AKL Jambo Grand Villa vs Kidani Grand Villa

[dwelty]

Just saw the photos of the Jambo House Grand Villas. They are pretty amazing with the Game room with pool table, and the great master bath with the flat panel TV over the whirlpool tub. I have also looked at the floor plan of the Kidani Village Grand Villas, and they look far less impressive. (more like the standard floor plan at SSR). Here is my question. If there are only 6 Grand Villas at Jambo house and around 26 at Kidani (at full build out) will you be able to ask specifically for a Jambo GV?
And what happens when you call day by day? I imagine these 6 Grand Villas will be in high demand, and I could see a case where you would call day-by-day and maybe get 3 days of a Jambo GV and 4 days at a Kidani GV. This could end up being a real pain. Any thoughts?

[drusba]

You are probably making assumptions about Kidani that are incorrect and likely its GVs will also be impressive. Note, as to GVs in general, demand will be keen regardless of which building it is in and day by day calling should be considered. As to getting Jambo or Kidani once both are in operation, your chosen building will be a guaranteed part of your reservation. If you call day by day and end up with both buildings on different days, you have a real problem and will have to waitlist to get additional Jambo days.

[dwelty]

You are probably making assumptions about Kidani that are incorrect and likely its GVs will also be impressive. Note, as to GVs in general, demand will be keen regardless of which building it is in and day by day calling should be considered. As to getting Jambo or Kidani once both are in operation, your chosen building will be a guaranteed part of your reservation. If you call day by day and end up with both buildings on different days, you have a real problem and will have to waitlist to get additional Jambo days.

No doubt, the Kidani Grand Villas will be impressive, however, according to the floor plans provided by Disney, they will not have a Pool table, nor a flat screen panel TV in the master bath, additionally (I feel) that one floor Grand villas (similar to BWV) feel more spacious. I think Jambo house Grand Villas will be in higher demand than Kidani.

[GusMan]

No doubt, the Kidani Grand Villas will be impressive, however, according to the floor plans provided by Disney, they will not have a Pool table, nor a flat screen panel TV in the master bath, additionally (I feel) that one floor Grand villas (similar to BWV) feel more spacious. I think Jambo house Grand Villas will be in higher demand than Kidani.
We recently booked a GV for our trip in April. When we saw the floor plan and saw its square footage, we were amazed at its size. Its bigger than our house! But when we saw the virtual tour of the Jambo House GV - well, the Mrs. and I both looked at each other in total amazement.

The Jambo House GV's are slightly bigger and I would have to agree - having it all in one floor will make it feel like a mansion.

For what its worth... for our trip, we called right at the 7 month mark - no problems getting it. However, I personally would not have wanted to risk waiting an extra day or two.

[lisareniff]

One thing I remember from looking at the floor plans was that the GV in Kidani had a loft/den area on the second floor with another sleeper sofa. Now I basing this all on memory from a few months back and an older brain, but if correct could be an advantage for those GV's over the ones at Jambo.

[LisaS]

I think there will be 16 GVs in Kidani, not 26. I believe the total number of AKV GVs is 22. Since there are 6 GVs in Jambo House, that leaves 16 in Kidani.

I agree that the Jambo House GVs are very impressive. I was surprised to see the flat screen TV in the master bath. If it's in the floor plan, it wasn't obvious to me. Also the pool table was a surprise -- the floor plan showed a couple of tables and chairs in that space. I guess what I'm getting at is that some of the things you like about the Jambo House GVs were not obvious from the floor plan so maybe we'll be surprised by some things in the Kidani GVs as well, though I'm not expecting a pool table since there is no game room.

[global_mom]

We were able to tour one of the Grand Villas at Jambo house last week during our stay at AKV. It was spectacular!!!! I could not have imagined how great it was if I had only seen a floorplan, it exceeded our expectations. I would bet that the Grands in Kidani will be equally as great even though they are 2 story. We personally love the idea of one level and it did seem HUGE but we would be happy in either place. :love:

[conandrob240]

Where can I see the video or pics of the Grand Villas at AKV? I have been dying for a peek!!!

[LisaS]

There is a 360-degree tour on the public DVC website: http://dvc.disney.go.com/dvc/guest/resorts/resortDetail?id=ProspectsDAKVLandingPage The rooms shown in the "tour" are the Kidani studio, 1BR and 2BR and the Jambo House GV.

[BensMom]

We just checked out of AKL Grand Villa No. 5284 after a week. Very impressive. Very comfortable...I have pictures. We spent most of the week "supervising" the construction of Kidani Village, as well as the care of Kidani, the young zebra. If anyone is interested, I will load the pics of Jambo Grand Villa and share...let me know.

I had a chance to stay in the GV at SSR last summer. I suspect the Kidani two-stories will be much the same, only with the wonderful African twist for decor.

[bobbiwoz]

We just checked out of AKL Grand Villa No. 5284 after a week. Very impressive. Very comfortable...I have pictures. We spent most of the week "supervising" the construction of Kidani Village, as well as the care of Kidani, the young zebra. If anyone is interested, I will load the pics of Jambo Grand Villa and share...let me know.

I had a chance to stay in the GV at SSR last summer. I suspect the Kidani two-stories will be much the same, only with the wonderful African twist for decor.

I would love to see your pictures!!
Bobbi:goodvibes

[kenman]

Any construction pictures?
THANKS!

