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

[_auroraborealis_]

It's never too early for a good rumor, so I will pass along what a guide at the Poly Show Center told us when we went over to look at the bungalows there. When we asked about the south wing at the Lodge, he knew nothing of note, naturally, but when I pressed him with a follow up question regarding if there would be just studios such as Poly had done, his response was, ". . .they learned their lesson about not building one and two bedroom suites at Poly." Take from that what you will.

As I said, the economics are also compelling. If they don't add units, the only salable points for VWL2 will be the cabins. Even if the cabins are less ridiculous in point cost than the bungalows at Poly, it means all sales need to be large point allotments for a home resort advantage. While people frequently buy terrible home resorts under pressure (or on DCL cruises after a pitch), there's some risk in that. The cabin points are also a long way from being salable, since you have to have a certain percentage of a timeshare complete to sell the points. Converting the existing space is a faster process, and gets points to salable state faster, with smaller units that make 100-200 point contracts coherent. (This is why part of Jambo became DVC while building Kidani - not the contract size issue, but the speed of conversion versus the new building.)

 

[Poola]

So are bike rentals completely closed or just moved to a different area? The Disney website is still showing that bikes can be rented at WL.

 

[Wood Nymph]

So are bike rentals completely closed or just moved to a different area? The Disney website is still showing that bikes can be rented at WL.

They had the bikes near the villas building. I'm not sure where you would go to rent them, but they were still there for rent. They had a couple of surrey's for rent, too.

 

[sleepydog25]

So are bike rentals completely closed or just moved to a different area? The Disney website is still showing that bikes can be rented at WL.

I saw plenty of bikes, but I didn't see where you could rent them. It wasn't an outdoor kiosk, but perhaps the desk can do it or direct you. I'm fairly certain you can rent them from FW which is from where I assumed the numerous bikes I saw derived. There are a couple of bike racks near the bus stop along the sidewalk heading toward FW, too. I didn't see any surrey bikes, but I suspect they're rentable, as well.

 

[DisneyJenK]

this morning -

 

[DisneyJenK]

Fireworks from the 7th floor

 

[disny_luvr]

this morning -

Wow, that's a great view! Were these taken from your room?

Thanks for sharing the progress.

 

[DisneyJenK]

Wow, that's a great view! Were these taken from your room?

Thanks for sharing the progress.

Yes the photos are from our room - 7th floor

 

[DisneyJenK]

We just came back from a 1 week stay - we actually loved the resort about 1/2 empty - no crowds/lines at the bus stops, Pool or Roaring forks.

Even though there were only 2 working elevators, we never experienced any waits even with 2 strollers. They were mostly empty and seemed to be waiting on the 1st floor for guests to come in.

We traveled with family who had never stayed or even seen the resort before and they loved it!

So happy that we stayed here again and cannot wait to go back.

 

[operationjj]

We just came back from a 1 week stay - we actually loved the resort about 1/2 empty - no crowds/lines at the bus stops, Pool or Roaring forks.

Even though there were only 2 working elevators, we never experienced any waits even with 2 strollers. They were mostly empty and seemed to be waiting on the 1st floor for guests to come in.

We traveled with family who had never stayed or even seen the resort before and they loved it!

So happy that we stayed here again and cannot wait to go back.

Thanks for the input we leave in about 1month and I was worried about staying here for the money I am paying especially being in a club level deluxe room but your posts have helped me ease my mind. The last thing I want is to pay for a deluxe resort and feel like I am at a value resort.

 

[PopGirl26]

Has anyone else noticed the complete lack of "Woods View" category availability? For many different dates for the rest of 2016 the Disney website shows no Woods View availability, even when Courtyard and Standard are available. Our hypothesis is that while the South wing is closed for the construction, they are classifying the remaining rooms as either Courtyard or Standard. This means over half of the available rooms at the resort might be available at the lowest view price... It might also help avoid complaints about no longer having "Woods" on the North side of the Lodge. I know all the construction has its many downsides, but I think this one is a bit of a silver lining. We shall see in September.

