Well KOOK looks like we need another line added for the Lodger's Log
Dec 21-27. We will drive down so we hopefully will leave early enough on Sunday to get in for dinner that evening.
Since this is our first Christmas down there, any suggestions on any special dining?
Yippee! Many of the one TS restaurants serve a "special" menu on Christmas so often the regular menu isn't available. The two TS's usually offer their regular menu.
If you use TiW, keep in mind that they aren't supposed to accept them on Christmas Eve and Day. We have been very lucky to have them accepted at some TS's, but that was a fluke so don't expect it.
Some like a character meal to get them more in the spirit. ADRs fill up fast on those days, but we actually did an impromptu walk-up at Trail's End for lunch last Christmas after horseback riding. They had additional seating down by the bar area. They served the buffet, which is usually only served at dinner. We also ate at CA Grill that evening, but it was full and we had an ADR I booked months in advance.
The pool has been AWESOME! The boys are really enjoying it! The Geyser & waterfall are really a nice touch! The boat to MK has been great & relaxing! I haven't eaten in Roaring Fork for lunch or dinner but I did have the salad upon arrival & it was really good! One had a burger & the other the pizza & they liked it! Breakfast is good! The pancakes are really yummy & my son liked the chocolate Mickey waffles! Any questions I'll try my best to answer! Off to DD to shop!
Thank you for checking in with us!
I think I am thinking of the info that the check in gave to us. I don't think I read the info that was on the desk. I think there was a book sitting on the desk. My husband looked thru it. I didn't know about the bounce back or I would have looked.
Guests should be told about the BB and where to find it at check-in. It's almost as if they want it to remain a mystery. In "the old days" when the BB used to be prominently displayed on the table in the shape of a clock, etc... it was easier for guests to find it, though even then there were problems when the housekeepers wouldn't put one in the room. Then last year they changed it to a perforated sheet in the middle of the BoG Guide. Unless you knew about this from the internet, I suspect most guests have no idea it's in there or even what it is. Not sure why the resorts "hide" it
I have a question about people in a Villa studio. I know that they have the fifth bed in them. Does this enable me to book 5 plus an under 3 toddler, or is five the limit?
Yes, 5+1.
Is this booklet on our desk mine to take? There's some great stuff in there that I would like to have.....
Yes! You've paid for it
Got home from a fabulous Disney trip (at Port Orleans Riverside) on Monday. While I was there, I booked a bounceback and am now staying at Wilderness Lodge next September!! It's been 10 years since I've stayed at the beautiful Wilderness Lodge, and I'm so glad to have another stay on the books!!
Courtney
Yippee and congrats!
I saw Kook's pics of the little bear and squirrel at the Mercantile..anyone know if there is any other WL plush? I have Pluto dressed in WL themed clothes but was wondering if there was anything else.
We check in 12/2!
There aren't any other themed plushes. The photos I have posted/linked-to in the SHOPPING section of the thread show all the themed stuffed animals. They do sell many Disney character stuffed animals, but none are "wilderness" themed. Maybe FW has a different plush selection?
You can take the boat to the MK and then either the resort boat or Riverboat to TTC. I'd recommend the resort boat...construction on the TTC side of the Poly makes the walk over difficult.
Nice view. What kind of boat did you take this from?
Hi everyone!
We are staying Dec 27 to Jan 2! Third xmas at the lodge!
I'll log your dates, too and happy planning!
We will be at WLV Dec 28 to Jan 3rd! Out first ever Christmas and New Years at the Lodge. Any tips particularly for New Years?
We have seen the Christmas decorations and have done the
MVMCP from a November stay a few years ago.
We have always left the morning of NYE so I can't help with that. Sorry.
Single digit dance
Can't wait to stay at the lodge for the first time!
Just saying hello, as we are taking a red eye this Saturday night and arriving early Sunday morning for 8 days. We have two grown daughters, and the youngest was just married a few weeks ago, one year after our oldest. After such a busy year we chose our favorite place for some much needed "us" time. Can't wait to get there and finally start relaxing!
What an exciting (and a bit stressful) year you've had. You're going to feel rejuvenated soon and WL will be a great place for the grandkids - someday
It has been a long time since I have been to WDW at Christmas (we used to go every year when we would spend Christmas with my grandparents who had a winter place over near St. Pete's) what are the crowds like the week of Christmas?
