WL Courtyard view room warning!

[nifty48]

We booked a Courtyard View room at the Wilderness Lodge and expected to get a view of the inner courtyard which includes the main pool/rocks and stream. We checked in and went to our room (4146). I looked out the window and saw the quiet pool and the DVC Villas. This was not what I expected. I called down to the front desk and said I did not consider this a Courtyard View room. They said they could change the room for me. I was told to go back down to the front desk and they would change the room for me. When I got back to the front desk I made the comment that the last time I stayed there I had a woods view room and it was in the same area as this room was. The CM said we probably had a view of the quiet pool and that the powers that be consider it to be the second courtyard view and that’s their reasoning to assign it as a courtyard view room. He said that they (CM) are trying to get management to remove those rooms as courtyard view. I guess if you complain they change you but I have no idea what they would have done if they didn’t have a room available.

I just wanted to warn anyone who books a Courtyard View room at the Wilderness Lodge to be aware that they might not get a room overlooking the inner courtyard.

[TheRustyScupper]

. . . the powers that be consider it to be the second courtyard view and that’s their reasoning to assign it as a courtyard view room. He said that they (CM) are trying to get management to remove those rooms as courtyard view . . .

1) The CM's have complained loud and strong about rooms.
2) They have been complaining for years.
3) Examples:
. . . this is why there are so many upgrades at WL.
. . . they made many of the Standard view into Woods view.
. . . they made many of the Woods view into Courtyard view
. . . they can "upgrade" and make the gust feel like they got something
. . . the last thing was to charge for the bunk bed rooms
4) Alas, none of the complaints have meant anything.
5) The complaints fall upon deaf ears.
6) Who ever heard of a Courtyard view that faces woods or bus stops?

[Auntie]

The view of the Villa Pool...and the inner Courtyard are the same rate. Personally, we have stayed in both, and actually prefer the view of the Villa Pool.:mickey: I find it quieter, and lovely to look at with a view of the marina area. Also if you are futher back on the same outside of the U shaped resort, that is considered a woods view, as originally that's exactly what it was before the Villas were built. So, when you request a woods view, you do run the risk of having a "villa view"...and when you book a Courtyard view, you are also apt to get a Villa Pool view. Personally, we have found the Villa Pool view to be our favorite, as I just don't care for the inside courtyard view. The couple of times we've had it, we wound up with a view of the room across from us and their towels hanging over the balcony all week. I also found it to be noiser than the Villa Pool View. Now, that's just me, and since we've been staying at the WL since before the Villas were built we're pretty familiar with their views, and how they've changed over the years. I'm always pretty clear in requesting the Villa Pool View. I can see how guests that are not as familiar with the resort changes over the years would certainly expect a Courtyard view to be just that.... courtyard view of the WL..not the Villas. We've had rooms we weren't happy with a couple of times, and I've always found the staff to be very accomodating and we were moved and even upgraded. :thumbsup:

[mttafire]

The view of the Villa Pool...and the inner Courtyard are the same rate. Personally, we have stayed in both, and actually prefer the view of the Villa Pool.:mickey: I find it quieter, and lovely to look at with a view of the marina area. Also if you are futher back on the same outside of the U shaped resort, that is considered a woods view, as originally that's exactly what it was before the Villas were built. So, when you request a woods view, you do run the risk of having a "villa view"...and when you book a Courtyard view, you are also apt to get a Villa Pool view. Personally, we have found the Villa Pool view to be our favorite, as I just don't care for the inside courtyard view. The couple of times we've had it, we wound up with a view of the room across from us and their towels hanging over the balcony all week. I also found it to be noiser than the Villa Pool View. Now, that's just me, and since we've been staying at the WL since before the Villas were built we're pretty familiar with their views, and how they've changed over the years. I'm always pretty clear in requesting the Villa Pool View. I can see how guests that are not as familiar with the resort changes over the years would certainly expect a Courtyard view to be just that.... courtyard view of the WL..not the Villas. We've had rooms we weren't happy with a couple of times, and I've always found the staff to be very accomodating and we were moved and even upgraded. :thumbsup:
Agreed concerning the W.L. rooms views. We also have had no issues. Even if we did...I doubt i'd complain. Im just sooo happy to be at Disney.:thumbsup: I also agree that Disney staff is VERY accomodating when properly ask. As you can see we REALLY love W.L.!!

