(CLOSED) Disney's WILDERNESS LODGE and VILLAS Information Thread ~2012~

[WDWKOOK]

From: http://www.wdwinfo.com/transportation/bus_schedules.htm

Special Note: Official Disney Transportation operates according to theme park operating schedules. As a result, please consider park closing times when relying on Disney Transportation to travel to and from resorts, using parks as transfer points. In general, buses run 60-90 minutes before park opening and 60-90 minutes after park closing.





From: http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/planning-guides/in-depth-advice/resort-transportation/

Complimentary transportation is available one hour prior to Disney Theme Park opening time up to one hour after Disney Theme Park closing time. Additionally, buses operate until 2:00 a.m. from the Downtown Disney Area.



From: http://allears.net/pl/transp.htm

Park transportation begins approximately 1 hour prior to that park's opening time and all transportation runs until approximately 1 hour after the parks close (check with Lobby Concierge upon arrival for specific times).

 

[luvallprincesses]

From: http://www.wdwinfo.com/transportation/bus_schedules.htm

Special Note: Official Disney Transportation operates according to theme park operating schedules. As a result, please consider park closing times when relying on Disney Transportation to travel to and from resorts, using parks as transfer points. In general, buses run 60-90 minutes before park opening and 60-90 minutes after park closing.

From: http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/planning-guides/in-depth-advice/resort-transportation/

Complimentary transportation is available one hour prior to Disney Theme Park opening time up to one hour after Disney Theme Park closing time. Additionally, buses operate until 2:00 a.m. from the Downtown Disney Area.

From: http://allears.net/pl/transp.htm

Park transportation begins approximately 1 hour prior to that park's opening time and all transportation runs until approximately 1 hour after the parks close (check with Lobby Concierge upon arrival for specific times).

Our first morning tradition is an 8:05 CP ADR on 9:00 opening days and there have ALWAYS been busses available, we usually shoot for 7-7:15 am. This has been for Pop, POR, and POFQ, so I can't speak specifically for WL but I don't think it would be an exception, even with the CR boat. CM's at the front desks at check in always tell us we should catch the "special 6:30 bus for early ADRs" if we inquire, but we never made it to the bus stop that early and never apparently needed to.

Hopefully someone with experience from WL will still chime in, but that's our experience from other resorts for the exact same situation in question.

 

[DetTigsGal]

Now, you know why we drive everywhere with the exception of MK and trails end!!

 

[RedfromNL]

IF we can get a discount we just might end up Club Level at the Lodge. Think I'm beginning to talk my husband into it

Thanks to the many pictures and tips posted here.

Without any discounts it might still be a hard sell though, so fingers crossed!

 

[PamelaKay]

Our first morning tradition is an 8:05 CP ADR on 9:00 opening days and there have ALWAYS been busses available, we usually shoot for 7-7:15 am. This has been for Pop, POR, and POFQ, so I can't speak specifically for WL but I don't think it would be an exception, even with the CR boat. CM's at the front desks at check in always tell us we should catch the "special 6:30 bus for early ADRs" if we inquire, but we never made it to the bus stop that early and never apparently needed to.

Hopefully someone with experience from WL will still chime in, but that's our experience from other resorts for the exact same situation in question.

Just back from a week stay at WL and we had 8:05 reservations for CRT. We just missed the 7:00 a.m. bus from the WL to MK, but we did catch the one at 7:20 a.m.

I haven't caught up on reading the posts, but hope that helps answer someones question.

 

[luvallprincesses]

Just back from a week stay at WL and we had 8:05 reservations for CRT. We just missed the 7:00 a.m. bus from the WL to MK, but we did catch the one at 7:20 a.m.

I haven't caught up on reading the posts, but hope that helps answer someones question.

That's very helpful! I would imagine you had plenty time to spare catching a bus at 7:20 if it was non-stop to MK?

 

[monica9]

Is there a chance someone can get upgraded to CL from a Courtyard view bunk bed? We don't want the bunk bed but they don't have the regular courtyard view so we are stuck with bunk bed. Maybe they will be nice and upgrade us???

 

[TinkerbellLuvr7]

Just got back from 2 nights at WL. We had a Courtyard View with two queen beds. My requests were High Floor Inner Courtyard and we got just that! We did online check-in 9 days before arrival with an arrival time of 12pm and at 11:55am when we checked in, the room was ready! We were in room 5163 which was a high floor and inner courtyard! We had great views of the pool which you can hear the noise from the afternoon activities but it didn't bother us. We could see Wishes and hear the music in the distance and the water parade too!

