What do you NOT like about Wl?

[MinnieMom]

I've read so much good stuff about Wl that I have my heart set on staying there !!

So, tell me the bad before I get too excited and go book a trip when I know I probably shouldn't!

 

[TangaroaTiki]

WL is GREAT!! Definitely stay there. The only negative I can think of (and this may only apply to me) is the transportation. I HATE taking busses, waiting for busses or having anything to do with busses. The boat isn't much better for getting around either. But that's it - WL is a fabulous resort.

 

[BabyFu18]

I don't really care for the theming of the WL all that much, with that said I also have only visited/looked around at the resort and never stayed there. I know most people here seem to love the WL and I'd stay there once before I make my final judgement about it, just from my limited perspective I'm not overly thrilled with the theming.

 

[stepdisney]

It took me a looong time to decide to stay. We went back and forth between AKL and WL. I was worried about the room size and if the theming would be too outdoorsy for me. I can't tell you exactly when the transformation took place but, I can tell you with no hesitation that there are nights I dream about sitting on the balcony listening to the waterfalls and seeing the moonlight on the water or the sunrise over the bay. I felt like I was somewhere else and after the day at the park, it was very peaceful.

When you go, tell everyone we said hello .

 

[rcraw45425]

I don't like the fact that I'm not there right now!

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

Room 1130.

Seriously, WL is in a U shape with a lovely view inside a Courtyard overlooking Baylake. What if you find yourself on the outside of the U away from Bay Lake?

We stayed in a King Room that was HA on the 1st floor in the last room on the Villas side close to the bus stop. It was a lousy view and we paid extra for a "water" view because we could kind of see the Villas quite pool. The CM asked "Are you sure you want THAT room?" Always take CMs cue if that happens.

We later found out that many of the King rooms are notorious for lousy views at WL and like a pp said, the transportation can be hit or miss. We were there 3 years ago and the transportation threads for WL seem to have improved a lot since then. Of course there is a lot of luck involved in good transportation too. After that trip, I was SICK of the words, "You just missed it."

Between Room 1130, bad timing for the boats/busses, and getting sick, don't ask DH to go back to WL.

Go ahead and book it. You'll be really happy, but please request Queen beds.

 

[NMAmy]

WL is GREAT!! Definitely stay there. The only negative I can think of (and this may only apply to me) is the transportation. I HATE taking busses, waiting for busses or having anything to do with busses. The boat isn't much better for getting around either. But that's it - WL is a fabulous resort.

I have to agree. The boat to the MK took forever. And coming back after Wishes was a nightmare. It took 1.5 hours from the time we stepped on the boat dock to wait in line until we arrived back at the hotel. Now that was during Spring Break and I'm sure it's not like that all the time. But we were glad to get back to the Epcot area resorts where we could walk "home" after Illuminations.

 

[kapoof]

the resort is very pretty and very nice but i didn't care for the decor of the rooms. also the transportation isn't the best, but overall it is a nice place to stay.

 

[DVC Mike]

We love WL! The resort has a magnificently rendered theme and has a quiet, peaceful and romantic setting. Plus, you're just a relaxing boat ride away from the Magic Kingdom!

 

[AlexWyattMommy]

As you can see, it is all about perspective.

I do like the theme of the hotel. That is what drew me in the first time. We had booked a standard in January of 2006 and when we arrived in August, they upgraded us to courtyard with bunkbeds [I truely believe this was only because of the free dining going on and that they over booked our catagory. I think we got picked because we booked before the dining came out, don't think it would happen again]. We loved it so much, that we saved up so we could book the courtyard view to be sure to get it.

My Sis stayed at AKL, POR, and POPs. She liked AKL, but not for the money. POR & POPs had a lot of walking, but she liked their themes just fine.

I like that the hotel is all under ONE roof (except the villas) and that everything is right there. I don't need to walk to another building for the quick service.

If you can swing it, go for it. If you truly hate it, you'll know never to do that again.

But, hey, even if the view is lousy, the beds uncomfortable, the neighbors loud, the buses late and the boats make you seasick - YOU ARE AT DISNEY!!

Everything is better at Disney.

 

[DJ Disney Kid]

I think the bus service complaint is subjective. I dont really understand this complaint. Your on vacation, theres no need to rush, rush, rush and if you need to get to the parks immediately, then bring your own car. Personally I like the little waits for the bus. It gives me time to digest my food in the morning before getting to the parks and my family and I get to discuss some of the things we've seen so far and what we would like to do at the park. Once the bus shows up, we get on and enjoy the views on the way to the park. But anyways, on to your question...

