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The Animal Kingdom has lodging at just about any level: from deluxe villas to discount resorts. If you want something themed around the Animal Kingdom you’ll have to go for the pricier places: the deluxe villas Jambo House or Kidani Village, or the deluxe Animal Kingdom Lodge. The two former are actually just specific floors/areas within the latter, which is an African-style lodge spread out over 43 acres.
The Animal Kingdom Lodge has two of its own restaurants, which weren’t covered when I looked at the dining at the Animal Kingdom. They’re Jiko – The Cooking Place and Boma – Flavors of Africa, and expect them both to be fancy (and thus pricey). The lodge has its own savannas, with dozens of species that roam within them and wildlife specialists unique to the site that can give tours for the guests.
The lodge also has multiple pools, for diving and wading and in between, water play areas, and activity centers for children so parents can have a breather. Of course, what are you looking to pay for all of this? Exact prices depend on the time of year and the type of room, but you can get rooms for $260-$400 dollars a night. You can also drop a couple thousand dollars a night if you wish, for the Kilimanjaro Club level suites with concierge service, but I think that’s beyond most of us.
What makes the two deluxe villas, Jambo House or Kidani Village, so expensive? If you stay in their value rooms during an off season you can manage to do so for $350-$400/night, which is still mind-boggling to me but considering those suites I just mentioned looks like a deal. In addition to all of the fancy room service guests at either of these areas get babysitting services, large kitchens, and the best views at the resort. Beyond that, the rooms are just really, really nice. Isn’t that usually all it takes to make a hotel room expensive?
But I digress: if the fancy resorts are beyond you (as they are for me), you still have other options at the Animal Kingdom. The Colorado Springs resort is priced at Disney’s “moderate” level, meaning rooms from around $160-$300/night (of course there are more expensive ones, but most are in this range). Colorado Springs is designed in Southwestern style, and most of the dining it has on hand follows suite: the Maya Grill and Cafe Rix, though it also has two quick-dining options.
The Animal Kingdom is also home to many of Disney’s value resorts: All-Star Movie, All-Star Music, and All-Star Sports. Given the Animal Kingdom’s distance from the other parks it makes sense why the value resorts are all of the way out there: you pay for location. But if you’re like me and the Animal Kingdom is one of Disney World’s biggest draws for you, this could be an advantage. The prices at the resorts are all similar, from around $85-$200/night. They all have food courts, playgrounds, jogging areas, and pools. In fact, the main thing that sets them all apart is their themes.
Lodging at Disney World’s Animal Kingdom fits in with one of Disney’s overall themes when it comes to customer service: there is something for everyone.
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*(This image by Darren Wittko is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License.)
