Wilderness Lodge v. Animal Kingdom Lodge
When comparing Deluxe Lodges at Walt Disney World, there are two hotel choices: Animal Kingdom Lodge and Wilderness Lodge. One is a Magic Kingdom resort, the other an Animal Kingdom one. (Updated May 1, 2022.)
Our goal with this post is to offer a head-to-head smackdown between the two and settle once and for all the epic debate as to which WDW Lodge offers better…lodging. (Sorry, had to do it.) In so doing, we’ll compare theme, dining, pools, guest rooms, location & transportation, and a variety of other variables.
Aside from both having “lodge” in the name, there are actually a ton of differences between two Walt Disney World resorts. To be fair, there are also many similarities. While the lobbies look somewhat similar, the lodges are miles apart. Literally. One is a short boat ride from Magic Kingdom, and the other is on the opposite side of property near Animal Kingdom.
With these lodges, not only are there stylistic commonalities, but both are on the lowest end of the ‘Deluxe’ price spectrum, offer a similar level of thematic immersion, and are going to appeal to the same type of guests. At least, that’s what we think. These are two of our absolute favorite Walt Disney World resort hotels (evidenced by taking the #1 & #3 spots on our Walt Disney World Deluxe Resorts Rankings), and even though they are on opposite ends of property, the comparison makes sense. (Again, we think.)
As with our last comparison, in this posts, we use 6 elements of two different Walt Disney World hotels to determine which is “the best.” Okay, with that, it’s time to compare and contrast…
Theme: Animal Kingdom Lodge – When you’re comparing the thematic creme de la creme, there really can be no loser. Actually, I feel guilty about not calling this one a push, because I really do find these to be the #1 and #2 themed resorts at Walt Disney World. With both, it’s not just about the grandeur of the cavernous lobbies, either. Both hotels have myriad quiet corners where you can escape the hustle of Walt Disney World and be transported to another time and place.
However, there are things that elevate Animal Kingdom Lodge. First and most obvious is the expansive savanna outside the lobby, where 30 species of animals roam in the view of guests. Now, I realize this doesn’t have the most legit animals, like mountain goats, pygmy goats, angora goats, condors, manatees, and ALF, but it’s still pretty amazing. I can’t think of any other hotel in the United States that offers an experience like this.
Granted, Wilderness Lodge has the geyser, a peaceful creek, and other brilliant little touches, but until Wilderness Lodge adds a herd of bison (the topiaries out front don’t count), the savanna is the ultimate trump card. Beyond that, Animal Kingdom Lodge has an exquisite art collection and detail-work that give it an aura of authenticity that place it a notch above Wilderness Lodge.
Rooms: Animal Kingdom Lodge – Both of these hotels have love ’em or hate ’em room styles. However, both have also been updated in the last few years to address the biggest complaints about them being overly dark and dreary. The rooms at each of the two lodges now better balance theme and modernity, with styles that meld form and function.
I love both, finding the rustic decor to be perfectly in keeping with the spirit of each resort. With that said, as someone who is a fan of both, I think there’s a bit more to like about Animal Kingdom Lodge’s new rooms. From a style perspective, I think they feature more and better details, and balance quality and theme very well.
On the other hand, I really like Wilderness Lodge’s new rooms. Their recent refurbishment lost the wood carvings and lost some other quirky details, while also toning down the volume on their previously-loud decor. I can’t help but feel that they were ever-so-slightly overcorrected.
In a near-tie, I’d give Animal Kingdom Lodge the edge, and this is before even accounting for the fact that you can see live animals from the balconies of some rooms. Not an inherent characteristic of the rooms, themselves, but something that could give a decisive advantage on balance.
Dining: Animal Kingdom Lodge – With The Mara, Victoria Falls Lounge, Boma, and Jiko, Animal Kingdom Lodge has a well-rounded dining lineup that offers a near best-in-class option at every level.
If you add Sanaa to the mix (which we think is appropriate given that it’s a short walk away in Kidani Village), it’s almost unfair. As a result, Animal Kingdom Lodge has the best dining lineup in all of Walt Disney World. Its only real competition is Grand Floridian, which has the superior fine dining scene.
