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

[dobirdsmommy]

We have a reservation for WL for the last week of August. Are we still going to be safe going that time?

This is so upsetting. Last year, I had to switch my Poly reservation to the Contemporary due to construction and this year, I chose WL over the Poly because the Poly is still under construction. I would hate to have to move us again.

I saw it says construction was expected to start sometime in September. Was this written someplace in particular I could take a look at?

I am in the same boat

We are planned to be there
8/21-8/29
We were going to stay there in November 2014 but the construction was going on.. Now I see this. I am so not one for construction, especially because I work with it.. This will be my first vacay since Disney in 2014 November. I WANT A REAL VACATION

 

[JKSWonder]

I am in the same boat

We are planned to be there
8/21-8/29
We were going to stay there in November 2014 but the construction was going on.. Now I see this. I am so not one for construction, especially because I work with it.. This will be my first vacay since Disney in 2014 November. I WANT A REAL VACATION

We are there 8/22 through 8/29.

Our last vacation was August 2014. We've had a terrible time this year for many, many reasons and we really need a good family vacation before all the school craziness starts up again.

 

[WDWKOOK]

I added DVC Mike's wonderful imagery to POST 1 so everyone will see it​

Any thoughts on Expiration? Will they do what they did with OKW and charge so much a point for an extension? And what would the extension be? 25 yrs? That's a big jump compared to 15@OKW. And the extension at OKW didn't do as well as expected?

I'll bet the DVC forums have been discussing all these details. You might want to take a look there.

Too bad they didn't just use the River Country land for this project instead of messing with the Lodge property.

That area has been rumored for years to be in consideration for Resort DVC expansion, but it's never gone very far in the planning stages and would be the first Moderate DVC. Disney takes into consideration cost, profitability and feasibility, (which includes so many permits/studies, etc...) when contemplating any project, so expanding on WL property must have been more cost effective, for now.

I would think WL cabins being 1500-1850 sq ft they will cost as much if not more to book.

DVC Mike's calculations put the cabins at between 1750-1800 SF. This SF is closest to the average of a combined one and two bedroom villa. It's much smaller than a Grand Villa and much larger than a One Bedroom/Studio.

will the boat to MK be affected I wonder??

I don't think it would. It wasn't impacted during the WL pool rehab which included installing a new fence and diverting foot traffic around the pool from one path to another to the boats.

I need to buy some DVC points STAT

Love your nurse talk!

Okay I can't figure how to quote a small portion of a large post so please forgive me on that.

Just delete anything you don't want to quote within the quote and leave the rest.

We have a reservation for WL for the last week of August. Are we still going to be safe going that time?

This is so upsetting. Last year, I had to switch my Poly reservation to the Contemporary due to construction and this year, I chose WL over the Poly because the Poly is still under construction. I would hate to have to move us again.

I saw it says construction was expected to start sometime in September. Was this written someplace in particular I could take a look at?

The estimate was in one of the contractor's proposals that was attached to the permit and I didn't see it mentioned anywhere else. The link to all of the documents, via the SFWMD website, is in POST 1. This is the actual comment:

I am personally extremely annoyed by this, we have just booked for September 2016 and will now more than likely be looking for another resort instead, I don't understand how they can now call this Wilderness Lodge, when they are going to be cutting down 80% of the wilderness?

I can sense your disappointment, but I still want to welcome you to the DIS!

 

[ParkHoppers]

Are we sure they are knocking out all the trees? Since they are cabins, is it still possible that they will keep most of the trees and the cabins will be nestled in them?

If Disney wants to do this the right way which will certainly cost more they could leave a lot of the trees. But just like a housing development a lot of the time they just clear the entire area to make it easier for the heavy equipment to get in and work. It is easier and more importantly to Disney CHEAPER to just totally clear the area before construction. I hope Disney takes the more difficult and expensive approach for the sake of those who love WIlderness Lodge.

 

[ArwenMarie]

If Disney wants to do this the right way which will certainly cost more they could leave a lot of the trees. But just like a housing development a lot of the time they just clear the entire area to make it easier for the heavy equipment to get in and work. It is easier and more importantly to Disney CHEAPER to just totally clear the area before construction. I hope Disney takes the more difficult and expensive approach for the sake of those who love WIlderness Lodge.

With the distances between those cabins and as you said how they build now, I can't see how they keep trees in between the cabins. I do think they will keep trees in that loop behind the cabins that seems to be a ring road. I also think they will clear the trees in front of the cabins to make them "lakeview"

 

[ParkHoppers]

With the distances between those cabins and as you said how they build now, I can't see how they keep trees in between the cabins. I do think they will keep trees in that loop behind the cabins that seems to be a ring road. I also think they will clear the trees in front of the cabins to make them "lakeview"

I hope they at least leave a good amount of trees behind the cabins and I will be absolutely ticked if they don,t leave a bunch of trees that border the DVC building and where the new construction will be.

