Loved BLT, staying at AKV Kidani...will we love it too??

[twodogs]

Posted this on the regular Resorts forum and someone suggested this forum might be more appropriate: We have stayed in a 2 bedroom at BLT the last two trips and loved it. We are traveling with our children, who will be 7 and 9 this trip, as well as my parents. We were lucky to get 20% off BLT the last two trips with AAA, but so far no AAA for 2015. However, since my dad is retired military, we were able to get a 2 bedroom savannah view villa at Kidani for May, at the military rate. It's hard to turn down 40% off, and it's so great disney offers that for military.

I am thinking about all of the differences between BLT and Kidani and hoping it will all work out and be a great experience. I know the transportation to some parks will take longer, but hopefully a nice trade off with the animals, which my kids love.

Any comparisons from others who have stayed in both? Any recommended room requests for our 2 bedroom savannah view so that we have a good chance of seeing animals such as giraffes and zebra? I don't even know if that's possible with our room type at Kidani. I've read the AKL thread, but a lot seems to be about Jambo, with much less about Kidani.

Thank you!!

 

[Msmithmd]

You will love Kidani.

There are two Savannah's. The one you should request is "sunset" for giraffe and zebras. The other one is "Pembe".

Literally most everyone who makes a request will ask to be near the lobby, as the resort is 1.1 miles of hallway from end to end. So you can ask but shouldn't expect that to occur. If you will have your car, close to elevator is helpful as there are multiple of these around the resort that all go down to the first floor under-building lots.

If I were you, I would just request Sunset Savannah and not make any other request, so you don't risk getting a Pembe room that is closer to the lobby, and miss the Sunset room with the animal views you prefer.

 

[disneynutz]

Posted this on the regular Resorts forum and someone suggested this forum might be more appropriate: We have stayed in a 2 bedroom at BLT the last two trips and loved it. We are traveling with our children, who will be 7 and 9 this trip, as well as my parents. We were lucky to get 20% off BLT the last two trips with AAA, but so far no AAA for 2015. However, since my dad is retired military, we were able to get a 2 bedroom savannah view villa at Kidani for May, at the military rate. It's hard to turn down 40% off, and it's so great disney offers that for military.

I am thinking about all of the differences between BLT and Kidani and hoping it will all work out and be a great experience. I know the transportation to some parks will take longer, but hopefully a nice trade off with the animals, which my kids love.

Any comparisons from others who have stayed in both? Any recommended room requests for our 2 bedroom savannah view so that we have a good chance of seeing animals such as giraffes and zebra? I don't even know if that's possible with our room type at Kidani. I've read the AKL thread, but a lot seems to be about Jambo, with much less about Kidani.

Thank you!!

I have heard that AAA and Disney have parted ways so AAA deals may be gone.

As far as what you will love, I have no idea, only by staying at different resorts will you find that out.

You may want to consider renting a reservation from a DVC owner, that may save you some money.

Bill

 

[twodogs]

Thanks so much for the quick replies! I will request Sunset view and that's it. We can walk a bit but want to see the giraffes if possible!

Unfortunately, we need the ability to cancel, so we can't really rent points. The military discount is giving us 40% off the rack rate, which I guess still might be more expensive than points rental, but offers needed flexibility.

I am a bit concerned about travel times to and from the parks. I think I read buses stop at Kidani first to pick up (and drop off?). Then they go to Jambo. Then do they go to the park, or stop at other resorts on the way?

Lastly, any thoughts on best way to get from Kidani to chef Mickeys for breakfast.

Thank you!!

 

[Msmithmd]

Buses are hit or miss. Sometimes arriving right when you walk up. Sometimes 20-30 minutes later. Just like at any other resort.

The buses only make two stops- at Jambo and Kidani- they don't go to other resorts. They may in some cases go to more than one end destination (like Epcot plus Blizzard Beach, for example).

Your options to go to Chef Mickey for breakfast are two:

1. Take the park bus to magic kingdom and walk (less than 1/2 mile) from that stop to the contemporary. You could also walk from the bus stop to the platform and hop on the resort monorail, but from the bus stop it is almost as far to do this, as it is just to walk to the Contemporary itself.