Wilderness Lodge is no slouch in its own right, with Artist Point, Whispering Canyon Cafe, Territory Lounge, Geyser Point Bar & Grill, and Roaring Fork all being formidable options, but we think each of them is objectively inferior to its respective counterpart at Animal Kingdom Lodge.
With that said, Wilderness Lodge has made tremendous strides in recent years. The addition of Story Book Dining at Artist Point gives it one of the best and most popular character meals in all of Walt Disney World. Geyser Point Bar & Grill is home to one of the best burgers anywhere, and its relaxed waterfront setting is one of our favorite dining spots in all of Walt Disney World. Even if it’s “objectively inferior,” we find ourselves eating at Wilderness Lodge more often.
Transportation/Location: Wilderness Lodge – This one was probably a foregone conclusion, right? After all, location is commonly the downfall of Animal Kingdom Lodge in any comparison like this. It could win every other head-to-head battle, but for so many guests, this is the deal-breaker.
It thus might come as a surprise to learn that Animal Kingdom Lodge is closer to more parks than Wilderness Lodge. In fact, once you get past the boat transportation to Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom Lodge is more convenient to each of the 3 other parks and Disney Springs. Yet, the myth about Animal Kingdom Lodge being inconvenient/isolated persists, probably at least in part due to perception. (I didn’t believe this until actually running the numbers.)
You have to take a bus to every park from Animal Kingdom, and this can get…exhausting, even if it takes 2-3 minutes less time per trip. So, while the location of Animal Kingdom Lodge might not be nearly as bad as you think, Wilderness Lodge’s proximity to Magic Kingdom and being able to take a serene boat ride there still gives it the edge.
Pools: Animal Kingdom Lodge – On our list of the Top 10 Pools at Walt Disney World, the two lodges rank rather modestly, at numbers 5 and 9. We give the edge of Animal Kingdom Lodge in that post, but that post explicitly ranked Kidani Village’s pool #5, and left off Uzima Pool to avoid redundancy.
It’s true that Animal Kingdom Lodge has the single superior pool over at Kidani Village, and also that the totality of the shared slate of pool areas at AKL is better than those at Wilderness Lodge. However, the gap isn’t quite as wide as those rankings suggest. Both lodges have a formidable pool lineup, with strong supporting players in addition to great feature pools. And if you’re staying at Wilderness Lodge, you don’t have to walk over to its DVC wing to use the best pool, and there’s definitely something to be said for that.
Cost: Animal Kingdom Lodge – These are the two least-expensive Deluxe Resorts in all of Walt Disney World, and while prices are never identical between the two, there seems to be about a 50/50 split in terms of which has the lower rack rate. Because of that, this category used to be “push.”
Predictably, Wilderness Lodge is more expensive around Christmas season, but even then, it’s not by much. Other times of the year, Animal Kingdom Lodge is more expensive. The important takeaway here should be that each offers exceptional value for money relative to other Walt Disney World Deluxe Resorts.
In the last couple of years, the gap has grown due to discount disparities. We’re seeing an increase in discount availability and rate for Animal Kingdom Lodge, especially Jambo House. It’s frequently in the highest tier of discount levels, with rates 20% to 30% off, depending upon the deal. By contrast, Wilderness Lodge has been totally excluded from several recent special offers. We’ll revisit this category if that changes in the near future, but with much less room inventory, it’s possible that Wilderness Lodge prices are going up for good.
Verdict: Animal Kingdom Lodge – This is not nearly as easy as it looks if you’re just glancing at which lodge won each category. In fact, this is the most challenging face-off of any Walt Disney World resorts, and one where you should trust your gut more than any other criteria. (Aren’t you glad I made you read 1,500+ words before basically nullifying all of that with a single sentence?)
Even with these objective factors in mind, I have a tough time deciding. Today, I might tell you I want to book my next trip at Animal Kingdom Lodge. Tomorrow, my feelings might change and I’d rather do Wilderness Lodge. Just as likely, I might consider the nature of the visit: are we looking for a December trip that feels Christmasy? Wilderness Lodge is the easy pick.
