AKV - Jambo or Kidani

[Deb & Bill]

Jambo only has lockoffs, no dedicated. The two bedroom at KV has the extra bathroom just off the entrance to the villa, both lockoff and dedicated. The lockoff will have one queen bed and one double sleeper sofa in the studio portion, while the second bedroom of the dedicated will have two queen beds. Dedicated will not have a kitchenette in the second bedroom and no exit to the outer corridor. So with the dedicated you are guaranteed three real beds and two sleeper beds (one queen sofa, one twin chair). With the lockoff you only get two real beds and three sleepers (one double, one queen and one twin).

Jambo master bathroom will not be in the master bedroom, but outside the master bedroom in the corridor (they are renovated hotel rooms) and there won't be the extra bathroom just off the entrance.

 

[Castillo Mom]

Jambo only has lockoffs, no dedicated. The two bedroom at KV has the extra bathroom just off the entrance to the villa, both lockoff and dedicated. The lockoff will have one queen bed and one double sleeper sofa in the studio portion, while the second bedroom of the dedicated will have two queen beds. Dedicated will not have a kitchenette in the second bedroom and no exit to the outer corridor. So with the dedicated you are guaranteed three real beds and two sleeper beds (one queen sofa, one twin chair). With the lockoff you only get two real beds and three sleepers (one double, one queen and one twin).

Jambo master bathroom will not be in the master bedroom, but outside the master bedroom in the corridor (they are renovated hotel rooms) and there won't be the extra bathroom just off the entrance.

I had forgotten about this detail! I'm in the way-too-early planning stages of our trip in 2021 and I polled my family asking whether they prefer Jambo vs Kidani. We've only stayed in Jambo once, and that was in a Grand Villa. Kidani it is then!

 

[WillowRain]

We did a 3 night stay at Kidani. While the resort was lovely, we had put in a request to have 2 studios "as close as possible" due to my elderly/handicapped mother and grandmother, who would also have my 2 daughters in their room. They were put on 5th floor about 1 section down from lobby, and my husband, son and myself put across the lobby, 2nd to last section. It was around 550 steps from room to room. They said they got the request but there was nothing they could do today. BS! All they could offer was the next night to move us 40 rooms closer to my mom, grandma and daughters. No apologies either. She pretty much just stared at me like "what do you want me to do lady". Desk was always busy too. Even the CM's in the shop there were like wow, I cannot believe they did not accommodate you when you told them you had elderly handicapped in your party. We said no thanks as we would be in AK all day. Sanaa was sub par and I was SOOOO disappointed. My kids were excited to finally go to a place that had shrimp. They got 5 shrimp and a handful of green beans. The kids were super disappointed. They love shrimp and even 8 would have been better. My husband, grandma and mom all got the steak. The women asked for medium well, he got med rare. A runner brought our food out and obviously gave them the wrong dishes, my grandmas was bleeding and my husbands was overdone, but of course grams dug right in and started eating not caring, so they had to refire for my husband, which meant the rest of us were done eating by the time his steak came out. I felt that service was bad, which had been a pattern, because we were on DDP. In 3 table services in 3 days our treatment was less than stellar.

Anywho sorry I got off point. Kidani was RIDICULOUS walking if you are at the end of the building. Will not stay there again due to this.

 

[Deb & Bill]

We did a 3 night stay at Kidani. While the resort was lovely, we had put in a request to have 2 studios "as close as possible" due to my elderly/handicapped mother and grandmother, who would also have my 2 daughters in their room. They were put on 5th floor about 1 section down from lobby, and my husband, son and myself put across the lobby, 2nd to last section. It was around 550 steps from room to room. They said they got the request but there was nothing they could do today. BS! All they could offer was the next night to move us 40 rooms closer to my mom, grandma and daughters. No apologies either. She pretty much just stared at me like "what do you want me to do lady". Desk was always busy too. Even the CM's in the shop there were like wow, I cannot believe they did not accommodate you when you told them you had elderly handicapped in your party. We said no thanks as we would be in AK all day. Sanaa was sub par and I was SOOOO disappointed. My kids were excited to finally go to a place that had shrimp. They got 5 shrimp and a handful of green beans. The kids were super disappointed. They love shrimp and even 8 would have been better. My husband, grandma and mom all got the steak. The women asked for medium well, he got med rare. A runner brought our food out and obviously gave them the wrong dishes, my grandmas was bleeding and my husbands was overdone, but of course grams dug right in and started eating not caring, so they had to refire for my husband, which meant the rest of us were done eating by the time his steak came out. I felt that service was bad, which had been a pattern, because we were on DDP. In 3 table services in 3 days our treatment was less than stellar.

