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

[BigDogHU75]

Hi all! I bought in at Kidani back in January while onboard the Magic. Already have a stay at Jambo booked for next month and another stay at Kidani the first week of December to take some family members down for a taste of Disney Christmas! Can't wait to get "home"!

Look forward to meeting some of my neighbors!

Welcome Home & Congratulations. I can't wait to be back "home" too. We will be back at Kidani September.

 

[Tinks "SS"]

Hello there, I get to enjoy your fabulous resort twice within a 2 month time frame! Very excited about it. First one is this June with my BFF. Jambo Savanna Studio to relax and chill out. Then in July for my youngest's Bday. He picked kidani cause he LOVES animals. So can't wait to check them both out!!

 

[mommyoftwo08]

Hello!
I'm hoping someone can help me. I'm taking my 2 children (3, turning 4 on the trip and 6) down in a couple of weeks. My husband will be on a business trip and joining us late the next day.
Does anyone have a copy of the activities at the resort so I can plan ahead of time what the kids can do. I'd rather not go into a park by myself, so I"m hoping to hang around the resort and pool area. We're at Kidani, but happy to go to Jambo House as well.
Thanks for your help!

 

[marvali]

Hello!
I'm hoping someone can help me. I'm taking my 2 children (3, turning 4 on the trip and 6) down in a couple of weeks. My husband will be on a business trip and joining us late the next day.
Does anyone have a copy of the activities at the resort so I can plan ahead of time what the kids can do. I'd rather not go into a park by myself, so I"m hoping to hang around the resort and pool area. We're at Kidani, but happy to go to Jambo House as well.
Thanks for your help!

Don't have the activity chart handy, but it also depends on the day of the week as to what activities are available. Assuming your kids love the animals, you can take them outside almost into the Savanna where they can see some of them up close, depending on the time of day. There is always a CM out there that you can ask questions about the animals. Also, there are CMs in the lobby area that will tell you about their culture (most all of them are from somewhere in Africa), and there are also "games" and learning activities throughout the day. Kidani has Community Hall which has many activities throughout the day, plus video games, pool table, etc to keep them busy. Also, the Kidani pool has a really great water play area for the younger guests. That is a few of the things I remember.

 

[majortom1981]

I cant wait. Bought akv kidani back in august . My first stay will be starting may 24 for my honeymoon. I only bought the 100 point package from disney So I love how cheap some of the studios here can be.

 

[wendypooh]

Hello!
I'm hoping someone can help me. I'm taking my 2 children (3, turning 4 on the trip and 6) down in a couple of weeks. My husband will be on a business trip and joining us late the next day.
Does anyone have a copy of the activities at the resort so I can plan ahead of time what the kids can do. I'd rather not go into a park by myself, so I"m hoping to hang around the resort and pool area. We're at Kidani, but happy to go to Jambo House as well.
Thanks for your help!

Don't have the activity chart handy, but it also depends on the day of the week as to what activities are available. Assuming your kids love the animals, you can take them outside almost into the Savanna where they can see some of them up close, depending on the time of day. There is always a CM out there that you can ask questions about the animals. Also, there are CMs in the lobby area that will tell you about their culture (most all of them are from somewhere in Africa), and there are also "games" and learning activities throughout the day. Kidani has Community Hall which has many activities throughout the day, plus video games, pool table, etc to keep them busy. Also, the Kidani pool has a really great water play area for the younger guests. That is a few of the things I remember.

Marvali is correct - there are TONS of activities - in the lobby near the check in desk is an activities board - you can check it to see what is going on each day - what time, etc..... have fun!!

 

[marvali]

Plus they give you an activity sheet in your room registration materials that tells you about additional activities and the days they are offered for the time you are there. My kids competed in all of the Wii tournaments that were offered throughout our stay (different sports on different days).

 

[twinklebug]

I cant wait. Bought akv kidani back in august . My first stay will be starting may 24 for my honeymoon. I only bought the 100 point package from disney So I love how cheap some of the studios here can be.

Woo hoo - may 24th is only 1 month away for you!

Cheap is for motel 8s I say my DVC enables Deluxe vacations at an affordable cost - of course there's nothing inexpensive about keeping a zoo right off your balcony, but that's another discussion for another thread.

 

[KyCruisinSusan]

Plus they give you an activity sheet in your room registration materials that tells you about additional activities and the days they are offered for the time you are there. My kids competed in all of the Wii tournaments that were offered throughout our stay (different sports on different days).

