AKV Kidani Village vs Jambo House

[gdrj]

Thanks for the feedback. Right now we are scheduled for 4 days at BWV and 2 at Jambo.

First trip without kids (college) so we are looking forward to the experience.

 

[majortom1981]

Agree with Deb & Bill, we just got back from Jambo yesterday and visited Kidani for dinner @ Sanaa and walked there on a separate occasion to check out the pool area.

Its pretty obvious Disney found a much cheaper way to construct Kidani .. you can tell the details (exquisite wood carvings, etc) are missing from Kidani .. and the whole place just looks cheap compared to Jambo IMO, especially from the outside. Also, although the pool area is nice .. they had to build it right up against the circular road for checkin/parking area , and its pretty small.. totally kills it for us.

The biggest difference IMO however is the lack of quick service .. I do not want to walk 1/2 mile round trip to get a full quick service restaurant .. we love having all of the quick service options even if only 1st thing in morning.

Positives of Kidani is they are 1st stop for all buses (however bus service @ Jambo was fantastic) and the room views (compared to DVC rooms @ Jambo) are definitely better.

Your views may vary, but to us Jambo is a much better resort experience.

I love kidani and just got back from it. Kidanis pool is not as small as you state. It looks smaller because there are a lot of plants in the pool area. Kidanis pool area also includes the gym. Also kidanis pool has the spray park which does keep a lot of smaller kids out of the main kidani pool.

I dont udnerstand what people mean by missing wood carving s and looking cheap? do people not look at the walls or the african artifacts all over the halls of kidani? Do you not read all the african sayings in the halls? Do people not even look straight ahead at the big bronze clock right infront of the lobby with a book that describes how the clock was made specifically for kidani? Or the wood carving in the middle of the seats in the lobby? The fact that the windows of kidani are made that way to look like a south african trade ship with sails?

If people would actually take the tour of kidani thats scheduled the explain the whole resort and why it looks that way.

Also kidani has the awesome glow of the lanterns at night which jambo house does not have.

Kidani has the firepit . I like kidanis firepit better as its in the middle of the savanah. Also kidani has the same wood smell due to sanaas tandori ovens.

 

[mbw12]

Staying at Kidani for the first time in March. I keep reading about people talking about the long walk between Kidani and Jambo...how far is it? Like the walk from WLV to the main Wilderness Lodge.....or the walk from the last building of Saratoga Springs to the main building? Either way, neither seems far to us...lol....we love to walk...but am just wondering since we have never been to AKL before!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Staying at Kidani for the first time in March. I keep reading about people talking about the long walk between Kidani and Jambo...how far is it? Like the walk from WLV to the main Wilderness Lodge.....or the walk from the last building of Saratoga Springs to the main building? Either way, neither seems far to us...lol....we love to walk...but am just wondering since we have never been to AKL before!

It is about 1/2 mile between Kidani and Jambo. Longer than between VWL and WL, but not as long as between Carousel and Grandstand.

 

[ckb_nc]

I vote Kidani - because of the quiet - Agree on the food options are limited but it was so nice to come back from the parks, and other resorts and it be so peaceful. It felt like a vacation away. The other time I felt this was staying on the concierge floor of WL

 

[CTJKLAB]

One of my home resorts is Kidani Village, however I have had the opportunity to stay at both Kidani and Jambo. I would prefer Kidani on our next visit. Biggest reason being the villas between the two, At Kidani if you stay in a one bedroom you have more space, an extra bathroom and are not limited to a Fifth Floor view. That Fifth floor view SEVERELY limits your ability to enjoy the savanna as the trees limit your view tremendously. At kidani you are placed on lower levels and have a much better view. I stayed at kidani in August during one of the hottest periods and regularly walked between the two buildings for Marra, Boma, Jiko and the Gift Shop, never found it overbearing. Kidani also by far is much more intimate and as a DVC member, sometimes you like that........

 

[ovalhead96]

One of my home resorts is Kidani Village, however I have had the opportunity to stay at both Kidani and Jambo. I would prefer Kidani on our next visit. Biggest reason being the villas between the two, At Kidani if you stay in a one bedroom you have more space, an extra bathroom and are not limited to a Fifth Floor view. That Fifth floor view SEVERELY limits your ability to enjoy the savanna as the trees limit your view tremendously. At kidani you are placed on lower levels and have a much better view. I stayed at kidani in August during one of the hottest periods and regularly walked between the two buildings for Marra, Boma, Jiko and the Gift Shop, never found it overbearing. Kidani also by far is much more intimate and as a DVC member, sometimes you like that........

We had a two bedroom in Nov on the 5th floor, and the view was fantastic. We could see more of the savanna, and I could also see the loby area with the fire pit. Later in the evening, we were just high enough to see fireworks. I really enjoyed the view during the day, and the night view was great!