Are we taking a relaxed, resort-centric week? Can’t beat sitting on a rocking chair watching animals pass at Animal Kingdom Lodge while recovering from a food coma from a glorious meal at Boma. So, while I can anoint Animal Kingdom Lodge the champion based on the criteria laid out, the “truth” of this one is that I think it’s a too-close-to-call judgment call. And really, you cannot go wrong either way.
I love both and think Animal Kingdom Lodge is objectively the better pick thanks in large part to the savanna, which no other hotel at Walt Disney World–or anywhere in the United States can match. However, Wilderness Lodge is still my sentimental favorite, and where I would personally choose to stay 8 times out of 10 if given the option to pick between the two. That doesn’t make it better–just my favorite of the two.
Ultimately, these are my two favorite resorts at Walt Disney World. It might seem like they’re very comparable–and almost interchangeable, like Yacht & Beach Club. After all, both are lodges and they share superficial similarities. That’s certainly true to an extent. Some guests will love the aesthetics and atmosphere at both because they have the same general vibe. Others will dislike both for the very same reasons.
However, once you dig a little deeper, there are actually a lot of differences. They’re on opposite ends of property at Walt Disney World, each nearer different ‘Kingdoms.’ The dining scenes are dramatically different. Same goes for pools, transportation, amenities. Notably, Wilderness Lodge does not have any wildlife, save for squirrels and the occasional armadillo or turkey. Hopefully this helped you determine which of Walt Disney World’s two lodges is right for you…and didn’t make an already difficult decision even tougher!
While we hope this post is helpful in offering a head-to-head comparison of the most crucial elements of each Walt Disney World resort experience, we know it’s not definitive or the final word for every guest. In addition to reading the comments before making your own decision, we suggest supplementing this with our full review of Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and our Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Review. With that said, what do you think…did we choose the correct lodge?
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
Your Thoughts
Now, I’m curious as to what everyone else thinks. My guess is that Wilderness Lodge will capture a slight victory (not nearly as decisive as the Poly’s over Grand Floridian) and that will at least be in part based upon Christmas and proximity to Magic Kingdom. If you prefer one or the other, I’m curious to hear your rationale, and I think others will be too, so please make your case in the comments. Or, if like me, it’s too close to call, share that. This is a really tough decision, and I think a variety of opinions might help others who are on the fence. Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback—even when you disagree with us—is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
I love this post! We are gearing up for our third visit with kids and both are top of my list. We are going at Christmastime, so I’ve been leaning towards WL and glad to see you plug that at the end. I’m holding out for AKL for next time when we can go in an off-season time and splurge on the savannah view. Interesting to hear the distances are actually shorter for AKL. The boat is still a draw while we have <5 yo in the group. Thanks!
Worth noting that there are dedicated buses from AKL to the parks. WL is shared.
Huge fan of both lodges but for me the AKL Jambo House wins out. I love the peacefulness of the resort, the theming is amazing. For foodies like myself the dining is tough to beat. From the chicken pita at The Mara, to the Filet w/ mac n cheese at Jiko it’s amazing. The animal guides that work at the Savannah overlooks are all from Africa and so friendly and the Pool and gym are top notch for adults too.
We love Animal Kingdom Kidani Village!! It has all the relaxing comforts of being on a resort vacation without the craziness of Disney. We love Disney but , at the end of the day, you can’t beat being away from all the crowds. The animals are such an awesome site. Great for families with small kids who want some Disney downtime. Thank you for your blog, we appreciate all your helpful information!!
Love this post, Tom! I hope to stay at one of the Lodges next time we visit Disney and so I will be referring back to this when we make our plans. Now I need to go read your Poly vs GF post as I must have missed that. We love the Poly and have stayed there several times. It will be hard to convince my husband to look at Wilderness or AK Lodge instead.