Agreed on all accounts. We have an early summer Standard room booking. For my room request, do I list the (North-facing) Standard area, or do I dare list the (North-facing) "Woods View" area I'd rather have? If everyone is either booked as Courtyard or Standard, I should have a good shot at getting one of the rooms normally labeled Woods View, right?

 

[Wood Nymph]

Agreed on all accounts. We have an early summer Standard room booking. For my room request, do I list the (North-facing) Standard area, or do I dare list the (North-facing) "Woods View" area I'd rather have? If everyone is either booked as Courtyard or Standard, I should have a good shot at getting one of the rooms normally labeled Woods View, right?

There are three sections of the resort which face the Magic Kingdom side: the woods view rooms that are above the lobby, the standard view rooms that are above the service area, and the woods view rooms that are in the Otter Pond area close to the boat dock. The least desirable section would be the standard rooms above the service area because of the noise from the service vehicles. The woods view rooms above the lobby would be the furthest from the construction area and have a section of woods remaining to partially block the view of the fireworks. The woods view rooms near Otter Pond, the section closest to the boat dock, now have great views of the Magic Kingdom, but the construction is right in front of those rooms. So it all depends on what is most important to you.

 

[GrandCalifornian]

Agreed on all accounts. We have an early summer Standard room booking. For my room request, do I list the (North-facing) Standard area, or do I dare list the (North-facing) "Woods View" area I'd rather have? If everyone is either booked as Courtyard or Standard, I should have a good shot at getting one of the rooms normally labeled Woods View, right?

I always suggest asking for the room you want, regardless of which category it is. Ask for the world, you might get it, but the more practical the request, the more likely it is to work out. I also agree with @woodnymph, of the three sections of non-courtyard view rooms, you can choose which factors are most important to you to get what will work best.

 

[PopGirl26]

I always suggest asking for the room you want, regardless of which category it is. Ask for the world, you might get it, but the more practical the request, the more likely it is to work out. I also agree with @woodnymph, of the three sections of non-courtyard view rooms, you can choose which factors are most important to you to get what will work best.

Thanks for the advice! I most want Otter Pond, so I'll request that most highly. Hopefully having paid for Standard won't matter in this case! Regardless, we'll love the Lodge.

 

[constantstar]

I'll be in WDW early December and I've decided to add 2 nights at WL! I've always loved the look of the resort and we enjoyed the lobby last month when we ate at Whispering Canyon.

I'm not worried about the construction and I actually think my son (2 years old) would be tickled to see the big trucks, etc. With that in mind, what area would have views of the work sites? Would it be possible to see work sites and fireworks at night? I've been looking at a map trying to wrap my head around the location of everything.

Also, here are the open elevators? I'd like to be near them. How tall is the balcony railing? My 2 year old + balcony scares me. Should I request ground floor? The view would be sad though.

Sorry for all the questions! I'm googling as well but you folks seem helpful

 

[Wood Nymph]

I'm not worried about the construction and I actually think my son (2 years old) would be tickled to see the big trucks, etc. With that in mind, what area would have views of the work sites? Would it be possible to see work sites and fireworks at night? I've been looking at a map trying to wrap my head around the location of everything.

If you book a woods view room in the north wing then you would have a construction view and be able to see the fireworks at night.

Also, here are the open elevators? I'd like to be near them.

The elevators that are working now are in the north wing. So once again, you will be fine with a request to be close to the elevators.

How tall is the balcony railing? My 2 year old + balcony scares me. Should I request ground floor? The view would be sad though.

There are two types of balconies, an open railing and a dormer balcony which has an enclosed balcony.

The balconies with the open railing are on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th floors. The enclosed balcony is on the 6th floor. The top of the railing on the enclosed balcony is at least four feet high. It seems to me that it was mid-chest level on me. My granddaughter had to stand on a chair to see out - which was also a little scary, but she couldn't fall out of the balcony.

The open railing is rather high, too. You can tell by the height of the chairs in each of the pictures that the rail of the open balcony is probably taller than your son. Some people like the enclosed balconies when they have young children.

