Kidani Requests-I give up!

[Simba's Mom]

This is my 4th stay at Kidani, and all but once I've gotten nowhere near my requested area. This time is the worst.I had asked to be near the Timon elevator and close to Jambo house. Instead I'm half way between the Rafiki and Puma elevators on the pool side. I find it hard to believe there was no savannah view studio on the entire other side of the resort that was available. To mobile order from Sanaa, I have to use 2 different elevators. I know requests are just requests, but this is the closest I could get? But on the plus side, Sanaa's French Toast at breakfast was excellent (thanks to whoever recommended it) and you can't beat the lovely view while eating it.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Yea, understand your frustration. So many times we've done requests that never seem to be considered - not just AKL. Although, I will say, Kidani is usually one of our more successful locations. We always check at the front desk when we arrive, and we have had occasional good fortune where they could move us closer to where we wanted to be. And yes, the animals and the French toast can make you forget about the negative things.....!

We've already considered something - since we prefer the Timone, Zazu sections at Kidani, we've almost tried putting in a request for Pumba instead. That way, when they don't give us Pumba, we might end up where we wanted to be! Enjoy your trip. AKL is an amazing place to stay.....

 

[Simba's Mom]

Hey, there’s an idea-request an area where I really don’t want, then when I get far from that, maybe I’ll get the area I really want. What’s this about going to the front desk? Is that to see if there’s a room closer to your requests?

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Hey, there’s an idea-request an area where I really don’t want, then when I get far from that, maybe I’ll get the area I really want. What’s this about going to the front desk? Is that to see if there’s a room closer to your requests?

Sure. Never hurts. The rooms are assigned a few days before you arrive. They won't tell you the exact room number until the room is actually ready. But the cast members at the front desk will see where you've been assigned a room. They won't give you the exact room number (unless it's ready for you to enter), but they can see if it's near the area you've requested. If not, they can check to see if anything is available that might be closer to the area you've requested. We've already been told we can have a different room, but it might take a couple hours longer to get in. Sometimes we can wait, because we're going to a park or pool. Sometimes, we want the room that is ready the quickest so we can move in and get settled. The front desk cannot always help, but they've always been willing to check for us. If they can't, we thank them for checking and move on.......

 

[KeriBlujeans]

I checked multiple times that my request to be by the Zazu elevator was on my reservation. When I checked in, I got assigned a room past the Pumba elevator... When I asked if there was anything closer, I was told there was no other rooms with a Savannah view. Really? This was my AKL redemption trip after being stuck at the very, very end of Kidani a decade ago, when pushing a double stroller. I don't think I'll be booking at Kidani again.

 

[Cfabar1]

Maybe when they do the next round of sales at Kidani they'll let people buy units or areas with different points....

In the meantime enjoy Saana.... It has ruined almost every other WDW restaurant for us... Every meal we eat we compare to it..... Hacienda San Angel doesn't cut it anymore!

 

[Brian Noble]

had asked to be near the Timon elevator and close to Jambo house

You might have better luck with Zazu, because it is farther from the lobby (and close-to-lobby is probably the most requested thing.) But, as noted above, even that's not always going to work.

I have a request for a stay later this month in a 1BR as: "Sunset savanna, near Zazu if possible." We'll see but either way I won't be in the Frozen North with a view of leafless trees outside my window, so it's all good.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

You might have better luck with Zazu, because it is farther from the lobby (and close-to-lobby is probably the most requested thing.) But, as noted above, even that's not always going to work.

I have a request for a stay later this month in a 1BR as: "Sunset savanna, near Zazu if possible." We'll see but either way I won't be in the Frozen North with a view of leafless trees outside my window, so it's all good.

A 1BR Sunset sav, Zazu elevator, AKL Kidani - perfect!!

 

[Grumpy by Birth]

Hey, there’s an idea-request an area where I really don’t want, then when I get far from that, maybe I’ll get the area I really want. What’s this about going to the front desk? Is that to see if there’s a room closer to your requests?

If you try that approach, you’ll probably finally have your request honored.

 

[Simba's Mom]

You might have better luck with Zazu, because it is farther from the lobby (and close-to-lobby is probably the most requested thing.) But, as noted above, even that's not always going to work.

I have a request for a stay later this month in a 1BR as: "Sunset savanna, near Zazu if possible." We'll see but either way I won't be in the Frozen North with a view of leafless trees outside my window, so it's all good.

And at least being near the Zazu elevator, you only have to take one elevator to get to Sanaa for breakfast or for mobile order. Having to take 2 different elevators to get to Sanaa is one of the biggest disadvantages for me being on this side of the resort. Please let's know how your request goes for you.

 

[john7994]

Been fairly spot on with most requests - except for Kidani. Once the room was assigned, I simply asked the roving CM in the lobby, explained my original request with calm kindness and 5 minutes later was in the room next to what I originally requested. Why that wasn’t done as the assignment - I am sure it could be a number of things. But, asking politely has never seemed to hurt and has only enhanced my stays.

 

[Skywalker3]

haha, yeah, our last stay at Kidani, our only request was near lobby.....our room was the LAST door on the left of the Sunset Savanna, I think they thought we meant near Jambo's lobby.
Sorry about your room situation.

 

[ShawnDadof8]

We stay at AKV-KV a lot even though it is not one of our home resorts. We find that if we show up for check-in early and reiterate our location request on check-in day, we almost always get it. John7994's advice of asking the roving CM in a calm, kind manner also works quite well on the rare times that we didn't get our request.