Hi Lory,
Welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel!
Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge is one of my favorite resorts. I stayed there recently and loved sitting on our balcony and watching the animal graze.
If you arrive early in the day you can usually check-in but your room will probably not be ready. In that case, I always come prepared to head out to a park. I'm not sure how early you're planning to arrive, but some of the parks do have
Extra Magic Hours where the park is open an hour early or an hour or two later in the evening. Extra Magic Hours are only available to guests staying at a Walt Disney World Resort Hotel which includes you as a guest of Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge. Check the
park hours to see which parks may have Extra Magic Hours when you're visiting.
Parking fees at Walt Disney World Resort Hotels apply to overnight guests of the Hotel. If you drive or rent a car during your vacation, you will be responsible for the parking fees. I have gotten used to using Disney's Magical Express for transportation to and from the airport and using Walt Disney World Transportation during my visit. It's surprising but I don't miss having a car with me.
Lory, thank you for visiting us! I hope you'll let us know if we can help you with any other questions.
Wishing you a magical visit,
Amy H.