AKL...which one?

[We_love_WDW]

We are going to do a split stay this summer - first staying at BLT and then trying AKL - which one is better ? Kidani or AKL? Any advice would be great.

 

[myDISboards]

April 2010 will be our first stay at Kidani Village 1-br Savanna view.

from DIS member postings and websites....1-extra bathroom for 1-br (total of 2)....more 'Home away from home' at Kidani...Main lobby entrance is not that grand at Kidani....no counter service restaurant at Kidani.....but, we're looking forward to visit Kidani Village.

Here is a good comparison for Jambo House vs. Kidani Village:
http://www.aklresort.com/content/jambo-house-vs-kidani-village

Enjoy your trip, can't go wrong with either Jambo or Kidani.

 

[eporter66]

Jambo house has a much nicer (and bigger) lobby, and more restaurant/eating options. Kidani only has Sanaa, where as Jambo has Jiko, Boma, and Mara(?) for those quick meals.

Those are the only two things that standout to me. Jambo has a bigger pool area, but I liked the pool at Kidani very much. We also buy our own groceries and have a 1 Bedroom, so the fast food option was no big deal for us either - but if you are travelling with kids and they need something quick, Kidani might not get it done for you.

That being said - we loved Kidani Village and hope to stay there again. The room and resort were beautiful.

 

[robertdangelo]

We're planning on trying AKV in 2011. Can you pool hop from Kidani to Jambo?

 

[bobbiwoz]

We're planning on trying AKV in 2011. Can you pool hop from Kidani to Jambo?

Yes, you can walk, take a bus or take your car. Kidani's pool are is lots of fun for kids! It has more play areas than Jambos.

Bobbi

 

[jlewisinsyr]

Kidani does also offer a "room service" option which can be ordered from the pool bar and also delivered to your room.

 

[Topo Bella]

I just came back from a week at Kidani. The rooms, the pool, the whole feel of the place was great BUT ... the lack of a counter-service restaurant was a real problem for us. After a long day in the park, it is nice to just be able to grab something quickly. At Kidani, you have to either take a bus or walk about 10 to 15 minutes (through parking lots mostly) to get to Jambo where the counter-service restaurant is. The pool bar has a very limited number of items (a salad and a sandwich, I believe). The couple of nights that we planned on getting counter service for dinner, this really made staying at Kidani inconvenient.

 

[Deb & Bill]

OP, you can't use points at AKL. But you can use points at AKV (fifth and sixth floors at Jambo House, which used to be called AKL).

 

[dianeschlicht]

I just came back from a week at Kidani. The rooms, the pool, the whole feel of the place was great BUT ... the lack of a counter-service restaurant was a real problem for us. After a long day in the park, it is nice to just be able to grab something quickly. At Kidani, you have to either take a bus or walk about 10 to 15 minutes (through parking lots mostly) to get to Jambo where the counter-service restaurant is. The pool bar has a very limited number of items (a salad and a sandwich, I believe). The couple of nights that we planned on getting counter service for dinner, this really made staying at Kidani inconvenient.

Really??? Did it take you that long??? I walked it it in about 6-7 minutes in May, and I'm old! Besides that's why the units have kitchens. We use the full kitchens for our evenings when we just want to chill out.

 

[eporter66]

Really??? Did it take you that long??? I walked it it in about 6-7 minutes in May, and I'm old! Besides that's why the units have kitchens. We use the full kitchens for our evenings when we just want to chill out.

Agreed - I found it to be a pretty quick walk, didnt mind it at all.

We also get food so when we get back we can make a sandwich or cook up a frozen pizza. It saves us money, so we dont mind the lack of a quick service restarant. I do understand that it could be a problem for people, but it worked fine for us.

 

[rsimon]

We are going to do a split stay this summer - first staying at BLT and then trying AKL - which one is better ? Kidani or AKL? Any advice would be great.

Hands down for us, the deciding factor on a 1-bedroom is the bathroom and even more so, the shower issue. Jambo (AKL) has a tub/shower combination that is not very good. Kidani has a separate tub/shower and actually the shower is very nice. The second bathroom is nice to have also if you have someone sleeping out in the living area.