Can AKL guests use the Kidani pool?

[DJ Disney Kid]

I know your not supposed to pool hop from resort to resort, but if your staying at AKL as a regular guest ( not DVC ), can you walk over to Kidani to use that pool as well?

I know at WL there is seemingly no issue with anyone using the DVC pool if your a WL guest. I guess it just seems different at AKL because you have to go out the front door of Jambo house and enter the front door of Kidani, so it kinda feels like your resort hopping, even though your technically not.

 

[RMulieri]

I think initially it is only for guests of Kidani

 

[Crisgw]

I'm not too sure. We are AKV DVC (and going to Kidani next week ) but I'd think you could use the pool...how would they know the difference? Will you be at Kidani or Jambo?

 

[ga9497]

Over on the DVC boards they are saying that you cannot pool hop over to Kidani. I don't know if they will be checking ID's or not but I guess we will find out soon enough after this weekend.

Personally the pool at Kidani will be much better themed then the VWL pool and to be honest if I was staying there I don't want it to be so crowded with everyone from Jambo House.

 

[BCV23]

Kidani and Jambo House are two parts of AKL. All amenities are shared across the resort. That obviously includes restaurants, helath clubs and pools all of which are amenities. This info was in a handout that CMs received at the Open Mouse last week. A CM posted a photo of the handout.

I haven't seen the posts on the DVC board but Kidani doesn't open until tomorrow. I bet paperwork guests receive at checkin will explain that it is all one resort.

 

[oscarkitty1]

Here's a direct quote from the Preview Blog over at AllEars...

Animal Kingdom Lodge - Kidani Village Part 2
I’d like to start this blog with some logistical details.

Guests and Members must check-in to their respective section of the resort – either Jambo House or Kidani Village. But other than that, all resort facilities are shared.

That sounds to me like AKL is one big resort with two pool areas. So I would fully expect to see guests of Jambo House at the Kidani Village pool if they choose to visit it.

Personally, I plan stay at the Jambo house pool, since my room is at Jambo house and I'd rather be close to it. However, if I had kids, I'd probably take them over to the play area at Kidani House.

 

[oscarkitty1]

Kidani and Jambo House are two parts of AKL. All amenities are shared across the resort. That obviously includes restaurants, helath clubs and pools all of which are amenities. This info was in a handout that CMs received at the Open Mouse last week. A CM posted a photo of the handout.

I haven't seen the posts on the DVC board but Kidani doesn't open until tomorrow. I bet paperwork guests receive at checkin will explain that it is all one resort.

Oops, just missed your post! ITA with your observations.

 

[MYD714]

I actually called AKL and asked them this question. The reply I got was that AKL guests are not allowed to use the Kidani pool. Bummer!

 

[greeneggs1082]

I have no idea about the AKL and using the DVC pool at Kidani, but I know that when DH and I went on the DVC tour recently (last Friday, actually), we were told that the pool for the Bay Lake Towers is not usable by the Contemporary Resort guests, that it is only for DVC members staying at Bay Lake Towers (the same with the observation area at the top of the Towers). My thoughts would be that it would be similar for the AKL, but I most definitely could be wrong. I guess if they find that the pools at the DVC portions of these resorts aren't being used as much, they may open them to the other "half" of the resort (i.e. non-DVC stayers).

 

[spiceycat]

I know your not supposed to pool hop from resort to resort, but if your staying at AKL as a regular guest ( not DVC ), can you walk over to Kidani to use that pool as well?

this would be a long walk - at least a 1/2 mile.

the theme buses will go to Kidani them Jambo then the parks - so the only bus you could take would be the DD bus.

that say don't think anyone would mind.

now in the summer when the place is packed - except them to start looking at ID's.

but now - you can probably do it.

 

[spiceycat]

but I know that when DH and I went on the DVC tour recently (last Friday, actually), we were told that the pool for the Bay Lake Towers is not usable by the Contemporary Resort guests, that it is only for DVC members staying at Bay Lake Towers (the same with the observation area at the top of the Towers). My thoughts would be that it would be similar for the AKL, but I most definitely could be wrong. I guess if they find that the pools at the DVC portions of these resorts aren't being used as much, they may open them to the other "half" of the resort (i.e. non-DVC stayers).

think this is because the pool is between the resort - lakeside.

they were saying you must go inside BLT to get to this pool. If this is true - that is why CR can't use it. to get inside BLT you need a key for BLT.

of course if this true how do BLT get access to the beach - guess it is out another door.

