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

[Merbean09]

This is my dream resort, the theming just looks superb!!!
I'm hoping to be able to go here next year's Feb trip, if not, the next one after that then.
I'm happy to see it gets a lot of positive ratings!

 

[skylizard]

Checking in to the Villas in May. Can't wait!!

 

[ethansmommy]

I'm sorry, but you are still going to WDW! You don't have to be staying at WL/VWL to be in the Lodgers' Log. In fact, I'm logged and I'm not staying at WL for spring break. If you let me know where you're staying, I can update your entry and easily change it if you do end up staying at WL

Thank you.. we will be staying at the French Quarter.

 

[lovingeire]

First, I would love to be added to the Lodger's Log for 8/11-8/16. We'll be there celebrating my youngest's birthday!

Second, for requesting rooms...we have reserved a Woods View Bunk Bed room. I'd love a view of MK & Wishes if the room gods are with us. Would it be best to request 1. a high floor and 2. Otter pond view?

Thanks a million!

 

[Tinkerbelljean]

Just returned from a VWL stay Feb. 13-21 in a 2BRM lock off with the exception of 2/17 when we could only get a 1 BRM so some of us stayed at AKL Club level. Both sons, DH and in-laws (in their 80's) and myself for this trip. Those who stayed at AKL Club level loved it.

At VWL we had issues checking in (rooms not ready after 5 pm and then the room number was called to our home phone instead of a text to our cell phone which we requested) and with Mousekeeping (no room cleaning or trash and towel service in the 1 BRM unit which we were in 8 days). The lack of Mousekeeping put a kink in our trip. I spent a lot of time cleaning and washing Disney towels/sheets and came home exhausted. I kept being sent from Mousekeeping, to the front desk to Member services. I gave up and will send a letter. I wanted a nice trip for the family so I cleaned and did Disney's laundry begrudgingly.

The Territory Lounge was nice, we really enjoyed our time there. We had a hoot of a breakfast at Whispering Canyon (or as my son refers to it "The Bellowing Buffet"). We took the in-laws to the Top of the World Lounge for a drink and to watch MK fireworks. They enjoyed that.

I don't think the in-laws will travel again so this was a special time, they flew in from Minnesota, a son from Wisconsin and the rest from the East Coast. Despite weather issues, all went well from a transportation perspective.

One thing I miss in the villas are the dishes which matched the room decor. I loved the green mugs and the large "Chuckwagon" type bowls. The white institutional dishes just are not the same. I brought a hearty soup mix along to have in the "Chuckwagon" bowls, but alas, no bowls. I really miss the old WL dishes and didn't make the soup.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Just returned from a VWL stay Feb. 13-21 in a 2BRM lock off with the exception of 2/17 when we could only get a 1 BRM so some of us stayed at AKL Club level. Both sons, DH and in-laws (in their 80's) and myself for this trip. Those who stayed at AKL Club level loved it.

At VWL we had issues checking in (rooms not ready after 5 pm and then the room number was called to our home phone instead of a text to our cell phone which we requested) and with Mousekeeping (no room cleaning or trash and towel service in the 1 BRM unit which we were in 8 days). ...(

You weren't in a one bedroom for eight days. You were in a one bedroom for one day. You were in a two bedroom for a few days, then the one bedroom for one day and then the two bedroom for a few more days. So technically, you weren't in a room long enough (four nights) to get room service of any kind. But they should have cleaned the one bedroom before your stay in that and after you "moved out" of it.

You had three reservations for the VWL. One for a two bedroom, one for a one bedroom and one for a two bedroom.

We had a situation like that once at OKW and we called housekeeping and asked them to clean the room since we were technically on another reservation.

When we stayed at BLT in October, we were there for eight nights and got Trash and Towel service three times and they came to do the full cleaning on the day before we were supposed to check out. We had two linked reservations in the same villa. We're not that dirty, so the sheets didn't bother me. And the towels were changed out okay.

