Theming and Accommodations at Disney’s Kidani Village
By Dave Shute
(For the first page of this review of Kidani Village, see this.)
THEMING AND ACCOMMODATIONS AT KIDANI VILLAGE
Kidani Village is one of many Disney Vacation Club options at Walt Disney World. These resorts are available not only to DVC members, but also to everyone else, just like any other Disney World offering, through the regular Walt Disney World website or resort reservations phone number at 407-939-7675.
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Kelly, the long-time travel agent partner of this site, can also book them for you. See the form near the bottom of this page for how to contact her.
They also are sometimes available to the general public at a discount through renting points from a Disney Vacation Club member or point broker.
Because the two sets of options at the Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom Lodge and Saratoga Springs are so different, for review purposes I count thirteen options among the Disney Vacation Club resorts at Walt Disney World.
The overall ranking among them for first time family visitors is as follows:
- Disney’s Polynesian Villas and Bungalows (studios only)
- Copper Creek Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
- Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas–Jambo House
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas–Kidani Village
- Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
- The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
- Disney’s Riviera Resort
- Disney’s Beach Club Villas
- Disney’s Boardwalk Villas
- Disney’s Old Key West Resort
- Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa, main resort
- Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort, Treehouse Villas
The next DVC offering to open will be Reflections, located on grounds that were formerly part of Fort Wilderness.
THE THEMING OF KIDANI VILLAGE
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas are described on Walt Disney World’s Disney Vacation Club website as a place where you can
“immerse yourself in the wonders of the wild, surrounded by colorful creatures … Delight in African-inspired details while you relax in accommodations that capture the adventurous atmosphere of the wild. Feel at home in this village alive with the spirit of the savanna.”
The two Disney Vacation Club areas here–Kidani Village and Jambo House Villas–share resources with Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.
The original Animal Kingdom Lodge opened in April, 2001, as the most unique resort hotel at Walt Disney World, and one of the more unique in the world.
This distinction came partly from its stunning lobby, partly from its glorious African art and theming, but mostly from the fact that more than half of the rooms overlook “savannas” filled with wild animals.
Sipping your morning coffee on your balcony with a giraffe 50 feet away needs to be experienced to be believed…
The original Animal Kingdom Lodge also included two table service restaurants, a quick-service dining area, a pool and an exercise area.
In 2008, Disney completed converting some of the Animal Kingdom Lodge’s rooms into Disney Vacation Club rooms, and in 2009 it opened Kidani Village, a separate Disney Vacation Club building with its own lobby and check in area.
Kidani Village also has its own pool, workout area, and adds a third sit-down restaurant to the complex, Sanaa.
When Disney World opened Kidani Village, it renamed the original Animal Kingdom Lodge as Jambo House, to limit–or perhaps simply re-nominalize–confusion between it, its check-in area, and its DVC rooms, and those at Kidani Village.
Among the DVC resorts, Kidani Village’s strengths for first time visitors are its views of animals–especially if you reserve a savanna-view room–its spacious and very livable One and Two Bedroom Villa floor plans, and the fact the One Bedroom Villas can sleep 5 and Two-Bedroom Villas can sleep 9.
Kidani Village’s restaurant, Sanaa–with an Indian-influenced African menu–is also delightful for adults, but has limited options for kids.
ACCOMMODATIONS AT KIDANI VILLAGE
All Disney Vacation Club resorts except the Polynesian Villas and Bungalows have studio rooms, One-Bedroom Villas, and Two-Bedroom Villas.
Most have Grand Villas as well.
Kidani Village floor plans of all room types are on this page.
At Kidani Village, Studios sleep four and have a mini kitchen that adds a microwave and toaster to the usual coffeemaker and mini fridge found in all deluxe rooms.
A photo tour of a Studio begins here.
One-Bedroom Villas have a master bedroom with a king and a private master bath.
They have as well a particularly livable full kitchen/dining/living space with a second bath, and sleep 5.
The three additional sleeping spots are on fold-out furniture in the living space.
- A photo tour of the living/dining/kitchen side of a One Bedroom Villa begins here
- A photo tour of the master bedroom side of a One Bedroom Villa begins here
Two-Bedroom Villas come in two flavors. Lockoff villas simply add a connecting Studio to a One Bedroom Villa. A floor plan of such a villa is below.
Dedicated Two Bedroom Villas have a two queen room instead of the Studio. They also lose the couch and mini-kitchen, and the second entry. They add–in addition to the second real bed–a second closet. A floor plan of a dedicated villa is below.
- A photo tour of the living/dining/kitchen side of a Two Bedroom Villa begins here
- A photo tour of the master bedroom side of a Two Bedroom Villa begins here
- A photo tour of a second bedroom in a Two Bedroom Villa (as a Studio) begins here.
Grand Villas at Kidani Village sleep 12 in a little less than twice the space of a Two-Bedroom Villa, in three bedrooms (one with a king, and two with two queens) plus sleeper sofas.
At Kidani Village, Grand Villas are two-story spaces.
The master bedroom, living room, dining room, and kitchen are on the first floor, and the two other bedrooms are on the second.
Also on the second floor is a smaller sitting area, lofted to the main living room.
(To each of the capacity figures above, you can add one more kid under 3 at time of check in who sleeps in a crib.)
PHOTO TOUR OF A STUDIO AT KIDANI VILLAGE
This review continues here!
The long-time travel agent partner of this site, Kelly, can book you at Kidani Village or anywhere else at Disney World. Contact her using the form below!
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