 

[Minnie824]

another point is, the pool at Jambo is twice as big as the one at Kidani, so not sure if you'd really need/want to go to Kidani anyway if you're at Jambo.

 

[sjkwheeler]

I actually called AKL and asked them this question. The reply I got was that AKL guests are not allowed to use the Kidani pool. Bummer!

It seems everywhere I look re: this, I get a different answer. I was looking on the DVCNews website and this is a post I came across:

The forthcoming Kidani Village development at Disney's Animal Kindgom Villas will include the new Samawati Springs pool and Uwanja Camp water play area. But one question that remained unanswered was exactly who would be able to use this impressive pool complex.

We recently asked a Disney Vacation Club insider and received some straightforward answers.

According to DVC Sales Director Mike Brunson, the new pool complex will be open to all guests staying at either Kidani Village or Jambo House at Disney's Animal Kindom Lodge and Villas.

This should put to rest speculation that use of the new pool may be limited to guests registered at Kidani Village only.

As for pool hopping to the Kidani Village pool, that will not be an option.

One of the perks of Disney Vacation Club ownership is the ability to "pool hop" to other Walt Disney World resort pools when using DVC points to stay at a Vacation Club resort. Two resorts' pools are currently excluded from the pool hopping rules: Stormalong Bay at Disney's Yacht and Beach Club and Uzima pool at AKL. Samawati Springs and Uwanja Camp will be added to the list of pools to which DVC members cannot pool hop.

 

[sherminator]

My wife has been wondering about this pool issue for the past few months. It doesn't seem like any of the answers everyone keeps getting is consistent in the least.

 

[Ali]

We went to look at Kidani last weekend and people have to insert a room key to get access to the pool area... I don't know if just kidani keys will work or if any resort key would work - I was too checken to use my POP key to try it!

 

[chalee94]

We went to look at Kidani last weekend and people have to insert a room key to get access to the pool area... I don't know if just kidani keys will work or if any resort key would work - I was too checken to use my POP key to try it!

you would either need a kidani key or a jambo house (i.e. AKL) key.

a POP key would certainly not work. if you own a DVC timeshare contract AND are staying on a points reservation, then you can pool hop between resorts (except for certain pools listed above, such as all of those at the AK resorts and beach club). but in general, pool hopping between resorts is forbidden.

 

[amystevekai&bump]

I've just bought into AKV and was told that those staying at both Jambo and Kidani could use the pools at both places. I'm sure there have been posts on the DVC boards saying people staying at Jambo had been over to Kidani to try out the new water area.

As I understand it, that applies to all guests at AK - regardless of whether they are DVC or regular resort guests.

Our first stay next year will be at Kidani, but after that I was considering concierge rooms (which are only in Jambo) and I wouldn't be too happy if by booking conceirge meant I wouldn't be able to use Kidani's pool.

 

[Pooh Bear Hugs]

We used Kidani pool while staying at Jambo never considered whether being CL had antything to do with the card working.

 

[helenk]

We stayed at Kidani 6/13-6/20 and anyone staying at the Animal Kingdom lodge- Jambo House or Kidani- can use the pool at Kidani. We were talking to some guests that were staying at Jambo House and were at the pool. Their room key worked to open the door to the pool and they were told by the CMs at check in that they could use the pool at Kidani.
DVC members have the pool hoping perk (for lack of a better word) but there are some pools that they may not pool hop to, Stormalong is one and the pools at AKL and AKV are 2 pools that are excluded as well.
The pool at Kidani is a lot smaller than the pool at Jambo House, so perhaps this all may change once all of Kidani is open.

 

[n2mm]

We went to look at Kidani last weekend and people have to insert a room key to get access to the pool area... I don't know if just kidani keys will work or if any resort key would work - I was too checken to use my POP key to try it!

I was going to post the same thing. Their pool area is fenced in and the gate is locked and closed all of the time. You have to insert your room key to open the gate. We wanted to look around and were in our street clothes. They let us in to walk around. The children's area is very nice and I think my granddaughters would enjoy it. Personally I find the Kidani pool very far from Jambo house. Not sure if regular guest room keys open the locked gate. Since there is DVC at Jambo house I imagine those keys would work.