Disney's WILDERNESS LODGE Information & Questions

[Disney2013Girl]

I'm torn on what room/location I want to request...We have a Deluxe room and *may* have someone in a wheelchair when we go. How far of a walk is it to the end of the wings? I'm leaning towards courtyard/close to the elevators, but I don't really know for sure. I know I would rather NOT have a dormer balcony because my son will be way more likely to climb if he can't see out through the bars.

 

[Hockeyfan17]

We have returned from our 8 night stay at WL and absolutely loved it. The bus service was quite efficient with a couple of bad luck exceptions and the boat service was wonderful. We ate at WC and RF and had very good food at both locations. We really enjoyed the pool area, the lobby for relaxation, and the beach for the Water Pageant. We also walked the trail to FW for HDDR and saw a few deer on the way. Wilderness lodge has become our favourite resort, and we are unhappy to announce that because of a $1500 difference in price on the bounce back offer, we are going back to CBR for our trip next August (we were hoping to come back, but could not justify that much of a price difference - might be the difference between going and not going). Thanks to everyone on the tread for their help and comments throughout our planning process, your help was valuable throughout our stay. We hope to be back at the lodge someday soon.

 

[bamastar]

For those who have stayed in the bunk rooms, are they long enough to accommodate a 10 year old that is about 4'10" and an 8 year old that is about 4'5". We currently have a bunk room booked because the kids love bunk beds but I'm getting worried that they won't be able to stretch out.

 

[Jhaberlein]

We just arrived! After 5 nights at AoA in the Cars building WL is definitely like coming home. Quiet, relaxing, gorgeous views, and comfy. Scaffolding is still up on the south wing near the lobby. Originally we were in room 7108 and 7110. I had requested bunk beds and North Wing. We got adjoining rooms with queen beds in the South Wing. I think we were 1 or 2 rooms away from scaffolding covering the balcony. We arrived at 3:15ish and the noise from the scaffolding work was LOUD. With this first trip we have found that my 7 year old NEEDS a good late afternoon nap in order to get through evening activities without driving us bonkers. I immediately requested to be moved to a room with bunk beds away from the scaffolding. I didn't care if we were separated from my parents. We moved to rooms 7059 (bunk bed) and 7061; courtyard views. Zero noise and much better sleeping arrangements. We have two sleeping thrashers who will leave bruises on anyone who is sleeping near them. When our cl concierge was telling us about the resort my 7 year old exclaimed: "Did you say TWO hot tubs and a water slide!?!" He's hooked. After deciding on a bunk bed and Nanny and Pops room sleepover schedule I asked the boys which they preferred. They all immediately said WL. Honestly I was surprised, I thought the theming of AoA would tipped the scales. Next time we will be spending our entire stay here and I couldn't be more excited!!! Will post pictures of the scaffolding and CL offerings when things settle down a bit.

 

[xlsm]

For those who have stayed in the bunk rooms, are they long enough to accommodate a 10 year old that is about 4'10" and an 8 year old that is about 4'5". We currently have a bunk room booked because the kids love bunk beds but I'm getting worried that they won't be able to stretch out.

We stayed in a bunk bed room in July...they are standard twin sized beds. My 5'2" 12 year old fit just fine

Have fun and enjoy your trip!!

 

[charlestonblondie]

We are going to be arriving at Disney a week from today. We stay at AOA for one night in a Little Mermaid room (just had to check out the theming there) and then head to the Lodge for the rest of our trip. We are so excited! It is our 7 year old's third trip and our 3 year old's first trip. On Thursday our team, Clemson, is playing in the Thursday night game. We wanted to try to watch the game somewhere and then head to the room at the half. We don't want to keep the kids out too late this night due to probably having a late night on Friday. Is the Territory Lounge a decent place to watch a game? I have been there before, but I can't remember if they have tvs. We decided ESPN is too far. We are probably going to watch the second half on our balcony while the kids go to sleep. Any suggestions? Thoughts? Thank you!

