We have never stayed there before. What are the differences? Pros and cons? Any help would be appreciated.
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AKL two bedroom. value vs. standard
- Thread starter PrincessASquare
- Start date
dreamscometrue
Well-Known Member
Hi...I just typed a rather long post to answer your question, and when I went to post it, my computer shut down. I'll post it again soon...bear with me. We've stayed in value, standard, at Jambo and Kidani, so I do have information for you and thoughts. Coming soon...
Thanks, I'll be looking forward to it.
dreamscometrue
Well-Known Member
We are DVC members whose home resort is the AKL Villas, so we’ve been fortunate enough to stay in several different accommodations these these past few years.
There are differences between the value and standard villas at Jambo, but there are also differences in the villas between Jambo and Kidani as well. I’ll explain.
The DVC villas at Jambo House (formerly simply known as the Animal Kingdom Lodge), were created by renovating the hotel rooms on the 5th and 6th floors. Since these were not originally designed as villas, and were hotel rooms of different sizes, the resulting villas are not all the same as each other. Some of the rooms that were renovated were considered too small to market as standard DVC villas, thus the ‘value’ category was created. Since you asked about the 2 bedroom, I’ll discuss that to illustrate the differences in rooms, views and buildings.
Jambo has both value and standard sized 2 bedroom villas which are 945 square feet and 1075 square feet respectively. Although similar, the value villas are ‘shorter’ and sleep 8 instead of 9; they don’t have a living room sleeper chair. To make it more interesting, Kidani was constructed as a DVC resort, so the villas are different than Jambo. The standard 2 bedroom at Kidani is 1173 square feet, has a different floor plan than at Jambo, and features a 3rd bathroom. It's important to understand that a standard at Jambo and a standard at Kidani use the same number of vacation points.
So why would anyone choose Jambo if the Kidani 2 bedroom is larger and has a 3rd bathroom? Well, we’ve stayed at both so I can suggest some possible reasons. The value villas are still a decent size, guarantee a stay on the 5th or 6th floors, still have 2 bathrooms which is fine, use fewer vacation points and many feature a pool or savannah view! (Our last 2 stays in values saw us with pool views). Both resorts have awesome features, activities and amenities, but Jambo has the 2 restaurants, 2 lounges, a much larger pool and much larger gift shop/store.
We typically go for value and prefer Jambo a bit more. Having said that, we love both resorts, and after much discussion, even decided to split our next vacation between the 2 resorts. There are lots of photos online, but be careful because there is often no distinction in the photo tags between value, Jambo and Kidani villas, and you might not know what you’re being shown.
One other thing; the 2009 DVC Vacation Planner has floor plans for both Jambo and Kidani. Take a few minutes to examine these, and you’ll get a much better idea of how they are different.
Hope this helps. No matter which you choose, I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
There are differences between the value and standard villas at Jambo, but there are also differences in the villas between Jambo and Kidani as well. I’ll explain.
The DVC villas at Jambo House (formerly simply known as the Animal Kingdom Lodge), were created by renovating the hotel rooms on the 5th and 6th floors. Since these were not originally designed as villas, and were hotel rooms of different sizes, the resulting villas are not all the same as each other. Some of the rooms that were renovated were considered too small to market as standard DVC villas, thus the ‘value’ category was created. Since you asked about the 2 bedroom, I’ll discuss that to illustrate the differences in rooms, views and buildings.
Jambo has both value and standard sized 2 bedroom villas which are 945 square feet and 1075 square feet respectively. Although similar, the value villas are ‘shorter’ and sleep 8 instead of 9; they don’t have a living room sleeper chair. To make it more interesting, Kidani was constructed as a DVC resort, so the villas are different than Jambo. The standard 2 bedroom at Kidani is 1173 square feet, has a different floor plan than at Jambo, and features a 3rd bathroom. It's important to understand that a standard at Jambo and a standard at Kidani use the same number of vacation points.
So why would anyone choose Jambo if the Kidani 2 bedroom is larger and has a 3rd bathroom? Well, we’ve stayed at both so I can suggest some possible reasons. The value villas are still a decent size, guarantee a stay on the 5th or 6th floors, still have 2 bathrooms which is fine, use fewer vacation points and many feature a pool or savannah view! (Our last 2 stays in values saw us with pool views). Both resorts have awesome features, activities and amenities, but Jambo has the 2 restaurants, 2 lounges, a much larger pool and much larger gift shop/store.
