One of my favorite resorts (okay, most of them are great) is the Animal Kingdom Lodge. In this post, Lisa takes us out for the evening at this wonderfully themed resort.-Nick
By: Lisa Green
When
we’re at Walt Disney World, there’s one resort we love to visit, even
if we’re not staying there – the Animal Kingdom Lodge.
Beautiful and unique, completely different from any other Walt Disney
World property, the Animal Kingdom Lodge offers visitors wonderful
dining options along with the chance to step out the massive and
gorgeous lobby’s back door and experience something amazing – over 30
species of African wildlife roaming around the savannah.
We may have stayed at the Animal Kingdom Lodge only once, but
we make sure we spend an evening there on every Walt Disney World
vacation. We make our visit to this spectacular resort fit
into our plans in one of two ways: If we’re dining at Boma, we head
straight there from the Animal Kingdom Park (a relatively short bus
ride) at the end of the day. Boma’s casual and relaxed atmosphere makes
it fine for us to eat there in our park-touring attire. If we’re
eating at Jiko, we like to dress a little nicer, so we’ll make time to
go back to our resort and clean up before striking out for the Animal
Kingdom Lodge – which may take an hour (or more) to reach by Disney
transportation – sounds like a time drain, but believe me, it’s worth
it!
We try to arrive at least 60-90 minutes before our dining reservation.
This gives us plenty of time to stroll through the lobby, go out onto
the savannah overlook, take in the views from every angle, talk to an
African Cast Member about their home country, and see how many different
types of animals we can spot. There are chairs available for
relaxing while checking out the animals. If you’re traveling with
children and looking for educational opportunities, the savannah overlook is an excellent one.
Before dinner, we like to stop for a beverage at
either the Cape Town Lounge and Wine Bar (near Jiko) or the Victoria
Falls Lounge (overlooking Boma). Both of these watering holes offer
wonderful selections of African wines and beers (and non-alcoholic
options). Not sure what to order? The bartenders are knowledgeable and
friendly – they’ll be happy to help you with your drink
selection. It’s the perfect way to relax, unwind, and soak up the
atmosphere so special to Animal Kingdom Lodge.
Our entire family loves the food at Animal Kingdom Lodge!
Boma – Flavors of Africa: This buffet is unlike anyplace else at Walt Disney World! There is absolutely
something for everyone. Picky eaters in your group? They’ll find
plenty of choices. Adventurous appetites? Yes, indeed – this is the
place! I love trying new foods and my biggest problem at Boma is making
sure to save room for dessert. I love the soups and salads (especially
the watermelon rind salad – it’s delish!), then I love the amazing
variety of African-inspired dishes from which to choose. Finally,
the dessert selection, which includes the much-loved Zebra Domes, offers
a wide variety of different confections – sure to please anyone with a
sweet tooth.
Jiko – The Cooking Place:
A bit fancier than Boma, I’d put Jiko on par with the likes of the
California Grill (at Disney’s Contemporary Resort) or the Flying Fish
Café (at The Boardwalk). While there is an extensive kids’ menu, this
is my recommendation for families with older children or couples out for
a romantic evening. The service is excellent and the meal is paced for
enjoying more slowly. If you’re like us and enjoy wine with dinner,
select a bottle with your server’s assistance, or have a pairing with
every course to sample a few different types of African wines. The
artisanal cheese platter is our favorite appetizer here and no
entrée has ever disappointed. Even our picky eater (Joseph) loves
eating at Jiko. (This is a signature dining experience and does have a
dress code – read more
here.)
Sanaa – Designed to recreate the feeling of a spice market, Sanaa (located in the resort’s Kidani Village
area) offers a variety of dishes from chicken, beef, and lamb to fish
and vegetarian selections. Raymond and I will be experiencing our first
dinner at Sanaa in October and cannot wait to try the highly praised
Indian-Style Bread Service appetizer.
If you want an evening away from the parks to relax
and enjoy some excellent food and amazing sights, a visit to the Animal
Kingdom Lodge is an excellent option! It’s also a great way to check
out the resort for a potential place to stay on a future visit to Walt
Disney World.
Have you visited Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge? What are your favorite things to do there?
