Best requests for Kidani Savannah view?

[Chuck S]

So I have a 1 bedroom booked for June in Kidani, Savannah view. I've only visited Kidani many years ago to try Sanaa.

I hears to request a lower floor, but does North or South trail provide a better viewing experience? What should I request? I don't usually request specific room numbers, but general areas.

Thanks for any help.

 

[The Jackal]

So I have a 1 bedroom booked for June in Kidani, Savannah view. I've only visited Kidani many years ago to try Sanaa.

I hears to request a lower floor, but does North or South trail provide a better viewing experience? What should I request? I don't usually request specific room numbers, but general areas.

Thanks for any help.

I am no AKV pro, but I think Sunset Savanna has the giraffes.

 

[Skywalker3]

Last trip to Kidani, Nov 2020, REALLY wanted to make sure we did a room request. Previous trip, 2016, we were overlooking the Pembe savannah, ALLLLLLLL the way down the hall at the top of map. Now, our sweet animals were very nice to watch, but it was just 4 different ones: zebra, antelope, couple more., and the walk was really long (and we don't mind the BWV walks.) Pros: we were close to the pool and parking (and did love the animals we did see,) . But next trip, used touringplans to request a specific room, 7416, I wanted 3rd or 4th floor. and we got that room! THis room is in the south wing, not far from the lobby. AWESOME views, lots of animals almost all day. I have read it's good to suggest: close to lobby, or close to a certain elevator, south wing, etc? I LOVE AKL Kidani!!!

 

[Chuck S]

great. Thanks.

 

[CarolynFH]

So I have a 1 bedroom booked for June in Kidani, Savannah view. I've only visited Kidani many years ago to try Sanaa.

I hears to request a lower floor, but does North or South trail provide a better viewing experience? What should I request? I don't usually request specific room numbers, but general areas.

Thanks for any help.

@drusba posts the best descriptions of room locations and savanna views that I've ever read. I bookmarked it but have trouble finding it. One thing to remember, don't request "close to lobby" because everyone else requests that. And don't request "close to elevator" because there are so many elevators, all the villas are close to one or another. This is not the drusba post I was thinking of but it might help you:

Another thing to consider is a location request, particularly at Kidani, which is among the longest hotel buildings in the world, and I mean on earth not Just WDW (over 2/3 mile from end to end), Getting a room near the end of one of the two wings means extremely long walks to lobby, busses and amenities (total walking distance to those things is comparable to walking from the base of World Showcase at Epcot to Germany). Personal preference, particularly for Jan, when pool can be unlikely, is to request a room through Member Services near the Timon elevator. Each wing has three elevators . The Timon elevator, on the south wing (the front of the building faces west) gives you fairly quick access to the bus station and reasonable access to lobby,, community hall, and pool. That request also means, if met, that you would get Sunset savanna view, the better savanna at Kidani (it has giraffes, Pembe savanna does not), although you likely should also give Sunset savanna view as a request.

 

[Chuck S]

Awesome. I'm glad DVC Chat wasn't available earlier today.

 

[The Jackal]

We had a 1 bedroom Savanna view a few years back for 1 night. We were 4 rooms south of the lobby on the 4th floor.

 

[LadybugsMum]

I requested to be near the Rafiki elevator for our Jan 2021 trip and got it. I was a great location and not a bad walk to the lobby. We drove and I always had a spot in the underground parking near the elevator.

We saw zebras, giraffes, wildebeasts, ankole cattle, several types of birds, some type of antelope.

 

[drusba]

First, a request you might consider avoiding: close to lobby. The Kidani building, if walking the hallway from end to end, is about 2/3rds of a mile long. If you get a room anywhere near the end of either of the two wings, you can have extremely long walks to lobby, restaurant, store, bus stop (on the south wing), or pool (on the north wing. In that situation, one might think "close to the lobby" is one of the best requests. It would be except for the fact that it is the most popular request that is made because of the length of the building, with the result that many who request close to lobby do not get that non-guaranteed request, and when a location request cannot be met, the guest is given whatever is still available, which is often a room very far from the lobby.

I currently make Sunset savanna view our lead request -- Pembe has no giraffes and zebras. More than 80% of the savanna view rooms at Kidani overlook Sunset, and thus that request has a high chance of success. Our second-in-order request depends on time we go, and thus far they have both been successful. If we go when it will most likely be warm enough to use the pool daily, we request close to the Rafiki elevator on the north wing. Down that elevator to the first floor parking lot puts you near a trail that provides the shortest possible walk at the resort from the building to a pool gate, and you are also within reasonable striking distance of the lobby and bus station. When we go at times when there is a real risk of getting colder weather (e.g., Jan or Feb), we request close to the Timon elevator on the south wing, which provides a quick trip to the bus station, and you are within reasonable striking distance of the lobby and pool.

There are rooms on floors 2 through 5 (first floor is the parking lot), and many with savanna view like either floor 2 or 3 for a more direct view of animals and thus request lower floor. Personally, we never request lower or higher floor because we find that any floor with savanna view is fine (more direct animal view on 2 or 3, but also desirable more panoramic view of the savannah on 4 or 5). your lead request should be something other than lower floor because they attempt to meet requests in order given, and location requests such Sunset savanna view or near a named elevator should be made first.

Any requests should be made through MS and then do not use the request page that exists when you do online check-in, because doing so will result in wiping out the request made through MS. The requests that can be with online check-in border on the ridiculous. For example, you can request close to an"elevator," but there are three elevators along each wing and a general "elevator" request could result in your being given any room in the building. Near elevator requests should be made only if you are permitted to provide the actual name of the elevator, such as Rafiki or Timon, such as you can do through MS.

 

[miTnosnhoJ]

Near Rafiki Elevator...gives you easy access to the pool. And you overlook Sunset Savannah.
Near Zazu Elevator...is an easy walk to Jambo House. And you overlook Sunset Savannah.