Kidani vs Jambo - What's the Difference?

[UbieTinkinMon]

What are the main differences between Kidani and Jambo at AKV? Which is your preference and why?

 

[BillPA]

Go on youtube and look at the walk thru videos. Jambo is modified hotel rooms, smaller than Kadini that was built as a DVC resort. If oyu are looking for a studio it doesn't much matter, a studio is a studio. The big change is in the 1 BR and larger units.

 

[GrumpyInPhilly]

Here's some links to previous DIS threads:

https://www.disboards.com/threads/help-with-a-decision-please.3460263/

https://www.disboards.com/threads/jambo-vs-kidani.3587742/

https://www.disboards.com/threads/kidani-or-jambo.3597578/

 

[RanDIZ]

I prefer Jambo for the better food selections and a more grand lobby. Kidani has the nicer pool IMO. I will also add that Kidani gets dropped off first when returning from parks by bus.

 

[shoegal9]

I also prefer Jambo House. We like being closer to the main lobby, Victoria Falls for drinks at night, and the restaurants. We also prefer the pool at Jambo. Kidani is nice, but it just feels like we were constantly on really long walks to nowhere.

 

[CarolynFH]

I've never been inside a studio at Jambo, but I'll never stay in a 1BR or larger there again. The primary bathroom is not ensuite with the primary bedroom - it's across a hallway, and anyone crossing that hallway is clearly visible to people in the kitchen/living room area. Furthermore, there's no walk-in shower in that bathroom, and the tub/shower combination has a very wide rim around it, making it very difficult to get into and out of.

Kidani, on the other hand, has a very nice ensuite bathroom in the primary, including both a walk-in shower and a large tub. The 1BR and larger villas also have a full bath accessible from the living room, so anyone sleeping there has their own bathroom. And in the living room are a sleeper sofa and a single sleeper chair, so 3 people can sleep there instead of only 2.

Also, at Kidani you park under the building, so that hot sun doesn't heat the car up and rain doesn't affect getting in and out of it, and you can park near the elevator bank that's closest to your room, so you don't have a long walk at the end of a park day or when you're dragging your luggage or groceries.

The shuttle that runs continuously between Kidani and Jambo makes it easy to access Jambo when not wanting to walk between them.

 

[Lorana]

If you plan at EATING at the resort, there's a huge difference between the two: Kidani has only Sana'a (though there is a small quick service/bar at the pool), while Jambo has Boma's (buffet but amazing food; arguably my family's favorite restaurant), Jiko (higher end; I think it might still be closed right now, though), and Mara (a quick service restaurant).

The lobby and main/public animal viewing location is far grander and more impressive in Jambo; it's much smaller at Kidani.

Kidani is one of the longest hotels in the world, end to end. It is nearly a half mile. That means if you are unlucky - and my family is often unlucky - you might be walking a quarter of mile from your room to the lobby. At the end of the day, that walk sometimes makes me weep. ;-)

Jambo are converted hotel rooms, whereas Kidani was custom built villas. As noted above, that means true ensuite bathrooms, good kitchen layout, a second bathroom in 1BRs and a third bathroom in 2BRs.

Kidani has a better pool for kids - longer waterslide, a water playground/splash pad, and zero entry - but it's also along walk to the pool, especially compared to the pool at Jambo. The pool at Jambo is nicely shaded, and is 2.5x the size of the pool at Kidani. I rarely feel crowded in the Jambo pool.

Kidani also has the Community Center and BBQ area.

 

[sndral]

I've never been inside a studio at Jambo, but I'll never stay in a 1BR or larger there again. The primary bathroom is not ensuite with the primary bedroom.
…
Kidani, on the other hand, has a very nice ensuite bathroom in the primary, including both a walk-in shower and a large tub. The 1BR and larger villas also have a full bath accessible from the living room, so anyone sleeping there has their own bathroom. And in the living room are a sleeper sofa and a single sleeper chair, so 3 people can sleep there instead of only 2.
…

I find the fact that the bathroom w/ the spa tub is not en suite to the master in Jambo to be a positive, since people not sleeping in the master who want to use the spa tub don’t need to walk through the master to do so. FYI, Jambo 1 & 2 br.s also have the sleeper chair in the living room except for the smaller value villas, thus occupancy for standard/savanna/club at Jambo is the same as Kidani. Kidani villas are larger.
A big difference between the two IMO is the views. At Jambo you’ll be on the 5th floor (6th for club,) and a lot of the standard views actually overlook Sunset savanna (the largest of the 4 savannas.) At Kidani the savanna views are on all floors & most overlook Sunset savanna although some overlook the very small no giraffe Pembe savanna. At Kidani a standard view is usually a non savanna view, although a few standards (including the 2 standard view GFs) overlook Pembe savanna.

