The Definitive Campfire Ranking: Comparing the Top 5 Campfires in WDW
Each Disney resort hosts a magical evening campfire for guests to roast complimentary marshmallows, make their own Mickey s’mores, and chat with cheerful Cast Members. I’ve been lucky enough to experience every single resort’s campfire activity, and if you’ve been following @MagicalResortGuide on Instagram or Facebook, you’ve seen my recent series of posts with photos and reviews of each resort campfire. They’re all a fun time and worth visiting, but now I’m ranking my top five campfires and letting you know which ones are my absolute favorites!
#5: Old Key West
My number 5 pick is an unconventional one! Old Key West is often overlooked, but it has a ton to offer and it’s a lot of fun. This is the place to be if you’re into tropical vibes and a party atmosphere! The campfire pit here is at the end of Turtle Krawl, which is the boardwalk-like area that runs from Hospitality House all the way down to the waterway. In between, you’ll find the Conch Flats Community Hall, surrey bike rentals, tennis and pickleball courts, a sand volleyball court, playground, pool, sauna, giant chess, giant Connect 4, hammocks, shuffleboard, and the Electric Eel Arcade…the recreation options at Old Key West are amazing, and having them all centralized on Turtle Krawl means that attending the campfire is just the beginning of a fun-filled evening!
There are a couple of nights each week that make the campfire here extra special. Mondays are celebrated as “Ahoy Matey Mondays”, and the pirate-themed crafts, games, hidden treasure, prizes, and more happening along Turtle Krawl make the Monday campfire especially fun. And Friday evenings feature Old Key West’s popular “Sunset Celebration”, and guests are invited to roast marshmallows at the campfire just before sunset, followed by dancing, crafts, and lots of other activities on Turtle Krawl. Both events are really entertaining, and Old Key West didn’t rank higher on the list simply because these special activities only happen on Mondays and Fridays, so you can only get the very best campfire experience here two nights per week.
#4: BoardWalk Inn
BoardWalk’s campfire is one that’s made some big improvements over the past year or so, and it used to be held at a nice brick firepit back by Community Hall, but that was so far out of the way that not many guests ever noticed it. It’s been moved to the Village Green Lawn, and since it’s right in the middle of all the action now, it’s really become a popular part of BoardWalk’s evening entertainment. This campfire uses a portable firepit that’s set up on the lawn in a safe, roped-off area. The Cast Members transform this temporary space with cute touches like glowing lanterns and colorful spot-marker stars - even the firepit has star and moon cutouts that make the campfire feel magical. Cast Members even bring out lawn games and play with guest out on the lawn while the fire is being set up sometimes.
After roasting your marshmallows at the campfire, guests will find plenty to do at the BoardWalk for the rest of the evening! There’s the main entertainment, which varies nightly but could be magicians, jugglers, acrobats, live singers, living statues, trick jump ropers, and more. Then there are the carnival game booths, the Movie Under the Stars, a photobooth, surrey bikes, boating around Crescent Lake, Community Hall, shopping, and of course, lots of great dining. And the evening ends with a view of Epcot fireworks from the BoardWalk!
#3: Art of Animation
The campfire at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort comes in at number 3! If you’re a fan of The Lion King, this is the campfire for you! I’ll admit that this is one of my top picks because The Lion King is one of my all-time favorite movies, but this campfire really does offer a lot for everyone. The almost spooky atmosphere around this campfire after dark is like no other resort, and the theming is incredible. When you head to The Lion King section of the resort, a detailed statue of Rafiki leads the way, and you’ll find the campfire set up at the base of Pride Rock, with Mufasa watching over you. This is a big resort, so the campfire can be a little hectic, but the Cast Members do a great job keeping everyone spaced at safe distances and they keep an orderly queue going when it starts to get too crowded.