A few days prior to Christmas Day, the park levels get noticeably larger, but with FP+, this isn't a problem. We avoid the parades where the crowds gather and we make sure we have ADRs.
I've found that the Deluxe resorts aren't very crowded, except for those who come to the lobbies to look at the decorations. The other areas aren't bad at all. Keep in mind that discounts usually begin being blacked-out by 12/24 - 1/1 so the resorts aren't crowded due to the limited number who book at rack rate. We were able to use an SoG overflow rate, but even with that discount, the rates increase so much at holidays that the 20% off SoG rate negates the 20% higher Christmas rack rate.
We checked in this past Sunday and are unfortunately checking out tomorrow. We will be in MK all day tomorrow before we begin our drive home. My wife and I stayed here 17 years ago and this is our first time back since and this time with our 2 daughters (14 & 12). We have had a fantastic week. The lodge was incredible and our girls just loved it. Our oldest has autism and we found the lodge was a relaxing place for her in the midst of the sensory overload of the parks. The staff was awesome as well. My girls loved the towel animals left for them each days and were excited to see how their stuffed animals were arranged each day by the cleaning staff.
The
DAS card along with the fast pass was great. We hit everything we wanted to do and then some. We were on the fence about memory maker, but then a week before our trip my mother in law gave us some money and we purchased it. I HIGHLY recommend it for anyone staying multiple days. We have well over 200 pictures so far with many neat magic shots.
The boats were very timely for us and the only night they were a pain for us was last night when leaving the MK after fireworks, but that was expected. We did not use the buses at all. My wife rented a
scooter for the week and we did not want to tie up the buses and inconvenience others so we drove to the other parks with no problem at all. Since the scooter could not go on the tram, I would put my wife and girls on the tram and I would drive the scooter to the gate and back. It worked out really well.
The girls loved the pool, but we are looking forward to seeing what they have in store for the new one. There were no signs of construction all week except for the one small south facing woods view wing. Our room was further down on the 5th floor woods view and we had no construction. We overlooked the villas pool.
We are sad to go as we don't know when we may make it back, but the girls would love to come back again. This trip was for our 20th wedding anniversary and my wife and I are considering coming back with the family for our 25th.
Now for the long drive back to SJ this Saturday.
Thank you for checking in with us and I hope your drive home was uneventful. I hope you can start planning your next trip soon!
Hi WL experts!
Does anyone have advice about Christmas decorations for our room that won't take up too much space or violate any rules about what is or isn't allowed? Would a 3 foot tree be too big? I noticed Disney florist has an 18 inch tree but that seems too small. What about Christmas lights? Are those allowed? Stocking hung somehow? Removable hooks perhaps? I'd love any tips as this will be our first time spending 12/24-12/25 on property.
For only one night, you might not want to bring a lot of stuff. We stayed 8 nights last Christmas and we drove so I brought a tree, ornaments, stockings and presents. No one puts anything on the doors, but I did see one CL door in our wing with stockings on Christmas Eve.
This was our WL room last Christmas, but we don't have small children, just a 15-year-old DD. The towel creation is a candle with red flame - so cute:
After staying at YC in Aug 2013 and BC a last week I am so happy to being coming back to WL with FD Bouceback offer August 2015!. I enjoyed my stay at the YC but I really missed WL. WL is where we have always have stayed before and so happy to go back there and see the changes that have been made since we were there in 2011.
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Welcome and congratulations on booking!
Hi Everyone. We are just back from a week at CBR which was a fantastic trip, however, we are even more excited to have booked WL for our bounce back offer for next August. Our offer was for
free dining, and we were really hoping to try WL for our next trip, so we are thrilled. I will be spending a lot of time here seeing what this resort is all about. Can't wait to be a part of it.
Happy to have you here and glad you had a great trip. Happy planning!
Kook, just for you...Apple Cobbler tonight. Hope the photos shows up?!?!
Whoa there - I thought you weren't staying CL? Did you get upgraded?
B-I-N-G-O
I second the BINGO!
Our request of inner courtyard upper floor was granted and we watched the higher Wishes fireworks from our balcony each evening
crazy2
. So a good year of celebrating! 
