Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge - Jambo House

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is Disney’s version of an African safari lodge, inspired by African architecture, art, wildlife, and cuisine. The six-story, horseshoe-shaped resort is crowned with thatched rooftops and surrounded by three savannas filled with roaming animals, creating one of the most extraordinary resort settings at Walt Disney World.

The five-story, thatch-roofed lobby makes an unforgettable first impression. Chandeliers inspired by Maasai shields and spears tower above boulder-lined floors, while hand-carved coffee tables, handwoven rugs, richly colored rattan and cane chairs, leather sofas, and African textiles fill the seating areas. A rope suspension bridge crosses high above the lobby, drawing the eye toward balconies carved with antelope and a 46-foot picture window framed by the branches of an intricate ironwork tree. The lobby’s centerpiece is a 16-foot Ijele mask created by the Igbo people of Nigeria.

Beyond the lobby, Arusha Rock extends into the savanna, offering panoramic views of the animals. Nearby, rocking chairs surround a fire pit used for evening storytelling. Cultural Representatives from several African countries often roam the resort, sharing stories of their homelands and answering questions about the wildlife, art, and traditions represented at the Lodge.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park is only a short drive away, although there is no walking path between the resort and the park. The animals on the Lodge’s savannas are separate from those at the theme park and can be viewed from public overlooks and many guest-room balconies. Each savanna is home to different species, including giraffes, zebras, gazelles, ankole cattle, wildebeest, and exotic birds.

The resort also holds more than 500 pieces of African art, including intricately carved masks, beadwork, textiles, sculpture, and artifacts dating back thousands of years. Many are museum-quality works, turning the lobby and corridors into galleries in their own right. Tour Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge on the Glass Slipper Concierge YouTube channel.

Accommodations

Guest Rooms

Don’t even consider booking a room without a savanna view. It is well worth every penny to have a front-row seat to the animals from your own balcony. The guest rooms are compact by Disney Deluxe Resort standards, with 344 square feet and limited closet space. Accommodations offer either one king bed or two queen beds, and every room has a balcony.

The décor is warm and distinctive, with honey-toned walls, carved wood furnishings, African-inspired prints, hardwood and porcelain tile flooring, and engraved headboards set against crisp white bedding. Granite slabs built into the wall serve as bedside tables, while a granite-topped bureau, television, small table, and two chairs complete the room. Amenities include a Keurig coffeemaker, beverage cooler, electronic safe, and iron and ironing board upon request.

A sliding barn-style door separates the bathroom area from the bedroom. Two small sinks share a granite vanity with a lighted makeup mirror, while the tub-shower combination and toilet are enclosed separately. The bathroom lighting remains less than ideal, even after the rooms were renovated.

Room views include Resort View rooftops, parking areas, or the resort entrance (a quite noisy location); Water View Rooms overlooking the pool; and Savanna View rooms looking out onto one of the Lodge’s three savannas.

Cara’s Tip: At Animal Kingdom Lodge, I would not book anything but a Savanna View. Watching the animals from your own balcony is what makes staying here extraordinary and is well worth the additional cost. Of the three savannas, the Kudu Trail view facing Kidani Village is my least favorite. I would also avoid Resort View rooms near the front entrance, where buses and cars pass below throughout the day and night. Tour Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge’s Standard View Room on the Glass Slipper Concierge YouTube channel.

Club Level Rooms

Club Level rooms offer savanna views and are located primarily on the fourth and fifth floors. The rooms are the same size as other guest rooms at the resort, but include access to the Kilimanjaro Club on the sixth floor.

Kilimanjaro Club

The Kilimanjaro Club overlooks the soaring lobby and is one of the most distinctive Club Level lounges at Walt Disney World. Breakfast begins with pastries, fruit, yogurt, oatmeal, and other morning favorites, followed by snacks and refreshments in the afternoon. Evening service draws inspiration from the resort’s restaurants, with African specialties, salads, cheeses, and hot dishes substantial enough to make this far more than a quick stop before dinner. Desserts and cordials are served later in the evening.

Wine, beer, soft drinks, coffee, tea, and Nespresso are available during lounge hours. The food, setting, and savanna-view rooms make Club Level especially appealing at Animal Kingdom Lodge. View Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Kilimanjaro Club on the Glass Slipper Concierge YouTube channel.

Suites

Every suite at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge includes access to the Kilimanjaro Club.

One-Bedroom Suites

The 777-square-foot one-bedroom suites offer the rare pleasure of watching the savanna from two private balconies. In the separate living room, a queen-size sleeper sofa and upholstered chair face the television, while a dining table for four provides a comfortable spot for breakfast or an evening meal. The suite also includes a wet bar with a small refrigerator and microwave, a writing desk, and a half bathroom.

The bedroom has two queen beds, a television, a vanity desk, and a second balcony overlooking the animals. The spacious bathroom includes two sinks, a soaking tub, a separate shower, and an enclosed toilet. These suites sleep up to six guests

Two-Bedroom Suites

The two-bedroom suites sleep up to eight guests and are a far more comfortable choice for a larger family. The living room follows the same layout as the one-bedroom suite, with a queen-size sleeper sofa, an upholstered chair, a dining table for four, a wet bar, a writing desk, a half bathroom, and a balcony.

The primary bedroom has a king bed, an easy chair with an ottoman, a vanity, and a private bathroom with two sinks, a soaking tub, a separate shower, and an enclosed toilet. The second bedroom has either two queen beds or one queen bed with bunk beds, along with its own bathroom and a separate entrance from the foyer. These suites have garden views rather than savanna views, regardless of Disney's room description. One or two might see the back part of the savanna, but don't be disappointed if not. 