We have been to Disney 3 times in the past 7 years, and stayed at AKL twice and WL once. We’re going back in June and staying at WL. AKL is wonderful – loved the ambiance, sitting on the balcony watching the animals, and the night-time savanna viewings. But ultimately WL’s proximity to the Magic Kingdom wins out. That quick boat ride is (for us at least) exponentially preferable to waiting on the bus system (and, while AKL may be closer to some of the parks, if you do not have a car, you still have to rely on the buses). By the end of our second stay at AKL, we had sort of abandoned the buses and were just taking cabs everywhere. So, while in spirit I would agree with many of your conclusions, the transportation issue is the deciding factor for us. A lesser factor in terms of the food is that with young kids, WL’s food offerings actually are more appealing (as they are more straight-forward).
Jokingly, my family cannot stay at either lodge, because my husband passed a kidney stone at WL, and our young granddaughter wouldn’t come out on the balcony at AKL because “it smells like poop out here.” Sigh….
Kidding aside, we love both, and it would be too close to call for us. It depends on the kind of trip we have planned. AKL wins for ambiance and dining choices, but some of those savanna rooms are a LONG walk from the lobby/bus stop. I’m all for getting in more than my daily step target, but when we’ve already walked 8 miles that day in the parks, that quarter mile + walk to the room seems like a real slap in the face. (Yes, just over a quarter mile. I clocked it several times because I was sure I was exaggerating.) WL is better when we have the young ones along and the non-smelly balcony and quicker trip to MK are paramount. (Actually, the balcony thing is okay now that she’s older, but we still love to joke about it all the time.)
In general, we have found that the bus transportation at all of the resorts has improved in recent years. I will agree that our first couple of trips to AKL were dicey in the transportation department, but on our last visit to AKL (May 2015) we were completely impressed. We were just at WL last March, and had no trouble with buses there either.
Also think you forgot one of the cool things that these resorts offer. It is the resort tours. Lot of fun history to learn and the best part is that they are FREE!!!!
I spent a week in Animal Kingdom Lodge with a savannah view room the year it opened. You cannot beat that experience anywhere. However, when comparing prices it is worth noting that a savannah view room can cost significantly more than a regular room. But if you’ve got the money, it is more than worth it.
Quite happy to see this post! I feel vindicated in my choices this year. 🙂 We are staying at Kidani village for the dark side marathon in April (which reminds me…need to train…) and we are considering another visit in Nov before our annual passes expire, and before our 2 yr old turns 3 (win win!) We are seriously considering staying at Wilderness lodge during this stay and catching the early Christmas show at MK. I know they put up the decorations on Main Street at MK literally the day after Halloween, but Tom do you know when the Wilderness Lodge Christmas decorations go up? Think they would be up by 11/12 ish? Thanks!
Sorry Lea Anna, the resort decorations do not go up till later than the parks. We stayed at wilderness lodge in November of 2013 and 2014. Each trip they went up at different times. The front desk says it rotates every year. They did not go up till the Tuesday of thanksgiving week.
LOVE Animal Kingdom lodge — hands down is an unforgettable experience for animal lovers. The buses are extremely efficient. One morning we waited for bus to MK and it was late. A cast member was always at the bus stop during peak times, and she got right on it and within 5 minutes a bus arrived, along with complimentary Fast Passes for our inconvenience. Curious to stay at WL, but still under construction, so not worth the $$ right now (we booked at Coronado — most luxurious of the moderates with consistent bus transportation). Also, the decor/theme of WL resembles a popular indoor water park located across the U.S., so not so unique to us, and the size of the pool at WL appears to be smaller than some of the moderates and slide seems to cater to ‘young’ kids vs. tweens/older. On the plus side, taking a boat to MK sounds great, as well as being convenient to other hotels to restaurant hop. Will try one year, but not this trip.
Thank you for the review. I’ve never been to Walt Disney World, but these two resorts were the most interesting to me last time I priced out a trip. Thank you for the head-to-head comparison!
