Wilderness Lodge! Please tell me what you think and what you know

[Ms.Disney]

Ok so my DH and I have decided that we are going to stay at the Wilderness Lodge :mickey: on our next trip! I am so excited because since I was a little girl I have wanted to stay there. (I'm 22)

The only other onsite resort we have ever stayed at is POR for our honeymoon :bride: We live in Orlando and never saw the need to stay onsite but after staying at POR for our honeymoon we realized that Disney was not only going to be where we spend our free time but also where we vacation :thumbsup: (yeah were pretty sick with the Disney bug) Anyway I have a few questions.

1. Tell me about the room views, ok there is standard, woods view and courtyard. We are thinking about the woods view but I am thinking that the courtyard is breath taking is it worth the extra $30.00+ a night?

2. How are the restaurants? We are really not to picky.

3. Of course something that is very important to me......how is the gift shop? Is there more than one.

4. Please give me your opinion on the buses.

Please feel free to give me any other info or your opinion on the resort!

Thanks......I am so excited :party:

[Tygger7]

Hands down, our favorite resort we've stayed at (so far). Here's what I know:

1. Room views - Personally, I wouldn't spend the extra money for a woods or courtyard view. I'd rather spend it on food or souvenirs. :secret: The downside to the courtyard view is that if there is a lot of activity at the pool in the morning/evening, it can get noisy.

2. There are 3 restaurants: Artist Point (Signature), Whispering Canyon, Roaring Forks (CS). We LOVE Whispering Canyon and for CS, Roaring Forks is really good. We've never eaten at Artist Point, but I've heard nothing but great things about it.

3. I LOVE the gift shop at WL! It's my favorite because I like outdoorsy/camping/log cabin style stuff and they have tons of really cool shirts & nick-nacks.

I keep saying I want to try Poly, but can't bear the thought of not staying at WL. It's so relaxing, and it doesn't feel like you're in Florida. The pool is beautiful, and you can watch the electric light parade on the lake from the WL beach. There are all sorts of tips and neat facts about WL here on Intercot, so check it out! :thumbsup:

[Tygger7]

Oops! Forgot to answer one thing: buses.

You can take a bus or boat to MK. Bus only takes 5 mins, but we love taking the boat just because it's so relaxing...and it only takes 8-10 mins. We found that the bus service was excellent, and never had long waits at the WL or the parks. We stayed at POFQ previously, and the long bus rides ruined that resort for us. Longest bus ride you'll have from WL is to AK, and that takes about 20-25 mins. Most others are about 15-20 mins.

[CanadianWDWFan]

Sorry to be the negative one here. It was not our favourite Deluxe stay. While we like the look and feel of the Lodge we felt that the rooms left us feeling rather cramped. They room, with bunks, we had was small dark and rather musty smelling. We were told that there were no other rooms available, after all this was New Years Eve.

On the positive side we really enjoyed the pool and Whispering Canyon.

For the buses, we shared one with Fort Wilderness on the return trip from the Studios. To get to MK we used the boat, which is a nice change to get to MK.

As a side note to Tygger7, we LOVED our stay at the Poly, for us it fel like we were in the South Pacific on a island. The Volcano pool is IMHO one of the best pools on site. Watching Wishes from the pool is the best!

[Auntie]