We typically go for value and prefer Jambo a bit more. Having said that, we love both resorts, and after much discussion, even decided to split our next vacation between the 2 resorts. There are lots of photos online, but be careful because there is often no distinction in the photo tags between value, Jambo and Kidani villas, and you might not know what you’re being shown.
One other thing; the 2009 DVC Vacation Planner has floor plans for both Jambo and Kidani. Take a few minutes to examine these, and you’ll get a much better idea of how they are different.
Hope this helps. No matter which you choose, I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
dreamscometrue
Well-Known Member
Hopefully the info I posted helps you too. We've stayed in 1 bedrooms mostly and the same info applies. What I mean is that the value 1 bedroom is smaller than standard (629 square feet compred to 710 square feet), and the Jambo standard 1 bedroom is smaller than the Kidani standard 1 bedroom (which is 807 square feet). The Kidani 1 bedroom has 2 bathrooms compared to the Jambo which has 1 bathroom, has a different floor plan, etc, etc..
Thank you "dreamscometrue" That answered alot of the questions that I had. I appreciate the thought and effort you put into your post.
There will be five of us traveling so the reduction of space will not be that big of an issue. What do you think my chances are of booking a value, for late Feb. 2011, at the seven month window? This is now my biggest concern. From what I have been reading, there are not many of these available. Also, I know there is a full kitchen in the value two bedroom but will there also be a kitchenette in the adjoining room? How is the bus service from Jambo? Do we have to take a bus to Kidani to get on another bus to get to the parks? Thanks again.
There will be five of us traveling so the reduction of space will not be that big of an issue. What do you think my chances are of booking a value, for late Feb. 2011, at the seven month window? This is now my biggest concern. From what I have been reading, there are not many of these available. Also, I know there is a full kitchen in the value two bedroom but will there also be a kitchenette in the adjoining room? How is the bus service from Jambo? Do we have to take a bus to Kidani to get on another bus to get to the parks? Thanks again.
dreamscometrue
Well-Known Member
I'm glad that the info helped.
I doubt that you'd be able to get a value of any kind 7 months out, but you could book a standard 2 bedroom and get on a wait list for the value 2 bedroom. If it becomes available, DVC Member Services will just make the change and adjust the points automatically. If you decide to go this route, you just have to think about whether your reservation for a standard 2 bedroom will be at Jambo or Kidani since, as I noted in the othe post, there are differences.
We've always stayed in 2 bedroom lock offs, which are a 1 bedroom and adjoining studio. These, even the values, do have a full kitchen and kitchenette. I don't know whether or not the dedicated 2 bedrooms have a kitchenette. I'd like to find that out too.
We found the bus service from both resorts quite good. (I've never bought into the posts about 'such and such resort' has great service or terrible service. We've stayed at 8 different resorts, several more than one time, and some days/weeks the service is better than others.) The busses stop at both Jambo and Kidani, but there is a pattern. When we were there at Christmas, the Downtown Disney bus stopped at Jambo first, then went to Kidani and on to DD. The park busses, stopped at Kidani first, went to Jambo, and then on to the park. Some people don't want to do the 10 min. walk from lobby to lobby, and use the busses between resorts.
Feel free to post more questions or send me a PM with other questions. I don't know as much as many people on these boards, but I know quite abit about AKL.
I doubt that you'd be able to get a value of any kind 7 months out, but you could book a standard 2 bedroom and get on a wait list for the value 2 bedroom. If it becomes available, DVC Member Services will just make the change and adjust the points automatically. If you decide to go this route, you just have to think about whether your reservation for a standard 2 bedroom will be at Jambo or Kidani since, as I noted in the othe post, there are differences.
We've always stayed in 2 bedroom lock offs, which are a 1 bedroom and adjoining studio. These, even the values, do have a full kitchen and kitchenette. I don't know whether or not the dedicated 2 bedrooms have a kitchenette. I'd like to find that out too.
We found the bus service from both resorts quite good. (I've never bought into the posts about 'such and such resort' has great service or terrible service. We've stayed at 8 different resorts, several more than one time, and some days/weeks the service is better than others.) The busses stop at both Jambo and Kidani, but there is a pattern. When we were there at Christmas, the Downtown Disney bus stopped at Jambo first, then went to Kidani and on to DD. The park busses, stopped at Kidani first, went to Jambo, and then on to the park. Some people don't want to do the 10 min. walk from lobby to lobby, and use the busses between resorts.
Feel free to post more questions or send me a PM with other questions. I don't know as much as many people on these boards, but I know quite abit about AKL.
