Kidani Village at Disney's Animal Kingdom Debuts New Accommodations

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. May 18, 2009

MAY 18, 2009 Adventurous families will be surrounded by the wonders of the wild with the opening of Kidani Village at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge. Kidani Village serves as phase two of Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas, a Disney Vacation Club resort, and the newest addition to Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge.

"We are entering a new era with Kidani Village at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, as it's the first of four new properties opening this year," said Jim Lewis, President of Disney Vacation Club. "Disney Vacation Club continues to provide value for the vacation dollar as families desire to spend meaningful time together and to build a lifetime of memories by vacationing in ways they never dreamed possible."

With studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom accommodations to choose from, members and guests at Kidani Village are able to take advantage of many of the comforts of home, such as kitchens, living areas and more, while also viewing a variety of African animals roaming the savanna from the balconies of many rooms. Each vacation villa features custom-made furnishings and d'ecor that reflect the natural and animal influences of the continent.

Jambo House, which includes 109 remodeled two-bedroom equivalent accommodations on the fifth and sixth floors of Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, opened in July 2007, and is considered phase one of Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas. The first rooms of Kidani Village opened May 1, 2009, with the remaining rooms scheduled for a fall 2009 opening. Upon its completion, Kidani Village is planned to include 340 two-bedroom equivalent vacation villas, for a total of 449 two-bedroom equivalent accommodations at Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas.

Kidani Village offers convenient transportation throughout the Walt Disney World Resort. Because select Disney Deluxe Villas are part of the accommodations mix, Kidani Village joins the 23 other Disney owned-and-operated resorts that may be booked by overnight guests. Guests can call 407/W-DISNEY for general resort reservations.

The opening of Kidani Village includes new additions to the resort, such as Sanaa, a new 150-seat, table-service restaurant. Its unusual name, pronounced "sah-NAH," is the Swahili word for "artwork." Facing the resort's Sunset Savanna, Sanaa features interiors inspired by African art and allows diners to experience "the art of African cooking with Indian flavors." Open for lunch and dinner, Sanaa may be booked by DVC members and by overnight guests through 407/WDW-DINE. An adjacent 24-seat lounge serves African wines, beer and spirits.

Other highlights included at Kidani Village at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge:

• Samawati Springs Pool, a themed pool area, and Uwanja Camp, a themed water-play area, offer new ways to cool off. Samawati Springs Pool, Swahili for the color azure, is a zero-depth entry pool with a 128' slide and two whirlpool spas. Uwanja Camp is divided into three zones, base camp, the departure zone and the observation station, each designed with its own character and age-specific activities. The adventure begins in the departure zone, designed for kids ages 5-7, while the observation station is geared for kids ages 4 or younger. Finally, base camp gets kids ages 8 or older in on the splashing.

• Survival of the Fittest, the new fitness center, features treadmills, bicycles, stair climbers and limited free weights. Additional recreation amenities include a basketball half-court, a shuffleboard court and two lighted, hard-court tennis courts located in the sports courts area. Plus, members and guests may utilize Zahanati Massage & Fitness Center, located inside Jambo House, which also features spa services.

• Johari Treasures, a merchandise shop, offers items such as logo and character merchandise, plush toys, sundries, books and magazines, snack items, beer and wine, and a limited selection of grocery items.