Walt Disney World - Animal Kingdom Lodge

Our visit to Walt Disney World in October 2007 found us staying at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, a spectacular facility, especially for the animal lover.

Disney's Magical Express serves travelers from the airport and is a non-stop service directly to the resort. The drop off and pick-up points are in front of the hotel. A ramp is provided and the resort cast members are more than willing to help with luggage or other needs from the time you arrive.

We found the wheelchair accommodations spacious and very well thought out. We were delighted to see that our request for an accessible room with tub and grab bars was exactly as reserved. The room was well laid out with plenty of space in the bathroom to navigate in a wheelchair, as well as plenty of space in the room. We had to move some furniture around to get to the balcony and then discovered it wasn't really big enough for the wheelchair. We stayed on the main level but word has it the balconies on the concierge level are much bigger (and so is the price of the room but you also get an exclusive sunrise safari and breakfast or dinner). If you left the door open, it might work for you. Refrigerators are available in the rooms at no cost, but make sure you request one at the time of reservations.

Towel racks, electrical outlets, and the hair dryer in the bathroom had been lowered to the reach. There were even electrical outlets on the lamp (that worked, unlike other hotels) on the desk in the room. Saved from having to crawl around on the floor to plug in the camera or laptop charger.

We experienced a minor glitch in that the TV would not work the first day we were there. After a call to maintenance, we didn't have to wait for more than 30 minutes to be told it was just a breaker that had been thrown and everything should be working. It was. Great service and great responses. It was very nice to be called back and kept informed.

Carpets in the hallways are very thick and sometimes make it difficult to wheel. Expect to have this difficulty a lot, because the distance between the rooms, restaurants, and the lobby are long.

There are various animal viewing areas around the resort though most of them don't beat the view from the room. As the animals wander and forage the grounds, vantage points will obviously change. There are two overlooks, both offering average views of the animals. Because the pathways are a molded concrete they are a little bumpy in places. Some of the views are blocked due to foliage.

The Zawadi Marketplace, a very nice gift shop also contains a large assortment of food and cosmetic items. The entrance from the lobby is ramped and there is a second entrance outside that is flat. Aisles are nice and wide with plenty of room to maneuver. Cashier station desktops are low enough to be very usable.

There is a bar, Victoria Falls Lounge, that is accessible via a ramp, though you may have to do some looking for it. Tables are available though as the bar gets crowded the aisles will become congested.

Jiko is a full service, classy restaurant accessible on the lower level via an elevator. There are four elevators to serve the lower levels, but also serve the upper room levels. So expect a lot of people using them. They are large enough for two wheelchairs, their companions, and perhaps a couple more people. We did not eat here so will wait for others to comment about this restaurant. Dinner only.

Boma is an all-you-can-eat buffet restaurant featuring African flavors. All seating is at tables (which in themselves are colorful), the hosts and servers are all very helpful. Some of the items on the buffet line may be out of reach so a little help is needed. Our experience is that the other guests are more than willing to provide a little help when they see a need. Breakfast and dinner are served here.

The Mara is a quick-service cafe open all day serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Tables are offered throughout the cafe. There are stations to order and pick up the food. Queue and serving areas are plenty wide. There are coolers to pick out desserts, salads, and some drinks like milk and help may be needed to reach the upper shelves. Soda and condiment stations are self-serve and can easily be reached.

The Uzima pool is 11,000 sq. ft., includes a water slide (not accessible), kids pool, and tow hot tubs (semi-accessible). the pool is equipped with a pool wheelchair, though you may have to ask for it.

Unfortunately, the resort has chosen to designate their smoking area just outside the front door on they way to the transportation hub. If you have sensitivites to smoke, you can always go out through the gift shop (when open). The path to the transportation system is downhill and fairly smooth. All buses are wheelchair equipped with drivers pleasant and more than willing to help out. Once they see you will need assistance, you will be loaded first and last to depart. Buses travel to all the parks with a shared bus to travel to selected water parks and Downtown Disney.