(CLOSED) Disney's WILDERNESS LODGE and VILLAS Information Thread ~2012~

[Mousemommy1]

Lucky! 35 for us, our first deluxe stay, after many visits to WL in the past! Hope you have a great time!

Sent from my HTC HERO CM7.1 using the DISBoards App

You will love it!!!! WL is fabulous!!!

 

[mickeynut1]

This thread is just great! Thanks for all the great tips.

I am torn if I should go to the MVMCP. I will be there Dec 19-26. If I am
going to see the same parade and fireworks later on it really doesn't make sense. Would you guys go?

If it were me, I'd go (but I can't resist the parties if they are going on when I'm there). The parade is different for the parties than during the day, but once the last party is over, they start showing that parade through the week of Christmas.

Is it the same parade and fireworks? I would assume it is like MNSSHP and it's different. But I have yet to attend at Christmas...YET.

It is different, but then it starts showing after the last party through Christmas.

 

[Kathymford]

It is different, but then it starts showing after the last party through Christmas.

Thanks. I'm pretty sure we are going in 2013 for the Christmas holidays, but I can't decide between Nov and Dec. I know it's been answered, but about when does the lodge start getting decorated? Is it early Nov? Was trying to squeeze in some dates that will let me have F&W and decorations!! HAHA

 

[mickeynut1]

Thanks. I'm pretty sure we are going in 2013 for the Christmas holidays, but I can't decide between Nov and Dec. I know it's been answered, but about when does the lodge start getting decorated? Is it early Nov? Was trying to squeeze in some dates that will let me have F&W and decorations!! HAHA

I'm not sure when decorating starts as the two times we've gone during the holidays has been in December right before Christmas and everything was in full swing . I think it's sometime around Thanksgiving that the resorts start to decorate, but I'm not 100% sure. I have read reports in the past from people that have gone over Thanksgiving and wake up to a fully decorated lobby/resort the day after Thanksgiving, but hopefully someone will be able to give the correct information as to when the resorts decorate .

 

[DisneyFEB2013]

We just upgraded to WL from POR for early February and really hope we made a good decision. I wanted to be closer to the action and thought taking the boat to MK would be a lot easier with 2 little ones. Is there a big difference between the two resorts? Anyone stayed at both? It looks like such a beautiful resort.

DH wants to upgrade to the bunkbeds but I can't justify spending that much more for bunkbeds. We'll see.

I am not changing resorts anymore! We started out in the values back in July and now we are in a Deluxe! Ha!

 

[Kathymford]

I'm not sure when decorating starts as the two times we've gone during the holidays has been in December right before Christmas and everything was in full swing . I think it's sometime around Thanksgiving that the resorts start to decorate, but I'm not 100% sure. I have read reports in the past from people that have gone over Thanksgiving and wake up to a fully decorated lobby/resort the day after Thanksgiving, but hopefully someone will be able to give the correct information as to when the resorts decorate .

Thanks. I thought I read Osborne lights stuff starts Nov 9th or somewhere around there, so I was thinking maybe they start decorating earlier. I dunno...

 

[GrandCalifornian]

We just upgraded to WL from POR for early February and really hope we made a good decision. I wanted to be closer to the action and thought taking the boat to MK would be a lot easier with 2 little ones. Is there a big difference between the two resorts? Anyone stayed at both? It looks like such a beautiful resort.

DH wants to upgrade to the bunkbeds but I can't justify spending that much more for bunkbeds. We'll see.

I am not changing resorts anymore! We started out in the values back in July and now we are in a Deluxe! Ha!

We stayed at WL in early September and absolutely loved it. With our 2 year old we often took the boat to MK or the Contemporary. MK was the resort with her favorite rides, and it was nice being so close.

For this trip we had seriously considered POR, because we liked visiting it on our honeymoon trip. Others have stayed at both and will likely share their input here as well, but we found that both resorts have a similar rural, secluded feel that we really enjoyed. The biggest difference we saw is that WL is all under one roof, meaning it is more compact and simple to navigate, especially in the rain. All the rooms at WL have interior hallways and balconies, which is nice. Also WL is a short boat ride from MK so like you said, it is closer to the action. On the bigger boats you can roll strollers right on, and even on the smaller ones there is more room for them than on a bus. The busses are an option too though, and provide quicker but less fun transportation to all the resorts and DTD.

If you're curious, we wrote a report about more of the things we loved about WL here:http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2997751

Your trip will be here soon, and I bet you will be very happy with your choice. Enjoy!

