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Jambo House at Disney Animal Kingdom Resort
Wonder and awe will overcome you as you pull up to the thatch-roof main entrance to the Jambo House at Disney Animal Kingdom Lodge. Just wait until you get inside and look around this massive building. The inside of the Jambo House entrance is truly one of the most inspired and incredible lobbies in all of the Disney World resorts. Walking into the Jambo House lobby for the first time and seeing all of the African style and presentation, be prepared to spend some time just looking around. This is not just a place to check-in, there are multiple seating areas, a large fireplace and breathtaking views from this 6 story building directly on to the savanna. Even if you are not staying at the Animal Kingdom Resort, take some time to venture out and take a look. It is going to be worth your time.
Savannas
Jambo House has a very different layout and looking at a map of the Animal Kingdom Resort you will see that it resembles the shape of a horseshoe. Open on one end and completely surrounded by lodging on all of the other sides is the Arusha Savanna. This is not the only savanna accessible from the Jambo House side of the Animal Kingdom Resort, however. There are rooms on the outer left section that have views of the Sunset Savanna and on the Outer Right side the Uzima Savanna. This means that there are more rooms than not that have some sort of view of animals from their balcony. This also creates a little dilemma when booking your stay because many guests would like to have views of these animals during their visit. Just take into account that these rooms do cost more, on average about 15-20% more than a standard view, and how much time do you plan on staying in your room anyway? On the flip side, it could be well worth it. Where else can you take a vacation in the United States and have a room overlooking and African Savanna? This, by itself, might be enough of a reason to get a Savanna view room.
Jambo House Guest Rooms, Suites and Villas
The Animal Kingdom Jambo House has both regular rooms and also Disney Vacation Club Villas whereas the Animal Kingdom Kidani Village only has DVC Villas. If you are interested in staying in one of the Villas, it is worth looking at the differences between the two properties. Each has their unique style and layout but there are some differences between the two of them. Take a deeper look and decide if you would like to stay in Disney Animal Kingdom Jambo House or Kidani Village.
Of course, if you want all of the Disney Animal Kingdom Lodge Amenities but are looking to keep the cost down as much as you can, staying in one of the standard rooms might be your best choice. Each of the standard rooms accommodates up to 4 guests. If you have more guests in your party you might need to look at one of the 1 or 2 bedroom suites at the Jambo House. Even though the Kidani Village Villas were added as only Disney Vacation Club properties at Animal Kingdom Lodge, you can also book 1, 2 and 3 Bedroom Villas at the Jambo House as well. Having multiple bedroom Suites and DVC Villas under the same roof make the Jambo House Animal Kingdom Resort very different from the other Disney Deluxe Resorts and it gives you many more choices.
Pool and Water Fun
There are 2 large pools at the Animal Kingdom Lodge and the Uzima Pool is the largest located right outside of the Jambo House. The pool itself is 11,000 sq ft and has a zero-entry access point to make it easy to enter and leave with a large shallow section for kids to play. A fun 67-foot water slide makes it fun for the kids as well as the adults to take a slide and splash in the pool. Adults will find plenty of seating around the pool and can relax knowing that Lifeguards are continually on duty watching over the slide and pool area. Two large hot tubs are located around the Uzima pool to get some much-needed relaxation after a long day of walking. There is even a dry Haakuna Matata Playground near the pool where your younger kids will be able to climb and slide while you sit in the shade and watch them play.
Uzima Pool beside Uzima Savanna
When you walk around the perimeter of the Uzima Pool you quickly realize that you get so much more than a pool area. This pool is located right beside the Uzima Savanna and in one section that jets off from the rest of the pool area, the Savanna Overlook, you can see Flamingos and other wild animals without ever leaving the pool area. The entrance to this overlook is located behind the Uzima Springs Bar.
Samawati Springs Pool
The second pool is the Samawati Springs Pool located on the Kidani Village side of the resort.
Zawadi Marketplace
Everywhere you go, Disney is trying to sell you something but when you go to the Zawadi Marketplace located in the Jambo House, you get a completely different feel for what is being sold. You don’t see the normal colors that you see in all of the other shops around Disney World. You see African art and carvings as well as drums and other instruments. Put on a mask to scare your friends as they walk by. This shop is one you should stop in and look around. Nowhere else in Disney will you find this original artwork that is inspired by the Animal Kingdom Resort.
Fitness and Spa
If you are looking to get a workout before you begin your day or spend a day of pampering, the Zahanati Massage and Fitness Center is located near the Uzima Pool. The fitness center is available to all guests over the age of 14 but anyone under 17 must have an adult present with them.
How to get from Jambo House to Kidani Village
Both of these sections make up the Animal Kingdom Resort and as a guest you have access to everything it has to offer. The path that connects the two properties is a fairly long walk. Animal Kingdom Lodge provides continues shuttle service throughout the day to get you back and forth between Jambo and Kidani.
So much to do
As you can clearly see, there is so much to do and this is not just an animal experience but an African immersion experience. The Jambo House at the Animal Kingdom is only part of the resort. Be sure to also check out everything available at the Animal Kingdom Kidani Village as well.
