You’re at Animal Kingdom Villas. What Should You Do?

Disney Vacation Clubs offer so many amenities that you’ll often feel overwhelmed. You want to do as much as possible during your vacation, which can lead to analysis paralysis. 

Nobody wants you to feel aggravated during your Disney visit. So, we’ve created this helpful series of guides to provide you with a few ideas. Here’s what you should do during your next visit to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas.

Craft at Simba’s Activity Center

Animal Kingdom Villas is unique in the DVC library in that it’s really two hotels in one. Jambo House and Kidani Village are distinct sections with their own amenities. However, you’ll typically find duplicative encounters at each one. Each resort has its pool, restaurants, arcade, playground, and so forth.

At Jambo House, you’ll find something a bit different, though. It’s Simba’s Activity Center, a hangout spot where you can enjoy arts and crafts. Formerly a daycare center, it’s now a place where parents can engage in fun activities with their kids. 

Many options, like board games, video games, trivia contests, and scavenger hunts, are free. But you can also participate in some paid activities like crafting keepsake necklaces, bracelets, and t-shirts. 

Generally, the price is under $15 for each item, making them very inexpensive by Disney standards. So, you’ll have fun creating something just for yourself or your loved ones, and they’ll have it long after the trip ends. 

Of course, you don’t have to do anything specific here. You can just relax and enjoy the stylishly themed Disney backdrop. As this brief video shows, there’s ample seating, too:

Frolic with the Animals

Generally, the goal of this series is to alert you to unheralded amenities available at the resorts. At Animal Kingdom Villas, I don’t want you to miss the forest for the trees, though. 

Animal Kingdom Villas hosts quite possibly THE best amenity in the entire DVC library, and it’s right there in the name. You get to experience an actual animal kingdom.

You’re visiting a real-life Zootopia where an entire animal community resides. As the guest in their home, you’re welcome to watch them frolic their way through their daily existence.

The best way to do this is by booking Savannah View as a Room Type. With this amenity, you can stare down at the adorable critters from your hotel room. However, you don’t need to splurge here. 

The animal habitats are right by the hotel lobby at Kidani Village and Jambo House. So, they’re easily accessible for all hotel guests throughout the day. As an adult, you’ll relish watching these animals play, but if you’re traveling with children, it’ll be their everything. They may even (briefly) forget Bluey exists.

Shop at Zawadi Marketplace

Telling you to visit the hotel’s general store isn’t exactly a bold move. This suggestion’s a bit different, though. Disney wanted this resort to feel like an actual visit to a village hotel in an African country. As part of this theming, management has stocked the hotel shops with authentic African trinkets. 

You’ll discover some of the most unique merchandise in Florida as you sift through the treasure trove of items here. Disney has imported everything from cheap knick knacks to pricey antiquities. 

So, you’ll want to explore Zawadi Marketplace even if you’re traveling on a tight budget. The merchandise here has a legitimate WOW! factor. Here’s a recent video to prove the point:

Ride the Slide

Animal Kingdom Villas is arguably the most child-friendly DVC property. So, DVC has prioritized the pools here to guarantee that children stay entertained. You’ll also find pool bars to guarantee that parents stay sane. 

The Uzima Springs Pool and the Samawati Springs Pool are both phenomenal, but I favor Samawati for its waterslide. Disney boasts that it’s 128 feet long, which makes it one of the longest in Central Florida. Check out all the loops on this beauty:

Walking up to the top of the waterslide alone will tire your kids. So, you can nurture a beverage as they gleefully play in the water.

Take an Art Tour

A few weeks ago, I discussed some of the most unique amenities available at DVC resorts. One of my favorites is the Lobby Art Tour. You’ll find this near the lobby entrance at Jambo House. It’s a walking tour available on weekdays at 11 a.m. Please note that the schedule is always subject to change, though.

During this tour, you’ll explore the extensive African art collection on display at the resort. You may not realize this, but Disney indicates that its 800 pieces of art make this the largest private collection anywhere in the world other than the continent of Africa! If you’re like me and have taken this art for granted over the years, you owe it to yourself to take the tour and appreciate the scenery.