Expanding on yesterday’s post about me staying at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge for the first time, here are a few more musings and photos. As you enter Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, the high ceiling of the lobby is a feast for your eyes. The Earth tones of the wood and decor instantly sooth your being. You see the three story tall windows which look out over Arusha Rock and African savanna beyond. You will even spy a “rope” bridge crossing high overhead.
The lobby of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.
Nikon D700/28-300VR, f/4, ISO 200, EV 0, 28mm focal length, HDR Image.
Like any good Disney property, you will find several Hidden Mickeys cleverly disguised as themed decorations. To find more at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge and all over the Walt Disney World Resort, get yourself a copy of All Ears team member Steve Barrett’s Hidden Mickey Guide book.
How many Hidden Mickeys do you see?
Nikon D700/28-300VR, 1/20s, f/4.2, ISO 3200, EV +0.3, 48mm focal length.
The real reason most people want to stay at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge are the animals you can see either right from your room or the various overlook lounges and by visiting Arusha Rock. My room was on the second floor were I enjoyed photographing the animals from the balcony. The weather was mostly overcast during my stay which helped to bring out the colors of all the living things.
Even if the colors are black and white like these two Grant’s Zebras grazing below my room one afternoon.
A pair of Grant’s Zebras browsing on a savanna.
Nikon D700/28-300VR, 1/125s, f/5.6, ISO 320, EV +0.3, 300mm focal length.
Many people are amazed at the large horned Anikole Cattle which can been seen wandering each of the savannas surrounding Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.
A large horned Anikole Bull walking on the savanna.
Nikon D700/28-300VR, 1/125s, f/5.6, ISO 320, EV +0.3, 300mm focal length.
Another horned animal, the Scimitar-horned Oryx is no longer found in the wild. Places like Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, Disney’s Animal Kingdom and zoos around the world help to maintain a viable breeding population in the hopes of returning them to their northern African home in the future.
A lone Scimitar-horned Oryx standing in the Uzima savanna.
Nikon D700/28-300VR, 1/250s, f/5.6, ISO 640, EV +0.3, 300mm focal length.
Walking the halls between one’s room and the lobby, you never know what you might see as you look out the many windows and overlooks of the Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. You might see a Reticulated Giraffe looking back at you.
Reticulated Giraffe peering around a tree on the Arusha savanna.
Nikon D700/28-300VR, 1/60s, f/5.6, ISO 220, EV +0.3, 300mm focal length.
Whether I ever get to stay at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge again, I will definitely still visit to enjoy a meal at Boma or Jiko or just to come and visit the animals of the savannas.
I absolutely love the Animal Kingdom Lodge. We try to stay there at every opportunity. We were staying at a different WDW earlier this month and I decided to show my boyfriend, who has only ever seen the Lodge through my photos, the AKL. I could have sworn that there used to be Large African Tribal Masks that hung at the top of the pillars running along the sides of the main lobby.
Thank you for that photo treat.
I will be there in a few weeks and am looking forward to doing a photo safari from my balcony as well.
A nice cuppa tea, some zebras, what could be better?
Scott replies: Not much, Penny! Enjoy your stay and the view from your room.
Nice photos Scott.
I thought the lobby pic looked like an HDR, then I read the exif data and I was right!
Did you process the images incamera? Or did you use Photomatix? Or some other HDR software?
I’m just getting into HDR photography.
Dan
Scott replies: I use Photomatix Pro 4.0 to merge in a set of photos to create my HDRs. Currently do not have a camera which does it.