Kidani Savannah View studio room requests?

[jenhelgren]

It has been awhile since we have had a savannah view at Kidani in a studio. What is the best room request to make? I thought I remember requesting ground floor to be closer to the animals. Is "ground floor close to lobby" a good request or is better to request a specific elevator or parking section? Our last stay in a 1 bedroom was way down toward Pumba and there were hardly any animals to see from the balcony so we would like to be closer to the center of the action if possible this trip!

 

[Frederic Civish]

I also have a question similar to this. I have some relatives who are going to Kidani and they have a Standard studio. They would like a partial Savanna view if possible. They have a 5 year old who loves the animals.

Does anyone have any suggestions about what floor they should request?

Which wing of the building is best for a possible Savannah view? Looking at the map of the building it seems that we could request the north wing near the Penbe Savannah. Is Penbe mostly partial Savannah views or is it full Savannah views? Is there something better we could ask for? Thanks everyone.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I have great difficulty with the concept of "requests" and Kidani. The first time I requested "near lobby" and 2nd floor, and got neither (unless 3 rooms from the furthest end is "close to lobby"). The next time we again requested "close to lobby" and asked at check in if the room was considered close to lobby, and we were assured it was. Fourth pod out? I know requests are just requests, but we're 0 for 2 at Kidani, not good odds.

 

[jenhelgren]

I have great difficulty with the concept of "requests" and Kidani. The first time I requested "near lobby" and 2nd floor, and got neither (unless 3 rooms from the furthest end is "close to lobby"). The next time we again requested "close to lobby" and asked at check in if the room was considered close to lobby, and we were assured it was. Fourth pod out? I know requests are just requests, but we're 0 for 2 at Kidani, not good odds.

Do you think that some DVC resorts or resorts in general pay more attention to room requests than others or possibly 75% of people request "near lobby" for Kidani because it is so spread out so they cant meet all the requests? It could just be luck of the draw but we have never the great room location we dreamed of at Kidani either!

 

[Simba's Mom]

I guess what bothers me the most is the second time, when they assured me that it was close to the lobby. Why weren't they honest with me and tell me how far out it was? Yes, it's quite possible that they get lots of "close to the lobby" requests, but if they'd at least been honest.
At every other resort, DVC or otherwise, if we've stayed more than once, we've had at least some of our request met most of the time.

 

[carlbarry]

I've stayed at AKL 5 times. 3 times were at Jambo, one was a split stay Jambo/Kidani, and one (this past January) was Kidani. Always savanna view.
At Jambo I ask for near lobby. Result: First stay: near lobby, Zebra trail; Second stay: end of building, Zebra trail (I recently had meniscus surgery, and they moved me to a room about 2 units over from my first stay, so I wound up near lobby after begging); Third stay: Kudu trail, first room of 3rd bead; Fourth stay: Kudu trail, last room at next to last bead.
Kidani, I ask for low floor near lobby. Result: First stay, lobby floor, end of building Zasu; Second stay: third floor, near lobby (room 7306).

 

[striker1064]

I also have a question similar to this. I have some relatives who are going to Kidani and they have a Standard studio. They would like a partial Savanna view if possible. They have a 5 year old who loves the animals.

Does anyone have any suggestions about what floor they should request?

Which wing of the building is best for a possible Savannah view? Looking at the map of the building it seems that we could request the north wing near the Penbe Savannah. Is Penbe mostly partial Savannah views or is it full Savannah views? Is there something better we could ask for? Thanks everyone.

I just happened to remember seeing this from @drusba in a different thread:

Ask for near the Pumba elevator, which is the last elevator on the north wing (the wing that has the Pembe savanna), but be aware that if you get that request you will have a very long walk to lobby and bus stop.

 

[drusba]

If you have savanah view, do not request "ground floor" because there are no rooms on the ground floor. That is where the under-building parking lot is. Some like "lower floor" for more direct view of animals and others "higher floor" for more of a panoramic view. Both are fine.

Personally, I am not particular as to which floor I get with savanna view and do not want to waste a request on floor level because it is far more important to request a location at Kidani unless you like walking forever to get to lobby, bus station or pool. You should also probably avoid a "close to lobby" request. The problem at Kidani, now due to knowledge that the building is enormously long (about two-thirds of a mile end to end), is that large numbers request close to lobby and do not get it because all such requests cannot be met. When they have a location request that cannot be met, they do not then try to find something close to what was requested. Instead, they just go directly to any available rooms, which are often ones near the end of the hallways, far from civilization. Location requests one might try are (a) close to the Timon elevator, which is on the south wing and provides fairly easy access to bus station and acceptable walks to lobby and pool, or (b) close to the Rafiki elevator, which is on the north wing, and down that elevator to ground/parking lot floor leads to a walkway that provides shortest walk from the building to a pool gateway, and your room will be within striking distance of lobby and bus station.