I would not request a ground floor room if you were to book a woods view room because there is a big construction fence right in front of those rooms right now. You would not be able to see anything except that green wall in front of you and maybe some of the high fireworks.

 

[dalvarez46]

LATEST WL/VWL DVC EXPANSION NEWS:


Newest WL/VWL map excluding the VWL pool and hot tub, marina, Teton Boat and Bike rental, playground, beach and nature trail to FW:

Courtesy of sawkam



NEW!
1/13/15: Thank you to Wood Nymph for summarizing the current state of WL/VWL after her stay this week. (This is current as of 1/12/15. I will modify as I get more info.) I've done some editing and added some of my own comments which begin with *

The side of the South Wing that faces the villa is completely covered in scaffolding from the section that begins above the Cub's Den and goes along the entire south side. This scaffolding is more heavy duty than the scaffolding they used when they were doing the refurbishing work last year. We saw workmen climbing all over it, going up and down. And there were a lot of workman working on it. I couldn't tell what they were doing, though.

They have that whole area blocked off so you can't walk between the South Wing and the former Hidden Springs (VWL) pool anymore.

We walked to Trail's End at Fort Wilderness this morning and saw a lot of construction vehicles in the staging area near the end of the villas building. We took the boat from Fort Wilderness to the Magic Kingdom and we could see the construction work from the boat. Almost all of the trees that used to be around the Hidden Springs pool are completely gone. And for those of you who remember the pool, that was a lot of trees! We could see the backhoe working in that area.

We also did a little exploring after dinner tonight. I was surprised to find that they had blocked off the lovely sitting area that is located on the fifth floor above the main lobby entrance doors. That sitting area has a fireplace that had a fire going in it and two big armchairs. But no one can get to it because they have put up walls to block it. The only balcony sitting area that is still open is the fourth floor seating area above the lobby entrance. All of the other ones are closed off. I think this is the biggest surprise of all. I never expected them to alter the building as much as they are doing.

To summarize as best I can without pictures:

WL CURRENTLY UNCHANGED:​

~Main lobby area of WL, WL pool, splash pad and Trout Pass Bar - still having pool parties, too.

~Restaurants - still serving same food in North Wing.

~Buses and their frequency - it seems like they are running on the normal schedule although there are less people on them.

~Boats - still running on the same schedule although there are less people on them.

~Wonderful, friendly cast members.

~The whole inner courtyard with the waterfall is still the same.
​

WL/VWL UNAVAILABLE OR MODIFIED:
​

~*Sturdy Branches Health Club, located inside VWL, will be closed for refurbishment July - October.

~South wing closed - all floors.​

~Entire bank of lobby elevators near The Mercantile are closed.

~Balcony viewing areas that face Bay Lake closed on fourth floor and fifth floors.​

~Sitting area above front doors on fifth floor closed off.

~Beach closed.

~Marina closed.

~*Spa closed.​

~Movies moved to villas building.​

~Bike rentals are available I think. I saw all the bikes stacked at the Cubs Den play area. (*Bike rentals were to remain available at WL/VWL, but no longer at the marina.)​

~Cub's Den closed.​

~Old Faithful Club under major renovation *with temporary lounge set-up currently in corridor. Offerings have been reduced and guests must ask for most beverages. Window-area overlooking Bay Lake and Courtyard is blocked off. Plans are to move the OFC lounge to VP Suite soon while new lounge is being constructed out of two honeymoon suites in North Wing. There will no longer be seating surounding the lobby.​

​

They haven't started the heavy construction yet so there really isn't very much disruption at this time. But once they really get going on building the new pool and the cabins, it is going to be one heck of a major project. I would hesitate to advise anyone to stay here during that time, unless you plan to be at the parks during the work hours and you get a good discount. And the courtyard rooms that face the main pool won't really be too affected.

12/27 Orlando Parks News reports:
As previously reported, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge is undergoing numerous refurbishment projects in an effort to enhance and refresh the Guest experience.

Beginning in January 2016, select areas of the resort will be temporarily closed due to the refurbishment, including the rooms in the south wing (unavailable starting from January 1), Cub’s Den (unavailable starting from Jan. 2), and the South Wing and Lobby Elevators (unavailable beginning from January 5).

