(CLOSED) Disney's WILDERNESS LODGE and VILLAS INFORMATION THREAD ~2014~

[kastoney]

Hi all, we are staying put at WL for our mid September trip despite all pool drama. If they do the water park passes all the better as we wouldn't have that option regularly.

We are staying CL and I need to out my room request in (inner courtyard view as I as to be close to the club lounge and far away from the pool refurb noise for my little ones nap time). What is the best way to do this, the club concierge or the regular reservation line?

 

[CuteAsMinnie]

We will be there at about the same time!! How long do you normally stay? This is the first time we are staying for longer then 8 days

7-10 days. Kids are older now, 19 & 22 next trip so right now, we have no idea! it'll def be a different kind of trip, but we're ready for that !!

 

[CuteAsMinnie]

Kook!

Current BB offer is...???

 

[ElenaJane]

Kook!

Current BB offer is...???

Not to steal Kook's thunder.....Just got back from a one night stay at WL and this is the BB I got:

"This vacation may be coming to an end, but we've got some great news if you're already thinking about coming back. Book before you check out and you can save on a stay at a select Disney Deluxe Resort during your next Walt Disney World® visit!
SAVE UP TO 35%* at select Disney Deluxe Resorts if you book before you check out!
For stays most nights 7/28–8/2, 8/17–10/4, 10/17–11/6, 11/9–11/21 and 12/11–12/23/14.
*The number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited. Savings based on the non-discounted price for the same room. Length-of-stay requirements may apply. Additional per-adult charges may apply if more than two adults per room. No group rates or other discounts apply. This offer is only available to Guests of select Walt Disney World Resort hotels and is nontransferable. Advance reservations required. Offer not valid for 3 bedroom villas, Disney's Art of Animation Resort and The Villas at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa."

 

[dpswift]

My kids are really looking forward to their stay this September despite all the drama. DH and I tried to talk them into staying at POR ($1000 makes a big differance to young adults in their 20s) but DD 21 who has been planning the trip would not consider changing.

They already know about the water parade and the campfire, is there anything else they should know about?

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Kook - we haven't made up our minds yet where we are staying. I was hoping to get more information before I make a decision but I'm not sure how long I can wait (PIF deadlines are at the end of Sept). I was hoping to see pictures when it starts in Sept.

We need an RO before we proceed with GF anyway.

I am in the same boat. Waiting for RO to be released and also reports of the construction. I have until early oct to decide.

 

[Marlyn]

Hey guys! My cousin just checked into WL and she sent me this picture...

That really doesn't look too bad. I know the water isn't running, but if that's all there is....I'm ok with it.

26 days to go!!!

 

[WDWKOOK]

I hope to start posting some vacation photos/comments later today. The Lodgers' Log was updated yesterday, but if you're missing or you'd like to be removed, please post.​

Finally hit double digits! 99 days!

Still sticking with WL. We love the lodge and are looking forward to all of the things we have planned. Even maybe checking out the CR pool (since we'll probably never stay there) and if we do get BB passes, trying it out!
We are definitely looking at the positives rather the negatives, considering we are staying CL and will have a grand view of the 'enhancement'

And if I say something about that, and get a discount .... great, if I don't, oh well (still waiting to see if any AP Discounts come out too) I'm there with my DH spending the small time I have with him before he goes back to AFG

Happy Monday, everyone! I will probably be driving you all nuts with my countdown, but.............11 MORE DAYS!!

Only TEN today!

Hey guys! My cousin just checked into WL and she sent me this picture...

Thanks. That looks pretty much the same since I left 3 July - minus the workers, who were frequently absent. Our room's balcony, 5123, is pictured. IDK know if the afternoon rains were impacting their progress or some other issues. The project was supposed to be completed the week of 4 July

Thanks wdwkook for posting this!! I have been wondering this for months now as I was wanting to book a deluxe room. We have 5 people in our party, do you think we would have trouble getting 2 rooms with the discount'?

