Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge with Toddlers: Honest Review
If you’re considering staying at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge with toddlers or young kids, here’s my honest experience after spending 3 nights at the resort in March.
This was our second time staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge, but our first time visiting with our kids. While we had a great trip overall, traveling with two young children definitely gave me a different perspective on the resort this time around.
Between the incredible animal views, beautiful resort atmosphere, and amazing food options, there’s a lot to love about Animal Kingdom Lodge. At the same time, the resort’s transportation and distance from most of the Disney parks made getting around with toddlers more challenging than some of our other Disney stays.
Here’s everything I noticed during our stay, including our Savanna View room, the pools, transportation, dining, and whether I would stay here again with young kids.
Why We Chose Animal Kingdom Lodge
Animal Kingdom Lodge has always been one of the most unique Disney resorts to me. The resort feels immersive from the second you walk through the doors.
The lobby is stunning, the African-inspired theming is beautiful, and being able to see animals throughout the resort makes the entire experience feel special.
For this trip, we stayed on the Jambo House side and were actually upgraded to a Savanna View room, even though we originally booked a standard room.
That upgrade made the stay feel even more magical, especially because this was our first time bringing the kids to Animal Kingdom Lodge.
Our Savanna View Room Experience
One of the biggest reasons people book Animal Kingdom Lodge is for the Savanna View rooms. Being able to sit on your balcony and watch animals walk by sounds like an unforgettable Disney experience—and it definitely can be.
For us, though, the animal viewing from our balcony was a little hit or miss.
During our stay, we mostly saw an ostrich from our balcony. It was still fun, but I think it’s important to understand that booking a Savanna View room doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll have animals right outside your balcony all day.
Some guests may see giraffes, zebras, and other animals regularly, while others may not see as much activity.
The good news is that there are plenty of animal viewing areas throughout the resort, so you can still enjoy the savanna even if your room doesn't have much animal activity.
What Was Our Room Like?
Our room was comfortable and spacious enough for our family. We had:
Two queen beds
A table with two chairs
A coffee station area
A large bathroom with plenty of space
I personally tend to prefer deluxe resort rooms that include a sofa, especially when traveling with young kids, but I really didn't have any complaints about the room itself.
One thing worth mentioning is that Animal Kingdom Lodge can feel dark.
The atmosphere is beautiful and cozy, but because of the design and lighting, many of the common areas feel dim compared with some of Disney's other resorts.
Getting Around Animal Kingdom Lodge
One challenge with staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge is simply learning your way around.
The resort is large, and navigating the hallways and different areas can feel confusing when you first arrive.
After the first day, though, it became much easier to figure out where everything was located.
I wouldn't let the size of the resort discourage you from staying here, but I would expect to spend a little time getting familiar with the layout.
Disney Transportation: The Biggest Downside With Toddlers
For our family, transportation was probably the biggest downside of staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge.
Unlike Disney resorts on the Skyliner or Monorail routes, Animal Kingdom Lodge relies on bus transportation for the theme parks.
And when you're traveling with toddlers, that means folding your stroller every time you board a bus.
That alone can get exhausting.
How Long Are the Bus Rides?
The biggest issue is the resort's location.
Animal Kingdom Lodge is incredibly convenient to Disney's Animal Kingdom, but it's farther away from the other Disney parks. Most of our bus rides to the other parks felt like they took around 20–25 minutes.
There were also several times when we had to stand on the bus while managing a stroller and two toddlers, which was not particularly fun during a longer ride.
For a short stay, we managed just fine. But personally, I don't think I would want to stay here for an entire week with toddlers because of the transportation situation alone.
If you love the convenience of Disney transportation when traveling with young kids, I personally find resorts on the Skyliner or Monorail routes easier.
Animal Kingdom Lodge Pool and Splash Pad Review
We spent time at both Jambo House and Kidani Village during our stay, including both pool areas.
Jambo House Pool
The main pool at Jambo House was nice, but it wasn't especially memorable compared with some of the other Disney deluxe resort pools we've visited.
One thing I did love, though, was the dry playground located right next to the pool.
It made it easy for the kids to switch between swimming and playing, which was especially helpful when traveling with toddlers.
You can also see flamingos nearby, which added a really fun touch to the pool area.
