Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is one of the most unique resorts on property. Located just a mile up the road from Animal Kingdom, this deluxe resorts has some of the best dining on property, intricate architecture, and a savanna of its own. Similar to Kilimanjaro Safari at Animal Kingdom, on the savanna’s of Animal Kingdom Lodge (AKL) you can see giraffes, zebras, okapi, and more. And, if you want to pay the upcharge, your room can have a balcony view of one of the savannas.

In January 2022, we were lucky enough to stay in a savanna-view room at Jambo House. In March, we stayed in a standard-view room. This left us wondering, did we think the savanna view was worth it?

1. Access to the Savanna

While your balcony is a great spot to view the animals, Animal Kingdom Lodge has many other viewing locations open to all guests. If you are staying in this resort, you will definitely want to take advantage of these. However, we found that in March we did not get to see the animals as often as we wanted – we were rushing to the parks in the morning and when we got back at night it was too dark. If you don’t stay savanna view, be sure to work in time to go to these viewing areas.

2. Price Difference

The other main reason to consider a savanna view vs a standard view is the price difference. A savanna view comes with a much higher price – for a Marcy 2023 trip, it’s close to $250 more per night. Price this out and make sure it’s affordable for you to pay that extra price.

Our Recommendation

Our recommendation is that if you are staying in Animal Kingdom Lodge, it’s worth the added cost of the savanna view. That is the highlight of the resort, and really makes it worthwhile to stay there. If you are not as interested in seeing the animals, we recommend staying elsewhere!