AKV - Are we the only family that...

[FormrCastMbr]

really disliked it? We disliked it so much that we checked out a day early to head to the Vero Beach Resort.

I am not one to complain about hotels/resorts that I was almost in tears discussing it with the CM that was helping me check out and reserve VB. I felt so bad.

Now, I know the things we disliked were minor but I thought I would share.

The rooms are very dark and dreary.

The rooms are so far away from the lobby. Lots of walking and getting lost. There is not enough signage in the halls.

Parking was terrible. The parking is under the building and one night we came back from a night at MK and there was no parking in any section of the garage. Looking for parking for 20 minutes is crazy, especially coming back from the parks at night with tired children. Then having to walk so far to your room. Ugh! We were told we could valet the car or park in short term.

Walking to the pool. There are only 2 ways to get there. Walking through the parking garage or out of the front lobby. Just seemed wierd to me.

The van to and from Jambo. This is a great service except when people us the van to pool hop. My husband sat down one night and got soaking wet. Thank god we were coming from dinner or else it would have been a miserable time.

It seemed like every guest I passed in the halls was complaining about the walking. I also mentioned to a CM that we did not like it there and they responded that Disney has realized the design flaws.

Like I said, I know these things are minor. I am glad that we experienced Kidani but will not be staying there again. We loved seeing the animals off the balcony and enjoyed the pool and kids area. The things we disliked just out weigh the things we did.

 

[dgaston]

And your experience is why there are so many options at WDW. I love AKV -- both Kidani and Jambo, and the decor and the hallways don't bother me. I think it is such a unique option to have wildlife outside your balcony that makes up for any inconvenience for me.

As for me, I'm not sold on BLT, but my adult kids and many others love it.

I hope your next DVC stay is more to your liking.

 

[BDJazz]

And your experience is why there are so many options at WDW. I love AKV -- both Kidani and Jambo, and the decor and the hallways don't bother me. I think it is such a unique option to have wildlife outside your balcony that makes up for any inconvenience for me.

As for me, I'm not sold on BLT, but my adult kids and many others love it.

I hope your next DVC stay is more to your liking.

Agreed! There are so many options and everyone's tastes are different. AKV is one of our favorites due to the theming and we love the atmosphere. BLT on the other hand has so many people that love it, but for use we felt like we were staying in a hospital.

I do agree about a lot of walking at Kidani - we are going next April with our 1 year old baby and we are going to try Jambo this time. We figure having a quick service and easier access to the pool will come in handy.

 

[spiceycat]

if you ever want to try it again - go for value or standard view at Jambo house (not Kidani) these rooms are closer to the lobby. now the 1 and 2-bedroom are smaller at Jambo house.

I liked AKV jambo house found it restfully.

now the pool - BCV, BLT, you go to the main lobby to get to the swimming pool.

so that is not strange. - the thing about Kidani pool that will cause Disney problems some day. Is most of the time you are not walking thru a parking lot to get to the pool.

even Macdonald has changed their playground to kept the little ones from walking across parking lots.

 

[dianeschlicht]

It took me awhile to get used to the dark decor too, and I still hate that I can't see to put on my makeup anywhere in the unit, but I always figure that's a minor inconvenience to have so I can sit on my balcony all day and watch the animals.

 

[LisaS]

I'm sorry your stay at AKV was disappointing. At least now you know it doesn't work for your family and fortunately you have several other options.

I am also usually close to tears when we check out of AKV but it's because DH and I love it there. We stayed at AKL on our first trip to WDW and fell in love with the resort the moment we arrived. We felt like we had been transported to Africa! Yes it is darker than other resorts and normally that would bother me but the lighting feels right as part of the atmosphere of a stay on an African savanna.

I agree the pool is in an odd location compared to other resorts but I'm not sure where else they could have put it. Had it been located on the other side of the building they would have ended up with far fewer Savanna View rooms and the noise from the pool would ruin the peaceful savanna atmosphere.