[mouseketeer mom]

The whole "view" thing is based on very loose terms I think. We have stayed at the WL two times. Once with a courtyard view..and yes., we were on the ground, close to the courtyard (main pool, etc..) however, we no wheres near had any kind of view. Our sliders were facing the beach, but there was a huge wall outside our door! And when we stayed in the Villas at WL, we had a woods view..but we were looking at the bus stop!!??!! Go figure. I'm in the minority here, I'm sure, but I liked facing the bus stop. I liked watching the comings and goings of everyone. I thought it was exciting. :blush:

[traceyo1]

So which type of rooms overlook the lobby?

[LibertyTreeGal]

Yikes!

I had a "woods view" at the WL and it was overlooking the lobby, right over the WCC -- in fact, it was directly over and the patio was overlooking the loading bay -- so bright and early every morning we could hear the trucks backing in -- not cool!

So from now on we are just doing standard rooms -- at least then we aren't paying extra for that kind of thing.

[Auntie]

We to had a "woods view"..it did look at some woods, but also parking lot and where the smoke house was. While I love smoked meats..the odor was quite strong and you felt as if it were a BBQ if you sat out on the balcony..we also could hear the sounds of the delivery trucks early in the morning. We went to the front desk that morning and asked if there was a different room available and they upgraded us to a Main Courtyard view. They also indicated at that time that they often give those rooms to people doing the cruise..don't ask me why? I have no idea, just repeating what was told to us. I have changed rooms a couple of times when at the Lodge because I wasn't satisfied with the view or felt it wasn't what we paid for. I don't unpack ..I go directly to the balcony and check the view first thing. Last trip we had requested a Villa Pool view, as we have had many times before, so I'm pretty familiar with where they are located. While they did give us a view of the villas..it was no where near the villa pool. When I called the front desk they were more than happy to move us down the hall further to be looking directly at the Villa Pool. However, they couldn't move the 2 rooms we had. We were traveling with my older son who booked a room of his own. They did offer to move us both to Main Courtyard views, if we wanted to stay together. They indicated that since our reservations were linked they were doing their best to keep the rooms near to one another, thereby sacraficing the view we actually wanted. When I explained that while we were traveling together it wasn't an issue if the rooms were apart(my kids are older)..they moved us right down the hall to be looking at the Villa Pool. My son was perfectly happy where he was, so he didn't bother to take them up on the option to move to the Main Courtyard view.
I have always found the staff at the WL to be extremely accomodating. I think if you are flexible and not demanding you are apt to get a bit more cooperation also.

[Crow]

i just stayed there a few wks ago and got the same thing; courtyard view was villas and quiet pool and they said it was courtyard. then i had a standard view for 1 night and i got the access road/smokehouse view w a little view of Cont & monorail. the problem is also that WL is always sold out and the Cont has less rooms w the DVC construction now. i was told the conventioneers get those rooms & families are moved to WL since its next closest.
guess it will depend on the rate if i go back even though i love the WL.

[Princess'Mom]

When we stayed at WL, our very first visit to WDW, I paid for a courtyard view and received a view of the Villa pool. Not knowing any better, we thought the view was great and actually kind of 'liked' the view better than the main courtyard! This year I requested the same floor and same view. We weren't disappointed and actually learned a few 'short cuts' to the bus stop, etc., it made our stay just that much better!
To paraphase another posting - "You're at WDW, it can't be all that bad!" :mickey:

[Auntie]

I totally agree, I much prefer the view of the Villa Pool. The view it'self is lovely, and yet we aren't on display to the rest of the resort. We too love the conveniece. We were right near the stairway that took us out to the villa pool/marina area..and right around to the main pool also, without having to walk through the entire resort to get there. Was very convenient.

[mrs.jacksparrow]

Hi!
We just got back from 7 nights at WL two days ago. I requested the CY view with the gieser and water fall. We got room 6005. We loved it. While it did not give us a direct view (had to stand up to see down below) it was fantastic and the wall gave us privacy and cut the noise out. The CM was very sweet as I was crying my eyes out at check in because I was so happy to be there! We got a first time pin for my son as well then. But I was very specific about the view I wanted when I first booked (thanks to intercot) and made sure it was on the reservation. Not sure if that helped or not. But I'm sure that I would be happy anywhere at WL what a great place.