 

[waffocopter]

We stayed in a bunk bed room in July...they are standard twin sized beds. My 5'2" 12 year old fit just fine

On one hand, I'm glad to know that I'll fit in the bunk bed fine myself. On the other hand...someone barely an inch shorter than me is less than half my age. Geez, what do they put in the milk nowadays?

Relating to the bunk bed question, will a 5'6" person be alright?

 

[Wood Nymph]

We are going to be arriving at Disney a week from today. We stay at AOA for one night in a Little Mermaid room (just had to check out the theming there) and then head to the Lodge for the rest of our trip. We are so excited! It is our 7 year old's third trip and our 3 year old's first trip. On Thursday our team, Clemson, is playing in the Thursday night game. We wanted to try to watch the game somewhere and then head to the room at the half. We don't want to keep the kids out too late this night due to probably having a late night on Friday. Is the Territory Lounge a decent place to watch a game? I have been there before, but I can't remember if they have tvs. We decided ESPN is too far. We are probably going to watch the second half on our balcony while the kids go to sleep. Any suggestions? Thoughts? Thank you!

The Territory Lounge has TVs and they usually broadcast sporting events.

 

[ldymcbth]

OK - someone put it to me gently ;-)

We are staying club level the next to last week in Oct. This was a last minute thing, so our resort options were limited. I was initially THRILLED to book WL because family members who have stayed there have raved about it. However, trying to educate myself about the construction now and trying to determine how large of an impact it will have on us. We have 1 day of our stay as a "resort" day - to swim and hang out and relax. Is construction going to make that really unpleasant?

Thanks for sharing your opinions and info!

 

[kmorlock]

At this point it is a big unknown other than for sure the DVC pool and the entire beach area will be inaccessible. No campfires, no bike rentals, movies inside the Villa lobby. The DVC Expansion link On page one of this thread has a lot of information, maps etc. to give you a better idea of proposed areas of impact. The question is exactly where and when, and to what extent for your dates. Think Poly construction If you booked prior to the public announcement, you may want to review the DVC Expansion link thoroughly to get an idea of what options have been offered to others. As always, offerings were not consistent and some had to press to speak with Guest Services specific team handling the WL guests. Some were offered transfer to another MK resort at no fee, some were offered a per night discount to keep reservation at WL, some were only offered Magic Maker and a couple fast passes extra per day. If you think you might want to move, have a resort in mind and be ready to make a change when you call. Do not let them tell you to think about it and call back later. Hope you have a wonderful stay wherever you stay!

 

[Wood Nymph]

OK - someone put it to me gently ;-)

We are staying club level the next to last week in Oct. This was a last minute thing, so our resort options were limited. I was initially THRILLED to book WL because family members who have stayed there have raved about it. However, trying to educate myself about the construction now and trying to determine how large of an impact it will have on us. We have 1 day of our stay as a "resort" day - to swim and hang out and relax. Is construction going to make that really unpleasant?

Thanks for sharing your opinions and info!

Construction on the villas pool is supposed to begin Oct 26th. If it begins on time then it will be very noisy near that area. If your club level room is facing anywhere except on the south side near the villas, then you will probably be fine.

 

[ldymcbth]

Oct 26 is our checkout day - Hooray! Thanks, guys!

 

[charlestonblondie]

The Territory Lounge has TVs and they usually broadcast sporting events.

Thank you!

 

[goopysolelady]

The Territory Lounge has TVs and they usually broadcast sporting events.

Sounds like a good place to watch the Cowboys game on 11/22!

 

[WDWKOOK]

We got back last week from our wonderful trip the the WL. It started off a little bumpy in that our request for a high floor was not granted and we were given a 1st floor bunk bed room, since they were at capacity. They did put in a request for a room change for the next day. My kids hated sleeping in the bunk beds, they're only 4 & 7, the 4yo kept hitting her head and the 7yo was a little scared of being on the top. So thank goodness we were moved the next day to 6108, which was a south facing woods view room. We could see the scaffolding to our right from the balcony, and could peer down on the workers below, but it didn't disrupt us at all.

