We love Animal Kingdom Lodge. The atmosphere, the theming, the animals, the whole vibe is just perfect. So when we had the opportunity to stay there again, we were beyond excited. This time, we were lucky enough to be able to score a club-level room at Animal Kingdom Lodge. Here are all the details!
Contents
Animal Kingdom Lodge
Animal Kingdom Lodge is a deluxe resort at Walt Disney World. It is also home to two sets of Disney Vacation Club rooms. Some are located at Jambo House while the others are at Kidani Village. For the purposes of this post, we will be talking about Jambo House, since that is where Kilimanjaro Club is located at Animal Kingdom Lodge.
Animal Kingdom Lodge is the perfect place for a staycation. Between animal watching on the savanna, roasting marshmallows for s’mores, viewing all of the beautiful art and just taking in the ambiance, it’s the perfect Walt Disney World resort for when you just don’t want to go to the Parks. There’s so much to do. And even if you choose to do nothing, this is the perfect place for that too. So having club-level access here just makes sense!
What is Club Level access at Animal Kingdom Lodge?
Club Level access at Animal Kingdom Lodge is a type of room stay. By reserving a club-level room at any Walt Disney World resort, you are given extras to make your stay more comfortable. This includes access to Animal Kingdom Lodge’s Club Lounge, and Kilimanjaro Club. You’ll also get access to concierge staff, who are just wonderful. In the lounge, snacks are provided throughout the day, along with coffee, alcohol, movies, comfortable seating areas and more. All of this is included in the cost of your room. So while it’s not technically free, you don’t pay anything extra for it once you’re there.
The lounge overlooks the lobby and has a great view of the stunning details of this resort.
Kilimanjaro Club at Animal Kingdom Lodge
Club Level access has been on our bucket list for a while. We really wanted to see what this was all about! And of course, if it’s worth the cost. Kilimanjaro Club is located on the 5th floor of Jambo House. It can only be accessed by those who have a reservation for club-level access. The fifth floor is actually completely blocked off to other guests. Even the elevator requires you to scan your magic band before it will take you to the fifth level. Once inside the lounge, you don’t really need to do anything else.
You’re welcome to help yourself to snacks and beverages that are out. And if you’d like an alcoholic beverage, the staff will get you beer, wine and occasionally other alcoholic beverages upon request.
What is served inside Kilimanjaro Club at Animal Kingdom Lodge?
There are currently four serving periods at Kilimanjaro Club. This is slightly different than what I have heard was available prior to covid, so just something to keep in mind if you’re planning to book club-level access here. During all times of the day, you can find an assortment of drinks like lemonade, coffee from the Nespresso maker, hot teas and alcoholic drinks.
Food at Kilimanjaro Club
Miamko, or Adventurous Awakenings, is served from 7am-10:30am. This is considered the breakfast period; and you’ll find pastries, muffins, meats and cheeses and a hot station. Hard boiled eggs and smoked salmon are also available for those who need a bit more protein. The hot station switches up what they serve and during our stay there was French Toast Bread Pudding, along with bacon and a bagel station. POG juice is also served during this mealtime. And we do have to say it’s quite a treat for those familiar with the drink!
Vitafunio, Safari Snacks, is served from 11:30am-4:00pm. This is much what it sounds like. Mostly snacks, there are grab and go options too. Things like bags of chips and animal crackers that can be taken with you to your room or to the Parks. Pastries are also available and uncrustables seemed to be a popular choice here as well. Cookies were a staple at this snack service, and they always kept the trays full of them.
Kisikusiku, Twilight Offerings, is served from 5:00-7:00pm. Appetizers are mostly served during this time. And we noticed this was also the busiest time to be in the lounge. Many people liked to stop up here for before dinner drinks and snacks. Veggies and hummus can be found at this serving. And other small items like chickpea salad and shrimp with pasta are also available.
Rehema, Evening Indulgences, is the last serving period and runs from 8:00-10:00pm. Dessert foods are traditionally served during this time. Cookies, bite sized cakes and tarts are available. There is also a liqueur tasting available during Rehema, and this is self serve. You can also get Mickey bars and ice cream sandwiches at this time.
Savanna View Rooms at Animal Kingdom Lodge
Kilimanjaro Club Level access can be booked with a variety of room types. Savanna View rooms, Standard and Savanna view 1 bedroom suites and 2 bedroom suites are all offered with club level access available. Savanna view rooms are the only traditional room type offered with club-level access, so keep that in mind when you go to book your trip.
