Disney knows how to theme a hotel. With 31 onsite properties to choose from, making a decision isn’t easy. But after my recent stay at Animal Kingdom Lodge during the Zootopia Event, I may be able to help you make that decision not so difficult, for this may be the perfect hotel for your Walt Disney World vacation.
Animal Kingdom Lodge
Imagine waking up in the morning with a view of the African Savannas where over 30 different species, including zebras, giraffes, gazelles, kudu and flamingos roam freely, giving you the closest African safari type of experience without traveling over 6,000 mile to get there.
Staying on Disney property isn’t inexpensive. And the rates staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge is more of a high end property, however, staying onsite at Walt Disney World Resorts isn’t just a hotel stay. Staying at The Animal Kingdom Lodge is an attraction itself. Think about it. You wake up seeing wild animals. You walk the property and it’s beautiful. The African theme carries throughout, even in the restaurants, with food that will take your taste buds on their own little “food safari”. Boma was amazing, and Sanaa is still one of my favorite Orlando restaurants.
And the details of the hotel. I loved the attention to the bright color special hangout spots like the pool, gym and fire pit.
Some of the best benefits of staying onsite at the parks include:
- Disney PhotoPass MagicBands – Like in the title, these MagicBands are well, magical. These secure all-in-one devices allow you to effortlessly access all the fun you’ve planned in your My Disney Experience account. You can use your MagicBand to unlock the door of your Disney Resort hotel room, enter theme and water parks, check in at FastPass+ entrances, connect Disney PhotoPass images to your account, and best of all charge food and merchandise purchases to your Disney Resort hotel room.
- Extra Magic Hours – Each day, select attractions are open longer at one of the theme parks. To see when Extra Magic Hours are offered for each park, view today’s park hours or consult the Times Guide, available from the Lobby Concierge and found in your Welcome Folder received at check-in.
- Magical Express – Start and end your stay with complimentary motorcoach transportation to and from Orlando International Airport and select Walt Disney World Resort hotels, with complimentary luggage delivery.
- Resort Airline Check-in – Guests who fly on a participating airline and stay at select Disney Resort hotels are automatically enrolled in the Resort Airline Check-In service when arriving through Disney’s Magical Express.
I couldn’t imagine a better hotel to be connected to such an amazing event.
The modern mammal metropolis of Zootopia is a city like no other. Comprised of habitat neighborhoods like ritzy Sahara Square and frigid Tundratown, it’s a melting pot where animals from every environment live together—a place where no matter what you are, from the biggest elephant to the smallest shrew, you can be anything.
But when rookie Officer Judy Hopps (voice of Ginnifer Goodwin) arrives, she discovers that being the first bunny on a police force of big, tough animals isn’t so easy. Determined to prove herself, she jumps at the opportunity to crack a case, even if it means partnering with a fast-talking, scam-artist fox, Nick Wilde (voice of Jason Bateman), to solve the mystery.
ZOOTOPIA will be out 3/4/16
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*I was invited to attend the Zootopia Event on behalf of Disney to share my experience with my readers. All opinions are my own.
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My husband worked there a few years ago. It’s a pretty cool place. He was obsessed with finding hidden mickeys.