OnWithTheShow
Member
Dedicated two bedrooms do not have a kitchenette.
dreamscometrue
Well-Known Member
Thanks. I've wondered that for awhile. Now, I know everything.:lol:
dreamscometrue
Well-Known Member
If you asked for a savannah view room (and used the 'savannah view' amount of vacation points), you could be in either building. If you asked for a value, you're in Jambo. All the values are in Jambo since they were created by converting the smallest pre existing AKL rooms into villas.
It can be confusing because all other DVC resorts were built as DVC resorts. The room sizes are consistent within a resort, and the choices you make, once you determine the size you want, all refer to the view (standard view, preferred view, savannah view, Magic Kingdom view, etc.)
This is also true at the AKL Villas, but there is this extra category called 'Value'. This category has nothing to do with the view, but the room size. In all other DVC resorts, a 1 bedroom is a 1 bedroom...same size, but do you want to look at a parking lot or pool for instance? At Jambo, a 1 bedroom for example, can be standard view, pool view, savannah view (all these are the same size) or value (size), which is smaller, but has nothing to do with the view. You could book a value and get a savannah view, while the people in another value might have a pool view. You both used the same number of points and simply booked value villas. There are so few values that I assume it didn't make sense to try to market them based on view as well. That would really confuse people.
It can be confusing because all other DVC resorts were built as DVC resorts. The room sizes are consistent within a resort, and the choices you make, once you determine the size you want, all refer to the view (standard view, preferred view, savannah view, Magic Kingdom view, etc.)
This is also true at the AKL Villas, but there is this extra category called 'Value'. This category has nothing to do with the view, but the room size. In all other DVC resorts, a 1 bedroom is a 1 bedroom...same size, but do you want to look at a parking lot or pool for instance? At Jambo, a 1 bedroom for example, can be standard view, pool view, savannah view (all these are the same size) or value (size), which is smaller, but has nothing to do with the view. You could book a value and get a savannah view, while the people in another value might have a pool view. You both used the same number of points and simply booked value villas. There are so few values that I assume it didn't make sense to try to market them based on view as well. That would really confuse people.
MT Disney Fan
New Member
I know this is old but this was exactly what I was looking for. Thanks for the info. :animwink:
dreamscometrue
Well-Known Member
Glad it helped. It's definitely a bit confusing with Jambo undergoing a conversion to create some villas, but Kidani being designed as a villa from the outset.
They're both wonderful...enjoy!
They're both wonderful...enjoy!
MT Disney Fan
New Member
We're doing the "value" 2-bedroom in Oct and February so I was looking for info. Really hoping to get a NON-parking lot view.
dreamscometrue
Well-Known Member
There are 10 value 2 bedrooms in Jambo, and all are lockoffs combining a value studio and value 1 bedroom. Of the 10 2 bedrooms, 4 have a Sunset Savannah view, 4 have a pool view (perhaps somewhat obstructed by trees ), and only 2 have a parking lot view. We got one of those 2 before, and it wasn't so bad. We could see lots of trees.
Anyway, all that to say that there is only a 20% chance that your value 2 bedroom with have a parking lot view.
), and only 2 have a parking lot view. We got one of those 2 before, and it wasn't so bad. We could see lots of trees. Anyway, all that to say that there is only a 20% chance that your value 2 bedroom with have a parking lot view.
MT Disney Fan
New Member
There are 10 value 2 bedrooms in Jambo, and all are lockoffs combining a value studio and value 1 bedroom. Of the 10 2 bedrooms, 4 have a Sunset Savannah view, 4 have a pool view (perhaps somewhat obstructed by trees
Anyway, all that to say that there is only a 20% chance that your value 2 bedroom with have a parking lot view.
Love your info!
You can't really find ANYTHING regarding the value rooms at AKL from a Google Search... however, I did find this forum and your thread.
hansel1
Member
dreamscometrue: Thank you!
We stayed in a studio standard view villa in jambo for our part of our may vacation. We enjoyed it so much we have decided to purchase points for AKV to go along with our BWV points.
Your discussion of category differences have made my life easier. Having said that, I really enjoyed the standard view of the jambo pool. Its a much better view than the standard view at BWV.
We stayed in a studio standard view villa in jambo for our part of our may vacation. We enjoyed it so much we have decided to purchase points for AKV to go along with our BWV points.
Your discussion of category differences have made my life easier. Having said that, I really enjoyed the standard view of the jambo pool. Its a much better view than the standard view at BWV.