Daffy Does Disney – Experiencing Sanaa


The last big event of my weekend with friends at Walt Disney World was a new dining experience (for me) at Kidani Village in the Animal Kingdom Lodge, called “Sanaa.” It is a fusion restaurant that incorporates elements of both Indian and African cuisine and has the added bonus of being directly adjacent to the savannah, where animals like giraffes roam freely. If you eat at Sanaa early enough in the day you’re pretty likely to get a glimpse of these animals while you dine. Our reservation time changed a few times, both during the planning phase of our trip and in the days and hours leading up to the actual meal. We had very little trouble in making this happen because for some reason Sanaa just isn’t as widely popular as you’d think it would be. Maybe people are intimidated by the exotic menu or maybe they just don’t want to hitch it all the way over to Kidani Village for their meal. Whatever the reason is, their loss can be your gain, because this is easily in the top third of table service restaurants I’ve experienced at Walt Disney World. Check it out if you can!

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lebeau
Admin
7 years ago

Looks delish. When we stayed at AKL, the DVC expansion wasn’t built yet so Sanaa wasn’t there. We did eat at Boma and Jiko which were very good, but I have heard good things about Sanaa. I don’t recall having that nice of a view at either of the other restaurants, but it was so long ago who can remember. I’d have had to order a different dessert though. I am not a fan of tapioca. It’s a texture thing. My main question would be, was it worth taking the time out of your day to leave the park and… Read more »

lebeau
Admin
7 years ago
Reply to  daffystardust

The thing about resort days is that while they don’t get less expensive, they are going to cost the same whether you split the trip into two or not. If you take two weekend trips, it will actually cost more because weekends are more expensive than week days. But you still run into that “consecutive days burn-out” factor where you are paying for days in which you might not feel all that excited about going to the parks anymore. The first day or two of a trip is usually when everyone is enjoying it the most. Day five or six,… Read more »

lebeau
Admin
7 years ago
Reply to  daffystardust

The pricing is absurd, but it’s typical of a character buffet. Your list includes relatively few of them whereas my dining experience includes quite a few. It may not be fair to compare these meals against proper sit-down meals (non-buffets). The primary appeal of these experiences is the characters. Disney knows this which is why they can get away with jacking up the prices year after year. Comparing apples to apples, the food at Crystal Palace was significantly better than the dinner buffet at Chef Mickey’s. Better interior atmosphere as well. The question is, do you want to meet the… Read more »

lebeau
Admin
7 years ago
Reply to  daffystardust

Walking away from your table at a character meal is a risky proposition! If you miss a character because you were getting food, they won’t be back until they have completed the cycle all over again which may take an hour. If you want to see every character (and you paid for it, so you definitely want to), you could end up waiting around even after everyone has finished their meal. For this reason, a “family style” meal or a meal with a plated entree is preferable. You will find these at Cinderella’s Royal Table, Akershus Royal Banquet Hall and… Read more »

lebeau
Admin
7 years ago
Reply to  daffystardust

I certainly wouldn’t want Disney to police that sort of thing, but I tend to step aside if I can add a little magic to a kid’s day at the parks, even if it’s a kid I don’t know. I have done it in lines for m&g and I have also done it at parades. Like I said before, that’s just me. I don’t expect others to make the same decision, but especially when it comes to m&gs I can get annoyed. I don’t express it in any way, but I have to wonder what they are thinking. I certainly… Read more »

lebeau
Admin
7 years ago
Reply to  daffystardust

There’s not a single thing in this comment that I disagree with.

lebeau
Admin
7 years ago
Reply to  daffystardust

At some point you might want to consider an annual pass. I know the prices got hiked up something fierce this year. But with hotel discounts, the math might work out if you continue to go this frequently. We have been in April and it is indeed busy. There really isn’t a slow season any more as you know. The Spring Break season is busier than usual, but with proper planning it is easily manageable. We never waited in any long lines during our Spring Break visits. Where you felt it was parades, fireworks, shuttles and counter service meals. But… Read more »

lebeau
Admin
7 years ago
Reply to  daffystardust

The conventional wisdom is 10 days over two trips and you’re probably better off with the pass. It’s been several years since I actually did the math for myself. Hotel discounts can cut some time off that if you stay in the deluxe or moderate accommodations, but I hear the discounts aren’t what they used to be. Five minutes sounds about right for the walk to the bus station. We didn’t make that walk, but I know they have a bus station at the back of the hotel for those guests. The longest walk was from the main building to… Read more »

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