My hesitations with WL

[KapBoy77]

So this is my situation. We are going to Disney in December. We are staying at AOA in the suites and quite frankly we are paying an arm and a leg to stay there. From the several calculations that I've been doing of other resorts (with the current room discounts) it looks like I could upgrade to Deluxe for cheaper!?

I see MANY favorable reviews for WL. My thing about that is this summer we took the boys to Great Wolf Lodge and I HATED that place. I'm so paranoid that if we do decided to go with WL it will remind me of that other place too much.

Are they even comparable? I'm assuming no but what makes WL really stand out?

Another thing that is making me reconsider staying at AOA are all the horror stories starting to pop up about the food counter, buses and general frustration with check in.

Thanks in advance for any input!

 

[cwt580]

Hard to say... why didnt you like Great Wolf lodge?


We hated GWL but love WL. no comparison except they are both a log cabin type resort....

 

[LuvLDM]

I find AOA very unappealing, so for me the choice would be easy.

I don't know what your dates are but I agree... with the current discount offerings you likely could get a room at a moderate or deluxe for much cheaper...WL isn"t your only option.

Have you perused the resort photo's at http://www.Allears.net?
May help you decide which resort you find most appealing......

 

[stephgles]

We love WL. I love the feel whole resort. I love the boat ride to MK. There is a page deciated to pictures of WL. I would love to go during December to see it decorated.

The lodge also has bunkbeds which might be something your boys might like. My daughter loves them.

 

[mickeynut1]

I agree with the pp that there is no comparison between Great Wolf Lodge and the WL. The WL is a beautiful resort, especially when it's decorated for the holidays. We loved having the boat for going back and forth to MK as well as to the CR where it's convenient to visit the monorail resorts. Plus the lobby has a cozy, homey feel with the huge fireplace in the center surrounded by rocking chairs. With all of that said, the only way to know if the WL is for you is to give it a try. We like trying different resorts, but I do understand the hesitation because there is that chance you won't like it; but then again, there is the same chance you will love it. Good luck.

 

[GrandCalifornian]

In my opinion an overwhelmingly nice thing about a Disney resort is that it is Disney. You will usually get that "Disney perfect" attention to detail that will seperate it from non-Disney resorts.

We loved WL on a recent stay in Spetember, and if you're curious we wrote more details about it here in this thread: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2997751

We particularly enjoy the cozy rural feel of WL, but if that type of decor and secluded feel isn't what you're looking for, perhaps another Deluxe or Moderate will have a theme you can get excited about while still being "Disney Nice". Comparing it to AoA, WL is all under one roof with interior hallways, it has bigger beds, and it has an awesome location right on Bay Lake very near MK, FW, and the Contemporary. The rooms are smaller than other Deluxe resorts though, and the Quick Service restaurant is much smaller than AoA, although it is very good. Either way, enjoy your trip.

 

[elaw]

Here's another good source for WL info http://www.wildernesslodgesite.com/

 

[maggiew]

I haven't stayed at either one yet, so can't give specific details. But I wanted to point out the room setups would be very different.

AoA will have a separate bedroom for the parents. Plus a kitchenette. Plus 2 bathrooms.

WL will be a regular hotel room (maybe bunkbeds if you get that, but it is still a regular room).

Some prefer one over the other.

Maggie

 

[ctl]

I do think having 2 bathrooms is a big plus for AoA, as well as separate sleeping areas. You can check-in online before you go so that might help the wait. I wasn't impressed by Great Wolf Lodge myself, but in WL defense, it is far superior. The rooms do have a cabin-like vibe though, so it depends on your taste. You could always stay at AoA and travel across to WL to see the decorations or eat at WCC. Good luck. scratchin

 

[ninafeliz]

I would choose WL over AoA, I personally love WL. I've never stayed at GWL, though. I would only choose AoA if you had 5 or 6 people and couldn't fit in the room at WL. I've never been one to mind 4 people in a hotel room, my family did that up until my brother and I both got married. Mind you I couldn't live like that long term, but for a vacation it worked out fine for us. I just prefer the theming of the moderates and deluxes over the values. I haven't seen AoA in person yet, but I dont't think it will change my thoughts. I'll enjoy touring the resort, but would prefer to stay at WL.

 

[NancyIL]

WL is a beautiful resort - especially at Christmas time. However, unless you know you can get a discount there, I wouldn't count on it for this December at this late date due to its popularity.

 

[jujube]

We've never been to GWL. I love comfort and hate camping ( I know WL is not FW) so I was surprised at how much the themeing of WL appealed to me. It's the Great Northwest vibe and in my everyday life, I'm more GF-which I did not love-go figure. The warmth of the WL cannot be overstated. It's gorgeous. Last April we flew in and had booked elsewhere. I did not like the resort so we threw the luggage in the rental car and headed to WL on a whim. The CM was fabulous!!! It was Spring Break and she worked to find us 2 rooms. I believe her name was Connie. Just a marvelous woman and so helpful. In fact, a couple of other CMs clapped when she was able to find us rooms.
WL has a wonderfully warm, old fashioned feeling at Christmas time. It would be my first choice of resort at that time of year.

