Need help with Kidani room request

[WallE71]

Need help with a room request for Kidani. Trying to keep this budget friendly so we are splitting a 2br with another family that has never been to WDW. I just booked a standard view, but thought of moving to BRV or CCV as we love Wilderness Lodge too and proximity to MK. Problem is a 2br there is 80 points more than Kidani standard view for our stay. So, would you stay at Kidani standard view? Upgrade to Savannah view? And where would you recommend for room request. This is our home resort, but only stayed there twice so far. Last time, we were right by elevators with a nice Savannah view, but a long way from lobby, buses, and opposite side of the pools. Again, this is a budget friendly stay so may only do a 2 or 3 day park pass so we can enjoy the resort and maybe one day at TL or BB.

 

[drusba]

See this map of Kidani: http://www.wdwinfo.com/maps/Kindani_Village_Map.jpg

The front entrance to the lobby faces west. There are standard views: (a) in the first four building pods from the lobby on the south wing (right side of map), all of which rooms face NW to west and have a road or back of the bus station view, (b) in the first three and some in the fourth pods from the lobby on the north wing, which face SW to W and have a view of front entrance area or somewhat of a view of the pool area although, particularly for lower floors, that is mostly a view of a hill leading to the pool area; the ones that have been reported in the fourth pod have a partial savanna view of the bottom of the Pembe savanna; (c) in the sixth and seventh building pods looking NW to north on the Pembe savanna; those rooms were converted from savanna view because the savanna's outer fence comes in fairly close to the building and thus you get a narrow view of the savanna but you still see animals.

Where you mention you were before with savanna view is probably a room in the one of the last three building pods from the lobby on the south wing since you mention being on the wing that did not have the pool, and your room would have faced the Sunset savanna. The elevator you were near is the Zazu elevator, which is where the red AED sign is between the fifth and sixth building pods on the south wing. The elevator on the north wing at the red AED sign between the sixth and seventh buiding pods, where the converted-to-standard-rooms-with-a-savanna-view are, is the Pumba elevator

If you were to "upgrade" to savanna view, you would be required to use more points than you would for a 2BR at CCV or BRV, so if one of those is your preference and you are wiling to spend more points, you should likely get one of those at 7 month out rather than move up to savanna view at Kidani. However, if you want a good chance of getting a savanna view at Kidani while having a standard view room, you could make a request for a room near the Pumba elevator. Just note, however, that if you get that request, you will have the same long walk issue you had before except you will be somewhat closer to the pool and much further from the bus station. There are two alternative requests to make with standard view if you want to give up savanna view but decrease signficantly the amount of walking needed to pool, lobby or bus station: (a) request near the Rafiki elevator, which is the one between the second and third building pods on the north wing -- down that elevator to ground/parking lot floor gives you the shortest possible walk from the building to an entry gate to the pool and puts you in striking distance of the loby and bus station; or (b) close to the Timon elevator, which is the one between the second and third pods on the south wing -- down that elevator to second floor gives you short walk to the door that leads directly to the bus station and puts you within striking distance of the lobby and pool.

 

[Frederic Civish]

I would stick with kidani Village. It is a wonderful Resort. They have Sanaa for a restaurant. It is a pretty good restaurant. They don't have a breakfast restaurant or food court there, for that you need to hop on the shuttle at the front desk for the 2-minute ride to Jambo House. However kidani does have a pool bar that serves a few things.

I love the Savannah I love the lobby and Decor. I think the rooms are great. Our 2 bedroom at kidani was incredible.

Look at the room number information and ask for specific room numbers. I heard someone who said they requested four different room numbers and got their second choice. I believe the rooms are numbered from closer to the lobby down the hall to away from the lobby at least in the South wing.

Another choice is to ask for a room by the Timon elevator. The Timon elevator is the first elevator to the South in the South wing, the first elevator away from the main lobby. It goes all the way down to the parking lot and is also close to the bus stops and fairly close to the lobby.

