Kidani room request question

[jimmytammy]

Hey folks!
We have stayed at Kidani in a Savannah Studio once, really enjoyed it, but prefer to be a bit closer to the lobby area. We were way, way, way down one of the long halls, maybe 5 rooms shy of the complete end. So we are booking Fri for a May trip. What should I request to get closer to the lobby area? Without being able to see the list of room requests, Im not sure what would make it a little more official

 

[erionm]

What should I request to get closer to the lobby area?

Near Lobby. You can have MS note the request now by contacting them by either phone, chat or email.

 

[drusba]

I do not recommend a near lobby request. Practically everybody requests near the lobby; it is even a request in the request section for online check-in that all cash guests can make. If they cannot meet a location request, they just randomly assign you to anywhere that is open. The result of that process, as many have reported, is that, if you request close to lobby, you could easily end up like before, as far from the lobby as you can possibly be. I learned that lesson by twice not getting a near lobby request and instead being assigned to a room near the end of a wing.

Requests should be made through MS (and not added to or changed when doing online check-in). The ones you may want to consider are: (a) near Community hall, which if granted would put you on the south wing fairly near the lobby and near the bus stop; (b) near the Timon elevator, which is similar to requesting close to Community hall and would put you two to three building units from the lobby and within easy access to the door on second floor that leads right to the bus stop; (c) near the pool; a request that could put you in any one of the first three or possibly four building units on the north wing, not hugely far from the lobby; (d) close to the Rafiki elevator, similar to close to the pool but a tad more limited to the second and third buidling units from the lobby on the north wing; down that elevator to the ground floor parking lot gives you the shortest possible walk from the building to a gate to the pool.

 

[jimmytammy]

Thanks for the great replies!

 

[Simba's Mom]

That's one reason why I'm reluctant to stay at Kidani again. Last time I, too, was about 5 rooms from the end, in the very last "pod", although I'd requested close to lobby (I know, it's just a request). There was some speculation about the possibility of making "close to lobby", like OKW has, a bookable separate category. There was also discussion of whether people might be willing to pay extra for rooms in those "preferred" locations.

 

[DenLo]

I think it should be priority for DVC to assign rooms requesting to be close to the lobby for guests with medical issues.

I was wondering if guests with ECVs or Electric wheelchairs wouldn't have that many problems getting to their rooms even if they are far out. If that is true then not as many guests would need to request the closer to lobby rooms unless they still need a handicap accessible room. But then not knowing anything about ECVs I could be way off base.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I think it should be priority for DVC to assign rooms requesting to be close to the lobby for guests with medical issues.

I was wondering if guests with ECVs or Electric wheelchairs wouldn't have that many problems getting to their rooms even if they are far out. If that is true then not as many guests would need to request the closer to lobby rooms unless they still need a handicap accessible room. But then not knowing anything about ECVs I could be way off base.

They are motorized so no, the location doesn't matter that much. I think many still request close to lobby though.

 

[ziravan]

My DW refers to that end of the long hall as "BFK".

 

[Vader-was-framed]

I would love a close to lobby or preferred point structure at Kidani. It would give a great reason to own their to get priority request for it. Just stinks that I own there and I'm scared to stay there and have to carry my kids back at the end of a long night. And those boondocks rooms have the same point value as close to lobby.

 

[bwbuddy5]

I do not recommend a near lobby request. Practically everybody requests near the lobby; it is even a request in the request section for online check-in that all cash guests can make. If they cannot meet a location request, they just randomly assign you to anywhere that is open. The result of that process, as many have reported, is that, if you request close to lobby, you could easily end up like before, as far from the lobby as you can possibly be. I learned that lesson by twice not getting a near lobby request and instead being assigned to a room near the end of a wing.

Requests should be made through MS (and not added to or changed when doing online check-in). The ones you may want to consider are: (a) near Community hall, which if granted would put you on the south wing fairly near the lobby and near the bus stop; (b) near the Timon elevator, which is similar to requesting close to Community hall and would put you two to three building units from the lobby and within easy access to the door on second floor that leads right to the bus stop; (c) near the pool; a request that could put you in any one of the first three or possibly four building units on the north wing, not hugely far from the lobby; (d) close to the Rafiki elevator, similar to close to the pool but a tad more limited to the second and third buidling units from the lobby on the north wing; down that elevator to the ground floor parking lot gives you the shortest possible walk from the building to a gate to the pool.

Great answer - what savanna would you be viewing under a-d?

 

[drusba]

Great answer - what savanna would you be viewing under a-d?

(a) and (b) would automatically put you on Sunset Savanna; most rooms in (c) and (d) would also be Sunset Savanna but possible risk of getting Pembe and thus if you request one of those, you should also request Sunset if you want to see giraffes and zebras.

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

I book an accessible room and never request near the lobby. Accessible rooms are usually near the lobby anyway. I didn't realise how far back some of those rooms are until one day we parked further underground. That must be super tiring at the end of the day. I like that there is a bus between jambo and kidani though.

 

[bwbuddy5]

I like that there is a bus between jambo and kidani though.

Is that bus dedicated to a Kidani-Jambo loop, or does it go other places too? One stop at Kidani and one stop at Jambo?

 

[drusba]

Is that bus dedicated to a Kidani-Jambo loop, or does it go other places too? One stop at Kidani and one stop at Jambo?

The AKL buses do not go to any other resort. Park buses usually go to Kidani first and then Jambo, while Disney Springs is Jambo and then Kidani. There is not a bus that is just dedicated to go back and forth between Jambo and Kidani, but there is a shuttle (van) that you can get at the front entrance of either that makes only the trip between the two buildings (it is one van so waiting time just depends on where it is in the cycle when you get to the front entrance).

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

Is that bus dedicated to a Kidani-Jambo loop, or does it go other places too? One stop at Kidani and one stop at Jambo?

No as OP said I was referring to the shuttle that just goes between Jambo and Kidani.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Last time I was there, the shuttle wasn't a bus, it was a 12 passenger van. It just went back and forth all day. One time (of about 20 trips I've taken) there wee more than 12 people waiting so I had to wait a few minutes. I've taken several trips where I was the only one in the van.