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

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When we were there last month, A CM told me that they're changing the WL logo. Everything from the signs to shirts.

Here are the tops that replaced the old ones I wanted the old ones and a CM got one from the back before they got rid of them.

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Thank you for posting your photos of the new merchandise. They didn't have them yet when we were there in July so I'll post a link to your photos. Glad you were able to snag a "vintage" top:thumbsup2

Kook,

I sure hope things have changed by the time we get there in a few months ... We've booked a deluxe room for the first week of December. We've requested 6123 again but you never know what you are going to end up with.
It will probably be fine, but if it isn't, don't hesitate to tell a CL CM.

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Just a few pictures of the stream, waterfall, and a bit of the construction...hope the all come across okay!
Thank you! I will post some of these to the pool update in POST 2.

Hey nothing popped up in Search and I can't remember,

Didn't someone ask recently about Microwave requests?

I can survive without one but it would help as breakfast menus are the least safe for me at Disney (or anywhere actually).

Just couldn't remember if anyone had gotten one before.
Just adding that they do have a microwave at Roaring Fork:



Would someone staying there now please share the current BB offer? I thought it was free dining, but read in another thread today that it may be 35% off Deluxe rooms.
The BB is for dates through 12/23/14 in July was still the 35% off Deluxe Rooms/Villas and 30% off Moderates.

We just checked in tonight and are waiting for our luggage so we can get some much needed shut eye. Had to share that we are in room 5123 which is the same one kook was in a few months back. It's cleaner than she encountered but thr armoire still stinks and I don't think the windows have been cleaned yet. Otherwise a great first impression of the lodge. Now come on luggage...
Glad it's cleaner, but it's too bad the armoire is still unusable. Thanks for checking in with us and I hope you get your full turn-down consistently.



Got in last night and the construction isn't a problem at all... We have a courtyard view but see more of the stream so don't really notice too much. Just the walls, but either than that its great here and MNSSHP last night was awesome!! Relatively slow, got to ride all the main rides with minimal wait (Mine Train 2 times!), great views to see the parade and hallo-wishes (which was terrific), and lots of candy! Not so Scary was the only even I have yet to do and even though were still over a month out from halloween, I enjoyed it a ton. Took a run to Ft. Wilderness on the trails and now just get to spend the day checking out and exploring the resort!!
What a great first full-day. Thank you for checking in with us and I hope the rest of your vacation is fabulous.

Checked in yesterday morning. Have a beautiful courtyard view, even with the construction. Not hard to get around the resort at all :) It is noisy during the day but not unbearable - if you have nappers you might want a fan or white noise machine :) Been to MK, HS, and Epcot so far and crowds are low! Loving the WL!
Love the LIVE reports! Just so everyone knows, you can request a box fan from Lodgekeeping;)

Having a blast at WL, we have a great court yard view. We get to watch construction and see bay lake and the geyser. Actually really neat to see them work on pool area. The kiddie pool is no longer there haha.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards
That's an interesting perspective that I never thought about - the upper CYV rooms would be fun for small children to watch the construction trucks and equipment from the balcony. Bye-bye kiddie pool, hello splash pad:)

Here is a quick video update of the ongoing construction and the noise (this is my first photo/video post so hopefully this works). All the work so far is on what I believe was the kids pool. The regular pool is still filled with water.

The construction is definitely loud, but not as bad in the room as I envisioned. We're on the 5th floor in a deluxe club level room overlooking the courtyard and pool area. My daughter is napping now and so far so good. The bedroom seems quieter than the living room area.

Hi to all the other dis-ers here!

http://vid1253.photobucket.com/albums/hh591/kastoney/DSCF6597.mp4
Brilliant! This is going in the pool update - thank you! This answers so many questions for people. I love that you can still still hear the boat horn despite the jackhammering:thumbsup2
 
Thought I would say hello and add our dates for our upcoming stay at VWL :cool1: We will be in a 1-bedroom villa 4/17-4/25.

Our first and second visits to WDW we stayed at WL, since then we have been touring other locations, but always find ourselves stopping into the lodge at least once each trip to visit.

It feels great to be going back there in April, like coming home, and I am loving catching up on all the recent WL news on this thread :). Very much looking forward to seeing the end result of all the pool area work.
 
