Oh, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, how we love you.
With your incredible theming, delightful restaurants, and of course — sweeping savanna animal views, you’re practically perfect. So, it’s no wonder that AllEars readers have rated it the number one hotel in all of Disney World. But, we think number two might surprise you.
Did you know that AllEars features a comprehensive roundup of reviews from our readers? It’s true! You’ll find reviews on rides, restaurants, and of course — hotels. We were scrolling through our hotel reviews the other day when we noticed that the number two hotel behind Animal Kingdom Lodge was one we didn’t expect!
It makes sense that Animal Kingdom Lodge is ranked first with a 9.3 out of 10 — it’s beautifully decorated, immersive, and truly feels like a deluxe resort with its restaurants and animal views. But, we were expecting to see one of the monorail resorts — the Contemporary, Polynesian, or Grand Floridian hotels — in second place.
Animal Kingdom Lodge JAMBO House (Disney Vacation Club)
Shockingly enough, a monorail resort doesn’t make the list until #5 — the Polynesian is rated 8.3 out of 10 according to our readers. Folks love the layout of these rooms, the proximity to Magic Kingdom, and the overall tropical vibes of the Polynesian.
Plus, it’s home to some of our favorite restaurants — ‘Ohana, Captain Cook’s, Trader Sam’s, and Kona Cafe!
Polynesian Village Resort (Deluxe Resort)
So, which Disney World hotel did take the silver medal in the Accommodation Olympics? It was Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, of course! Coming in with a 9.2 rating out of 10, 95% of the people who reviewed this hotel on our site recommend it.
And, although it’s not on the monorail loop — it’s still extremely close to Magic Kingdom! In fact, our readers love taking the leisurely boat from Wilderness Lodge to the Most Magical Place on Earth. In addition, this hotel is just as incredibly themed and immersive — which makes sense when you realize they were designed by the same architect!
We totally get why our readers find Wilderness Lodge worthy of recommendation. It is a Deluxe Resort, meaning it’s the highest price tier, but you can often find discounts and rent DVC points to make your stay a little cheaper. Consider booking a stay for your next Disney World trip!
Wilderness Lodge (Deluxe Resort)
If you’re looking for a travel agent to help with your vacation, we recommend our friends at Mouse Fan Travel. They’re experts in the field with over 20 years of vacation planning experience, and they can help take a bunch of the stress out of the entire booking process for you!
Stay tuned to AllEars for the latest Disney World planning tips and more!
The BEST Disney World Hotel for 2024
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Have you stayed at either of these hotels? Tell us in the comments.
AKL??? Let me say that walking what I thought was a half-mile (maybe more) round-trip to and from my room in Kidani Village to their restaurant, Boma, as well as hoofing to the park busses did NOT make this resort appealing. That and the limited animal sightings everyone raves about! Not anything like the commercials! My favorite resort so far has been the Riviera, until I try this “second” best, Polynesian resort.
Wilderness Lodge is a hidden jem… not on the Monorail, but still a Magic Kingdom area resort. And it has the little boats as an alternative to the busses. Often the most affordable of the deluxe resorts as well. Plus, who doesn’t want to go to Whispering Canyons, if only to ask for ketchup?
Animal Kingdon Lodge is wonderful, but the disadvantage is that it is the southern most property, which makes travel anywhere longer…
Stayed in both resorts and I agree with the choices. Animal Kingdom lodge is amazing,especially if you get a savanna view room. Waking up in the morning siting on the balcony with a coffee,watching the animals is so relaxing, however it is a bit of a hike to get to MK. Wilderness Lodge is magical especially at Christmas. Third place I would put Polynesian.
Stayed at both Animal Kingdom and Wildress Lodge. Cannot say enough about how beautiful the hotels are or about how incredible the cast members were to us. Everyone and every thing was magical!