BOULDER RIDGE VILLAS & COPPER CREEK VILLAS & CABINS: Wilderness Lodge DVC Expansion Thread

[WDWKOOK]

At the time the CM's on the club level floor still had limited information about the plans for that floor. They had heard that the club lounge would not have seating on the lobby balcony, but that sounded more like a rumor than a confirmed plan. They also didn't know if there would be DVC units on the 7th floor. I got the feeling that the staff isn't told very much. Management doesn't want them to reveal the actual plans to the guests so they keep the information very secret.

They also told us that the new club lounge would have a view of MK. But a guest staying there recently had been told that the lounge will be on the south side of the resort. So who is right?

The new lounge will have a MKV. The guest who reported that the new lounge would be in the South Wing was not correct or didn't receive correct information. The new lounge is located in the North Wing's two Honeymoon Suites pictured above:





"Didn't know" means "can't confirm"

I'll bite since speculation is easy. I'm hazarding the guess that all the rooms in the south wing will be DVC. Anything less would mean an extremely small DVC resort and, further, if you demo and refurbish all those rooms but not the north wing, you've created an inequity.

Your guess is correct.

 

[mystery222184]

Your guess is correct.

Sounds like this is definite. So would this mean the 2 remaining Honeymoon suites would be DVC? Too bad because we enjoy those rooms. Though the two times when have stayed in those suites we had the MK view, which I guess is the new lounge.

 

[WDWKOOK]

Thank you to @GrandCalifornian for posting his DVC expansion photos! His are more recent than mine, but here are mine from about 10 days ago, many of which I did post to my TR. Interior expansion photos first:

SOUTH WING DVC CONVERSION:






CLOSED MID-LODGE ELEVATORS:


CLOSED BRIDGE FROM NORTH WING TO SOUTH WING:




NORTH WING:


NEW OLD FAITHFUL CLUB LOUNGE LOCATION:

 

[CuteAsMinnie]

Sooooooo, the Beloved WL, the resort which, at one time, had the MOST repeat guests of any WDW resort, and is (sorry, was) one of the smallest with only 728 rooms will now house a mere guest rooms 364 rooms.

WOW

No words.



In the end, I wonder if those in the North wing resort rooms will feel like being in a hotel room of a mega DVC resort and now an afterthought. It's homey, secluded appeal lost.

 

[mystery222184]

Sooooooo, the Beloved WL, the resort which, at one time, had the MOST repeat guests of any WDW resort, and is (sorry, was) one of the smallest with only 728 rooms will now house a mere guest rooms 364 rooms.

WOW

No words.

It's homey, secluded appeal is lost, IMHO.

Would it really be cut to 364 rooms? I was figuring There would be more than that. Either way, I'm very disappointed they've seemingly decided to designate part of the lodge to DVC. We may end up looking elsewhere if many of these rumored chnges take place next year.

 

[WDWKOOK]

Exterior expansion photos.


VIEW FROM MONORAIL OF NORTHERN CABIN CONSTRUCTION AREA:



BACK OF NORTH WING WOODS VIEW ROOMS:






VIEW FROM NORTH WING BETWEEN STANDARD AND WOODS VIEW ROOMS OVERLOOKING OTTER POND:


SOUTH WING:








SOUTH WING NEAR CUB'S DEN:





​

 

[WDWKOOK]

NEW QS WITH OLD MARINA/BIKE RENTAL BUILDING AND NEW CABINS TO THE LEFT:


SOUTH WING WITH NEW QS IN BACKGROUND:





THE FOLLOWING AREAS ARE BEHIND VWL FACING TOWARD BAY LAKE:












​

 

[Lodge Captain]

Thanks for posting more pictures. It really gives you a feel for just how much is being done at the resort. Question: are you thinking that all the current south bear faced and south inner courtyard rooms will all be staying as resort rooms? Also do you think the bank of elevators in the main lobby will service both resort and DVC rooms?

 

[WDWKOOK]

Sooooooo, the Beloved WL, the resort which, at one time, had the MOST repeat guests of any WDW resort, and is (sorry, was) one of the smallest with only 728 rooms will now house a mere guest rooms 364 rooms.

WOW

No words.

In the end, I wonder if those in the North wing resort rooms will feel like being in a hotel room of a mega DVC resort and now an afterthought. It's homey, secluded appeal lost.

WL guests will certainly be in the minority and feel like little fish in a very big DVC pond. One possible positive aspect is that CL will have only around 25 rooms! I'm surprised they can justify a 25-room CL. I wonder if the North Wing VP Suite will convert to a Presidential since the OFC will lose the Presidential in the South Wing DVC conversion?

Would it really be cut to 364 rooms? I was figuring There would be more than that. Either way, I'm very disappointed they've seemingly decided to designate part of the lodge to DVC. We may end up looking elsewhere if many of these rumored chnges take place next year.

The number of WL rooms will be halved. Where do you think you'd stay instead?

 

[WDWKOOK]

Thanks for posting more pictures. It really gives you a feel for just how much is being done at the resort. Question: are you thinking that all the current south bear faced and south inner courtyard rooms will all be staying as resort rooms? Also do you think the bank of elevators in the main lobby will service both resort and DVC rooms?

You're welcome. I believe the North Wing Bear Face rooms are still occupied? But, access to the South Wing Bear Face rooms is blocked. My guess is that the mid-Lodge elevator will re-open to all guests once the conversion is complete. But, that's just my opinion and not based on any fact.

