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

[Deb & Bill]

Originally Posted by Anna114

OMG you just touched on my only bad experience at VWL. Bats were housing themselves on the walkway to the villas. Holy crap, bats are so my enemy. In my head I get the goodness of bats... my heart not so much. However, Disney, has done what they can to com"bat" the problem. My other issue, a cast member was laughing his silly *** off as I ran... way too funny, in hind sight. If you haven't gotten it, as a long haired child, my fear was bats would catch in my hair. Silly but no less a fear. Good think no one knows who I am. I'm rooting for not so many bats is NH... NY has a bunch of them.

Yep, we also saw the bats in the covered walkway to the WL from VWL when we were there earlier in the month. They do take care of the bugs, so you don't have to worry about West Nile Virus, maybe???

[Anna114]

Originally Posted by delilah18

what kind of bats? Are they only at this resort, didn't see any at AOA

Dunno. Bats wont hurt us just too close for my comfort.

[stephgles]

We have stayed at WL for the past 7 years and we have neer seen a bat.

[erikaluvsdisney]

Originally Posted by katmg

Also would that affect something like being the flag family?

Is it difficult to "get in" to be the flag family

I think my kids - DD13 & DS 10 would love to do this!

[RedfromNL]

Originally Posted by delilah18

Hello


Just wondering does WL have a problem with bats either inside or outside of the lodge?? I thought I read that somewhere and just wanted to verify if it was true

Bats are cool, excepting the vampirebats of course weel even they are cool just not too close

I would love to get an close look at them!

[Kathymford]

Bats?? Seriously? I didn't see any last trip (Sept), but now I will be looking!! Eewww. hahaha.

On a side note, I little girl screamed as I was reading the post about bats, and DBF called me a drama queen. hahaha

[danceteachermom]

I've booked a one bedroom villa at VWL for 3/29 - 4/6....Easter and week after for my family of four. I stayed at WL in 1996 but other than a couple walk throughs I have not been back since. We usually stay at the Coronado. However we decided we wanted to go deluxe this trip and that we wanted a vacation where the grown-ups had more privacy in the room with a closing bedroom door plus the option of a kids club for our youngest on one or two nights. We have planned a Victoria and Alberts dinner.

My mom was hit by a car while out on a walk in November, spent nearly a month in the ICU, and died in December near the 5th anniversary of my day's death. It has been a horrible few months. We decided to splurge on the spring break plans with the hopes that it would give us something to look forward to during this rough transition. I am looking forward to it but also feeling guilty about the extravagance.

I am a little nervous about a resort switch because we really love the Coronado....but it also reminds me of my folks who often vacationed with us there. I hope the WLV will be a good choice for us.

My worries are about the cleanliness of the villa rooms since I have seen several complaints, the bats (above), possible remodeling in the villas while we are there, te
He size of the pool in comparison to the Coronado.

But I am looking forward to the recreation options, the larger room with kitchen and laundry, new restaurant experiences, use of the trail to Fort Wilderness, and the boat ride over the bus to MK. We will have park tickets but do not plan to spend too much time in the parks. I just got back last week from a trip with my students who performed in DTD and we got kind of parked out. We are keeping our tickets to enjoy a few hours here and there but otherwise we will stay away from the crowded parks and just relax.

I have been lurking for some time on this thread and just wanted to say hello.

[AngiTN]

Originally Posted by RedfromNL

Bats are cool, excepting the vampirebats of course weel even they are cool just not too close

I would love to get an close look at them!

I agree, bats are very cool and great animals to have around. Integral. But, not so great to be around. The negative with bats is you can't feel them if they bite you. If you are ever around a moving bat that is trapped inside most recommend treatment for rabies. Not fun. Now, a sleeping bat isn't going to be an issue at all. But a flying bat, especially inside somewhere, a different story. From what I'm understanding by those who have seen them, these are sleeping and outside so no a danger. That said, I can see why Disney wouldn't really want them bedding down for the day around the resort.

[WDWKOOK]

Originally Posted by RedfromNL

OK, so after carefull consideration we decided to extend our stay at the lodge. We'll now be arriving saturday the 4th and leave the 18th.

We still have tickets for ten days so room for a few days away. Like a daytrip to Nasa, some shopping....
I guess we'll mostly do that on the busier weekends.

Only three months to go

I shall get out my Lodgers' Log eraser...

