Hey howdy hey John and welcome to planDisney!
Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge has so much to look forward to, it truly is a destination itself and I would make sure to plan at least one day to experience all that the resort has to offer. From the beauty that the views of the Savana have to offer, all of the variety of the wildlife you will be able to see, the pools and of course the food, there are so many benefits of staying at this resort! My girls loved walking down the halls and taking breaks at the viewing areas to see all the different animals in each place. My wife and I absolutely loved eating at
Sanna. Such great food, the bread service alone is worth a trip to Kidani Village! If you do decide to eat there, make sure at check-in to ask for a Savanna view. You might end up with front row seating along the glass right next to the savanna. My girls still talk about that to this day!
So this resort is quite large and has two distinct areas, Kidani Village and Jambo House where you can book rooms at either place. When you booked your room, if you did not specifically pick which area you wanted, most often you will be placed in Jambo House as Kidani Village is mostly reserved for Disney Vacation Club members. The easiest way to check which one you will be staying at is by logging on to your
My Disney Experience account. Go under the "My Plans, Reservations and Tickets" section and you should see your hotel reservation at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge in big bold letters. Underneath the name of the resort, you should see which area you will be staying in, either Kidani Village or Jambo House. Depending on your preference, if you are staying in one area but want the other, you can
call Disney directly at (407) 939-1936 and ask a Cast Member to have your reservation switched. As long as there is availability, they are usually able to accommodate your requests.
One big tip, when you check-in to your resort, ask the Casts Member about the nocturnal viewing of the Savanna. Most nights, there will be Cast Members stationed at the main viewing area with night vision goggles that you will be able to see the animals through. Such a really cool and unique experience that you won't be able to get anywhere else!
Good luck with your continued planning, it sounds like you all will be having so much fun staying at a resort like no other at Animal Kingdom Lodge. If you have any further questions let us know, we love talking about all things Disney!
Happy planning,
Nick