# Just returned from new Kidani Village at the Animal Kingdom Resort



## icydog (May 31, 2009)

We got home yesterday from a 6 night stay at the new Kidani Village at the Animal Kingdom Resort. We stayed in a standard two bedroom which had a view of the parking lot but was very quiet (buses run constantly) because of the insulation in the glass doors and windows. 

The bad:

Never stuff a two bedroom villa with five adults and two five year olds. It was terrible but that was a choice I foolishly made. We had planned on a one bedroom savanna view but then everyone in my family kept asking if they could come.  It would have been okay had my sil kept the living area clean, but since she didn't, the mess drove me crazy. She left with my grandnephew on the third day, and after that, I really enjoyed the villa. 

The designers never thought about real people when picking out the dishes. The soup bowls are really the size of dessert dishes and the cups are like demitasse cups. My granddaughter thought the creamer and sugar were for a princess tea set. The "pitcher" only held two cups- and was not big enough to make one can of OJ.

They had a fire drill and never mentioned it was a DRILL. My handicapped sister had to climb down three flights of stairs to exit the building because the canned announcement said not to use the elevators. They should have made an announcement to say this was only a drill, but they didn't think to do so. (I understand the next day, during the drill, the fire department made several announcements for them stating it was only a drill) It was a very scary experience.

The restaurant was nice but we had the worst server of the century. Let me just surmise that she was arrogant and refused to get a chef for us when requested and we had two near serious mishaps with food allergies. Also, she did not get my little 5 year old nephew any food even though we repeatedly told her that he was diabetic. He almost had a melt down right at the table. It was only when I ran to the kitchen demanding they feed the child that he got a fruit plate. Also it took her a half hour to get us water. They ended up buying our dinner, which was not our intent,  but not until the child and my husband were seriously ill. 

The pool didn't open until 10 AM. That is way too late for a Disney Resort. The pool at the Animal Kingdom Hotel, aka Jambo house, opened at 7 but it was too far to walk up there with two five year olds. 


The good
The rooms are beautiful.. I mean first class all the way. Flat screen TVs, beautiful furniture, granite counter tops in the kitchen and bathrooms.. Really, really wonderful themeing.. three full bathrooms and the ability to sleep 9 in the villa made it all wonderful. 

The pool and slide are wonderful. The slide is exciting and I went down myself several times. The pool is large with a zero entry section. There are plenty of umbrellas for those of us who need shade. 

The childrens water park was one worthy of any paying facility. I mean I would have paid to use it in any other venue. There were dunking buckets, several water guns, a waterfall, a pirates ship for the kids to climb on, a childrens hot tub (really a small pool that was heated by the sun to make it warm), a stage and all other kinds of climbing and squirty apparatus for little kids and their parents and grandparents to play with. 

I did speak with the GM about the problems we encountered and he made up for it by sending the children Minnie Explorer dolls, and gave us an oppportunity of a lifetime. He arranged for us to have a *private* tour of the savannah with the *Disney World Animal curator.* We rode around in a van and had upclose and personal time with the animals while the curator gave us interesting insight to all we were seeing. It was a memory I will always have and will never forget.  

All in all, I would go back to Kidani in a heart beat. I wouldn't bring anyone other than my grandkids and my husband though. It was too hard herding folks around and trying to get places with a crowd that size. But other than that, and the kinks that have to be sorted out in the villas, we had a wonderful time.


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## Twinkstarr (May 31, 2009)

We found out on our very first DVC trip, that 3 adults and 2 kids is way too many people for a 2br unit there(in my ventures outside the DVC sphere, their units are a lot smaller, the layout could be better to utlilize space). Vero Beach/OKW being the exception. 

That's why on our Thanksgiving trip, with 5 I have a GV booked at SSR.

We're somewhat up in the air about AKV, we'll probably try it on one of our 4 days trips and I wouldn't take a room unless I could get a Sav. view. My soon to be 13 yr old thinks the location is "too far out", the 8 yr old only wants to stay because his buddy Samantha Brown from the Travel Ch. likes it. 

