It gives guests the opportunity to view grazing wildlife outside their rooms and public areas in the resort within proximity of the animals, conveying the feeling of being in an African savanna.

On February 18, 2008, Disney announced the first phase of this expansion was complete and included 109 rooms.

[2] A separate building named Kidani Village[3] was built to the west of the lodge and houses more than 300 villas.

The Sunset Savanna was extended to the new structure and more species of animals were introduced.

[5] Around the lodge, there are three total 11-acre savannas (Sunset Savanna, Arusha Savanna, Uzima Savanna) housing a variety of African mammals and birds including addax,[17] Ankole cattle, bongo, blesbok, eland, gemsbok, Grant's zebra, greater kudu, impala, okapi,[18] red river hog,[19] reticulated giraffe, Thomson's gazelle, waterbuck, white-bearded wildebeest, Abyssinian ground hornbill, blue crane, East African crowned crane, greater flamingo, Marabou stork, ostrich, pink-backed pelican, and Rüppell's griffon vulture.