Differences between Disney's AK Villas - Jambo House & Disney's AK Villas - Kidani Villa

[MarkinNM]

Ok folks, the cost is only a $100 difference between the 2, both are savanna view rooms, and they do look alike, what are the differences if any that you know of? Which one would you pick, and what are the food choices? Any other things you all care to share would be GREATLY helpful!!! THANKS!!

 

[lovethesun12]

For me it would depend on the age of your kids. The Kidani pool area is far superior for very young kids (toddlers/preschoolers) IMO because of the zero entry pool, and playground/water play area. BUT the quick service restaurant is at Jambo, along with Boma and Jiko, and the pool there is awesome too. All the food at AKL is awesome.

So for me, until my kids can swim well I'll choose Kidani. But if it were just DH & I we would 100% choose Jambo.

 

[DiaryofaDisneyKid]

We have never stayed in Jambo only Kidani. Jambo is in the main building so closer to Boma, Jiko and the Mara. Kidani is closer to Sanaa. The 1 bedrooms at Kidani have 2 bathrooms while Jambo only has one. Not sue about studio configurations. Splash pad at Kidani is great for kids!

 

[MarkinNM]

Awesome, having NEVER stayed there, this is just an adults only trip as we are empty nesters. Last trip we stayed at Coronado Springs, during that trip we ate a Boma and the wife LOVED this place as she has a thing for the animals, thanks for the replies!!

 

[lovethesun12]

Awesome, having NEVER stayed there, this is just an adults only trip as we are empty nesters. Last trip we stayed at Coronado Springs, during that trip we ate a Boma and the wife LOVED this place as she has a thing for the animals, thanks for the replies!!

That's awesome! If I were in your shoes I would definitely choose Jambo but that might be just personal preference. My husband prefers Jambo too. And oddly enough we stay at Kidani because of the kids play area even though we both like Jambo better =)

 

[sndral]

Ok folks, the cost is only a $100 difference between the 2, both are savanna view rooms, and they do look alike, what are the differences if any that you know of? Which one would you pick, and what are the food choices? Any other things you all care to share would be GREATLY helpful!!! THANKS!!

Are they both rooms? Kidani only has studios - so a queen size bed and a fold out hidabed sofa. Jambo has studios (all on the 5th floor w/ CL studios on the 6th) and normal hotel rooms w/ 2 queen size beds, queen size and bunk beds, and king bed (the latter 2 may be bootable categories - I’m not sure.)
You can use the facilities at both resorts, they are a 10 min. walk apart or a quick shuttle ride, park buses pick up and drop off at Kidani first.

 

[MarkinNM]

Well what I booked was "Deluxe Studio - Savanna View" which I am guessing a regular room?? I was just not sure of the difference between the two?

 

[wendlle]

We have small kids (toddler and infant) and prefer Jambo House. I need the QS restaurant more than I need a zero entry pool.

 

[crvetter]

Well what I booked was "Deluxe Studio - Savanna View" which I am guessing a regular room?? I was just not sure of the difference between the two?

What the PP was referring to is the Kidani is all DVC while Jambo is hotel and DVC. So you have booked a DVC Villa (I’m assuming through Disney). The difference between the DVC studios and the standard hotel rooms are the studios have a kitchenette, 1 queen bed and 1 sleeper sofa. Where the standard hotel rooms have different mixes of sleeping surfaces to chose from (often 2 queen beds) during booking.

As for a studio between the two resorts you won’t find much of a difference between the actual room for the two buildings for that room type. Some in the DVC forum can offer guideline on differences and which offers better savannah viewing. https://www.disboards.com/threads/the-official-akv-owners-and-lovers-thread-come-and-chat.1815576/

 

[MarkinNM]

What the PP was referring to is the Kidani is all DVC while Jambo is hotel and DVC. So you have booked a DVC Villa (I’m assuming through Disney). The difference between the DVC studios and the standard hotel rooms are the studios have a kitchenette, 1 queen bed and 1 sleeper sofa. Where the standard hotel rooms have different mixes of sleeping surfaces to chose from (often 2 queen beds) during booking.

As for a studio between the two resorts you won’t find much of a difference between the actual room for the two buildings for that room type. Some in the DVC forum can offer guideline on differences and which offers better savannah viewing. https://www.disboards.com/threads/the-official-akv-owners-and-lovers-thread-come-and-chat.1815576/

Hey thanks for all the replies, this is why I keep coming back here! As far as the room just a regular savanna view room, not through the DVC, was playing around on the Disney web site and found the availability, for Kidani but not for Jambo, looking today and bam, it was there, so I decided to change it to Jambo seeing on how this is what we saw last time we were there and fell in love with the place, I was just curious about the differences between the rooms if any, kitchenette meh, could honestly care less and will not probably be used.......so much information I was a bit confused on the two.....

