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

[La Belle]

No, based on my research they do not change. We went during record cold temps in the winter and they were the same then as folks posted they had in the summer.

For the most part, what I have found is they have your usual domestic suspects (Bud, Bud Light, Yingling etc) at all the CL lounges and then try for a Resort specific that will vary.
Moosehead at WL
Tusker at AKL

Thanks

 

[patty57]

Yeah Patty!!!!

All of my fingers are crossed that it's finished on time.

 

[nyrebecca]

I forgot to bring my camera this AM to get some new shots of the pool. Will try and remember to take some and upload them this afternoon after we get back from one of the parks.

 

[diskids2]

I had to share! I just did online check in for our December 23rd - Jan 1st trip....getting so excited!

 

[WDWKOOK]

I am hoping to blog the install of the tree the night of 11/18, which is the date an "insider" told me its going up. I will post the link to the site here.

Hi there! New to Disboards and we will be staying at WL in May/June for the first time. I am curios about when traveling to Epcot is it easier to take the monorail from Contemporary or the bus?

Welcome to the DIS and the WL/VWL thread! BTW, the bus trip back from Epcot to WL is very fast, less than 10 mins. and WL is the first stop.

I'm having so much fun reading everyone's comments!! I still have 80+ days to go but I'm starting to feel excited!!!
For the experts- is there a good place to view the Super Bowl, I would like to have an option for DH and the kids to watch at least the first part of the game {and commercials }first thought was the territory lounge area or getting drinks/snacks and just watching in our room- which might be fun. Not sure what the lounge is like since I've never been but I'm looking forward to unwinding her a few nights!!!!!
Can't wait to see everyone's updates who have trips coming up!!

Grace

Grace, there are two TVs on either side of TL and I'm sure they'll both be tuned to the same channel. TL is very family friendly, but small, so I imagine it will fill-up very fast. They open at 4:30.

Just returned from a quick visit from the World and booked a BB offer for WLSVCL April 19-24. DD will be going with her band to march before the electrical parade at night at MK. I do not want to be a chaperone, but I do want to see her march at Disney! They only had SV with 2 queens for CL vs WVCL or CVCL with bunkbeds. Not happy with that, I'm going to keep my eye out for AP discounts to see if any other rooms without bunkbeds open up on CL. So, a nice trip to look forward to and keep me alive through the upcoming winter months! lol

Don't give-up! Keep checking for AP rates and other room types online.

It's only 5 days before our arrival day. Eek!:

I've heard the the room assignment team at WL isn't very fond of faxes...but a call to CRO will be too late.

What should I do? We booked woods view.

Hope you got the room type you wanted.

I believe its scheduled to go up Tuesday the 18th

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=52586536&postcount=2567

And, thanks for re-posting those photos.

Lets see if I did this correctly. Pics taken from 7th floor.

Thank you, Rebecca. I hope you, your DM and DS are having a great time.

Just booked a last minute trip to the World for a pre Christmas extended long weekend!

Please add us to the Lodgers Log! December 10 to 14th.

I've booked Woods View & have requested an upper floor/ room opening onto the Lobby. We had been booked at WL last August, then switched to the YC & Poly.

But WL has been in my heart ever since, & what better time then Christmas

I'm so excited!

Yippee!

Sat, 11/8 - Drove 6 hours from KW to Orlando. Went directly to DTD to turn in our AP vouchers and get our new cards, so we could check in at the Radisson with the AP discount. Ate lunch at Earl of Sandwich.Used a coupon for a free sandwich that we received via email for DH's birthday (was on Halloween). If you sign up for their rewards program, they'll send coupons. Had dinner at Raglan Road, which was, as usual, a great dinner and show.

11/9 -check in at 10am -WL CL. We knew we were early and had to wait for our favorite room -7127. Bonnie checked us in. When she asked if we had any special occasions, I said DH just had a birthday on Halloween. So Bonnie sang Happy Birthday to him. She sings in the Candlelight Processional too. She has a beautiful voice!!!! Everyone in the area applauded. It was a memorable check in for us!!!

