Sanaa questions!

[100acreHiker]

The menu at Sanaa looks amazing, as does the view. We are only visiting for 3 days (bonus trip!), but I'd love to squeeze Sanaa in after a long morning at AK, maybe around 1:30. My couple of questions: how much time does it take to get from AK park to Kidani Village where the restaurant is? Also, is there a time of day that we're more or less likely to see animals walking by while we eat?

 

[_auroraborealis_]

how much time does it take to get from AK park to Kidani Village where the restaurant is

10 minutes, not including time spent waiting for the bus.

Your best shot at animals is at lunch.

 

[marchingstar]

I would definitely make time for lunch at Sanaa. great food, good prices, awesome resort. You might be seated near the window, you might not. but either way you can spend time before/after your meal outside animal watching. lunch at Sanaa is a must-do for us.

 

[AndiMarie]

We had a late lunch adr around 2pm at Sanaa and it was amazing! We asked for a window seat and told them we didn't mind waiting a little longer. The window seat was worth the extra few minute wait and it was so magical to see the animals. They were very active and we even got to watch staff come around and feed the animals which got them super active. We could not believe all of the animals, when we thought we had seen them all, an animal we hadn't seen yet came strolling by! So much fun! The food was amazing too!

 

[Minnesota!]

Lunch at Sanaa is fantastic...esp as a break from the park. The ride is short, the view is great, the food is heavenly. AND, it is quiet and cool in there. Nice respite...

 

[sleepydog25]

As others have said, Sanaa is wonderful. The bread service alone is worth making ADR there. If you plan to try other items on the menu, then do the smaller version of the bread service as the larger version can serve as a meal alone. Wine list is solid, too, as they feature S. African wines (which is a very underrated region). Service has always been good for us, and being able to see the animals is always a bonus. Short drive or bus ride from AK, so no worries there.

 

[fauntleroy1953]

In August,we have 1:00 lunch ADR at Sanaa and the 3:00 wine tasting at Jiko. We are doing both for the first time. Is two hours enough time to allow for lunch?

 

[sleepydog25]

In August,we have 1:00 lunch ADR at Sanaa and the 3:00 wine tasting at Jiko. We are doing both for the first time. Is two hours enough time to allow for lunch?

Absolutely. Service has always been timely and good for us at Sanaa. You shouldn't need much more than 45 minutes to an hour at Sanaa, depending upon your party size, how much time you want to spend gazing at the animals, and how much you drink. Given you have a wine tasting at Jiko, I'm guessing the last criteria won't be in play at lunch. I would say, however, that Sanaa has a solid wine list of its own. We particularly enjoy the Pinotage. The last couple of times it's been Graham's, I believe, and before that it was Spier. Both are lovely. Jiko, naturally, has a topnotch wine list. Both Jiko and Sanaa are two of our favorite restaurants. Have fun!

 

[fauntleroy1953]

Thank- you so much! It's just DH and I. We see our dining choices as part of our WDW experiences,so I didn't want to feel like we had to rush through our meal. Some restaurants expect you to linger longer. We did eat at Jiko once,about three years ago. I remember eating in the smaller room and having Marty as a server. It was one of the best meals we've ever had,anywhere. I haven't made any ADR's for that evening yet,in case we decide to stick around and try to see if there's an opening at that time. Sometimes it's best to keep one's options open.....

 

[sleepydog25]

Thank- you so much! It's just DH and I. We see our dining choices as part of our WDW experiences,so I didn't want to feel like we had to rush through our meal. Some restaurants expect you to linger longer. We did eat at Jiko once,about three years ago. I remember eating in the smaller room and having Marty as a server. It was one of the best meals we've ever had,anywhere. I haven't made any ADR's for that evening yet,in case we decide to stick around and try to see if there's an opening at that time. Sometimes it's best to keep one's options open.....

With just two of you, finishing at Sanaa in time to make Jiko won't be an issue at all. The Sanaa dining experience is very casual, and our servers consistently have made us feel at home. They're very helpful about explaining the various dishes in case you have questions, and they've always been prompt with service, as well. It's a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere. Depending on how crowded Sanaa is, you can ask for a table by one of the many floor-to-ceiling windows, though you can see animals from most tables. I love your idea of spontaneity regarding Jiko, though they can get crowded. However, if you're there for the wine tasting and decide to stick around, I feel quite certain they can work you into an early dining reservation. We did that once, too. Enjoy!

