Standard view at Wilderness Lodge, or preferred room at Caribbean Beach?

[Realgrumpy]

We stayed at Caribbean Beach on our last trip and loved it...wanted to try Wilderness Lodge, but I really can't see paying more for the view, but having seen photos of the standard view "view" which is what I booked, I am not sure which is better, the bottom of the "deluxe" or the top of the "moderate" help?

 

[Sue M]

I'd go for WL! How much time will you spend in your room? If you request north side, you may be over service entrance, but if you don't look down you may be able to see the higher MK fireworks from balcony on higher floors.

 

[mickeynut1]

We stayed at Caribbean Beach on our last trip and loved it...wanted to try Wilderness Lodge, but I really can't see paying more for the view, but having seen photos of the standard view "view" which is what I booked, I am not sure which is better, the bottom of the "deluxe" or the top of the "moderate" help?

My choice would be the WL. We've stayed at CBR and loved everything about it, but we love the MK area resorts and the WL is great. We wouldn't hesitate to return to CBR, but we do love the deluxe resorts, with WL being one of our favorites.

 

[cmjohannes]

My family had always stayed at the moderates. Then we splurged this past September at booked a standard view room at WL. What a difference! We requested a high floor on the north wing (hoping for a glimpse of the MK). We got our request, 5th floor, although I can't remember the room number. We overlooked the service area, which wasn't the nicest view, but didn't particularly bother us, as we were rarely in the room during the day. At night, the fireworks at the MK were visible from our balcony, which was spectacular. Additionally, the benefits of the close proximity to the MK, and the fact that the WL is all one building made the extra cost worthwhile. We felt comfortable letting our kids (ages 10 and 12) explore the resort on their own, which they loved. The additional cost is a bit hard to stomach at first, but once you've stayed there you probably won't want to go back to a moderate - I know we won't!

 

[pixieMandy]

Wilderness Lodge for sure! We loved it there, it was so convenient to take the boat to Magic Kingdom and the resort is gorgeous. We also walked over to Fort Wilderness one day and got to see the horses and do a pony ride. I wish I could afford WL for every trip!

 

[DWillowBay]

Yet another vote for Wilderness Lodge. Just stayed there this past November and was blown away. Amazing, beautiful lodge. No comparison in my mind.

 

[princessesintraining]

I stayed in a standard view room in september after having stayed in a woods view before. I had no problem with the view and we were above the loading docks. We did hear the horns from the boats going through the channel, but couldn't beat the location for eating/catching the boat. Booking standard enable me to earn an extra free dining day after ditching the courtyard view. I am going in June and would book standard again if it were available. We are instead booked in a woods view/bunk room.

 

[Dizzymrslizzy]

I hated Carribean Beach when we stayed there the last time.

It was such a pain in the rear end, and way too much walking.
I'd go WL in a heart beat

 

[ice cube]

Deluxe or moderate....do we really have to think about it.......I wouldn't consider WL bottom of Deluxe either...

 

[Mousemommy1]

For us, that would be choosing between our absolute most favorite resort (WL ) and our least favorite (CBR )

So, for us, the choice is easy!! WL all the way!!!

 

[fauntleroy53]

DH & I stayed at CBR back in Nov and WL the first week of Feb., just earlier this month. First time at both places. I had no problem with the CB room itself,inside. It felt like a standard hotel room,Best Western kind of feeling. Nice size.Fine.We had a room across from the lake on the other side of the road. Nice view. The bus stop was a two minute walk. Convenient. But there were no chairs to sit outside your room to take in the lake view,even though there was plenty of room on the outside walkway for chairs..If you wanted to get out of your room,you really had to trek somewhere else. Not even a common area for each building to just hang out close to your room. I was never motivated enough to get back on an internal bus just to get to the food court (never saw it). It's a nice looking resort,but incredibly spread out, which can be tiring to just think about. I can see it working for people who have young children who spend lots of time at the pool (which I never saw in person, but the pictures look nice-just another hike I didn't want to do). But if I'm going to stay on property, I WANT that Disney feeling. I want to see and feel that Magic from when I open my eyes to when I close them at night. That's what I'm paying for. A memory/experience I can't get anywhere else.
WL was amazing. If you mosey through the Resort thread,somewhere recently there's a post titled something like "Which resort would you NEVER stay at again?" I posted a 19 point list on why I would stay at WL again. Please look through it. I left some points out,but the major ideas are there.
Plus, as an ex-Long Islander, I'd NEVER lie to you!!!!!!