Room was ready at 1:30 and our suitcases made it from storage to our room in under 5 minutes. We changed quickly and drove to the GF for 2:00 Afternoon Tea. Had the same server as last February -Patricia, who is terrific!! You can tell she loves her job. Strolled the stores afterwards while the band played. There was no sign whatsoever of the impending Gingerbread House. I took a picture of the empty lobby, but I don't know how to post pics. We were at WL last November, at the same time and the House was under construction by now and finished when we left. The decorations are going up in MK and DTD, Christmas Music is playing all over, but no house yet.

Around 6pm,we had some food from the OFC (again, took pics, but can't post them). There were bacon wrapped scallops, smoked hen pot pie, PB & J Shooters, Tomato & Mozzarella Capresse, Summer Salad (cabbage & tuna?),veggies/ranch dip, hummus/red pepper dip. Everything was very good.

We decided to hop a bus to DTD and take in a movie at AMC. We have never done this before and we always try to do at least one or two new things on each trip. We wanted to try the Dine IN Theatre, but the movie, The Judge, was only in the standard theatre ,so we went there, leaving the Dine In option for another visit. It was a fun way to spend a few hours. We played a bit with the soda machine, another new experience for us - so many choices!!! The seats were comfortable, with high backs and enough leg room to move comfortably without bumping into personal space issues (DH is about 6'3", and is always bumping the seats in front of him, but not this night). We had the bus to ourselves on the trip back to WL. It was a long, but fun day.

Mon.11/10 - We have a 7:30am Steam Train Tour at MK. So I left a wake up call for 6 and set my "brain clock" for 5:30. I woke at 5:30,rolled out of bed at 5:45. Let DH sleep a little longer. Mickey didn't call until 6:15.....so much for the wake up call. We needed to be by the bus stop by 6:45,so only coffee was ready in the CL lobby area.

Hopped the bus to MK, but it turned out to be a bus to the Twilight Zone. There was a family of about 8 who were new to WDW/WL and had a 7:30 ressie at Chef Mickeys, that they were extremely anxious about getting to on time. So, they got on the MK bus, thinking they'll take the 7am monorail from MK to the Contemporary. Well, DH & I are chatting away, as the bus pulls into a bus loading/unloading area. As the bus pulls in, I hear the driver asking someone on his radio, if he can drop those people off at the C.,since he has "no one else" on board. DH & I aren't paying attention, as we're discussing our plans for the day. The bus stops and the doors open, so DH & I get out, still jabbering away. The bus pulls away and we notice, we are in a kind of no mans land. It's a bus area, but next to a parking lot and not near anything. The bus stops at a traffic light and DH runs to it and yells, where are we and we need to get back on the bus. The driver, doesn't open the door, but points to the left and tells him MK is "over there", and drives on to the Cont.Resort. And there we are.... It's getting late, and now I'm the anxious one, because this is the kind of tour that you can't catch up to-they're hopping on a train! Our best bet is to head to the Cont., and get on a monorail to MK. We're a good, at least, 5 minute walk to the Cont. Resort, in some sort of back area,crossing VERY busy streets!! We get there just as our bus is pulling away, having left off that other family. We race up to the monorail, which, of course, has to make 3 stops before MK. We get to the entrance and meet up with our tour, who waited 10 minutes longer for us. We can't thank our tour guide, Randy, enough. He used to drive the monorail, then the trains and now runs this tour, which, by the way, was way cool. Randys love of trains and expertise was a major contribution to the success of this tour. He was terrific.

