Kidani v. BLT 1 bedroom with 4 adults?

[Jennasis]

Let me start by saying that a 2 bedroom is out of the question (not enough points). DH and I are planning out late September 2014 trip and have invited some friends (another couple). So we'd like the second bathroom that a 1 bedroom at either Kidani or BLT offers. We really LOVE both resorts. They are our favorites. I like Jambo House better than Kidani but I figure we can ask for a room at the very end closest to Jambo House.

I don't think we want to get mired in a split stay.

Does one have a better 1 bedroom set up than the other? DH and I will be getting the Master bedroom (We LOVED the master BR over at Jambo's 1 bedroom when we stayed last time, but have no idea what Kidani is like), while our friends are happy with the pull out couch. We've stayed at BLT in a studio and loved the location and the magnificent view of the park.

We will be doing MNSSHP one night but we don't mind the bus (or using our car) if Kidani is the way we wind up going.

Kidani seems to have more theme and more to offer as far as atmosphere (love just hanging out there) while BLT is ALL about the stellar location.

So, convince me where we should go!

 

[Docmom]

If you're doing MNSSHP then I'd stay at BLT. So much easier walking back to the resort or taking the monorail after a long night at the party. Both Kidani and BLT have excellent layouts. Another consideration is the view. We've stayed in a 1BR at Kidani in a savannah view and at BLT with a lake view. Loved both for different reasons but think BLT just edges Kidani because of location and the spectacular sunrises in the lake view room.

 

[TigBaby]

I've stayed in the 1 BR units at both Kidani and BLT. My AK was in Oct 2013 and we attended MNSSHP one evening. I stayed in the bedroom, while my parents took the living room area (they get up earlier than I do, and wanted access to the kitchen). We only stay at Kidani or BLT because we want the one bedroom units with the two full bathrooms.

We stayed until the very end of the halloween party, and did not have any issues getting back to AKV afterward. This was a concern for me, as my parents are 65 and 70, but I was very pleasantly surprised.

BLT is my home resort, and is my favorite due to the location and smaller building. But I love the decor and animals at AKV.

One minor issue at Kidani's 1 BR units (at least in the one I stayed in).....The TV in the living room is on the opposite wall from the common wall with the master bedroom. This means that the speakers face the common wall with the bedroom. As soon as my parents turned on that TV, I could here it (and they kept it on low). At BLT, the living room TV is on the common wall, so it faces away from the bedroom, and therefore the speakers go the opposite direction. I never heard the living room TV at BLT.

That is the only minor issue I had with Kidani.

 

[Lisa75]

I've done 1 br at Kidani but only studio at BLT so forgive me if I'm wrong but is it true that the BLT does not have balcony access from more than one location? Like at Kidani we had balcony doors from the living room and master both. With two couples that might be a consideration .

Again I could be totally incorrect and if so I'm sorry .

BLT was amazing. But dh and I always say no place feels like AKL, our home.

 

[dizfan]

I've done 1 br at Kidani but only studio at BLT so forgive me if I'm wrong but is it true that the BLT does not have balcony access from more than one location? Like at Kidani we had balcony doors from the living room and master both. With two couples that might be a consideration .

Again I could be totally incorrect and if so I'm sorry .

At BLT, there is a sliding door from the master and a normal door from the main area to the balcony.

We have only stayed in a studio at AKV. IMHO, both are great. I would suggest going with the resort that you like best.

We like AKV for the escape from the parks. Africa and animals.
We like BLT for the location. MK, monorail, and lake.

 

[Lisa75]

At BLT, there is a sliding door from the master and a normal door from the main area to the balcony. We have only stayed in a studio at AKV. IMHO, both are great. I would suggest going with the resort that you like best. We like AKV for the escape from the parks. Africa and animals. We like BLT for the location. MK, monorail, and lake.

Aha! Thanks for clarifying .

 

[drusba]

If you stayed at Jambo and liked its 1BR then you will probably feel you have died and gone to heaven if you stay in a 1BR at Kidani. The rooms are significantly better there including because they are 100 sq ft larger, have the two bathrooms, the huge master bath is connected to the bedroom and has separate tub and shower, and there is more closet space.