Anywho sorry I got off point. Kidani was RIDICULOUS walking if you are at the end of the building. Will not stay there again due to this.

Your children probably got the child's portion of shrimp. Adult portions are usually eight. Children's portions are usually smaller. And for getting the wrong steaks with the wrong people, it probably would have helped if grandmother hadn't started in on the rare steak. Then you could have just switched them around. When you get a few of the guests at the same table getting the same order with slight differences, it can get mixed up.

It's sad that you couldn't get your two studios closer to each other, but I'm sure you realize it was only a request. Did you add "Traveling with" and the reservation number of the other reservation on each one? That's the best way to try to get them close. Sometimes they are just really busy with guests and can't accommodate your request until a day or two later. Maybe a two bedroom villa would have worked out better than two separate studios.

What we really like about Kidani Village is the underground parking, so you can usually get a bit closer to your area than having to park way outside at the end of the row in a huge parking lot.

 

[WillowRain]

Your children probably got the child's portion of shrimp. Adult portions are usually eight. Children's portions are usually smaller. And for getting the wrong steaks with the wrong people, it probably would have helped if grandmother hadn't started in on the rare steak. Then you could have just switched them around. When you get a few of the guests at the same table getting the same order with slight differences, it can get mixed up.

It's sad that you couldn't get your two studios closer to each other, but I'm sure you realize it was only a request. Did you add "Traveling with" and the reservation number of the other reservation on each one? That's the best way to try to get them close. Sometimes they are just really busy with guests and can't accommodate your request until a day or two later. Maybe a two bedroom villa would have worked out better than two separate studios.

What we really like about Kidani Village is the underground parking, so you can usually get a bit closer to your area than having to park way outside at the end of the row in a huge parking lot.

Yes we were attached reservations. I emailed, faxed (through touring plans) and called to tell them our request. SO I feel like there should have been something more they could have done. We were on complete opposite sides of the hotel. As far as parking goes, our bellman told us about the parking, but we did not have our room assignment yet, just the first one. So we sort of parked in the first area we found, and when asked where the elevator was, a CM said oh it's that way, which put us in the middle of the other side and we had no idea where we were yet. It was just not a pleasant experience for us. And we did not have enough points for a 2 bedroom, this was a 3 day add on after 8 nights at BLT, because originally the plan was to go up to HHI, but I could not get a reservation at 7 months. So we thought we would give 2 studios a try at AKL and I will not ever do that again. Only part I liked about that place was the quietness, and the lobby smell.

 

[AdamsMum]

Depends on what you want.
-Jambo has a quick service restaurant, 2 full service restaurants, better pool access and shorter hallways, but I've stayed there twice and had just okay savanna views.
-Kidani has extra bathroom in 1 and 2 beds (great if you are at room capacity) and chair bed in the living room, Kidani pool access was weird to me we had to go through the underbuilding parking to get there, nice though to park your car under cover in the hot Florida sun, and better views (at least in my experience), no quick service so refillable mugs don't get used much (I was in the end pod of the building, the walk wasn't worth it).

 

[mousestruck]

We much prefer the atmosphere, vibe and amenities at Jambo. Rooms, views, transportation and pool are better at Kidani - with the exception of the awkward walk through the lobby and front entrance/parking lot to get there. We generally choose Jambo for a studio and Kidani for a 1 bedroom due to the extra bath. It really is a matter of preference and what matters most to you.

 

[emchen]

Sort of planning a 2 or 3 night stay at AKV during Spring Break, and the complaints of long walks at AKV Kidani and its distance to Jambo House is worrisome. I looked at the resort map and see there are pathways through the savannas between Kidani and Jambo. Wondering if these are walkable paths for guests or are they off limits?

 

[Deb & Bill]

Sort of planning a 2 or 3 night stay at AKV during Spring Break, and the complaints of long walks at AKV Kidani and its distance to Jambo House is worrisome. I looked at the resort map and see there are pathways through the savannas between Kidani and Jambo. Wondering if these are walkable paths for guests or are they off limits?

No, you cannot go on the savanna. There is a sidewalk at the front of the resorts that goes from JH to KV and it is marked with signs. It is maybe a half mile long and takes about ten minutes to walk.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I vote Kidani for better Savanna Views!