 

[WDWKOOK]

Does anyone know if the Halloween schedule for WL has been posted? We were there last year and my girls loved all the activities. I was just curious about the times of the activities so we can plan the day. Thanks so much! We can't wait to return in 26 more days. But who is counting ?

I've been checking for the October activities schedule and the September one is still posted on the site I use. As of right now, we'd need a kind WL visitor to post the calendar.

Me! Only 8 days to go!!!!

Lucky! 35 for us, our first deluxe stay, after many visits to WL in the past! Hope you have a great time!

Sent from my HTC HERO CM7.1 using the DISBoards App

You're going to love WL

Thanks. I'm pretty sure we are going in 2013 for the Christmas holidays, but I can't decide between Nov and Dec. I know it's been answered, but about when does the lodge start getting decorated? Is it early Nov? Was trying to squeeze in some dates that will let me have F&W and decorations!! HAHA

The Christmas decorations start going up shortly after the Halloween decorations come down - the first week of November.

We just upgraded to WL from POR for early February and really hope we made a good decision. I wanted to be closer to the action and thought taking the boat to MK would be a lot easier with 2 little ones. Is there a big difference between the two resorts? Anyone stayed at both? It looks like such a beautiful resort.

DH wants to upgrade to the bunkbeds but I can't justify spending that much more for bunkbeds. We'll see.

I am not changing resorts anymore! We started out in the values back in July and now we are in a Deluxe! Ha!

Our first on-site resort was 'Dixie Landings' (POR) back in '96 and our first Deluxe was WL the following year and our DD's first stay was at POR in '01.

GC covered the main differences. The rooms are larger at WL, the QS is smaller at WL, you can walk to FW from WL and every room has a balcony. The grounds at POR are extensive and rooms can be very far from the main building. Everything is close at WL. Also, there is a beach at WL with a playground and a marina with boat rentals, etc... There's also a kid's club and a health club, two things POR doesn't have.

The boats are great, but there's also a non-stop bus that goes to MK which is nice when the weather isn't or you want to wait undercover. The bus is actually faster than the boat.

If it's within your budget, you might want to reconsider the bunks (depending on their ages) - it might just be the highlight of your kids' trip and it makes the room feel like it has more space.

Happy planning!

We stayed at WL in early September and absolutely loved it. With our 2 year old we often took the boat to MK or the Contemporary. MK was the resort with her favorite rides, and it was nice being so close.

For this trip we had seriously considered POR, because we liked visiting it on our honeymoon trip. Others have stayed at both and will likely share their input here as well, but we found that both resorts have a similar rural, secluded feel that we really enjoyed. The biggest difference we saw is that WL is all under one roof, meaning it is more compact and simple to navigate, especially in the rain. All the rooms at WL have interior hallways and balconies, which is nice. Also WL is a short boat ride from MK so like you said, it is closer to the action. On the bigger boats you can roll strollers right on, and even on the smaller ones there is more room for them than on a bus. The busses are an option too though, and provide quicker but less fun transportation to all the resorts and DTD.

If you're curious, we wrote a report about more of the things we loved about WL here:http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2997751

Thanks for posting the link to your TR.

I loved that lush, secluded feel about Dixie Landings/POR, too. I love the illusion at WL that there aren't any parks or other resorts around and I love the view from the boat, but who doesn't?

 

[EmmaMagsMom]

I've been checking for the October activities schedule and the September one is still posted on the site I use. As of right now, we'd need a kind WL visitor to post the calendar.



You're going to love WL

The Christmas decorations start going up shortly after the Halloween decorations come down - the first week of November.

Our first on-site resort was 'Dixie Landings' (POR) back in '96 and our first Deluxe was WL the following year and our DD's first stay was at POR in '01.

GC covered the main differences. The rooms are larger at WL, the QS is smaller at WL, you can walk to FW from WL and every room has a balcony. The grounds at POR are extensive and rooms can be very far from the main building. Everything is close at WL. Also, there is a beach at WL with a playground and a marina with boat rentals, etc... There's also a kid's club and a health club, two things POR doesn't have.

The boats are great, but there's also a non-stop bus that goes to MK which is nice when the weather isn't or you want to wait undercover. The bus is actually faster than the boat.

If it's within your budget, you might want to reconsider the bunks (depending on their ages) - it might just be the highlight of your kids' trip and it makes the room feel like it has more space.

Happy planning!

Thanks for posting the link to your TR.

I loved that lush, secluded feel about Dixie Landings/POR, too. I love the illusion at WL that there aren't any parks or other resorts around and I love the view from the boat, but who doesn't?

