Family of 9 Old Key West or Animal Kingdom Kidani Villas

[Tammy A]

We are a family of 9 traveling to Disney in July. I know that a Kidani 2 bedroom has 3 baths however I think 2 baths would work ok. With the discount we can do Kidani for 6 nights for $5186 or 8 nights at Old Key West for $4743. Which would you choose and why? I've never stayed at either.

 

[quandrea]

You can’t go wrong with either. OKW s newly renovated. Kidani was done last year. The pool at kidani probably gets a win, as does the gym and community hall. OKW is more centrally located and you have a lovely boat tide to Disney springs. Kidani is my home resort and where I stay most often. Bus service is excellent, but your commutes will be a bit longer, especially to Disney springs. I’d truthfully lick the one you are most intrigued by. If cost is an issue at all, you won’t be disappointed in OKW.

 

[Nancyg56]

I have not stayed at Kidani, however my family just enjoyed an OKW visit in a two bedroom. It is spacious, and the grounds are relaxing. It is also very spread out and does not have great QS options. They are adequate, but they do not offer the seating or the options most QS have. There is an internal bus to get to Olivia's, the TS restaurant, and the shop and QS. Given a choice, I would probable choose less space and more convenience.
Transportation was cumbersome to me. We used Lyft a lot.
If your family would enjoy the escape from the parks, choose OKW. My girls really wanted that home away from home atmosphere so I was happy with the choice. I would not go back unless the discount was awesome, and even then I would think twice.

 

[Tammy A]

We haven't all been to Disney together for about 9 years. Our kids are now 14,16,18,19,21,and 21. 4 are mine and then we are taking cousins with. A little bit new territory as some are now adults. They love being together. I think we will get enough quick service at the parks. We like spending down time at the resort in the middle of the day however I know this trip there will be times when some of the kids want to stay at the park or go to a different park. Would 3 rooms at Pop or 3 rooms at disney Port Orleans be a better option?

 

[quandrea]

We haven't all been to Disney together for about 9 years. Our kids are now 14,16,18,19,21,and 21. 4 are mine and then we are taking cousins with. A little bit new territory as some are now adults. They love being together. I think we will get enough quick service at the parks. We like spending down time at the resort in the middle of the day however I know this trip there will be times when some of the kids want to stay at the park or go to a different park. Would 3 rooms at Pop or 3 rooms at disney Port Orleans be a better option?

I’d never choose a value or moderate over a deluxe. The comfort afforded with a villa’s kitchen, living space, laundry and balcony are immeasurable.

 

[cruisin5]

With the ages in your group, I'd go for OKW for the boat ride to DS. The refurbished villas are lovely and you can't beat the square footage.

The 2-bedroom lets everyone hang out together, with 3 rooms you'll lose that. And there is no guarantee the rooms will even be close to each other.

 

[Marionnette]

We haven't all been to Disney together for about 9 years. Our kids are now 14,16,18,19,21,and 21. 4 are mine and then we are taking cousins with. A little bit new territory as some are now adults. They love being together. I think we will get enough quick service at the parks. We like spending down time at the resort in the middle of the day however I know this trip there will be times when some of the kids want to stay at the park or go to a different park. Would 3 rooms at Pop or 3 rooms at disney Port Orleans be a better option?

As much as I would normally gravitate towards recommending OKW because of its larger villa and full-size w/d, AKV-K wins for the 3rd bathroom. I grew up in a family of 8 with 2 bathrooms. It ain’t easy.

 

[Tammy A]

I’d never choose a value or moderate over a deluxe. The comfort afforded with a villa’s kitchen, living space, laundry and balcony are immeasurable.

Thank you. That really puts it all into perspective. I think we would be more comfortable in a villa too. We have in the past gotten very over indulged with the Disney cuisine and just wanted to make tacos or spaghetti together. Plus to have some sort of balcony or porch to enjoy breakfast or a glass of wine at the end of the day will be very nice.

 

[Tammy A]

I forgot to mention that the Kidani price was with the savanna.

