Top theme park hotel spotlight: Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge
We're in the final month of rating as we nail down the winners of this year's Theme Park Insider Awards. Each Thursday, we're profiling one of the hotels contending for the Best Theme Park Hotel honor. Today it's Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge at Walt Disney World.
Disney World resorts are known for their highly themed settings, but in the case of the Animal Kingdom Lodge, it isn't just stagecraft magic. Those are real animals walking outside your window at the Lodge, located near the Disney World theme park of the same name. Renovations and expansions over the years have brought more attention to the Lodge, but it remains a favorite of many loyal fans for its decor, service, amenities and of course, the animals.
If you've stayed at the Animal Kingdom Lodge in the past 12 months, please visit its listing page to submit your rating and leave a comment.
Previously:
- Disney's Grand Floridian Resort
- Universal's Hard Rock Hotel
- Universal's Portofino Bay Hotel
- Disney's Wilderness Lodge
Replies (5)
The food alone is worth the stay. Jiko is probably the best theme park area restaurant I've eaten at, and Boma is a more affordable, but still delicious, alternative. Sanaa is getting good reviews, so I'd say this may be Disney's best dining hotel (Grand Floridian's food may tie it, but I cannot afford to eat at Victoria & Albert's and thus cannot compare the restaurants).
I will add that I have visited Saana as well and the food was very strange, but very good! I would go back in a heartbeat. The bread service is worth the visit!
We've stayed there two times so far. We absolutely love it. It's now our home away from home at WDW. Why? Glad you asked. Here are some reasons:
-- ANIMALS! Zebras, Ankole Cattle, Giraffes, etc. right outside your hotel room. Awesome!
-- FOOD! Boma and Jiko have to be two of the best restaurants on property. The smells from Boma when you walk into the lobby of the hotel at lunch and dinner time are unforgettably delicious.
-- THEME! The hotel is thoroughly themed and authentic in many, many ways. It's the Disney version of Africa...period.
-- POOL! It has the largest and coolest resort pool on property with a great slide, walk-in edge and pool-side bar and quick serve restaurant.
Those are the main reasons, but I have more!
I have never stayed at this hotel as it is a little out of my price range, but it looks amazing. Although we wont stay here when we visit in November we will spend one night dining at Boma and having a look at the savanah and an explore.
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With the addition of the DVC Villas, this place has become a masterpiece. Probably the best ballance of everything: Kids resturant, adult resturant, accomidations, pools, and ANIMALS!
Probably the only downside to the place is that it is literally in the middle of nowhere on the Disney property. Still, they make up for this fact~!