 

[HopperFan]

Hands down WL. Beautiful resort inside and out!!

 

[jenjenmouse]

We've stayed at both. WL is AMAZING. I loved being inside when it rained and just walking around with the amazing scenery. We had a woods view and loved it so much. CB, stayed there once and it is my least favorite resort so far. Many stays at POR and love it there as well but the comfort factor in WL all around wins.

 

[ElizabethB]

Looks like it's unanimous -- I vote WL as well. The boat to MK is worth the extra price.

 

[DSLRuser]

I will add that I have been to the WL for 5 stays. Never have I "paid" for anything but a woods view room. And always get a courtyard. 4 for 5. 1 time was an end room. so technicaly not courtyard.

 

[Minnie-Mickey]

WL hands down. We have had all levels and locations. The worst standard room is what I call the "green roof room" which when looking out you only saw two roofs meeting outside nothing else. BUT I don't think there are two many of this really bad view. Even with the poor view, the rest of the hotel makes up for it. Besides only 2 of 4 of us sit out there for any length of time.

 

[hops&dreams]

I will add that I have been to the WL for 5 stays. Never have I "paid" for anything but a woods view room. And always get a courtyard. 4 for 5. 1 time was an end room. so technicaly not courtyard.

Agree with all PP - WL. We've stayed there twice now and would never stay anywhere else.

When DH was a kid, he stayed at CBR, so this last trip, we went to check it out after our park day and see if we might want to stay there our next trip. Man, we had to figure out what bus stop to get off at. Apparently it was the wrong one because we didn't know where we were and then had to walk forever to get to the main building. And of course, it started raining, so we got soaked! I told DH "I would never walk all this way outside to go to Roaring Forks!"

We laughed our way through, and while we FINALLY waited for a bus to take us back to MK, we asked DD if she wanted to stay there on our next trip, she laughed and said "uh, NO!" It was a chuckle... she asked if we could run in and grab popcorn before we caught a boat back to WL (we used MK as a transport "hub") and so we went in we decided we were already soaked - let's ride splash mountain! It was the only time DD was brave enough for the big drop! That part of the evening - getting caught in the rain, wandering, lost around the buildings at CBR (I wonder what people watching us thought!) - it was one of our fondest memories of that trip!

Back to topic though - I would choose WL just because of the inside-ness (is that a word?) of the hotel. I can walk down for a late night snack in my pj's and flip flops. We go in winter, when the parks close early, so we love to get a drink at the Territory Lounge and take it to the lobby and hang out drinking and talking with other visitors. Sometimes I'll bring my knitting and just talk to other travellers. DD loves to sit by the fire, play with other kids who are doing the same. Or if DD is tired, DH and I will take our drinks back to the room and sit out on the balcony overlooking the pool.

And FWIW, both trips, we've booked standard view and been given courtyard view overlooking the pool.

 

[Realgrumpy]

Thank you...decision made.

 

[GrandCalifornian]

Thank you...decision made.

I'm late to the party but will congratulate you on your choice. We book standard view at WL and LOVE being at such an awesome resort. There are only a couple of the "green roof view" rooms, and they happen to have a beautiful view of the lobby out the other end of the room. It is our "home" at WDW. Enjoy your trip!

 

[srgibbs]

WL hands down! We leave for our 6th stay and always book standard but have never stayed in one bc they Always upgrade us and I never ask we have stayed at CBR 1x and I thought it was fine but my family said never again and always want WL and we did have a preferred room. CBR is not bad just hard to stay there after WL