We used the boat to CR and MK which both were good. We ate at Roaring Forks for lunch Sat and Sun and it was also very good.

I've stayed at WL 10x and this was the first time I noticed it was really really busy. It seemed like they took away some lounge chairs at the pool so I can only imagine what it was like in the summer to find a chair! At one point, we saw kids running up the slide when it was not turned on/lifeguards not working yet. Later on after the lifeguards started working, the same kids were doing cannon balls into one of the hot tubs. I couldn't believe what I was seeing!!!! It didn't bother us as we were in the room witnessing this but the folks in the hot tub next door didn't seem too happy!

Overall, it was a great stay at WL and of course I would return!!!!

 

[pld5]

Just got back from 2 nights at WL. We had a Courtyard View with two queen beds. My requests were High Floor Inner Courtyard and we got just that! We did online check-in 9 days before arrival with an arrival time of 12pm and at 11:55am when we checked in, the room was ready! We were in room 5163 which was a high floor and inner courtyard! We had great views of the pool which you can hear the noise from the afternoon activities but it didn't bother us. We could see Wishes and hear the music in the distance and the water parade too!

We used the boat to CR and MK which both were good. We ate at Roaring Forks for lunch Sat and Sun and it was also very good.

I've stayed at WL 10x and this was the first time I noticed it was really really busy. It seemed like they took away some lounge chairs at the pool so I can only imagine what it was like in the summer to find a chair! At one point, we saw kids running up the slide when it was not turned on/lifeguards not working yet. Later on after the lifeguards started working, the same kids were doing cannon balls into one of the hot tubs. I couldn't believe what I was seeing!!!! It didn't bother us as we were in the room witnessing this but the folks in the hot tub next door didn't seem too happy!

Overall, it was a great stay at WL and of course I would return!!!!

My parents had Room 5163 and we had the room right next door 5161 when we were there in January. It was an AWESOME view and I couldn't wait to wake up each morning to take a look outside.

We had reserved Woods View Rooms so it was quite a nice surprise of pixie dust on our first time there. Our next trip is February and while we are staying Club Level, I hope DS is not too disappointed in not having the exact same view.

 

[Wood Nymph]

My parents had Room 5163 and we had the room right next door 5161 when we were there in January. It was an AWESOME view and I couldn't wait to wake up each morning to take a look outside.

We had reserved Woods View Rooms so it was quite a nice surprise of pixie dust on our first time there. Our next trip is February and while we are staying Club Level, I hope DS is not too disappointed in not having the exact same view.

Those are great views! We reserved Woods View for our first stay at WL in February. I thought that I would be very happy with the woods. But I would love to get upgraded to that view.

I can't wait to stay at the WL. It is so beautiful.

 

[Mousemommy1]

Those are great views! We reserved Woods View for our first stay at WL in February. I thought that I would be very happy with the woods. But I would love to get upgraded to that view.

I can't wait to stay at the WL. It is so beautiful.

Just throwing my woods view in there again. It was wonderful!!!

 

[pld5]

Just throwing my woods view in there again. It was wonderful!!!

I remember when you first posted that Mousemommy. I loved the courtyard view at WL but it sure would be nice to see that Castle in the morning, afternoon and with some Wishes behind it at night.

A dilemna I can worry about closer to our end of February trip when I'm emailing IPO to request a room assignment......

 

[Mousemommy1]

I remember when you first posted that Mousemommy. I loved the courtyard view at WL but it sure would be nice to see that Castle in the morning, afternoon and with some Wishes behind it at night.

A dilemna I can worry about closer to our end of February trip when I'm emailing IPO to request a room assignment......

I said good morning and good night to it every day. Love that castle! It was perfect!!!

 

[Wood Nymph]

Just throwing my woods view in there again. It was wonderful!!!

That view is great, too. That is a woods view that I'd love.

 

[WDWKOOK]

IF we can get a discount we just might end up Club Level at the Lodge. Think I'm beginning to talk my husband into it

Thanks to the many pictures and tips posted here.

Without any discounts it might still be a hard sell though, so fingers crossed!

Definitely keep checking for a discount - those rack rates are crazy.