2. Take a cab.


For my family, we tend to check what a rental car would cost before a trip, and not book the rental car. Then we deduct from that amount what we actually spend every time we take a cab for speed/convenience. We find that a car rental is the equivalent of 8-10 cab fares, and we actually only use a cab 2-3x per trip.

In this manner we feel better about both using Disney transportation and feeling less guilty about paying $15-30 for a cab ride when it is the easiest way to get where we want quickly- like for example going from a park directly to DTD, or from one resort to another resort.

 

[nkereina]

We did find travel times to and from resorts (AK) to be a negative, but one good thing is that the bus stop (at least the one we used) has a TV that estimates how long before the next bus to each park will arrive. We found bus service to be good and frequent.

 

[floribr1]

Your options to go to Chef Mickey for breakfast are two:

1. Take the park bus to magic kingdom and walk (less than 1/2 mile) from that stop to the contemporary. You could also walk from the bus stop to the platform and hop on the resort monorail, but from the bus stop it is almost as far to do this, as it is just to walk to the Contemporary itself.

2. Take a cab.

I will add a third option: take the bus to the Animal Kingdom park, then transfer to a bus to the Contemporary.

 

[nkereina]

I will add a third option: take the bus to the Animal Kingdom park, then transfer to a bus to the Contemporary.

A good option for any other time of day but for an early breakfast, the buses are going TO the parks and not coming from. OP would likely be waiting quite a while for a CR bus first thing in the morning.

 

[islandtimect]

BLT and AKV are our home resorts- completely different and that's why we bought them. Don't listen to negative comments on how long it takes to get to the parks from AKL. It's the same issue everywhere- how long it takes depends on how long the walk is to the bus stop, how long the wait you wait for the bus, and how long the bus ride is. The longest ride is to MK, but if you walk right on the bus, it's under 20 minutes. Check out AKLs website and all the special things to do- fire pit with African storytellers, views of animals from savannah overlooks, knowledgable guides that tell you about the animals, night vision goggles, great dining, awesome kids pool area etc. my hubby's favorite resort, and we've been to all the deluxes.

 

[drusba]

We have stayed at AKV and BLT in 2BRs. Both are very good. Here are some comments:

Kidani 2BR gives you a larger second bedroom than BLT and like BLT has the third bathroom and sleeper chair in the living room. We found parking at BLT to be convenient because it was fairly close to front entrance. Kidani is even better because parking runs on ground floor under the building and with three elevators along each of the two wings you can always park fairly close to your room. There are no ground floor rooms, all rooms are floor 2 through 5 and lobby is on second floor.. Sanna, a very good table service restaurant, has large windows for viewing the savanna. Boma at Jambo is a very good buffet but unfortunately there is no character meals like at Chjef Mickey's in the Contemporary..

Pool at Kidani is somewhat better than BLT including because it has an elaborate kids water play area, but depending on where room is, it can be a very long walk to the pool. If you want to be not far from lobby and closest to the pool make the following request in additon to Sunset Savanna view: close to Rafiki elevator. In any event do not request close to lobby: that once was a good request but since so many now request it, many have not gotten the request and instead end up in rooms as far from the lobby as you can possibly be. Thus, requesting close to the Rafiki elevator, or if you want to be close to bus stop, close to Timon elevator, are better requests and both put you fairly close to lobby. Most want to avoid those far away rooms because they are truly "far away" (there is no longer walk down an interior hallway in a hotel anywhere on the planet Earth than the one at Kidani from lobby to end rooms on the north wing).

We have found the bus system at Kidani to be better than most with fewer delays and better than the multi-resort bus system at BLT.

Rooms at Kidani are dark, both in colors and lighting (the latter because of Acts of Congress mandating energy effecient, but lousy, lighting and when you put that weaker lighting in dark colored rooms, you get a feeling of living in the dusk all the time). The resort itself is also darker in the lobby, halls, restaurant, store, etc. to match the feeling of a resort on a savanna.

I do not know whether your 2BR reservation at Kidani will mean you get a dedicated 2BR (meaning it can only be a 2BR) or a lock-off (measning a combined studio and 1BR). We prefer the deidcated because you get two queen beds in the second bedroom rather than a queen and a pull-out sofa double and also because the dedicateds have one long balcony running along all three rooms (master BR, living room and second bedroom) where the lock-off has a wall separating the balcony between the studio and 1BR. For both, obviously, and unlike BLT, you do get a balcony runikng along the lving room.