Bus service was phenomenal, I'm not sure if we were lucky or what, but we never waited more than 5 minutes to or from any park and often one arrived just as we did. They weren't overly crowded, the only time we had people standing was back from AK. The boats were great, too, always timely and relaxing.

We ate at Roaring Forks, Whispering Canyon & Territory Lounge. Roaring Forks was good for what it is, we were disappointed in WC, the food was just meh and the antics got annoying after a while to me & DH, but the kids loved it. Territory Lounge was great, a taste of Artists Point without needed an ADR, I wanted to lick my bowl of mushroom soup it was phenomenal.

Not sure when we'll be back in the World again, but will definitely put WL on the top of our list of places to stay again.

Thank you for posting about your stay

Anyone know if men can wear sandals in Artist Point? Not flip flops, but Birkinstocks?

This is what I posted a few days ago to the CR thread and spoiler alert, feel free to wear Birks, you won't look underdressed. CG = California Grill

hill6 said: Always a bit gun shy to try CG. One day soon. our last few trips have been a more relaxed dress code.

WDWKOOK: I wouldn't worry about that - Disney should, but you shouldn't. The "dress code" is so lax at the TS and Signature Dining locations. As usual, we saw guests in suits, ties and dresses right next to guests in denim shorts, t-shirts and flip flops and everything in between. Even saw a woman at CG in blue jeans that were ripped/scored from thigh to ankle and there was even a family all dressed in pirate attire!

I was actually surprised this visit how many people we saw at the 3 Signature Dining locations we ate at who were dressed the exact same way you'd go to the parks - shorts, sneakers/flip flops and an untucked t-shirt. We think the DDP has led to more people eating at these locations and Disney has had to relax their standards to accommodate the increase. I wouldn't let what you're wearing (or not wearing) keep you from trying anything at WDW, expect maybe V&A

Does anyone have the September activities schedule yet? Thanks!

The September calendar is hyperlinked toward the bottom of POST 1.

You could bring black socks to wear with the sandals.

Years ago when DH was still on active-duty, he wore his black wool military socks with his Birks at WDW - he doesn't do that anymore

We are staying at WL courtyard view from 11/18 to 11/21. So excited!

Congratulations on booking and I'll log your dates.

I'm torn on what room/location I want to request...We have a Deluxe room and *may* have someone in a wheelchair when we go. How far of a walk is it to the end of the wings? I'm leaning towards courtyard/close to the elevators, but I don't really know for sure. I know I would rather NOT have a dormer balcony because my son will be way more likely to climb if he can't see out through the bars.

I think that only some of the Deluxe Rooms at the ends of the wing have obstructed balconies. Our mid-Lodge DR did not have any obstructions. There are elevators right near the mid-Lodge rooms.

We have returned from our 8 night stay at WL and absolutely loved it. The bus service was quite efficient with a couple of bad luck exceptions and the boat service was wonderful. We ate at WC and RF and had very good food at both locations. We really enjoyed the pool area, the lobby for relaxation, and the beach for the Water Pageant. We also walked the trail to FW for HDDR and saw a few deer on the way. Wilderness lodge has become our favourite resort, and we are unhappy to announce that because of a $1500 difference in price on the bounce back offer, we are going back to CBR for our trip next August (we were hoping to come back, but could not justify that much of a price difference - might be the difference between going and not going). Thanks to everyone on the tread for their help and comments throughout our planning process, your help was valuable throughout our stay. We hope to be back at the lodge someday soon.

Enjoy your next stay at CBR and thank you for posting about your WL stay.