The resort has a majestic feel to it. From the Italian marble in the lobby to the stream that starts indoors, and gently meanders outside eventually leading to the themed rockscaped pool area..complete with the replica geyser located on Bay Lake. It is a serene relaxing expereince. Even the music piped througout the resort is soothing. The lobby some seven stories is a wonderful, comfortable place to sit and people watch. The Roaring Forks, is a counterservice spot for a quick bit..the selections are good and reasonable. We often take our meal and eat poolside. Whispering Canyon is another dining option located in the lobby, and guests can often be heard having a good time enjoying the antics and inside jokes performed by the waitstaff. Good for at least one breakfast and a lunch/dinner option. While Artist Point is a signature restaurant located in the WL..we didn't find it worth the expense. Others will differ, I would check the menu and decide for yourself. The themed pool is lots of fun..and yet you also have the option of the quiet pool at the villas. Both locations offer hot tubs. There is a marina where you will be able to rent sea sprites, or pontoon boats. Both a lovely way to spend an afternoon. We also enjoy renting bikes, and taking the walking/bike path over to FW. Our preferred view is that of the Pool of the Villas. While this is the same rate as "Courtyard" we prefer this as opposed to the Courtyard, which we did find noisy(but that's us).
We have had many views..from standard to Courtyard, to Villa Pool. We've also had rooms with two queens, rooms with bunks. I did not find the rooms with bunks cramped..in fact they take up less floor space than the two queens. Since we usually book two rooms, we don't really have a need for bunks..and now they charge more for the bunk rooms also. I have found the rooms to be very comfortable and spacious. While we have stayed in the Beach Club..and frankly with the day bed in the those rooms..I found them to feel more cramped that those at the WL. I think the bunks may give the impression of taking more room just by their height..but if you have need for them with kids..they are an asset. You will be able to see the Electric Water Pagent nightly as it makes it rounds to the resorts located on Seven Seas Lagoon, and Bay Lake. We enjoy the water launch to the MK, and the bus system to the other parks. Transportation has never been an issue. The resort is wonderful, and we choose it because we do like to enjoy the amenties a resort offers. We have stayed Poly, Beach Club, Caribbean Beach, and the cabins in FW. WL is our favorite resort.
Hope this helps..and enjoy your stay!:mickey:

[luvdiznee]

We are staying here for the first time in September. We were going to do the Courtyard view but decided to save the extra $$$ and go with standard. Are there any good views with standard? Any rooms to request. Thanks :mickey:

[Ms.Disney]

Thank you everyone for your replies, keep'em coming :thumbsup:

[laprana]

As Auntie said, sometimes the Courtyard View rooms do not actually look out over the courtyard where the pool is. So, even if you pay the extra money for that view, there is no guarantee that you'll have a room overlooking the actual courtyard. We booked a Courtyard View room in December and got a room looking at the rooftops of the villas and the woods. It was a lovely and peaceful view, and we ended up really enjoying it. It just seemed more like a woods view to us, but the cast members assured us we were in a Courtyard View room. If you do decide to spend the extra money, be sure to have it noted on your reservation that you are requesting a room overlooking the interior courtyard. Still no guarantees, but that might help!!

We've never eaten at Artist Point, but we have eaten at Whispering Canyon Cafe and Roaring Forks. Both are very good and if you've never been to Whispering Canyon before, you definitely should make it a must do! So much fun and great food! Roaring Forks has the typical counter service fare, but it also has some more unique items like a yummy apple walnut salad and a really good turkey sandwich.

There is only one gift shop, but it is a really nice one with a good selection of items. There's even a fireplace and a rocking chair inside the shop!

We didn't use the buses when we stayed at WL because we had a rental car. But, we did take the boat to MK and it was great! We never had to wait long for a boat to arrive and the ride over was peaceful and really nice! We also took the boat to the Contemporary and hopped on the monorail to get to Epcot. I think that probably took a little longer than it would have if we had just taken the bus to Epcot, but we all love the monorail so it wasn't a big deal.

Hope all of this helps and have a wonderful trip!! :mickey:

[Princess Leia]

The WL is by far our favorite hotel and my BIL even has it as his home location through his DVC membership. My DH and I will be there in April and again in November (we're from Tampa, so Disney is our vacation spot too!) We've stayed at the All Stars, PORFQ, GF, WL and OKW, but WL is definitely our favorite. The pool is great and the overall atmosphere is inviting. I guess being a native Floridian also makes the idea of a lodge even that more intriguing!:pine:

1. Room views: I have to agree with Tygger7 about not spending the extra $$ on the view. I definitely could see spending the extra $$ somewhere else...Being a party of 2, we have never felt like the rooms were cramped or musty smelling. The beds were comfortable and our rooms have always been well kept. We actually stayed in a 2 bedroom villa once during the Christmas season and that didn't even seem cramped with the extra people. We've never needed to stay in a bunkbed room, so maybe that's why it wasn't a problem for us..

