Kidani car garage question

[Suzanne74]

Are the parking garages right below? I am thinking of renting a car this time because we have a 2 year old and it would be quicker to get in the car and back for a daily nap while the rest stayed at the parks or used the buses. We stayed at OKW with a car when my oldest was 3 and it really worked well in that same situation.

Is Kidani a good option for car renters or is OKW still the best option? I am leaning towards Kidani because I love the splash playground and my 9 year old wants to stay at AKL (or any form of) so bad.

DH and I have a 9 and 2 year old and my MIL is also going with us. We were looking at adjoining rooms but think a 2bdrm villa is a much nicer option. I just don't want to have to walk a ton with a tired 2 year old.

 

[disneynutz]

OKW and SSR are condo style resorts with parking outside of your room. Most of the parking at Kidani is below or close to the rooms depending on where your room is. Some areas of the resort doesn't have parking below the rooms but even then, it's much closer that the other hotel style resorts.

Bill

 

[LeahA]

We parked our car, walked to the elevator and went up and then still had to walk a few minutes down the hall. I think if I were you I'd try the resort that you can park in front, might be a little easier.

 

[LisaS]

The parking is under the building. If you can get a spot close to the elevator nearest your room and your room isn't too far from that elevator, you won't have too far to walk from the car to your room. You also have the advantage that your car will be out of the sun and rain.

 

[BoardwalkSuzy]

We are renting cars for our upcoming Kidani trip. Parking there is out of the rain, out of the sun, under the building. Much faster to get around with a car. We always arrive parks at rope drop time, then come back right after lunch for nap, then go out again afternoon pool, then dinner, out to parks again evening. It can be absolute torture watching all the wrong buses coming by, and I have no patience and recall at AK some waits perhaps 30 minutes, and usually it's the return trips like from MK - I still remember all the wrong buses coming by at MK one evening waiting FOREVER. Leaving the resort never seems the problem, it always seems to be the inconsistent returns to the resort.

If get to parks for rope drop 1st thing in morning, then your car is parked right in front of lot at the various parks, so can zoom on back to resort when time for nap, throw the stroller in back, and go...I like a nap for myself as well. My older boy has learned to just quietly read, or play games on my iPad while everyone else rests. This time, we're using Magic Express from Airport, then later in afternoon taking shuttle over to pick up Alamo car from the car care center on-site.

 

[khmiller]

Why aren't you getting a car at the airport? Wouldn't that be quicker?

 

[crazybones27]

Yes the parking garage is right under the rooms. When you check in the front desk will tell you which part of the parking garage to park in to be as close to your room as you can.

 

[Brandis]

Also, if you have a frequent renter card, like Alamo Insiders, you don't have to wait at the rental car counter in the airport building to get your car, you can just walk over to the parking garage, quickly check-in with the rental car rep there and pick any car from your reserved category. When you drive out of the lot, you just hand the person at the exit booth your member card and drivers license, they then print out your rental contract and you are good to go.

Last few times, I went to the parking garage straight from the plane, while my friend headed to the luggage claim. Took me about 10 min. to get my car and when I drove up at Arrivals my friend already waited there with our luggage. Took us less than 30 min. from leaving the plane to getting on the road towards WDW. That's how I like it

Same when flying home, I dropped my friend at Departure with the luggage and went to return the car.

Very convenient.

 

[mellvswdw1]

As others have posted you do park underneath the building. Just a friendly warning if you or anyone in your party are allergic to smoke. People do smoke in front of the elevators and it was a bit of an issue for us when we were there. A member of our party was HIGHLY allergic, and you could smell the smoke when you walked up to the elevator before going down to the garage. Where our room was, there was no easy place to park with better venaliaton.

I am not trying to start a huge debate or get flamed, I just thought I would post a friendly warning.

 

[xkwisit]

We stayed at Kidani last year & parked in the garage & always (somehow) managed to find a parking spot near the elevator which was nice. We never encountered anyone smoking near the elevators. The smoking section was on the way to the bus stop which I thought was ridiculous for the non smokers & children to walk thru to get to the bus (and I'm a smoker).

In the past we stayed at Saratoga Springs which had parking outside your building. It doesn't really where you are in Disney you walk everywhere. I liked the idea of the garage because you are out of the elements & get into a not so hot vehicle because the sun is not beating down on it.

 

[drusba]

Contrary to something mentioned above, the parking in fact does run under the whole building. Each of the two wings has two elevators along the wings. You can usually park fairly close to one of those elevators and then your room will be a fairly short walk from the elevator. Kidani is ideal for having a car.

 

[BoardwalkSuzy]

Why aren't you getting a car at the airport? Wouldn't that be quicker?

We're flying all night, first to LA, then to Orlando overnight from west coast. Not sure how much sleep we'll get, so not really willing to drive after red-eye for safety reasons. Also this way, I can go get the car by myself while kids and husband nap or walk around resort, and that way not dealing with airport rental counters, luggage, kids, and carseats all after a full night of flying. Then when bring the car over to resort, can put the carseats in the car that Magic Express is to deliver directly to our room. Honestly only used Magic Express once before, as we usually take stretch limos to and from airport! Normally don't rent cars for WDW, but after last visit to AKL, we don't want the stress again of waiting on the slow bus returns from parks to resort.

 

[Starr W.]

Also, if you have a frequent renter card, like Alamo Insiders, you don't have to wait at the rental car counter in the airport building to get your car, you can just walk over to the parking garage, quickly check-in with the rental car rep there and pick any car from your reserved category. When you drive out of the lot, you just hand the person at the exit booth your member card and drivers license, they then print out your rental contract and you are good to go.

Last few times, I went to the parking garage straight from the plane, while my friend headed to the luggage claim. Took me about 10 min. to get my car and when I drove up at Arrivals my friend already waited there with our luggage. Took us less than 30 min. from leaving the plane to getting on the road towards WDW. That's how I like it

Same when flying home, I dropped my friend at Departure with the luggage and went to return the car.

Very convenient.

You don't need to be an Alamo frequent rental member, just do the online check in with your credit card(might not work for non-US travellers) and you just go and pick out your car.

Or you can you the kiosk check in at MCO, hardly takes anytime, no standing in line.

We did that at Easter at West Palm a few years ago when heading to VB. 5 min max while I did the kiosk check in, then off to the shuttle. Loved the looks you get from the people standing in line.

 

[Castillo Mom]

I wasn't sure if we'd need a car since we're going to WDW at a slower time of year (end of Sept./beginning of October). After reading this thread, I'm pretty convinced now that we should try renting a car this time around as long as I can fit it into our budget. This will be our 4th trip WDW and 2nd staying at Kidani. My sister and her family will be joining us, so we'll have two little ones who will need naps in the afternoon. We'll be at the parks in the morning, break in the afternoon, sit down dinner somewhere, then back to the parks in the evening. I think with all that running around as well as stroller and ECV, busing it everywhere will seriously cut into our vacation time.

 

[bookwormde]

The underneath parding is one of my favorite things about Kidani, no broiling hot car to get into. We also had a SV room last time near the pool so we parked near the elevator and could just get and return or pool "gear" to the car on the way to the back entrance to the pool.

bookwormde