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

[MomofDisneyLoversx3]

Hi I'm Heather! I'm thinking about cheating on AkL w the WL. I've been trying to run numbers but can't make the website give me a quote for a deluxe room. Is there a trick?
Also, I looked at the pics from the beginning of the thread. Am I correct that all deluxe rooms have balconies ?

Thanks
Heather.

 

[AngiTN]

Hi I'm Heather! I'm thinking about cheating on AkL w the WL. I've been trying to run numbers but can't make the website give me a quote for a deluxe room. Is there a trick?
Also, I looked at the pics from the beginning of the thread. Am I correct that all deluxe rooms have balconies ?

Thanks
Heather.

Are you clicking through the promo or looking at rack rate? If you are clicking through the promo I don't think there are any Deluxe rooms with the promo so it won't show them. I've gotten them to show as available at rack rate.

Only other thought I have is they won't show if they are S/O

 

[MomofDisneyLoversx3]

I was clicking through the promo. Never thought about that. Thanks

 

[goofynut41]

Only 299 days till our trip!!!!!

 

[Wood Nymph]

We are back from our trip to WDW. We had a great time of the lodge. Previously, we had stayed at Epcot area resorts, mostly the BC, for over twenty years, so this was a new experience for us. We loved having a real counter service option, something missing at BC/YC/BWI. We loved the pool, the view of MK, the lodge theme and especially the boats. We only took the bus back to the resort from MK once, and that was because we had just missed the boat. The boat is a lot closer to the main gate at MK than the buses are. We took boats to Ft Wilderness and the Contemporary, too. We had two dinner reservations, one at Poly and one at GF that we traveled to via the resort monorail. We really didn't like the resort monorail at all. One time it was packed full of people, standing room only, sitting at the CR for 15 minutes. Luckily, we weren't in that one. We were waiting for the next one and glad to find it empty.

We had been so spoiled by the fact that we seldom had to take a bus anywhere when we stayed at the BC that we really weren't too happy about all the bus rides we had to take this trip. In fact, we have been debating whether to go back to the BC in December. But finally decided to give the WL one more try. It might be a lot easier without the big family group that included the crabby 3 year old and cranky DH. Besides, the lodge will be beautiful in December. And we did like the easy ride to MK.

We had room number 6018. My daughter's room was 6010 and she had a great view of the castle. I think other people have posted pictures of the view from 6010. Next time we go I think I will request a normal balcony. The dormer balcony was only good for standing and looking at the view, not for sitting and enjoying a cup of coffee in the morning. We were seldom in our room at fireworks time, anyway.

I'll try to post pictures of our "towel animals" later. We had three days of them, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. We thanked our maid and she was very happy to see how much we liked them. The weekend crew didn't leave any.

Now I need to get back to work.

 

[letsgoreds]

Club level...are there 2 elevators or 4 elevators? I am trying to figure out room request, and prefer not to be close to an elevator due to noise. I can't tell form the lovely room map on the first page if I need to be concerned of the elevators near the suites on floor 7. Thanks!

 

[WDWKOOK]

From AllEars:

A Florida black bear was recently spotted at Fort Wilderness, and guests there were reminded to secure all food items in their cabins or cars, and to avoid contact with the bears. Any guests on the Fort Wilderness grounds who spot a bear should call Disney security at 407-560-7959 and seek shelter indoors until the bear leaves the area. The Florida black bear is a protected species managed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Disney is working with that commission to develop a plan of action for dealing with bears who wander into the Fort Wilderness campground areas.






I think I found it over at Trail's End

 

[WDWKOOK]

Eh, I will just start saving my quarters now for some trips down to the laundry room.

I was looking forward to the W/D, but now I am THRILLED about being back on the 7th floor.

I believe the VWL laundry is free to VWL guests, so no quarters (Deb & Bill correct me if I'm wrong). But you know the "secret" way to the laundry from CL so you don't have to go through the lobby with your frillies?

Hi I'm Heather! I'm thinking about cheating on AkL w the WL. I've been trying to run numbers but can't make the website give me a quote for a deluxe room. Is there a trick?
Also, I looked at the pics from the beginning of the thread. Am I correct that all deluxe rooms have balconies ?

Thanks
Heather.

Heather! Nice to have you here. All the Deluxe rooms have two balconies. Happy planning!

Only 299 days till our trip!!!!!

