Jambo, Jennifer! Welcome to planDisney!
I love that you are planning your Disney World vacation for next winter, so you can get that magical countdown started. Woo hoo! Disney's Animal Kingdom Resort is breathtaking, and probably my family's favorite because of it's immersive African theming and live animals on the savannah. Even when we are not staying there, we often plan an evening dining at the delicious
Boma ~ Flavors of Africa buffet and strolling on the patio to view giraffes. It's such a wonderful experience!
There are lots of great options for Disney Resort rooms that can sleep 5 guests, typically with 2 queen beds, plus a pull-down day bed. Unfortunately,
Animal Kingdom Lodge Standard Rooms and Studios can only sleep 4 guests. If you have your heart set on this resort, you would need to reserve one of the 1 Bedroom Villas which can sleep 5 guests.
One way to determine which resorts will work for your party, is to play with the
Build Your Vacation search tool at the top of the Walt Disney World site. After entering your dates and that you'll be traveling with three kids, the search results it displays should all be rooms which can accommodate your family. My top recommendation in the Deluxe category with a 5th sleeper bed would be the
Polynesian Resort for it's tropical atmosphere, monorail access, and close proximity to Magic Kingdom. And my family's absolute favorite resort in the Moderate category that sleeps 5 is
Disney's Caribbean Beach, or the "Poly Lite" as I like to call it. It also has gorgeous tropical grounds, plus an awesome pirate fort pool, and access to the
Disney Skyliner.
If you don't end up staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge, I highly encourage you to make an
advance dining reservation at Boma and enjoy an evening there! We often plan this on the day we expect to visit Animal Kingdom park, due to its close proximity. Make sure you arrive when there is enough daylight to enjoy the animals on the savannah!
I hope this helps you plan, Jennifer. You really can't go wrong staying at any of the wonderful Disney Resorts, and being immersed in the magic during your entire stay. Please
swing by planDisney and visit me with any additional questions you may have... I'd love to sprinkle some pixie-dust on your 2026 vacation!
Magical adventures await,
Tami