I"m a firm believer in waiting to stay at a new resort, let it be open for about 6 months to get all the wrinkles out. Besides AKV and BLT are not going anywhere, I have yrs to try them out. 

We could have nabbed a 2br SV at Jambo house for our MLK trip, but went with a BW view at BWV and were very pleased(got one on the 5th floor). Picture from the balcony is my backround on my Blackberry Storm. Though I did get stuck in an elevator for 20 minutes on that trip, but the management at BWV/BWI made up for it. 

Now the restaurant thing would bother me, we don't have any food allergies or such, but I've noticed from Beaches and Cream to the Cali Grill the chefs out talking to people who I'm assuming had those problems. Been to Cape May for breakfast and dinner and seen the chef walking people around the buffet.

I do believe AKV, from what I have read on the DIS boards the staff has an attitude about DVC members, especially over at Jambo house. You would have thought someone up the chain would have dealt with that by now.  

Sorry you didn't have that great of a time, we've figured out long ago we do not take certain people with us. One relative goes by the nickname "Trip Killer".


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## DVC Mike (May 31, 2009)

icydog said:


> He arranged for us to have a *private* tour of the savannah with the *Disney World Animal curator.* We rode around in a van and had upclose and personal time with the animals while the curator gave us interesting insight to all we were seeing. It was a memory I will always have and will never forget.


 
My wife and I had the private tour of the savanna in the van, and enjoyed it immensely!


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## jmatias (May 31, 2009)

Thanks for the report Icy.

We are going to WDW next week with the second week at AKV and can't wait!

Jen


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## Egret1986 (Jun 6, 2009)

*Saw some availability for AKV on RCI and know little to nothing about the resorts*

I take it OKW has larger villas as opposed to the other sections.  I went to the link for DVC on the AKV Availability screen.  It indicated that a 1BR slept 5 (with a sleep chair), except value 1BRs, which sleep 4 (minus the sleep chair).  How will you know if you're getting a value villa?  If you're doing an exchange, do you automatically get a parking lot view as opposed to a Savannah view?  Would I be crazy and miserable to stuff 2 adults and 2 15-year-olds into a 1BR at AKV?  It seems that the answer would be a big "yes".  Thanks, if you can answer these for me.

If you do the Magic Express from the airport and forego a rental car for the week, do you forgo buying groceries to have in the villa?  That seems like a definite "yes", but I don't know about this stuff (staying onsite at Disney)


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## Idahodude (Jun 7, 2009)

Egret1986 said:


> If you do the Magic Express from the airport and forego a rental car for the week, do you forgo buying groceries to have in the villa?  That seems like a definite "yes", but I don't know about this stuff (staying onsite at Disney)



I'll answer the question that I can.  All of the DVC resorts have a small grocery store on site with some very basic food items (milk, bread, eggs, etc.).  The prices tend to be quite high.  There are several companies that will deliver groceries to your resort for a fee.  I forget the names, but I found them on www.disboards.comhttp://www.disboards.com.  We have also brought some items in our luggage, but given the baggage fees now, that's probably not the best idea.  Of course, you could always rent a car for a day if you wanted.


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## Egret1986 (Jun 7, 2009)

*Thank you for the info on the groceries!*



Idahodude said:


> I'll answer the question that I can.  All of the DVC resorts have a small grocery store on site with some very basic food items (milk, bread, eggs, etc.).  The prices tend to be quite high.  There are several companies that will deliver groceries to your resort for a fee.  I forget the names, but I found them on www.disboards.comhttp://www.disboards.com.  We have also brought some items in our luggage, but given the baggage fees now, that's probably not the best idea.  Of course, you could always rent a car for a day if you wanted.



I've never gone anywhere for a week and not rented a car, so I'm not sure that is something we would do.  But I feel like we wouldn't really being going off-site if we were staying inside Disney.


