This resort is one of my favorites so far. It reminds me of the Wilderness Lodge but with animals to watch at any time of day or night. And yes, you can watch the animals at night. There's an area of the resort where you can put on these night goggles and view the animals. A cast member is there to answer any of your questions.
I stayed at Animal Kingdom Lodge last December. We were unable to book a Savannah View room because they were all booked. However, we ended up getting a standard view room that overlooked a smaller area where they kept some animals that were not on the Savannah. It was like getting the view without the added cost. Every day we saw zebras and giraffes and many other animals I would not have been able to identify without the nice map and animal description page we got upon check in.
Even if you don't book or get a room with a view of one of the Savannah's, there are plenty of deck areas in each wing of the resort where you can sit and enjoy the animals on wooden rocking chairs.
The lobby (pictured above) is stunning when you see it for the first time. The hardwood floors are gorgeous and the entire resort has that rustic feel to it.
It's the kind of lobby you could just sit in for a while and relax. They sometimes have children's activities going on in the lobby and they have a fireplace with seats all around it where a fire is always burning. At night, outside the resort, they have a campfire where cast members tell stories to guests.
The only thing I found strange at this resort was that you had to go outside near the pool (but under cover) to get to the food court. This wasn't a problem but in the months where it's cooler in the morning, you need to wear a light jacket or sweatshirt to go down for your morning coffee.
One of the great benefits of a deluxe resort is the close proximity to the buses that take you to the parks and the fact that there is only one bus stop. This is a blessing when you have a sleepy child. Though some deluxe resorts do share buses with other deluxe resorts, Animal Kingdom Lodge doesn't.
If you're ever on the fence about this resort, I recommend giving it a try.