2. Restaurants: The restaurants are great. We've been to Roaring Forks and Whispering Canyon - both had good food. We haven't had a chance to get to Artist Point yet, but we'll be making ADRs for our November trip, for sure! My BIL and SIL both give it rave reviews. I personally don't consider myself a picky eater, but after having my gall bladder out, I can't do certain foods anymore, which sometimes makes it hard to find something on the menu that won't bother me. That being said, I've been able to eat at both RF and WC and never had a problem (which is definitely a plus in my book!). My DH isn't the biggest fan of WC, only because he likes a little less hoopla with his meals (he's a shy guy). That aside, we can't help but laugh every time we walk by the restaurant because you hear everyone having a good time!

3. Gift shop: I did particularly enjoy the gift shop. Good selection of gifts - I'm sure you'll find something you like.

4. Buses: We have never had a problem with buses. Longest wait was probably about 5 minutes. We've found that the bus rides are shorter than at other resorts, so that makes the transportation even better. We've used both buses and boats to get where we need to go, so transportation has never been an issue.

Hope this helps...Have a great stay! I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself! :mickey:

[chicklittlemom]

I did not find the rooms with bunks cramped..in fact they take up less floor space than the two queens. Since we usually book two rooms, we don't really have a need for bunks..and now they charge more for the bunk rooms also.

Boy, do they charge for the bunk beds! When I priced the difference between courtyard and courtyard with bunk beds, it was a huge difference.:drama:

I'm so excited...this will be our 1st visit to WL. We opted for courtyard. We've stayed at AKL with bunk beds. I'm pretty sure the layout of the room is the same as WL. And we did not find the room to be too crowded.
Enjoy your trip! :cap:

[c&d]

We've eaten at all 3 places at WL. Artist Point is one of our favorite WDW restaurants. The food has always been great and the service and the knowledge of the CM's has been excellent.

We've only eaten breakfast was Whispering Canyon, it was very good. I loved the whole skillet meal thing.

Roaring Forks, OK for a quick bite. My only problem with it, is that it's tiny compared to other food courts. I always seem to be bumping into or walking around someone whenever we eat there.

There's just the one gift shop, but I've never had a problem finding something to buy.

My only problem with the buses is that they are share with Ft. Wilderness. Other than that we never had a problem.

[baby minnie's mommy]

We also live in FL - being so far away from the midwest states I found it very cool to be able to stay at a rustic lodge hotel! I loved it!

The trees in our woods view were very close to the room, which made the room feel secluded and more closed-in. For various reasons we changed to a courtyard overlooking the pool. We enjoyed the hustle-n-bustle of the pool life, and the room felt more open and airy. The rooms were the same, it was just the view that changed. DH was very happy to pay the extra for the pool view. If you go for a courtyard, put a request in for one specifically in the main courtyard.

The gift shop was great! It had a bunch of "woodsy" and whimsical items. In the back it had a food section. The shop fits the theme very well!

We liked the counter service. It was small compared to others, but we liked the theming. Remember you can get snacks at the gift shop, too, if the counter service is real busy.

I'm excited for you! It'll be great! :thumbsup:

[senderella]

We love WL. This is our favorite resort so far. Our last room had a view of the pool which was nice in the mornings. We could eat breakfast, drink coffee, and watch the geyser on our balcony.
The rooms are a nice size. We had the queen/bunk beds. There was plenty of room.
Whispering Canyon is a great. Our kids loved it.

My husband loves the lobby. It is so cool.
The transportation is fast, boat or bus.

All around great! This would be my choice.
Have fun

[GrumpyFan]

Just a couple of extra comments to add.

We've only been here once, but IMHO, This is one of the most beautiful resorts at WDW. When you get there and step in to the grand lobby, you don't feel like you're at Disney any more, but more like a mountain lodge somewhere. They really did a fantastic job with the theming.

1) There are some rooms with a not-so good view, like on the lower level, in the back, looking at the woods, swampy looking pool out the back door. We asked to be moved and they were able to do so.

2) Whispering Canyon is loud and fun, one of our favorites.

3) Gift shop is ok - they have some exclusive items in there you can't find anywhere else in WDW.

4) Busses can be slow at times, but nothing too bad.

