Two buildings, Jambo the original AKL, and Kidani, with walk about 1/2 mile between them door to door. All
DVC rooms are on fifth floor of Jambo except the handful of concierge 2BR lockoffs that are on the 6th fl above the lobby, the only place there is a sixth floor. Kidani has rooms on all floors, 2 to 5 (GVs upstairs part goes to the level above 5th floor); ground (1st) floor is the under-building parking lot.
Savanna view: about 80% of all rooms and what most people who own at AKV want, usually easy to get at 7 month window. Jambo has three savannas, Arusha in middle of building, Uzima to east, and Sunset to west. Sunset is largest savanna and most of Kidani's savanna view rooms also face it. Kidani also has a smaller savanna, Pembe to its northwest and north, Pembe stands alone as not having giraffes but has okapi which are from same family but much smaller, okapi are not on the other savannas. Being able to watch animals from your balcony is the big draw at AKL (animals actually get to about 20 yards from the building. There is a barely noticeable electric fence (which looks more like little bushes spaced apart) that contains the animals.
Standard view: about 13% to 14% of all rooms. A small number of standards actually have a partial savanna view but most are pool view at Jambo and front road or pool view at Kidani. As to how popular is savanna view: standards, despite their low number and lower points, are usually still available when savanna view has filled.
Value: these are only at Jambo toward front of building, they are "value" and have lowest points because they are smaller than any other DVC rooms: example the value studio is about 315 sq ft whereas the other AKL studios are about 360; the differences in size are very noticeable. 40% have a savanna view, 40% pool and the rest parking lot (although you really see more trees in front than the parking lot in the distance). You cannot request view; it is just luck of the draw. Only about 4% to 5% of all rooms. Very popular because of the low point cost; difficult to get at 7 months out most times of year.
Concierge rooms: only 5 2BR lockoffs on sixth floor above lobby at Jambo. You get a lounge and concierge service , including daily housekeeping and turn down service. Also access to the Sunrise Safari (it costs extra), a tour through the animal areas that is available only to concierge guests (from any resort). Three of the 2BR lockoffs have savanna view (one of which is handicap assessible) and two pool view. You cannot request view. Also, the savanna view is not that good. If you want concierge service and a lounge these fit; if you want savanna view you should reserve the savanna view rooms. Chances of getting concierge at 7 months are low and depends on someone cancelling. These rooms fill faster than any other rooms on site; example, for Christmas time, they were gone by 2 minutes after the 11 month window opened on line at 8 a.m.
Grand Villas: all very nice, six one-story GVs at Jambo which are in the view of many the best GVs on site with large porches and a pool table; 16 two story GVs at Kidani, two of which at the very end of the north wing are standard view though they are actually over part of the savanna (but in an area where animals don't usually roam except for when they are leaving the sabvannas through a gate to the animal care area). GVs, at least at Kidani are often still available at 7 months out.
The studios other than value are similar in size to those at BWV, SSR, BCV and VWL. The 1BRs and 2BRs at Jambo are similar in size to the 1BRs and 2BRs at those same resorts. The 1BRs and 2BRs at Kidani are much larger (by 100 sq ft) and have an extra bathroom. Those also have separate shower and tub in master bath whereas Jambo has combined shower and tub and it has a high step-over into tub. Our view: if staying in studio or GV go for Jambo, if staying in 1BR or 2BR go for Kidani.
Jambo has three restaurants (table service, buffet and counter service), the much larger store and lobby, a larger pool with more shaded areas than Kidani but a short slide. Kidani has the long slide, the elaborate kid's water play area, and one table service restaurant, Sanaa, which is very good. Both have excellent african savanna theming and decor and are somewhat dimly lighted to give impression of being near dusk when inside. Both have animal viewing areas wherre you can go outside and have night goggles you can use to see animals at night when going to the viewing areas. Both have kids activities. Parking for Jambo is across from the front of the building and walk can be faiirly short to somewhat long depending on where you find a spot. Kidani has ideal under building park that runs the length of the building and you can always park fairly close to room (there are elevators along the wings). Parking lot entrance is near end of south wing before you get to front entrance but when first arriving there is a temporary parking area near front entrance.
Popular requests for savanna room locations vary. Many at Jambo like Arusha savanna, the one in the middle of the U-shaped building and then, since walk can be quite long, some request close to pool area or lobby, a request I actually do not recommend for savanna view at Jambo. Note that requesting "close to elevator" at either does not necessarily get you close to lobby because there are elevators along the wings and you could end up far from lobby. The most popular request at Kidani is close to lobby or similar (e.g.,close to community hall). That request puts you on Sunset Savanna that has giraffes, with an excellent view and also close to all amenities, including bus stop, restaurant, store, community hall, pool, etc. It is also a popular request because Kidani is unique in having the longest walk down an internal hallway from lobby to end rooms on the wings than any hotel on earth (about 1/3 mile) and that walk can be much dreaded when returning via bus from a long day in a park. You are familiar with boardwalk and thus likely familiar with what many call the "very long" walk from elevator to far away rooms there. To understasnd the distance at Kidani, take the longest walk from lobby to room at boardwalk and then multiply by 3 to 4 times.
Another popular request for Kidani is lower floor to get direct sight line of animals.
Biggest complaint about Kidani is lack of any counter service and even lack of breakfast at the restaurant; you can get mugs and there are fill up stations at store and you can also fill at pool bar. They have tried some continental type breakfast things. The distance between the resorts makes it undesirable for many to go to Jambo in the morning for counter service, partiuclarly if you are starting from the end of the north wing at Kidani which puts you about 5/6 mile from the front door at Jambo. Park busses run Kidani to Jambo to parks and DD bus Jambo to Kidani to DD and thus you can take bus between resorts. There is a shuttle run between the two that is often running. Bus system is usually very good and puts the BLT, VWL and BWV multiple resort bus sytems to shame. About 8 minutes to AK and 20 to 25 to others.
Though you are encompassed in an area that seems like you are nowhere near civilization, you are actually only a 5 minute drive to a main road outside of WDW that has restaurants, stores, and a a Publix.