And if it’s crowded when you walk up, no worries! Just down the path from Pride Rock, you’ll find the Boneyard Playground with great statues of Scar and the hyenas looming over you. Once the sun goes down, this “elephant graveyard” area surrounded by villains feels a bit eerie - full of glowing red lighting and dark shadows, kids will love adventuring through the play tunnels twisting under the giant elephant skull until the line for campfire marshmallows dies down. And after the campfire, you can head to The Drop Off Pool Bar for the nightly trivia competition, watch the Movie Under the Stars, or hop on the Skyliner to head over to Epcot or Hollywood Studios.
#2: Fort Wilderness
I had such a hard time choosing between my top two favorite campfires! Ultimately, I decided the Fort Wilderness Country Campfire ranked second place for a few minor drawbacks. If you’re not staying at Fort Wilderness or don’t have a golf cart, this campfire can be confusing and time-consuming to get to - especially if you’re not familiar with the Fort’s layout. Marshmallows aren’t free here, like at every other resort, so guests at Fort Wilderness will need to bring their own marshmallows or buy s’mores kits at the Trading Post. And while the campfire happens nightly, all the fantastic campfire-adjacent activities only happen Wednesday-Sunday, so it’s best to skip Mondays and Tuesdays if you want the full experience.
With those notes out of the way, let’s get to everything that makes this campfire incredible! Most of Fort Wilderness’s evening entertainment happens at Campfire Theater, where you’ll find golf cart parking, a huge movie screen, two fire pits, tons of bench seating, and a snack bar. Before the campfire starts, Cast Members will lead guests in some fun Disney-themed campfire games like bingo, trivia challenges, bracket challenges, or charades. Then the campfires will be lit and they’ll keep those going for two hours, longer than at any other resort, so you have plenty of time to make s’mores. After that, Chip ‘n’ Dale’s Campfire Sing-A-Long starts! This is the best part of the night - when Chip and Dale appear to meet all the guests! A fun cowboy musician will come on stage and lead the crowd in a country sing-a-long while Chip and Dale dance with everyone. If you’re looking for a free way to meet characters outside of the parks, this is it! After the Sing-A-Long, the Movie Under the Stars will start. If you want an evening packed full of Disney fun and live entertainment, you can’t beat Fort Wilderness.
#1: Animal Kingdom Lodge - Jambo House
And first place is awarded to the campfire at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge - Jambo House! I’ll mention that there are actually two campfires at Animal Kingdom Lodge - one at Jambo House and one at Kidani Village - but Jambo House is my pick because of the gorgeous savanna views, and it’s much easier to find compared to the campfire at Kidani Village. The campfire is located out on Arusha Overlook, and of course, you’re surrounded by majestic savanna views as you roast your marshmallows. There are so many animals around - the firepit is right next to the little pond where the Pink-Backed Pelicans hang out, and giraffes, zebras, and more are always nearby. You can find a few Guides around the campfire who can tell you interesting facts about the animals and answer any questions, too. With the beautiful flowers blooming all around the Overlook, hand-carved rocking chairs, and incredible animals in the distance, all lit by the glow of the sunset…this is one of the most peaceful and prettiest places to be in all of Walt Disney World.
And along with the campfire, Cast Members host a “Wonders of Africa” activity inside the Jambo House lobby. This is one of the “String of Memories” bead activities, so guests can join in both activities at the same time and add one more bead to their collection before or after attending the campfire! After the campfire, guests can head over to the Uzima Springs Pool for the Usiku Glow Party on Tuesdays and Saturdays, catch the Movie Under the Stars on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays out by the Hakuna Matata Playground, have dinner at Boma or Jiko, or hang out at Simba’s Activity Center doing crafts and playing games until 9:00 PM. To really make your evening at Animal Kingdom Lodge the highlight of your trip, book the popular Starlight Safari tour for a backstage look at Animal Kingdom Lodge’s animal care. It’s an unbelievably cool chance to ride through Animal Kingdom Lodge’s savannas on a safari truck, and it feels so surreal to be out on the savanna looking at Arusha Overlook and the firepit from a view that most guests never get to see!