 

[clayfolks]

I find taking the bus at OKW to be more onerous than at Kidani. By the time you have to stop at every bus stop, I think you lose your proximity advantage. The only exception to that is Disney Springs. From Kidani to DS is approximately 30 minutes. It is brutal. Often times, we will bus there and lyft back. AKL/V is a spectacular resort with many excellent dining options, including QS. If the adults enjoy an occasional adult beverage, there are two very nice bars at AK. The bar at OKW seems to be as much of an afterthought as it’s QS. OTOH, Olivia’s TS, at OKW, is a hidden gem. I don’t think you can go wrong with either, however I give an edge to Kidani for theming, dining options, pools, AND the extra bathroom. With 9 (for all practical purposes) adults, I don’t think you can afford to underestimate the value of that extra bath. At OKW, in order for the people who are sleeping on the pull outs to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, they will have to enter one of the bedrooms. Do you want someone wandering in to your room at 2 am?

 

[clayfolks]

I forgot to mention that the Kidani price was with the savanna.

Why not book standard? There are plenty of viewing areas throughout the resort.

 

[cruisin5]

Some OKW 2-bedrooms do not have an entrance from the master bath from the living room. This could be a negative as the 3 sleeping in the living room will have to enter a bathroom through a bedroom.

 

[Tammy A]

Why not book standard? There are plenty of viewing areas throughout the resort.

There are no standard view rooms available in the time frame we are going.

 

[clayfolks]

There are no standard view rooms available in the time frame we are going.

I love savanna view, just hate the price! LOL. Are there any “dedicated” 2 bedroom villas with availability? Dedicated gets you two queen beds in the 2nd bedroom, as opposed to a “lock off” which gets you a queen and a pullout..

 

[gillep]

For me, 6 nights is more than adequate for a WDW vacation so I would go with Kidani, anything over 7 nights, for me, is just too much, but I know others feel differently. I also am a huge proponent of booking accommodations with as many bathrooms as possible, especially when going to WDW, as people tend to all be getting ready at the same time. If you really want the extra time then OKW is a great choice, but I would choose Kidani for my family.

 

[Tammy A]

The other option is a 2 br Lake view Bay Lake Tower. It is more expensive. I don't know if it has 2 or 3 bathrooms. If it was so incredible, I would consider it but it it expensive even with the discount, but this is probably the last time we do this at least not for 5 more years.

 

[gillep]

The other option is a 2 br Lake view Bay Lake Tower. It is more expensive. I don't know if it has 2 or 3 bathrooms. If it was so incredible, I would consider it but it it expensive even with the discount, but this is probably the last time we do this at least not for 5 more years.

BLT two bedrooms also have three bathrooms. I actually prefer Kidani to BLT, so I would choose that, but this one really comes down to where your family wants to be and the feel of the resort that they want. Both of these are great options and I would absolutely recommend either.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Most of the buildings at OKW do not have elevators. If you have strollers or ECVs or elderly who cannot do the stairs, you might want to stay with KV.

 

[bumbershoot]

Oh now that I see the length of stay difference, I’m Team OKW all the way. I always stay longer if possible.

I’ll be at Kidani with a group of 8 next week. Which is funny bc AKL is the least fave at Wdw that I’ve stayed at (and that’s including the value resorts), but I keep ending back up there.

But I’ll have first hand experience that I don’t have now.

OKW is awesome. We always have cars, though, which is a game changer. Waiting on buses is not our idea of fun. (Especially at AKL. Worst to-park bus experiences I’ve had have been from there.)

We love the pools, especially the quiet ones. The layout is nice and spacious. We’re almost always in Turtle Pond, which have the hallway entrance to the bathroom.


I *do* urge you to make sure the sleeping arrangements in a two bedroom (at either resort) will work for your crew.

 

[Nancyg56]

Oh now that I see the length of stay difference, I’m Team OKW all the way. I always stay longer if possible.

I’ll be at Kidani with a group of 8 next week. Which is funny bc AKL is the least fave at Wdw that I’ve stayed at (and that’s including the value resorts), but I keep ending back up there.

But I’ll have first hand experience that I don’t have now.

OKW is awesome. We always have cars, though, which is a game changer. Waiting on buses is not our idea of fun. (Especially at AKL. Worst to-park bus experiences I’ve had have been from there.)

We love the pools, especially the quiet ones. The layout is nice and spacious. We’re almost always in Turtle Pond, which have the hallway entrance to the bathroom.


I *do* urge you to make sure the sleeping arrangements in a two bedroom (at either resort) will work for your crew.

Turtle Pond is lovely, and the proximity to the QS and pool is nice. The hallway entrance to the bath is a wonderful convenience. The living area is secluded if the bedroom door is closed, and my DGD was undisturbed during the night. Had the weather been nicer we woudl have made better use of the porch, and honestly, that woudl have been the sweetest aspect of teh villa. It is really lovely.