But DH & I could have done without the added anxiety of being let off the MK bus so far away from the MK, that we had to take the monorail to get there. Especially, even when DH ran up to the bus, for the driver to not even open the door to let us back on, just to point and yell, it's over there and take the other family to an unscheduled stop. I'm not looking to get anyone in trouble, so I'm still undecided about reporting what happened. It was beyond wrong, all the way to unbelievable, but no harm was done. I'm not one to let things pass, which is why I still think I should probably say something. It was a potentially dangerous situation, due to traffic. It was just so strange.......

After the tour, we had a FP for Thunder MTN (for DH, not me, I don't do thrill rides). Then, stopped in Country Bear Jamboree (our nostalgic stop for the day),we walked onto Haunted Mansion (eliminating our need for our 2:45 FP's), and by that time, our noon ressie at Liberty Tree Tavern was upon us. After lunch, it was a FP ride on Peter Pan (my favorite) and then, in line for the 3 evil, but hysterical step-sisters photo op. Wouldn't you know, we're just a few families away, when it's break time and the Fairy Godmother will be coming out instead, but the skies were about to open up & drop some rain, so we headed to the dock for a boat ride back to WL. But not before a serenade by that great Barbershop Quartet, complete with bells/chimes, on Main Street.

Got back in time for some downtime, reading and people watching, before dinner at Trails End at FW, via boat. Dessert was waiting back here at the OFC. Cobbler, of course and S'mores Cups, which had gooey caramel in the bottom and were like small decadent bombs in your mouth!

We could see most of the fireworks from our balcony, if you stand all the way to the right and look left.. Then, the Electrical Water Parade started while the fireworks were going on, so those were quite the Magical Minutes for us! A wonderful ending to another full and exciting (and partly strange) day. Tomorrow, back to Trails End for lunch (we love walking the trail there),a carriage ride there at 5:30 and dinner at Artist Point (where I'll attempt to order something other than what I ALWAYS order, the salmon).

Hope I didn't bore you too much.You know, even though we're at the end of day two, I still can't believe we're really here....... if only I could extend 24 hours into a few more....

I can't believe how much you guys get done in a couple of days! What a bus adventure and thanks for the photos and update - can't wait to hear more

Please add me to the Log again. I have a Mother and Son trip planned for March 4-7, 2015. We were trying to go the last week of February but he has been cast in his school play that week. So we will be celebrating his 9th birthday a week late.

Booked a Standard Room for the two of us with a flight that will get us to the WL around 10am. Not doing Club Level this time, so what do you think the chances are of a room being ready at that hour? I don't plan on making any requests, just hoping for a home base to freshen up before hitting the parks.

Congratulations on booking. CL rooms aren't available any faster than non-CL rooms so your chances wouldn't be reduced. In fact, with so many more non-CL rooms, your chances should be greater.

So, we head out for our Disneymoon Jan. 19-27...very excited! Getting ready to book some fast passes next weekend.
We recently had our wedding, and we received more than enough money to cover our hotel stay at DW. We also received Disney Gift cards to cover at least two of the meals I have scheduled and probably one more meal. Our airfare was covered by frequent flier miles. The only thing we have had to pay for so far are the theme park tickets for DW and Universal.

So here is my dilemma, I'm thinking about upgrading to CL. We are planning to spend some time lounging at the resort because my new husband does not want everything to be overly planned. Upgrading to CL would be about $600 extra...So is CL worth it?

CL at WL is "worth it" and I highly recommend upgrading, especially for your honeymoon, if it works with your budget. In addition to Standard CL rooms, there are four Honeymoon Suites: The two on the north side have partial MK/Wishes views

So I just called to add my room request, we are booked in woods view, we asked for upper floor, north wing. Does that sound good? Anything we should add?

Sounds perfect. Some of the 6th floor rooms have enclosed balconies, but none of the 5th floor do.

I had to share! I just did online check in for our December 23rd - Jan 1st trip....getting so excited!

 

[Sara1Babe]

2 weeks from tomorrow we're hitting the road

It is still really hard to wrap my brain around WL lobby all done up for Christmas being our norm for this trip. Like people visit WL just to see it and we'll actually be staying there.

