Staying at Kidani for very first time, tips?

[Jillpie]

We've stayed in Jambo a handful of times, and loved it. I did request a studio close to lobby. But anything else would be helpful about staying here?

 

[CarolynFH]

If you’ll have a car, the garage runs under the full building, so you can park near the elevator closest to your room and be sheltered from sun and rain. You may be aware that the hallways at Kidani are extremely long, and it’s about 1/3 of a mile from lobby to either end. As a result, “near lobby” is the most common request and frequently unmet. You might want to request to be near the pool or near the bus stop; those locations are the closest to the lobby.

Jambo is about a 10-15 minute walk from the lobby, but there’s a shuttle that runs continuously between Kidani and Jambo. Also park buses pick up at Kidani first, then Jambo, and the DS bus does the opposite, so you can use them to travel between the two as well. You can use either pool, and of course you know about the restaurants and shops at Jambo.

 

[Jillpie]

Fantastic, thank you!

 

[SpaceMountain77]

Sanaa offers a grab and go breakfast because Kidani Village does not have a quick service restaurant. Enjoy at least one Sanaa breakfast. They are delicious, reasonably priced, and one of the best breakfasts on property as a table service restaurant is preparing your quick service meal.

 

[geargrinder]

Kidani pool menu is underrated. Food comes straight out of Sanaa.

 

[monorailmom]

Spend some time at the little savanna by the pool! It's small, but you get to see so many different types of animals, my favorite being the okapi. There is usually a Cultural Representative there to talk with you and they do activities with kids and adults.

 

[Rex1993]

If you have kids in your party or you like video games, I think that the Kidani arcade is really good.

 

[carlbarry]

Spend some time at the little savanna by the pool! It's small, but you get to see so many different types of animals, my favorite being the okapi. There is usually a Cultural Representative there to talk with you and they do activities with kids and adults.

And also Cassanova is there!

 

[monorailmom]

OMG we love Cassanova!! Before the Disney+ show was a thing, we always looked for him even though we didn't know his name. We just saw him last month and also his girlfriend is sometimes out as well according to the CM's!

 

[Sprinkles&Sprints]

Sanaa offers a grab and go breakfast because Kidani Village does not have a quick service restaurant. Enjoy at least one Sanaa breakfast. They are delicious, reasonably priced, and one of the best breakfasts on property as a table service restaurant is preparing your quick service meal.

Seconding this - we were at Jambo last month and had breakfast in Sanaa one morning - can't beat the view!!

 

[drusba]

We've stayed in Jambo a handful of times, and loved it. I did request a studio close to lobby. But anything else would be helpful about staying here?

You do not mention whether you have standard or savanna view. If standard view, and want a chance to actually have a savanna view, you can request close to the Pumbaa elevator, the last elevator on the north wing (front entrance faces west). Standard view rooms in that area have a direct Pembe savanna view. Note, however, that those rooms near that elevator are very far from the lobby.

If you have savanna view, and want to see giraffes and zebras (which are not on the Pembe savanna), you should make your lead request for room overlooking Sunset savanna. That request is highly likely to be provided because more than 80% of all savanna view rooms overlook Sunset.

The Kidani building is close to 2/3rd of a mile long, and a room far from lobby can mean having an extremely long walk to lobby, pool, and bus station, a fact that has lead many to request close to lobby. Also, close to lobby is one of the requests one can make when checking in online. Those two factors combined mean the request most made is close to the lobby and many have reported not getting it. And when they cannot meet a location request, they just put you in another area that may be available, which is often a room far from the lobby.

Two possible requests you might consider are: (a) close to the Rafiki elevator, which is on the north wing not real far from the lobby, and down that elevator to the ground/parking garage floor provides the shortest walk from the building to a gate to the pool; (b) close to the Timon elevator, on the south wing also not real far from the lobby, and that elevator to the second floor leads to a door that exits directly to the bus station. We usually make one of those request in addition to Sunset savanna view as our lead request, and sometimes provide both those elevator location requests saying we would be happy with either one. We have usually gotten one of those close to elevator requests. The last time we made a close to lobby request (several years ago) we got a room very far from a lobby.

 

[kmchisholm]

The cultural activities are great for kids and adults - my 8yr old nephew and I made a plan to get all the beads and it was a blast! He was so proud of himself and learned a ton. Actually made for a nice mid-day park break.

 

[eandt]

Seconding this - we were at Jambo last month and had breakfast in Sanaa one morning - can't beat the view!!

Sure can’t

 

[Disney mac]

I’d ask for a high floor, especially if you have a savanna view. You won’t be disappointed