Royal Assante Presidential Suite

The Royal Assante Presidential Suite commands a panoramic view of the central savanna from the fifth floor. With more than 2,115 square feet, two bedrooms, and two and a half bathrooms, it is filled with carved wood, African textiles and artwork, stone floors, and a dramatic thatched ceiling. In the dining room, a table made from a single tree trunk seats eight, while the circular living room centers on a rock fireplace surrounded by a curved sofa and carved chairs.

The primary bedroom has a king bed framed by an imposing tree-trunk headboard, an oversized sofa, a television, a second sitting area, a vanity, and a walk-in closet. Its bathroom includes a freestanding soaking tub, two sinks, a separate vanity, a large shower, and an enclosed toilet with a Toto Washlet. The second bedroom has two queen beds and its own bathroom with two sinks and a shower.

A deep balcony stretches along the bedrooms and dining room, with outdoor dining and sweeping views of the animals below. The suite also includes a television room that doubles as an office, a half bathroom, and a service kitchen with a separate entrance, beverage cooler, sink, ice maker, microwave, Keurig, and espresso machine.

Royal Kuba Vice Presidential Suite

The 1,619-square-foot Royal Kuba Vice Presidential Suite brings much of the character of the Presidential Suite into a somewhat smaller layout. Located on the fifth floor, it has two bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms, a thatched ceiling, carved furnishings, African artwork and textiles, and savanna views from a long private balcony.

The primary bedroom has a king bed, sitting area, vanity, walk-in closet, and a large bathroom with a freestanding soaking tub, two sinks, a separate shower, and an enclosed toilet. The second bedroom has two queen beds and its own bathroom. A spacious living room, dining area, service kitchen, and fresh floral arrangements throughout complete the suite.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas - Jambo House

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Jambo House occupies portions of the fifth and sixth floors of Animal Kingdom Lodge, placing the villas within the resort’s dramatic main building and close to its restaurants, lobby, and public savanna overlooks. Accommodations range from studios to one-, two-, and three-bedroom villas, with select categories offering savanna views.

The villas carry the Lodge’s rich African influence into the interiors through carved wood, patterned fabrics, warm earth tones, and artwork. Studios work well for two guests or a small family, while the larger villas add full kitchens, separate living areas, and in-room laundry.

Deluxe Studios

Deluxe Studios range from 316 to 365 square feet and sleep up to four guests in one queen bed and a double-size sleeper sofa or a queen-size pull-down bed. Carved wood furnishings, richly patterned fabrics, and warm earth tones give the studios the same African-inspired character found throughout the Lodge.

A small dining table with chairs, a bureau with a television, an armoire-style closet, and a private balcony complete the main room. The kitchenette includes a microwave, sink, and small refrigerator. In the bathroom, the tub-shower combination and toilet are separated from the vanity with two sinks. 

One-Bedroom Villas

One-bedroom villas range from 629 to 710 square feet and sleep up to five guests. The living room has a queen-size sleeper sofa and an oversized twin sleeper chair, although the smaller Value villas omit the sleeper chair. Carved wood furnishings, patterned upholstery, and deep earth tones continue the Lodge’s African-inspired décor. A dining table with a bench and two chairs sits beside the full kitchen, which includes a stove, refrigerator, dishwasher, microwave, sink, and island.

The bedroom has a king bed, a bureau with a television, an armoire, a writing desk, and a private balcony. In the bathroom, two sinks are set into a granite vanity, while a whirlpool tub is backed by a colorful Lion King sunset mural. A separate shower, an enclosed toilet, a second balcony off the living room, and a stacked washer and dryer are also included.

Two-Bedroom Villas

Two-bedroom villas combine a one-bedroom villa with a connecting Deluxe Studio, creating 945 to 1,075 square feet of living space for up to nine guests. The layout includes a king bedroom, a second bedroom with one queen bed and a double-size sleeper sofa, two full bathrooms, a full kitchen, a separate living and dining area, a washer and dryer, and multiple balconies. Tour Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas - Jambo House Two-bedroom Villa on the Glass Slipper Concierge YouTube channel.

Three-Bedroom Grand Villas

Only six three-bedroom Grand Villas are found at Jambo House, each near the end of a resort wing. Unlike the two-story Grand Villas at Kidani Village, these 2,349-square-foot villas are arranged on a single level and sleep up to twelve guests. The living room has a queen-size sleeper sofa, two upholstered chairs, and an entertainment armoire, while the adjoining dining table seats ten. The full kitchen includes granite countertops and full-size appliances. Three balconies extend from the living and dining area, the primary bedroom, and the two guest bedrooms.

The primary bedroom has a king bed, an entertainment center, a writing desk, and a bathroom with two sinks, a whirlpool tub, a separate shower, an oversized television, and an enclosed toilet. Each guest bedroom has two queen beds and its own bathroom. A half bathroom, washer and dryer, and a private game room with a pool table complete one of the most unusual Grand Villa layouts at Walt Disney World.

Plan Your Stay at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge

The difference between waking to giraffes outside your balcony and overlooking the resort entrance begins with choosing the right room. Glass Slipper Concierge advisors know Animal Kingdom Lodge firsthand and can help you compare savanna views, Club Level rooms, suites, and villas to find the accommodation that makes the most of this extraordinary resort.

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