First Impressions of a Disney Vacation Club Resort: Kidani Village at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
Of course we have heard of Disney Vacation Club (DVC) – it has a ton of exposure with representatives in every lobby, and advertisements everywhere. But this was the first time I had stayed at one of the DVC resorts. My BFF and I took our daughters on an all girls trip to our second “home”, Walt Disney World. This was also the first time we rented DVC points, the price being something we could not pass up. Upon arriving at Kidani Village, we had gotten a little lost so our first view of the resort was through the parking garage, which I did not care for. One of the aspects I love about Disney is avoiding the car and parking lots during my stay. So I would much rather have enjoyed driving up to the entrance and been welcomed home.
After finally finding the lobby, which I thought was lovely with beautiful hanging fixtures and seating areas, mimicking the main Animal Kingdom Lodge’s grand lobby, we were told our room was not ready so we checked our bags and headed to the parks. Rooms don’t seem to be ready very early for DVC members, as it took till late afternoon to get a text saying our room was ready. By then we were very busy at the parks, and waited till later to get to our room to unpack.
I am the primary planner for our Disney trips, setting up all the details, so was I surprised when everyone’s magic bands worked but mine! When I returned to the resort, they were very helpful in straightening the issue out, and I was thankful for their help. We finally got into our room after a long day at the parks. Even though it was late, the girls went immediately to our balcony to see our view. Even an evening view is a sight, as the Savannah is lit like a moonlit night, adding to the ambiance of a night on Safari.
Kidani Village is a HUGE resort. It goes on and on, in a horse shoe shape. We were lucky enough to have a sunset Savannah view which our girls absolutely loved. Amanda even excitedly told me “This is better than a pool view!”, and I have to agree. Every time we returned to our room, the girls or I would go to our balcony and see what was waiting for us there. Even night time can be exciting, with a sleeping giraffe, or grazing zebras. Between the birds calling, lighting and shadows, you truly can believe you are on a Safari. Although I have to add it is wonderful not to be in a tent and to have running water. What a nice feeling to experience the Savannah, without “roughing” it.
Every day our girls would go the balcony to see which animals were out there, so they could mark what they saw, on the pamphlet Disney provides of animals in the Savannah.
Kidani Village also has a wonderful pool. Although it is smaller than the main pool, the water slide is so much better! Two twists on the slide, lengthen your ride into refreshing waters. There are also a bunch of splash areas for little ones, and two hot tubs to soak in after a long day at the parks. We wore our fitbits and tracked 13 miles one day! So those hot tubs were wonderful!
I loved our stay at Kidani Village, but I have to say my favorite part was the welcoming lanterns after a long day out on safari in the parks. Walking up to the flickering lanterns one night, I told everyone to enjoy the welcoming sight, and I hope they did as much as me.
For those of you wondering about a stay in Kidani, I hope you do, as it is an incredible experience to be on safari, in the heart of Walt Disney World. I also have to add that renting through David’s Vacation Club Rentals was a breeze, and I will be doing it again.
Guest Blogger, Marnie Reynolds-Bourque is an accomplished artist who paints lovely Disney inspired scenes, as well as many other subjects. You can see her work at: http://www.artistmarnie.com
(Photos courtesy of Marnie Reynolds-Bourque)
