Welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel, Maria! A stay at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge sounds absolutely wonderful. There are a lot of reasons why it's one of my favorite Resort Hotels, but I think the reason I love it so much is because the food can't be beaten.
Boma - Flavors of Africa is one of my favorite buffets at Walt Disney World Resort, and the Quick-Service dining location,
The Mara, has a really interesting and diverse menu that still has the classic favorites to please even the pickiest palates.
One of my other favorite hidden gem restaurants is
Trail's End Restaurant at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, and it isn't hard to get there at all! The easiest way to get to the restaurant is to use the Lyft app to get a
Minnie Van straight there from Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge because it can drop you off right at Pioneer Hall, but you can also take a complimentary bus from your Resort Hotel to Magic Kingdom Park, and then use the water taxi service from there. After a short boat ride, the dock is really close to Trail's End Restaurant, so there isn't far to walk at all from there.
To answer your second question, you are welcome to rent a golf cart to explore the grounds when you're there. They're really popular, so they can be
booked a year in advance and any unreserved carts are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Have a magical day, Maria!
Jessica