Getting closer

We are back from our trip to WDW. We had a great time of the lodge. Previously, we had stayed at Epcot area resorts, mostly the BC, for over twenty years, so this was a new experience for us. We loved having a real counter service option, something missing at BC/YC/BWI. We loved the pool, the view of MK, the lodge theme and especially the boats. We only took the bus back to the resort from MK once, and that was because we had just missed the boat. The boat is a lot closer to the main gate at MK than the buses are. We took boats to Ft Wilderness and the Contemporary, too. We had two dinner reservations, one at Poly and one at GF that we traveled to via the resort monorail. We really didn't like the resort monorail at all. One time it was packed full of people, standing room only, sitting at the CR for 15 minutes. Luckily, we weren't in that one. We were waiting for the next one and glad to find it empty.

We had been so spoiled by the fact that we seldom had to take a bus anywhere when we stayed at the BC that we really weren't too happy about all the bus rides we had to take this trip. In fact, we have been debating whether to go back to the BC in December. But finally decided to give the WL one more try. It might be a lot easier without the big family group that included the crabby 3 year old and cranky DH. Besides, the lodge will be beautiful in December. And we did like the easy ride to MK.

We had room number 6018. My daughter's room was 6010 and she had a great view of the castle. I think other people have posted pictures of the view from 6010. Next time we go I think I will request a normal balcony. The dormer balcony was only good for standing and looking at the view, not for sitting and enjoying a cup of coffee in the morning. We were seldom in our room at fireworks time, anyway.

I'll try to post pictures of our "towel animals" later. We had three days of them, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. We thanked our maid and she was very happy to see how much we liked them. The weekend crew didn't leave any.

Now I need to get back to work.

Your bolded comment cracked me up. Just think how efficient and painless our trips would be all by ourselves

Thank you for letting us know how your trip went. It is nice to be able to just walk or elevator right down to everything you need and never get wet

We're looking forward to your cute photos

Club level...are there 2 elevators or 4 elevators? I am trying to figure out room request, and prefer not to be close to an elevator due to noise. I can't tell form the lovely room map on the first page if I need to be concerned of the elevators near the suites on floor 7. Thanks!

Almost in the middle of the CL floor, right next to the lounge and concierge desk, there is a set of 3 elevators. At the end of each CL wing, there is one elevator. Unless you are in room 7127 in the South Wing, you won't hear the elevator. 7127 (our favorite room) backs to a housekeeping room and is nearest the elevator so you will hear the whirring of the elevator and sometimes housekeeping carts hitting the wall that the beds are up against. I've not stayed in the rooms that back to the main CL elevators, so I can't comment of those nor the room that backs to the North Wing elevator, though I imagine it's identical to 7127.


Lobby View:

 

[letsgoreds]

I believe the VWL laundry is free to VWL guests, so no quarters (Deb & Bill correct me if I'm wrong). But you know the "secret" way to the laundry from CL so you don't have to go through the lobby with your frillies?

Almost in the middle of the CL floor, right next to the lounge and concierge desk, there is a set of 3 elevators. At the end of each CL wing, there is one elevator. Unless you are in room 7127 in the South Wing, you won't hear the elevator. 7127 (our favorite room) backs to a housekeeping room and is nearest the elevator so you will hear the whirring of the elevator and sometimes housekeeping carts hitting the wall that the beds are up against. I've not stayed in the rooms that back to the main CL elevators, so I can't comment of those nor the room that backs to the North Wing elevator, though I imagine it's identical to 7127.

I'm curious about the 'secret way' to the laundry. We have loved DVC for laundry reasons, but trying CL this shot (fingers crossed, booking 12/7-8 WL-CL and 12/9-13 YC-CL tomorrow). My only concern with our split stay is that we won't want to leave WL (personal fave, feels like home to me)!

Thanks for the tip on the favorite room/even though adjacent to elevators. I was going to request a 'quiet room' but LOVE the view from those two specific rooms...although bunk beds will be at the top of our request list, and guessing those two lagoon facing rooms do not have them, based on other posts. Oh, well. I'm sure there isn't a bad room to be had at WL CL!

 

[pas130]

From AllEars:

A Florida black bear was recently spotted at Fort Wilderness, and guests there were reminded to secure all food items in their cabins or cars, and to avoid contact with the bears. Any guests on the Fort Wilderness grounds who spot a bear should call Disney security at 407-560-7959 and seek shelter indoors until the bear leaves the area. The Florida black bear is a protected species managed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Disney is working with that commission to develop a plan of action for dealing with bears who wander into the Fort Wilderness campground areas.






