Hi Carla - you will love the Animal Kingdom Lodge! Last year, I went with my husband, 3-year old daughter, and 1-year old son, and we absolutely loved it!
The Animal Kingdom Lodge is actually not too large, so no matter where you are, you won't be too far from anything. The animals do roam around quite a bit, and when we first arrived, there were no animals in the savanna we overlooked. However, within a few minutes there were many different animals to see, including a baby giraffe. I'd recommend walking around the resort to see everything - it's really beautiful.
As for your room preference, you may want to request the Zebra Trail. That's where we stayed, and it was close to the pool as well as the restaurants and the bus stop. To request a specific room location, follow step 3 of Bret's post
HERE.
Have fun, and take lots of pictures!