If for Kidani your goal is to be close to Jambo for its restaurants including counter service, then you should not ask to be at the end of that south wing closest to Jambo. You should instead ask to be close to the Zazu elevator which is two building units away from the end of the south wing and you have to take it or the stairway next to it to get to the ground parking lot area from which you can walk to Jambo.

As long as you like modern, you should also like the BLT 1Br. They are also large, close in sq ft to Kidani. The bathroom also has separate tub and shower and the shower has both the normal shower spray and then a second one overhead. They are very bright in comparison to the darker tones at AKV. If you get lake or theme park view, you should request high floor which provide the much better reviews. There is a balcony only outside the bedroom but there is a door to it from the living room. The trade off there is that you get essentially floor to ceiling and wall to wall windows in the living room, providing views from inside the room rather than getting a balcony.

BLT gives walking or monorail access to MK and monorail to Epcot. Its bus system to the other parks isn't that good with multiple resort stops. The AKV buses have further to go to get to parks other than AK, but with only two internal stops and a usually timely bus system, the trips to Epcot and MGM can actually take less time (combined wait and travel) than from BLT.

If you have a car, Kidani has ideal under building parking, but BLT's lot starts close to the front door and you can usually get a spot that avoids any long walk to the door.

 

[Jennasis]

Argh! Such a difficult decision! Perhaps it will come down to availability. We can't book until February (7 months) as neither resort are the home resort of our uncle (the DVC owner).

Are the rooms at both resorts the same size and layout? DH and I tell people all the time that the 1 bedroom at Jambo where we stayed last time was bigger than our first apartment. No joke! How do either Kidani or BLT compare to Jambo's 1 bedroom?

I AM a little worried about staying in Kidani since we adore Jambo House so much.

 

[drusba]

As I mentioned above both the Kidani and BLT 1BRs are about 100 sq ft larger than the Jambo 1BRs. It is a very noticeable difference. If booking Feb, that means you will be trying for Sep. Kidani will undoubtedly be open. That is also true of BLT lake vew and theme park view as long as you are not seeking the last few days of Sep, in which case the odds are somewhat less for BLT. BLT standard view will likely be mostly booked before 7 months out for Sep.

Both the 1Brs have, like Jambo, the chair that pulls out to a twin size bed in the living room, besides the queen size couch bed.

 

[Docmom]

DVCnews.com has photos of both and layouts so you can get a better feel for them.

 

[Minniesgal]

We love the 1 and 2 bedrooms at both Kidani and. BLT equally. For an adult trip I would most probably pick BLT for the proximity to loads of restaurants and lounges

 

[rkold]

We've also stayed at a 1br in Kidani and a 1 br in BLT. Both were incredibly nice. I can't speak for the pull out couch in Kidani, because no one used it during our stay, my mom used the couch in BLT and seemed fine with it. Both had really nice kitchens. If you're pool people, the pools at Jambo and Kidani are REALLY REALLY nice and IMHO much nicer than BLT. I love walking from BLT to MK. It was a pain getting to Epcot and always seemed to take a long time with the transfers at TTC. Both have huge rooms. We had a Lakeview in BLT, but if you stood on the balcony you could see MK and the fireworks. You could get on the balcony from the LR or the MBR. Both BLT and Kidani had nice balconies. We had a standardview in Kidani, and overlooked the pool and just an edge of a smaller Savanna.

You're in an enviable position, both your choices are wonderful!

 

[Jennasis]

Hehe! You guys ain't making it any easier LOL! The other couple seems very jazzed about Kidani (the wife had NEVER been to Disney. Her DH has but waaaaaaaaaay back in the early 90's), but of course, since they aren't paying for the room, they're happy wherever. Technically we aren't paying for the room either, so we'd be happy wherever too (using DH's uncle's points).

If we stay at Kidani, we'll probably spend our arrival day (driving in around 4pm) having dinner at BOMA (our hands down favorite restaurant in the World) and exploring/enjoying the resort before bussing over to DTD for the evening.

If we stay at BLT, we may move our arrival day to TUESDAY (which is historically a MNSSHP day) and do that the first night.

Decisions decisions!

 

[larry80]

I would say BLT, especially since you can go up to the lounge and get great views of the castle, have a drink and not need to worry about getting back to your other hotel.