the resort and the animals. One of the best parts of our stay was the cultural exchange; the African Cast Members were so engaging and willing to share their knowledge, providing a level of education that we didn't expect. It was a beautiful, authentic touch that made our time there so much more meaningful than just a typical hotel stay. We were fortunate enough to receive a pool view upgrade, and the room itself was spacious, spotless, and quiet. This was a major relief for us after so many maintenance and noise issues at CSR. Every single Cast Member we interacted with was kind, professional, and genuinely happy to help. Even the guests were friendly and respectful, which contributed to such a relaxed and positive environment. We honestly didn’t want to leave. We loved observing the animals and just relaxing in the lodge. If you are looking for a resort that truly captures the magic and offers a peaceful, high-quality experience, Animal Kingdom Lodge is it. We will definitely be back one day.
• CK

  Cynthia K

  Apr 9, 2026
  2.0
  We travel to Disney every year at least once. We also have gone on five Disney cruises. We were excited to stay at the Animal Kingdom Lodge but it really disappointed us. We have stayed at multiple Disney properties and for the price, I expected this to be on par with Disney’s French Riviera. It was not. Spoiler alert. I would not stay here again. The facilities were disappointing, they were very dark and seemed dirty and run down. The programing was there but seemed to be ‘coasting’ by; like coloring in the lobby. Of course the animals are amazing from your balcony but watching a giraffe eat is only exciting for so long. Restaurants are counter service or buffet. I would rather pay extra and have table service. The food we had was not worth eating and we had a pizza delivered rather than returning to the restaurant. The front desk was polite but no one offered us any extra information about the property, facilities or even help with our luggage to our room. No one ‘engaged’ us during our entire stay. It did not feel like Disney. I arrived with one child and had to manage our luggage after a Disney cruise. I was able to pull four rolling bags to the room with a child but a luggage cart and/attendant would have been helpful and appreciated. I did not see a bellman with a cart upon my arrival on the Disney transfer and assumed they didn’t have any. It was hours later before I saw a bellman in the hotel. The pool is basic and boring. One small slide but for Orlando, that is less than expected. While we were there, there was no entertainment director or person running games by the pool. The hotel was safe and clean but I would not stay at this property again. I would choose the Riviera or stay at a high end resort chain. I would rather have an updated property with higher end amenities and service. I felt like I was just paying for the name on this trip. The only thing I would miss off property is the transportation but even with Ubers prices, I feel would be a better value than what we paid and received at the Animal Kingdom Lodge.

Frequently Asked Questions About Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge