Hosted: Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge & Earth Day Celebration
Hey guys! Happy EARTH DAY! I am beyond excited to share with you our most recent hosted stay! My family was invited by Disney Parks to celebrate Earth Month at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park (#HostedByDisney) and we were treated to a spectacular VIP experience alongside a few other content creators and their families! During this experience we learned about all of the fabulous ways Walt Disney’s Animal Kingdom celebrates Earth Month with various limited time offerings!
Food & drink 🍃 Don’t miss out on the special food and drink offerings happening for Earth month! We absolutely LOVED eating at Tiffins within Disney’s Animal Kingdom and experiencing their menu for Earth month! Did you know that a lot of the delicious vegetables they serve, including their butter lettuce is grown at The Land Pavillion in EPCOT? You can also find a fabulous foodie guide for Earth Month on the Disney Parks blog!
Animation Experience🍃 Now through 4/30 you can learn to draw your favorite movie characters that are all linked to Disney Conservation efforts! From Terk in Tarzan to Dumbo, Bruce the shark from Finding Nemo and SO MANY MORE of your favorites! You won’t want to miss out on this fun and educational opportunity for Earth Month located within the Conservation Station at Rafiki’s Planet watch!
Wilderness Explorer Badges & Character Experiences🍃 4/21-4/28 There will be special character sightings in the floatillas at Disney’s Animal Kingdom as well as other special character meet & greets! There will also be special Wilderness Explorer badges available for Earth Month located just outside of the Conservation Station at Rafiki’s Planet watch!
Other magical extras for Earth Month🍃 Don’t pass up on booking a “Caring for Giants” tour to see brand new baby Corra and learn about her family and how Disney cares for these spectacular gentle giants. There are also special photo opportunities with the PhotoPass photographers for Earth Month you won’t want to miss! 🌎
In addition to being treated to a fabulous day at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme park to learn about Disney’s dedicated efforts to the preservation of wild populations throughout the world, we were hosted at the Animal Kingdom Lodge for a night! We were so thrilled at the opportunity to stay at this property that we even added on a second night (which we paid for, but who cares, right?). Let’s dive into the details of this spectacular Deluxe Resort property, shall we?
[Property descriptions & details below are taken directly from the disneyworld.disney.go.com Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge page]
Resort Overview:
Step into the heart of Africa at this magnificent Resort hotel. Inspired by the traditional African kraal, the horseshoe-curved design provides spectacular views of 4 lush savannas that over 200 hoofed animals and birds call home. Delight in dazzling pool areas, exciting animal programs and one of the largest collections of African art in the United States as you experience your own African safari adventure with a touch of Disney magic.
Discover over 30 species of African wildlife, including zebras, giraffes, gazelles, kudu and flamingos. Identify each species with a Wildlife Field Guide (found in your Guest Room, with extras available from the Front desk), and learn more about African animals and ecosystems during fun programs led by Animal Specialists.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge serves award-winning, African-inspired specialties and classic American favorites for breakfast, lunch and dinner, amid a lush, wildlife preserve. This property is home to nine different restaurants and lounges, providing plenty of options for everyone in your visiting party!
Enjoy a mouthwatering buffet dinner at BOMA- Flavors of Africa and then enjoy a night cap at Victoria Falls with a totally chill and relaxed atmosphere to wrap up your eventful day like I did! It was perfect!
Accommodations available at this property:
Choose from a wide array of accommodations, from rooms and suites—some offering Concierge service—to home-like options in the villa section of the Resort. All room types share the same Resort amenities, including pools, dining and recreation.
Room types offered at this Resort:
Rooms and Suites (sleep up to 4 adults)
Rooms and Suites with Club-Level Service (sleep up to 8 adults)
Deluxe Studios (sleep up to 4 adults)
Deluxe Studios with Club-Level Service (sleep up to 4 adults)
1-, 2- and 3-Bedroom Villas (sleep up to 12 adults)
Villas with Club-Level Service (sleeps up to 5 adults)
For our stay we were in a “Savanna View Room” with two queen-sized beds in JAMBO House! We were super close to the main lobby, which we LOVED and also on the same floor as the lobby, so no elevators or stairs were required. Check out our room and peep that SPECTACULAR Savanna view!:
Also included in our room was “Hey Disney!” on an Alexa device. This Disney Magical Companion will…
Wake you with a message from Mickey Mouse and pals
Order you more towels
Tell you jokes, play you stories or host a game of Disney trivia
Bring you into the worlds of favorite Disney, Pixar, Star Wars and The Muppets for interactive experiences
Recreational Activities Offered at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge:
Hakuna Matata Playground: Kids can monkey around at this playground overlooking the flamingo area and savanna, which was perfect after a long day spent at Animal Kingdom Theme Park and then swimming in the Uzima Springs pool!
Pumbaa’s Fun and Games Arcade: Conquer classic arcade games and popular video games at this arcade near The Mara café.
Uzima Springs Pool: Go for a dip in the enchanting Uzima Springs Pool, an 11,000-square-foot tropical oasis facing Uzima Savanna. Surrounded by large canopy trees and Floridian palms, the 234,980-gallon pool features a gently sloping, zero-depth entry point similar to that of a natural beach, along with a 67-foot-long waterslide. Nearby, a lounge and bar offer refreshments and snacks. This pool area also hosts Movies Under the Stars where you can watch your favorite Disney films in the fresh evening air.
Samawati Springs Pool: Make a splash at the Samawati Springs Pool—located just a short walk away at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Kidani! Featuring an exciting 128-foot waterslide and zero-depth-entry, this 4,700-square-foot, 118,138-gallon pool is the perfect place to cool off and have fun. Nearby, a lounge and bar offer refreshments and snacks.
Uwanja Camp: The pool area also includes Uwanja Camp, a water playground with 3 distinct zones to please kids of all ages. At Observation Station, children 4 years of age and younger can climb through cargo crates, unscramble animal images and frolic through a gently bubbling geyser and shallow cistern pool—while their parents watch from nearby. At Departure Zone, a leaky water tower and sneaky African irises squirt children 5 to 7 years of age, while at Base Camp, kids 8 years of age and up can douse each other with water cannons.
Poolside activities at both areas include family-friendly activities each day, like themed pool parties and other cool activities like relays, trivia and more!
Jambo House Campfire Activities: Gather ‘round as the sun goes down for old-fashioned family fun as you roast marshmallows by a crackling fire. Campfire ‘smores kits are available to purchase and roast 365 days per year and weather-permitting! We LOVED the cute little Mickey graham cookies! They were cute AND delicious!
Wild About Painting at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge: Reconnect with your inner artist and let your creative spirit run free. Take inspiration from the natural beauty of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge as you paint your very own masterpiece. When you’re done, you’ll have a colorful keepsake to take home!
When & Where: This experience takes place at Jiko – The Cooking Place on Wednesdays from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM. Registration opens at 12:45 PM and is $35 per person, plus tax (prices are subject to change).
Additional recreations include: Zahanati Massage & Fitness Center as well as locker rentals near the Uzima pool area.
Resort Amenities include:
In-room floral & gifts, complimentary bus transportation, Minnie Van TM Service, complimentary WiFi Internet, self-parking as well as valet parking, online check-in, ATM, mail services, laundry & dry cleaning services, housekeeping, designated smoking areas, Club Level Concierge, Disney Signature Services.
In a nutshell, this resort is absolutely FABULOUS and one to definitely add to your bucket list of WDW properties to stay at, at least once! With a variety of complementary amenities and fabulous recreational activities, you are guaranteed to enjoy your time spent here!
A HUGE thank you to @disneyparks and @waltdisneyworld for #hosting my family for this beautiful Earth Day celebration! We couldn’t be more grateful or appreciative to experience Disney Magic that emphasizes bettering the world we all share! 💓🌎🍃
Until next time!
XO, Nikki