The Community Hall at Kidani is very good and has an outside balcony for viewing animals. There are a number of good kids activities both at the pool and the resort (such as cultural presentations by those from the African countries).

 

[MarlaSingersLaundry]

BLT and AKV are our home resorts- completely different and that's why we bought them. Don't listen to negative comments on how long it takes to get to the parks from AKL. It's the same issue everywhere- how long it takes depends on how long the walk is to the bus stop, how long the wait you wait for the bus, and how long the bus ride is. The longest ride is to MK, but if you walk right on the bus, it's under 20 minutes. Check out AKLs website and all the special things to do- fire pit with African storytellers, views of animals from savannah overlooks, knowledgable guides that tell you about the animals, night vision goggles, great dining, awesome kids pool area etc. my hubby's favorite resort, and we've been to all the deluxes.

Exactly!!! Everyone complains about the long bus rides, but the issue effects all of the resorts. We've stayed at almost all the resorts and don't think that AKV/Kidani is any worse than other resorts. I feel like Kadani is our little secrect so long as other people don't want to stay due to perceived long bus rides.

I LOVE Kidani, and hope you do too, OP. We fell in love with the resort and a few years later made it our home. Every time we walk into the resort, it feels like a home coming. I love the details, the smell and the sound of the drums and animals walking from the bus stop and into the lobby.

Like some other posters said, check out the daily activities. If you have time, try the cultural and cuisine tours of Sanaa and Boma. Also check out the community hall for arts and crafts activities for the kids or to rent movies from. We love going to the hall and getting craft supplies to take with us on the plane ride home. If you or your kids are into pin trading check out the gift shop schedule to trade with King Pin a few days a week. That is fun.

Request sunset savanna if possible-best giraffe views. Also request a dedicated two bedroom if possible to have two queens in the second bedroom.

I could go on forever about Kidani. I hope you have a great time!!!

 

[twodogs]

Thank you all so, so much for your thorough and thoughtful information. I think we will really love it! We did love the proximity of BLT to MK, but my girls are now going to be nearly 10 and nearly 8 for this trip (May of next year), so we will only spend one day at MK. They absolutely loved AK park, and they are very into the animals as well. It sounds like there is a lot to do at the resort itself! As you all have mentioned, the bus rides can be long or short from any resort. The only one that is for sure quick is the walk from BLT to MK, unless you have a tired child, ha ha!

We did stay at the Grand Californian in a 2 bedroom suite this May, and I think it might be a similar "darkness" to AKV? We really loved all the wood and the neat architecture, and I can't wait to see AKV!

Regarding the dedicated versus lock-off 2 bedroom, since this is a cash reservation (albeit with that generous military discount), it showed the description as 1 King and 2 Queen beds, one pull out couch, one pull out chair. So I assumed it would be a dedicated, and I thought that I read that somewhere on the boards too. When we did a cash reservation at BLT, we had a dedicated 2 bedroom. I agree that having the two queens is very nice, and I didn't know about the full-length balcony. That sounds lovely (though after a few park days, my parents may be happy to have a wall between them and the grandkids, ha ha!).

I did not think of taking the bus to MK and then walking to Chef Mickey's, but that sounds great and we already know that walk very well!

Regarding renting a car, how is the parking at the different parks? We have only stayed at BLT and done DME from the airport, so we've never parked a car at the parks. Sounds like parking at the resort will be easy, but I am not sure how I feel about taking a long tram ride in from those massive parking lots at MK. I didn't even pay attention to the parking situation at DHS or AK or Typhoon Lagoon (those are the parks we will be hitting this trip). Is it really far from the parking lot to park gate? Do they charge for parking at the resort or parks?

This board is so wonderful, for all of the nice folks willing to help out a stranger with their trip planning! I can't wait to stay at AKV!! Thank you all!

 

[drusba]

Thank you all so, so much for your thorough and thoughtful information. I think we will really love it! We did love the proximity of BLT to MK, but my girls are now going to be nearly 10 and nearly 8 for this trip (May of next year), so we will only spend one day at MK. They absolutely loved AK park, and they are very into the animals as well. It sounds like there is a lot to do at the resort itself! As you all have mentioned, the bus rides can be long or short from any resort. The only one that is for sure quick is the walk from BLT to MK, unless you have a tired child, ha ha!

