What to request at Kidani?

[amym2]

I've reserved a 2bdrm standard view and a studio standard view for Kidani for our October trip. I'll request that the rooms be near each other. My parents will be with us and they are both mobile, but my mom has had knee problems recently (surgery next month, so hopefully she'll be fixed up by then) and struggles a bit with long walks. Where is the Kidani bus stop located? Where should I request for room locations so we don't have to walk too far at the end of the day?

 

[rapunzels]

I would ask to be on the main floor (2nd floor?) near the lobby. There is only 1 bus stop, that is near the lobby. If you have not been to Kidani, you don't know yet, but the hallways are L O N G. Being near the lobby, even if you are on a different floor, but above the area near the lobby, will help with how far you will have to walk.

 

[drusba]

If walking is issue and you want to be near both lobby and bus stop, request room close to Community Hall. CH is on the south wing, second floor, near the lobby (which is also on second floor) and the door that exits nearest the bus stop.

 

[rapunzels]

Yes! Community Hall! That's the name. I could not remember. 2 visits ago, we got the Savannah room that was the first door closest to the exit to the buses. I felt like the bus was dropping me at my doorstep. In all of my years going to Disney, this was the best room ever for convenience. Closest walking distance I ever had to a bus, and 1-2 minute walk to the lobby for a refill for my refillable cup. It was great.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Just be aware that you may not get your requests. Unfortunately, I requested near the lobby, and main floor. I got neither-being in the 7th pod, I was as far away as possible, I think. They offered to move me a little closer, but it was way upstairs, and the only reason I'd booked Kidani instead of Jambo was to be closer to the level of the animals. But I'll return to Jambo next time.

 

[amym2]

Great, thanks for the suggestions! My only concern with being near the lobby is noise. Are those rooms noisier due to people getting off buses and getting to their rooms, kids in the community hall, etc?

I know that a request is a request and can't be guaranteed, but it can't hurt to ask (and not be disappointed if we don't get it). We had good luck with a request at Aulani, so hopefully that will be the case at Kidani.

 

[rapunzels]

I did not notice any noise from that great location that I was at.. and I am one of those people that notice unnecessary noises. The rooms are all located inside a main building. Our room happened to be a savannah room, so I was not on the side of the building that would have a window, that could possibly hear buses or other road noises. But as far as people in the hallways, it was not bothersome at all. The rooms are separated just enough, to not actually be right at the lobby.

I will say as far as requests go, on our last trip, we asked to be near the lobby 2nd floor, and we were still placed half way around the semi circle hallway. In the future I will ask to go up a floor rather than down the hallway to be close to the lobby. I decided I would rather go up and be above the area I want, instead of further down the hall.

The only good thing about being at the end of the other end of the long hallway is if you are planning on walking to Jambo for the restaurants, or use those pools instead. But if you are near the lobby area, and walking is an issue, and you want to go to Jambo, you can wait for the shuttle. If you are going to the pool at Kidani, you will have to go by the Kidani lobby to get there.

 

[Paticake]

Thanks for the info. I am booking Kidani this week for Nov. This will be our first time at Kidani. We are booking a 2bdrm Savanna view room.

 

[ElizabethG]

It would be safer to just request being close to the lobby. If you also request a specific floor, they may just move you further down the hall on that floor. My inlaws were with on our last trip. I requested close to lobby. We were placed two floors up, but not far from the center of the bldg. It was a quick trip from the lobby, up the elevator, to our room.

 

[Ellester]

We were in 7604 which was the very first room off the lobby. My mom also has some mobility issues and we requested a room need the lobby but when we checked in they assigned us a room half way around the resort. My mom went back to the desk and asked for a closer location and they were able to put us in 7604. It was super convenient. We did hear a little noise in the living room, but it was quiet in the bedrooms. I don't remember any big noise issues at all. We were steps from the desk and had a great view of the savannah from our balcony.