Thanks Kook for checking on the schedules ! Appreciate it

 

[mickeynut1]

We just upgraded to WL from POR for early February and really hope we made a good decision. I wanted to be closer to the action and thought taking the boat to MK would be a lot easier with 2 little ones. Is there a big difference between the two resorts? Anyone stayed at both? It looks like such a beautiful resort.

DH wants to upgrade to the bunkbeds but I can't justify spending that much more for bunkbeds. We'll see.

I am not changing resorts anymore! We started out in the values back in July and now we are in a Deluxe! Ha!

We've never stayed at POR, but we've stayed at one mod (CBR) and although we loved CBR, there's nothing like a deluxe for us and the WL is an amazing resort . The rooms are larger than at the mods, the boat to MK is nice and relaxing, and it's easy getting to the monorail resorts for dining, shopping, or just walking around. You don't say how old your kids are, but we had the bunk beds when our two DSs were little and they loved them. I would definitely reconsider getting bunk beds if it's within your budget .

Thanks. I thought I read Osborne lights stuff starts Nov 9th or somewhere around there, so I was thinking maybe they start decorating earlier. I dunno...

The Christmas decorations start going up shortly after the Halloween decorations come down - the first week of November.

I knew WDWKOOK would have the answer about the decorations .

Hi, KOOK .

 

[Sparrow624]

Does anyone have a photo of the kiddie pool at WL? We are booked there for this summer and DW really wants to see what the kiddie pool looks like. DD will be 15 months old on the trip.

 

[Mousemommy1]

Does anyone have a photo of the kiddie pool at WL? We are booked there for this summer and DW really wants to see what the kiddie pool looks like. DD will be 15 months old on the trip.

Go to page 1 of this thread and scroll down to the pool. You will see the main pool and then the kiddie pool and hot tub are above it.

 

[sjv919]

So, I want some opinions, please I booked standard view but we're springing for WL in the first place because we plan to spend time at the resort relaxing and hanging out, I am now considering moving up from standard to the next cheapest view...on a limited budget, is that worth it to squeeze it in? Or is it better to save that bit of money for something else? I know it's subjective, but I'm trying to come up with something to tell the DGF (or not if I decide against it lol) if I decide I want to!

 

[WDWKOOK]

Thanks Kook for checking on the schedules ! Appreciate it

You're welcome - I'll keep checking and post when it's up.

I knew WDWKOOK would have the answer about the decorations .

Hi, KOOK .

Nice to see you around these parts - your trips are getting closer now, it seemed so far away the last time I saw your ticker. How is DS liking college?

Does anyone have a photo of the kiddie pool at WL? We are booked there for this summer and DW really wants to see what the kiddie pool looks like. DD will be 15 months old on the trip.

Go to page 1 of this thread and scroll down to the pool. You will see the main pool and then the kiddie pool and hot tub are above it.

Thanks MM1. Here's one from Oyster - I couldn't get my Photobucket photos to load just now:

So, I want some opinions, please I booked standard view but we're springing for WL in the first place because we plan to spend time at the resort relaxing and hanging out, I am now considering moving up from standard to the next cheapest view...on a limited budget, is that worth it to squeeze it in? Or is it better to save that bit of money for something else? I know it's subjective, but I'm trying to come up with something to tell the DGF (or not if I decide against it lol) if I decide I want to!

Get DGF a massage at Sturdy Branches and do some water recreation with the money you'll save booking a STD View. If your budget is limited, I would stick with the SV. You could even request a North Wing room on an upper floor and you might be able to see Wishes. There are so many cozy places to relax inside and outside of WL that I don't think you'll be in your room that much anyway. You even have a beach with plenty of chairs

 

[GrandCalifornian]

So, I want some opinions, please I booked standard view but we're springing for WL in the first place because we plan to spend time at the resort relaxing and hanging out, I am now considering moving up from standard to the next cheapest view...on a limited budget, is that worth it to squeeze it in? Or is it better to save that bit of money for something else? I know it's subjective, but I'm trying to come up with something to tell the DGF (or not if I decide against it lol) if I decide I want to!

Our approach has been to book a standard view and hope for the best. It has worked out very well for us, with a free upgrade to courtyard view our first visit and had a beautiful woods view room on our second trip. The rooms themselves are exactly the same inside, and the difference is just what's outside below your balcony. The second post of this thread here shows the room locations and view categories. The "worst case" is a view above the loading dock area with potential truck noise, but you'd be looking right toward MK and with a high enough floor you might be able to see Wishes. While you can't guarantee a better location unless you pay the extra, the number of available rooms means that an upgrade is likely since most of the rooms at WL are Woods view or better.