Does anyone have a copy of an old activity's sheet? We are planning on 4 relaxing days at AKV and not at the parks. Just trying to get ideas of what and how to have fun or relax. Thanks

 

[marvali]

Does anyone have a copy of an old activity's sheet? We are planning on 4 relaxing days at AKV and not at the parks. Just trying to get ideas of what and how to have fun or relax. Thanks

If I'm not mistaken, I have seen someone post their sheet from their trip in this thread if you go back and check the earlier pages. If not, do a search on Kidani because I know there has been at least one posted related to a previous trip.

I have one at home somewhere that I might be able to find and post, as might others who see your request.

Edited*****Here is one thread I found with a picture of the activity board. This is from early in Kidani opening. I think it was post #262.

http://http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2073369&page=18

 

[mommyoftwo08]

If I'm not mistaken, I have seen someone post their sheet from their trip in this thread if you go back and check the earlier pages. If not, do a search on Kidani because I know there has been at least one posted related to a previous trip.

I have one at home somewhere that I might be able to find and post, as might others who see your request.

Edited*****Here is one thread I found with a picture of the activity board. This is from early in Kidani opening. I think it was post #262.

http://http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2073369&page=18

Thank you for posting that link! I appreciate it VERY much!

 

[marvali]

Thank you for posting that link! I appreciate it VERY much!

You are very welcome. Glad I could help. When we stayed at Kidani last summer, we never lacked for plenty of things to keep us interested and busy. It is a great resort!

 

[WonderlandsMostWantd]

OK, I've read about the first 30 pages or so and the last 5 - consider me officially hooked on this thread! Add me to the group! I've already snagged the avatar!

We just bought AKL this month! Still waiting on our paperwork (apparantly they have to rewrite something for paperwork due to some change in MN rules this is according to my guide - member accounting said our close date is May 19th though, yay!) I can't wait!

We're booked for Nov 30-Dec 10 in a dedicated 2 br at Kidani. I've never even visited AKL, but after looking into DVC neither my husband nor I can think of any reason to own any other resort! we already booked a second trip for February to take the honeymoon we never got. Woo hoo!

Sorry, I'm really excited and this thread is making it worse.. or better... depending on how you look at it!

 

[stopher1]

OK, I've read about the first 30 pages or so and the last 5 - consider me officially hooked on this thread! Add me to the group! I've already snagged the avatar!

We just bought AKL this month! Still waiting on our paperwork (apparantly they have to rewrite something for paperwork due to some change in MN rules this is according to my guide - member accounting said our close date is May 19th though, yay!) I can't wait!

We're booked for Nov 30-Dec 10 in a dedicated 2 br at Kidani. I've never even visited AKL, but after looking into DVC neither my husband nor I can think of any reason to own any other resort! we already booked a second trip for February to take the honeymoon we never got. Woo hoo!

Sorry, I'm really excited and this thread is making it worse.. or better... depending on how you look at it!

Congrats & Welcome Home! AKV is a fabulous resort.

 

[WonderlandsMostWantd]

Thank you!

I've got a question that I've yet to find an answer to anywhere: Does Kidani have any pool view rooms? From what I can sort of make out from the maps I've seen posted it seems there is a parking lot between the building and the pool - is that correct?

 

[LisaS]

Thank you!

I've got a question that I've yet to find an answer to anywhere: Does Kidani have any pool view rooms? From what I can sort of make out from the maps I've seen posted it seems there is a parking lot between the building and the pool - is that correct?

The parking lot you see on the map is at ground level (the same level as the under-building parking area). The main entrance to Kidani is on level 2. The rooms are on levels 2-5. The pool area is kind of in between ground level and the lobby level. So if you have a room that faces the pool area, you would see that little parking area if you looked straight down from your balcony but it doesn't really get in the way of the view.

 

[WonderlandsMostWantd]

The parking lot you see on the map is at ground level (the same level as the under-building parking area). The main entrance to Kidani is on level 2. The rooms are on levels 2-5. The pool area is kind of in between ground level and the lobby level. So if you have a room that faces the pool area, you would see that little parking area if you looked straight down from your balcony but it doesn't really get in the way of the view.

Awesome, thanks so much for the quick reply! Two last questions pertaining to the Kidani Pool view - Is that a specific booking catagory, or simply a request? Also, about how far would you say the walk from that area is to the bus area?

