cation, 50+ Advocate, during a weekend stay. "It's a real
destination place — you could hang out here all day"
without even venturing into the nearby. Animal Kingdom
theme park or other Disney World attractions.
From subtle landscaping elements en route to the lodge
and an eye-catching appliqued quilt above the check-in
desk to hand-carved wood furnishings,
museum-quality African art and earth-
toned, thatched roof architecture, the
Disney team didn't miss a trick.
Enhancing the resort's authenticity are
60 waiters, savanna guides and other staff
members from Africa who serve as "cul-
tural representatives," answering guests'
questions about African culture, wildlife,
food and art objects displayed promi-
nently throughout the lodge. Teams of
Disney executives and creative types trav-
eled to Africa to research everything from
animal behavior and art to the latest culi-
nary trends — all, in the words of Walt
Disney Imagineer Jim Kwasnowski, "to
capture the spirit and romance of Africa."
In keeping with the theme, the resort's
two main restaurants spotlight African
cuisine with its intriguing interplay of
European, Asian, Indian and
Mediterranean influences, tropical ingre-
dients, fresh flavors and mix of bold and
subtle spices. And the wine collection is
exclusively South African, with vintages
from more than 65 boutique South
African wineries — the largest such wine
list in the United States. Most are avail-
able by the glass and some may be pur-
chased to take home.
Even in the resort's Zawadi
Marketplace, basket-weavers and other
working artisans are on hand to discuss
their crafts with souvenir hunters.

Indeed, there's nothing
quite like watching
gazelles, zebra, blesbok or
fierce-looking, long-horned
Ankole cattle range across
the open grasslands from
the privacy of your own
balcony, day or night.

All that, of course, is backdrop for the
real stars of Disney's Animal Kingdom
Lodge, the pink-backed pelicans, East
African crowned cranes and other exotic
birds, plus 36 species of wildlife, that
reside on the resort's three distinct savan-
nas. More than 90 percent of the 1,293
guestrooms and suites boast savanna
views. Some are better than others, so
binoculars may come in handy. And
bring more film than you think you'll
need.
Indeed, there's nothing quite like
watching gazelles, zebra, blesbok or
fierce-looking, long-horned Ankole cattle
range across the open grasslands from the
privacy of your own balcony, day or
night. For close-ups, guests head to the
common area to stroll along the resort
centerpiece, an elevated kopje — or rock
outcropping — that stretches out into
the main savanna, just off the lobby.
And, oh,- what a grand lobby it is, with
a vaulted, thatch ceiling, massive mud
fireplace and jaw-dropping view through
a dramatic floor-to-ceiling picture win-
dow. A suspension bridge high above the
lobby floor is a great vantage point both
for wildlife- and people-watching.
It also overlooks the resort's signature
art object, a ceremonial Ijele mask from

A

•• • ', •

11/23
2001

027