The person eligible for the Military RO rate can book up to 3 rooms with the discount. All the rooms must check in the same day, at the same resort and the person who booked the rooms must stay in one.

Hi all, we are staying put at WL for our mid September trip despite all pool drama. If they do the water park passes all the better as we wouldn't have that option regularly.

We are staying CL and I need to out my room request in (inner courtyard view as I as to be close to the club lounge and far away from the pool refurb noise for my little ones nap time). What is the best way to do this, the club concierge or the regular reservation line?

Anyone with a booked CL reservation can directly contact the IPO by email or phone to add any room location requests to your reservation or to confirm them.

If you want to be as far as possible from the pool then you don't want an inner CYV. Those rooms face the pool area. The Woods view rooms do not face the pool and would be the quietest CL rooms, even when a pool rehab isn't occurring. The Woods View rooms in the South Wing are closest to the lounge and face toward VWL with woods beyond. The WV rooms in the North Wing face toward the woods, Otter Pond, with CR and MK in the distance. These rooms are slightly further away from the lounge since you have to cross over the lobby area below to get to the lounge which is near the South Wing. The difference though is almost negligible - maybe 30 seconds further at most.

Not to steal Kook's thunder.....Just got back from a one night stay at WL and this is the BB I got:

"This vacation may be coming to an end, but we've got some great news if you're already thinking about coming back. Book before you check out and you can save on a stay at a select Disney Deluxe Resort during your next Walt Disney World® visit!
SAVE UP TO 35%* at select Disney Deluxe Resorts if you book before you check out!
For stays most nights 7/28–8/2, 8/17–10/4, 10/17–11/6, 11/9–11/21 and 12/11–12/23/14.
*The number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited. Savings based on the non-discounted price for the same room. Length-of-stay requirements may apply. Additional per-adult charges may apply if more than two adults per room. No group rates or other discounts apply. This offer is only available to Guests of select Walt Disney World Resort hotels and is nontransferable. Advance reservations required. Offer not valid for 3 bedroom villas, Disney's Art of Animation Resort and The Villas at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa."

Thanks for posting and just a reminder to everyone that the BB is no longer placed in your room on a table in an obvious location. It is in the brown folder that has multiple sheets of paper with resort specific and park information. It is hidden within the Be Our Guest Guide that is tucked away in the brown folder.

My kids are really looking forward to their stay this September despite all the drama. DH and I tried to talk them into staying at POR ($1000 makes a big differance to young adults in their 20s) but DD 21 who has been planning the trip would not consider changing.

They already know about the water parade and the campfire, is there anything else they should know about?

The first two pages of the thread has a lot of information. There are RECREATION and ACTIVITIES sections that provide information on things to see and do. There's also a section on the free Lodge Tour that I highly recommend. All the thread chapters are hyperlinked in POST 1. Are you going with your kids?

 

[patty57]

Is anyone at WL now, or soon to be there that is staying CL? I am loving the food/menu pictures. Since we're staying on rented points in December, there's no way to upgrade to CL (well short of abandoning our room and booking a CL room), but I'm wishing there were after all the pretty food pictures. Keep them coming all you CL visitors. I may be a little envious, but not so much that I want the pictures to stop.

 

[dkrauss]

Hi all, we are staying put at WL for our mid September trip despite all pool drama. If they do the water park passes all the better as we wouldn't have that option regularly.

We are staying CL and I need to out my room request in (inner courtyard view as I as to be close to the club lounge and far away from the pool refurb noise for my little ones nap time). What is the best way to do this, the club concierge or the regular reservation line?

Nice to hear you're staying My sweetie and I are making a room request for our woods view, looking for a castle view (understand their may not be many.......but doesn't hurt to ask ) For us since we booked via a TA (even with our PIN discount) we had to work through her, although I'll ask agian when we arrive (nicely to be sure). I would imagine you have the added plus of CL.

Hope you get your update.........like your little one........I too need my nap time Have a magical vacation!!!!

