Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge Is a Wildly Good Time For Kids of All Ages

Your family will have the experience of a lifetime getting dinner at Sanaa at Kindani Village, the Disney Vacation Club building of Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge. Even if you're not staying at the resort, you can eat here. A huge perk of eating at Sanaa is watching the animals of the African savanna walk right up to the windows of the restaurant and peer in. For the best view, request a table by the floor to ceiling windows to watch birds, zebras, and other wildlife up close.

Head over to Jambo House, the main building of Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, after dark to snag a pair of night vision goggles from a Cast Member. Then find a good spot to post up and watch the animals sleeping (or roaming!) the savanna. After, look for an African cultural guide to speak with — they're happy to answer your questions about the animals you've just observed, or share stories and history from their home countries in Africa.

Both Jambo House and Kidani Village have their own pool, so no matter where you stay, there is a place to cool off and splash around. (Bonus: Both pools feature a water slide and kids' splash area.)

After a long day at the park, it's nice to relax outside as the weather cools off and just hang out with your family. At Jambo House and Kidani Village, you can do just that . . . while watching Disney movies under the stars! From newer films to classics, there's something for every Disney fan. One of the coolest things (literally) is that you can even watch movies from the pool!

If your family is super competitive or just likes games, head to Pumbaa's Fun and Games Arcade to duke it out over air hockey, or even an old-school game of Pac-Man. This is a lot of fun in the evenings, but especially so on those rainy Florida days when the weather isn't ideal for heading into the parks.

Over at Jambo House there is a cute merchandise shop just inside the main lobby area. Here, guests will find fun Animal-Kingdom-Lodge-themed merchandise — and even some items based on the characters in Disney's The Lion King.

Each night, weather permitting, both Kidani Village and Jambo House have a marshmallow roasting hour outside near the fire pit. This is a completely free activity — and you can roast as many marshmallows as you want! If your family wants to make s'mores, you can do that too, but the chocolate and graham crackers cost extra.

Just off the lobby you'll find Simba's Activity Center. This is a fun area for families to hang out, watch a movie, do crafts with the kids, play interactive games, or even trade pins with cast members.