Kidani or Jambo?

julluvsdisney

"A dream is a wish your heart makes, when you're f
Joined
May 12, 2009
There is 4 of us. My 2 boys who refuse to sleep together and my husband and I. My boys are 15 and 9. One bedroom savanna view for 2 nights before switching to the poly. I really want to try this resort and so do the boys! Please tell me which one is better? better Pools? better savanna views? Any info would be greatly appreciated!!!
 
Well I can't give many details but we have stayed at both and prefer Kidani by far. I am not sure why, its just personal preference. There is a van that will take you from Jambo to Kidani and back also
 
We prefer Kidani. It's a little more quiet. The biggest drawback as far as we are concerned us no QS hot food. For two nights, probably doesn't matter much.
 
One great distinction between Jambo 1BRs and Kidani 1BRs is the room. The Kidani 1BR wins hands down. The Kidani 1BR is about 100 sq ft larger than Jambo's, has more closet space, has two bathrooms to Jambo's one, has a master bath with tub and separate shower compared to Jambo's combined tub and shower (and the Jambo tub has a very high step-over to get into it), and has the master bath connected directly to the master bedroom while the bathroom at Jambo is across a hall from the bedroom, which hallway can be seen from the living room. Also, at Kidani you can get lower floor rooms (second or third floor) for more direct view of animals while at Jambo all DVC rooms are fifth floor (and sixth for club level).

Jambo wins if you want the larger lobby and much larger and better store, or want to be close to three restaurants, a good but quite expensive table service (Jiko), an excellent buffet (Boma), and a quick service (Mara) which has lots of seating. Kidani has only one restaurant, Sanaa, a very good table service. If you have a car, Jambo has parking in a large lot across the street from the front entrance; Kidani has ideal ground-level, under-building parking running along almost the entire building and with three elevators along each wing, you can always get a parking space fairly close to your room.

The Jambo pool is larger than Kidani's and has far more places to find shade, but it does not have a very long slide like the Kidani pool does, and Kidani has the water play area with things for kids anywhere between ages two and twelve, and its bar area has more tables than Jambo to sit and have a drink under a roof overhang that provides shade.

Both Kidani and Jambo share the largest Savanna, Sunset, which is very good. Jambo also has the Uzima savanna to the right of the building and Arusha which is inside the U of the U-shaped building. Arusha and Sunset are the best of the three but all three are good. Kidani also has the fairly small Pembe savanna, which many consider mediocre including because it does not have giraffes (it has a runt of a giraffe cousin called an okapi). You can request a particular savanna but it is not guaranteed (but at Kidani more than 80% of the savanna view rooms overlook Sunset and thus a request for Sunset is usually met if it is your lead request).

At both, you can have long walks to room from bus stop and lobby, but at Kidani it can be forever. The building is 2/3 mile long and the walk from an end room on its north wing to the bus stop is about the same distance as it is to walk from the base of Epcot's World Showcase to Germany. If you want to be near the pool at Kidani request either near the pool or near the Rafiki elevator (down that elevator to ground floor gives you shortest walk from building to a gate to the pool area); if you want to be near the bus station request near Community Hall or near the Timon elevator. Do not request "close to lobby." That is the most popular request made with the result that many do not get it and end up at the end of a wing as far from the lobby as you can possibly be. At Jambo, you likely should also not request close to lobby because those are not the savanna rooms with the best views.

The Kidani front entrance is about 1/2 mile from Jambo's. A shuttle (mini-van) runs throughout the day and evening for travel between the two. The actual walking distance from Kidani to Jambo really depends on where your room is, as it can be up to about 5/6 mile from a room near the end of Kidani's north wing, and only about 1/4 a mile from the Zazu elevator, the last elevator on the south wing.
 
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I would do the poly first, then go to the 1 BR at AK to spread out. After the space of a 1 BR, the studio at the poly will feel extra tiny.
 
The nice thing is you can use the amenities at either location - either walk between the two or there is a shuttle so you'll never be completely "wrong" in your choice.

Jambo has a QS and more dining but if you are just going to to do one sit down meal or so at the resort that won't matter too much. Kidani also has a great restaurant with windows that look right out at the savannah.