 

[WDWKOOK]

The most recent construction photos were taken Friday and posted to the WL/VWL thread HERE by @jade1.

 

[mystery222184]

The number of WL rooms will be halved. Where do you think you'd stay instead?

Thanks KOOK-

If we go during F&W as intended, maybe YC or BC again. Possibly split with CR as it's the one monorail resort we have yet to try.

The WL was always so quiet and relaxing. I'm concerned it will now be extremely loud/full due to DVC bookings, and reservations harder to come by with only ~350 rooms.

On the other hand, if they don't plan to extend CL to DVC, and only have about 25 CL rooms, the 7th floor may remain as relaxing as before - assuming availability

Will certainly be following the updates closely.

 

[Dean Marino]

Would it really be cut to 364 rooms? I was figuring There would be more than that. Either way, I'm very disappointed they've seemingly decided to designate part of the lodge to DVC. We may end up looking elsewhere if many of these rumored chnges take place next year.

Now - all personal opinion, I'm not right, no one else is wrong.....

Folks? WL sort of HAD to do this. Those rooms, for YEARS, were not being rented. The WL was stuck in a permanent 35% discount cycle .
So? When supply exceeds demand? Adjust supply. I believe this was the principal driver of this entire project.

.... and I personally believe that, if this approach works for WDW? The WL will be the SECOND Hotel to re-designate what they view as "excess Rental capacity" to DVC. The FIRST was the Poly. Just me - the Grand Floridian is RIPE for this : disconnected buildings. I actually expected anything with "disconnected buildings" to go FIRST, due to the requirements of specific property definition. The NEW WL DVC confuses me..... for any potential buyer, where does the LODGE roof end, and YOUR roof start? Electrical? Heat? Air? Where does YOUR responsibility begin?
Disconnected buildings are SO much easier....

Again, all personal opinion, I'm not right, no one else is wrong.....

 

[CuteAsMinnie]

Now - all personal opinion, I'm not right, no one else is wrong.....

Folks? WL sort of HAD to do this. Those rooms, for YEARS, were not being rented. The WL was stuck in a permanent 35% discount cycle .
So? When supply exceeds demand? Adjust supply. I believe this was the principal driver of this entire project.

.... and I personally believe that, if this approach works for WDW? The WL will be the SECOND Hotel to re-designate what they view as "excess Rental capacity" to DVC. The FIRST was the Poly. Just me - the Grand Floridian is RIPE for this : disconnected buildings. I actually expected anything with "disconnected buildings" to go FIRST, due to the requirements of specific property definition. The NEW WL DVC confuses me..... for any potential buyer, where does the LODGE roof end, and YOUR roof start? Electrical? Heat? Air? Where does YOUR responsibility begin?
Disconnected buildings are SO much easier....

Again, all personal opinion, I'm not right, no one else is wrong.....

I believe there were many discount cycles where either a) WL was not included or b) discounted at a lesser rate than other deluxes because, supposedly, WL had reached that booking threshold. Remember now, WL HAD, at one point, the most loyal guests with the highest return visits, so They say.

Good point on the roofline ends/begins. To me, but what do I know, it would be logical for south wing rooms closest to Silver Springs (think old CL located rooms) to remain WL and the true south wing to become DVC. But, the suits are seldom known for their logic, imho.

 

[sleepydog25]

I do understand the angst with the changes to WL (and VWL); however, I don't think the conversion to DVC will bring an "extremely loud/full" resort. I can't say that DVCers are any louder than normal guests, and depending on the room configurations, there may actually be fewer people at the Lodge once the DVC conversion is in place. I do rue the fact that part of the "wilderness" associated the Lodge will be lost, and certainly shrinking rooms will mean less openings for non-DVC patrons.

 

[lgcountry]

Wasn't AKL the first Deluxe to convert to DVC, then Poly, and now WL?

 

[mystery222184]

I do understand the angst with the changes to WL (and VWL); however, I don't think the conversion to DVC will bring an "extremely loud/full" resort. I can't say that DVCers are any louder than normal guests, and depending on the room configurations, there may actually be fewer people at the Lodge once the DVC conversion is in place. I do rue the fact that part of the "wilderness" associated the Lodge will be lost, and certainly shrinking rooms will mean less openings for non-DVC patrons.

Just to clarify- by no means am I saying DVCers are louder than other guests. But if the purpose of taking away so many rooms and converting to DVC was to better fill an otherwise lower capacity resort (which I'm still not sure about), then the main building is likely to be full/louder due to the higher capacity.

 

[Lisa P.]

Is this the new home of DVC Mickey? I had not seen it before. On the lake side?

 

[sleepydog25]

Just to clarify- by no means am I saying DVCers are louder than other guests. But if the purpose of taking away so many rooms and converting to DVC was to better fill an otherwise lower capacity resort (which I'm still not sure about), then the main building is likely to be full/louder due to the higher capacity.

I sincerely apologize if I insinuated you meant that as I didn't mean it that way. I was thinking there wouldn't be anymore guests thus not louder, but you make a valid point that the occupancy rate could, indeed, be higher thus being louder.

 

[sleepydog25]

Is this the new home of DVC Mickey? I had not seen it before. On the lake side?

I believe it's below the confluence of walkways between the Lodge, the Villas, the bus stop thruway, and the bike trail to FW. As it appears in the video, if you hang a left down the stairs between VWL and the main Lodge, I believe it sits at the point of the sidewalk between the south wing of the Lodge and the north portion of the Villas. . .based on what I can see in the video.