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

[starfrenzy]

I was at Vero Beach in Nov 2020 when the pool reopened and the water was really cold the first day and a half.

I don’t know if they forgot to turn on the heaters or it just takes that long for the water to get warmed up.

A week seems like a VERY long time. I would ask the front desk.

 

[Okw2020Soto]

Kidani pool has been open all week. But it’s ice cold, that normal?

Lol yes opened all week April 17-22 and very cold

 

[twinklebug]

Lol yes opened all week April 17-22 and very cold

That's interesting. I wonder if the water heater is not functioning.

On an unrelated note, your signature's images are coming through huge on my end. Not sure if you know how to make them smaller, but thought you should know

 

[starfrenzy]

My 6 year old wants to know if there is any sand play area at Kidani or Jambo House like the sand at Coronado, Poly, Grand Flo, etc.

 

[twinklebug]

My 6 year old wants to know if there is any sand play area at Kidani or Jambo House like the sand at Coronado, Poly, Grand Flo, etc.

No. In florida those sandy areas require maintenance to keep them clean and bug free. Neither of the AK resorts have that equipment.

Kidani has the best water play area around though (my biased opinion)

 

[starfrenzy]

I was telling her about the awesome water play area but she kept talking about wanting to bring the Cinderella Castle sand mold she got at Vero Beach. I will let her know.

Thank you for confirming @twinklebug!

 

[JodyK]

Hey Fellow AKL Owners - Does anyone have experience with the 3 bedroom grand villa standard view they can share?

 

[Doingitagain]

Hey Fellow AKL Owners - Does anyone have experience with the 3 bedroom grand villa standard view they can share?

Is that at Kidani? I know all the Jambo grand villas are Savannah view. I thought they were at Kidani, too, but I haven’t stayed there so not sure.

go to Touring Plans and you can see room views.

 

[JodyK]

Yes, it is at Kidani. I went to Touring Plans and it looks like there is only one and they don't have the best photos so was curious if anyone had ever stayed before. It is the backside of the Pembe Savannah by the fence line the room right next door is a Savannah View. Though I'm sure they both don't have great Savannah Views.

I waitlisted a Savannah View because the difference in points is pretty minimal in the relation to the points for a Grand Villa.

 

[sndral]

Yes, it is at Kidani. I went to Touring Plans and it looks like there is only one and they don't have the best photos so was curious if anyone had ever stayed before. It is the backside of the Pembe Savannah by the fence line the room right next door is a Savannah View. Though I'm sure they both don't have great Savannah Views.

I waitlisted a Savannah View because the difference in points is pretty minimal in the relation to the points for a Grand Villa.

I’ve not stayed in one, but I believe there are 2 of them & both overlook the narrow part of the Pembe savanna at Kidani. There are a couple of photos of the view from one of them in this thread https://www.disboards.com/threads/kidani-grand-villa-standard-view.3072237/.

 

[JKitch]

Thank you! Maybe touring plans has one room on the backside mismarked as a savannah view.

 

[sndral]

Thank you! Maybe touring plans has one room on the backside mismarked as a savannah view.

No problem, I’ve been researching the GVs for a large family trip & trying to decide between Kidani & Jambo - I found a YouTube video of one of the standard view grand villas - you can see the view about half way through.

 

[Hoppy-tn]

Anyone know if the Maji pool bar is open

 

[drusba]

Hey Fellow AKL Owners - Does anyone have experience with the 3 bedroom grand villa standard view they can share?

See this map https://www.wdwinfo.com/maps/Kindani_Village_Map.jpg. The two standard view GVs at Kidani overlook Pembe savanna; none of the Savanna view GVs overlook Pembe. One of the standards is at the end of the sixth building unit from the lobby on the north side of the map (left side when facing map), and the other is at the beginning of the seventh building unit from lobby. The Pumbaa elevator is between the two building units. (Touring Plans does not accurately classify rooms in those sixth and seventh building units, incorrectly showing some savanna view and some standard view rooms on the Pembe savanna side of those two building units when all rooms on the Pembe savanna side of those two units are standard view.) You do not need to make any particular location request because location and view of both GVs is about the same. Also, if you have a car, you can usually park fairly close to the Pumbaa elevator in the ground floor, under-building parking lot that runs throughout most of the building

Both GVs have actual savanna view. The issue is that the outer perimeter fence comes somewhat close to the building in that area. Nevertheless, animals do regularly come there, although Pembe does not have giraffes. The Kidani GV rooms (including the standards) are themselves among the best two story GVs at WDW with: (a) four bathrooms, with one of the bathrooms and the washer/dryer being near the front entrance door; (b) a living room area whose ceiling is the top of the second floor and it has almost floor to ceiling windows, providing exceptional views, balconies for every bedroom and in the living/dining room area, (c) a large alcove at the top of the stairs where there is a queen-size sofa bed, table, TV and dresser, thus providing an additional sleeping area not found in most DVC GVs.

The only real "downside" of the standard view GVs is distance to amenities. The Kidani building, end-to-end, is about 2/3 of a mile long. Those standard view GVs (and a number of the savanna view GVs) thus provide very long walks to lobby, store, restaurant, and bus station

 

[sndral]

@drusba are all of the main entrances to the GVs at Kidani on the 4th floor w/ the 2 non master bedrooms on the 5th floor?

 

[JodyK]

Thanks, @drusba that makes sense, looks like touring plans just has 7861 mismarked. Hopefully, a waitlist will fill for a Savannah View with giraffes but it is good to know it still has a Savannah View. When you are paying for a GV the 7 less points per night for a standard GV isn't really much considering the difference between a 2BR Sav vs Standard is 9 points.

@sndral Thanks for the video! I believe all of the Kidani GVs have this layout.

 

[drusba]

Thanks, @drusba that makes sense, looks like touring plans just has 7861 mismarked. Hopefully, a waitlist will fill for a Savannah View with giraffes but it is good to know it still has a Savannah View. When you are paying for a GV the 7 less points per night for a standard GV isn't really much considering the difference between a 2BR Sav vs Standard is 9 points.

@sndral Thanks for the video! I believe all of the Kidani GVs have this layout.

As to the layout, that video is before 2016 when a refurb was done. A lot is still the same but colors are a little brighter now, the TV is bigger, and the bathroom shampoo, etc is in a wall unit in the showers.

 

[drusba]

@drusba are all of the main entrances to the GVs at Kidani on the 4th floor w/ the 2 non-master bedrooms on the 5th floor?

All Kidani GVs have a main entrance on the 4th floor and the two non-master bedrooms are on the fifth

 

[Jennasis]

Can anyone tell me how hard a STANDARD VIEW studio is to book at 7 months out at either Kidani or Jambo, first week of May and First week of September?

 

[twinklebug]

Can anyone tell me how hard a STANDARD VIEW studio is to book at 7 months out at either Kidani or Jambo, first week of May and First week of September?

Usually not hard at all, particularly September. However, with the overage of points in the system and the world returning to normal, it's anyone's guess what will be popular and when.

What's going in your favor is there are a lot of standard view rooms.