Tell me about Sanaa and Jiko

[jjsdad]

We are thinking about something new for our upcoming trip and perhaps thinking about going over to the animal kingdom lodge for one of these places. I know one is pricier, and jiko would have better food. The cast would be me dw ds11 and ds3. If we did Jiko we would probably pay oop for the boys and use the dining credits for my wife and I. I hear great both things about both and we were kinda thinking of Jiko before hearing about sanaa.

I'm curious more about sanaa I guess as far as the ambience goes and food. Also is it like the coral reef where some seats are great and others cant' really see the wild life?

 

[minnie mum]

You really can't go wrong with either one. But with children as young as yours I would encourage you to make an early dinner ADR. First of all Jiko is a signature restaurant, with a much more 'adult' ambiance. It is quieter, with a more sophisticated atmosphere than a lot of the non-signature places. I will get flamed for saying this, but nothing spoils an adult only dinner out than kids being kids at the next table. (Yes, I know, I'll get responses by others who say THEIR little darlings are perfectly behaved angels with gourmet palates). Just saying, the kids might be happier with an earlier dinner, and the grownups on date night can have their later, quiet dinner. And by the way, we thought the food was delicious, the service attentive, and the wine list was really good.

Sanaa has a totally different feel. Great decor, great views out the windows (and they're huge windows, so you don't have to be seated right beside them go see out). We love the food there. I think it has one of the most adventurous menus in all of WDW. Great for families and couples alike. Again I would encourage an early meal, but for a totally different reason: If you REALLY want a window table, you need to be there when they start seating at 5:00. And once it gets dark you won't be able to see outside. There are no floodlights illuminating the savannahs.

If you haven't been to AKL before, then by all means either arrive early or take the time after dinner to stroll around and explore the public areas inside and out. This is one of our very favourite resorts. Have a great time!

 

[DVCconvert]

I will get flamed for saying this, but nothing spoils an adult only dinner out than kids being kids at the next table. (Yes, I know, I'll get responses by others who say THEIR little darlings are perfectly behaved angels with gourmet palates). Just saying

 

[jjsdad]

You really can't go wrong with either one. But with children as young as yours I would encourage you to make an early dinner ADR. First of all Jiko is a signature restaurant, with a much more 'adult' ambiance. It is quieter, with a more sophisticated atmosphere than a lot of the non-signature places. I will get flamed for saying this, but nothing spoils an adult only dinner out than kids being kids at the next table. (Yes, I know, I'll get responses by others who say THEIR little darlings are perfectly behaved angels with gourmet palates). Just saying, the kids might be happier with an earlier dinner, and the grownups on date night can have their later, quiet dinner. And by the way, we thought the food was delicious, the service attentive, and the wine list was really good.

Sanaa has a totally different feel. Great decor, great views out the windows (and they're huge windows, so you don't have to be seated right beside them go see out). We love the food there. I think it has one of the most adventurous menus in all of WDW. Great for families and couples alike. Again I would encourage an early meal, but for a totally different reason: If you REALLY want a window table, you need to be there when they start seating at 5:00. And once it gets dark you won't be able to see outside. There are no floodlights illuminating the savannahs.

If you haven't been to AKL before, then by all means either arrive early or take the time after dinner to stroll around and explore the public areas inside and out. This is one of our very favourite resorts. Have a great time!

Thanks,

How does the quality fo the food compare between the 2? This is for the parents, the kids would order off of the childrens menus so I guess i'm trying to weigh the options of going to sanaa over jiko. I know jiko is pretty much a guaranteed wonderful meal, not sure how sanaa stacks up. Wine list is not even on our radar and i'd prefer this not turn into a kids vs couples only post, while I do appreciate your points...

 

[nytimez]

Thanks,

How does the quality fo the food compare between the 2? This is for the parents, the kids would order off of the childrens menus so I guess i'm trying to weigh the options of going to sanaa over jiko. I know jiko is pretty much a guaranteed wonderful meal, not sure how sanaa stacks up. Wine list is not even on our radar and i'd prefer this not turn into a kids vs couples only post, while I do appreciate your points...

Sanaa is fine, but if you want the best meal go to Jiko. Jiko is on another level.

 

[minnie mum]

Understood. You've probably already checked out the menus either on the Dis Dining drop down or over on allears. We loved Jiko for the variety on the menu and for the very high quality of the food served. The food is very nicely seasoned without being overly spicy. Let me put it this way: As expensive as this restaurant may be, I think it is justified by the quality. This is a signature restaurant that fully deserves the designation.

The food served at Sanaa, I believe, is of equal quality, but is a totally different experience. While both restaurant menus have an African influence (obviously), Sanaa leans much more heavily towards Indian cuisine, with seasonings and accompaniments typical of that region. While not as spicy as some of the food found at your neighbourhood Indian restaurant, it is very well prepared. And if you speak with your server, they will be happy to ratchet up the 'heat level' for you. We really love this place, and were actually surprised that it wasn't a signature.

 

[DVCconvert]

Understood. You've probably already checked out the menus either on the Dis Dining drop down or over on allears. We loved Jiko for the variety on the menu and for the very high quality of the food served. The food is very nicely seasoned without being overly spicy. Let me put it this way: As expensive as this restaurant may be, I think it is justified by the quality. This is a signature restaurant that fully deserves the designation.

The food served at Sanaa, I believe, is of equal quality, but is a totally different experience. While both restaurant menus have an African influence (obviously), Sanaa leans much more heavily towards Indian cuisine, with seasonings and accompaniments typical of that region. While not as spicy as some of the food found at your neighbourhood Indian restaurant, it is very well prepared. And if you speak with your server, they will be happy to ratchet up the 'heat level' for you. We really love this place, and were actually surprised that it wasn't a signature.

This is an excellent description of both

 

[DisneyMamato4]

I cannot comment on Jiko as we did not eat there but I did pass by every day on the way to the pool and the smells were so wonderful. We plan on eating there the next time.

We did however eat at Sanaa on our first night and it was unbelievably good. The best meal of our trip for sure! The windows are very big and most seats in the restaurant have some sort of view. I would ask for a window seat though upon check in though to make sure you get a good seat. We went about 7pm and did not have an ADR and were seated immediately in a great spot. The restaurant had customers but was not packed at all.
The food was wonderful! They have some nice childrens meals too, not your normal chicken nuggets. The kids pizza was awesome and my youngest wanted mac and cheese that was not on the menu but our server said no problem they can make her some if you'd like.
We can't wait to eat there again soon!

 

[jjsdad]

Thanks I guess we are now leaning towards Sanaa. We are also going to try another signature this trip so maybe 1 per trip is a better idea. Is 635 in august too late for this place?