There are so many fun animals at Animal Kingdom, but sometimes you have to venture outside the park to see some of the coolest animals.
If you head to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, you can meet new animals that hang out at the resort versus the park. This iconic animal has his crown on and is celebrating a huge birthday!
Meet Niles, the grey crowned crane. He just turned 25 and lives at Animal Kingdom Lodge.
His feathers look like a golden birthday crown, and African crowned cranes are the only cranes that perch in trees.
If you want to head to Animal Kingdom Lodge to visit him, there are several ways to get there. You can take a bus from any of the four parks, with Animal Kingdom being the closest park. You can also book a dining reservation at one of the restaurants to park at the resort and park at the lodge.
One of our favorites is Jiko — The Cooking Place. This restaurant always impresses us, and you don’t have to ask us twice to book a reservation.
We also love Boma — Flavors of Africa, which is a buffet with delicious food that you’ll want to pile high on your plate. If you go for breakfast, don’t forget to get the bread pudding!
Sanaa offers table service for lunch and dinner with a reservation, and this is a great spot to overlook the savannah. You’ll be able ot wach the animals while enjoying your meal!
Grabbing a meal and then strolling by the savannah sounds like a perfect evening to us. It’s great for a day where you’re not heading to the park, like your check-in or check-out day. Of course, you could always book a stay at Animal Kingdom Lodge, too! This is a Disney Food Blog favorite resort and one we recommend as much as we can.
Don’t want to go through all of the stress of booking your Disney World trip alone? Reach out to our friends at Small World Vacations! Their experienced agents monitor your reservation for possible future savings, compare discounts, and figure out which one works best for your travel party, dates, resort, and touring plans. And, they share expert tips and first-hand advice with you about your magical vacation.
No matter how you visit, don’t forget to say hi to Niles and wish him a happy birthday. Make sure you keep following Disney Food Blog for more.
THE HARSH REALITY OF STAYING AT DISNEY’S ANIMAL KINGDOM LODGE
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Have you ever stayed at Animal Kingdom Lodge? Tell us in the comments.







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