Animal Kingdom Lodge Concierge Service

The Animal Kingdom Lodge Concierge area is located on the 6th floor of the Lodge.  As you exit the elevator, a large, open area serves as the Concierge Lounge, and overlooks the lobby.  Of all the Concierge Lounges we've seen, this one probably has the best view of them all.  While you can't really see the savannah from the lounge, the view of the lobby should be awe-inspiring to even the harshest critics.  The decor of this lounge is consistent with the rest of the lodge, with it's thatched roof, orange, blue and goldenrod colors and deep mahogany accents.  

The concierge floor houses 55 deluxe rooms and 17 suites (which consist of 1 & 2 bedroom suites)  and the Vice Presidential and Presidential Suites, making it one of the larger Concierge floors on property.  The deluxe rooms are larger than the standard rooms at 381 sq. ft.  Most of the rooms are located on the 6th floor, but some are also on the 5th floor.

Meet & Greet

The "Meet & Greet" for Concierge Guests is handled differently at this resort.  Bell Services actually performs the meet & greet.  Welcome Packets for concierge guests are kept at Bell Services, and if a credit card was put on the room at the time of reservation (and if the room is ready), your keys will be waiting there as well.  Bell Services will escort you up to the floor, and if necessary, take you to the concierge desk to check in.  

 

As with all Concierge lounges, the hours of operation here are from 6:30AM to 10:00PM with the Concierge Desk being staffed from 7:00AM to 10:00PM.   The snack/beverage schedule is as follows:

 

Macheo (Sunrise Offering)
6:30am
Coffee and assorted juices

Miamko (Adventurous Awakenings)
7:00AM - 10:30AM
An assortment of fresh fruits, juices, pastries and cereals.

Vitafunio (Safari Snacks)
11:30AM to 3:00PM
Various snacks and beverages 

Chai (Afternoon Tea)
3:00PM - 4:30PM
Loose leaf teas, assorted scones, cookies and biscuits.

Kisikusiku (Twighlight Offerings)
5:00PM - 7:00PM
Assorted wines, hors d'oeuvers, and specialty appetizers (provided from the Lodge's restaurants, like Jiko and Boma)

Rehema (Evening Indulgences)
8:00PM - 10:00PM
Desserts and Cordials

The assortment and quality of the Concierge offerings are on par with the best Concierge lounges on property.  With the possible exception of the Polynesian, the evening offerings here are arguably the best on property.

Sunrise Safari

On Tuesdays and Saturdays, AK Lodge Concierge offers a very unique service, called the Sunrise Safari.  Guests can sign up for this service 90 days in advance of their arrival.  The Safari starts off with a discussion with one of the animal handlers from the Animal Kingdom theme park.    Following this, you're taken on an early morning ride through the Kilimanjaro Safari at the park.  Unlike the normal Safari ride, this one will stop, allow guests time to take pictures and ask questions of the animal handler, and spend as long as 30 minutes on the Safari (the normal safari ride is about 10 to 15 minutes).  Following the safari, guests will receive a buffet breakfast at Tusker House in the Animal Kingdom.   The price for this is still being worked out but should be somewhere in the range of $40 per person or higher.

Overall Impression:  We were extremely impressed with the service offered by the Concierge staff here.   One of the many unique service 'touches' that the staff added was going around to each table, taking dishes, getting coffee and snacks for guests, and making sure everyone was well cared for.  This is an extremely polished, and well staffed Concierge lounge.  Coupled with the excellent offerings throughout the day, this will rank as one of the best Concierge lounges on property.  What is more exceptional is the fact that this lounge (like the rest of the resort) just opened, but you would never know that by the quality of the lounge, or it's staff.  We can safely recommend this experience!!