Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge | DISNEY THIS DAY

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge | DISNEY THIS DAY | March 16, 2001

April 16, 2026

On this day in 2001, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge opened to guests at the Walt Disney World Resort. Located near Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park, the Deluxe Resort brings the African safari home. Guest room balconies overlook four savannas that house over 200 animals like zebras, giraffes, wildebeest, and impala. The Lodge was designed by Peter Dominick of Urban Design Group, the architect responsible for Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa and Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. [25 years ago in 2026]

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