 

[Deb & Bill]

Studios in JH will be on the fifth floor (unless you got extremely lucky and booked one of the five concierge studios - but they usually are gone 11 months our or even further out). All the DVC villas in JH are converted hotel rooms. So they took one hotel room to make a studio, two hotel rooms to make a one bedroom, three hotel rooms to make a two bedroom (lockoff only). You'll have a bathroom similar to the hotel room bathroom. But you will have a kitchenette with a slightly larger refrigerator, a microwave oven and a regular Mr Coffee style coffee pot instead of the pod style Cuisinart that makes two cups at a time. One queen bed and one double sleeper sofa in the room. If you booked a hotel room at JH, you'd get no kitchenette, no sleepers sofa, but two real queen beds.

 

[FSU Girl]

I’ve stayed in both and prefer Jambo. The lobby is very impressive and most of the dining is located in that building including the quick service, which is very good. I think the studios are all on the 5th floor. If it’s not too much of a price difference I would switch to a normal savanna room. The views will be better from a lower floor. If you do go with Kidani the whole building is DVC so you could be on any floor, I would request the lowest floor for best animal views

 

[MarkinNM]

I’ve stayed in both and prefer Jambo. The lobby is very impressive and most of the dining is located in that building including the quick service, which is very good. I think the studios are all on the 5th floor. If it’s not too much of a price difference I would switch to a normal savanna room. The views will be better from a lower floor. If you do go with Kidani the whole building is DVC so you could be on any floor, I would request the lowest floor for best animal views

THANKS!! One more thought to follow up on, we normally are ""higher floor" types, but you are right the lower the better the view, so let me ask is there a fence to block the view from lower floors? Also when I looked at the Disney site, they actually have 3 selections to choose from:
1) Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas - Jambo House
2) Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas - Kidani Village
3) Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge

What I booked was "Disneys Animal Kindom Villas - Jambo House" savanna view, SO what gives, what is going on here??

 

[FSU Girl]

THANKS!! One more thought to follow up on, we normally are ""higher floor" types, but you are right the lower the better the view, so let me ask is there a fence to block the view from lower floors? Also when I looked at the Disney site, they actually have 3 selections to choose from:
1) Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas - Jambo House
2) Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas - Kidani Village
3) Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge

What I booked was "Disneys Animal Kindom Villas - Jambo House" savanna view, SO what gives, what is going on here??

The villas are DVC. So there will be one bed and a pull out sofa in the studio you booked with a kitchenette. If you book a room at just Animal Kingdom Lodge that is the normal hotel room with 2 queen beds. Those are the majority at Jambo, there are no normal hotel rooms at Kidani. If you pick Jambo you should switch to the normal hotel room so you can be on a lower floor. The villas at Jambo are only on the high floors. The fences do not block your view on the low floors. At other hotels I prefer higher floors, here I try to get the lowest to be closest to the animals

 

[Brett Wyman]

We have small kids (toddler and infant) and prefer Jambo House. I need the QS restaurant more than I need a zero entry pool.

Right! I was getting ready to post the same thing after thinking about the long walk to the QS restaurant anytime you need non-TS food.

 

[GPC0321]

Ok folks, the cost is only a $100 difference between the 2, both are savanna view rooms, and they do look alike, what are the differences if any that you know of? Which one would you pick, and what are the food choices? Any other things you all care to share would be GREATLY helpful!!! THANKS!!

I stayed at Kidani last summer, and it was very nice, but I think if I were to go back to AKL/Villas, I'd try to get Jambo. Kidani was nice, and we were there just three nights and were in the parks from rope drop to closing for two of those days, so it was a fine place to lay our heads. But on the arrival and departure days when we had time to spend at the resort, we wound up venturing over to Jambo both days. The lobby, gift shop, and animal viewing are more extensive at Jambo. Plus they have The Mara quick service, which was excellent, and Boma, which was also excellent. The pool at Kidani was nice, but the Jambo one looked nice too, IMO.

 

[MarkinNM]

You guys and gals are awesome, thanks for sharing, I am clearer on the various AKL room/studios etc......SO looking forward to it!! Now if only the weather will play along!

 

[jlundeen]

Hi, all. I just booked a Dlx Studio Standard View at Kidani - wondering about layout of building. I realize the Std View does not look out onto the Savanna so thinking the higher floor would be quieter. Where in the building(s) are the elevators located? Also, since we will probably be wandering over to Jambo frequently, I'm assuming that a room on the circled area of my photo would be best? We've walked through AK Lodge, observed the animals, ate at Boma, and perused the shop, but never stayed there. Any advice for a fist time guest there?

 

[MarkinNM]

Ok one more question.....

What part of the building to "ask" or stay in, which one did you have the best savanna view in?

Again thanks for all of your replies!