[Ms.Disney]

I have another WL question, I have been doing alot of reading about the resort and I can't find anything that says they have king size bed in the rooms, I keep reading about the 2 queens and the bunk beds. Seeing how it's just my husband and I we really have no use for bunk beds ;)

[MNNHFLTX]

As Auntie said, sometimes the Courtyard View rooms do not actually look out over the courtyard where the pool is. So, even if you pay the extra money for that view, there is no guarantee that you'll have a room overlooking the actual courtyard. We booked a Courtyard View room in December and got a room looking at the rooftops of the villas and the woods. It was a lovely and peaceful view, and we ended up really enjoying it. It just seemed more like a woods view to us, but the cast members assured us we were in a Courtyard View room.noted on your reservation that you are requesting a room overlooking the interior courtyard. Still no guarantees, but that might help!!
The room you got definitely sounds like it was a woods-view room, not courtyard.:confused: Courtyard rooms do overlook the main courtyard or pool, or could possibly overlook the lake and woods at the end of the building. I have heard rumors that rooms overlooking the quiet pool near the villas are also being categorized at courtyard now--was that the case in your situation?

Anyway, back to the original questions. I would splurge for the courtyard view at least once, if you've never done it before. Just make sure and request that you don't get an enclosed dormer balcony (which is part of the roofline on the 7th floor), as you have to stand at the balcony to see the view below.

We've never eaten at Artist Pointe, but it looks like it would be a nice place for a dinner for two. Whispering Canyon is also a fun place to eat, with lots of activity going (and lots of noise sometimes!) Unless you like to eat a lot of meat, I would caution against ordering the skillet dinner. It's just way too much meat, too much food period, for one meal! They do have an ala carte menu also, which has some very good options (love the western chicken pasta!)

We never had any problems with bus service that I can remember. The boat service over to Magic Kingdom is a fun way to get there, especially in the morning, but you might want to avoid it in the evenings after the park has closed. We found the line very long and it didn't seem like they had a lot of boats in service.

As far as king beds, I'm pretty sure there are some rooms with them, but they are probably few and far between. If this is very important to you, make sure and list it as the first request when you make a reservation and try to check in as early as possible on the day you arrive (since you live in the area, hopefully that's possible).

Having lived in Florida myself, I think you will appreciate the Northwest ambience of the Wilderness Lodge. It offers a chance to escape from palm trees and Mediterranean architecture for a little while! :mickey:

[garymacd]

WL is our favourite resort. We haven't stayed at any of the other Deluxe resorts, but WL seems to speak to us on a cultural, emotional and visceral level. I don't know what it is, maybe the trees.

We love Whispering Canyons for a good meal and great fun. For a quick breakfast, Roaring Forks is great. If only they served beignets...

Just as well. If they did, we would have one less reason to stay at French Quarter.

[laprana]

The room you got definitely sounds like it was a woods-view room, not courtyard.:confused: Courtyard rooms do overlook the main courtyard or pool, or could possibly overlook the lake and woods at the end of the building. I have heard rumors that rooms overlooking the quiet pool near the villas are also being categorized at courtyard now--was that the case in your situation?

Our room didn't overlook the quiet pool at the villas, at least not that we could see. But there were quite a few trees so maybe it was there and we just couldn't see it? :confused: Pretty much all we saw were trees and parts of the villas' rooftops. We asked 2 different CMs and they both said our room was considered courtyard. I guess Courtyard View is anything that looks at the villas now?

[Auntie]

Yep..that's right. It USED to be that it overlooked the main courtyard...don't be fooled, now they are claiming that a view looking at the VWL courtyard is also a Courtyard view.
This is what happened to us last May. I prefer a view of the Villa Pool...which was always the same rate as the main Courtyard view. I've had this view...maybe 5 times. So I'm familiar with it, and requested it for our trip last May. Got to the rooms(we had two of them) and found it wasn't quite far enough down the outer U of the resort to be looking at the Villa Pool, but rather a Villa Courtyard. I called the front desk immediately. They explained to me at first that it was a "courtyard view..of the Villa Courtyard". I explained in a very nice way, that I've stayed at the resort many times and this was not the view I felt I paid for.(At one time this was considered the same rate as a woods view..as it was just that.. before the Villas were built..and we we used to request it). Then they said that they were trying to keep the two rooms together, and that's why I wasn't actually looking at the Villa Pool..but more a view of the courtyard past the pool. They saw the reservations were linked..and the last names were the same. The assumption,she said, was that we were putting kids in the other room. I told her it was my 27 year old son who had the linked reservation to ours! I was pretty sure he was "okay" being on his own! LOL ! The rooms did not have to be located next to one another.
She indicated that she did have one room further down the outer U that did overlook the Villa Pool(as I requested) but not two. I took the room, and she offered my son a view of the Main Courtyard, ...he is pretty flexible and stayed exactly where he was. Also the main Courtyard was being painted..and it wasn't all that lovely. The painters and scaffolds were on the balconies. He stayed put. I still didn't feel that the room he stayed in should be charged a Villa Pool View/Courtyard view rate. I know for a fact these rooms used to be booked as woods view. It would appear the only woods view rooms are now on the opposite side of the resort looking at ...well...the woods! To consider the view of the Villas..while perfectly lovely...a Courtyard view is a rip off. However, they are doing just that. I was glad I called, and nicely..but firmly requested the view for which I felt I paid for.