Effective January 5, all Guests will be directed to use the elevators located near Roaring Fork Snacks, or take the stairs in the north wing. These will be the only elevators available in our main building. To get to these elevators from the lobby, Guests must:

~Take the ramp down toward Roaring Fork Snacks;
~Turn left at the bottom of the ramp;
Continue walking.
~Elevator bank is located on the left hand side at the end of the corridor.





1/6/16: Recent Notice of Commencement updates posted HERE.


10/24 construction prep photos HERE.


WL DVC Expansion Confirmed by DVC! Details HERE.


WL South Wing DVC model room photos
HERE (exterior only - sorry)



CLOSURES/IMPACT TO GUESTS:

~Recreational and leisure amenities are due to be impacted/closed beginning 26 October 2015. This does not mean that some work will not begin earlier, but this seems to be a closure date for many amenities.

~ Major impact/closure will be to the VWL pool and the beach, to include the fire pit and playground. The nearest free nightly marshmallow roast is located at Disney's Contemporary Resort. Fort Wilderness offers the Chip 'N Dale's Campfire Sing-A-Long.


~The Teton Boat and Bike rental and nature trail that begins just behind it will also be closed. However, bike rentals will still be available and nightly movies will instead be shown indoors in the VWL lobby. The spa treatments located within Sturdy Branches will also close. The nearest spa treatments are located next door at Disney's Contemporary Resort and at the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa.


~Initially, it seems that the least impacted resort areas will be the North Wing rooms in WL and the VWL villas that face toward the South Wing of WL and toward the bus stop/parking lot area. Some rooms have been removed from the booking inventory. While we don't know specifically which rooms these are, they could be some villas that face the VWL pool area and some South Wing WL rooms that also face this area.


Notices to affected guests began going out on 7/10:

Starwind, who has a room-only booking and arrives in December, received this email:
​

July 2015
Dear ------ Family,​

Welcome Home!

We are excited you have chosen Disney’s Wilderness Lodge as your vacation destination and look forward to sharing the magic of the Pacific Northwest with you.

As you may be aware, refurbishment work will be taking place at our Resort during your visit. In preparation for your upcoming stay, please note the details of that work below:

• Upon your arrival, you will notice construction work in various areas as we enhance our Resort. Please be aware that certain pathways, including the nature trail, will be unavailable. Noise may be overheard while this work is being completed, but rest assured, construction will not begin until after 9:00am.

• Hidden Springs Pool, the leisure pool at The Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, is scheduled to close for enhancement in late October along with the beach, marina and playground. During this time, our recently-renovated Silver Creek Springs Pool, featuring a 67-foot waterslide and a water play area for kids, will remain open for your use.

Please know that your comfort and enjoyment are our top priority. While the amenities listed above will be unavailable, we are making every effort to ensure your visit is comfortable and magical by offering alternative opportunities to you. During your stay, we will host a nightly movie indoors and bike rentals will be available for rent near the jogging trail. You are also invited to visit Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground or Disney’s Contemporary Resort for additional recreation activities including boat rentals, playgrounds, evening campfires and Movies Under the Stars.

We apologize for any inconvenience this work may cause and appreciate your patience. Should you need assistance with your reservation or have general questions, please call one of our Cast Members who will be happy to assist you.

• If you booked your stay through Walt Disney World® Resort or have general questions, please call 407-###-#### between the hours of 9:00am-5:00pm (EST) Monday through Friday or 10:00am-5:00pm (EST) Saturday and Sunday.

• If you booked your stay through Disney Vacation Club®, please contact Disney Vacation Club Member Services at 800-###-#### or 407-###-#### between the hours of 9:00am-7:30pm (EST) Monday through Friday or 9:00am-5:30pm (EST) Saturday and Sunday.

Thank you for being our Guest. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Sincerely,
<signature>

Jose A. Mola
General Manager of Disney's Wilderness Lodge


Reservation #: ############
Arrival Date: December ##, 2015

​

The following "internal Disney FAQ" is also located HERE.
Thank you to TheLodgeLady for the link.

