Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is one of those resorts that feels like an experience all on its own. This deluxe Disney resort is located closest to Disney’s Animal Kingdom park, and the moment you step inside you’re transported to an African safari lodge -complete with giraffes, zebras, and antelope roaming the savannahs right outside your room. While it’s a little further from parks like Magic Kingdom and EPCOT, the stunning theming, incredible dining, and unique wildlife views more than make up for it. Think luxury, relaxation, and a serious “wow” factor before you even hit the parks.

Our stay at Animal Kingdom Lodge

For the first part of our trip we stayed at Pop Century, which you can read more about here. We ended our wonderful Orlando holiday with a relaxing two-night stay at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, and it was honestly the perfect way to finish our trip.

After checking out of Pop Century, I arranged for our luggage to be transferred directly to Animal Kingdom Lodge (a brilliant perk of staying at Disney resorts). It made moving hotels completely stress-free and meant we could enjoy our day at the park without worrying about suitcases.

This stay was also a complete surprise for my two teens, and it quickly became one of the highlights of our entire holiday. From the moment we arrived, we were all completely blown away.

Animal Kingdom Lodge – Room with a view!

We stayed in a Savannah View room, and it was worth every single penny. Sliding open the balcony doors to see giraffes, zebras and antelope wandering past outside felt completely surreal – and it genuinely never got old, no matter how many times we looked out.

The room itself was generous in size, comfortable and beautifully themed, striking that perfect balance between immersive and understated. The beds were incredibly comfy (very much appreciated after long, busy park days), and there was plenty of storage, so it never felt cluttered. The balcony quickly became our favourite spot, especially early in the morning and in the evenings when the animals were most active. We ended up spending far longer than expected just sitting outside, watching the savannah and soaking it all in.

The bathroom was also impressively spacious, with a large walk-in shower that felt like a real luxury. Overall, the room felt noticeably bigger compared to our stay at Disney’s Pop Century Resort, which is exactly what you’d expect – and hope for – when upgrading to a deluxe resort like Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.

Animal Kingdom Lodge | Food and Drinks

Dining at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is a huge part of the overall experience, and on our first evening we chose to eat at Boma – Flavors of Africa.

Boma – Flavors of Africa

What an absolutely wonderful place to start our stay. The theming is beautiful, and despite being busy, the restaurant felt calm, spacious and relaxing. We were seated at a table tucked slightly to the side, which suited our family perfectly and instantly made the whole experience feel more laid-back.

Boma is a buffet, and the choice really is incredible. There’s a huge selection of food, blending African-inspired dishes with more familiar options, so there’s something for everyone. Everything was beautifully presented and full of flavour – honestly, I felt like I could have stayed there all night eating my way around the buffet.

And of course, I can’t mention Boma without talking about the famous Zebra Domes. They were absolutely delicious and completely lived up to the hype. While we were dining, the African drummers came out, and they were fantastic. It added such a special atmosphere and really brought the whole experience to life.

Is Boma worth the price?

That said, Boma is definitely on the pricier side, and it wasn’t one of my children’s favourite meals of the trip. Prices are currently $58 per adult and $34 per child, so it’s something you’ll want to factor into your budget. For us, it was a brilliant one-off experience and a lovely way to kick off our stay at Animal Kingdom Lodge – even if it’s not somewhere we’d eat every night.

Other dining options at the resort

In addition to Boma, the resort is also home to Sanaa and Jiko – The Cooking Place, alongside several bars and quick-service options, so there’s plenty of choice depending on your budget and tastes.

We really enjoyed a couple of takeaway meals from The Mara, which were reasonably priced and genuinely delicious. All the food was freshly made to order, too. Some of our favourites included the signature-blend cheddar burger and fries ($13.99), grilled chicken Caesar salad ($11.99), and the children’s cheese pizza meal with two sides and a drink ($7.79). The kids’ meals are surprisingly generous – big enough for an adult – so I occasionally ordered from the children’s menu and saved a bit of money along the way.

Overall, the dining options at Animal Kingdom Lodge are varied, memorable and thoughtfully done, whether you’re splurging on a signature restaurant or grabbing something quick and easy after a long park day.

Final thoughts and would we stay again?

Absolutely yes.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is unlike any other Walt Disney World hotel. It’s relaxing, unique and completely unforgettable. The theming, the animals, the food and the overall atmosphere all come together to create somewhere that feels genuinely special. We loved slow mornings by the pool, wandering around the resort spotting animals, and grabbing easy, relaxed meals without needing to rush anywhere.

As part of a split stay, it was absolutely perfect. After a busy, full-on Orlando holiday, finishing somewhere calm and luxurious was exactly what we needed.

Would we stay again? Without hesitation. Next time, I’d definitely plan more dedicated resort time to really soak it all in. I don’t feel like we saw everything the lodge has to offer – partly because my children still wanted one more park day, and I hadn’t fully factored that into our plans.

As much as I loved it, I’m not sure I’d choose Animal Kingdom Lodge for an entire holiday. It is on the pricier side, and if you’re spending long days in the parks, you don’t always get to fully enjoy everything the resort offers. For me, it’s the perfect choice for a shorter stay – somewhere to slow down, properly relax, and truly appreciate just how special it is.

Travel mum rating: 5/5

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