Hello WL/VWL Fans!!
We're so excited to return to WL (well, the villas this time) for 2015 Easter Weekend! It's one of those on-the-way-to-the-airport-from-the-beach resort days for us. Our options were more limited than usual because Easter weekend rates are crazy and we need a room for all five of us (my husband isn't coming along for our upcoming stays at ASMu and AKL so we have more flexibility for those.) Then I saw the deluxe studio villas sleep five! (A tight fit, I've read, but they still sleep five!)
Enjoying my VWL research and learning more about Easter at the resorts. We've been to WDW around Easter, but never on Easter Day. Anyone done the WL candy scramble or been to the Wave for Easter Brunch?
Howdy!
We've only stayed at WL (and BWI) Easter Week and left the day before Easter so I can't comment on the activities. We have been to The Wave many times for their super breakfast buffet (photos in the CR thread), but again, not on Easter Day. Hopefully, someone else will post about their Easter Day stay for you.
Thanks Kook for the update on Randy. We met him during our trip this past June and he was just super nice. He was teasing me about being in line at the grand opening of the Marketplace Co-Op to get a Vera Bradley purse.
Why did they move him and what is a TA that you spoke of? Seems like he has a much different job than he was doing at the Lodge.
Carla
I'm glad you got to meet him, Carla. He put in a request for a TA (Temporary Assignment) with Recreation and it was approved. This will be his second TA during his stint as CL manager. His other TA was with the Resort Line of Business. Even though "Temporary" is in the description, it's widely believed, for various reasons, that he won't return to WL. One of the main reasons is the fact that he's been the CL manager about twice as long as most managers. I think he should be a permanent WL fixture, but I also understand that sometimes you have to move on. Disney likes its CMs to have a broad range of skills and experience. Any place Randy works, guests will be very lucky to have him.
Thanks Kook! I have read another thread on the Dis though that a new bounce back is already out and is for
free dining in 2015.
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=52010754&postcount=50
Must be brand new!
You are absolutely right! Thank you for posting the link.
It's an odd BB though as its only good for a little over a month (late August - early October) and not till 2015 and only for a 6-night stay
. Did this replace the RO BB or is this in addition to the RO BB that expires 12/23? Maybe someone who is there now could check inside their Be Our Guest Guide for the offer? It must have changed in the past month.
Called today and changed villa request to 5th floor from 4th floor. Also asked to be far from elevator. Quiet is important to me, especially during our afternoon break time. Confirmed previous requests: dedicated, not lock-off, and lake side. Watch, we'll get ground floor bus stop side! I hope not, but will hope for the best.
Cakes ordered ( congratulations and birthday ), emails of itineraries to group done, all lists done and packing lists organized according to what goes where, and warning to group that we will probably have lots of rain! Luckily, everyone is cool about that and we always have alternate plans in our heads, ready to go when needed. Laundry finished, now 2 days of packing! Just hope I don't regret not putting enough time into the Universal planning part of our trip. Basically, I made a dinner reservation at Mythos, and my DD and I are going to hang out in the HP worlds while her BF and my DH ride all the ExpressPass rides everywhere else.
So excited!!!!
Sounds like you have everything under control. This has been such a long wait for this trip. I hope it's extra magical for you and your family
I did notice during checkin (a busy Sunday afternoon) that the lobby music was almost inaudible. Maybe it's the crowded lobby? But in the quieter hours I can hear it through our door. I haven't stayed in a lobby room before, so who knows. Even then, though, it seems to come and go. I remember "crickets" in the upper CY at night (or was that AKL?) and I haven't heard them this week. The geyser is loud and I don't remember any noise from it before. Also, I remember lovely Lodge music around the CY (outside of party hours) and I haven't noticed that either.
As for BB, I guess someone else will need to check. I can't plan a trip for next year right now, so I'm resisting the temptation of knowing what we're missing.
Yep, we noticed the same thing last month. It's too bad they didn't fix it since the music and sounds really add to the ambiance of the resort.
So, inquiring minds want to know - POOL UPDATE.
Basically, it's not an update. The construction is non-existent for now and the Lodge is picture perfect! That's the great news. I did ask at Concierge about the plans. They plan to be down from "September to November" with a pool closure. He had no details on specifics, except to say they are adding an enclosure to keep people out when lifeguards are off-duty. He suggested that details from higher up are sketchy and contractors won't be pinned down on a specific date. He would not confirm that August construction is completely out of the question, but he did say the closure is scheduled for September. That's reassuring, but not exactly concrete. I asked 3 times, "so not before August" and got a sort of agreeing answer. I asked about geyser or lakeside rock work and he basically said 'we really don't know what they'll be doing exactly." Anyway, that's the latest. I wish it was more helpful.
Thank you for the…non-update
strange question: are there ceiling fans in the standard rooms at WL?
As an aside, the only rooms without ceiling fans are the Deluxe rooms. They removed them and replaced them with a ceiling light
Hello Lodgers! We are booked in for our second stay at Wilderness Lodge January 7-13. Had hoped to try out CR, but no military discount, so we debated between WL and AoA. Space vs. location. After going back and forth with DH my 14 year old said, I liked taking the boat to MK so back to WL we are headed! Have to call in our room requests because I forgot when making our reservations. Hoping the trees haven't gotten too tall and we'll be able to see Wishes from our room again!
Congratulations! I'll log your dates in POST 2. Not that you should necessarily switch, but availability with the military rate is "fluid" and can change if someone cancels or Disney puts more rooms into the military inventory.
We have a BBB reservation @ 8am at Magic Kingdom. What time should we leave The Lodge? Should we take the boat or a bus? Thanks!
You can still take the Blue Flag boat to CR and walk to the MK if for some reason you don't want to take the early ADR bus to the MK. But, the easiest would be the bus. The Blue Flag starts running about 0645.
We just booked our trip for Jan. 30- Feb. 7th. Can't wait to return to the lodge. Every trip we think we are going to stay somewhere else, but we always return home. Now time to start making dining reservations!
Yippee! I'll add your dates to the Lodgers' Log. It's kind of fun to think you might want to stay somewhere else, but when you get down to it, WL has so much going for it.
I've never heard of late check out at a Disney resort. Is this printed somewhere? Our flight isn't until 5:30 and I'd love a few extra hours to relax.
Late check-outs must be approved in advance by housekeeping. It is not automatically approved. Extensions that are approved are usually for a 12:00 or 1:00 check-out. I believe that times past that, up to 3:00, incur a half-day room rate charge.
Even if you don't get approved, you can always store your things with Bell Services, use the pool and shower at Sturdy Branches and if you're staying CL, you have full access to the lounge up to 10 PM (when the lounge closes) of your check-out day.
I did not know about there's an early morning character breakfast bus, if we decide to keep that early ADR, we'll go that route. But if we want to take the boat we might have to change our ADR to a later time, we don't like to feel rush, and the boats are one of the main reason why chose WL.
I'm rather sad that your trip is almost over, but then you must be a whole lot sadder about it. 
. Looking forward to your final update.
