Running Trails at Animal Kingdom Lodge

[PurpleHaze]

Well for some reason a short 4 day visit to enjoy the Food and Wine Festival while staying at Pop Century has suddenly (as in less than 12 hours from first mention to booking) turned into a 6 day stay at Animal Kingdom Lodge with a savannah view. Oh yeah and lets throw getting married during the trip in on top of it. So much for a budget friendly long weekend. Anyway Im very excited, since Ive never stayed at AKL. A quick look online shows no official running trails at AKL. Does anyone have any input on how easy it would be to get a nice run or two in during the stay. Im sure I can make a few laps around the parking lot, but that feels like a wasted opportunity. Any insight would be appreciated.

 

[The Expert]

Congrats on the wedding and your first AK stay! It's one of our home DVC resorts, so we're there a lot. Sadly, there is not a great running route around the resort. There is the path between Kidani and Jambo House, but it's mostly sidewalk through parking lots. The approach road doesn't have a great shoulder to get out of traffic, either. I've always resorted to treadmills in the fitness center, but you might be able to drive/Uber to an area with better options if you really want to be outside.

 

[azrivest]

I have no idea for the running trails, but congratulations on the wedding!

 

[loves to dive]

Back in the day when I used to jog, I just did the walkway between the Kadani and Jambo House a few times. Not ideal but I've had to job in parking lots at other places so it worked for me.

 

[GreatLakes]

Congratulations. AKL is a great resort for a lot of things but might be the worst for running. I'd suggest driving or riding somewhere else for any runs past a few miles.

 

[Tiggerette]

Congratulations. AKL is a great resort for a lot of things but might be the worst for running. I'd suggest driving or riding somewhere else for any runs past a few miles.

I agree, I've stayed there during a period I needed to do a training run and it was not good. the distance between the two resorts is too small, and running in parking lots of dangerous. There was a side road past the recreation courts, but I suspect we're no supposed to be using it.

 

[BigEeyore]

Congrats! AKL is beautiful, and also our home DVC resort, but it's the worst for running.
I have done many parking lot loops there - if you aren't looking to run more than 5-6 miles then that's tolerable. The parking lot is quite large, and just going up and down the lanes, and then doing the loop to Kidani and back a few times, you can get in some decent distance.
There is this little access road by the tennis court at Kidani but it's not meant for the public and I've never been brave enough to venture that way.