Welcome to planDisney, Cassandra!
Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge is my favorite hotel at the Walt Disney World Resort. I've stayed there a couple of times and have made some extraordinary memories there. Everything about it—the theme, the lobby, the music, the smell, the restaurants, the pools, the African wildlife—is magical.
As a fellow parent, I know the importance of ensuring a place for the little Mouseketeer to get some rest. Cassandra, you can very easily
request a complimentary crib at any
Disney Resorts Collection hotel. There are two ways you can do this: 1) When you make your initial reservation, or 2) upon your arrival at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge. Although quantities are limited, I'm sure you'll have no trouble getting one. You'll most likely get a standard-sized Pack 'n Play, although there are a few larger cribs available (subject to availability).
When it comes to checking in, here's some more good news: you are welcome to check in as soon as you arrive at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge. In fact, you can even
check-in before you arrive via the My Disney Experience Mobile App. You don't need to request an early check-in time. What Disney say is that you should expect your room to be ready by 3:00 PM. However, if you check in nice and early, they sometimes have it ready for you even earlier. I've had that happen to me before. If you're using the
My Disney Experience Mobile App, you'll even get a notification when your room is ready for you.
I hope that's helpful, Cassandra! I'm sure you'll have a wonderful trip. Why not get Memory Maker and capture those magical memories forever?
See ya real soon!
Mike