We just arrived! After 5 nights at AoA in the Cars building WL is definitely like coming home. Quiet, relaxing, gorgeous views, and comfy. Scaffolding is still up on the south wing near the lobby. Originally we were in room 7108 and 7110. I had requested bunk beds and North Wing. We got adjoining rooms with queen beds in the South Wing. I think we were 1 or 2 rooms away from scaffolding covering the balcony. We arrived at 3:15ish and the noise from the scaffolding work was LOUD. With this first trip we have found that my 7 year old NEEDS a good late afternoon nap in order to get through evening activities without driving us bonkers. I immediately requested to be moved to a room with bunk beds away from the scaffolding. I didn't care if we were separated from my parents. We moved to rooms 7059 (bunk bed) and 7061; courtyard views. Zero noise and much better sleeping arrangements. We have two sleeping thrashers who will leave bruises on anyone who is sleeping near them. When our cl concierge was telling us about the resort my 7 year old exclaimed: "Did you say TWO hot tubs and a water slide!?!" He's hooked. After deciding on a bunk bed and Nanny and Pops room sleepover schedule I asked the boys which they preferred. They all immediately said WL. Honestly I was surprised, I thought the theming of AoA would tipped the scales. Next time we will be spending our entire stay here and I couldn't be more excited!!! Will post pictures of the scaffolding and CL offerings when things settle down a bit.

Glad you got it all straightened out and now you can enjoy the OFC - don't forget Cobbler Time at 8 sharp

On one hand, I'm glad to know that I'll fit in the bunk bed fine myself. On the other hand...someone barely an inch shorter than me is less than half my age. Geez, what do they put in the milk nowadays?

Relating to the bunk bed question, will a 5'6" person be alright?

Many years ago my 5'10" DH slept a night in the bunk above DD "for fun." It was really cramped, but doable.

 

[mamabunny]

I'm torn on what room/location I want to request...We have a Deluxe room and *may* have someone in a wheelchair when we go. How far of a walk is it to the end of the wings? I'm leaning towards courtyard/close to the elevators, but I don't really know for sure. I know I would rather NOT have a dormer balcony because my son will be way more likely to climb if he can't see out through the bars.

Sorry - I just saw your thread. We've been getting ready... 15 days! Wooooooot! and I'm trying to get stuff done so that I can have a relaxing trip!

If your wheelchair person is able to use an ECV for the trip, you may want to consider that as an option. I post on the disABILITIES forum here a lot, and we have learned that the average person walks between 3 and 8 miles per day at WDW. If you are trying to manually push a chair (whether you are the rider, or a helper) it will tire you out fast. WDW has far more ramps, hills, slopes and "altitude adjustments" than you realize until you are dealing with a wheelchair. (personal experience!)

You can rent an ECV within each theme park for $50/day with a $20 deposit. Or, you can typically rent from local area vendors for much less over a multi-day/multi-park stay. The only requirement is that the ECV driver be 18 years or older, and children are not allowed to ride on ECVs with adults - even babies, for safety reasons. If the person is better served by a wheelchair, you might want to pack a pair of inexpensive bike gloves that will fit either/both the rider and anyone who may serve as a "pusher". Once again, personal experience - you don't want to spend your vacation days treated blisters on someone's hands.

I don't know about the dormer balconies, as this is our first trip to WL, hopefully someone else can help you with that. (And while I was posting this... someone above me did!)

 

[JKSWonder]

For those who have stayed in the bunk rooms, are they long enough to accommodate a 10 year old that is about 4'10" and an 8 year old that is about 4'5". We currently have a bunk room booked because the kids love bunk beds but I'm getting worried that they won't be able to stretch out.

My 9 year old son is 4'10" and his 14 year old sister is 5'.0". He slept in the top bunk, she took the bottom and both were fine.

 

[GrandCalifornian]

We are planning to arrive at WL one year from today! To celebrate we started our Pre-Trip report, which is here. It should be a fun year of planning and following what's going on at WL. Thanks in advance to those who will share info about your trips in the next year.

 

[Anesthesia Fine]

Just got back from our first WL stay! Woods view room (3010), which was lovely and peaceful. CMs uniformly wonderful, cocktails at Territory Lounge quite tasty.

My original goal was to try as many resorts as possible but honestly I may never stay anywhere else ever again. That lobby is breathtaking.

 

[supermom2015]

Do the washers and dryers at WL take credit cards/gift cards or coins?

thanks!