How do you get from Animal Kingdom Lodge to Animal Kingdom?
If you are staying at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge or planning a future visit, you probably want to know the best ways to get to Animal Kingdom from the resort. Below I will detail THREE specific ways you can make this journey. 🙂
Just so you know, this resort is divided into two areas – Jambo House and Kidani Village. This article covers transportation options for both locations.*
Option #1: Take the bus!
This picture is of the bus stop at Jambo House.
Did you know that Disney World provides FREE bus transportation from Animal Kingdom Lodge to Animal Kingdom? And the best part is that the bus stop is right outside the entrance at both Jambo House and Kidani Village. Just take a left when you walk outside and follow the walkway to the bus stop. Once you are on the bus, the ride usually takes under 10 minutes to Animal Kingdom.
Bus service to Animal Kingdom typically begins 45 minutes before the park opens and ends 1 hour after it closes. Once they start, the buses run continuously throughout the day. I have found that you can typically expect a bus to arrive around every 20 minutes. You will also find a screen that shows when the next bus is expected to arrive!
As you can imagine, since this does not cost anything extra, it’s the most popular way to travel. However, at certain times of the day, such as the park opening, you might experience a bit of a line to board the bus. So make sure to give yourself plenty of time if you need to arrive at Animal Kingdom for a reservation or show. Our family usually leaves our room about an hour before we want to arrive at the park, just to be safe.
Option #2: Take an Uber, Lyft, or MINNIE Van
If you don’t want to take the bus, it’s easy to take a taxi from Animal Kingdom Lodge to Animal Kingdom. The easiest place to meet your driver is outside near the front lobby, as there are plenty of spots to park and jump in the car. Make sure you set the location correctly in the app so your driver knows whether you are staying at Jambo House or Kidani Village.
The above picture shows outside the main lobby, which has plenty of space to get picked up!
Once you are in the car, the drive is fairly short. The total distance from the resort to Animal Kingdom is only 2.8 miles (4.5 km) and should take under 10 minutes, depending on the amount of traffic.
TWO rideshare companies operate in Disney World – Uber and Lyft. Between them both, there are a lot of drivers cruising around. Almost every time I’ve used a taxi to go to the parks, I’ve had to wait less than ten minutes to get picked up.
One neat thing about using Lyft is that they have partnered with Disney World to provide MINNIE VANS, which are Minnie Mouse-themed mini-vans!
While using the Lyft app inside the resort, choose Animal Kingdom as your destination. Then order the Minnie Van to come and pick you up! While using this option is fun, it is more expensive, as you can see below!
Option #3: Drive yourself!
Getting in your car and driving yourself is an often overlooked way to go from Animal Kingdom Lodge to Animal Kingdom. It’s probably the fastest way to travel since you don’t have to wait for someone to pick you up. 🙂
The distance between these two locations is only 2.8 miles (4.5 km). The drive takes under 10 minutes, depending on traffic.
And here is the BEST news about driving yourself…
Assuming you are staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge, the parking at the park is FREE! Unfortunately, many guests don’t realize (or forget) that if you stay at a Disney World Resort, parking at any of the parks does not cost anything.
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Can I walk from Animal Kingdom Lodge to Animal Kingdom?
The short answer to this question is NO.
While the distance between the resort and Animal Kingdom is less than 3 miles (4.8 km), no walking paths connect them. Instead, you must take the bus, a taxi, or drive yourself!
Is there boat transportation from Animal Kingdom Lodge to Animal Kingdom?
No, Animal Kingdom Lodge does not provide boat transportation anywhere. In addition, there is no way to get to Animal Kingdom via a boat.
Can I take the Disney Monorail from Animal Kingdom Lodge to Animal Kingdom?
No, the monorail does not have a boarding station at Animal Kingdom Lodge, nor does the monorail travel to Animal Kingdom. If you want access to this transportation option from your hotel, you must stay at the Contemporary Resort, Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, or Polynesian Village Resort.
Can the Disney Skyliner take me from the resort to Animal Kingdom?
No, there are no boarding stations for the Disney Skyliner at Animal Kingdom Lodge or Animal Kingdom. If you want access to the Skyliner, you must stay at Pop Century, Art of Animation, Caribbean Beach Resort, or Riviera Resort.