Pools - Jambo has long been a favorite Disney pool for us (more when they had it painted to appear like a watering hole as it gave a nicer ambiance IMO) but Kidani has a good one too. The lobby at Jambo is far more grand but Kidani is one of the nicer DVC lobbies and they have the community hall there.

For 1BR's - two things - 2 bathrooms at Kidani and more space and also a walk in shower in the master which Jambo doesn't have. Jambo 1BR's just have a jetted tub/shower combo in the one and only bathroom. And Kidani has rooms on lower floors where Jambo is the upper floors so you can possibly get down closer to the animals at Kidani. If you choose Kidani I'd request Sunset savannah though as the Pembe doesn't have giraffe. I've stayed at Jambo when they haven't had giraffe on all the savannahs too but last time there they all did.
 
Personally I like Jambo better, more dining options, the lobby is larger and has more going on generally, and I like the gift shop there. Jambo also has Mara and I like to get a hot quick service breakfast. If you like to eat breakfast at the resort Mara has more options. However you really can't go wrong with either, and you can always walk between the two and see both. We are staying in Jambo next month, can't wait! :hyper:
 


I answered on your other thread. Kidani has two bathrooms. Kidani master bathroom has a separate shower and tub. JH only has the combination shower/tub and only a single bathroom.
 
One great distinction between Jambo 1BRs and Kidani 1BRs is the room. The Kidani 1BR wins hands down. The Kidani 1BR is about 100 sq ft larger than Jambo's, has more closet space, has two bathrooms to Jambo's one, has a master bath with tub and separate shower compared to Jambo's combined tub and shower (and the Jambo tub has a very high step-over to get into it), and has the master bath connected directly to the master bedroom while the bathroom at Jambo is across a hall from the bedroom, which hallway can be seen from the living room. Also, at Kidani you can get lower floor rooms (second or third floor) for more direct view of animals while at Jambo all DVC rooms are fifth floor (and sixth for club level).

Jambo wins if you want the larger lobby and much larger and better store, or want to be close to three restaurants, a good but quite expensive table service (Jiko), an excellent buffet (Boma), and a quick service (Mara) which has lots of seating. Kidani has only one restaurant, Sanaa, a very good table service. If you have a car, Jambo has parking in a large lot across the street from the front entrance; Kidani has ideal ground-level, under-building parking running along almost the entire building and with three elevators along each wing, you can always get a parking space fairly close to your room.

The Jambo pool is larger than Kidani's and has far more places to find shade, but it does not have a very long slide like the Kidani pool does, and Kidani has the water play area with things for kids anywhere between ages two and twelve, and its bar area has more tables than Jambo to sit and have a drink under a roof overhang that provides shade.

Both Kidani and Jambo share the largest Savanna, Sunset, which is very good. Jambo also has the Uzima savanna to the right of the building and Arusha which is inside the U of the U-shaped building. Arusha and Sunset are the best of the three but all three are good. Kidani also has the fairly small Pembe savanna, which many consider mediocre including because it does not have giraffes (it has a runt of a giraffe cousin called an okapi). You can request a particular savanna but it is not guaranteed (but at Kidani more than 80% of the savanna view rooms overlook Sunset and thus a request for Sunset is usually met if it is your lead request).

At both, you can have long walks to room from bus stop and lobby, but at Kidani it can be forever. The building is 2/3 mile long and the walk from an end room on its north wing to the bus stop is about the same distance as it is to walk from the base of Epcot's World Showcase to Germany. If you want to be near the pool at Kidani request either near the pool or near the Rafiki elevator (down that elevator to ground floor gives you shortest walk from building to a gate to the pool area); if you want to be near the bus station request near Community Hall or near the Timon elevator. Do not request "close to lobby." That is the most popular request made with the result that many do not get it and end up at the end of a wing as far from the lobby as you can possibly be. At Jambo, you likely should also not request close to lobby because those are not the savanna rooms with the best views.

The Kidani front entrance is about 1/2 mile from Jambo's. A shuttle (mini-van) runs throughout the day and evening for travel between the two. The actual walking distance from Kidani to Jambo really depends on where your room is, as it can be up to about 5/6 mile from a room near the end of Kidani's north wing, and only about 1/4 a mile from the Zazu elevator, the last elevator on the south wing.

