Is WL worth it??

[rbolbach]

OK, we are planning our WDW vacation. Our children will be 2 and 4 when we are there. We are stuck between POFQ and WL. My question: Is the extra thousand dollars worth it for the WL? I am having a hard time deciding. I myself feel drawn to the WL because it seems so rustic and cozy--but I really want this experience to be great for the kids, as it will probably be another 2-3 years before we return. We don't mind spending the extra money if it really is worth it. We want to do Disney right!! Any advice would be great. You all really seem to know your stuff. I'd be lost if I didn't find this board!!!
TIA
Gina

 

[G8r4evr]

What views are you comparing at each resort and how long is your stay. $1,000 more for 3 nights is alot, but for 7 nights...not so much =)

 

[WildernessBride]

Yes, absolutely. My husband and I were married there and just took our kids there for the first time in June. There is a certain magic about WL that the other resorts just don't have. From Artist's Point to the lobby to the pool and other amenities it is just a magical experience. I think th e extra money is worth it and WL will make your vacation complete.

 

[rbolbach]

We will be staying for 7 nights. Here are our thoughts:

WL pros-- boat to MK, everything under one roof, well reviewed restaurants, amazing theming

WL cons- more expensive, a little too much like home,(we can be in northern Michigan in less than half a day and get the same rustic feeling), pool looks rather small and not as colorful and exciting.

POFQ pros- Upbeat and new scenery (Louisianna is a long way from home), has a sister resort with a choice of two very well themed pools, lots of nice walking areas with Riverside, boat to downtown

Cons- further walks, only transportaion to MK by bus, no sit down restaurant on site

Oh geez--this is a hard decision!!!

 

[G8r4evr]

So thats about $142 extra night...is that for couryard view, or standard?? That is a tough call!!!!

I have never stayed at WL before either, so I am in the middle of making a similar decision. =)

 

[klinlin]

We choose the WL when my boys were 2 1/2 and 4. I would not describe my taste as "rustic," but I thought you couldn't beat the location for the price. We all ended up loving the Lodge! The lobby is incredible,and we found all of the staff to be amazing. We had a courtyard view and my boys loved looking at the pool and geyser every morning. They loved the pool and the slide, and it wasn't too overwhelming for them. The boat to MK is very convenient as you can wheel the stroller right on. You have to fold the stroller up to get on the Contemporary boat, but it gives you a ton of dining options. We loved it so much, I booked it again for Thanksgiving. But was offered an upgrade to the BC with the Disney Visa code for $350 less!

 

[rbolbach]

we are talking a standard view at the WL and a water view at POFQ

 

[AKLRULZ]

I think it's worth it just to have better overall amenities when the kids are smaller. At WL you'll have a fully balcony to relax on if the kiddos still nap, it's a completely self-contained resort with interior hallways, better overall transportation options, and better overall theme. We personally value the resort experience so an extra $1K is a no brainer for me - however, I personally wouldn't stretch my dollar so much that it made for financial difficulty later back home.

Enjoy! You'll absolutely have a wonderful time at either resort, keep in mind.

 

[Quinn222]

If you can afford it then I'd say got for WL. It's a fantastic place and so much more convenient to the MK.

 

[Minnie&Nana]

Just to add a litlte something to your decision making!

About the longer walk - if your room at WL is down one of long wings, it could be as far or further.

French Quarter is small and cozy, nothing is more than a 6 min walk - with little ones would probably take longer without a stroller, but it would not be any longer than a room at the end of one of the WL wings.

Of course, if you like rustic, you could save $1000, stay at Riverside and request AB building 14 or 15 - very close to the bus and food court.

Just this week we changed a reservation at WL Courtyard view to the Swan becasue we found a special rate of $178 (inc tx) at the Swan - nice savings and we'll be walking distance to EPCOT and MGM.

Am sure whichever resort you choose, you'll have a wonderful trip (maybe even more fun with an extra $1000 for more character meals and fun things!).

 

[G8r4evr]

we are talking a standard view at the WL and a water view at POFQ

If view isnt important to you, I say go for it....but if you like a view, I would probably stick with POFQ and spend my $1,000 elsewhere. While the Boat to MK is definitely a plus for WL, the boat to DTD is also great and opens up a wide variety of dining options for guests at POFQ. Im not sure the extra $1,000 would be worth it to me...now if we were talking courtyard view at WL, I would probably go for it, but not with the possibility of overlooking the loading area and knowing that I paid an extra $1,000.....JMO =)

Im sure you will have a great trip no matter which resort you choose!!

 

[simonkodousek]

I agree with the above poster. Spend the $1,000 elsewhere if you want a good view.

 

[Kelmag]

I was just about to post the same question.... I've always been a 'moderate' person and this trip I'd would love to stay at WL. But I'm not sure I can justify the extra money. Need some convincing by all you WL fans.

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

Just to throw another option in the mix, how about doing a split stay? I've done that many times so as to experience a mod and deluxe. The only downside I can see with that is that your kids are still young and it may be a pain to pack everything up but it's pretty easy to do the actual switching. I have never stayed at POFQ but I have stayed at WL many times and I LOVE it!!

WL cons- a little too much like home,(we can be in northern Michigan in less than half a day and get the same rustic feeling),

I don't think that you would get the same experience at home. (Although I've never been to Michigan, so I may be wrong.) But I feel like Disney does a great job, whatever the theming is, to take the best aspects of the real thing and enhance it and make it authentic but better and more immersive.