 

[Tbone17701]

We have done the family suites at both ASMU & AOA and have also done a bunk bed room at WL...in December. I agree that GWL and WL are apples and oranges if for no other reason than one is Disney and one isn't. (We like GWL though). I will add that if you had any problem with the rooms at GWL...then you may be disappointed at WL as the rooms at GWL are much larger.

We love the 2 bathrooms and separate living area in the family suites and AOA's theming is truly over the top (in a good way)! The Nemo Pool is also amazing in it's theming and with the underwater music. We also like the larger food courts at the values, though AOA is our least favorite to date (only values we haven't done are ASSP and ASMO). We had no problems with check-in at all or with bus service.

Having said that...I'd beg, borrow & steal to do WL in December from here on out! It is so warm and homey as it is, but add that holiday magic and it's breathtaking! The bunk beds gave us the illusion of separation at night and our daughter loved it! It was well worth the downsizing of the room and food court. The boat service to MK was a much appreciated benefit too.
We just did AOA in August and made the mistake of visiting WL so my DD could get her favorite turkey sandwich...we had to drag ourselves out of there! It felt like we had "come home" when we walked in. So, I think the family suites at the values are more than sufficient and certainly won't detract from your trip, but for us...WL is THE way to go in December.

 

[Mariep26]

I haven't stayed at either hotel but the theme of WL just doesn't appeal to me. I have heard it is amazing at the holidays but I have zero desire to stay there. We dont have much choice for our upcoming trip being a party of 6 so we are at AoA. To be fair, I generally take issue with the concept of Disney Deluxe resorts in that they hardly compare to Deluxe accommodations outside of WDW.

 

[jujube]

I haven't stayed at either hotel but the theme of WL just doesn't appeal to me. I have heard it is amazing at the holidays but I have zero desire to stay there. We dont have much choice for our upcoming trip being a party of 6 so we are at AoA. To be fair, I generally take issue with the concept of Disney Deluxe resorts in that they hardly compare to Deluxe accommodations outside of WDW.

Absolutely true, my view though is if Disney deluxe is the best I can do while I'm there, then that's what I want unless the CSR bug bites.
It's great the Disney resorts offere so many themes. One or more is bound to appeal to someone.

 

[amym2]

We stayed at WL last year and while the outside of the building reminded me of GWL, beyond that they were nothing alike. We LOVED WL, but if you're concerned about bus service, AoA is likely to be just as good as WL just for the fact that WL shares buses with other resorts (GF, Poly, FW depending on park). We thought Roaring Forks was pretty good, but we really want to check out the food at AoA. And while the kids liked the bunk beds at WL, we definitely would prefer the AoA room set-up with some separation for us (DD had a cough while we were at WL that kept me awake). The rooms at WL are tiny. Which resort you prefer will depend on your personal preferences. Tough call, I say go with your gut.

 

[shells4]

I absolutely hated the GWL also! Kids loved it but I hope to never set foot in there again. I would have never picked WL on my own but my husband arranged a suprise Disney trip and that is where we stayed. I tend to lean toward beach, tropical theme but I really loved the WL. It is beautiful, peaceful, and we liked the location. Very expensive resort but we hope to stay there again someday. You can not even begin to compare the GWL and the WL, not even in the same ballpark.

 

[mariamouse]

As long as you do not mind the smaller room at the WL, it is truly a no brainer. That resort theme is perfectly suited to the holidays since it has such a cozy feel. Plus, it is great to have quick boat access to the MK and all of its decorations, as well as MVMCP. Great counter service at the WL (for a deluxe) too. I would jump on the WL fast since, like a PP stated, the WL books out quickly that time of year. Good luck!

 

[Doc Goofy]

There's no way you are going to "hate" WL. Lol I'm not a rural/lodgey kinda girl in any sense of the word - In fact, I love CR. - but WL has a wonderful homey feel to it. I certainly have fave resorts, but each of them has their own unique feel. I was not crazy about POLY compared to some of the others, but there was certainly nothing to hate about it.

The theme is just a veneer. You're always going to get the Disney "feel" and attention to detail.

 

[kaysmommie]

Wilderness Lodge is the perfect for December! We actually just stayed there in September and we still love it. I know exactly what you're saying about the theme. We live in Knoxville and hour from the smokies and Gatlinburg. I don't want to stay anywhere that reminds me of the theme there either. We hated Wilderness of the Smokies, which is a lot like Great Wolfe lodge. But we love WL and AKL. WL is much more deluxe, well themed, nice restaurants and pool. Plus the rooms have been recently refurbished and they are very nice. The boat to MK is very enjoyable and we had no problem at all with buses our entire trip.