Also which location you prefer is an individual preference. Some people love having a room that opens to the lobby, others prefer a quieter location. Some love to see the pool, others worry about noise. Some want to see Wishes, some want to see Bay Lake. You really can't go wrong. Overall, WL is a beautiful resort and any room in it will be "home" for your trip.

 

[WDWKOOK]

Our approach has been to book a standard view and hope for the best. It has worked out very well for us, with a free upgrade to courtyard view our first visit and had a beautiful woods view room on our second trip. The rooms themselves are exactly the same inside, and the difference is just what's outside below your balcony. The second post of this thread here shows the room locations and view categories. The "worst case" is a view above the loading dock area with potential truck noise, but you'd be looking right toward MK and with a high enough floor you might be able to see Wishes. While you can't guarantee a better location unless you pay the extra, the number of available rooms means that an upgrade is likely since most of the rooms at WL are Woods view or better.

Also which location you prefer is an individual preference. Some people love having a room that opens to the lobby, others prefer a quieter location. Some love to see the pool, others worry about noise. Some want to see Wishes, some want to see Bay Lake. You really can't go wrong. Overall, WL is a beautiful resort and any room in it will be "home" for your trip.

 

[guarn3md]

So, I want some opinions, please I booked standard view but we're springing for WL in the first place because we plan to spend time at the resort relaxing and hanging out, I am now considering moving up from standard to the next cheapest view...on a limited budget, is that worth it to squeeze it in? Or is it better to save that bit of money for something else? I know it's subjective, but I'm trying to come up with something to tell the DGF (or not if I decide against it lol) if I decide I want to!

On a limited budget stay with standard view and use the money elsewhere! The first time we stayed at WL we booked Woods view but it wasn't much of a view, I was really disappointed. We were on the fouth floor above Whispering Canyon and yeah there were woods but when you looked down - loading area, trucks in and out, etc... I even went back to front desk and asked if that was really woods view and they said yes. The last couple of trips we have stayed Courtyard view and I love it! But WL is such a fantastic resort you don't need to worry about the view. Have Fun!!
Debbie

 

[Mousemommy1]

Remember that magical erasing ink kook???

Forgive me, I know not what I do...

 

[sjv919]

On a limited budget stay with standard view and use the money elsewhere! The first time we stayed at WL we booked Woods view but it wasn't much of a view, I was really disappointed. We were on the fouth floor above Whispering Canyon and yeah there were woods but when you looked down - loading area, trucks in and out, etc... I even went back to front desk and asked if that was really woods view and they said yes. The last couple of trips we have stayed Courtyard view and I love it! But WL is such a fantastic resort you don't need to worry about the view. Have Fun!!
Debbie

Our approach has been to book a standard view and hope for the best. It has worked out very well for us, with a free upgrade to courtyard view our first visit and had a beautiful woods view room on our second trip. The rooms themselves are exactly the same inside, and the difference is just what's outside below your balcony. The second post of this thread here shows the room locations and view categories. The "worst case" is a view above the loading dock area with potential truck noise, but you'd be looking right toward MK and with a high enough floor you might be able to see Wishes. While you can't guarantee a better location unless you pay the extra, the number of available rooms means that an upgrade is likely since most of the rooms at WL are Woods view or better.

Also which location you prefer is an individual preference. Some people love having a room that opens to the lobby, others prefer a quieter location. Some love to see the pool, others worry about noise. Some want to see Wishes, some want to see Bay Lake. You really can't go wrong. Overall, WL is a beautiful resort and any room in it will be "home" for your trip.

Get DGF a massage at Sturdy Branches and do some water recreation with the money you'll save booking a STD View. If your budget is limited, I would stick with the SV. You could even request a North Wing room on an upper floor and you might be able to see Wishes. There are so many cozy places to relax inside and outside of WL that I don't think you'll be in your room that much anyway. You even have a beach with plenty of chairs

Good points, thanks guys! I appreciate it We'll probably just keep standard, then!

 

[mickeynut1]

Nice to see you around these parts - your trips are getting closer now, it seemed so far away the last time I saw your ticker. How is DS liking college?

Thanks, KOOK . I can't believe we are almost under the 9 month mark. July 2013 seemed soooo far away when I booked everything and now it's less than a year away and I am very excited . DS really likes college, thanks for asking. He especially loves that he only has classes 2 days a week.

I hope things are well with you. Didn't your DD start high school this year? I hope she is doing well and is enjoying it .