P.S. I mentioned it earlier, but the bread service at Sanaa is superb. When we were there just a couple of weeks ago, all we ordered was the larger version of the bread service that includes 4 na'an breads (3 different flavors) and 9 sauces ranging from hot to mild. Of course, we ordered wine with it, too. That was all we did for lunch and it was plenty as we are not huge eaters, especially for the midday meal.

 

[pigletgirl]

On our last trip, Sanaa had the best service! Actually, all the CM's at Kidani Village were great. It was one of the main reasons we rented points there for December.

 

[fauntleroy1953]

The bread service sounds perfect. We prefer to " graze" when possible,rather than have a structured meal. Sounds like a Reisling needs an invitation to the table!

By the way,I actually hunkered down and wrote a trip report about our December visit. It was our first time at WDW during Christmastime. We figured we'd try it once. This August will be our first Summer visit. We usually visit in the Fall. Being from Key West,where you can cook a chicken on the sidewalk in August,if it's ten degrees cooler,it'll be a treat.
The name of the report is called From the Tropics To The Wilderness ( we stay at the WL).
Thank- you so much for your info. I'm so much more excited now!! So looking forward to it!

 

[sleepydog25]

The bread service sounds perfect. We prefer to " graze" when possible,rather than have a structured meal. Sounds like a Reisling needs an invitation to the table!

By the way,I actually hunkered down and wrote a trip report about our December visit. It was our first time at WDW during Christmastime. We figured we'd try it once. This August will be our first Summer visit. We usually visit in the Fall. Being from Key West,where you can cook a chicken on the sidewalk in August,if it's ten degrees cooler,it'll be a treat.
The name of the report is called From the Tropics To The Wilderness ( we stay at the WL).
Thank- you so much for your info. I'm so much more excited now!! So looking forward to it!

We were watching video of our recent trip last night, and it appears there were 5 na'an breads. I also noticed that my wife had the "seasonal" soup: tomato with paneer cheese. I used quote marks because that seems to nearly always be its seasonal soup. Regardless, it's freshly made and delicious. My wine was a Gerwurtztraminer which perfectly complemented the spicier sauces. I think you'll love it. I'll look for your trip report since, as you likely sussed out, the Lodge is our home resort.

 

[100acreHiker]

Love all the overwhelmingly positive reviews--thanks. We're going to make time in our short schedule to fit it in!

 

[sleepydog25]

Love all the overwhelmingly positive reviews--thanks. We're going to make time in our short schedule to fit it in!

You'll be glad you did!

 

[quagmire0]

Has anyone done an earlier dinner there (5/6pm) Are the animals still around at that time?

 

[gwynne]

Has anyone done an earlier dinner there (5/6pm) Are the animals still around at that time?

Yes, but it depends on the time of year if you can see them. (How early it gets dark, not an issue for spring and summer.)
We prefer to do a late lunch and grab a time around 2:45. The restaurant is less busy, quieter, and it's easier to see whatever animals that are out.

 

[Mazz519]

About 10 minutes to AKL

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Be aware that the trip from AK to AKL on Disney buses can take much longer than the 10 to 15 minutes some people have apparently experienced. Before we ate at Jiko, I also asked how long it would take & received similar replies. Fortunately, we finished up in the park sooner than we anticipated. We walked out of the front turnstile 45 minutes prior to our ADR thinking we had all kinds of time based on what I had read here. In reality, we practically ran from the AKL bus stop to Jiko & we're still about 5 minutes late checking in. If we were going to Sanaa, we would have been even later. The bus stopped at the lodge first. If we ever go from AK to AKL to eat again, we'll give ourselves at least an hour to make it using Disney buses.

 

[quagmire0]

Yes, but it depends on the time of year if you can see them. (How early it gets dark, not an issue for spring and summer.)
We prefer to do a late lunch and grab a time around 2:45. The restaurant is less busy, quieter, and it's easier to see whatever animals that are out.

It'll be early/mid June. I'm guessing it doesn't get dark until 7/8?