Jambo House and Kidani Village at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas: What is the Difference?

When staying at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas, guests can be secured into one of two buildings: Jambo House or Kidani Village. If you have a preference for one building over the other, please let us know in Step 2C of your reservation request form, as once your reservation has been secured, your building cannot be modified.

One question we receive a lot is, “What is the difference between Jambo House and Kidani Village?” Well, today, we will dive into the differences and similarities between each building.

First, let’s talk about the rooms offered. Both buildings offer Studio Villas, One Bedroom Villas, Two Bedroom Villas, and Three Bedroom Grand Villas. However, only the Value Accommodations and Club Kilimanjaro Level Villas are offered at Jambo House. Standard View and Savanna View are offered at both Kidani Village and Jambo House.

All Two Bedroom Villas at Jambo House are Lock-Off Layout, meaning they will consist of an adjoining Studio Villa and One Bedroom. Kidani Village Two Bedroom Villas will offer Dedicated Layouts, which will have two queen beds in the second bedroom, and Lock-Off Layouts.

Also, at Kidani Village, the One Bedroom Villas will offer two full bathrooms, and the Two Bedroom Villas will have three full bathrooms, compared to only one full bathroom in the One Bedroom Villas and two full bathrooms in the Two Bedroom Villas at Jambo House. The Studio Villas will have one full bathroom, and the Three Bedroom Grand Villas will have four full bathrooms regardless of the building.

Similarities between villas offered at both buildings are that all One Bedroom Villas, Two Bedroom Villas, and Three Bedroom Grand Villas will have in-suite laundry and a full kitchen, while the Studio Villas will have a kitchenette and free access to the laundry facilities within the resort.

If you are looking to secure a Savanna View Villa, the animals you will see will vary depending on where your room is located within the resort. At Kidani Village, you can see the animals that roam on the Pembe Savanna and Sunset Savanna, and at Jambo House, you can see the animals that roam on the Sunset Savanna, Arusha Savanna, and Uzima Savanna.

From the Pembe Savanna, you can see nyala, impala, waterbuck, spur-winged geese, ground hornbill, red river hogs, and okapi – a favorite in our office! You can find giraffes, zebra, ostrich, wildebeests, and more on the Sunset Savanna. On the Arusha Savanna, giraffes, Ankole cattle, zebras, and wildebeests can be spotted, as well as other animals. The Uzima Savanna, located right next to the Uzima Springs pool, will house Giraffe, Impala, Kudu, Bongo, and some other animals!

Most of the Savannas also have a lookout point where you can see the animals roaming around during the day and even sometimes at night! You do not have to be staying at the resort to come and visit the animals, so this can be a great activity if you plan to do some resort hopping!

Jambo House has the Uzima Springs Pool, where guests can see animals as they lounge poolside and zip down a 67-foot water slide. Here, you can find the Uzima Springs Pool Bar, where you can grab drinks and snacks for your pool day.

Kidani Village has the Samawati Springs Pool, which features Uwanja Camp, a water playground with three zones, each tailored to a different age group. The Observation Station is geared towards children ages four and under, where they can climb through cargo crates, unscramble animal images, and splash through a gentle geyser and shallow pool. The Departure Zone is for kids ages five to seven, where they can play around under a leaky water tower and get sprayed by African irises. For kids ages eight and up, head over to Base Camp, where you can have fun with the water canons.

You can find the Maji Pool Bar at Samawati Springs Pool, where guests can fill up their reusable mugs, as well as order other refreshments and meals.

Both pools have poolside activities throughout the day, so be sure to check your activities calendar when you check in to see what activities are running and when. 

And last but not least, dining options! 

Jambo House has the only full-time, quick service option offered between the two buildings, The Mara. However, if you are staying at Kidani Village, you can also order some meals from the Maji Pool Bar and get Grab-and-Go options to take back to your room from Johari Treasures. Zawadi Marketplace at Jambo House will also have sundries available for purchase. 

Sanaa at Kidani Village offers two different dining experiences: Kuamsha Breakfast (7:30 am—11:30 am), a casual quick-service offering that does not require reservations, and a table-service experience for lunch (11:30 am—3:00 pm) and dinner (5:00 pm—9:30 pm), featuring African cooking with Indian flavors. Reservations are highly recommended for lunch and dinner.

Boma- Flavors of Africa at Jambo House is an all-you-care-to-enjoy buffet-style meal offered for both breakfast (7:30 am – 11:30 am) and dinner (5:00 pm – 9:30 pm) seatings. 

Jiko – The Cooking Place, also located at Jambo House, is a Signature Dining experience featuring vibrant spices, crackling wood-burning ovens, and boutique South African wines. It is only open for dinner (5:00 pm – 9:30 pm). 

There are three lounges throughout the resorts: Cape Town Lounge and Wine Bar and Victoria Falls Lounge, both at Jambo House and Sanaa Lounge at Kidani Village. You can purchase drinks, snacks, and appetizers at these locations. 

While there are some differences between Jambo House and Kidani Village, there are just as many similarities, such as both having fitness facilities, pools, animal look-outs, sundry locations, and activities. Guests staying at Animal Kingdom Villas can access all amenities offered at both Jambo House and Kidani Village. 

We hope this information helps you distinguish the differences between the two buildings offered at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas! If you have any specific questions regarding something that was not addressed here, please reach out to our team, and they will be more than happy to answer them! We can be reached seven days a week from 9 to 5:30 pm EST at 800-610-5791, via e-mail at team@dvcrequest.com, or via the live chat on our website. 

~Taycee