 

[WallE71]

Thanks! I think we may go for the partial Savannah view with Pembe and then try Timon elevator second. Then, we get what we get. I would not be upset with either. We also love Kidani and that is why we purchased there. I love Sanaa. My favorite thing is getting the bread service to go as an app in the room. Then, we use all the sauces all week to give it more of an African feel to the meals we make in the room. I also do not want to spend 60 more points for a stay somewhere else.

 

[WallE71]

) in the sixth and seventh building pods looking NW to north on the Pembe savanna; those rooms were converted from savanna view because the savanna's outer fence comes in fairly close to the building and thus you get a narrow view of the savanna but you still see animals.

I have not called on this yet, but do you know how to request this? I think would be perfect and check all the boxes for us. With it being the sixth or seventh pod, it would be closer to the lobby than last time and close to the pool. And you were dead on for our last stay, we were right by the Zazu elevator.

 

[drusba]

I have not called on this yet, but do you know how to request this? I think would be perfect and check all the boxes for us. With it being the sixth or seventh pod, it would be closer to the lobby than last time and close to the pool. And you were dead on for our last stay, we were right by the Zazu elevator.

Just call or email MS and request a room close to the Pumba elevator. Twice we have had made that reequest with standard and gotten a room in the sixth building pod. It has a decent chance of being granted simply because the vast majority of requests made, both with standard or savanna view, are for rooms closer to the lobby, pool or bus station.

 

[WallE71]

Just call or email MS and request a room close to the Pumba elevator. Twice we have had made that reequest with standard and gotten a room in the sixth building pod. It has a decent chance of being granted simply because the vast majority of requests made, both with standard or savanna view, are for rooms closer to the lobby, pool or bus station.

I did call yesterday and added a partial view of Pembe Savanna. The CM stated I was standard view and that she doubted I would get a Savannah view if I asked for it. I noted that some standards have a partial view. She added it, but doubted I would get it. Is it rude to ask that way? Should I change to close to Pumba elevator? I have close to Timon elevator as second request. I planned on faxing request closer to check-in as well.

 

[drusba]

I have not been questioned when I just asked for close to the Pumba elevator, probably because the MS personnel had no idea where the Pumba elevator is, and thus if I were you I would just make that request. Also, you should assume the MS persons you talk to have little knowledge of the specifc resort location of most rooms. MS employees are very often fairly new and lack knowledge of most room locations at specific resorts. Yours likely had no idea that there are actually standard view rooms overlooking Pembe savanna at Kidani, assumed (wrongly) you could not possibly get a standard view room having any kind of savanna room, and thus said you were unlikely to get it.

 

[Frederic Civish]

The people at animal Kingdom Lodge get so many requests from people with standard rooms or value rooms who request hey savanna view or partial savanna view that they pretty much just ignore them in my experience. In fact in some cases they specifically point out that you cannot request a savanna view. And animal Kingdom Lodges are so large that I think it overwhelms their request system if your request is too general. I think you are much more likely to get what you want if you request a certain elevator area, or even certain specific room numbers.

 

[WallE71]

The people at animal Kingdom Lodge get so many requests from people with standard rooms or value rooms who request hey savanna view or partial savanna view that they pretty much just ignore them in my experience. In fact in some cases they specifically point out that you cannot request a savanna view. And animal Kingdom Lodges are so large that I think it overwhelms their request system if your request is too general. I think you are much more likely to get what you want if you request a certain elevator area, or even certain specific room numbers.

Any idea room numbers to request? Looks to me 7624 to 7633 if lower floor up to 7925 to 7933 for upper floor. Any idea if I need to request even or odd. Just thinking if I get a SE view, I will end up with a pool view. That would be for 7th pod. Also we have a dedicated 2br if that helps with request.

 

[WallE71]

The people at animal Kingdom Lodge get so many requests from people with standard rooms or value rooms who request hey savanna view or partial savanna view that they pretty much just ignore them in my experience. In fact in some cases they specifically point out that you cannot request a savanna view. And animal Kingdom Lodges are so large that I think it overwhelms their request system if your request is too general. I think you are much more likely to get what you want if you request a certain elevator area, or even certain specific room numbers.

