There have been a lot of changes to report from Walt Disney World this week!

With construction updates, holiday decorations, and tons of new snacks and merch, we’ve had so much to share! Today, we’re taking a trip to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge to find out what’s new since our last visit. Twende! (That means “let’s go”!)

Animal Kingdom Lodge Food Updates

Jambo House

We’re still awaiting the day when some of our favorite restaurants reopen and we get to eat in Animal Kingdom Lodge’s Jambo House again. We really miss Boma and Jiko, and we hope they’re able to reopen soon!

As soon as these restaurants reopen, we’ll be there to check them out! And, of course, we’ll make sure to share our thoughts and reviews with our DFB readers!

Maji Pool Bar

We also headed over to Maji Pool Bar in Kidani Village to see if there were any menu updates.

The menu here looks the same as our last visit — there are several entrees, snacks, and drinks to choose from! This is a great spot to grab a quick bite or hydrate when you’re spending the day lounging by the pool.

Check Out Our Review of Jambo House’s Pool Bar Here!

Animal Kingdom Lodge Construction Updates

Christmas Decorations

We’ve started to see holiday decorations pop up at many of the Disney Resorts over the past few days. It seems that Animal Kingdom Lodge isn’t quite there yet, as the lobbies were both lacking in festive decor.

We’ll be on the lookout for a Christmas tree to arrive here, so stay tuned!

We’ve seen A LOT of holiday decorations pop up recently, so hopefully this resort will be added to that list soon!

Check Out the Christmas Decorations at Grand Floridian!

Animal Kingdom Lodge Merchandise Updates

Johari Treasures

In Johari Treasures (Kidani Village’s gift shop), we found this Disney Vacation Club Christmas Ornament for $19.99. It matches the DVC Christmas shirt we already spotted in Disney World.

We also noticed this Animal Kingdom Lodge Holiday Pin! It has the year on the top and features characters from The Lion King. 

In addition to those, we spotted this Meme Pin Set that we previously found in EPCOT for $15.99. Disney’s really doing their best to capitalize on the trend with all this meme merchandise!

That’s all that was new in the gift shop, but there was still plenty more to see!

Animal Kingdom Lodge Attraction Updates

Kidani Village Savanna

When visiting AKL, it’s nice to take the time to sit outside and watch the animals on the savanna.

We didn’t see many creatures roaming around today, but the view from the Kidani Village balcony is still gorgeous!

This Resort is a great choice if you love the vibe of Disney’s Animal Kingdom park! Imagine waking up and having that view outside your window!

Kidani Village Lobby

In the Kidani Village lobby, we found a Cast Member out and about showing off a fruit bat skull!

The Cast Member was there to answer questions and educate guests on fruit bats. It’s really cool to see the Cast Members doing fun activities like this — it’s a great opportunity to learn more about the animals that we see in the park and at the resort!

And that’s a wrap on our day spent exploring Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge! We’ll keep checking back for those Christmas decorations to pop up — and we’ll report back to our awesome readers with any updates!

Read What’s New in Magic Kingdom HERE!

Have you ever been to Animal Kingdom Lodge? Tell us in the comments!