One thing to note is that Jambo House does not have a splash pad.
Kidani Village Splash Pad
The next day, we visited the pool and splash pad area at Kidani Village, and my toddlers absolutely loved it.
The splash pad is large, with plenty of open space and lots of spraying water features. There aren't any deep-water sections in the splash area, so it's designed more for interactive play for toddlers and younger kids.
While it isn't my favorite splash pad at Disney World, it was still a huge hit with my kids and was definitely worth visiting during our stay.
If you're traveling with toddlers, I'd definitely make time to check it out.
The Food at Animal Kingdom Lodge Was Excellent
One area where Animal Kingdom Lodge really stands out is the food.
Even though we didn't eat at some of the resort's most popular restaurants, we had some really great meals during our trip.
Sanaa
We ordered lunch to-go from Sanaa and ate it by the pool, and honestly, this ended up being one of my favorite meals of the trip.
I ordered the burger, and it may genuinely be one of the best burgers I've had on Disney property.
We also ordered the famous Indian-style bread service, which absolutely lived up to the hype.
My husband ordered the kids' butter chicken meal, and it was actually the perfect portion size.
Everything we ordered was delicious.
The only thing I would do differently next time is actually dine inside the restaurant. I think experiencing Sanaa's atmosphere while dining would make the meal even better.
The Mara
We also ate multiple meals at The Mara, the quick-service restaurant at Jambo House.
This was a really convenient option when we wanted something quick, especially with two toddlers.
The menu also felt a little different from some of the standard Disney quick-service restaurants because of the African-inspired flavors.
Restaurants We Want to Try Next Time
There are a few Animal Kingdom Lodge restaurants we didn't get to experience during this trip.
Boma – Flavors of Africa was one of them. Every time we walked by, it smelled amazing. I've heard wonderful things about the breakfast buffet, so that's definitely on my list for a future visit.
We also skipped Jiko – The Cooking Place this time. I've heard great things about it as well, so I'd love to try it on a future adults-only or longer Disney trip.
One evening, we grabbed drinks at Victoria Falls Lounge, and it ended up being a really nice place to relax after a long day in the parks.
The Best Part About Staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge
On our last day, we visited Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park, and this is where the location of Animal Kingdom Lodge really shines.
The ride to Animal Kingdom was incredibly short and convenient compared with the transportation to the other parks.
If Animal Kingdom is your favorite Disney park—or if you're planning to spend a lot of time there—staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge makes a lot more sense.
And honestly, the entire resort feels like an extension of Animal Kingdom itself. The animals, architecture, food, and theming make it feel unlike any other Disney resort.
Is Animal Kingdom Lodge Good for Toddlers?
I think Animal Kingdom Lodge can absolutely be a great Disney resort for families with toddlers, but there are a few things I'd consider before booking.
Things We Loved
Incredible resort theming
Animal viewing throughout the resort
Beautiful Savanna View rooms
Great food options
Kidani Village splash pad
Jambo House playground
Very convenient location for Animal Kingdom
Spacious and comfortable rooms
Things That Were Challenging
Bus transportation to all theme parks
Folding the stroller for every bus ride
Longer travel times to Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, and Hollywood Studios
Large resort layout can take some getting used to
Common areas can feel quite dark
For us, the biggest consideration was definitely transportation.
Would We Stay at Animal Kingdom Lodge Again?
Overall, we had a really nice stay at Animal Kingdom Lodge.
The resort is beautiful, unique, and unlike anywhere else at Disney World. Seeing animals throughout the resort is such a fun experience, especially with kids.
The food was excellent, the room was comfortable, and the atmosphere truly feels special.
That said, the transportation situation makes this a harder choice for me when traveling with toddlers. Between the longer bus rides, constantly folding the stroller, and the distance from most of the parks, I personally prefer some of Disney's other resorts for longer stays with young kids.
I'm glad we stayed here again, and we definitely enjoyed our trip. I would absolutely consider Animal Kingdom Lodge for a shorter stay or a trip where we planned to spend a lot of time at Animal Kingdom.
For a full week with toddlers, though, I think I'd choose a resort with easier transportation.
Either way, Animal Kingdom Lodge is a beautiful resort and one of the most unique places we've stayed at Disney World—and I'm glad we got to experience it with our kids.