To best assist Guests with planning their vacations, a team of Cast Members will advise Guests of the work taking place and assist with their questions. Guests will also receive a pre-arrival letter.

Take a look at the following frequently asked questions for more information about this project:

1) What are the refurbishment dates? When will work be complete?
Disney’s Wilderness Lodge will be undergoing multiple refurbishment projects beginning in October 2015 and continuing through 2017.

2) How will this work impact my stay?
Throughout this project, Disney is committed to providing a great Guest experience. At certain times of day, there may be some noise and we may have alternative paths of travel throughout the resort. Construction related noise will likely take place between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. to insure minimal impact to Guests.

3) Why are they removing the current Hidden Springs leisure pool?
As part of the resort enhancement project, the Hidden Springs leisure pool area will be expanded to include a larger pool and more deck space, as well as a hot tub area.

4) I like the pool the way it is now because it’s smaller and more intimate than the feature pool. Why are you changing that?
Muliple DVC Members and Guests stated that they would like to see enhanced offerings at the resort. As a result, the resort will be increasing the pool area, including a larger pool and more deck space, as well as a hot tub area.

5) How long will the Hidden Springs pool be closed? Is there another pool available?
The Hidden Springs pool will be closed for an extended period while the area is under construction. However, the Silver Creek Springs, the resort feature pool, is available and features a water slide, hot tub, and children's water play area.

6) Will the Teton Boat and Bike Rentals close? Will there be an alternative?
Teton Boat and Bike Rentals will be closed in late October while refurbishment work is completed in the area. As an alternative, bikes will be available for rent near the jogging trail. If you would like to rent a boat or enjoy some fishing, you are welcome to visit the marina at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground.

7) Will the beach and playground area close? Any alternatives?
Yes. The beach and playground area at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground remain available throughout this refurbishment work as an alternative.

8) Will the nature trail close?
Although the nature trails at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground are closing in early October, Guests do have the opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors on the paved New Balance jogging trail which connects Disney’s Wilderness Lodge with Disney’s Fort Wilderness & Campground on a 2.5 mile path.

9) What about the fire pit? Will it be closed as well?
The recreation fire pit will be closing in late October while we complete refurbishment work in the area. As an alternative, Guests are able to visit the Meadow Trading Post area of Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground for Chip ‘n Dale’s Campfire Sing-A-Long, which includes a nightly campfire followed by a movie under the stars.

10) Will there be a nightly movie under the stars at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge?
The recreation staff will host a nightly movie movie indoors in the Carolwood Pacific community room in the Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge for Guests.

11) Why are the spa treatment rooms at Sturdy Branches Health Club closed?
In order to preserve the tranquil spa experience, treatments at Sturdy Branches Health Club will be temporarily unavailable from late October through early February due to construction noise in the area. Spa treatments are available at a number of locations at the Walt Disney World Resort, including nearby at Senses – A Disney Spa at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort.

12) Is watercraft transportation available during the refurbishment?
Yes. Watercraft transportation will continue to operate as normal.


View attachment 114393






SCOPE OF THE PROJECT:

Notifications to guests indicate that construction will begin on or about October 26, 2015. This is most likely site prep work, staging and construction of access roads, though it's possible this work may begin sooner and is not considered a guest-impacted activity which merits guest notification.

According to current filings, work would be completed by APRIL 2017. However, the Notice of Commencement expires 31 August, 2018.

~A pool addition/expansion will be in the area of the existing VWL pool along with two additional buildings, possibly restrooms and a Community Hall. These two new buildings haven't yet been clearly identified in documents available to me. The new restaurant will front Bay Lake and is to be located where the current beach is now.

~Twenty-Six cabins will be built along, but not in, Bay Lake.

~12 cabins will be on the North Side of the property of which 4 will sit along the shoreline in front of the North Wing's Otter Pond and 8 will continue along the shoreline in front of the Cast Member parking lot.