My dream stay is at Wilderness, my husband’s is at Animal Kingdom. We go to Disney often since we live 4 hrs away and our AP’s, so our trade off is always staying at the value resorts. We can do longer, more frequent trips for the cost. We’ve stayed at 3 moderates in the past couple years, but only because I got good deals and honestly we still prefer Pop Century to them all. But back to the point of this post. When i was 13, my mom & sis took me & my best friend on a Disney trip for my birthday. We stopped by Wilderness just to look around and I fell in love with all the theming. 21 years is a long time to dream of staying at a hotel! On a similar nostalgic note, my husband went with a group of his college friends on a road trip and one of them was a huge Disney fan. He booked them lunch at one of the AK restaurants on the way back and that was the day my husband fell in love with AK. We ate at Boma in April and i was impressed (I hadnt been before). We just cant justify the cost when we can stay at a value with no major complaints. I know many don’t feel that way about the values and eventually I know we will stay at both just to fulfill our dreams. In our house we’ve agreed on a tie between them until we actually stay at them!
My vote is Wilderness Lodge. The thing that holds me back from Animal Kingdom Lodge is the bus ride to MK. Having a cat (oops, or car…) doesn’t solve much due to the TTC. As many other people are commenting, if you stay in a villa that also complicates the battle. I love Kidani’s extra bathroom in the living room. I’m looking forward to an AKL stay after Pandora opens!
To be honest I have not stayed at either of these resorts. We recently bought a DVC membership and are going this may. We compared point prices for both resorts, and a standard view 2 bedroom villa at wilderness lodge was just as much as one at bay lake tower. Where a 2 bedroom value view at animal kingdom was by far less points. With this point difference in the room and with very similar theming at both resorts, I’d think animal kingdom is the winner.
Booked AK for December 2017. We are excited, but I am driving my own car to Florida. Hoping the buses prove to be reasonable, but with a 3 year old and stroller in tow, I want a bus alternative in the parking lot.
Hubby and I are drooling daily when we talk about the food!
We had considered WL, but changed because both grandmothers decided to join us on this trip. We are booking two club level rooms with a view. We feel the grandmothers will enjoy the resort and probably only go to the Magic Kingdom once or twice. This resort and the view will be enjoyable for the grandmothers while we hit the parks.
We have stayed at both places and totally agree with your assessment that AK feels like a vacation just staying at the resort and the fact that no other resort beats WL during the holidays. We stayed at WL in December 2016 and were very pleased with the quality of the meals we had at Artist Point. We ate there twice and the food was excellent. We were told the chef from California Grill came to Artist Point 18 months ago and completely revamped the menu. We thought the food was better than Jiko, Citricos and Narcosse.
We just returned from a week at AKL, our first trip to WDW, though veterans of maybe a dozen trips to Disneyland. I can’t compare the two lodges, but I will say that the shuttle bus system from the lodge worked very well. We visited all 4 kingdoms and never (with the exception of one especially trafficy day) spent more than 15 minutes traveling. There were digital displays at the lodge showing how many minutes until each shuttle arrived. Even considering time spent waiting for and sitting in the shuttle, I can’t imagine that it took THAT much longer than the walk from Wilderness Lodge to DMK. And, of course, you still have to shuttle from WL to all the other parks anyhow.
As for our Savannah View… this was a one-of-a-kind experience! I don’t believe anyone who says they had a Savannah view and never saw an animal, unless they never looked out in daylight!
We had a split stay at both last year and everyone in our group much preferred AKL over WL. We stayed in a 2 bedroom at both. First at AKL Kidani Village with a savannah view, then WL. We felt Wilderness Lodge was a huge let down after having all the animals outside our balcony every day! I’ve heard people complain about not seeing many animals but we had lots of animals outside our balcony throughout the day every day. Not sure if we would have liked Wilderness Lodge better if we had stayed there first! To me the rooms were just plain, we had a view of the woods(nothing to speak of there), and the staff did not seem as friendly. We had to wait awhile to be checked in. We also liked the extra bathroom at AKL (in our 2 bedroom villa we had three bathrooms) which we didn’t have at WL.
Love both lodges but we are partial to Animal Kingdom Lodge. Nothing beats sitting on your balcony with a cup of coffee in the morning and giraffes walking by. And breakfast at Boma….omg…best on property. This resort is a vacation in itself.