AKV 2BR in 2021

DisneyGal24

Always dreaming of Disney! DVC—SSR & AKL
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Feb 19, 2012
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We are planning our 2021 trip. It will be me, DH, and the kids (DD & DS who will be 15 and 12 by then). It will be the first time we bring family with us. My sister-in-law has visited Disney many times but has always stayed in the value resorts. Her dream resort is AKL so we’re booking a 2BR savanna view at Kidani for early July 2021. It’s also our first time in a 2BR!!! We chose Kidani over Jambo because we get an extra bathroom. Also, our research shows that a 2BR at Kidani is 1BR and studio. Just wanted to verify this with my fellow DISers. I know it’s hotter than the surface of the sun in July but we’re teachers and DH coaches high school football and that’s their dead period (no practice). It’s the only time we can go. Any suggestions on how to make this super special for SIL?
 
The two bedroom villas at Kidani are a one bedroom and a studio ONLY if described as Lock-off. If the description is “2 bedroom“ there are two queens in the second bedroom, a balcony that is huge as it spans the whole villa, and there is no exit from the second bedroom.

Eating lunch with an Animal Specialist is a wonderful add on, if they will have that event again in the future. It happened a couple of times a week in ordinary times.
 
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Kidani has both lock-off (1BR and studio) 2BRs and dedicated 2BRs (only a 2BR and has one entry door). Each is its own booking category. When reserving online, you would book a "two bedroom" if you want the dedicated 2BR and a "two-bedroom lock-off" if the combined 1BR and studio. Both types of 2BRs are located throughout the building.

We prefer the dedicated because it has two queen beds in the second bedroom rather than a bed and pull-out couch, more closet space due to the absence of a studio kitchenette, and the better balcony -- one long balcony that ruins across both bedrooms and the living room while the lock-off has a board-like wall on the balcony separating the studio from the 1BR. However, many prefer the lock-off, particularly for having a second room with its own kitchenette.

You should make some requests through MS. See building map here https://www.wdwinfo.com/maps/Kindani_Village_Map.jpg. One most suggested is Sunset savanna view, the largest savanna at AKV, where you see giraffes and zebras (the smaller Pembe savanna has neither). About 80% of all Kidani savanna view rooms overlook Sunset and thus chance of getting that request are high. You should also make a location request. The front of the building faces west and there is a north and south wing. The pool is on the north wing and the bus depot on the south wing. The building is extremely long, more than 2/3 mile from one end to the other (among the longest single hotel buildings in the world). Thus, getting a room anywhere near the end of a wing can leave daunting walks to almost anything. Large numbers who have already suffered the walks before request "close to lobby." Fine if you get it but many do not get that request granted because of the huge number of requests made, and the result is often that you end up near the end of a wing, as far from the lobby as you can possibly be, because when a location request cannot be met, you are just given an available room anywhere which is often those at the end of the wings. Another request many make is "near an elevator." At Kidani that is a completely useless request. There are three elevators spread out along each wing and every room in the building is near an elevator. You need to name the specific elevator you want for any such request.

Two I have requested before, and which have often worked, is a room near the Rafiki elevator (on the north wing and gives you shortest possible walk to a pool gate, by going down that elevator to the first, parking lot floor and out to a trail to the pool, and also leaves you with reasonable walks to lobby, restaurant, and bus station), or a room near the Timon elevator on the south wing (down that elevator two second floor gives you shortest trip to the bus station and reasonable trips to lobby, restaurant and pool.

If you have a car, the parking lot is under the building (and some just outside building) and runs almost throughout the entire building on the first floor, with the result that you can usually park fairly near an elevator that leads to your room. And note some rent cars just in case they get a room at the end of one of the wings, so they can drive to the lobby store.

Kidani has one restaurant, Sanaa (table service) which is very good. The pool at Kidani is good with a long slide, an excellent bar/quick food area that has tables in the shade, and an excellent kids water park area (good for ages up to young teens). Both Kidani and Jambo have lots of kids activities at the resort and pools and nighttime animal viewing through special glasses. The Jambo building front door is 1/2 mile from the Kidani front door (but only about 1/4 mile from the Zazu elevator on the Kidani south wing). A bus runs continuously (about every 15 minutes) between the front entrance of the buildings -- note for any such things mentioned in this post, I cannot say what will be going on if coronavirus is still an issue). Jambo has the larger lobby, store, and pool, and three restaurants, a very good but very expensive table-serviice (Jiko), an excellent buffet restaurant (Boma), and a good quick service restaurant (Mara which has lots of seating, including some in the shade outside.

The bus service to parks tends to be decent; we have found that it usually has fewer delay problems than others, and,though mileage-wise the trips to three of the parks (AKV is only about 8 minuets) are long, the travel time is usually comparable or shorter than other resorts because AKV has only the two resort stops and does not share with any other resort. There is one stop area at Jambo and one at Kidani. Going to and from the parks, Kidani is usually the first stop, although often, particularly during morning rush times, there is separate bus from each building to MK.
 