Here's why I ask - Dad will be joining us and he has a heart condition. He does fine at the parks taking it easy, but as the week wears on, he needs to rest more and tires faster. Part of the reason we got DVC was so he'd have a nicer place to rest during his down time. Since we're going 10 nights, we couldn't afford the points for a savanna view and we're booked in a Standard View dedicated 2 bedroom. I've requested that our room be near the lobby/bus area for convenience, but I'm thinking that maybe a pool view would be a more pleasant view for relaxing on the balcony than the bus stop would! That is, if the pool area isn't too much farther from the main entrance and whatnot.

Opinions?

 

[TINKERIFIC]

Awesome, thanks so much for the quick reply! Two last questions pertaining to the Kidani Pool view - Is that a specific booking catagory, or simply a request? Also, about how far would you say the walk from that area is to the bus area?

Here's why I ask - Dad will be joining us and he has a heart condition. He does fine at the parks taking it easy, but as the week wears on, he needs to rest more and tires faster. Part of the reason we got DVC was so he'd have a nicer place to rest during his down time. Since we're going 10 nights, we couldn't afford the points for a savanna view and we're booked in a Standard View dedicated 2 bedroom. I've requested that our room be near the lobby/bus area for convenience, but I'm thinking that maybe a pool view would be a more pleasant view for relaxing on the balcony than the bus stop would! That is, if the pool area isn't too much farther from the main entrance and whatnot.

Opinions?

The specific booking categories for AKV are VALUE, STANDARD, SAVANNAH or Concierge. As far as Kidani is concerned you either have standard or savanah. Standard applies to any view excluding savanah. There is no specific pool view category...it is simply a request.

As far as the distance from a room with a pool view to the bus stop...I cannot answer that. According to the map, it appears the lobby is in between the pool and the bus stop. So it seems if you emphasized a pool view as a request, you will be that much further away than if you emphasized close proximity to bus stop.

 

[marvali]

Awesome, thanks so much for the quick reply! Two last questions pertaining to the Kidani Pool view - Is that a specific booking catagory, or simply a request? Also, about how far would you say the walk from that area is to the bus area?

Here's why I ask - Dad will be joining us and he has a heart condition. He does fine at the parks taking it easy, but as the week wears on, he needs to rest more and tires faster. Part of the reason we got DVC was so he'd have a nicer place to rest during his down time. Since we're going 10 nights, we couldn't afford the points for a savanna view and we're booked in a Standard View dedicated 2 bedroom. I've requested that our room be near the lobby/bus area for convenience, but I'm thinking that maybe a pool view would be a more pleasant view for relaxing on the balcony than the bus stop would! That is, if the pool area isn't too much farther from the main entrance and whatnot.

Opinions?

When we stayed last summer, the whole resort wasn't finished yet. We were in the first room of the second "bead" from the lobby, headed towards the pool. We were on the second floor, so the same level as the lobby. It didn't take two minutes to get to the pool from there (mainly elevator wait to first floor), or two minutes to get to the bus stop from there. We weren't quite far enough down to have a pool view, but I'm pretty sure we could see the fitness center to the right from our balcony. It is above the pool and kiddie water play area, at the top of the slide for the pool.

Here is a picture from our balcony to the Porte Cochere. If you look past the trunk of the palm tree on the right of the picture, just to the left of the trunk you can see a Disney Bus at the bus stop in the distance. It really isn't that far from the front entrance.

Just realize that the flora and fauna was very new when we went, so the landscaping is probably filling in very nicely by now. Even if you have a room in the area of the pool, I'm not sure you would actually see it from your balcony. The pool is down a little from the parking garage level, and protected from view by the water play area and lots of trees and shrubs. It would be interesting to see any photos from the top floor balcony, but I'm guessing a glimpse of the pool would be the best you would get regardless.

 

[stopher1]

Just realize that the flora and fauna was very new when we went, so the landscaping is probably filling in very nicely by now.

We were there in January just at the tail end of (and then after) all of the hard, hard frosts/freezes they had. Little signs popped up all over the place. Here's one we saw at Epcot on January 18th.

This one was at Kidani out by the sports courts / bbq pavillion.

A LOT of the vegetation put in last year at Kidani died or was severely damaged and had to be replaced. Mostly ground level vegetation, but some trees as well. So yes some of it has filled in from last year, but some of it is fresh this year and won't be as filled in as it "should" be.