The Savanna View rooms are the coolest rooms at Animal Kingdom Lodge, and also the most expensive outside of the suites. They have balconies that face the Savanna and waking up to animals roaming outside of your room is truly magical if you’re an animal lover. And yes, they are more expensive but many fans of this resort will argue that it is well worth the upcharge.
We’ve stayed in the standard rooms at Animal Kingdom Lodge before and got very lucky with a partial view. But you’re not always guaranteed a view of any kind with standard rooms and could very well get a view of the parking lot. So if you want to see the animals from your room, you’ll have to reserve a Savanna view room anyway. We like to note this because it does make the sticker shock of club-level access much less when you realize that the Savanna rooms are already quite expensive.
How much does it cost to stay club level at Animal Kingdom Lodge?
This always depends on availability and season. But at the time of writing this post, you can expect to pay at least $700 per night, plus tax, with rates topping out around $928ish. Or, you can reserve a 1 bedroom villa with club-level access with prices starting in the low $900’s and reaching well over $1000 per night. Keep in mind, these prices change a lot and you can even sometimes score a deal if they have rooms they can’t fill. It never hurts to check if club level rooms are included in Walt Disney World’s promotions.
The upcharge on Club Level access varies based on the season. During the value season, the upcharge is generally right around $160-$170 per night. During the regular season, its around $185, and during high season and special holidays, it’s about $225.
Is Club Level at Animal Kingdom Lodge worth the price?
It depends! “Value” is always tough for us to give a definitive yes or no answer, so let’s break this down.
If you’re traveling with a larger party, then yes this could absolutely be worth it if it means that you don’t have to spend as much money on food. If you would normally spend a reasonable amount on alcohol, then again, this could be a great deal. And, if you plan to spend a lot of time at the resort, then we do think this could be a good deal. However, if you plan to spend most of your time at the Parks, this will likely not pay off in terms of monetary value. And if you’re a single person, again this likely won’t be a great value where cost is concerned. You’d have to eat and drink a lot to make it worth it.
We didn’t personally think the food served could replace full meals, but that really depends on what and how much you’d normally eat. So try to keep in mind that you may not necessarily be saving as much on food cost as you’d like.
Other perks of Club Level Access at Animal Kingdom Lodge
Of course, not everything is about money. And this experience can lend value in other ways. When you first arrive, even if your room is not ready, you will have access to the lounge. For those who have had long travel days, you know how nice it is to be able to find a comfortable place to relax before getting on with your day. And on checkout day, you are allowed to take advantage of the club before you leave. Which is really nice for those waiting for airport transportation from the resort. Or maybe for those who don’t have a Park ticket on their last day and have limited plans. So it does have other perks that can’t really be measured by money.
Is Club Level at Animal Kingdom Lodge good for kids?
Yes! I actually think club level at Animal Kingdom Lodge is great for those traveling with kids. This is especially true if you’re not planning to go to the Parks, or planning for minimal Park time while staying here. They have grab-and-go snacks that can be taken with you, as well as lots of other kid-friendly options.
Review of Club Level Access at Animal Kingdom Lodge
At first, we were pretty unsure of club-level access at Animal Kingdom Lodge. It is quite a hike in price to book these rooms. And we weren’t really sure if we would use it enough to justify the cost. It was the weekend and we had planned to stay at the resort. The crowds at Walt Disney World have been pretty crazy and we wanted to avoid that. The first day of our stay, the lounge was super crowded and on occasion, there wasn’t any seating available. That was pretty disappointing, but it was also super hot and rainy that day, and that’s likely why the lounge was so crowded. Plus, I’m sure people were trying to avoid the Park crowds just like we were.
Luckily though, you are able to take snacks back to your room. So we grabbed our drinks and snacks and ate them on our balcony. The very last serving of the day was not as crowded and it was nice to be able to relax in the lounge. The following day, it was practically empty and we really enjoyed being able to relax with coffee and watch Descendants, which was the movie playing for the morning.
Service at Kilimanjaro Club
The staff here is incredible as well. Every single cast member we interacted with went above and beyond. One Cast Member even took quite a bit of time showing us how to make the perfect cup of coffee in the Nespresso maker; and it very much reminded us of the Disney difference when it comes to service.
Overall we loved the Club Level access at Animal Kingdom Lodge. It’s not something we will splurge on often; and will likely only do so when we know we will be spending most of our time at the resort. Have you ever stayed at a Disney Resort with club level access? If so, which one and what did you think of it?
You must be logged in to post a comment.