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## DVC Mike (Jun 7, 2009)

Idahodude said:


> There are several companies that will deliver groceries to your resort for a fee. I forget the names


 
Garden Grocer
WeGoShop


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## ciscogizmo1 (Jun 7, 2009)

Egret1986 said:


> I've never gone anywhere for a week and not rented a car, so I'm not sure that is something we would do.  But I feel like we wouldn't really being going off-site if we were staying inside Disney.


  At Disneyworld unless you have specific plans to see something special like Space Kennedy Center or go to the other parks, a car is really not necessary.  We like taking the public transportation but we live in our cars here in California so, leaving the driving to someone else is a vacation for us.  If your are the type that can go with the flow you'll be fine with Disney transportation but if you have to be in control of your destination I suggest you rent a car.


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## Egret1986 (Jun 7, 2009)

*Does anyone have info about exchanges into DVC?*



Egret1986 said:


> I take it OKW has larger villas as opposed to the other sections.  I went to the link for DVC on the AKV Availability screen.  It indicated that a 1BR slept 5 (with a sleep chair), except value 1BRs, which sleep 4 (minus the sleep chair).  How will you know if you're getting a value villa?  If you're doing an exchange, do you automatically get a parking lot view as opposed to a Savannah view?  Would I be crazy and miserable to stuff 2 adults and 2 15-year-olds into a 1BR at AKV?  It seems that the answer would be a big "yes".  Thanks, if you can answer these for me.



Thanks for the info on getting groceries if opting out of a rental car.  I would love to forget the rental car since going outside Disney really wouldn't be something we would want to do on this trip (if we decide to go).


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## Laurie (Jun 7, 2009)

Egret1986 said:


> I take it OKW has larger villas as opposed to the other sections.  I went to the link for DVC on the AKV Availability screen.  It indicated that a 1BR slept 5 (with a sleep chair), except value 1BRs, which sleep 4 (minus the sleep chair).  How will you know if you're getting a value villa?  If you're doing an exchange, do you automatically get a parking lot view as opposed to a Savannah view?  Would I be crazy and miserable to stuff 2 adults and 2 15-year-olds into a 1BR at AKV?  It seems that the answer would be a big "yes".


Not necessarily. 

I'm not a DVC owner (never been to Disneyworld and prior to now, never even had any desire to visit Disney) but view is the main thing to me anywhere, including at AKV. This resort is what got me interested! 

I did speak w/someone at DVC, and what they told me confirms what others here have suggested:

If you're talking about an exchange thru RCI, you can call RCI and ask for unit #. They will give you a 7-character code, and it means:

size - view - check-in date. 

So 1BSAVFR will mean 1-bd savannah view Friday.
And 1BSTDSU will mean 1-bd non-savannah (parking lot or pool) view Sunday.
I don't know code for value, but you can figure it out.

Additionally, there are 2 major differences in 1-bd units, depending on whether they are in Jambo or Kidani, gleaned from DVC website. They are:

1 bath in Jambo, 2 baths in Kidani
600-700+- square ft in Jambo, 800+ sq ft in Kidani.

Ask the RCI guide and they'll tell you the answers to those questions regarding the specific unit you are holding or confirming (and here I'm hoping their info is accurate and not subject to change), and then you'd know these details.

I'm thinking the Kidani 1-br's could work fine for 2 adults and 2 15-year-olds. I don't know the size of the sleeper chair tho, so why not call DVC and ask?


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## Egret1986 (Jun 7, 2009)

*That is everything that I need to know, Laurie!*



Laurie said:


> Not necessarily.
> 
> I'm not a DVC owner (never been to Disneyworld and prior to now, never even had any desire to visit Disney) but view is the main thing to me anywhere, including at AKV. This resort is what got me interested!
> 
> ...



Thank you for taking the time to break it down for me.  I greatly appreciate that.  Like you, we really haven't had a desire to go back to Disney.  But staying directly in Disney onsite changes things a bit.


