Hi Lynn,
Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge is a beautiful place to spend a day at Disney World. The food at this resort is delicious and the savanna is a relaxing place to hang out and watch the animals. Keep in mind that if you are not a resort guest, you will not be able to access amenities like the pool.
You are only able to park at a Disney Resort Hotel if you are a guest of that resort or you have an advanced dining reservation at one of the restaurants located at that hotel. If you are looking to grab a bit to eat and spend some time exploring the resort, I would secure a reservation for lunch or dinner at
Sanaa. This restaurant is located right on the savanna and has some of the most unique and delicious options at Disney World. I make my way to this restaurant almost every time I visit Disney World just for the Indian-style Bread Service and a Sunset Margarita. The Indian-style Bread Service comes with 5 types of naan and 9 different sauces to dip them in. It is worth a trip to Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge on its own!
If you do not have an advanced dining reservation, you will need to park at Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park. From there you can take the bus directly to Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge. There are two stops at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, so make sure you know if you want to get off at
Kidani Village or
Jambo House before you hop on the bus. You can take
bus transportation from any of the Disney theme parks or Disney Springs directly to Animal Kingdom Lodge, but I think Disney's Animal Kingdom parking lot is the best option because it is super close and the buses run continuously.
Happy Planning,
Jenna