Breaking news from GrandCalifornian: They have departed Austin, the second leg of their trip from CA and they are at 36,000' and on their way to POR! So exciting!!


Thought I would say hello and add our dates for our upcoming stay at VWL :cool1: We will be in a 1-bedroom villa 4/17-4/25.

Our first and second visits to WDW we stayed at WL, since then we have been touring other locations, but always find ourselves stopping into the lodge at least once each trip to visit.

It feels great to be going back there in April, like coming home, and I am loving catching up on all the recent WL news on this thread :). Very much looking forward to seeing the end result of all the pool area work.
Welcome to the thread, Alice. I'll add your dates to the Lodgers' Log. Happy planning!
 
Breaking new from GrandCalifornian: They have departed Austin, the second leg of their trip from CA and they are at 36,000' and on their way to POR! So exciting!!

Yes we are following the thread from the air, pretty cool. We were able to watch kastoney's great video of the construction, and are glad that WL still has that special feel. We will be sure to visit during our trip. Right now we are over the Gulf of Mexico with an estimated remaining flight time of 1 hour, 20 minutes. Hello to everybody!
 

Just got an invite from the staff to head up to the Old Faith Club for the evening to have food, beer, wine, desserts and watch the fire works from the roof... What a great treat! pixiedust:
 
Yes we are following the thread from the air, pretty cool. We were able to watch kastoney's great video of the construction, and are glad that WL still has that special feel. We will be sure to visit during our trip. Right now we are over the Gulf of Mexico with an estimated remaining flight time of 1 hour, 20 minutes. Hello to everybody!
:yay:
Are you eating dinner at POR or DTD? I can't recall where your first ADR is, but I thought it was DTD.

Just got an invite from the staff to head up to the Old Faith Club for the evening to have food, beer, wine, desserts and watch the fire works from the roof... What a great treat! pixiedust:
Wow! Are you staying in a Deluxe Room? You're going to love Rooftop Wishes. Have a magical evening!
 
:yay: Are you eating dinner at POR or DTD? I can't recall where your first ADR is, but I thought it was DTD.

We are just going to eat at the POR QS, Riverside Mill. We didn't want to worry about rushing to an ADR. We have to go by guest services to get our passes, so we figured we'd rather head to MK than DTD on a Saturday night, so that's the plan.
 
We are on Magical Express. This bus is shared with Saratoga Springs, POR, WL, and CR. It is a strange pairing, but feels like home so far. :)
 
We are just going to eat at the POR QS, Riverside Mill. We didn't want to worry about rushing to an ADR. We have to go by guest services to get our passes, so we figured we'd rather head to MK than DTD on a Saturday night, so that's the plan.
From Riverside, CA to Riverside Mill - perfect!
We're so excited! Just a courtyard view, no deluxe... Thanks.
So how did you get the invitation? Are you celebrating a special occasion? I know you'll love spending time in the Old Faithful Club Lounge. You'll have to plan on being there between 8-10 so you can tell us what the cobbler flavor was;)

We are on Magical Express. This bus is shared with Saratoga Springs, POR, WL, and CR. It is a strange pairing, but feels like home so far. :)
You must finally be there! What a long trip from CA, but I bet Allie is ready to go explore the grounds and maybe take a dip in the pool? I hope you got your requested room location and you're next to your parents. Can't wait to hear more. Enjoy every minute.
 
We are looking to rent a stay at a studio villa... Can anyone tell me if the Murphy bed is the same size or larger than the ones at POR... I heard that the POR ones are smaller than a twin...my kids are teens and need a real bed... Thank you!
 
From Riverside, CA to Riverside Mill - perfect!

So how did you get the invitation? Are you celebrating a special occasion? I know you'll love spending time in the Old Faithful Club Lounge. You'll have to plan on being there between 8-10 so you can tell us what the cobbler flavor was;)

I came for a quick weekend trip to visit parents and we just decided to come for the weekend... Didn't make a reservation until Tuesday. Made a connection with a friend of a friend and next thing you know we're in the Old Faithful Lounge and on top of the roof watching Wishes. It was amazing. Could see all of the world! And the cobbler was apple at first, but they had to bring a third batch out which was Peach and berry. The apple was delicious, peach and berry was even better!
 
