AKV Kidani - two thumbs up!

[ppiew]

Best of the DVC resorts by far! We had a 2BR and it was superb! Finally got a place with a decent amount of room. Previously stayed at SSSprngs and were very disappointed in the size. Kidani solves that beautifully! The restaurang SANAA was outstanding! What a treat! Super food Super service. I hesitated to write this because I thought everyone would want to book and then we wouldn't be able to get in there again - HA Ha! Share the wealth I say - you will NOT regret it!

 

[abeyst]

So glad you loved your trip! We stayed there last July, and LOVED it!! We loved Sanaa so much we ate dinner there 3 times in a week! EXCELLENT food and service! Go see Giovanni, if he's still there. He's the best server we've ever had in all our trips!

I secretly hope the word doesn't get out about Sanaa - I don't want it to be the next Le Cellier!! LOL!

 

[iwrbnd]

I'm glad to hear this! We'll be there in July!

 

[prlnoirpir8]

Glad to see the new section is fanastic!! LOOking forward to getting back there soon!

 

[ppiew]

We had both lunch and dinner at Sanaa and both far exceeded expectations. We tried things we had only seen on menu's before and were never disappointed. The lamb was top shelf as were so many other things. We spent nearly 3 hrs at lunch (they weren't busy) and I swear we tried everything on the menu! Our waiter at dinner gave us the best wine recommendation - we ended up with 2 bottles. My only disappointment at Kidani was no breakfast available - had to walk to Jambo. Oh well, we ate so much everywhere the walk did us all good!!!!
By the way, our 2 BR unit had threeFULL baths!!!! Oh the luxury of it all! (especially with teenage girls!!!) The MB had a HUGE jetted tub and a large walk in shower. The bathroom was about 12' X 10' easily - hUGE!!!!!!

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

Can't wait, staying there for the first time in 2 weeks! Don't have any reservations for Sanna...just Boma and Jiko. Jiko will be our anniversary dinner (no kids.) Should we switch to Sanaa?

 

[jaimeadk]

You said you spent three hours at dinner in Sanaa. We have reservations there for one night and will be dining with a 1, 4, and 5 year old. I know it's a sit down dining experience but my kids would never last three hours. Is Sanaa a long dining experience for everyone?

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

You said you spent three hours at dinner in Sanaa. We have reservations there for one night and will be dining with a 1, 4, and 5 year old. I know it's a sit down dining experience but my kids would never last three hours. Is Sanaa a long dining experience for everyone?

I don't want to answer for the OP, but I took the post to mean they enjoyed their meal so much they allowed themselves to linger!

 

[ppiew]

Actually the 3 hr one was lunch but it was OUR choice to linger and try everything we could it was all so unusual and such a treat. There were very few people so we weren't taking up space for waiting folks. Most of the meals were abt 1 hr to 1 1/4 hrs as are most of the better restaurants at Disney. Re: Jiko - hmm- tough one to decide for someone else. I think the ambience at JIKO is a little nicer and slightly more upscale and certainly the menu is more extensive than SANAA, but I guess it would depend on where you are staying also. Either way, I can't imagine being disappointed.

 

[jaimeadk]

Thanks.....I thought you were referring to enjoying the experience so you chose to linger over lunch. I just wanted to make sure. I would expect an hour and a half. Glad you had such a great experience!

 

[La2kw]

You said you spent three hours at dinner in Sanaa. We have reservations there for one night and will be dining with a 1, 4, and 5 year old. I know it's a sit down dining experience but my kids would never last three hours. Is Sanaa a long dining experience for everyone?

We've seen a few families with small children get in and out of the restaurant rather quickly. I would suggest booking for an early time when the restaurant is not full yet. The level of service declined as the restaurant got busier the last time we ate there.

 

[kaelarad]

Thanks for the report! We are staying in a studio next month and can't wait. We have never stayed at AK

 

[abeyst]

Can't wait, staying there for the first time in 2 weeks! Don't have any reservations for Sanna...just Boma and Jiko. Jiko will be our anniversary dinner (no kids.) Should we switch to Sanaa?

Can you do Sanaa, Boma and Jiko? If you've already done Boma or Jiko, I'd say trade one out for Sanaa. I think it is definitely better food at Sanaa than Boma, but I liked Boma, too. Sanaa is quieter, more quaint. You can sit by the windows and see the dozens of animals going by on the savannah. It really is a wonderful experience.