Originally Posted by Wood Nymph

Has anyone here done online check in? Are you able to make any room requests with the online check in? My daughter is doing online check in later today and she has a standard view. We have a woods view and are hoping that we can be close enough to be convenient to each other. If there are options on the online check in, would any of them increase her chances of being close to a woods view room?

I'm not planning on doing online check in. She is arriving one day ahead of us, so I need her room number before we check in so that we can try to get close to her room. I would love to be near Otter Pond, so I hope it all works out.

TIA

I know your OCI question was answered, but I just wanted you to also know that you really can't make any room location requests with OCI. OCI is mostly to provide a contact number if your room isn't ready when you check-in and a credit card number for charging. Some resorts do have a limited pre-set choice of locations like a loop choice for FWC and "top floor," "near elevator" and a section where you can leave a comment, but, it's always best to augment OCI with having all your requests noted in your reservation with the WDTC. OCI won't hurt anything, just make sure requests are also noted in your reservation.

Originally Posted by bluecastle

]It is so exciting to read all the announcements of upcoming trips! So many of us are in planning mode and many of us have our ADR date quickly approaching. (some of us are in planning mode even when we don't have a scheduled trip)

WDWKOOK: I am looking forward to reading your review of dinner at BOG. I have read some rather mixed reviews in allears rate and review. It won't keep me from trying to make an ADR, but it does make me wonder if it will be worth the effort!

Well, a BoG ADR is no more. I've read those same reviews and I've read better ones for lunch and it's so hard to get an ADR with their limited hours that right after we check-in at FW, we're heading to the MK for lunch at BoG. I'll post about our experience.

Originally Posted by nathanyell

We booked this morning! We got a 1 bedroom at VWL on RCI points for 6/9 to 6/16. I'm so happy to be going back to the lodge and have never stayed at the Villas. I'll have to start looking into making room requests.

Then start looking at ADRs.

Brian

Congratulations!

Originally Posted by pld5

4 weeks from today, weather and airlines permitting, we will be enjoying a warm welcome back home to the Wilderness Lodge and an introduction to the Old Faithful Club.

I don't know how I am going to get anything done at work in the next few weeks. I have a business trip to Hershey Lodge the week before our vacation so at least I'll have two days away from the computer and will have to obsess the old fashioned way - by making lists on paper.

Or my wearing out my iphone and Disboards app.

A question for those who have stayed Club Level before, I see the daily menus listed on the first page of this thread. What time are these appetizers typically available? Thanks in advance!

Yippee! It won't be long now!

Originally Posted by delilah18

Hello


Just wondering does WL have a problem with bats either inside or outside of the lodge?? I thought I read that somewhere and just wanted to verify if it was true

The last time I recall seeing bats was back in 2010. They were in the rafters and you could see them easily from the 7th floor lounge. I was told they were getting in from the roof access and I believe this has since been remedied. I haven't seen any indoor bats in 2011 or 2012.

Originally Posted by rea59

Can't wait to get back to WL on 6/24. Last year was the first time we stayed at the lodge and we loved it. We're staying in a deluxe club level room. We decided to split our stay since our friends are staying at the Yacht Club and we thought it would be more convinienient if we were at the same resort. Has anyone ever stayed in the deluxe club level rooms at the Yacht Club? I saw on the Beach & Yacht thread that there is a daybed in the sitting area but when I called to reserve I was told noday bed just chairs and they don't have roll away beds.

I haven't stayed in a YC Jr. Suite (now called a Deluxe room), but I did consider it at one time and did some research on them. They should both (there are two) have a daybed, but I recall a DISer posting that the daybed was like a loveseat and not suitable for sleeping so maybe it's not a true daybed with a mattress. Here's the layout from another DISer:




And, an older photo of the sitting area. I believe it's a sofa bed

Originally Posted by Anna114

OMG you just touched on my only bad experience at VWL. Bats were housing themselves on the walkway to the villas. Holy crap, bats are so my enemy. In my head I get the goodness of bats... my heart not so much. However, Disney, has done what they can to com"bat" the problem. My other issue, a cast member was laughing his silly *** off as I ran... way too funny, in hind sight. If you haven't gotten it, as a long haired child, my fear was bats would catch in my hair. Silly but no less a fear. Good think no one knows who I am. I'm rooting for not so many bats is NH... NY has a bunch of them.

