Jambo House vs Kindani Village

[Deb & Bill]

Standard view at Jambo is pool view, correct? I was able to switch our ressie (beginning 1 week from today!) from SSR to AKV Jambo (standard view) today. To say I'm excited would be an understatement.

Yes, pool view.

 

[mousefan1972]

Yes, pool view.

I thought so; thanks for confirming.

 

[LisaS]

Standard view at Jambo is pool view, correct?

They have reclassified many Savanna View rooms as Standard View so you may get a partial savanna view rather than a pool view.

 

[mousefan1972]

They have reclassified many Savanna View rooms as Standard View so you may get a partial savanna view rather than a pool view.

Really? Wow, that would be great. I'll hope for the best, I guess. My 7 and 5 year old kids were disappointed that we don't have a savannah view. We're in a 1 BR, if that makes any difference. (non-value) Maybe we'll get lucky. Thanks for the info!

 

[Brancaneve]

I debated the same thing! I agree with a lot of what people have said when comparing the two resorts. My advice is to just try it! I don't think you will regret it, because it has so many features that you won't get at Jambo(first pick up by bus, cozy atmosphere, extra bathroom, pool size good for keeping an eye on your kids, etc).

We were just at Kidani in late May and I really enjoyed it. However, I will probably go back to Jambo and alternate between the two hotels. You just can't go wrong with either one!

 

[csmommy]

Jambo all the way! None of us liked Kidani.

Jambo feels like a Resort, the common areas are beautiful, & there is Mara.

Kidani - felt like a satellite hotel, common area (check-in) very small, no Mara.

Employees at both are wonderful!

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

We are on the tail end of a 15 night CL stay at Jambo. Next year we will do a one bedroom savanna at Kidani because:
We currently have a pool view and 15 nights is a LONG time to look at the pool.
An extra bathroom would be lovely.
We really need more space since DS is getting older.
The bus picks up at Kidani first, and we have been having to wait for a second bus in the AM because the buses are so full. They are NOT full coming from Kidani, they fill up once they get to Jambo and people have NO regard for who was at the bus stop FIRST.

We debated doing a split stay with BWV or BCV and Kidani but we will probbaly end up doing the whole time at Kidani.

 

[Main Street Matilda]

Having never stayed at Jambo, it's almost unfair of me to post, but for what it is worth, I really liked Kidani. It is smaller and quieter, but the design and decor is clearly not secondary or an after-thought. It is just more intimate feeling. Loved the pool and really found the whole resort interesting and easy to enjoy.

I had only one complaint - not having a CS restaurant close. If that's important to you (as it turned out to be for us with a party of 7 in the DDP that was forced to jump on a bus to get a sandwich), that would impact my decision.

 

[Deb & Bill]

...I had only one complaint - not having a CS restaurant close. If that's important to you (as it turned out to be for us with a party of 7 in the DDP that was forced to jump on a bus to get a sandwich), that would impact my decision.

Shoot, you have to do that at OKW and SSR anyway and we've never found that to be problem. Just make that sandwich in your own villa and skip the DDP. Publix has some nice deli Roast Beef and wonderful small croissants in their bakery.

 

[mamaprincess]

I really find the no CS issue not much of one. I got CS for my mom and girls and took it to them by the shuttle van (not the bus) easily. My mom and the girls also hopped aboard the shuttle to go to Mara with no trouble. If I was at ssr at one of the outer buildings, I would need to drive. Where can one get a CS lunch at the Beach Club that is on the dp? I have stayed at BLT and it is no easier to get to CS than at akv as you have to go to the Contemporary. Is Roaring Forks located inside the WLV? No. It is not difficult to access the CS at akv. They have made a way for members to go between the 2 buildings. We never had a long wait for the shuttle and we used it often. I think that many folks don't know about the shuttle and how convenient it makes it to access the amenities at both locations. I found it far easier to deal with than at BLT and SSR.

Having said all of that, I wouldn't campaign against if should the ptb decide to add a CS location at Kidani.

