Two separate issues:
- Jambo and Kidani are both under the single umbrella of "Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas." Technically Disney wouldn't be violating any commitments to owners by making one or the other unavailable, assuming there are valid reasons for doing so.
- Disney has access to DVC villa inventory via owned points, member trades and breakage. Is that inventory sufficient to consolidate it all at Jambo? I dunno.
I don't recall ever encountering a situation before where all availability was simply removed at a DVC resort. So we're wading thru uncharted waters, trying to make sense of it all. Maybe it's a computer glitch, or some overly conservative reaction to other IT changes happening behind the scenes.
There is Jambo availability showing after January 1. So this isn't a case where the entire resort is glitched. Someone deliberately removed all inventory through December 31.
If someone suggested that Bay Lake Tower or Saratoga Springs would remain closed, that would not pass the sniff test because owners have legal rights to use those accommodations. But the dual location nature of AKV theoretically allows owners to continue using one facility while the other is unavailable. Whether that actually happens, and what the underlying reasons may be, remains to be seen.
EDIT: Quick addition regarding the employee recalls, Animal Kingdom Lodge includes Kidani. Doesn't necessarily mean they're recalling enough to staff both Kidani and Jambo. Also Mara could be opening to service Kidani guests. They could open the Jambo lobby so people can reach Mara or create some alternative temporary walking route. Or they could use some mobile order + delivery process; order on the
MDE app and pick-up at the Jambo Port Cochere.