Jambo vs. Kidani

[Richard Costa]

Hi,

We are heading back to Disney in July with a family of 6. Our kids are older now, ranging 23 to 13. We have never stayed at Animal Kingdom and have enough points for a Savanah View. What are some of the differences between Jambo an Kidani?

Thanks.

Rich

 

[mom2rb]

Kidani has 3 bathrooms in the 2 bedroom.

 

[The Jackal]

I think Jambo only has lock off 2 bedroom units, while Kidani has both. Jambo has more food choices, Kidani only has Sanaa. Kidani has covered parking under the resort. You can walk from one to the other or take the resort shuttle.

 

[clayfolks]

At Jambo, the DVC villas are all on the 5th and 6th floor. You are quite far from the animals. At Kidani, all floors are DVC. We usually request Sunset Savannah near lobby. That most frequently gets us 2nd floor. As already stated, a two bedroom unit at Kidani has 3 full bathrooms. There is a shuttle that runs almost continuously, throughout the day, between Jambo and Kidani. I think it ends at 11pm.

 

[drusba]

See my posts in the these threads: https://www.disboards.com/threads/help-with-a-decision-please.3460263/ and https://www.disboards.com/threads/kidani-or-jambo.3597578/

 

[johnb3]

our family prefer Kidani, Jambo is larger and has the QS if you don't mind a short walk to Jambo for the amenities we find the less busy feel at Kidani and the extra bathroom the tie breaker. In my mind both are quite good

 

[Deb & Bill]

Jambo might work out better for studios. Jambo is all renovated hotel rooms and they didn't renovate the bathrooms that much. So the master bath is outside the bedroom across the hall from the bedroom. This bathroom has a shower and tub combination, not separate showers and tubs like all the other master bedrooms. All two bedroom villas are lockoffs, meaning a combo of a studio and a one bedroom.

Kidani was new from the start, so they have both dedicated and lockoff two bedroom villas. The dedicated will have two real beds in the second bedroom. Plus all Kidani one bedrooms and two bedrooms have an extra bathroom just off the entry to the villa. The master bathroom in Kidani has a very large standalone shower and large tub.

Jambo has the Mara for a counter service. Kidani only has the gift store that has limited food items.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I very much dislike the bath/shower unit in the Jambo one bedroom. It has a very wide rim that is hard to negotiate getting in and out. Nothing to hold on to, and so if I ever get one bedroom or larger, I get Kidani. Rarely I will go for fewer points and so, sometimes I have gotten the two bedroom value, but as I am getting older, I go for convenience over points!

I do prefer the studio in Jambo.

 

[JETSDAD]

We typically stay at Kidani unless we get value rooms. While Jambo is the more grand of the two it's also busier and we prefer a quieter stay. We also drive so covered parking by the nearest elevator to our room works great. The shuttle between the two is very convenient.

 

[BcIcemen]

Following. Looking to stay at AK in August

 

[nfouey]

Jambo has more Quick service dinning options if that’s important to you.

 

[dd08]

Jambo has the better amenities
Studio stays are better at Jambo due to Mara

Kidani for the 1br and 2br
Better Savannah views too usually

The table service restaurants at AKL are some of the best at WDW imo. Boma is great. Best buffet at WDW

 

[dd08]

If pools are important, Jambo has the better main pool but Kidani has the splash play area for little ones

 

[Brett Wyman]

Rooms are better at Kidani, everything else is better a Jambo is basically what it boils down to. For us we use QS several times a day and we don't like being that far away from it so we sacrifice room amenities to stay at Jambo. One Jambo bonus is the standard views are much better than Kidani standard views(on average). Wont matter for kids 13-23 but for others who may read this post that have young kids, Kidani has a kids splash pad while Jambo has a traditional kids playground. The Kidani pool is much smaller though and can feel very crowded at busy times of the year.

 

[DeeCee735]

Definitely a decision to be made based on your preferences.
Jambo, better pool area and the fitness center has massage rooms. Mara is a good quick service restaurant with a full array of food choices, including those with an African flare of flavors. Boma and Jiko are on the ground floor. Both delicious restaurants, although pricey. There's a very nice lounge between the lobby level and the Boma level. We visit everytime we stay here for a late night drink. The store in the lobby is large with many more merchandise options than Kidani. Lobby is bigger and beautiful (as is Kidani's). Savannah views not as good as Kidani's. But some of the standard views (specifically closer to the lobby) have decent pool views, which we've enjoyed in the past. Two bedrooms have 2 bath rooms as previously stated in other posts.

Kidani - Personally I choose Kidani over Jambo every time. I love the extra bathrooms in the one and two bedrooms, absolutely perfect when travelling with my family and grandkids or an all women trip (great spot for a girls retreat!). The rooms are more spacious than at Jambo, and the Savannah views are awesome. (we stay on the Sunset Savannah). Love the restaurant Sanaa! Love the views from Sanaa, and the small lounge there. Love the outdoor firepit/viewing area, where the giraffe and zebra can be so close. During my November trip, staying here, I learned that Sanaa is now offering a quick service breakfast, set up in the lounge area, with use of the tables in the restaurant. They were also taking orders for egg dishes. I hope this continues because I love this option over going over to Mara. Pool area here is very kid oriented, and my least favorite feature of Kidani. I have grandkids, so I like that there's pool area games and music geared for children, but there is zero getting away from the blasting speakers for many hours a day. (If I remember correctly, the games and music start at 11 am and last for hours - so no daytime relaxing at the pool with an all adult party).

It boils down to what your priority is for the resort you stay at. As also previously posted, there is a shuttle that runs continuously between the two resorts. It's also not so bad of a walk.

Just my two cents...enjoy your trip!

Dee

 

[underdesea]

We are longtime DVC members, so stayed at Jambo when that was the only option and loved it dearly. Still do. Were very hesitant to try Kidani but finally did so due to availability and immediately fell in love. Haven't been back to our home resort (not Jambo) since. Kidani is peaceful, beautiful, intimate. I would never turn down a stay at Jambo, because there is much to love there as well, but Kidani has my heart.

 

[k_hase]

We have stayed in both but generally book Jambo. Typically I'm looking to maximize my points and standard view at Jambo is better than at Kidani (odds are pretty good that you'll get one of the old reclassified rooms that were once, many years ago, considered savanna views). I love entering/exiting the lobby every day, love it. We stop fairly often at the bar, and at the Mara (more than we should, considering we stay in one bedrooms with kitchens). My son loves both pools, so we do use both, fairly equally and the walk really isn't a big deal. Jiko is also a family favorite.

I'll admit to be colored by my one Kidani stay that overlooked the bus stop. It really made me not want to go back.

 

[SL6827]

Even though you can use the pools at both resorts, Kidani has a much better pool and a awesome slide.