 

[dreamcruiser]

I have scanned back several (10) pages and don't see the answer to the question: when are the Christmas decorations in the lobby up? (just a ballpark guess will do!) I want to go back during the holidays this year, and would like to make sure that the tree is up! We had a trip planned to the WL for April, and changed to the GF....but will be ready for some cozy time at the Lodge come Christmas-time!

 

[pld5]

We check in to the Lodge tomorrow!

Hope to be in the air at this time tomorrow and to the Lodge by Noon.

We cannot wait!

 

[CNYGuy]

The Christmas decorations start to go up around Thanksgiving. For sure by November 30 I would think. We were leaving 3 days before Thanksgiving and they started to decorate while we were leaving for airport.

 

[tinkerrn]

We check in to the Lodge tomorrow!

Hope to be in the air at this time tomorrow and to the Lodge by Noon.

We cannot wait!

We are also checking in tomorrow! So excited! Honeymoon Suite CL here we come!!!

 

[pld5]

We are also checking in tomorrow! So excited! Honeymoon Suite CL here we come!!!

Jealous of the Honeymoon Suite, but probably would not have been an appropriate choice for my son's 7th birthday celebration.....

 

[bluecastle]

Just returned from a VWL stay Feb. 13-21 in a 2BRM lock off with the exception of 2/17 when we could only get a 1 BRM so some of us stayed at AKL Club level. Both sons, DH and in-laws (in their 80's) and myself for this trip. Those who stayed at AKL Club level loved it.

At VWL we had issues checking in (rooms not ready after 5 pm and then the room number was called to our home phone instead of a text to our cell phone which we requested) and with Mousekeeping (no room cleaning or trash and towel service in the 1 BRM unit which we were in 8 days). The lack of Mousekeeping put a kink in our trip. I spent a lot of time cleaning and washing Disney towels/sheets and came home exhausted. I kept being sent from Mousekeeping, to the front desk to Member services. I gave up and will send a letter. I wanted a nice trip for the family so I cleaned and did Disney's laundry begrudgingly.

The Territory Lounge was nice, we really enjoyed our time there. We had a hoot of a breakfast at Whispering Canyon (or as my son refers to it "The Bellowing Buffet"). We took the in-laws to the Top of the World Lounge for a drink and to watch MK fireworks. They enjoyed that.

I don't think the in-laws will travel again so this was a special time, they flew in from Minnesota, a son from Wisconsin and the rest from the East Coast. Despite weather issues, all went well from a transportation perspective.

One thing I miss in the villas are the dishes which matched the room decor. I loved the green mugs and the large "Chuckwagon" type bowls. The white institutional dishes just are not the same. I brought a hearty soup mix along to have in the "Chuckwagon" bowls, but alas, no bowls. I really miss the old WL dishes and didn't make the soup.

Sorry to hear about your issues with housekeeping and the check- in process.
Other than that, what did you think of the condition of the room and the beds? We are staying in a 2BR in August and since I have a bad back, I am hoping the mattresses are fairly firm. Was there enough drawer space for everyone? Did the showers have decent water pressure? ( we have pretty much found lower pressure than we have at home when at WDW) Housekeeping aside, was the unit clean? Did you request a particular view or floor? Sorry for all the questions! TIA for any info.

 

[Wood Nymph]

I have scanned back several (10) pages and don't see the answer to the question: when are the Christmas decorations in the lobby up? (just a ballpark guess will do!) I want to go back during the holidays this year, and would like to make sure that the tree is up! We had a trip planned to the WL for April, and changed to the GF....but will be ready for some cozy time at the Lodge come Christmas-time!

I had also gone back through the pages to find out when the decorations went up because I plan to return to see them. The best I could figure out from the comments is that they were up around Nov 19th.

 

[Tinkerbelljean]

You weren't in a one bedroom for eight days. You were in a one bedroom for one day. You were in a two bedroom for a few days, then the one bedroom for one day and then the two bedroom for a few more days. So technically, you weren't in a room long enough (four nights) to get room service of any kind. But they should have cleaned the one bedroom before your stay in that and after you "moved out" of it.