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Kidani has both lock-off (1BR and studio) 2BRs and dedicated 2BRs (only a 2BR and has one entry door). Each is its own booking category. When reserving online, you would book a "two bedroom" if you want the dedicated 2BR and a "two-bedroom lock-off" if the combined 1BR and studio. Both types of 2BRs are located throughout the building.

We prefer the dedicated because it has two queen beds in the second bedroom rather than a bed and pull-out couch, more closet space due to the absence of a studio kitchenette, and the better balcony -- one long balcony that ruins across both bedrooms and the living room while the lock-off has a board-like wall on the balcony separating the studio from the 1BR. However, many prefer the lock-off, particularly for having a second room with its own kitchenette.

You should make some requests through MS. See building map here https://www.wdwinfo.com/maps/Kindani_Village_Map.jpg. One most suggested is Sunset savanna view, the largest savanna at AKV, where you see giraffes and zebras (the smaller Pembe savanna has neither). About 80% of all Kidani savanna view rooms overlook Sunset and thus chance of getting that request are high. You should also make a location request. The front of the building faces west and there is a north and south wing. The pool is on the north wing and the bus depot on the south wing. The building is extremely long, more than 2/3 mile from one end to the other (among the longest single hotel buildings in the world). Thus, getting a room anywhere near the end of a wing can leave daunting walks to almost anything. Large numbers who have already suffered the walks before request "close to lobby." Fine if you get it but many do not get that request granted because of the huge number of requests made, and the result is often that you end up near the end of a wing, as far from the lobby as you can possibly be, because when a location request cannot be met, you are just given an available room anywhere which is often those at the end of the wings. Another request many make is "near an elevator." At Kidani that is a completely useless request. There are three elevators spread out along each wing and every room in the building is near an elevator. You need to name the specific elevator you want for any such request.

Two I have requested before, and which have often worked, is a room near the Rafiki elevator (on the north wing and gives you shortest possible walk to a pool gate, by going down that elevator to the first, parking lot floor and out to a trail to the pool, and also leaves you with reasonable walks to lobby, restaurant, and bus station), or a room near the Timon elevator on the south wing (down that elevator two second floor gives you shortest trip to the bus station and reasonable trips to lobby, restaurant and pool.

If you have a car, the parking lot is under the building (and some just outside building) and runs almost throughout the entire building on the first floor, with the result that you can usually park fairly near an elevator that leads to your room. And note some rent cars just in case they get a room at the end of one of the wings, so they can drive to the lobby store.

Kidani has one restaurant, Sanaa (table service) which is very good. The pool at Kidani is good with a long slide, an excellent bar/quick food area that has tables in the shade, and an excellent kids water park area (good for ages up to young teens). Both Kidani and Jambo have lots of kids activities at the resort and pools and nighttime animal viewing through special glasses. The Jambo building front door is 1/2 mile from the Kidani front door (but only about 1/4 mile from the Zazu elevator on the Kidani south wing). A bus runs continuously (about every 15 minutes) between the front entrance of the buildings -- note for any such things mentioned in this post, I cannot say what will be going on if coronavirus is still an issue). Jambo has the larger lobby, store, and pool, and three restaurants, a very good but very expensive table-serviice (Jiko), an excellent buffet restaurant (Boma), and a good quick service restaurant (Mara which has lots of seating, including some in the shade outside.

The bus service to parks tends to be decent; we have found that it usually has fewer delay problems than others, and,though mileage-wise the trips to three of the parks (AKV is only about 8 minuets) are long, the travel time is usually comparable or shorter than other resorts because because AKV has only the two resort stops and does not share with any other resort. There is one stop area at Jambo and one at Kidani. Going to and from the parks, Kidani is usually the first stop, although often, particularly during morning rush times, there is separate bus from each building to MK.
Thank you so much for all this information! While we own at AKV, we have stayed at Jambo so our knowledge of Kidani is very limited. I think we’ve only stayed at Kidani one other time. This will be very helpful as we prepare to book at the 11 month mark.
 

Thank you so much for all this information! While we own at AKV, we have stayed at Jambo so our knowledge of Kidani is very limited. I think we’ve only stayed at Kidani one other time. This will be very helpful as we prepare to book at the 11 month mark.
Jambo only has lockoff two bedroom villas. Kidani has both as drusba explained. The master bathroom at KV has the separate shower and tub whereas at Jambo they are one tub with a shower in the tub.
 
Dedicated 2BR at Kidani is great! Nine beds, three baths, big long private balcony. The master bedroom is really nice with a spacious bathroom. My room recommendation is sunset savannah, lower floor, close to lobby, which usually means close to pool. I like the first two levels because they have better visibility for when animals are moving in. The pool area is really nice, good slide and hot tubs. If you're interested they have a great health club too...nice gym, showers, and changing rooms! Undercover parking is great perk too although at times can be tough to find a spot nearby. Do the Boma breakfast for sure! :wave:
 
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