The sights and sounds of Africa conjure up classic notions of graceful, grazing giraffes, colorful birds and striped zebras roaming the savanna all to the steady underlying rhythm of drums. All of this and more can be found at the Animal Kingdom Lodge.
Just this past Christmas my family & I spent our very first Disney Christmas as very delighted guests. This was also our first stay at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. As we are nature lovers & big fans of Animal Kingdom Park, the AKL proved to be a great fit for us, especially during the holidays when some serenity is usually desperately needed!
Instead, each evening we walked among hallways adorned with art, the atmosphere quiet, dark and hushed with warm fires in the outdoor fire pit. Glimpses of animals seemed almost startling after being immersed in crowds of humans all day long. Each time we came home to Animal Kingdom Lodge it truly seemed like we had left Orlando all together to some unknown private oasis of warmth and comfort. We stayed in Kidani which has its own lobby and contains the new Disney Vacation Club Villas. We were delighted with the peace & quiet and the view.
Animals were plentiful at all times for viewing & photos. The pool was outstanding with a jumbo sized spa for 18 people, perfect on the chilly December nights. We loved the Lion King details in the suite – again every detail so carefully considered. One of my favorite touches was the bathroom tile in the master bath which was a hand painted scene of silhouetted animals from the Lion King. Another was an African verse left on our nightstand which read, “A family is like a forest, when you are outside it is dense, when you are inside you see that each tree has its place.”- Ghana proverb.
The two star restaurants, Jiko & Boma, have long been favorites of ours & they did not disappoint this time either. We’ve eaten at many of the top restaurants in Disney World yet Jiko still remains our very favorite for all 4 of us.
Which brings to mind the other thing I love about Disney in general is that one can walk into a top notch restaurant wearing shorts & mickey ears, bring children of any age & feel completely at home all while eating amazing, creative dishes. We had heard that Boma offered the best breakfast buffet in Disney and we experienced that to be true. Dishes authentic to parts of Africa were present including a favorite of ours, a homemade yogurt mixed with melons. We were never quite sure what the exact flavors were but whatever it was it was good! Another offering was corned beef and cabbage with a unique spicy sauce – a combination of African flavors and European colonial influence.
I wasn’t sure how this trip would be given that our children are now older with their own tastes and busy lives. We are well past the mickey balloon and character greeting age…however we did happen upon Stitch in the Kidani lobby one evening. My then 20 year old son happens to love Stitch and he was actually excited and we posed together for a photo. Sadly the photo did not turn out but the memories of enjoying Disney together as an older and changed family will last forever.
My daughter happened to fall in love with unique hand painted china that was available for sale only at the AKL and Animal Kingdom.We all purchased pieces for one another as holiday gifts. We had so much fun searching for just the right pieces as no two were alike. I found myself wondering: since when did she like china? Ahhh, the magic of Disney – that must be it! Enjoying the same classic Disney experiences we shared when they were younger yet also having these new experiences with them now that they are grown made this particular Disney trip an unforgettable holiday. It also provided me with all the proof I need that Disney magic does indeed exist. The perfect holiday gift.
Beautifully written blog post, Sharon! I was really encouraged and inspired to read that you can bring your kids back to WDW after they're grown. My kids are 18-16-7, and while we can look forward to sharing WDW with the youngest, it never occurred to me that the oldest two might enjoy it again someday – -hopefully soon!
Your words are as beautiful as your pages and I could visualize the entire thing. Yes, I know we have been there, but I could feel the textures and taste the foods and see the sights through your words. Great blog.
Great post, Sharon! I am in the planning phase of a big family and friends trip to Kidani next June on our DVC membership, so I can't wait for November when I can call to make that reservation! Your description of all of the wonderful aspects of Animal Kingdom Lodge really get's me excited for our trip to that resort! Thanks for writing!
Awesome post, I love the Scrapbook Layouts. I have stayed there AKL and it is a magical place, your description of it is perfect, just as I remembered.
What a great post. We are huge Disney fans and have never stayed at the AKL – it will definitely be added to my list!
Good post, very descriptive and a very appealing resort where I've never had the opportunity to stay. We always make a stop here, to walk around, enjoy the scenery or have a meal. But I would love stay here in the future, particularly Kidani. You clearly will have some great memories.
Hi Sharon! I loved your scrapbook pages; they're so wonderfully detailed and they capture the AKL vibe perfectly!
Wow Sharon! I loved this article! What a wonderful trip! I'd love to visit Disney Parks during the Christmas holidays! 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing your awesome photos too! They're fantastic! 😀