Anyway, I vote for WL!!

 

[rcraw45425]

Here are a couple of photos from WL:

the geyser, which erupts every hour from 7A-10P

A view from a inner courtyard room:

 

[TripTime]

Do what I am doing. I am staying three nights at the WL and then switching to POFQ. I also could not decide between the two.

 

[ScrappinGran]

Prior to last September's visit, our last stay was at WL. We loved this resort, the theming ( even though we live in a log cabin!), the beauty and all the amenities. Last Sept. we took 2 grandkids to WDW for their first time. POFQ was recommended to us as $$ were a factor for this particular trip.My DH and I thought we would have a hard time being in the moderate resort after experiencing WL. We were wrong! We loved, loved, loved POFQ! Everything was only a few minutes,if that, from our door. True, we did not have our own balcony, but honestly we were so busy with the kids we didn't miss it. And yes, we had to use the bus...but while POFQ shares the busses w/ POR, POFQ is picked up and dropped off first!. This was a huge plus for us. We always had a seat.(to be fair- we did go in the value season-Sept. so less crowded)
There was plenty of charm, excellent service from everyone ( we even got towel animals) and there truly was not one thing we felt deprived of when comparing to WL. WL is so beautiful and it has the "take your breath away" grandeur, especially the lobby, but for the huge ( for us ) $$ difference we just can't see spending it for the small amount of time we are in our rooms.
This upcoming trip, a year from now, we HAVE the extra $$, but guess what...we booked POFQ again. This time I want to do the carriage ride with DH as we'll be there for our 34th anniversary. I think you have to break down on paper what exactly you want and expect your vacation to be like, and compare the 2 resorts and what they offer.I DO want to experience WL again and hope to plan a "girls get-away "there. But for now I'll just visit and make a ADR for one the restaurants there. Hope this helps you..its a tough decision.Good Luck!

 

[skipperkim]

I've had a river view at POFQ and won't pay for it again. It's not worth it to me. Don't get me wrong, the resort is gorgeous. To me, the part of the resort I like the best is the fountain between building 1,2, and 3 which is not a river view. But since you have young kids, I'd rather be in building 4. It's closest to the bus stops and food courts. Save the $1000, that's a huge amount for a view. Imagine what you could do with that amount of money. I'd rather do Cirque and HDDR instead of spending that amount of money on a room. Oh and POFQ has its own bus stop at MK in the evening. You could always have a meal at WCC and do a tour of WL. Just imagine the tours or spa services you could do with that $1000.

 

[Elmo888]

We stayed at the WL in Jan. with a 2 yo and 6 yo. We love the WL (honeymooned there). The theming is great, the grounds are beautiful, the lobby is amazing, the balcony is nice, DD6 loved the pool, the location was great (loved rolling the stroller onto the boat to go to MK) and I like the all-in-one-building resort.

Just a note, the WL is close to the MK, but I didn't feel that the transportation was very quick. I might be wrong, but that is how I felt. The boat to MK also served FW. It took some time, but the boat ride is nice (and not folding the stroller to get on the bus is nice).

We didn't use the balcony as much as I think that we could and should have. We used it more at the end of our stay. We had to make an effort to use it, but it is great additional space.

That being said, a room at a moderate might work better. We had a pack and play for our 2 yo, and it seemed (someone might have a better idea) that the only place for it was in the door way or in the sink area. Either way, it was in the way and DD2 could stand up and see us when she was supposed to be going to sleep. Neither DD just fell asleep because of exhaustion like some kids do at WDW.

With a mod, you could put the PNP in the sink/closet area (the closet is open to the sink area) and pull the dressing curtain until your 2 yo falls asleep. Also, the door is at the opposite end of the room from the bathroom, so things might not get as clogged.

We were going to stay at POR, but, for various reasons (we had more money, we felt like we were going to spend a good amount of time at the resort with small children, etc.), we upgraded to WL. I also thought that we wouldn't be back for a few years. Well, we are going next year. I have to be honest...After staying in the same room with 2 young children for a week, I just decided that I didn't want to do it again. Before Jan., we hadn't been on a family vacation before, so it was all very new. Since then, we have been on shorter trips, and I booked suites. It has worked out much better. So, we are booked at the All Star Music Family Suites in Jan. 2008. It has a bedroom with a queen bed for me and DH, and the kids can sleep in the family room. Plus, it is less than a room at the WL.

Does that help or give you too many options???

 

[Skylarr29]

Personally, and I don't have any children yet so take it with a grain of salt, I would NOT want to switch resorts with a two and four year old. I travel with a friend of mine to Disney all the time as they have 3 young children and I just can't imagine us up and moving in the middle of our trip. On our last trip someone was smoking in a room that was non smoking and we had to switch our rooms because we didn't want the children breathing that crap in and it was a PAIN.


I have stayed at the Wilderness lodge MANY times and it is my absolute favorite. I will be there in 5 weeks celebrating our anniversary It is an incredible resort and I think you would love it. That being said 1K is a lot of money and I am not sure your children are really at the age to appreciate or know the difference ie. they would appreciate POFQ just as much. If the 1K means nothing to you and you can easily afford it, go for it. If it will cause financial strain or for you to 'slack' in other areas of your trip it isn't worth it IMHO. GL