Jambo House vs Kidani Village At Disney World’s Animal Kingdom Lodge

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is a unique resort that brings design and elements of the African savanna to guests.

And believe it or not, it’s actually split into two sections: Jambo House and Kidani Village. We’re going to compare them and see which one might be best for you!

Animal Kingdom Lodge is considered a Deluxe Resort, by Disney’s categorization, meaning it will provide top-of-the-line amenities, immersive theming, larger rooms, a range of dining options, and proximity to one or more Disney parks.

Animal Kingdom Lodge started out as just the Deluxe Resort, what we now refer to as Jambo House, and later Kidani Village was added as a Disney Vacation Club resort with accommodation options ranging from deluxe studios (which are set up similarly to a standard hotel room) all the way to a three-bedroom Grand Villa, which can sleep up to 12 guests.

And as we’ve seen with many other Deluxe resorts (like Wilderness Lodge, the Grand Floridian, and Polynesian Village), the popularity and demand of the DVC style accommodations has inspired Disney to revisit some of their resort hotels and refurbishment them into DVC-style villas. So, Jambo House originally started out with Deluxe Resort rooms, but now has DVC Villas on the 5th and 6th floor (conveniently providing amazing views of the savanna).

The resorts are side by side and connected by a walkway that is about a 7-minute walk, which can be utterly pleasant while you savor a little stroll, or completely miserable if you’re stuck in an Orlando thunderstorm or that oppressive summer heat and humidity. So that 7 minutes can feel like an eternity or a breath of fresh air — it all depends! There is also a little internal shuttle that circulates between the buildings that you can wait for if you want to avoid the weather or the walk.

And now that we’ve covered some background of this unique resort, let’s get down to the comparison! We’re going to look at six main categories:

• Rooms
• Dining
• Views
• Pools
• Shops
• Lobby

Rooms

Something to keep in mind is that Kidani Village was built to be a DVC Resort, so the floorplan, including the rooms, bathroom, kitchen, living space, and laundry facilities, were all premeditated and planned for. While the DVC accommodations at Jambo House were standard hotel rooms that were adapted to be DVC rooms. So those engineers and contractors had to work with the electrical, plumbing, and basic footprint that was already in place and squeeze DVC rooms into the already established structure.

The difference in square footage between Kidani and Jambo House rooms can vary. At Jambo House, studios range from 316-365 sq. ft. depending on room category and location within the resort. Whereas, Kidani’s studios are all listed as a solid 366 sq. ft.

The gap becomes more prominent as you move to larger villas. For example, Kidani One-Bedroom Villas are anywhere from 87-178 sq. ft. larger than those at Jambo House, and Kidani Two-Bedroom Villas have 98-228 sq. ft. more space. On average, Kidani rooms are always larger except for the Three-Bedroom Grand Villas at Jambo House that are 148 sq. ft. more than Kidani’s.

Not only do the Studios at Kidani Village offer a much larger bathroom space, One-Bedroom and larger units give guests an extra bathroom when compared to Jambo House. For example, One-Bedroom Villas have two bathrooms, and Two-Bedroom Villas have three.

Unlike Jambo House, Kidani Village has the option between Two-Bedroom Lock-offs or Dedicated Two-Bedroom Villas. For some families, a dedicated villa is valuable for the extra queen-sized bed instead of another sleeper sofa.

Jambo House offers single-story Grand Villas and only offers a Savanna View. If you’re not a fan of steps, all of the Grand Villas at Jambo House are a single-story design. It should also be noted here the balconies are huge when compared to the Kidani Grand Villas.

Jambo House also hosts the Kilimanjaro Club. So, if you’re looking to book a Concierge or Club level room, Jambo House is your only option at Animal Kingdom Lodge.

Result:

If you’re looking to stay in a DVC Villa, the edge here goes to Kidani Village, the rooms are bigger, there is often an additional bathroom in the One-Bedroom, and larger units, and a wider selection of Villa types.

If you’re looking to just book a standard room or even Concierge or Club Level room, then Jambo House might be a better fit for your needs.

Dining

Though it’s fairly easy to use the walkway or the internal shuttle to visit the eateries at both locations, each has its own dining options.

Kidani Village

Maji Pool Bar doubles as a pool bar and a quaint quick service location. You’ll find a small menu with a range of options from Spiced Pork Nachos to a Short Rib Grilled Cheese. It also has a selection of beer, soda, and fun specialty cocktails. It’s not a robust menu, but if you’re hungry, you’ll likely find something here to nosh on.

