Kidani Village

[katyjeka]

We checked in on Saturday night, room 7661, standard view 2 bedroom. The room is in great condition (I'm picky!) Yes, we are miles from the lobby but the view is awesome. We've seen tons of animals and they are so close. The zebra was so entertaining today. It's also very quiet. Wanted to post for anyone who has a 2 bedroom standard and doesn't mind the walk. Request this room, you won't be sorry!!!

 

[LAS2AMS]

That’s so awesome! I’m jealous. We stayed in a room nearby on a different floor just over two weeks ago and only saw animals once during our 8 nights. Never know what you’re going to get!

 

[KPeterso]

We check in on Friday to a 1 bedroom savannah view at Kidani. Hoping we get lots of animals. We also need to be near the lobby as I have my elderly parents and 2 mobility devices.

 

[CastAStone]

We had 7853 (basically 2 floors up from you) a few years back and had a similar experience. Really great views for a standard room.

 

[drusba]

Those rooms are among the rooms in the sixth and seventh building units from the lobby on the north wing of Kidani (the main front entrance faces west). All the odd numbered rooms in those buidling units have a direct Pembe savanna view and all are standard view rooms (the even numbered rooms are are all on the Sunset savanna side and are deemed savanna view) . Rather than asking for a specific room number for standard view in the future, a better request is to ask to be close the Pumba elevator, which is the elevator between those two building units. What you should not request through MS is a standard view room with a savanna view, as you are likely to be told you need to reserve a savanna view room to get that.

 

[muppets3d]

Those rooms are among the rooms in the sixth and seventh building units from the lobby on the north wing of Kidani (the main front entrance faces west). All the odd numbered rooms in those buidling units have a direct Pembe savanna view and all are standard view rooms (the even numbered rooms are are all on the Sunset savanna side and are deemed savanna view) . Rather than asking for a specific room number for standard view in the future, a better request is to ask to be close the Pumba elevator, which is the elevator between those two building units. What you should not request through MS is a standard view room with a savanna view, as you are likely to be told you need to reserve a savanna view room to get that.

Can you request a particular elevator in MDE when checking in? Once I tried to put in a request with MS, they tell me they can only put in requests for an actual room number or a group of numbers. Is that bad information?

 

[drusba]

Can you request a particular elevator in MDE when checking in? Once I tried to put in a request with MS, they tell me they can only put in requests for an actual room number or a group of numbers. Is that bad information?

Whoever you spoke to at MS was obviously someone who did not know what you could request. Every time I stay in Kidani I make a request thru MS to be near a named elevator (and which one varies based on where I would like to be for the particular trip).

You cannot make a specific elevator request using the MDE online check-in system. The on-line check-in system with MDE, as to elevators, only allows a request to be "near an elevator.," That is absolutely ridiculous and should not be used, because, with three elevator sections spread out along each of the two wings, a near elevator request, without being able to name the elevator, can be met by putting you in any room in the building

 

[muppets3d]

Whoever you spoke to at MS was obviously someone who did not know what you could request. Every time I stay in Kidani I make a request thru MS to be near a named elevator (and which one varies based on where I would like to be for the particular trip).

You cannot make a specific elevator request using the MDE online check-in system. The on-line check-in system with MDE, as to elevators, only allows a request to be "near an elevator.," That is absolutely ridiculous and should not be used, because, with three elevator sections spread out along each of the two wings, a near elevator request, without being able to name the elevator, can be met by putting you in any room in the building

Typically we don't have any requests, but we called once to request a "turret" room at Grand Floridian and was told we'd have to request a particular room number. That's the only time we've actually called in a request that I can recall. I'll call next time we have a request and see if I can get someone better - or more likely, have a better and more understandable request that they can submit.

The only time we stayed at Kidani thus far, we were right by the Rafiki elevator. While I liked the central location, lots of foot traffic in the hallways (right by the pool). Very quiet at night once the pool closed however.

 

[IDSkinner]

We had 7853 (basically 2 floors up from you) a few years back and had a similar experience. Really great views for a standard room.

This is the exact room that Touring Plans requested for us for our upcoming stay next week. We're hoping it becomes a reality as it sounds like you were very pleased.

 

[CastAStone]

This is the exact room that Touring Plans requested for us for our upcoming stay next week. We're hoping it becomes a reality as it sounds like you were very pleased.

Straight down, one way, the other way.

I could see why it’s not considered Savannah View, there’s only about 20’ of depth directly in front and the animals didn’t like hanging out there, but if you turn your head like at all, the view is great.

 

[IDSkinner]

View attachment 893831View attachment 893832View attachment 893833
Straight down, one way, the other way.

I could see why it’s not considered Savannah View, there’s only about 20’ of depth directly in front and the animals didn’t like hanging out there, but if you turn your head like at all, the view is great.

I'm crossing my fingers we get that room. Thanks for sharing!