 

[gschon]

Pine trees are easy to transplant, and they grow pretty fast.

 

[Octoberbaby]

I am booked the 1-9 of August. My TA said that she would inform me of anything that could effect our stay. BUT will there be any rooms available somewhere else?? Does anyone think that I should chance it or change resorts now? Even if the construction isn't scheduled intil Sept., I'm wondering what are the chances of it starting earlier?

 

[sotoalf]

I am booked the 1-9 of August. My TA said that she would inform me of anything that could effect our stay. BUT will there be any rooms available somewhere else?? Does anyone think that I should chance it or change resorts now? Even if the construction isn't scheduled intil Sept., I'm wondering what are the chances of it starting earlier?

Ha -- you have no worries. Construction doesn't start early -- it's usually delayed. All we know is that permits were filed.

 

[DVC Mike]

The Disney filing on the Wilderness Lodge has a marking for "View to Fireworks".

Do you really think some cabins might have a view of the nightly fireworks?

Looking at the diagram below, if Disney doesn’t leave many trees in front of some of the cabins, a fireworks view might be possible.

However, the island in front of the cabins, and perhaps the Contemporary Resort might restrict some views.

What do you think?

http://i235.*************************************MK_Fireworks.jpg

 

[DVC Mike]

DVC Mike's calculations put the cabins at between 1750-1800 SF. This SF is closest to the average of a combined one and two bedroom villa. It's much smaller than a Grand Villa and much larger than a One Bedroom/Studio.

Comparing this filing to the same filing for the Polynesian filing, the exterior size seems similar to that of what turned out to be the Polynesian bungalows. So, maybe these are more like the Poly bungalows than I first thought.

 

[WDWKOOK]

The Disney filing on the Wilderness Lodge has a marking for "View to Fireworks".

Do you really think some cabins might have a view of the nightly fireworks?

Looking at the diagram below, if Disney doesn’t leave many trees in front of some of the cabins, a fireworks view might be possible.

However, the island in front of the cabins, and perhaps the Contemporary Resort might restrict some views.

What do you think?

http://i235.*************************************MK_Fireworks.jpg

More great overhead imagery! Excellent! Thank you!

I was thinking the same thing when I saw the "View to Fireworks" notation and then went to my bookmark of Robo's old imagery (located HERE) of the Wishes viewing area. Maybe they can squeeze in a few cabins that have a Wishes view, those that are next to the current CM parking lot, if they have unobstructed views, like you mentioned. But, since these are all ground floor cabins, with obstructed foreground views, none could be TPV, right? I think you have more of a TPV/Wishes view from floors 5-7 in the North Wing, and those are Woods View rooms.

Comparing this filing to the same filing for the Polynesian filing, the exterior size seems similar to that of what turned out to be the Polynesian bungalows. So, maybe these are more like the Poly bungalows than I first thought.

Then in that case, they should cost a bit less.

 

[WDWKOOK]

I am booked the 1-9 of August. My TA said that she would inform me of anything that could effect our stay. BUT will there be any rooms available somewhere else?? Does anyone think that I should chance it or change resorts now? Even if the construction isn't scheduled intil Sept., I'm wondering what are the chances of it starting earlier?

FWIW, I'd leave your reservation as is, unless the scaffolding might bother you. But, most guests haven't been too bothered by it so far.

 

[Octoberbaby]

Ha -- you have no worries. Construction doesn't start early -- it's usually delayed. All we know is that permits were filed.

FWIW, I'd leave your reservation as is, unless the scaffolding might bother you. But, most guests haven't been too bothered by it so far.

 

[yooperfan]

As far as fireworks view, maybe they feel they can charge more for the North wing rooms facing the MK by calling them Fireworks views instead of Woods view. I find it sad that those with the most are often those that are the greediest. Oh well, there are still a few nice mods.

 

[yooperfan]

When was estimated start date again?

 

[LuvGoofy6]

I just posted on another forum that I was worried about our trip this December. We have never stayed at WL but don't want to be in the middle of construction. We are booked in a courtyard view~with any luck we won't see much of the construction if we have that view.

 

[Sue M]

Thanks Kook for the info. Another beautiful WDW resort ruined by DCV expansion . So sad. I loved strolling along the Lake Nature Trail, encounters with deer. So pretty and peaceful. Won't be anymore.

 

[mexi]

FWIW, I'd leave your reservation as is, unless the scaffolding might bother you. But, most guests haven't been too bothered by it so far.

Do you know where the scaffolding is right now? I just changed my reservation to the VWL and now I'm second guessing myself. I've never stayed at this resort before. I will be there the last week in July after BWI.

I also put in a request for our deluxe studio. I asked for upper floor pool view. Do the villas have dormers?

Sorry for all the questions. I love all the great advice I get here. Thanks!

 

[MaggiesMomNJ]

I just switched us to GF...pretty annoyed by all this. We really love WL. The CM I spoke with said she has gotten one other call and it was someone from here. She is expecting a lot more people to dump ressies.