Sanaa has built up a reputation and has even become a destination dining location. African and Indian cuisine is set in a beautiful restaurant with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking an animal savanna. It offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner and is most noted for its views of the savanna and its exquisite bread service.

Jambo House

Boma is a family restaurant serving breakfast and dinner. It captures the essence of vibrant life in the African marketplace. This family-fun buffet restaurant provides guests the ability to savor the African experience, which has multicultural influences. The restaurant showcases an exhibit kitchen, wood-burning grill and rotisserie, but unlike traditional buffet lines, where you start at one end and work your way across…Boma offers “pods”. Each pod has a selection of food and generally a chef nearby to answer questions. It’s one of the most popular buffets, especially for breakfast.

Jiko is a Signature Dining option that offers fusion and African cuisine in a beautiful stylish restaurant. Flatbreads, dips, soups, salads, and creative entrees. The unique South African wine list is the largest collection of South African wine outside of South Africa! Though everything is excellent here (especially the service), the standout is the Oak-Grilled Filet Mignon.

Mara offers American and African cuisine. This quick service offering breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, beverages, wine. It provides indoor and outdoor seating. And is a great stop for a fresh sandwich, hearty soup, or those iconic Zebra Domes!

Uzima Springs Watering Hole is next to the Uzima Springs pool. This is the spot to order your favorite liquid concoction or try a specialty African libation. Numerous tables, chairs, and lounges are nearby for relaxing in the shade or sun.

Victoria Falls is a lounge located just off the lobby of the Animal Kingdom Lodge, on the 2nd floor (on the level above Boma and Jiko). The dark woods and warm lighting make it a great date spot for a drink before dinner.

Result:

Based purely on dining options, Jambo House is the clear winner. You won’t go hungry at Kidani Village, and perhaps if you’re planning to cook most of your own meals in your Villa, the dining options are a factor for you. But if amazing food just steps from your room is a deciding factor in where you stay, then Jambo House is for you!

Views

Jambo House is situated on three savannas, Arusha, Sunset, and Uzima. Kidani Village has access to two savannas, Sunset and Pembe.

Result:

Jambo has more savanna options, but Kidani was actually built in a way that provides you with a closer view of the animals. So, really, there’s no downside. Both resorts will give you amazing animal views and options.

Pools

Kidani Village has a more kid-friendly pool. Inside the Samawati Springs Pool, you’ll find a 128-foot water slide, zero-depth-entry, and the Uwanja Camp- a water playground with three different zones.

Jambo House also has a zero-depth-entry pool at Uzima. The pool doesn’t have a splash area, and the water slide is smaller. However, it is a much larger-11,000 sq ft compared to Kidani’s 4,700. It’s also more wide and open. Additionally, there is beautiful foliage surrounding the pool and lounge chairs.

Result:

This might just boil down to preference. If you have little kids, then Kidani Village is the clear winner with its super fun splash area and water slide.

Uzima at Jambo House is larger and more serene, so a better spot for relaxation for older kids and adults.

Shops

The Zawadi Marketplace at Jambo House is one of the largest hotel gift shops on property and has a great variety of souvenirs and even food and wine.

Johari Treasures has a very limited selection of merchandise and souvenirs and some basic groceries for making some quick meals in the room’s kitchens.

Result:

This one is a no-brainer. Jambo House has the better gift shop and wider selection of souvenirs and even African and Animal Kingdom Lodge specific merchandise to commemorate your stay.

Lobby

If you’ve “Googled” pictures of the Animal Kingdom Lodge lobby, then most likely, you’ve seen Jambo House. It’s large, it’s grand, it’s jaw-dropping. It’s easily comparable to the grandeur of the Grand Floridian lobby or Wilderness Lodge lobby. And it’s filled with African art and artifacts.

Kidani Village lobby is quaint and cozier. Much like the phrase you’ll hear around DVC properties, welcoming you home, Kidani Village feels like you’ve entered a home. It’s cozy and beautiful.

Result:

Again, Jambo House gets the points for that first impression. Its lobby is simply breathtaking and could take several hours to search out and take in every single detail.

But, if you want a cozier, homier welcome, then you might just like the understated beauty of Kidani Village.

Final Thoughts

Jambo takes most of the categories. It has that gorgeous lobby, all of those delicious eateries, and access to Club Level rooms, if that’s what you’re looking for.

But Kidani has larger rooms, the savannas are closer and provide more animal viewing, and the pool has the fun splash area. If you want to enjoy your room and resort — Kidani is the winner. For food and if you’re focus is visiting the parks, then Jambo is the winner for you.

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Have you stayed at Jambo House or Kidani Village? Which is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below!