I guess it's true that animals are mobile. When we stayed at Kidani, on the shared Sunset savannah, we saw hardly any animals, and not one giraffe the entire week we were there. Another difference that makes me prefer Jambo is that depending on where you are at Kidani, the walk to the lobby can seem like forever. Even the furthest rooms at Jambo didn't seem that far. I also prefer the QS, Mara, at Jambo.

 

[emchen]

No, you cannot go on the savanna. There is a sidewalk at the front of the resorts that goes from JH to KV and it is marked with signs. It is maybe a half mile long and takes about ten minutes to walk.

Kidani floor plan looks like the original designer didn’t plan to isolate the northern arm of the backward “3”. Perhaps tunneled walkways between the two buildings were considered? Certainly makes the most intuitive sense.

Current function is an insult to the adage, “form follows function”. Owners and owner-architects, what would you do to solve this problem?

Just google Animal Kingdom Lodge in satellite view and you will see the problem (when guests can’t cross the savanna).

 

[Deb & Bill]

Kidani floor plan looks like the original designer didn’t plan to isolate the northern arm of the backward “3”. Perhaps tunneled walkways between the two buildings were considered? Certainly makes the most intuitive sense.

Current function is an insult to the adage, “form follows function”. Owners and owner-architects, what would you do to solve this problem?

Just google Animal Kingdom Lodge in satellite view and you will see the problem (when guests can’t cross the savanna).

Why build a tunnel when a sidewalk works just fine?

 

[emchen]

Why build a tunnel when a sidewalk works just fine?

Because for obvious reasons, can't have sidewalks going through the savanna...please see attached image to see what I am talking about.

Owners currently staying at the north wing of the reverse-3 (Kidani) walk 1/2 mile to Jambo house because they have to traverse the entire '3' to get to the south wing. Even the walk to Kidani lobby for both the south and north wings is quite long and inefficient. How much more efficient to have alternate, direct access to Kidani lobby and Jambo House through the savanna in between? I figure tunnels (or causeways high enough for Giraffe clearance), would be a good solution.

 

[Deb & Bill]

If it doesn't make Disney money it won't happen. The sidewalk serves the purpose.

 

[emchen]

Because for obvious reasons, can't have sidewalks going through the savanna...please see attached image to see what I am talking about.

Owners currently staying at the north wing of the reverse-3 (Kidani) walk 1/2 mile to Jambo house because they have to traverse the entire '3' to get to the south wing. Even the walk to Kidani lobby for both the south and north wings is quite long and inefficient. How much more efficient to have alternate, direct access to Kidani lobby and Jambo House through the savanna in between? I figure tunnels (or causeways high enough for Giraffe clearance), would be a good solution.

If it doesn't make Disney money it won't happen. The sidewalk serves the purpose.

Faith, trust, and pixie dust... faith, trust, and pixie dust...
;-)

 

[Tikihula]

Sort of planning a 2 or 3 night stay at AKV during Spring Break, and the complaints of long walks at AKV Kidani and its distance to Jambo House is worrisome. I looked at the resort map and see there are pathways through the savannas between Kidani and Jambo. Wondering if these are walkable paths for guests or are they off limits?

There is a paved walking path between the two buildings but it's not through the savanna. It runs along the front of the buildings through landscaped areas and takes about 10 minutes at a leisurely pace. Some of it goes through a parking area but there are crosswalks and sidewalks. There is also a free shuttle van that runs back and forth between the buildings. You can catch it at the front entrance of either building. If you're at Kidani you can also catch any park bus and it will stop at Jambo before leaving the resort.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Faith, trust, and pixie dust... faith, trust, and pixie dust...
;-)

And DVC members will pay for it out of their annual fees. Tell that one to the owners there.

 

[gharter]

Its a tough choice. We have always stayed at Kidani. The rooms are larger (1BR), and quieter than Jambo.
while I like Sanaa and the lounge, the restaurants and lounge at Jambo is better. However, Jambo is only a 5 minute walk from Kidani.
Both have the same Savannah.

 

[gzmtlock]

And DVC members will pay for it out of their annual fees. Tell that one to the owners there.

AKV is our home resort, and we're not interested in more direct ways (across the savannahs) to get from Jambo to Kidani and visa versa. We knew the layout before we bought in, and are more than happy to take the walks down the hallways and between the resorts.

To the OPs question - we cannot choose a favorite between Jambo and Kidani. Both have advantages, many dependent on who is going, what time of year, and whether we're doing a park-heavy or resort-heavy trip. We love them both, and return home as often as we are able!