Occasionally things do not go according to plan on your Disney World Vacation which many unfortunately discovered last night. While we wish Disney existed in a bubble where nothing bad ever happened, sadly, that’s just not true. Tragedy sometimes strikes and the unexpected can occur, even at the Happiest Place on Earth! Many discovered that last night after Animal Kingdom Lodge guests woke to an unwelcome surprise.
Around 1:00 am, guests, many of whom were asleep in their beds woke to a terribly loud noise as fire alarms went off throughout Jambo House. Through sleep filled hazes, many tried to ignore and go back to bed thinking it was a malfunction or a prank. Then they heard the speakers. A resort wide intercom system told guests that there was a fire reported in the resort and that the resort was being evacuated.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Jambo House is a very large resort so evacuation is no small undertaking. With six floors and 972 rooms, the resort was extremely chaotic as everyone tried to get out safely. In the event of an emergency, elevator use is forbidden so guests piled into stairwells to make their way to safety. Once outside, guests huddled in the parking lot in pajamas until the all-clear was given to reenter the resort.
A video by Roadtrip Dave was uploaded to YouTube detailing the evacuation. He reported that the evacuation was successful and no one, at that time, had been reported as injured. He shared his experience and explained that there are more questions than answers currently. He reported that he “smelled something electrical.” Fire trucks arrived on scene quickly and entered the resort to check out the source of the alarm, extinguish any active fire, and evaluate for guest safety. Guests were eventually permitted back inside the hotel. You can see his full account here:
Currently the source of the fire is not known. This is an ongoing story and we will watch the situation closely and monitor for any updates. Stay tuned right here at Disney Dining. If any answers surface, we will be sure to let you know!