If I asked my kids right now (DS11, DD7), they'd pick Sanaa as where they'd eat dinner right now.....and every night of our trip.

 

[SamSam]

Glad you loved Kidani so much. Dh and I do too; BCV used to be our favorite, but after our stay in Kidani last October,we only want to stay at Kidani.

Can't wait, staying there for the first time in 2 weeks! Don't have any reservations for Sanna...just Boma and Jiko. Jiko will be our anniversary dinner (no kids.) Should we switch to Sanaa?

We have dined at both Sanaa and Jiko many times, and enjoy them both immensely but for an anniversary I would go with Jiko's. To me Jiko's is a more intimate, romantic and a little more adult oriented. Don't get me wrong, kids can, and do, eat at Jiko's but Sanaa seems to be more family oriented and Jiko's more adult oriented......at least IMHO.
Whichever you decide, enjoy, and happy anniversary.

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

Thanks SamSam! Yeah, I guess we will stick with Jiko. We dined there once, I believe it was in 2005. It was EXCELLENT. I hope it still is. As much as I love WDW, I will say that many of the restaurants I absolutely LOVED at one point, go downhill and I don't love them so much! When was the last time you dined at Jiko?

I want to try Sanaa so badly...but this is a quick trip and I just don't think we'll be able to fit it in and truly enjoy each and every meal. The good thing is...just another reason why we will have to go back to AKL/AKV!

Thanks again!

 

[La2kw]

Can you do Sanaa, Boma and Jiko? If you've already done Boma or Jiko, I'd say trade one out for Sanaa. I think it is definitely better food at Sanaa than Boma, but I liked Boma, too. Sanaa is quieter, more quaint. You can sit by the windows and see the dozens of animals going by on the savannah. It really is a wonderful experience.

If I asked my kids right now (DS11, DD7), they'd pick Sanaa as where they'd eat dinner right now.....and every night of our trip.

Ssshhh. We don't want to give that away. Sanaa will be too hard to book.

Ignore the above post. Sanaa is horrible. You cannot see animals from the restaurant and the food is terrible.

 

[ppiew]

(yes fingers crossed behind my back)
Service must be bad too. you think this will work????

 

[Jitzy]

Now I am in a Quandry!!! Is that spelled right?

Anyway, we have a family trip ~ my parents, Me, DH, our 2 DS and my sister and her DH and their 2 DS. I have reservations at Boma this year. We are staying at Kidani. Should I change it to Sanaa?

Last year, we all ate at Jiko, and while it was okay, none of us were blown away by the experience. PLUS, we have a few picky eaters in the group, but if there is a steak on the menu, they will eat that!

 

[SamSam]

Thanks SamSam! Yeah, I guess we will stick with Jiko. We dined there once, I believe it was in 2005. It was EXCELLENT. I hope it still is. As much as I love WDW, I will say that many of the restaurants I absolutely LOVED at one point, go downhill and I don't love them so much! When was the last time you dined at Jiko?

I want to try Sanaa so badly...but this is a quick trip and I just don't think we'll be able to fit it in and truly enjoy each and every meal. The good thing is...just another reason why we will have to go back to AKL/AKV!

Thanks again!

We were there in October of last year (2009) and dined at both Jiko's and Sanaa's several different times (long stay). Jiko's quality was still excellent at that time.

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

Can you do Sanaa, Boma and Jiko? If you've already done Boma or Jiko, I'd say trade one out for Sanaa. I think it is definitely better food at Sanaa than Boma, but I liked Boma, too. Sanaa is quieter, more quaint. You can sit by the windows and see the dozens of animals going by on the savannah. It really is a wonderful experience.

If I asked my kids right now (DS11, DD7), they'd pick Sanaa as where they'd eat dinner right now.....and every night of our trip.

No...we have breakfast ADRS at Boma, dinner at Jiko. I guess we could squeeze a lunch in at Sanaa...but we have reservations off site the first night we arrive (anyone here ever tried Roys on Sand Lake Road? It is INCREDIBLE. I used to NEVER leave WDW property for anything...but we just love this place!) and I don't want to eat a big lunch before that meal...next day we may be at a water park, that night is Jiko...next morning is breakfast at Boma and hitting the road to go home. I assure you...I will try Sanaa before the year is over!

SamSam...good to hear! I am excited.