Is it as bad as everyone says? Walks at AKV

[suz_cute]

We are staying in a 2BR standard view villa at kidani this may. I have requested through member services to be close to lobby or bus transportation due to disability. However, if we do not get our request is it really that bad? We are used to staying at SSR, CSR, and CBR which are all huge resorts with long walks to the central lobby/eating areas. I can't imagine Kidani would be worse than any of those? We are staying with my two parents, my kids 4 and 1 at the time, so we will be lugging strollers and a parent with a physical disability. Also, I've read about the long hallways, can't you just walk outside and take an appropriate elevator up to the room? Any insight is appreciated!! Thanks!

 

[DizBub]

Hopefully you will get your requests. Yes, the walks can be very long. The elevators connect to the under the building parking so if you have a car it wouldn't be so bad. IMO it would be more difficult to walk outside/in the parking garage and take the appropriate elevator.

 

[lovin'fl]

I think you'll get your request. We (my entire inlaw family...4 families in 4 of their own villas) all requested near lobby for our Xmas trip this past Dec. We ALL go the request. I did add on one extra night in a savanna view before we all had our standard view rooms for 5 nights...and I did not make a request for that room as I booked it last minute. We were pretty far down the hallway...it is a long walk. But there is a certain location that has an elevator that goes down to near the bus stops. Not sure what location as we were on the other string for both rooms.

 

[rseeb]

The walks are not that bad as people make out on this board. I have stayed many times both far and close and on different floors and enjoyed every room.

 

[SamSam]

I don't find the walks that bad, in fact, dh and I enjoy the walks so we can look at the artwork ect. In your case, with a disability, your request make sense. Did you have MS make note of the fact that your request was due to mobility issues? That may help you get your request. Enjoy AKV, we love it!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

With the comparisons you are making to SSR, CBR and CSR then no, I don't think you'll find the walks any longer than those if you don't receive your request. If you have a car the parking is actually very convenient in the lowest level of the building.

 

[suz_cute]

Thank you for your replies. Yes, I did make a note with member services that our request was due to physical disability. We have lucked out the last three times with room location at other resorts. Only once at CBR did they tell us there was nothing they could do and they wouldn't move us the following day. Fingers crossed!!!

 

[N365PA]

I don't find the walks that bad, in fact, dh and I enjoy the walks so we can look at the artwork ect. In your case, with a disability, your request make sense. Did you have MS make note of the fact that your request was due to mobility issues? That may help you get your request. Enjoy AKV, we love it!

I agree that I like to walk around AKV just to look at the artwork.

 

[sophia315]

In my experience the walk to Jambo house felt far from where our room was. The walk to the room - bus - pool was not bad. Although the first day I did feel like "oh my all those posts/reviews were right" then on day two I didn't think it was bad at all.

 

[SamSam]

I agree that I like to walk around AKV just to look at the artwork.

We have spend hours just wandering the halls looking the artwork. Jambo does have more than Kidani, but there's plenty at Kidani (especially around the elevator banks) to spend an hour or two.

 

[twinklebug]

In my experience the walk to Jambo house felt far from where our room was. The walk to the room - bus - pool was not bad. Although the first day I did feel like "oh my all those posts/reviews were right" then on day two I didn't think it was bad at all.

Exactly right, once you get used to the commute/scenery it's not bad at all. It's day 1, where all the halls and doors look the same that you keep wondering "How much further?"

 

[mermaids1960]

We stayed in Jambo, that's the reason we are not this visit, I did not mind but my husband felt by the time we parked walked through the lobby then up the lifts along the corridor it was to much, Kidani is not as bad as that,

 

[suz_cute]

We will not have a car, as we are flying in and using DME, so the parking garage is of no issue.

 

[WDWLODGE]

We will not have a car, as we are flying in and using DME, so the parking garage is of no issue.

Hi Neighbor,

We stayed at Kidani this past November. We were in the next to last building from the lobby. The walk to and from the lobby was probably about 6-7 minutes. During the day you get a lot of views of the savannah which is nice. We have a 4 and 11 year old and they did not find the walks long either.

 

[suz_cute]

Thanks for all the comments! This is putting me more at ease. Hello to my fellow Pittsburghers!!!

 

[jcjen519]

Yes the walks are that bad. I hope you get your request. Not to put a damper on anything but I will tell u that my grandparents similar request didn't happen for them.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[Simba's Mom]

I'm going to chime in as another who feels the long walks really are. And I'd requested near lobby because I have a bad back, but they put me in the next to the last "pod". I counted the number of steps one day, then when I transferred to BCV the next day, I counted the same # of steps to see how far I got. The same # of steps got me from a room down the "jog" off to the right (woods view, not near the elevators) all the way over to the International Gateway.

 

[Princess_Jo]

We stayed in a 2-bedroom at Kidani last September. Our request for a room close to the lobby wasn't granted due to the hotel almost at capacity (which was fine) so we were placed almost at the end of the hallway. Everyone in our group was 30 something and active and we all commented how long the walk was. And after a day of park touring the walk felt even longer. We also did not have a car so our only option was to trek to/from the lobby each time.

There are windows to view the animals and nice artwork to look at so it was manageable.

I will say the 2-bedroom villa was very nice and made the walk worth it in the end!

 

[bobbiwoz]

Walking is difficult for me, and I found it hard.

 

[drusba]

suz__cute, that you have standard view makes all the difference in the world. 90% of all standard views are within fairly reasonable walking distance to the lobby. There are some converted savanna to standard view rooms that are further away but it is the savanna view rooms that present the never-ending walks to the end of the world.