Hello, Lisa!
Oh my goodness, you are in for such a treat when you first step through those doors of Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge! Prepare to be amazed at just about every turn as Imagineers really outdid themselves when they designed this breathtaking property!
When we stayed there last September, the Primal Parade, which met at Zawadi Marketplace, began at 8:15 each night. Just to be sure that you are finished your meal with a comfortable amount of time between dinner and the parade, I'd reserve your dinner for 5 or 6 p.m. Because Boma is a buffet, once you are seated, you can be finished your meal rather quickly, should you choose to do so. We tend to linger over dinner at Boma for about an hour; however, we've often had to wait quite awhile for a table, despite having reservations...it's a very popular restaurant! Call (407) WDW-DINE or go
Disney's online Dining Reservation page for a reservation that fits your schedule.
Another recommendation is to take one morning or afternoon and head over to Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas-Kidani Village. Samawati Springs pool is smaller than that at Jambo, but the adjacent Uwanja Camp, "an animal observation site-themed water playground" will have your little ones splashing and playing for hours. It's a great place for kids to play and cool down! (Look for signs at Jambo House's bus stop which will inform you of the quickest way to get there; the ride is literally 1 minute long. To get back to Jambo House from Kidani, just board any WDW theme park bus, as the first stop from Kidani is Jambo House.)
Have a wonderful trip! Be sure to send more questions as you think of them; we love to help!