First AKV stay - any downtime suggestions?

[APiratesLifeForMe2]

We check in for our first Kidani stay on Sunday and we are super excited. (Never stayed AKV or AKL before but visit every trip for a meal) We have three days where DH and friend will be golfing in the morning and myself, sister and DS3 were planning pool days. Looks like weather might be too cold to swim for at least 1 or 2 of those so trying to plan something to do that doesn’t involve having to leave the resort. Aside from seeing the animals, are there other activities that go on? Maybe an activity schedule I can keep my eye out for?

 

[LittleFishy101]

We stayed for a few days in August and I think I saw something about complimentary smores one evening, and I know they have tie die at some of the other resorts so they might have that also.

 

[georgejr]

here is a link to Novembers calendar on the mouse for less, December's should be up soon I would think.
https://www.themouseforless.com/tripplanning/resorts/wdw/pdf/AKLCalendar.pdf

 

[georgejr]

We've done cookie decorating at Boma and had a lot of fun. We've also done the face painting, rubbed the medallions and the drum cafe on different trips, and enjoyed them all. Tons of stuff to do in the community hall, we always spend a lot of time and money there.

 

[Deb & Bill]

You could always hop a bus to a theme park or Disney Springs. Like bus to MK and ride the monorail around to see the decorations at the monorail resorts.

 

[APiratesLifeForMe2]

You could always hop a bus to a theme park or Disney Springs. Like bus to MK and ride the monorail around to see the decorations at the monorail resorts.

We plan to resort hop as a large group. I am keeping Disney springs on the back burner but was just hoping for a low key resort morning.

 

[CMNJ]

So they have a lot of different activities there and a neat program for kids (or adults) to learn more about Africa, the culture, and animals. For each of the activities you participate in you get a new bead to add to your “string of memories”. Some of them may be a little too much for a 3 y/o but it is pretty cool. My 6 y/o loved it. We went to the one about flamingos near the Jambo pool, the one about places in Africa in Kidani lobby, the animal tracking activity at Kidani, and making the feeders for the animals (animal enrichment) at Kidani. They had several more (pool games at both resorts, the drum circle, and some other educational building block thing) that we didn’t make it to with our short stay there. There is also a community hall at Kidani. I didn’t spend any time in there but usually the DVC community halls have some crafts avail for small fees as well as games and other free activities to do.

 

[Geomom]

Other people have already mentioned lots of the activities at AKV/AKL. I think it's the perfect 'downtime' resort--it has more activities than any other resort. We chose to stay at AKV for our upcoming February trip as our annual passes will expire halfway into the trip and I wanted a resort with enough activities for a couple non-park days. There are definitely a few things your 3 yo would like--the medallion rubbings, and some animal block activities being some of them. They have tours of the artwork of the resort as well, talks by the cultural representatives, and some 'cooking' type activities--cookie decorating, etc. The DVC community hall is a great place to visit as well, usually some free crafts (as well as fee ones)--coloring, etc, some board games, some toys, etc. We had a great stay at Kidani years ago when it rained a lot during our trip--we left the parks early and were so happy to have so many indoor activities to keep us occupied!

 

[indyannamom]

There are different activities at Jambo and Kidani
. Be sure to look at the schedule at both. There’s a shuttle van that can take you back and fourth. We love meeting and talking to the cast members at both resorts. My kids still talk about them. There is often a cast member playing drums outside Kidani and they will let the kids play. More informal than the drum circle...but the kids love it!

I don’t remember what it’s called, but there was an activity where cast members and a couple animal keepers talk to the kids about what the animals eat and then the kids got to help make treat hanging balls for the animals. The keepers then go out on the savannah in a truck and hang them out on the savannah. The kids don’t go with of course, but they do that right after they make them so the kids can watch. There were quite a few 3/4 year olds helping and they seeemd really excited to see the animals eat what they had put together.