[brertosh]

We have planned our first trip to WDW this June and selected WL to stay. It reminds me so much of The Grand Californian at Disneyland. I am so excited to be staying there and all your comments about the resort make it so much better. I cant wait. I heard something about a trail that has hidden mickeys. Everything about the WL sounds amazing. Only 90 more days....

[ParkMan]

We loved the WL. It's definitely one of our favorites.

We got upgraded to a courtyard view and LOVED it. It's a small thing, but we enjoyed sitting on the balcony watching the geyser go off. If the money isn't a "big" concern, I'd do it at least once.

We liked the options for dinner. One of our most memorable WDW dinners was at the Artist's Point. We liked the variety of choices. We ate in the hotel several times.

I don't remember that the buses were any better or worse than the other hotels. Doing it again, I'd definitely take a boat over the bus when going to the MK.

I'm not sure if they still do it or not, but I'd see if you can sign up for the flag raising ceremony. You get to climb on top of the hotel. We did it, and it was a neat memory from our trip.

While the rooms are a bit smaller than other deluxe resorts, I don't remember them being small for the two of us.

Have fun!

[Figaro0826]

Well my dear we have allot in common we also spent our honeymoon at POR August of 2006.

We stayed at the Wilderness lodge for a four day trip for our first anniversary. Well you know what they say.......... You will get hooked.
There was just a "feel" about this place that can't be described without writing a novel. You really feel like you are the in the great woods.
Very quiet and serene. Unlike the paino bar at POR.

Give these guys a try you will love it , we are going back next sept for anniversary trip.


Most of all have fun!

[GrmGrninGost]

WL is my most favorite of all WDW resorts! :mickey: It is so beautiful and peaceful! It's like coming home when I walk into the lobby. Not sure if it's worth the extra money for a courtyard view, at least not for us. We spend very little time at the resorts. If you are planning on spending a lot of time relaxing around the resort, it may be worth it! The restaurants are great. We like WC a lot and Roaring Forks is very good. I would love to try Artists Point. I hear very good things about it! They only have one gift shop, but it has a nice selection. As far as transportation, we use the boat when possible. It's a lot of fun when the weather cooperates! The bus service is pretty good, but like all the resorts, things can get crowded when the parks close!

[pink]

1) The courtyard view is definitley stunning. It's great to be able to look at the pool and at night there is some water pagent thing that goes by on the lake and that is always nice to watch. However, I have nothing to compare it to because we've only ever stayed in a courtyard view.

2) We never went to any of the restaurants when we stayed there because we had young kids with us but we did eat at the counter service place near the lobby and it was usually pretty quiet unless it was dinner time. Food was average.

3) I believe that there was only one gift shop. It was a good size and it had a lot of wilderness type merchandise.

4) We've stayed there a few times and never had too many problems with the buses. It was pretty average compared to all of the Disney resorts we've stayed at. The only buses that took a long time to come was for MGM. However, it was nice to have the option to take the boat to MK and the boats usually came fairly quickly.

