Hi Leigh,
I am excited to see that you will be making your way over to
Sanaa on your upcoming vacation! It is such an amazing restaurant. The view, food, and atmosphere completely transport you to the African savanna.
If you are taking the bus transportation from a theme park to the
Animal Kingdom Lodge, the bus will stop at both
Kidani Village and
Jambo House. Make sure to hop off at the Kidani Village stop if you are headed over to Sanaa. Once you arrive, check-in at the desk and let them know you would like a savanna view seat. They will try their hardest to get you a view but you may have to wait a little bit longer past your reservation time. If that is a top priority for you then I would wait. If you are willing to wait you can almost always guarantee a seat by the windows. I would caution you that if it is already dark when you sit down to eat, you will not be able to see much out of the windows. A 5:25 PM reservation should be early enough to still spot wild life for the duration of your dinner!
Sanaa offers two beautiful waiting locations that feature plenty of entertainment options. You can pop into the Sanaa Lounge and grab a drink. My favorite is the Malawi Mango Margarita! You can also head outside and sit in one of the fireside rocking chairs overlooking the savanna. There is normally an animal expert out there who will help you spot animals and talk to you about their care. Both are fabulous options and sometimes I head to Sanaa just to grab an appetizer and drink in the lounge and then head out to chill by the fire.
Once you get seated, no meal at Sanaa is complete without ordering the Indian-style Bread Service. This is one of the best things to eat at Disney World. It comes with naan bread and several dipping accompaniments. Trying each of them is an adventure on its own.
Happy Planning
Jenna