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## elaine (Jun 7, 2009)

*I called RCI today and they said they have NO INFO!!*

I was looking at confirming a 1 BR AKV on the points side and all RCI could tell me was generic info.  I said they usually say ST, SAV, etc. and there are different 1 Br sizes, value vs. others.  She said they have 6 types of 1 BR and they are all 71,000 points and that they have NO INFO about any codes, designations whether Kidani or Jambo, views, etc. So, what's up?


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## logan115 (Jun 7, 2009)

DVC Mike said:


> Garden Grocer
> WeGoShop



We used garden grocer on our last trip and it was great (they'll even pick up alcohol if you ask them !)

Much more reasonable than buying at the resort assuming you're looking for more than milk and a dozen eggs.

Chris


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## Laurie (Jun 7, 2009)

elaine said:


> I was looking at confirming a 1 BR AKV on the points side and all RCI could tell me was generic info.  I said they usually say ST, SAV, etc. and there are different 1 Br sizes, value vs. others.  She said they have 6 types of 1 BR and they are all 71,000 points and that they have NO INFO about any codes, designations whether Kidani or Jambo, views, etc. So, what's up?



Try putting a specific unit for a specific date on hold - or asking RCI to do that for you - then ask them to read you the unit # assignment code for that unit. The RCI person won't have any idea what the code stands for - but you will now. 

The RCI person also won't have any idea whether your unit on hold is Jambo House or Kidani Village - you will be able to infer it yourself, after you ask the RCI person number of bathrooms and square footage, based on the info I posted above, which is no guarantee other than my own conclusion.


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## icydog (Jun 8, 2009)

Can anyone tell me if there is anything for a one or two bedroom for 11/28-12/5 anywhere on property? I am not a RCI points owner but I can work something out in trade. Thank you.


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## logan115 (Jun 8, 2009)

icydog said:


> Can anyone tell me if there is anything for a one or two bedroom for 11/28-12/5 anywhere on property? I am not a RCI points owner but I can work something out in trade. Thank you.



As of Wednesday last week, there were no savanah view 1BRs left at AKV for an entire week (the 4th and 5th seemed to be sold out at a lot of places - not just AKV, due to the lower point requirements in early Dec it seems like one of the busier times for DVC), and nothing left for BCV/BWV - but as you know things are always changing.

That's just for the 1BRs so I can't really speak for 2BRs.  To state the obvious it's more likely that if there is availability it will be at SSR or OKW.  Guessing if you post over on MO someone can probably get you an answer quicker as I won't be able to call until late this afternoon at the earliest.

Good luck,

Chris


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## icydog (Jun 9, 2009)

Thanks anyway. I used my DVC points for a one bedroom OKW reservation. I also waitlisted a Kidani one bedroom standard view. I figured I might have a shot at standard vs savanna. 


It used to be so easy to get in the week after Thanksgiving and the first two weeks in Dec but it hasn't been so for awhile now. There are a few good reasons.
1. Point values are the lowest
2. DVC has their mixer on Fridays in Dec
3. The parks are less crowded then 
4. Its not hot (it can be freezing though)
5. Holiday decorations that don't cost anything to see like at the hotels 
6. The Osborne lights at the Studios
7. The Christmas Processional show (I never, ever, get tired of it) at Epcot
8. Santa in Downtown Disney
9. New Disney movies are always at the theater in West Side
10. Great holiday feeling throughout the whole resort. Nothing beats it. Christmas at Disney without the crowds--sublime!! We go every year.


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## rhonda (Jun 9, 2009)

icydog said:


> It used to be so easy to get in the week after Thanksgiving and the first two weeks in Dec but it hasn't been so for awhile now. There are a few good reasons.


11.  Repeat visitors recommend it to others as a "must do!" event.


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## icydog (Jun 10, 2009)

Absolutely. We only started going down about 10 years ago-- when I heard about it from a DVC forum. We have gone pretty much every year since then. Of course, the secret was out when DVC planned their holiday party during those weeks. Everyone wanted to stay during those Dec weeks--hence more and more DVC crowds there. The party has grown from an intimate gathering to an extravaganza. I think that DVC has doubled in size since 2002, or whenever SSR was opened, and that would explain all those people. I don't care. As long as I get my cider, my souvenir present, and my cookie (or whatever they are giving out) I'm happy.