I hope you have a great time at the WL. :mickey:

[mrsgaribaldi]

We stayed there once in 2003 maybe. The room was nice. We didn't book any particular view and when we got there, they said they had upgraded us. We had a beautiful room with a balcony over looking the quiet pool. We could see the water to the left.
We didn't eat at any of the restaurants. We did get drinks and appetizers in the bar and they were delicious.
We rent a car so we didn't use the buses at all. We took the boat once to the MK but it was freezing!!!! It was Feb 8 and everyone on the dock was bundled up and huddled together to stay warm.:mickey:
Two things I really didn't like. As with all the deluxes, if you have a car you end up having to park very far away and taking a long hike. Normally this is not a problem but after walking all day in the parks who wants to walk more at the hotel?? I find the parking is much better at the moderates and even Pop Century. Then they had a blackout scheduled in the middle of the night. Not a problem for others I'm sure. It wasn't hot so that wasn't a concern. But I can't sleep without the TV and a fan. As soon at the electricity went off I jumped uo wide awake. DH went to complain and I think they might have credited us for the night, I know they did something. :blush:
So it was nice but I'm not in any rush to go back. The Poly is my favorite deluxe anyway:D

[Ms.Disney]

You guys are getting me even more excited! We are thinking about staying 7 days instead of 5:mickey: Everyone has been such a big help. I never took into consideration that with the courtyard view it could be a little loud from all the hustle and bustle from the pool. I think we will stick with the woods view. We enjoy peace :thumbsup:

[MNNHFLTX]

I never took into consideration that with the courtyard view it could be a little loud from all the hustle and bustle from the pool. I think we will stick with the woods view. We enjoy peace :thumbsup:Just a word of advice--if you do go for woods view, make sure and request a room that is not overlooking the loading dock in the back of the hotel. They are not very quiet early in the mornings when deliveries are coming in and the garbage is being taken away. And if you find they've assigned you a room there when you check in, ask to be moved. :)

[A Big Kid]

It is our favorite resort.

When walking into the lobby, the grandness of it creates such a huge space as it never seems crowded. That is relaxing to me. There are lots of nooks and crannies that offer hide-a-ways.

The Electrical Water Pagent passes by at night offering an extra attraction.

There is a pleasant walk to Ft. Wilderness campground giving access to the Hoop Dee Doo or the Trail's end buffet.

Boat launches go to the Conty and the MK.

[Ms.Disney]

Just a word of advice--if you do go for woods view, make sure and request a room that is not overlooking the loading dock in the back of the hotel. They are not very quiet early in the mornings when deliveries are coming in and the garbage is being taken away. And if you find they've assigned you a room there when you check in, ask to be moved. :)

Thanks for the tip! I am saving it to a text file marked WL so I will not forget:thumbsup:

[PEA_Swe]

WL is a true magical resort.
The service and the theming is top notch.

Due to the location (by itself) it's like a world of its own, and that adds to the whole concet I think.

1. We got a room on the sixth (top) floor with a courtyard view. Absolutely marvellous view, and you avoid any noise from the pool area.

2. Roaring Forks - OK for a quick bite, but nothing more. We used it for breakfast, but honestly - you can get better breakfast solutions at food courts in for example All Stars.
Whispering Canyon is an experience that you shouldn't miss. It's great fun and good food (on the heavier side).
Artist Point is high class. We didn't get the best service when we were there, but the food is still really something. I still can remember their cobbler.... :cloud9:

3. Gift shop is good, some items you can't find in any other Disney shops. The service is superb, even if I think in Disney terms.

4. Bus transportation works great. Be sure to use the boats to get to MK. To walk down to the boat landing in the morning is so beautiful.


Make sure that you reserve time to explore the resort. You can very well spend half a day just walking around. Take a stroll on the different floors overlooking the lobby and look at all the paintings and decorations.

And there is one very magical thing about WL - the smell. When you enter the lobby - stop for a while and close your eyes. There is a smell of trees...... :cloud9:

[FlaTinkRAMESAM]

We only stayed there for 2 nights back in September, but it has been one of my most favorite memories of Disney. It is just a gorgeous and serene resort. It is Disney and magical and all that fun stuff but a peaceful escape from all the craziness the parks can exude at the same time. My daughter loved it (she was only 2.5 at the time) and we both enjoyed the pool. We had a woods view on the 5th floor and we were able to see Wishes from our room, which was very cool also! The buses were great--we never had any issues and never waited more than 5 minutes for a bus. We only ate at the quick service place, but the food was great. Everyone at the resort was extremely helpful and super nice. They really made the stay even more enjoyable. I am hoping, once finances permit, we can stay there again and for longer. For now, it is values and mods, but it's a trip to Disney either way!!!