[BensMom]

Okay, let me get home to do the chip to Fickr conversion, and I shall post a link. They are taken via my Voyager cellphone, but they didn't come out badly. Give me till Monday. Since we weren't ready to give up our vacation quite yet, we tried to extend our stay at AKL, but they were entirely booked. We had to downgrade (boo hoo) and check into a one-bedroom villa at OKW till tomorrow. A switch from giraffes, ankole cattle, zebra and ostrich to overlooking the 7th hole of LBV and some really bad golfers! LOL

[BensMom]

Any construction pictures?
THANKS!

Yes, I do have very fresh construction pictures, since it was very much a part of our view. I must say, we tried to switch villas. We were told that there are three GVs, all of which will have construction views. To expend that many DVC points to view construction, we were a bit miffed. We were afraid that during the week, the noise would keep the animals away. We were assured this was not the case, and they were correct. The animals were constant, even at 3AM, I was out on one of the three expansive balconies, only to witness three giraffes making their early morning "constitutionals" right by me! The construction noise was tolerable and only during the day, and we actually felt like witnesses to something great. The entire week included the construction of an intricate piping system that will eventually be host to the beautiful entrance to Kidani Village. So, we turned a potential negative into a positive. We called ourselves supervisors without hardhats! We also saw supervisors on Segways zipping around the construction site!

The public viewing website with the 360 view is the flipside of our unit, so my pics may give a different perspective. We were on the waiting list for this for about two months, and 7 days out, I just happened to go online, and I could not believe my eyes. I had to invite all my friends over to see it and spend the day at the pool! It was such a treat. We even were able to convince a friend of mine, who lives in the Fort Lauderdale area, to play hooky from work and spend the night. It was such an arm-twisting ordeal! It was very comfortable for six of us (four so-called adults and two 8-year-old boys). But we had houseguests during the week, and the floor plan was totally workable.

I will post the construction pictures as well.

[wildernessDad]

I wonder about the view from the Jambo house GVs. Looking at some of the satellite pics, it doesn't look like they have a particularly good view of the savannas. It looks like the first one from the lobby on the Kudu trail has the best view, and that's of the sunset savanna. Anyone who has stayed in them, please report on your view of the animals. Thanks.

[lisareniff]

Would love to see you pictures when you get a chance to get them up.

Thanks!

[BensMom]

I wonder about the view from the Jambo house GVs. Looking at some of the satellite pics, it doesn't look like they have a particularly good view of the savannas. It looks like the first one from the lobby on the Kudu trail has the best view, and that's of the sunset savanna. Anyone who has stayed in them, please report on your view of the animals. Thanks.

We were overwhelmed by the amount of animals from our view. I will post pics of the animals. I was assured by staff that it would not be an issue. It wasn't.

Actually, if I can get my act together, while posting pics, I will locate a map and identify where the GV's are and point them out. Just give me till Monday to get back to the other bubble known as Celebration, and I will post...

[wildernessDad]

I know where they are. Where was yours? :)

[btrim]

if it is important to you to be close to the new pool and the other amenities that Kidani will offer. If you don't mind being a good ways from all of that and it means more to you to have the pool table and the flat screen TV, then I would make sure you call day-by-day at the 11 month mark. I personally, want to be close to the new pool area if I have my grandchildren in a GV with me. But to each his own.

[LisaS]

Actually, if I can get my act together, while posting pics, I will locate a map and identify where the GV's are and point them out. Just give me till Monday to get back to the other bubble known as Celebration, and I will post...Here is a map with the GVs marked in orange. GV #5284 is at the end of the first spur off the left side of the horseshoe, the closest one to the lobby on that side of the horseshoe:

http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/data/500/81115AKV_ValStdClub_V21.JPG

[BensMom]

Yes, 5284 is closest to lobby. We had a choice of that or the one just north of that. We chose that because the CM talked us into it because it was farther away distance-wise from construction noise. The other one, totally on the opposite side, was occupied, and clearly not affected by the construction. The one we turned down was closest to the animals' pens. The smell can get a bit funky.

[wildernessDad]

Here is a map with the GVs marked in orange. GV #5284 is at the end of the first spur off the left side of the horseshoe, the closest one to the lobby on that side of the horseshoe:

http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/data/500/81115AKV_ValStdClub_V21.JPG

That's the one that I thought had the best view of a savanna from looking at satellite pics.

[blueeyesrnc]

We just checked out of AKL Grand Villa No. 5284 after a week. Very impressive. Very comfortable...I have pictures. We spent most of the week "supervising" the construction of Kidani Village, as well as the care of Kidani, the young zebra. If anyone is interested, I will load the pics of Jambo Grand Villa and share...let me know.

I had a chance to stay in the GV at SSR last summer. I suspect the Kidani two-stories will be much the same, only with the wonderful African twist for decor.

Hi, BensMom.:wave2: I've been reading through the old Jambo thread, and you used to post their all the time. You had such great info. As you probably know, the thread is closed now. There is a new thread, though, under the community boards. It is called "Take that shocked look off you face". I would post the link, but I don't know how. Come on over a visit us. You are most welcome. We'll partake in zebra domes and victoria falls mists. Come on over.:)

[BensMom]

Well, thank you so much for remembering me! NOOO, I did not know that long thread was closed! Shows you how long it's been since I have been on. Anyway, yes, I shall check out new thread. In the meantime, I have added (finally) my pics from the Grand Villa. I hope you guys enjoy...

Okay, hold on...I think I just posted my entire Flickr account for all to see! Oops! Hold on...it's not like Flickr makes it easy to create a URL for one to post! Does anyone know how to do this?! Arrrgghh. I'm not that inept that I am computer illiterate! I'm just missing something.