Hi Patti-Anne,
You have some great plans!
Disney's Art of Animation Resort is amazing. The theme of being immersed in animation is so well done. My family and I love a meal at
Boma - Flavors of Africa. I enjoy being able to taste all of the different flavors of African fare, and because it is a buffet, more finicky eaters can try little bites to see what they enjoy.
I have good news for you. Because Boma - Flavors of Africa is located in Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, which is a resort as opposed to a theme park, you will not need to use theme park admission to get to it. Also, you can absolutely use complimentary Disney transportation to get there. Going from resort to resort will require a transfer of bus since Disney buses do not run directly between resorts. I suggest that you take a bus from Disney's Art of Animation Resort to Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park - do not worry, you do not have to use theme park admission at this point. Then hop off the bus and go to the bus stop for Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, which will be a short bus ride. This will be simple, but will take a while. The other option is to take a taxi. You would of course need to pay for a taxi; however, it will get you there quickly and directly. Simply ask a cast member in the lobby of Disney's Art of Animation to help you get a taxi if you want to do this.
I hope that this information is helpful for you, Patti-Anne! Have a wonderful time planning your vacation, and please do not hesitate to ask if you have any further questions.