 

[drusba]

Typically we don't have any requests, but we called once to request a "turret" room at Grand Floridian and was told we'd have to request a particular room number. That's the only time we've actually called in a request that I can recall. I'll call next time we have a request and see if I can get someone better - or more likely, have a better and more understandable request that they can submit.

The only time we stayed at Kidani thus far, we were right by the Rafiki elevator. While I liked the central location, lots of foot traffic in the hallways (right by the pool). Very quiet at night once the pool closed however.

Turret rooms were part of the Big Pine Key GF building that was converted to DVC. Those are rooms that are larger than normal studios, and have an extra room with a TV, but lack any balconies. It is possible DVC itself may not take specific requests for a Turret room because they are not classified as such for reserving through DVC. Maybe a request for a room without a balcony could be made since that extra room eliminates any balcony..

As to Kidani, we request near the Rafiki elevator when we have savanna view and know the weather will be warm enough daily to use the pool, since, down the Rafiki elevator to the ground/parking lot floor, leads to a trail that provides the shortest possible walk from any Kidani rooms to a pool gate. When we go in Jan or February, we request near the Timon elevator when we have savanna view, which puts us close to the door on the second floor that leads directly to the bus stop. We have actually had standard view only twice since Kidani opened and each time we had no need to make a location request because the room was a standard view Grand Villa. One of those is right at the end of the sixth building unit, just before the Pumba elevator, and the other one is right at the start of the seventh building unit just past the Pumba elevator, and both overlook the Pembe savanna.

Also note that all those standard view rooms in those two building units were originally classified as savanna view. In 2012, DVC reclassified those as standard view, due to the nearness to the outer fence of the savanna. At Jambo. a large number of savanna view rooms were also reclassified as standard view. Originally, only the rooms with pool view were standard view. Now more than 50% of the standard views are elsewhere including a large number on the Kudo Trail side of the building. If you ever reserve Jambo standard view and want to try for a savanna view (Sunset savanna), a request to make is for a room on the Kudo trail side of the building. That is because all the standard view rooms on that side of Jambo have savanna view, ranging from good savanna views to so-so views.

 

[muppets3d]

Turret rooms were part of the Big Pine Key GF building that was converted to DVC. Those are rooms that are larger than normal studios, and have an extra room with a TV, but lack any balconies. It is possible DVC itself may not take specific requests for a Turret room because they are not classified as such for reserving through DVC. Maybe a request for a room without a balcony could be made since that extra room eliminates any balcony..

As to Kidani, we request near the Rafiki elevator when we have savanna view and know the weather will be warm enough daily to use the pool, since, down the Rafiki elevator to the ground/parking lot floor, leads to a trail that provides the shortest possible walk from any Kidani rooms to a pool gate. When we go in Jan or February, we request near the Timon elevator when we have savanna view, which puts us close to the door on the second floor that leads directly to the bus stop. We have actually had standard view only twice since Kidani opened and each time we had no need to make a location request because the room was a standard view Grand Villa. One of those is right at the end of the sixth building unit, just before the Pumba elevator, and the other one is right at the start of the seventh building unit just past the Pumba elevator, and both overlook the Pembe savanna.

Also note that all those standard view rooms in those two building units were originally classified as savanna view. In 2012, DVC reclassified those as standard view, due to the nearness to the outer fence of the savanna. At Jambo. a large number of savanna view rooms were reclassified as standard view. Originally only the rooms with pool view were standard view. Now more than 50% of the standard views are elsewhere including a large number on the Kudo Trail side of the building. If you ever reserve Jambo standard view and want to try fora savanna view, a request to make is for a room on the Kudo trail side of the building. That is because all the standard view rooms on that side have savanna view, ranging from good savanna views to so-so views.

We will be staying in Big Pine Key for July 4th next year, but just booked a standard view because we plan to be in the parks during fireworks anyway. I'm going to try to make the turret room request again once we get closer to the trip.

Thank you for the information, I will file this away for my next trips!

 

[Anthony1971]

We had one of those rooms years back…. Very close to the side pool entrance as well but the lobby was a hike. However well worth the walk after having a road view once but it was only for one holdover night due to a tropical storm. I always said request Pumba section as that is where I remember the room(s) being

 

[2010dvcfan]

We will be staying in Big Pine Key for July 4th next year, but just booked a standard view because we plan to be in the parks during fireworks anyway. I'm going to try to make the turret room request again once we get closer to the trip.

Thank you for the information, I will file this away for my next trips!

Keep trying, I always make that turret room request when we stay in resort studio rooms, and 2 out 3 times we have gotten it, so I say keep calling or chatting online until you get someone who will at least put in the request.

 

[Robber Baron]

Couple months ago we stayed in # 7970. My wife's Fitbit told her is was 1/3 mile from the lobby. I paced it off and it was 509 yards from the lobby.

As a golfer, that's just the length of a par 5 hole so it never bothered me.

Especially when we always had these views.