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## FlyKaesan (Jun 17, 2009)

Which are the weeks in December for the party?  Is it for DVC members only or can the exchangers join in as well?

Is weather too cold for water parks?  I have never been to Disney during December.


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## Whirl (Jun 17, 2009)

logan115 said:


> We used garden grocer on our last trip and it was great (they'll even pick up alcohol if you ask them !)
> 
> Much more reasonable than buying at the resort assuming you're looking for more than milk and a dozen eggs.
> 
> Chris



We used GardenGrocer.com as well. They were great.   They called about substitutes where first choices were not avail. We bought way too much food though!

I would definitely recommend.


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## logan115 (Jun 17, 2009)

Whirl said:


> We used GardenGrocer.com as well. They were great.   They called about substitutes where first choices were not avail. We bought way too much food though!
> 
> I would definitely recommend.



Us too, how in the world could I have ordered too much food and not enough beer  

We'll, at least I'll know better next time..........

Chris


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## daveh (Jul 7, 2009)

*Kidani Village Pool Hours*

Hi, we stayed at Kidani Village last week.  Just to clarify on the pool hours, it is my understanding that the pool is open 24 hours but there are lifeguards on duty between 10am and 10pm.  The water slide is open while the lifeguards are there.  My kids were there before 10am with my husband and they told me the staff does a ceremony to open the slide where they send a bunch of small inflatable animals down the slide and the kids get to keep them.

Conni H


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## jamstew (Jul 7, 2009)

icydog said:


> The designers never thought about real people when picking out the dishes. The soup bowls are really the size of dessert dishes and the cups are like demitasse cups.



I *so* agree with this! The bowls at VWL were cream soup bowls (flat and shallow) and totally useless for ceral for the kids (or adults for that matter). I bought paper bowls in the Mercantile for the kids, and the adults ended up using the big Solo cups that I had brought for my Owners Locker. We used our refillable mugs for coffee, so I didn't notice the cups.


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## jamstew (Jul 7, 2009)

Whirl said:


> We bought way too much food!



We did really great with the amount of food this time, which is a first in 25+ years of timesharing! All we had left was a gallon of milk and a few granola bars.


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## icydog (Jul 8, 2009)

daveh said:


> Hi, we stayed at Kidani Village last week.  Just to clarify on the pool hours, it is my understanding that the pool is open 24 hours but there are lifeguards on duty between 10am and 10pm.  The water slide is open while the lifeguards are there.  My kids were there before 10am with my husband and they told me the staff does a ceremony to open the slide where they send a bunch of small inflatable animals down the slide and the kids get to keep them.
> 
> Conni H



What?? I never saw that!! Must be new since we were there.


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## icydog (Jul 8, 2009)

FlyKaesan said:


> Which are the weeks in December for the party?  Is it for DVC members only or can the exchangers join in as well?
> 
> Is weather too cold for water parks?  I have never been to Disney during December.



Only members and they DO check your room key. If you are a Member on an exchange into DVC you can produce your DVC member card and they will let you in.

The weather in December is changable at best. Sometimes it is freezing cold and other days it is as hot as summer. Bring winter coats and bathing suits and have all your bases covered.


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## daveh (Jul 8, 2009)

*water slide kidani village*



icydog said:


> What?? I never saw that!! Must be new since we were there.




They were there two different days for the opening of the slide and it was done both days.

Conni H


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## icydog (Aug 25, 2009)

*Has anything changed at the Kidani Village?*

Have they changed anything at the resort? Are the pool hours better? Did they change the cups and saucers, and do they provide a bigger pitcher? I'm curious because I am going back again with my granddaughter in November.

Thanks


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## HudsHut (Mar 22, 2011)

***delete***


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