Okay I plan on calling back and requesting close to Pumba elevator first. Then, close to Timon elevator second.

 

[sarahk0204]

Which elevator is the one on the south side, furthest from the lobby, but closer to the barbecue grills?

 

[drusba]

Which elevator is the one on the south side, furthest from the lobby, but closer to the barbecue grills?

Zazu

 

[BillPA]

From a post by walkinginthefog

https://www.disboards.com/threads/a...mmunity-hall-noisy-for-rooms-near-it.3468654/

North Bldg/Wing/Trail aka Bldg 1 ?aka Red River Hog Trail??
(2nd Floor Rooms 76xx, 3rd Floor Rooms 77xx, 4th Floor Rooms 78xx, 5th Floor Rooms 79xx).
THE FURTHEST ROOMS FROM JAMBO HOUSE
-Rooms xx82 - xx60 (pods 7, 8, 9)
ELEVATOR (___PUMBA___) & a Stairwell. Parking Garage access, but not outside access--although you can walk thru garage to get to exit.
-Rooms xx59 - xx34 (pods 4, 5, 6)
STAIRWELL ....EXIT to path leading to front of Bldg
-Rooms xx33 - xx24 (pod 3)
ELEVATOR (___RAFIKI____) & a Stairwell, all the way to Parking Garage & outside access. Closest exit to the Pool (fenced in, with a gate)
-Rooms xx23 - xx04 or xx00 (pods 1, 2)
ELEVATOR (___No name....Let's call it LOBBY NORTH ELEVATOR__).....(Exit at main lobby, 2nd floor))
LOBBY.................OUTSIDE ACCESS! It is the main door!, and also has stairs to the lower level for Restaurant Sanaa...
South Bldg/Wing/Trail aka Bldg 2 ?aka Giraffe Trail?
(2nd Floor Rooms 72xx, 3rd Floor Rooms 73xx, 4th Floor Rooms 74xx, 5th Floor Rooms 75xx).
ELEVATOR (___No name....Let's call it LOBBY SOUTH ELEVATOR__)...(Exit at main lobby, 2nd floor)
2nd Floor Community Hall
Rooms xx00 or xx04 - xx10 (Pod 1)
2nd Floor EXIT to path leading to front of Bldg Closest Bus Exit
-Rooms xx11 - xx19 (Pod 2)
ELEVATOR (___TIMON____)& a Stairwell, all the way to Parking Garage & outside access to a path for parking garage, back to lobby & to Jambo House. But, due to wall lining the bus area, it's not a shortcut to the bus as you might thinkg!
-Rooms xx20 - xx27 (Pod 3)
??It looks like a staircase here leading to parking garage, and Walkway back to lobby or to Jambo House?
- Rooms xx28- xx44 (Pod 4, 5)
ELEVATOR (___ZAZU____) & a Stairwell, all the way to Parking Garage & outside access. Again, Closest exit to Jambo House
-Rooms xx46 - xx62 or xx64 (Pods 6, 7,8)
- THE END NEAREST JAMBO HOUSE (even tho the nearest exit is probably actually back at the elevator bank)

 

[sarahk0204]

Thank you!

 

[ericar]

Regarding Kidani, do you have to walk through the lobby to get to the bus stop or are there exits from each building?

 

[kydisneyfans]

You can get to the bus stop in a roundabout way but if you are staying left of the entrance, going through the lobby is the easiest option.

For requests at Kidani, we are 0 for 2 recently. One trip was took our nephew with rheumatoid arthritis in his legs and we requested a room near the bus stop or an elevator. Our room was 4 rooms from the furthest away location in the resort. Next trip was a request anywhere on the Sunset Savannah, we were stuck on the Pembe Savannah with absolutely no view and interstate noise. We moved to OKW for our last several trips and had no problems with requests.