Check in at Jambo for Kidani?

[bwbuddy5]

We'll be using Magical Express and arriving around 10-11am. We would like to get off the bus at Jambo, even though we have a Kidani reservation (DVC rented points) and go eat at Boma for breakfast or Mara for lunch and explore the lobby and grounds.

We want to use our DDP credits. Since I've read we can't use our credits until we've checked in, would I be able to check in at Jambo as soon as we get there, rather than go directly to Kidani just to check in, and then have to walk back to Jambo. Or, if we do online check in for, say, 9:30am, will that do the trick?

 

[Madformickey]

pretty sure if you do online check in you will be good to go with out going to check in. Room number should be texted to you and be avaialblein theMDE when its ready.

 

[bwbuddy5]

pretty sure if you do online check in you will be good to go with out going to check in. Room number should be texted to you and be avaialblein theMDE when its ready.

Agreed, but I'm not totally comfortable that it always works, given what I've read on the disboards. It's funny, even you said you were "pretty sure".

 

[Marionnette]

Agreed, but I'm not totally comfortable that it always works, given what I've read on the disboards. It's funny, even you said you were "pretty sure".

In the past when I have done online check in, I have gotten a text when I arrive on property even when my room is not ready. At that point, I have been able to access any tickets and entitlements (such as dining credits) using my MB. No one can give you a 100% guarantee that this will be the case for you given what Disney IT can be. There will still be a chance that you will need to physically check in before you can use your MBs for any charging.

 

[bwbuddy5]

In the past when I have done online check in, I have gotten a text when I arrive on property even when my room is not ready. At that point, I have been able to access any tickets and entitlements (such as dining credits) using my MB. No one can give you a 100% that this will be the case for you given what Disney IT can be. There will still be a chance that you will need to physically check in before you can use your MBs for any charging.

Agreed, so, my original question was, can I check in at Jambo for a Kidani reservation?

 

[DisneyDiana]

No, you would have to check in at Kidani but they have a van/shuttle that goes back and forth between Jambo and Kidani making it very quick and easy to travel between the two.

 

[Marionnette]

Agreed, so, my original question was, can I check in at Jambo for a Kidani reservation?

Since Kidani has it's own lobby, you are likely to be directed to check in there if you need to check in at all. That's generally how it is handled at VGF and BLT.

 

[bwbuddy5]

If I do online-check in, and set arrival time to 9:30am, is there any way to check through the app to make sure DDP credits are active when we arrive?

 

[Marionnette]

If I do online-check in, and set arrival time to 9:30am, is there any way to check through the app to make sure DDP credits are active when we arrive?

Not at this time.

 

[Madformickey]

Agreed, but I'm not totally comfortable that it always works, given what I've read on the disboards. It's funny, even you said you were "pretty sure".

As much as we all hope Disney always gets it right, I always leave enough room in my day for them to mess something up. I will see how well it works in a few weeks when we have a split stay. Give them 2 chances to get it right.

 

[Deb & Bill]

It's a ten minute walk from Kidani to Jambo. We've done it a few times and we're both old and slow.

Might be a shorter walk from Kidani to Jambo than the bus stops at Epcot to bag check.

 

[chcknctlt]

Is there a Kidani vs Jambo post anywhere? Pros-Cons sort of thing?

 

[LisaS]

Is there a Kidani vs Jambo post anywhere? Pros-Cons sort of thing?

There are dozens of threads at least. There is a search function within these forums but I find google works great. To limit your search results to this site, go to google and type:

kidani vs jambo site:disboards.com

If you want results from multiple sites, google this:
kidani vs jambo

 

[bwbuddy5]

Just for kicks, I actually set up a chat with the disney.com folks. They too advised to check at the desk to have my dining credits activated, even if I had done online checkin. And, when I asked her if I could check at the Jambo desk for a Kidani reservation, she had to leave to ask someone else, and then returned to say it "would be best" to check in where my reservation was. I may test the waters anyway, just to see what happens, she didn't really seem that confident in her answer.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Just for kicks, I actually set up a chat with the disney.com folks. They too advised to check at the desk to have my dining credits activated, even if I had done online checkin. And, when I asked her if I could check at the Jambo desk for a Kidani reservation, she had to leave to ask someone else, and then returned to say it "would be best" to check in where my reservation was. I may test the waters anyway, just to see what happens, she didn't really seem that confident in her answer.

So you are guessing about arrival time (10-11AM), Boma doesn't usually take walk ins and breakfast ends at 11AM. With an ADR, if you don't show up by 11AM (if you can get an 11AM ADR at Boma), you will be charged $10 a person for a no show. I wouldn't risk the $10 a person just to eat on arrival day especially when you have to check in first to activate your dining credits. Since DVC villas are usually booked from 95 to 100% each night, the odds of having a villa assigned to you before check out time (11AM) is also a big if. The front desk could also have lots of people trying to check in or check out at your arrival time, so you could also have a wait just trying to check in at the wrong front desk.

Do your family a favor and check in at KV like the CM suggested and then walk over to JH from KV, exploring along the way. Then pick up something from The Mara if you need to each lunch.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Duplicate post

 

[bwbuddy5]

So you are guessing about arrival time (10-11AM), Boma doesn't usually take walk ins and breakfast ends at 11AM. With an ADR, if you don't show up by 11AM (if you can get an 11AM ADR at Boma), you will be charged $10 a person for a no show. I wouldn't risk the $10 a person just to eat on arrival day especially when you have to check in first to activate your dining credits. Since DVC villas are usually booked from 95 to 100% each night, the odds of having a villa assigned to you before check out time (11AM) is also a big if. The front desk could also have lots of people trying to check in or check out at your arrival time, so you could also have a wait just trying to check in at the wrong front desk.

Do your family a favor and check in at KV like the CM suggested and then walk over to JH from KV, exploring along the way. Then pick up something from The Mara if you need to each lunch.

Agree, although, I had built in a little cushion into my time, I believe we will be there by 10am. Can't I bump the reservation in the last 30 minutes or so to another day/time, to avoid the fee? Or, since I'm the biggest breakfast fan of our group, we'll could do Mara as you mentioned, and I'll save Boma for a different morning (and evening).

Either way, I think I'll have my gang get off the ME bus at Jambo and enjoy the sights, I'll walk to Kidani to verify our dining credits, re-join my group at Jambo to eat, then head over to Animal Kingdom with some FP+'s to check out Pandora and a safari, before heading back to our villas.

 

[BillPA]

Sorry, wrong post.