Im not sure anyone knows for sure, but I doubt that construction would occur until 1 of 2 thing happens... 1) The new DVC rooms at the poly are completely sold out, or 2) at the very least the new poly DVC is done.

I would imagine you would be fine in June.. maybe not much longer than that. Also note that construction at different resorts means different things. The Grand Floridian DVC and Bay Lake Tower were not nearly as intrusive as the Poly construction is.

Thanks boufa & Wood Nymph for your inputs!! I had heard there were teepees or some such going in along the Bay. Obviously, all rumor for now. :goodvibes Can't wait to see the refurbished pool in June and what they did. I will be posting pictures and video. :) 9 months and counting until our first trip to WL. Can't wait!!
 
Yep as of Testing in May I now avoid

Pineapples
Strawberries
Wheat
Oats
Rye
Buckwheat
Dairy
Egg

Pretty much allergic to 98% of breakfast items (I think I narrowed it down to bacon and apples :rotfl: that are safe) and even the things that I can tolerate in small amounts I have to pick and choose. ...... It's a pain and I'm still new enough that I'm learning the tricks of substitutions.
Don't want to highjack this thread but please allow this little detour.

Have you tried some of these (below) for breakfast? Are you able to tolerate them? You may find some of these items on restaurant menus and you just need to ask the chef about cross-contamination concerns. They are usually able to prepare these things fresh for you, if they learn that you would like them.

--- sliced, fried potatoes or hash brown potatoes
--- "Cream of Rice" branded hot cereal (similar to cream of wheat but made of rice and milder)
--- grits (also similar to cream of wheat but made of corn)
--- add-ins to hot cereals: maple syrup, bacon bits, cinnamon, diced apple or other fruit, dried cranberries, walnuts
--- "Chex" brand cereals - several flavors are GF, single grain, either plain or flavored, tasty to munch with your morning coffee
--- sauteed or roasted or grilled peppers, onions, zucchini - mixed with savory sausage crumbles or chopped bacon
--- oranges (mandarin?), grapefruits, pears, peaches - available canned or fresh
--- fresh grapes, bananas or blueberries
--- smoothie made of almond milk and/or coconut milk, banana or other favorite fruit and/or cocoa powder or instant coffee/chai tea, sweetened to taste, thickened with ice cubes - or better yet, with chia seeds (really!)

Consider making a "trail mix" at home with safe ingredients and bringing a ziploc bagful. It's a great fall-back item for breakfast or snacks. Dietary restrictions definitely add an extra challenge but you'll figure it out. :) If you like to bake, there are muffin recipes and fruit crisp (like apple crisp dessert or breakfast) recipes that use almond flour, coconut flour or other GF flour blends with coconut oil. If you like one, freeze a batch and bring them on vacation too. Boxed cereal and canned fruits may be shipped ahead to the resort or ordered through a grocery delivery service, if you won't have a car or don't want to take the time to taxi to an area grocery store.

Tip: To make a savory stuffing/dressing side dish (holidays coming up!), substitute smashed Chex GF cereals for the bread cubes in your favorite recipe (1/2 rice chex, 1/2 corn chex - makes a great flavor blend) and you won't miss the original at all.

By the way, the 1BR and 2BR condos in the VWL next door are all equipped with blenders. So, you may be able to request the use of a blender during your stay, from the front desk, to make smoothies in your room. Just a thought. Couldn't hurt to ask. Almond milk and coconut milk are available in small cartons and cans (no refrigeration) from grocery stores, if you'll have transportation or grocery delivery.

Since this is new for you, you may not yet be comfortable with asking for what you need, simply, in a matter-of-fact way, from servers or chefs. Keep a little card with you, listing the unsafe foods. Then it's easier to discuss options and ingredients. The chefs at WDW restaurants have a great reputation for being willing and able to speak to guests and make a dish that they can enjoy without worrying about cross-contamination. This is a much, MUCH more common concern than people realize.

Thank you for indulging me. Back to our regularly scheduled programming... :)
 
Decided to post on-topic...

Over the years, we have visited the Wilderness Lodge and looked around, many, many times. Sometimes, we've eaten a meal... rented a boat... soaked in the atmosphere... and of course, wished were staying there!!! ::yes:: Now... we're finally going stay at WL for our very first time!!! :tink: I'm getting simply giddy with excitement!