The one thing I don't care for at WL is the food court. Its pretty small and can be hard to find a place to sit, especially in the mornings. I guess the upside to this was that me and my girlfriend started walking our breakfast over near the pool bar in the mornings before it opened. There is a little creek next to it with some tables. The guyser was also within view. A beautiful spot and one of my favorite memories from our trip.

Otherwise, the resort is wonderful! Oh and just to add, I didn't think I'd like the themeing either since Im from the North near Wisconsin and felt it would be to much like my real home, but it didn't have that effect at all. Theres no geysers, Bay Lakes or boats going to MK where I live.

 

[amscherm]

Well, we loved the WL - found the boats to be much easier then the buses, but that was just us... We loved the themeing, the view and the whole overall experience... we are going back again this December... and hoping to stay there again.... I say go for it - you can't go wrong!!!

 

[LilGMom]

The only thing I dislike about the WL is that more and more people seem to be discovering it and it is making availability for spur-of-the-moment trips harder to get. Other than that we WL!

 

[CheshireVal]

The only thing I'm not crazy about is Roaring Fork, the counter/quick service place. The food has just never been all that great.

Other than that, I love every aspect of WL!

 

[maciemouse]

We like WL because of the boat. We love the fact that it drops you off right in front of the Magic Kingdom. I think the lobby and grounds of the hotel are spectacular! The only thing for me is the food court. I think their food court is my least favorite of all the deluxes. The bus issue is hit or miss just like any other disney resort. It does share with Fort Wilderness. (and that takes some time). The last time we stayed it took us almost an hour to get to MGM. Almost all the resorts share buses with other resorts during cetain times of the year.

 

[kaysmommie]

I like WL alot but the food court is way too small for the resort. Poly's is better and bigger. The only other thing I don't like is sometimes the buses took a long time to come. I don't mind the Boat to Mk unless it picks up or drops off at FW after. That may have changed though . Another Disser who stayed recently will know.

 

[cgainer]

hmmmm...that is a tough question. I guess if you forced me to say something, it would be the transportation and the fact that you head over to Fort Wilderness on most bus rides before going to your destination. That is not a big deal to us, but it is to some people. Basically you have to account for the extra 10-15 minutes if you have plans to be somewhere at a specific time. There are pros and cons to EVERY resort at WDW. My wife and I honeymooned at WL in a honeymoon suite so I am little biased. We love this place!

Chris

 

[MainStreetFireman]

OP: I do not know where you have stayed before, but we have stayed at the Poly our last 2 trips. We are big on theme and want to eventually try all the flavors of the WDW deluxe resorts. This is because the only requirement for my DW and I on vacation is a Queen Bed. We wanted to try something different than the Poly this time, so it was down to WL or AKL. Our DKs are still big MK fans, so WL won the coin toss.

We had heard about longer transport times. (Honestly, coming from the Poly, isn't everywhere else (except GF) longer transport times?) But that's not a problem for us. Since our DKs have seen most of WDW, we are taking it a bit slower this time. We are still commando-touring in the mornings, but we expect to spend a lot more time at the resort in the late afternoons and evenings.

From everything I have read on this board and from talking to friends who are DVCers at the Villas, I do not expect to be disappointed at all. I might even take in a horseback ride at Ft. Wilderness after a dip in the pool. For sentiment sake, I look forward to seeing the EWP from this new location too.

But after all is said and done, I will be with my family...and I will be at Disney, experiencing a new theme. That's enough for me.

 

[J.C.&ALI'SMOM]

I like WL alot but the food court is way too small for the resort.

Just wanted to make sure that people who hadn't been there know it is not like a mod food court. The quick service places at Deluxe resorts are just like a small counter where you can order food and there are coolers for grab-and-go type food. But they are not food courts like in a mall or a mod/value resort.

My parents have stayed at WL several times and absolutely love it, EXCEPT for the standard view room they got one time. It overlooked the service area and at 6am every morning they heard that beeping of trucks backing up for deliveries. My mom, who is a light sleeper, was not happy.

 

[IWISHFORDISNEY]

Well we wouldnt pick this resort again. We usually do an Epcot resort or AKL. WL just didnt live up to the hype for us.

1. Lousy transportation. Coming from a resort that doesnt share buses to this one was very shocking. It was part of what made me say never again. Spending over 3 hours a day on a bus is a waste of my time and money and the boat was so slow. I could have swam across the mote faster. Just really a huge turn off for us.

2. Very small food court and limited choices. The Mara or all the places on the boardwalk were way better. Not a huge thing for us but it was a factor.

3. The CL staff are not up to snuff with those at AKL or BWI. Bottom line they do their job but are not overly friendly.

Those are my 3 reasons to not return here. The transportation was so bad we actually rented a car.