 

[Main Street Matilda]

I really find the no CS issue not much of one. I got CS for my mom and girls and took it to them by the shuttle van (not the bus) easily. My mom and the girls also hopped aboard the shuttle to go to Mara with no trouble. If I was at ssr at one of the outer buildings, I would need to drive. Where can one get a CS lunch at the Beach Club that is on the dp? I have stayed at BLT and it is no easier to get to CS than at akv as you have to go to the Contemporary. Is Roaring Forks located inside the WLV? No. It is not difficult to access the CS at akv. They have made a way for members to go between the 2 buildings. We never had a long wait for the shuttle and we used it often. I think that many folks don't know about the shuttle and how convenient it makes it to access the amenities at both locations. I found it far easier to deal with than at BLT and SSR.

Having said all of that, I wouldn't campaign against if should the ptb decide to add a CS location at Kidani.

Didn't know about any shuttle and that certainly would have made things easier. I stayed at both SSR (in the Springs building) and WLV and found it made a big difference to be able to take a 10 minute walk to the CS restaurant as opposed to waiting for a bus. I am told they are building or possibly have already built a walkway between Kidani and Jambo, but at the time I was there in 2009, you had to walk on the street with buses zooming by to get there - not optimal with small children. Had we not been on the DDP, it would have made absolutely no difference to me as I absolutely loved Kidani. All I am saying is that had I realized that the CS restaurant was not very convenient, I would have possibly made some different decisions.

 

[mamaprincess]

Didn't know about any shuttle and that certainly would have made things easier. I stayed at both SSR (in the Springs building) and WLV and found it made a big difference to be able to take a 10 minute walk to the CS restaurant as opposed to waiting for a bus. I am told they are building or possibly have already built a walkway between Kidani and Jambo, but at the time I was there in 2009, you had to walk on the street with buses zooming by to get there - not optimal with small children. Had we not been on the DDP, it would have made absolutely no difference to me as I absolutely loved Kidani. All I am saying is that had I realized that the CS restaurant was not very convenient, I would have possibly made some different decisions.

The shuttle definitely helps a lot. That walking on the street with buses whizzing by...yikes! If you stay at Kidani again, ask for the shuttle in the lobby. It comes promptly. Once we discovered it, our vacation went a lot smoother. I don't know why it isn't advertised effectively. It seems like almost no one knows about it, yet it is one of the best freebies at any dvc and it is sorely needed to make it easy to go between Kidani and Jambo. They should tell resort guests and members about it at check-in and during their sales pitch for akv. I am staying at Kidani next trip. If not for the shuttle, it would be Jambo house with less square footage and one less bathroom for our family of five because Kidani would just be to inconvenient to Mara without the shuttle. I couldn't imagine waiting on the internal bus or taking a long trek to get CS.

As for ssr, my 1st love, some of those buildings are quite a trek to the Carriage House. We have had to drive to get CS. I wish they had a similar shuttle or golf carts for those outer buildings, then people wouldn't mind being in them as much as they do now.

 

[Deb & Bill]

.... I don't know why it isn't advertised effectively. It seems like almost no one knows about it, yet it is one of the best freezes at any dvc and it is sorely needed to make it easy to go between Kidani and Jambo. They should tell resort guests and members about it at check-in and during their sales pitch for akv. ....

I'd bet guests at other large resorts (OKW, SSR, CBR, CSR) would like to expect a shuttle at those resorts as well.

 

[mamaprincess]

I'd bet guests at other large resorts (OKW, SSR, CBR, CSR) would like to expect a shuttle at those resorts as well.

As an SSR member I know I would lol! I don't know if the akv shuttle was offered from the beginning, or if guests complaints about not having a CS at Kidani prompted them to find some sort of solution...

 

[DCLbrideSept2009]

Have never stayed Jambo, so can't really give a comparison, but we LOVE Kidani!! AKV is our home resort. We stayed at Kidani in a 2-bedroom savannah view March 2010. We love the extra bathroom! Parking was GREAT! We have our car and usually drive to all the parks, so can't comment on the buses. But we all LOVE Kidani! The lack of a CS restaurant doesn't bother us at all. We use our kitchen quite a bit! (Bagels from Panera for quick breakfasts, ready-to-bake meals from Costco, etc.)

 

[disneychic]

I love them both (Kidani and Jambo House) If I call and get Jambo I'm happy because I love being closer to the Mara, Boma, the main gift shop, etc. If I call and get Kidani I'm happy because I love the savannah viewing areas, Sanaa, etc. So, I am sorry, but I'm really no help on this one but I love both!