I don't understand your math. If you stay for 8 nights and can't get one night in a reservation there is no way at some end of the stay you wouldn't be in a reservation for 4 nights or more and be entitled to at least trash and towel once. We had four consecutive nights in a two bedroom and lost the lock off on day 5. If my Disney math is correct, day 4 is trash and towel day.

My 80 plus year old in-laws are very clean people but have issues that 80 year-old folks commonly have and require fresh towels and sheets. It would be nice for Disney to provide trash and towel when due. I have stayed at VWL at least 5 times for 5 nights or more and have rarely gotten the services when due. I have gone through the VWL "it is not my fault go to another department" run around too often and wasted my vacation time, I can remember at least 3 trips to VWL when I have attempted to obtain services that were due. I have not had this issue at other resorts, not that it does not happen there. Sometimes you feel like you have a target painted on you and I have one at VWL with housekeeping.

 

[dreamcruiser]

I had also gone back through the pages to find out when the decorations went up because I plan to return to see them. The best I could figure out from the comments is that they were up around Nov 19th.

Thanks for this update! That jibes with the time I was planning on booking us.
I feel like it will be less crowded, but possibly still festive by that week.

 

[Paul Couturier]

We are also checking in tomorrow! So excited! Honeymoon Suite CL here we come!!!

I'll be staying at WL in a Honeymoon Suite myself with my new wife the last week of September!

Can you give us a review when you return?

Paul

 

[CuteAsMinnie]

I have scanned back several (10) pages and don't see the answer to the question: when are the Christmas decorations in the lobby up? (just a ballpark guess will do!) I want to go back during the holidays this year, and would like to make sure that the tree is up! We had a trip planned to the WL for April, and changed to the GF....but will be ready for some cozy time at the Lodge come Christmas-time!

I had also gone back through the pages to find out when the decorations went up because I plan to return to see them. The best I could figure out from the comments is that they were up around Nov 19th.

Early November.

Enjoy!

 

[dreamcruiser]

Early November.

Enjoy!

Great!!

 

[Tinkerbelljean]

Bluecastle,

Let me try and answer your questions. Regarding the flow of water, I think the water pressure is fine. The showers are equipped with low flow nozzles to decrease water use as an energy saving measure so water flow may not be what you are used to.

Beds were great-I have had back issues in the past, but no complaints from anyone this trip.

I was at VWL for a week in November and 8 days in February. We requested pool view both times. In November we were on the 5th floor in a 1 bdrm and this trip in 4535 and 4533 (2BRM lock off). We could see the pool from the balcony and were relatively close to the elevator which were our requests. Both visits we got quiet rooms with not too much walking. We could enjoy the Electric Parade on the balcony. Also birds visited the balcony.

The room in November was not that clean, cleanliness was better in February. In Nov. we had a glass/dish collection that resembled my Goodwill collection from college. Multiple sized glasses, 3 different types of wine glasses. I am sure you'd never see what we were given on a Marketing picture. Surfaces in the kitchen in November could have used a better cleaning. However, the angle of the light also caught everything at that time of year. Many things were missing from the room on both trips, November we needed pot holders, a paring knife, light bulbs replaced and we had a replacement lamp that didn't go with the room theme. We had to get batteries for the remote control in November. Many of these things should have been taken care of by former users, like burned out light bulbs and dead batteries. In Feb the Main bedroom TV did not work, upon investigation a cable on the tv was not connected, an easy fix. There were things left by prior users in the rooms, photo pass cards, receipts, Disney ribbons and Disney confetti. We had to get a new carafe as the one we had was broken and we needed pot holders again. The room was pretty clean, in February. It was missing a few finishing touches, like covers on the toilet paper dispenser but it was comfy.

Enough drawer space hmmm we had enough in the lock off. The person who had to sleep in the main living room on the sofa really did not have enough drawer space, but we made do. There is room in the closet. We don't bring that many clothes due to the washer.

The washer is one of the new energy efficient washers which makes a lot of noise. It bothered my in-laws a lot. I could not use it at bedtime as it kept them awake.

That is about all I can remember.

Jean

 

[CaliKT]

Just booked our second trip to the Lodge -- Dec 7-13, Courtyard Bunk Bed. Can't wait to get back!