Doug

 

[kastoney]

Anyone with a booked CL reservation can directly contact the IPO by email or phone to add any room location requests to your reservation or to confirm them. If you want to be as far as possible from the pool then you don't want an inner CYV. Those rooms face the pool area. The Woods view rooms do not face the pool and would be the quietest CL rooms, even when a pool rehab isn't occurring. The Woods View rooms in the South Wing are closest to the lounge and face toward VWL with woods beyond. The WV rooms in the North Wing face toward the woods, Otter Pond, with CR and MK in the distance. These rooms are slightly further away from the lounge since you have to cross over the lobby area below to get to the lounge which is near the South Wing. The difference though is almost negligible - maybe 30 seconds further at most. ?

Thanks for the info and all you so for the boards. I hasn't heard from the ipo yet so wasn't sure if they did room requests. I should have been clearer that we are in a deluxe club level, which is why we want to be close to the lounge. I believe they don't have woods views available.

 

[mystery222184]

Speaking of BB Offers, it would be great if they switched over to next yr a bit earlier four our stay by Nov. 2nd -- Even if my fiancée and I likely have to skip next yr due to upcoming wedding/honeymoon-- you never know

Even though we won't be staying at the Lodge this fall we still have to visit for the excellent Pinot Grigio fondue @ the Territory Lounge!

 

[MaggiesMomNJ]

I am in the same boat. Waiting for RO to be released and also reports of the construction. I have until early oct to decide.

Sorry to hear that!

 

[mrsap]

I hope to start posting some vacation photos/comments later today. The Lodgers' Log was updated yesterday, but if you're missing or you'd like to be removed, please post.

Hey Kook! I still didn't make the log! We are doing a split stay, so the WL CL part of our trip will be 11/30 - 12/6. We will be celebrating our 10 yr. anniversary! Thanks!!!

 

[MaggiesMomNJ]

Removed

 

[MaggiesMomNJ]

Kook - we haven't made up our minds yet where we are staying. I was hoping to get more information before I make a decision but I'm not sure how long I can wait (PIF deadlines are at the end of Sept). I was hoping to see pictures when it starts in Sept.

We need an RO before we proceed with GF anyway.

Kook- did you remove us from the trip log? Please see my message above.

 

[TinkerBellLiz]

I hope to start posting some vacation photos/comments later today. The Lodgers' Log was updated yesterday, but if you're missing or you'd like to be removed, please post.​

There's also a section on the free Lodge Tour that I highly recommend.

We plan on doing the tour our first morning at WL. Is it popular enough to make advance arrangements or can we just ask that morning?

I didn't see our trip on the list but then again I'm not sure I posted the dates! Too excited about it I guess.

July 23 - 27 Standard CL

I did notice a new ressie on MDE this morning for Flying Fish Café Chef's Wine Tasting Dinner for our Anniversary dinner! DH making use of the IPO services I guess that is the one drawback to MDE. No surprise EVER!

15 Days and counting down!

I'll try to restrain myself and not post a daily countdown!

Liz

Edited to add: If it's a hassle to add us to the trip log, it's not big deal! It's not like we won't come if we aren't on it!


I wanted to add our experience with using the Disney Military Discount: We usually plan our trips spur of the moment traveling the next 2 to 3 weeks (reference this trip above we made last week.) I'll use this one as an example. DH wanted to plan this one so I stepped him through the process.

When he called, he gave the CM our dates and the stipulation that he wanted CL. We were offered GF SL, AKL 1 bedroom suite and WL CL. I'm sure if we didn't want those she would kindly have looked for others but DH has always wanted to try WL so it was an easy choice.

My experience is that if a room type is available at the non discounted rate (for these short notice trips) then we can get the Military Discount. Perhaps a discounted room is better than an empty one? I'm sure this ISN'T the case for trips planned well in advance. Again this is just my experience.

 

[absolutmey]

We're happily booked at WL 10/27-11/1

 

[MaggiesMomNJ]

We're happily booked at WL 10/27-11/1

 

[Speedemon21]

We're happily booked at WL 10/27-11/1

We are having our first WL trip from 11/11-11/17. So excited.