 

[SleeplessInTO]

Just a few thoughts to add to the excellent info already posted:

Jiko has reopened. Boma is my fav but Jiko was good. Restaurant is pretty.

Jambo offers value and club level rooms. Kidani does not.

 

[Sammie]

We much prefer Kidani for the size of the lobby, it's less busy and quieter. We love the larger rooms and the huge master suite and bathroom. Views are better, IMO. We always get great views of animals. The balconies are large.

 

[dropd]

Despite the "underground" parking advantage for keeping cars cool, I would try hard to never book Kidani again if Jambo was an option. It's just too many REALLY LONG corridors to get to rooms. If you luck into getting a room near an elevator, great, but when we stayed there the schlep was extensive and exhausting. Having 2 kids (grade school and preschool) It literally added probably 10 minutes of travel time to the beginning and ending of every day.

We found Jambo a lot easier to navigate, and in terms of decor and ambiance the common areas are superior.

 

[BillPA]

The only way I would stay ay Jambo is in a studio, and I never stay in a studio. The advantage at Kidani is so much better in a 1 or 2 BR. Studios are, well, a studio. Not much can be said about a studio.

 

[Brett Wyman]

The only way I would stay ay Jambo is in a studio, and I never stay in a studio. The advantage at Kidani is so much better in a 1 or 2 BR. Studios are, well, a studio. Not much can be said about a studio.

Thats 100% true, but we dislikes Kidani's long hallways so much that we deal with the Jambo 1-bedroom size differences. We're just a family of four so no
"ensuite" doesn't affect us the way it might effect others.

Kidani's pool is the best for the pre-school set. Jambo's is much larger and more open.

 

[WDWkristin]

Jambo you take an elevator to get a quick meal or snack. Kadani you take a bus.

 

[thegash35]

I don't really understand wanting to stay at Jambo because that's where the restaurants are. It's less than a 10 minute walk from Kidani lobby to Jambo lobby. Easy peasy. Do people also really eat that many meals at Boma and Jiko during a single stay?

The long hallways have never been a huge deal either, but we live in NYC where walking is common maybe it's an issue for people from places where you have to drive everywhere.

 

[RoseGold]

They are both massive, as are many Disney resorts. I mean Boardwalk can really be a struggle with all those hallways and one elevator. If you're parking, it doesn't even matter, because you park under the room.

Jambo has a photographer with the Christmas tree. We changed into our jammies, and it's one of my favorite photo shoots ever.

 

[dropd]

They are both massive, as are many Disney resorts. I mean Boardwalk can really be a struggle with all those hallways and one elevator. If you're parking, it doesn't even matter, because you park under the room.

Jambo has a photographer with the Christmas tree. We changed into our jammies, and it's one of my favorite photo shoots ever.

Last time we stayed at Kidani we parked underneath, but our room was still incredibly far from the closest elevator. Maybe we just had the unluckiest room placement possible.

 

[meekey7197]

Jambo studios are much more accommodating to people trying to get ready in the morning because the sinks are outside the shower/toilet room. Yes the kidani toilet has its own little room but the sinks are in with the shower (and you have to walk through that room to get to the toilet). And as others have said, there are no bad standard view rooms at Jambo

I’m also in the camp that likes the bathroom not attached to the master when it’s the only bathroom in the villa

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I will never stay at Kidani. I find the QS F&B situation to be unacceptable.

 

[Beachmom0317]

I also prefer Jambo House. We like being closer to the main lobby, Victoria Falls for drinks at night, and the restaurants. We also prefer the pool at Jambo. Kidani is nice, but it just feels like we were constantly on really long walks to nowhere.

This is exactly how we felt! The mini lobby at Kidani is lovely but it was much walking in hallways for us. I did like how you can park right by the elevators though