I think I found it over at Trail's End

 

[tarak]

From AllEars:

A Florida black bear was recently spotted at Fort Wilderness, and guests there were reminded to secure all food items in their cabins or cars, and to avoid contact with the bears. Any guests on the Fort Wilderness grounds who spot a bear should call Disney security at 407-560-7959 and seek shelter indoors until the bear leaves the area. The Florida black bear is a protected species managed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Disney is working with that commission to develop a plan of action for dealing with bears who wander into the Fort Wilderness campground areas.





I think I found it over at Trail's End

 

[WDWKOOK]

I'm curious about the 'secret way' to the laundry. We have loved DVC for laundry reasons, but trying CL this shot (fingers crossed, booking 12/7-8 WL-CL and 12/9-13 YC-CL tomorrow). My only concern with our split stay is that we won't want to leave WL (personal fave, feels like home to me)!

Thanks for the tip on the favorite room/even though adjacent to elevators. I was going to request a 'quiet room' but LOVE the view from those two specific rooms...although bunk beds will be at the top of our request list, and guessing those two lagoon facing rooms do not have them, based on other posts. Oh, well. I'm sure there isn't a bad room to be had at WL CL!

I was hauling our laundry from our room in the South Wing and stood there at the main elevator feeling awkward with CL guests arriving and departing. I then got to the lobby and had to walk over the bridge, past the pin kiosk and AP, down the ramp and past RF and then I finally made it to the laundry room, hoping I hadn't dropped something along my journey. Mike, one of the great CL CMs, saw me coming back with the clean load and suggested that instead of walking through the lobby, I just walk over to the end of the (CL) North Wing and take the North Wing elevator down, which puts you smack dab in front of the laundry room

 

[nyrebecca]

I was hauling our laundry from our room in the South Wing and stood there at the main elevator feeling awkward with CL guests arriving and departing. I then got to the lobby and had to walk over the bridge, past the pin kiosk and AP, down the ramp and past RF and then I finally made it to the laundry room, hoping I hadn't dropped something along my journey. Mike, one of the great CL CMs, saw me coming back with the clean load and suggested that instead of walking through the lobby, I just walk over to the end of the (CL) North Wing and take the North Wing elevator down, which puts you smack dab in front of the laundry room

That's how I go. I think people forget those elevators are there sometimes. It is a long but mostly quiet walk and no one is usually down those halls in the afternoon.

 

[letsgoreds]

I was hauling our laundry from our room in the South Wing and stood there at the main elevator feeling awkward with CL guests arriving and departing. I then got to the lobby and had to walk over the bridge, past the pin kiosk and AP, down the ramp and past RF and then I finally made it to the laundry room, hoping I hadn't dropped something along my journey. Mike, one of the great CL CMs, saw me coming back with the clean load and suggested that instead of walking through the lobby, I just walk over to the end of the (CL) North Wing and take the North Wing elevator down, which puts you smack dab in front of the laundry room

Thanks!

 

[WDWKOOK]

That's how I go. I think people forget those elevators are there sometimes. It is a long but mostly quiet walk and no one is usually down those halls in the afternoon.

Yep, I just keep passing by the same housekeeper - back and forth I go...

Thanks!

You're welcome!

 

[lovingeire]

For the boats from Wilderness Lodge do you have to collapse strollers?

 

[Wood Nymph]

For the boats from Wilderness Lodge do you have to collapse strollers?

We had to collapse them on the smaller boat, and we got that boat most of the time. I think we only got the large boat twice.

 

[CuteAsMinnie]

We were looking at videos of WL OFC taken this week showing bkfst and appetizers and dessert. The pickins were pretty slim. WL in general was pretty empty. It would seem logical they base the quantity of food offerings on the # of guests staying CL.... True??

 

[lovingeire]

We had to collapse them on the smaller boat, and we got that boat most of the time. I think we only got the large boat twice.

Thanks! I want to stay at WL but DH wants monorail or somewhere he doesn't have to constantly collapse the stroller.

 

[luvfigment]

I have been lurking more than posting lately but am excited b/c we just extended our upcoming trip in Sept again! We are now doing a room only checking in on 9/6/13 standard view and then switching to our package with courtyard view on the 7th. We decided to do it just room only due to flights and the dining plan isn't really worth it for that Friday. Now we can hang out at the pool on Sat waiting for my parents to show up.