Well, actually, we're staying at the Villas on an RCI exchange week... in a 1BR... DH and I. What fun! (great, BIG sigh) I. Can. Not. WAIT. (wheeeeeeee) Yes, I know there will be construction - it was a bit of a bummer when we first learned about it. But we are SO EXCITED anyway! We're looking forward to this more than to any other Disney trip. We always enjoy visiting Downtown Disney and wandering around other resorts. WL has been our favorite to visit.

NOW... in just a few weeks, we're really going to STAY there... take long walks over to Ft Wilderness... boat rentals on Bay Lake... a few visits to the water parks... a couple "highlights" hopper days at the theme parks... and just relax in front of one of the fireplaces, listen to the music... (another very happy sigh) I'll bet the week will fly by, way too fast. But who cares!?! We're goin' back to Disney World and we're stayin' at THE LODGE!

:cool1: :goodvibes :yay: :woohoo: :yay: :goodvibes :cool1:

Okay, I'll go back to my lurking spot on this thread now... gleefully noting the photos... savoring the vivid live reports and fun postings... so please, do carry on. ::yes:: :teeth: :wave:
 
Checked in yesterday morning. Have a beautiful courtyard view, even with the construction. Not hard to get around the resort at all :) It is noisy during the day but not unbearable - if you have nappers you might want a fan or white noise machine :) Been to MK, HS, and Epcot so far and crowds are low! Loving the WL!
If you have a smartphone, there are free apps (like "white noise lite") which have a variety of white noises and settings.
Choose ocean waves, light rain, thunderstorms, wind through the trees, crickets, fans, etc. :tiptoe:
Set it to run for an hour, several hours, the whole night.
 
Decided to post on-topic... Over the years, we have visited the Wilderness Lodge and looked around, many, many times. Sometimes, we've eaten a meal... rented a boat... soaked in the atmosphere... and of course, wished were staying there!!! ::yes:: Now... we're finally going stay at WL for our very first time!!! :tink: I'm getting simply giddy with excitement! Well, actually, we're staying at the Villas on an RCI exchange week... in a 1BR... DH and I. What fun! (great, BIG sigh) I. Can. Not. WAIT. (wheeeeeeee) Yes, I know there will be construction - it was a bit of a bummer when we first learned about it. But we are SO EXCITED anyway! We're looking forward to this more than to any other Disney trip. We always enjoy visiting Downtown Disney and wandering around other resorts. WL has been our favorite to visit. NOW... in just a few weeks, we're really going to STAY there... take long walks over to Ft Wilderness... boat rentals on Bay Lake... a few visits to the water parks... a couple "highlights" hopper days at the theme parks... and just relax in front of one of the fireplaces, listen to the music... (another very happy sigh) I'll bet the week will fly by, way too fast. But who cares!?! We're goin' back to Disney World and we're stayin' at THE LODGE! :cool1: :goodvibes :yay: :woohoo: :yay: :goodvibes :cool1: Okay, I'll go back to my lurking spot on this thread now... gleefully noting the photos... savoring the vivid live reports and fun postings... so please, do carry on. ::yes:: :teeth: :wave:
Not so fast Lisa P - no lurking for you because I have a question. My parents have RCI and back in the day we always had to settle for off property when doing an RCI Weeks exchange. Please give pointers for how to get a DVC property. My parents aren't tech savvy and even forget to bank their weeks sometimes. I know they have one or 2 "red" weeks, so hopefully that helps. I haven't been involved in the process or seen the RCI website in years.

Thanks!
 
Here is a quick video update of the ongoing construction and the noise (this is my first photo/video post so hopefully this works). All the work so far is on what I believe was the kids pool. The regular pool is still filled with water.

The construction is definitely loud, but not as bad in the room as I envisioned. We're on the 5th floor in a deluxe club level room overlooking the courtyard and pool area. My daughter is napping now and so far so good. The bedroom seems quieter than the living room area.

Hi to all the other dis-ers here!

http://vid1253.photobucket.com/albums/hh591/kastoney/DSCF6597.mp4
Great video. Feeling more optimistic now. 10 more days!!!!!!!!!
 
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