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Kidani Village at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Debuts Wild New Adventure in Resort Accommodations

Largest-Ever Gathering of ‘American Idol’ Winners Joins in Premiere of Attraction at Walt Disney World

Disney's Favorite Pixie, Tinker Bell, Introduces Magic Kingdom Guests to Her New Fairy Friends

Adventurous families are surrounded by the wonders of the wild at 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 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 savannah from the balconies of many rooms. Each vacation villa features custom-made furnishings and décor 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 remaining rooms of Kidani Village are 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 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 Savannah, 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-foot 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.

Following the opening of Kidani Village, the Treehouse Villas at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort and The Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa are all scheduled to open in 2009. In Hawai‘i, a new family-friendly destination on O‘ahu is planned to include traditional hotel rooms and vacation villas dedicated to Disney Vacation Club with an anticipated opening date in 2011.

Thursday’s grand premiere, at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, was attended by all seven winners of the series, from season-one winner Kelly Clarkson to season-seven champion David Cook. Joining Cook and Clarkson were Jordin Sparks (season six), Taylor Hicks (five), Carrie Underwood (four), Fantasia Barrino (three) and Ruben Studdard (two).

More than two dozen Idol stars – winners and finalists from the first seven seasons – plus judge Paula Abdul and TV show host Ryan Seacrest arrived by celebrity motorcade, rolling down Hollywood Boulevard to the cheers, applause and snapping cameras of Disney’s Hollywood Studios guests. Thursday’s gala had all the glamour of a Hollywood opening. Cook treated the supercharged audience with a performance of his popular hit, “Light On,” and after Underwood performed her hit, “All-American Girl,” the pair brought down the house by teaming up for a first-ever duet, singing “Go Your Own Way,” the Fleetwood Mac hit. The premiere even had a “red carpet” -- except the carpet was appropriately blue in celebration of the “American Idol” color scheme.

That color scheme and, in fact, the look of the attraction is similar to the actual TV show set. “The American Idol Experience” was developed by Walt Disney Imagineering in conjunction with FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME) and 19 TV Ltd. and is based on the smash-hit television show “American Idol.” The 1,000-seat indoor theater features twirling neon signs and a multi-layered backdrop inspired by the actual “American Idol” set in California.
The attraction is designed to immerse park guests in the authentic feel of a live television production, with some guests 14 or older auditioning to take the spotlight onstage, while fellow guests cheer them on from the audience and vote for their favorite singer with instant results. Audition slots are limited and interested guests are encouraged to arrive early.

Performers with the highest votes during preliminary shows return for a high-energy grand finale show that same evening. After their encore performances, one is voted the day’s top singer.

In addition to their new-found theme park fame, the top vote-getter at the finale show receives “The American Idol Experience” Dream Ticket, which allows an eligible holder to schedule a front-of-the-line audition to a future regional audition for the “American Idol” television show. Feb. 14 is the grand opening of the attraction.

Disney's Favorite Pixie, Tinker Bell, Introduces Magic Kingdom Guests to Her New Fairy Friends

To celebrate the animated film "Tinker Bell," Disney's most famous fairy and four of her best friends are featured in a meet-and-greet experience in Mickey's Toontown Fair at Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort.

To meet Tinker Bell and her fairy friends, guests enter a magical forest called "Pixie Hollow," a special place deep in the heart of Never Land.

Tinker Bell, made famous in the 1953 Disney animated classic "Peter Pan," for her "hostess" role in Disney television specials and for "flying" above the Disney theme parks, is joined inside Pixie Hollow by four fairy friends: Fawn, an animal fairy; Iridessa, a light fairy; Rosetta, a garden fairy; and Silvermist, a water fairy.

In addition to meeting the Fairies at Magic Kingdom, guests can learn more about the Disney Fairies at disneyfairies.com.

And if Tinker Bell doesn't "ring a bell" or jog a memory, here are some "fun fairy facts" about the sprightly pixie:

Tinker Bell debuted at Walt Disney World Resort in 1971, as the classic attraction Peter Pan's Flight opened in Fantasyland. The beloved attraction immerses guests in the "Peter Pan" story as passengers board flying pirate ships bound for Never Land.

Tinker Bell began "flying" from high atop Cinderella Castle in 1985. Since then, she has taken her flight thousands of times to light the sky with magical fireworks.

Tinker Bell made her Walt Disney World parade debut in 2007.

Tinker Bell merchandise continually ranks among the top sellers of character-based merchandise at Walt Disney World Resort.