Originally Posted by erikaluvsdisney

Is it difficult to "get in" to be the flag family

I think my kids - DD13 & DS 10 would love to do this!

The longer your stay, the more likely there will be an opening. Make sure you ask as soon as you check-in. Good luck!

Originally Posted by danceteachermom

I've booked a one bedroom villa at VWL for 3/29 - 4/6....Easter and week after for my family of four. I stayed at WL in 1996 but other than a couple walk throughs I have not been back since. We usually stay at the Coronado. However we decided we wanted to go deluxe this trip and that we wanted a vacation where the grown-ups had more privacy in the room with a closing bedroom door plus the option of a kids club for our youngest on one or two nights. We have planned a Victoria and Alberts dinner.

My mom was hit by a car while out on a walk in November, spent nearly a month in the ICU, and died in December near the 5th anniversary of my day's death. It has been a horrible few months. We decided to splurge on the spring break plans with the hopes that it would give us something to look forward to during this rough transition. I am looking forward to it but also feeling guilty about the extravagance.

I am a little nervous about a resort switch because we really love the Coronado....but it also reminds me of my folks who often vacationed with us there. I hope the WLV will be a good choice for us.

My worries are about the cleanliness of the villa rooms since I have seen several complaints, the bats (above), possible remodeling in the villas while we are there, te
He size of the pool in comparison to the Coronado.

But I am looking forward to the recreation options, the larger room with kitchen and laundry, new restaurant experiences, use of the trail to Fort Wilderness, and the boat ride over the bus to MK. We will have park tickets but do not plan to spend too much time in the parks. I just got back last week from a trip with my students who performed in DTD and we got kind of parked out. We are keeping our tickets to enjoy a few hours here and there but otherwise we will stay away from the crowded parks and just relax.

I have been lurking for some time on this thread and just wanted to say hello.

So sorry about your mom. This trip should be in her honor

Change can be both exciting and anxiety producing. My memory of staying at CSR back in '98 is that there was a lot of walking compared with WL. Everything is under one roof at WL and there isn't a surcharge at the QS.

I consider the bats a non-issue, just as I do the snakes. It's FL, there are lizards and snakes and they aren't sleeping in your bed or showering with you so don't worry about that. Cleanliness at WDW is a crap shoot, even within the same resort. Rehabs have to take place so everything is fresh. In the case of WL, they blocked off two floors at a time, so guests were not staying on the same floor as the rehab, nor underneath. Common area rehabs can certainly impact all guests, but you wouldn't want them making noise at night, and most guests are away during the day when they are rehabbing lobbies, etc..., so they try their best not to cause much disruption to guests, but it does happen. But again, it's not something I would be overly concerned with.

You can also use the WL pool and don't feel guilty about the upgrade. When you arrive and take it all in in person, you'll be in awe. Make sure you tour the grounds and walk or boat over to FW, too. You're going to love WL!

[nyrebecca]

I was skimming thru the boards and noticed someone say that there is a thread about the Villas at WL. Can anyone direct me where to find that. I get lost on these boards, I will admit.

[dansdad]

Originally Posted by nyrebecca

I was skimming thru the boards and noticed someone say that there is a thread about the Villas at WL. Can anyone direct me where to find that. I get lost on these boards, I will admit.

Congratulations! You found it!

[WDWKOOK]

Originally Posted by nyrebecca

I was skimming thru the boards and noticed someone say that there is a thread about the Villas at WL. Can anyone direct me where to find that. I get lost on these boards, I will admit.

Maybe you're thinking of the DVC resorts thread?

Originally Posted by dansdad

Congratulations! You found it!

[mommy2twingles]

Add us to the list of WL vacations. We will be staying 11/17 to 11/23 Deluxe Room

[WDWKOOK]

Originally Posted by mommy2twingles

Add us to the list of WL vacations. We will be staying 11/17 to 11/23 Deluxe Room

Just added you to the Lodgers' Log and noticed that you and nyrebecca have the exact same dates

[nyrebecca]

Originally Posted by dansdad

Congratulations! You found it!

Originally Posted by WDWKOOK

Maybe you're thinking of the DVC resorts thread?

Yes, that was what I was thinking of and I finally found it. I swear I could get lost in my own house if I didn't have a map. But, I did get to see some pics on the board of some reno going on.

Originally Posted by WDWKOOK

Just added you to the Lodgers' Log and noticed that you and nyrebecca have the exact same dates

It is a wonderful week to go!!