Thanks for the warning about the van being used to pool hop! We've never used the van because we enjoy (finally!!) having the opportunity to walk around AKL/AKV. That was my one complaint about AKL prior to the addition of Kidani Village -- there was nowhere to take a stroll around the resort after a big meal at Boma. But if we do opt to take the van some time in the future, I'll know to check if the seats are wet!

 

[Deb & Bill]

We're not fans of the exterior of KV; we think it looks prison-like. Hopefully as the foliage grows up around the resort it will look better. We did stay at JH before DVC moved into the building and liked it enough to consider at one point buying points at AKV. But we liked the rooms and like the resort.

Parking is horrible at BWV, VWL as well as JH. I hadn't heard about problems with parking at KV, but there are also parking places outside the parking garage. There are long hikes to the villas at BWV, some say BCV (but there is a second elevator along that long walk). But after walking so much in the parks, it really isn't all that horrible to walk down a narrow corridor to your villa.

The only place I've ever left early to move to another location was a resort at Newport Beach, CA. We were staying there a few nights on our trip out West. We'd been in San Diego for the Rock 'n Roll Marathon there, then to the beach for a few nights, then to DL. We hated this resort so badly, I called DL and asked if we could check in a day early and they had availability.

 

[vdub322]

Sorry you didn't enjoy your stay at Kidani. I had read some opinions like yours here on the DIS and was worried about our trip this past Spring. We bought AKV sight-unseen and did a split stay between BLT and Kidani. At Kidani, we were all the way in the last section of the resort on the side closest to Jambo. Just about as far from the lobby and pool as you can get...but every time I would mention reading about "long hallways" to my DH, he would say he didn't think they were bad. We never had an issue with parking...maybe it was the time of year we were there, but we parked right next to the ZaZu elevator and used the Disney transportation (which was very efficient. We actually had longer waits and more crowded busses at BLT). I honestly don't think it was a much further walk for us than it was from the bus or monorail at the Contemporary to our BLT room.

Ours DDs, ages 12 and 3, both loved it there...didn't mind the walking and LOVED the pool.

I guess everyone's experience and perspective is different. I hope you find a place you like better. We are booked for Jambo House in January, but we will definitely go back to Kidani!

 

[CruznLexi]

To each his own and many resorts to choose from. We absolutely love KV! Th only place we stay. Yes the halls can be long but we love it as we are away from home and we are on vacation.

 

[jarestel]

Your points are valid and what you say is certainly true. I think most of us who stay at AKV do so for the animal experience and that makes up for the other things.

 

[SLM]

We look forward to our DVC trips for months-so I'm sorry you were so disappointed with Kidani Village. With so many resorts to choose from I'm sure your next vacation will be much better. I hope you have a great stay at Vero Beach.

 

[bumbershoot]

I disliked it too, and don't plan to stay there again. (DS might sway me to book it, b/c he got such enjoyment from the animals, if DH takes that side as well, but it won't be what I wish) Stayed in a 1 bedroom villa at Jambo, just did not like it for a variety of reasons, not the least of which was the way the CMs dealt with problems.

 

[wen-tom]

I like reading posts like this because it makes me realise how we are all so different All of your dislikes (minus the car park which i have never experienced as we don't drive there) are the reasons that we love AKV

I love the long halls and I much prefer the walk through the halls than the separate buildings that many of the resorts have.
We love the decor, the darkness of the rooms to me just adds to the theming

Maybe you would prefer Jambo to Kidani as the pool has better access.

We never bothered with the van service between jambo and kidani, it's a nice walk and only takes a short time to get between the 2 areas.

We are trying BCV for the first time in 6 weeks and looking forward to trying a new resort but AKV is my favourite and we are still staying there for some of our time.

Differences like this make you glad that Disney offers so many different resorts

I hope you enjoy your time at Vero

 

[dzorn]

really disliked it? We disliked it so much that we checked out a day early to head to the Vero Beach Resort.

I am not one to complain about hotels/resorts that I was almost in tears discussing it with the CM that was helping me check out and reserve VB. I felt so bad.