~14 cabins will be on the South Side beginning behind the Teton Boat and Bike Rental, and continuing along the shoreline in front of the nature trail.
View attachment 97023




From the Environmental Resource Permit:
"The project intent is to provide a unique guest experience by placing the proposed cabins close to the shoreline of Bay Lake and surrounded by a natural habitat."

View attachment 97020

View attachment 97019



PROJECT LIMITS IN YELLOW:
View attachment 97022


View attachment 97026

CABIN PLACEMENT:


The following imagery is courtesy of DVC Mike.

RESORT EXPANSION OVERLAY:
View attachment 97746




View attachment 97748
​

EXPANSION BACKGROUND:

The Wilderness Lodge DVC expansion moved from rumor to (probable) fact on 15 May when the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts permit with the South Florida Water Management District moved into the initial review phase which expired 6/14. (See link at top of this page for UPDATE). Hundreds of documents related to the project are attached to the permit below and can be found by entering application number: 150515-12 into the following search HERE. This post contains public information gathered from these documents. Disclaimer: Everything is subject to change.

View attachment 97016


South Florida Water Management District "Wilderness Rehab" Application UPDATE Located HERE


THE NOTICE OF COMMENCEMENT was filed shortly before the water permits and it includes attachments detailing the companies involved in the project.
I did a little research on the companies involved in the Integrated Project Delivery contract for the "Wilderness Rehab Project" and here are some of the highlights:

GSB, Inc - Architect:
Glover Smith Bode provided planning and design services for the CSR convention center and provided Architect-of-Record services for AKL. As Architect-of-Record, Glover Smith Bode was responsible for transforming the dramatic vision of the design architect into a reality.

Interior Design Partner - Design Group Carl Ross:
Provides interior architectural design in the upscale and luxury markets of international hotel, resort, spa, restaurants, bars and branded residences. Specialties: Unlocking the hidden potential of unique properties.

Atkins North America - Civil Engineer Design:
Amongst MANY major projects, architect and engineer for WWOHP.

Hubbard Construction - Site Development Contractor:
The scope of Hubbard's work includes complex highway projects, site development, paving, utility and drainage systems, surveying and state-of-the-art bridge building.

Perry Becker Design - Landscape Design:
Planning, landscape architecture and thematic design firm that specializes in community planning, hospitality and resort planning. Local projects include: Bonnet Creek, Grande Lakes Resort, Grande Vista Resort, Renaissance Resort at Sea World.




​

​

I stayed there 2/21/16 to 2/27/16. I stayed with a standard view with an annual pass discount. I requested a higher floor and was put on the third floor. Could see the castle and the fireworks each night. So worth it. They have taken out most of the trees facing the seven seas lagoon and yes we faced construction but worth it to see that castle and fireworks. The other half of the lodge is closed with scaffolding on either end. The dvc is a hot mess facing bay lake. However it's not as busy in the lobby and around the resort, so glad I stayed there this trip. I'm hoping Disney doesn't realize the view we had but it's probably too late at this point. No noise construction at all but it's visibally almost everywhere but did not disrupt my trip with my mom at all.

 

[Pepper pots]

We are here from October 9th till 23rd, but already paid a supplement for a woods view when we booked, way back in April of last year...Loved the views from DisneyJenK room...What area or better still, room number did you have.?.From what I've read I reckon the Otter Pond woods view is what we are after..

 

[Pepper pots]

Have been looking at our map from two years ago..Am I right in saying the rooms marked..1000/1034..2000/2034.3000/3034..4000/4034..5000/5034..6000/6034 are the rooms facing otter pond?

 

[Wood Nymph]

Have been looking at our map from two years ago..Am I right in saying the rooms marked..1000/1034..2000/2034.3000/3034..4000/4034..5000/5034..6000/6034 are the rooms facing otter pond?

Rooms numbered 1000-1003, 2000-2003, etc, face Bay Lake. The rooms numbered 1000 and 1003, 2000 and 2003, etc are deluxe rooms. I'm not sure what the booking category would be for rooms numbered 1001 and 1002, 2002 and 2002, etc but they aren't deluxe rooms.

Even numbered rooms 1004-1034, etc, would be woods view rooms facing Otter pond.