Just back from a week stay at WL and we had 8:05 reservations for CRT. We just missed the 7:00 a.m. bus from the WL to MK, but we did catch the one at 7:20 a.m.

I haven't caught up on reading the posts, but hope that helps answer someones question.

I hope we get to read more about your stay

Is there a chance someone can get upgraded to CL from a Courtyard view bunk bed? We don't want the bunk bed but they don't have the regular courtyard view so we are stuck with bunk bed. Maybe they will be nice and upgrade us???

There is always a chance at every resort of being upgraded at no charge, but it's the exception and not the rule, especially CL upgrades. Guests at WL are frequently upgraded from one room view to another, but CL upgrades at any resort are rarer. You can also inquire at check-in what the up-charge would be to upgrade to CL, but it's always best to do this prior to check-in to ensure that any applicable discounts are applied.

BTW, there are three possible CL views: Woods, Inner (WL) Courtyard and VWL Courtyard. There is no guarantee of which view you will get when booking a WL CL room.

Keep checking the Disney booking site to see if a non-bunk room has opened up. People cancel and change all the time, so it may open up, even just a few days prior to check-in.

Just got back from 2 nights at WL. We had a Courtyard View with two queen beds. My requests were High Floor Inner Courtyard and we got just that! We did online check-in 9 days before arrival with an arrival time of 12pm and at 11:55am when we checked in, the room was ready! We were in room 5163 which was a high floor and inner courtyard! We had great views of the pool which you can hear the noise from the afternoon activities but it didn't bother us. We could see Wishes and hear the music in the distance and the water parade too!

We used the boat to CR and MK which both were good. We ate at Roaring Forks for lunch Sat and Sun and it was also very good.

I've stayed at WL 10x and this was the first time I noticed it was really really busy. It seemed like they took away some lounge chairs at the pool so I can only imagine what it was like in the summer to find a chair! At one point, we saw kids running up the slide when it was not turned on/lifeguards not working yet. Later on after the lifeguards started working, the same kids were doing cannon balls into one of the hot tubs. I couldn't believe what I was seeing!!!! It didn't bother us as we were in the room witnessing this but the folks in the hot tub next door didn't seem too happy!

Overall, it was a great stay at WL and of course I would return!!!!

It's too bad a lifeguard (or better yet, a parent) didn't say anything to those unruly kids. Thanks for letting us know how your trip went and that you enjoyed it, despite the crowds at WL.

My parents had Room 5163 and we had the room right next door 5161 when we were there in January. It was an AWESOME view and I couldn't wait to wake up each morning to take a look outside.

We had reserved Woods View Rooms so it was quite a nice surprise of pixie dust on our first time there. Our next trip is February and while we are staying Club Level, I hope DS is not too disappointed in not having the exact same view.

Thanks for posting your photos!

 

[dreamcruiser]

Just got off the phone with Disney reservations and we are confirmed for a spring visit at our beloved WL!! Several visits there and we still love to hear "welcome home"!

I booked a standard view because we spend most of our time in that wonderful lobby anyway....

 

[WDWKOOK]

Just got off the phone with Disney reservations and we are confirmed for a spring visit at our beloved WL!! Several visits there and we still love to hear "welcome home"!

I booked a standard view because we spend most of our time in that wonderful lobby anyway....

WOOHOO! Congratulations and it's time to start planning those ADRs

 

[dreamcruiser]

WOOHOO! Congratulations and it's time to start planning those ADRs

LOL...I know! We are so excited! I had booked POR for a visit in early January, but sis and I knew we NEEDED to be at a deluxe! And now we are!!

Let the countdown begin..(hmmm, I need a ticker!)

 

[Wood Nymph]

I just read this thread about the loud pool activities at the WL pool.

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3018166

How annoying is it? I've never been at a deluxe resort pool that played loud music. Is this something new?

Now I'm worried.

 

[Mousemommy1]

I just read this thread about the loud pool activities at the WL pool.

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3018166

How annoying is it? I've never been at a deluxe resort pool that played loud music. Is this something new?

Now I'm worried.

I refrained from responding on that post. I see a lot of posts about the "loudness" of the poolside activities. This is just another one of those things that comes down to personal perception I think. We spent a lot of time at the pool during our 11 day stay in July and not once did I ever think the pool music was too loud...it honestly never even got on my radar....