Animal Kimgdom lodge - view of animals?

[TracyJWM]

Any of the restaurants have views with the animals (preferably QS)?

My daughter loves zebras but we heard they moved them from the safari. Was hoping to get her to see one!

TY!

 

[orangefan15]

Perhaps good news for you, but it appears the zebras may be back on the safari. I saw them while there the week of July 4th, they were in the area where white rhinos are sometimes seen (around the bend from where you first see the white rhinos by their mud pit). Not sure if that is permanent or I just got lucky that week.

At Jambo House, the quick service is Mara which I can highly recommend, but alas it has a view of the pool area, not the animals. The food is excellent and offers a good opportunity to branch out into some non-standard options. The african stew served over rice is excellent, as is the chicken flatbread which has african sauces instead of your typical tomato sauce. I also highly recommend the Boma buffet (sit down), but it doesn't offer a savannah view either.

Up at Kidani Village is Sanaa, that does have some tables with views of the Savannah, but you have no guarantees of getting a table by the window (I've never been lucky enough to get one). This is a table service restaurant, not a quick serve, but the food was good (indian influenced, but not very spicy), although a bit overpriced for the quantity IMHO.

Why not just visit AKL and look around? You don't have to have a meal there to see the animals, although you could grab a meal at the Mara before or after looking around. Jambo House has multiple savannah overlooks outside (the main ones being out the "back" of the lobby and past the pool area) as well as indoor viewing areas throughout many of the hotel hallways.

Good luck in your quest for zebras!

 

[minnie mum]

Why not just visit AKL and look around? You don't have to have a meal there to see the animals, although you could grab a meal at the Mara before or after looking around. Jambo House has multiple savannah overlooks outside (the main ones being out the "back" of the lobby and past the pool area) as well as indoor viewing areas throughout many of the hotel hallways.

Good luck in your quest for zebras!

This is a very good recommendation.

 

[TDC Nala]

Sorry, but only Sanaa at the Animal Kingdom Villas has a view of the animals (excluding humans and Florida native birds) from the restaurant. Sanaa is table service, not counter service, and is open for lunch and dinner.

All the restaurants at Jambo House are situated in the pool area and none have savanna views.

 

[lugnut33]

Sanaa is a beautiful restaurant.

 

[TracyJWM]

Thank you all!

It's my 1st time to AK - Is it a feasible/good option to go to AK for our ADR at Tusker at 9, spend the day there, leave at 4pm or so & take a bus to AKL, eat a QS dinner there & explore (to hopefully see zebras and appease my 3 year old!), and then go to WL for the C&D campfire? I don't know the time it takes to get btw the AKL & WL...

This may be too much - the other days we plan on afternoons at the pool while my daughter unwinds a bit & then head back - but hard to do on AK day since it closes early.

 

[juliebug1997]

It's my 1st time to AK - Is it a feasible/good option to go to AK for our ADR at Tusker at 9, spend the day there, leave at 4pm or so & take a bus to AKL, eat a QS dinner there & explore (to hopefully see zebras and appease my 3 year old!), and then go to WL for the C&D campfire? I don't know the time it takes to get btw the AKL & WL...

You would either have to take a bus back to a park and then on to Fort Wilderness (not at WL) or you can catch a cab straight to FW and save some time.

 

[Hopefully]

Thank you all!

It's my 1st time to AK - Is it a feasible/good option to go to AK for our ADR at Tusker at 9, spend the day there, leave at 4pm or so & take a bus to AKL, eat a QS dinner there & explore (to hopefully see zebras and appease my 3 year old!), and then go to WL for the C&D campfire? I don't know the time it takes to get btw the AKL & WL...

This may be too much - the other days we plan on afternoons at the pool while my daughter unwinds a bit & then head back - but hard to do on AK day since it closes early.

I think this is ambitious with a 3 yo in tow, but you know her tolerance best.
I have read that the zebras have been re-introduced to the Safari savanah permanently. Hopefully she will see them on the Safari ride in AK.
Getting between AKL to Fort Wilderness (not the Wilderness Lodge these are 2 different places) is hard using Disney transportation. You would need to take a bus to an open park and transfer to the Fort Wilderness bus/boat or take a bus to DTD and take the Fort Wilderness bus (very slow option) or take a cab to Fort Wilderness. The cab would drop you off at the Reception Outpost and from there you would have to take an internal FW bus to the camp fire location.
Good Luck.

 

[geek+nerd]

The zebras are definitely back on the safari! A CM safari driver told us that they were removed originally because they were extremely territorial.

 

[TracyJWM]

THANK YOU ALL!

As long as we see them at the safari, I'm fine with skipping a visit to see them at the hotel (thank you for the correction!).

I think then we'll play it by ear whether we go to the hotel or campfire - I do agree that all three will be too much for her (and probably us too!).

 

[KodakFigment]

If they are back on the safari and stay there you have a great plan. If they are moved again (because of their aggressiveness) plan on going to the viewing area at Kidani not Jambo. The zebras are more often found on the savanna that circles the viewing area at Kidani because of the feeding stations positioned there. Even when they are on the Jambo savannas, they are often far away.

 

[TracyJWM]

If they are back on the safari and stay there you have a great plan. If they are moved again (because of their aggressiveness) plan on going to the viewing area at Kidani not Jambo. The zebras are more often found on the savanna that circles the viewing area at Kidani because of the feeding stations positioned there. Even when they are on the Jambo savannas, they are often far away.

I appreciate it so much! What 3 year old going to Disney wants to see zebras the most for her birthday? Looks like we'll be on the ultimate safari quest, lol.

TY for the tips

Best!