Thanks. This is very helpful to me as I am thinking of staying at AKV for a non-park trip next year. Do they each have its own community hall? If not, it sounds like it would located over in Kidani. Do you know how the resort activities (for kids) at AKV compared to other resorts (I am considering BWV and potentially BLT as well)?

LAX
 
Thanks. This is very helpful to me as I am thinking of staying at AKV for a non-park trip next year. Do they each have its own community hall? If not, it sounds like it would located over in Kidani. Do you know how the resort activities (for kids) at AKV compared to other resorts (I am considering BWV and potentially BLT as well)?

LAX

Only Kidani has a community hall.
 
Thanks. This is very helpful to me as I am thinking of staying at AKV for a non-park trip next year. Do they each have its own community hall? If not, it sounds like it would located over in Kidani. Do you know how the resort activities (for kids) at AKV compared to other resorts (I am considering BWV and potentially BLT as well)?

LAX
The resort activities at AKV are much better than BLT. Although I have stayed at BWV, never used or noticed any kid's activities. I think AKV has the best at WDW. Kids can do animal activites, and help the keepers feed the animals and all kinds of cool stuff. Kids and adults can do brass rubbings in Jambo lobby. Both Kidani and Jambo have educational talks about animals, conservation, CM's home countries, etc. More I can't think of right now. Then, of course they have all the poolside activities all the other resorts have, games by the pool, trivia contests, what's in your beach bag, name that tune/movie/attraction/etc. And there are activities you pay for, like painting ceramics, tye-dying T-shirts, etc. There is so much to do at AKV, without ever going to the parks.
 
The resort activities at AKV are much better than BLT. Although I have stayed at BWV, never used or noticed any kid's activities. I think AKV has the best at WDW. Kids can do animal activites, and help the keepers feed the animals and all kinds of cool stuff. Kids and adults can do brass rubbings in Jambo lobby. Both Kidani and Jambo have educational talks about animals, conservation, CM's home countries, etc. More I can't think of right now. Then, of course they have all the poolside activities all the other resorts have, games by the pool, trivia contests, what's in your beach bag, name that tune/movie/attraction/etc. And there are activities you pay for, like painting ceramics, tye-dying T-shirts, etc. There is so much to do at AKV, without ever going to the parks.

I think this pretty seals the deal for me! I am hoping the 1-bedroom will still be available at the 7 month window for next summer. Thanks.

LAX
 
It think the big difference in activities is because the cultural representatives from Africa do all those extra activities in the lobbies of Jambo House and Kidani Village.
 
We prefer Jambo but have yet to stay at Kidani. Jambo has the beautiful, grand lobby, and more dining options. It has the only quick service location, The Mara. The pool at Jambo is beautiful too.
 
We prefer Jambo but have yet to stay at Kidani. Jambo has the beautiful, grand lobby, and more dining options. It has the only quick service location, The Mara. The pool at Jambo is beautiful too.
That big beautiful lobby doesn't help me a bit when I'm taking shower or going to the bathroom. I can visit that lobby anytime during my stay, as well as The Mara.
 
That big beautiful lobby doesn't help me a bit when I'm taking shower or going to the bathroom. I can visit that lobby anytime during my stay, as well as The Mara.

Perhaps some like to spend time in the lobby or get a good feeling every time walking through one.

LAX
 
That big beautiful lobby doesn't help me a bit when I'm taking shower or going to the bathroom. I can visit that lobby anytime during my stay, as well as The Mara.

Ok? Well, Ive never had an issue with going to the bathroom or taking a shower at Jambo. I'm not understanding your comment to me? Are you simply implying that you prefer Kidani because it has an extra bathroom? Well, if that is what you prefer then that is great...you have your preferences and I have mine. We prefer the overall feel of Jambo. I was simply stating to the original poster why we prefer Jambo. Just my opinion. It doesn't mean everyone has to agree with me.
 
Just made a reservation for Kidani. When should I submit my room requests to have the best chance of getting them fulfilled? TIA.

LAX
 
Just made a reservation for Kidani. When should I submit my room requests to have the best chance of getting them fulfilled? TIA.

LAX
Just email MS with your requests (or use the Chat feature) on the member website.
 

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