***The Official AKV Owners And Lovers Thread***. Come And Chat

[Kidanifan08]

Does anyone know where I could find the movie schedule for December at Kidani?

I would be interested in this too please

AKV resort activities

 

[keaster]

Just had to check out this thread because we are missing our AKL home and won't be there again until 2016

In 2015 we are going to Aulani in March and going on our first DVC cruise in August. So by the time we get back at AKL in March 2016 it will be 2 years! We miss our home!

 

[illiram]

For those that have stayed in a Kidani Standard view 2 bedroom villa, is this a view of the pool? Are there any parking lot views?

Any regrets with this room? Thanks for any replies

 

[Kidanifan08]

For those that have stayed in a Kidani Standard view 2 bedroom villa, is this a view of the pool? Are there any parking lot views?

Any regrets with this room? Thanks for any replies

We have had two 2BR standard view rooms at Kidani over the past few years.

The first was overlooking the bus stop on the 4th floor. Terrible view, but we had to conserve points, so we accepted it. It was during the cold snap in the early part of December 2010, so we were not spending much time on the balcony. We could hear the beeping of the buses when they were "kneeling", but it was not overwhelmingly loud.

The second time we were on the lobby level and had a view of the pool with a partial view of the Pembe savanna. That was a fantastic room, because we basically got a savanna view for the cost of a standard.

The vast majority of the standard view rooms face the parking lot and bus stop. You can always request pool view, but there are only so many of those available and you have a higher likelihood of getting a parking lot view. The good news about having a standard view room is that there are lots of places at the resort to view animals on the savanna. It is an awesome resort and the standard view is a great way to save points.

 

[jerseygal]

THANKS ALL for your room suggestions, comments which made our split stay 2 nights AKV Jambo, 2 nights VGF VERY MEMORABLE!
Extremely pleased with the service, immaculate standard studio #5210!
After we "figured" out that the stairway was much much quicker, saved a lot of steps that way in the morning getting that morning coffee!
Who says that being an "empty nester" is boring?
Had such a GREAT time for our first ever Dec. vaca seeing all the BEAUTIFUL HOLIDAY DECORATIONS!

 

[jerseygal]

THANKS ALL for your room suggestions, comments which made our split stay 2 nights AKV Jambo, 2 nights VGF VERY MEMORABLE!
Extremely pleased with the service, immaculate standard studio #5210!
After we "figured" out that the stairway was much much quicker, saved a lot of steps that way in the morning getting that morning coffee!
Who says that being an "empty nester" is boring?
Had such a GREAT time for our first ever Dec. vaca seeing all the BEAUTIFUL HOLIDAY DECORATIONS!

Putting away all of my "NOTES" from our Dec.'14 trip and ran across a list posted by LisaS which I used in requesting studios which had been reclassified from Savanna View to Standard! VERY HAPPY with AKL Jambo Studio 5210!
THANKS AGAIN! Your list was VERY HELPFUL!

 

[TeeterTots]

It's been awhile since anyone has posted, so I'm saying "hello" looking forward to staying in April as a new member

 

[SeaPic]

It's been awhile since anyone has posted, so I'm saying "hello" looking forward to staying in April as a new member

Hi TeeterTots we are staying in April as well. First time at Kidani Village. Really Looking forward to it!

 

[Bookworm62]

We are going in April too! First time after joining DVC.

 

[Dr Gevil]

I've read that for animal viewing from your room that Arusha at Jambo and Sunset at Kidani are the preferred locations. Is either one better for seeing the Giraffes or are they about the same? My DD 11s favorite are giraffes. Going to book a 1BR, if that matters.

Getting ready to book our AKV points for the first time on the 19th for an Xmas stay this year - also another first. Can't wait!

 

[nene0182]

We are staying here for the first time in June. First time using our points too. It's just my husband and I in a one bedroom villa. Cannot wait!

 

[jedz007]

Does anyone know if there is a thread that shows the AKL views with room numbers? I've seen them with a view of the other resorts.

 

[psac]

I've read that for animal viewing from your room that Arusha at Jambo and Sunset at Kidani are the preferred locations. Is either one better for seeing the Giraffes or are they about the same? My DD 11s favorite are giraffes. Going to book a 1BR, if that matters.

Getting ready to book our AKV points for the first time on the 19th for an Xmas stay this year - also another first. Can't wait!

Both have lots of giraffes. At Kidani you can feel closer to the animals if you get a lower floor room. And Kidani has the extra bathroom in the 1BRs. But if you don't have a car, the hallways at Kidani are REALLY long, so I would request close to lobby. At Kidani you don't have the amenities like you do at Jambo, e.g. the amazing lobby, the Mara, etc. so it's sometimes a tough choice between the two! With a car, in a 1BR, I would choose Kidani no doubt, parking is right under the rooms.

We are staying here for the first time in June. First time using our points too. It's just my husband and I in a one bedroom villa. Cannot wait!

Enjoy!

Does anyone know if there is a thread that shows the AKL views with room numbers? I've seen them with a view of the other resorts.

