Standard View Room

Yes, the room has a private balcony that opens onto the resort surroundings. The lodge is themed as an African kraal with several savannas, home to over 200 hoofed animals and birds. Every guest, whatever the room category, can walk down from the Jambo House lobby to the Arusha Rock Savanna Overlook through the floor-to-ceiling window to see the animals.

It is a private bathroom with a bathtub, fresh towels, bathrobes and a hair dryer. The tub makes it easy to bathe small children after a day in the parks.

The room comes with complimentary Wi-Fi, 24-hour room service, a 55-inch cable TV with a DVD player, a coffee/tea maker, a mini-fridge, an in-room safe, and an iron and ironing board. As a Disney Deluxe Resort guest you also get free bus transport to all four Walt Disney World theme parks and Disney Springs, complimentary self-parking, and access to Extended Evening Theme Park Hours at select parks. Valet parking is available at an extra charge.

It works for both. The resort is family-friendly, with the Hakuna Matata Playground, Pumbaa's Fun and Games Arcade, nightly campfires with free marshmallows and 'Movies Under the Stars'. Kids can also enjoy free daily African-style face painting and wildlife cookie decorating. In-room childcare is offered for a surcharge. Couples can unwind with a drink at the Victoria Falls Lounge or the Cape Town Lounge and Wine Bar, or book dinner at Jiko, a AAA Four-Diamond restaurant.

There are two pools. Uzima Springs at Jambo House has zero-depth entry and a 67-foot waterslide. Samawati Springs at Kidani Village has a 128-foot slide, the Uwanja Camp water-play area and a hot tub. Guests staying at either Jambo House or Kidani Village may use either pool. Neither has a designated quiet pool. For dining, the resort has table-service options such as Boma – Flavors of Africa, Jiko and Sanaa, plus The Mara for quick service. Each pool also has its own bar.

Free Disney buses run to all four theme parks and Disney Springs. Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park is about a mile away, roughly a 10-minute bus ride. There is no monorail, Skyliner or boat service at this resort. Orlando International Airport is about 23 miles away, typically a 30–40 minute drive. Minnie Van, Uber and Lyft are also options. Universal Orlando is roughly 20 minutes by car, and Cocoa Beach is about 70 miles away.

Check-in is at 3:00 p.m. and check-out at 11:00 a.m. There is no late check-out, though express check-out is offered. The reservation holder must be at least 18 and show a photo ID and credit card. The resort is non-smoking, with designated outdoor smoking areas. Pets are not allowed, but service animals are welcome. Because the lodge sits within a wildlife preserve, balloons and plastic straws are not permitted in its dining and event areas.

You can join the nightly campfire and roast marshmallows, or watch 'Movies Under the Stars'. A free daily culinary tour of Jiko and Boma usually meets at the Boma host stand around 4 pm. For a special night out, the Starlight Safari is a paid open-sided vehicle tour of the savannas with night-vision goggles, at about $74 per person.