Now, I know the things we disliked were minor but I thought I would share.

The rooms are very dark and dreary.

The rooms are so far away from the lobby. Lots of walking and getting lost. There is not enough signage in the halls.

Parking was terrible. The parking is under the building and one night we came back from a night at MK and there was no parking in any section of the garage. Looking for parking for 20 minutes is crazy, especially coming back from the parks at night with tired children. Then having to walk so far to your room. Ugh! We were told we could valet the car or park in short term.

Walking to the pool. There are only 2 ways to get there. Walking through the parking garage or out of the front lobby. Just seemed wierd to me.

The van to and from Jambo. This is a great service except when people us the van to pool hop. My husband sat down one night and got soaking wet. Thank god we were coming from dinner or else it would have been a miserable time.

It seemed like every guest I passed in the halls was complaining about the walking. I also mentioned to a CM that we did not like it there and they responded that Disney has realized the design flaws.

Like I said, I know these things are minor. I am glad that we experienced Kidani but will not be staying there again. We loved seeing the animals off the balcony and enjoyed the pool and kids area. The things we disliked just out weigh the things we did.

We love AKV but that's why WDW has variety so there is something for everyone.

Denise in MI

 

[DVCMikey]

I don't think I will ever say I disliked any disney resort because we pretty much love everything disney.

We stayed in studio feb 2011, and it was not as good as we thought it would be. the room was nice, but walking to the bus or to the main lobby etc, was REALLY REALLY far.

It was cool to see the animals, but its not like you see tigers or lions. there was some birds and mostly deer/elk etc.

 

[lisa3635]

We've only stayed at Jambo, but we disliked it ALOT. I'd rather stay at any DVC than AKV. We had a Savanna View studio at Jambo.

 

[DebbieB]

At least they had the sense to put more elevators. At BWV, you only have 1 set of elevators.

I stayed at Kidani in 2009 and really liked it. At that time, only the one side was open and parking was good. It was nice to park and take an elevator straight up to the floor.

 

[BDJazz]

It was cool to see the animals, but its not like you see tigers or lions. there was some birds and mostly deer/elk etc.

Now if they added lions and tigers that would add a whole new dimension to feedings on the savannah!

 

[RayJay]

really disliked it? We disliked it so much that we checked out a day early to head to the Vero Beach Resort.

I am not one to complain about hotels/resorts that I was almost in tears discussing it with the CM that was helping me check out and reserve VB. I felt so bad.

Now, I know the things we disliked were minor but I thought I would share.

The rooms are very dark and dreary.

The rooms are so far away from the lobby. Lots of walking and getting lost. There is not enough signage in the halls.

Parking was terrible. The parking is under the building and one night we came back from a night at MK and there was no parking in any section of the garage. Looking for parking for 20 minutes is crazy, especially coming back from the parks at night with tired children. Then having to walk so far to your room. Ugh! We were told we could valet the car or park in short term.

Walking to the pool. There are only 2 ways to get there. Walking through the parking garage or out of the front lobby. Just seemed wierd to me.

The van to and from Jambo. This is a great service except when people us the van to pool hop. My husband sat down one night and got soaking wet. Thank god we were coming from dinner or else it would have been a miserable time.

It seemed like every guest I passed in the halls was complaining about the walking. I also mentioned to a CM that we did not like it there and they responded that Disney has realized the design flaws.

Like I said, I know these things are minor. I am glad that we experienced Kidani but will not be staying there again. We loved seeing the animals off the balcony and enjoyed the pool and kids area. The things we disliked just out weigh the things we did.

Well the 2 times we stayed it was a very long walk, but after so many trips I'm realizing that all the resorts require some bit of a walk. It seems like I always try to have the best of everything and be near the parking, near the pools, near the food, but you always have to give up one to get the other.

Hope your VB trip was excellent.
RayJay

 

[DVCMikey]

Now if they added lions and tigers that would add a whole new dimension to feedings on the savannah!

I can't argue with that!