No, but hopefully this helps!
http://dvcnews.com/index.php/resorts/animal-kingdom-villas/roomfinder-9273

 

[kristenrice]

We are headed back to AKV-Jambo on April 30 for the Expedition Everest Challenge. We have three previous stays at Jambo House (value studio, value 1BR and a savanna view studio) and two stays at Kidani (both times in a standard 2BR) so we are not complete newbies. For this trip, we are staying in a standard studio at Jambo House. I chose Jambo over Kidani because there is not a significant difference in the studio size and we will probably eat at the Mara quite a bit.

I like the standard category at Jambo because most of the rooms are located near the front of the resort and close to the bus stop, lobby and laundry room. I typically do laundry every night before we go to bed so that we can pack light. This is obviously much easier when we stay in the 1BR's, but it is doable in the studios too.

Since we are going to do the night time race, we will need a nap in the afternoon. I am concerned that since we booked a standard room, we will have the afternoon noise from the pool to contend with. The kids and I all sleep with headphones on, but DH is a light sleeper who might have a problem if the noise is excessive.

With all these factors, I am assuming that a "close to lobby" request will be my best choice, correct? I am a little concerned about the pool noise, but I'd prefer to be near the front of the resort instead of a reclassified, partial savanna view room that is way out on a wing. Is there anything I'm not thinking about?

 

[Dr Gevil]

Does anyone know if there is a thread that shows the AKL views with room numbers? I've seen them with a view of the other resorts.

On page 136 of this thread, someone kindly posted "maps" of both Jambo and Kidani with room numbers and views shown.

 

[Dr Gevil]

Thanks for the info psac! We booked a 1BR Savanna at Kidani. With giraffe viewing equal, the extra bathroom with my wife and DDs will be very helpful and worth the trade for potential long walks down those hallways.

 

[DVCTigger]

Excited to go "home" in a few days! DH and I have been out trying resorts we have either not been to (Vero & Aulani) or only once before for short trips. We haven't been back to Kidani for almost two years! We will be there for 10 nights and not planning on but maybe a couple park days. Looking forward to relaxing at our home!

 

[bocaj1431]

I purchase ear buds and use those. You can find them at most drugstores. They work well. They also are inexpensive.

I would get some just to be on the safe side. You might end up being next door to a family who is a bit loud so where you are in the room layout of the hotel really won't matter.

 

[carole88]

We are making our first trip to AKV Kidani in early June in a dedicated 2 bedroom Savannah room. This will be our first trip to our home resort even though we have owned for many years. Any tips anyone can offer for our stay. We have previously stayed at BLT but are looking forward to a fabulous trip at ADV.

 

[drusba]

We are making our first trip to AKV Kidani in early June in a dedicated 2 bedroom Savannah room. This will be our first trip to our home resort even though we have owned for many years. Any tips anyone can offer for our stay. We have previously stayed at BLT but are looking forward to a fabulous trip at ADV.

Dedicated 2BR savanna views are located throughout the Kidani building. One request made by many is Sunset Savanna view (80% of all savanna view rooms overlook it at Kidani) because it has giraffes and zebras and the smaller Pembe savanna does not. Another popular request is something that puts you fairly close to the lobby. Why is that necessary: If you have not been to Kidani yet, be aware that in length it is enormous. It has two wings running from the lobby, north and south. The front entrance faces west. The walk from the lobby to end rooms on the north wing is about 1/3 mile (about the distance that it is from the front of BLT to the entrance area at MK) and a little less on the south wing. The resort has ideal under-building parking, which, with elevators along the wings, allows you to park fairly close to your room no matter where it is. When there I have seen guests with rooms near the end of wings actually drive their cars just to go to the lobby. The bus stop is on the south wing and God forbid that you walk to it from a room on the end of the north wing and then learn you forgot something. Moreover, the trek from bus stop to end rooms after a long day in the park with young children is literally torture.


In other words, you want some request that may get you close to the lobby. The problem is that everyone who has now stayed there and had a room far from lobby has learned his lesson and requests close to lobby, and close to lobby is the only choice in the on-line check in system to get you close to it. That has created a new problem in that many who request close to lobby now do not get it, and the resorts back-up position to not being able to meet a location request is to simply put you anywehere available, which has resulted in many who request close to lobby ending up at the end of the wings. You may want to try an alternative request, to be made through MS, such as one of the following; (a) close to Community Hall -- it is right near the lobby on the south wing, (b) close to Timon elevator (the wing elevators have names) -- it is not far from the lobby on the south wing and puts you closest to the door that is closest to the bus stop; (b) close to the Rafiki elevator -- on the north wing, gives you a manageable walk to the lobby and gives you the shortest walk to the pool; (c) close to the pool -- similar to asking for close to Rafiki elevator but could put you a little more distance from the pool.


A third request some make is lower floor to get a more direct eyesight view of the animals (personally I think both upper and lower floor are all good views). If you make that request, make it your last request in line behind one that will get you close to lobby. They try to meet requests in order given.Thus, if you want the better chance to get something close to the lobby, you want to avoid making lower floor the priority request that gets met first before a request that gets you close to the lobby.