Hello there Tara, it's great to welcome you back here at planDisney!
It looks like you might already be here in Orlando, so I'm happy to hop on and help you prepare for what could very well be the most delicious meal you'll have at Walt Disney World Resort! I only say this as a repeat fan of
dining at Boma and enjoying
its array of dishes and menu offerings for dinner, from the sizzle of grilled meats on one end and the promise of delightful unlimited Zebra Domes for dessert on the other end. As far as getting there and back, there are in fact a few things you'll want to be aware of:
- At Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, you'll be required to pass by a security booth at the entrance to the property, where the Cast Members there may request your information to confirm whether you have a valid dining reservation. At the current time, standard self-parking is still complimentary for guests arriving to dine at Boma and perhaps check out this incredibly-themed Disney Resort Hotel and its stunning savanna viewing areas before or after your meal.
- Walt Disney World Resort Parking and Security Cast Members have been observed to be increasingly strict in deterring guests looking to leave their vehicles at the Disney Resort Hotels in order to gain access to the theme parks without paying for parking, which also puts a strain on available spaces for the folks and families who are actually staying at these locations. Though policies may be subject to change without prior notice, many dining guests in recent years have been subject to a three-hour parking limitation at select resorts which can be imposed at any time - but notably during the busiest times of the year.
- If you're spending your day at Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park, some families choose to park there instead and take advantage of the complimentary bus transportation to get to and from Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge but ultimately I recommend speaking with the Cast Members as you arrive for your reservation and letting them know what your plans are, so that they can best advise your options based on their most updated policies.
Some of my biggest tips for any first-timers dining at Boma include aiming for dinner as opposed to breakfast, just for the wider variety of options available; soft drinks and select beverages are included and we always opt for what your server may refer to as "Jungle Juice" - a blend of passion fruit, orange and guava more commonly known as POG juice. The different sections of the buffet are set up in various stations, and our server let us know that a lot of first-time guests will spend a lot of time waiting at one end, when you can really pop in to any of the other stations out of order as there isn't necessarily just one traditional line. (From what I observed, this tends to come in waves where it gets quite busy for a few minutes and then emptier when those folks are seated again, so try your best to avoid getting up at the same time as everyone else!)
Here's to some fantastic feasting this week!
Prince