Unique DVC Experiences Near Animal Kingdom and Disney Springs

You’ll find unique amenities available at every Disney Vacation Club resort. In recent months, we’ve discussed some memorable offerings at Magic Kingdom and EPCOT area DVC properties. Today, we’ll discuss some of the other parts of the Walt Disney World campus. Here are unique DVC experiences near Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Disney Springs.

Unique Experiences at Animal Kingdom Villas

As you might imagine, many of the activities available at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas involve animals or have cultural significance. Disney liaised with many artists in African countries and attempted to translate some of the ideas at the hotel.

Animal Kingdom Villas is also unusual in that it has unique activities at Jambo House AND Kidani Lodge. So, we’ll discuss both.

Unique Activities at Jambo House 

Every day at 10:45 a.m., you’ll notice guests start to converge in the hotel lobby at Jambo House. These tourists are awaiting the start of the Jambo House Lobby Art Tour, which the hotel hosts at 11 a.m. daily. You’ll find the tour by the lobby entrance, making it impossible to miss.

During this tour, you’ll learn about all the pieces on display in the hotel lobby. You can imagine how informative the tour is, given the beauty and significance of the pieces on display. 

The Art Tour is also among the newest activities available on this list, having debuted in mid-2023. So, it’s one even longtime DVC members might not have done yet.

Around the same time, Jambo House introduced Medallion Rubbing, which is a kind of drawing. A Cast Member will hand you a piece of paper and teach you how to “rub” it against the art beneath it. A fabulous image will appear on the paper, giving you a free keepsake from your vacation. As you might imagine, this activity is very popular with kids and is available at 1:30 p.m. daily.

The other must-do is Music of the Savanna, which takes place each evening from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Musicians perform several styles of songs from across the African continent. Then, they’ll allow you to try the instruments for yourself! Should you successfully complete this task, you’ll earn a bead for the String of Memories bracelet available at the hotel.

Unique Activities at Kidani Village

At this side of the resort, you can also participate in String of Memories activities. Basically, Animal Kingdom Villas offers a unifying set of hotel-related activities. You decide the ones you prefer. Once you complete each one, you’ll get another bead for your bracelet. 

At Pemba Savanna Overlook, you can engage in a game known as Bio Blocks. Disney describes it this way: “Test your strategy and ecological knowledge as you try to balance the biodiversity blocks that make up a strong ecosystem.” You’ll find it by the Mickey totem, and you’ll earn a bead upon “winning” the game. This activity is available from 2-3 p.m. each day.

When you want something simpler, Kidani Village also hosts Bingo in the Library at the Palace Library. Disney hosts this event on Mondays at 7:30-8:15 p.m. But I should remind you that all times are subject to change, depending on the season. 

Also, I haven’t mentioned the obvious DVC experience at Animal Kingdom Villas. That’s because we all know to do it. This resort proves a home to dozens of animals. You can watch them frolic through their daily lives. It’s among the best overall amenities at any DVC resort. So, you should do it any time you visit the resort.

Unique Activities Near Disney Springs

When you stay in the Disney Springs area of the Walt Disney World campus, you’ll have two choices. Those are Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa and Disney’s Old Key West Resort. Let’s quickly discuss options at both.

Unique Activities at Saratoga Springs 

Lately, the most consistently popular hotel activity is probably Franklin Square Stakes. That’s the cute Disney name for cornhole. The resort hosts a weekly competition at the DVC Courtyard on Thursdays from 3:30 to 4:00 p.m. 

Twice a week, you can participate in yoga activities as well. On Tuesdays at 9 a.m., you’ll find Disney Fit Yoga, which features a Disney musical soundtrack. Then, on Saturdays at 9 a.m., you can participate in Story Time Yoga, which is a great starter yoga class. 

Saratoga Springs also offers Hidden Character Hunt. You’ll search the campus to find a thematically appropriate character for the hotel. It’s Maximus from Tangled! When you spot him, take a picture and show a Cast Member at the Community Hall. You’ll get a prize!

Unique Activities at Old Key West

First, there is something you should know to do here. I’m mentioning it in case you didn’t know. Are you familiar with the Sunset Celebration at Hospitality House?

At Mallory Square in Key West, Florida, people will sit outside and watch the sun sink into the Gulf of Mexico. So, Old Key West mirrors the tradition with its own take on the tradition. The hotel hosts this on Fridays at sunset, and it’s one for your DVC bucket list.

An activity that’s growing in popularity is the Pickleball Clinic. Old Key West hosts this event every Thursday at 9:30 at the tennis courts near Hospitality House. For those of you who have heard about the game and want to learn, this tutorial is a must!

Finally, there are two activities you should try at the Sandcastle Pool. The first is Ahoy Mateys Mondays, which occurs from 1-2 p.m. and 7:30 to 9 p.m. As you’d guess, it’s a bunch of poolside pirate activities.

Then, on Wednesdays and Fridays from 1-2 p.m., you can attend the Island Splash Bash Pool Party. You’ll have a “whale of a time” splashing around with all your friends. Here’s a video that shows how long the hotel has been hosting these and just how popular they are:

Overall, you’ll discover that every DVC resort hosts at least a dozen unique amenities that you should try at least once.