We did stay at the Grand Californian in a 2 bedroom suite this May, and I think it might be a similar "darkness" to AKV? We really loved all the wood and the neat architecture, and I can't wait to see AKV!

Regarding the dedicated versus lock-off 2 bedroom, since this is a cash reservation (albeit with that generous military discount), it showed the description as 1 King and 2 Queen beds, one pull out couch, one pull out chair. So I assumed it would be a dedicated, and I thought that I read that somewhere on the boards too. When we did a cash reservation at BLT, we had a dedicated 2 bedroom. I agree that having the two queens is very nice, and I didn't know about the full-length balcony. That sounds lovely (though after a few park days, my parents may be happy to have a wall between them and the grandkids, ha ha!).

I did not think of taking the bus to MK and then walking to Chef Mickey's, but that sounds great and we already know that walk very well!

Regarding renting a car, how is the parking at the different parks? We have only stayed at BLT and done DME from the airport, so we've never parked a car at the parks. Sounds like parking at the resort will be easy, but I am not sure how I feel about taking a long tram ride in from those massive parking lots at MK. I didn't even pay attention to the parking situation at DHS or AK or Typhoon Lagoon (those are the parks we will be hitting this trip). Is it really far from the parking lot to park gate? Do they charge for parking at the resort or parks?

This board is so wonderful, for all of the nice folks willing to help out a stranger with their trip planning! I can't wait to stay at AKV!! Thank you all!

If they are telling you that you have two queens and a King then that has to be a dedicated 2BR. As to parking at the parks, we tend to avoid doing that for MK from anywhere simply because its a three vehicle trip: car to parking lot, long tram ride to TTC, and then boat or monorail to MK. Doing that to MK is not too bad from AKL but not really better than just taking the bus. Coming home, that three vehicle trip can take forever if you leave when the major crowds leave because you get a long monorail or boat wait and then an equally long if not longer tram wait.

Driving to the other parks is generally quick from AKV; unlike MK, the tram is fairly quick and takes you right to the front entrance and when exiting the park, the wait is usually not unreasonabley long for a tram even if large crowds are leaving; moreover, you can easily walk to some of the parking areas from the park. Nevertheless, since we find the AKV bus system to be better than most, we often just use the bus (unless we get a room that is far from the bus stop) though we have a car except for going to another resort or Downtown Disney, and I would never take that bus option to parks when staying at BLT or BWV if I have a car.

 

[Jennasis]

BLT is our home, but we are staying in KIDANI right now...literally just driving into parking garage. The resort Is lovely and so is our room, but I can't see us staying here again. Our room is about as far away from everything as possible. The walking is killer and the location of the pool is just stupid. I'd stay in Jambo again in a heartbeat. We only chose KIDANI for the extra bathroom.

We are currently desperately driving through the garage looking for parking..no luck at 11:30pm.

 

[Docmom]

LOVE AKL Kidani! We've stayed at all the WDW DVC resorts except the SSR Treehouses and AKL still is one of our top 3 favorites. Our girls are 9 & 11 and love waking up to the animals, hanging out on the balcony, going to the pool, the cultural activities, talking with the guides from Africa, and the community room. One thing I'd add to the other posts is to ask the guides for their country cards. They are nice souvenirs, have info on their country so are also educational and sometimes you end up in a long conversation with them not only about their country but also about cool places in the US for them to visit. Highly recommend Sanaa - ask for a table by the window if available. Some people don't like that the only quick service is at Jambo but not a big deal for us as we have breakfast in the room and sometimes dinner too, with a big meal for lunch out. BOMA for dinner is excellent also. We haven't tried Jiko yet but it's on our list of things to do, especially after attending a Food and Wine demo with their chef yesterday. One warning, don't be surprised if you get woken up at the crack of dawn with a squeal of "oh he's so cute!" when baby animals are about.

 

[disBOBney]

I love the details, the smell and the sound of the drums and animals walking from the bus stop and into the lobby.

I too love Kadani, so far my favorite place to stay. But I must say I have never experienced the animals walking from the bus stop and into the lobby.

That must have been a fun trip.