 

[mostlypinksomeblue]

Hi, Im new on here- I have been reading posts and learning a lot. I noticed that you can be added to the wilderness lodge roll call. Our trip is coming up and I'm super excited. We arriving December 2 and staying club level till December 7 at the lodge. (Taking 2 days at Royal pacific first, before moving to the Lodge for my older daughters to take in some Harry Potter magic). We took our first trip to the lodge in January 2014 for 5 days and we are expecting our 6th child for April- so I cashed in all my future birthday/anniversary presents for one more trip before the new baby. Im nervous about going pregnant bc I'm constantly exhausted. Hopefully the excitement of disney will keep me going.
Im glad I found the DIS boards. Im learning a lot from everybody's tips and knowledge. Thanks.

Naomi

WL CL DEC 2- 7 2015- CAN'T WAIT!

 

[SFunaro]

I just got some bad news, I was told for sure that the decorations will not be put up until the 23rd.

I hope its wrong but they seemed very confident. I hope to be proven wrong but as of now I am very sad.

 

[chigirl]

I just got some bad news, I was told for sure that the decorations will not be put up until the 23rd.

I hope its wrong but they seemed very confident. I hope to be proven wrong but as of now I am very sad.

That would be about how things are working for me....was at the emergency room tuesday with my 77 year old mother in law who is very sick when I got the call that my mom has cancer of 3 different organs, on top of my dad having lung cancer. Went to visit my mom today (she finds out her treatment plan tomorrow) and left for the hospital to see MIL and my husband and I were rear ended! I got jerked bad in my seat and am now in pain. This %/#$×@ trip is the thing holding me together! I was gonna blog the install, but we are therec11/17-11/22....so no go. I'm disappointed, but we are going to MVMCP and Osborne Lights and its my birthday 11/19. My source said 11/18, but multiple WL staffers have been telling guests 11/23. It figures!!

Between this and the pool rehab, I am regretting choosing WL over Contemporary.

 

[curlysw]

I just got some bad news, I was told for sure that the decorations will not be put up until the 23rd.

I hope its wrong but they seemed very confident. I hope to be proven wrong but as of now I am very sad.

Do you think this means they will be put up the night of the the 22nd, and ready for viewing on the 23rd, or put up the night of the 23rd, and not ready til the 24th? We leave the 23rd - it would be nice to at least see them for 1 morning.

 

[chigirl]

The install is 10pm-8am, so you'd see them the morning of the 24th.

 

[SFunaro]

No pool, no tree. The rest better be good i had other choices. Maybe I can be moved to poly

 

[chigirl]

No pool, no tree. The rest better be good i had other choices. Maybe I can be moved to poly

The GF gingerbread house is almost done! Pics all over Twitter! Opens Friday. My source still says 11/18...the WL castmembers have not been super reliable. It went up on 11/19 last year, and Thanksgiving was 11/28 vs. 11/27 this year, so it seems odd that it would go up 5 days later this year than last....but I agree. I almost picked Contemporary.

But my personal life is soooo bad, staying at a Motel 7 for a Disney trip would be an improvement, lol!!!!

 

[Lsdolphin]

That would be about how things are working for me....was at the emergency room tuesday with my 77 year old mother in law who is very sick when I got the call that my mom has cancer of 3 different organs, on top of my dad having lung cancer. Went to visit my mom today (she finds out her treatment plan tomorrow) and left for the hospital to see MIL and my husband and I were rear ended! I got jerked bad in my seat and am now in pain. This %/#$×@ trip is the thing holding me together! I was gonna blog the install, but we are therec11/17-11/22....so no go. I'm disappointed, but we are going to MVMCP and Osborne Lights and its my birthday 11/19. My source said 11/18, but multiple WL staffers have been telling guests 11/23. It figures!!

Between this and the pool rehab, I am regretting choosing WL over Contemporary.

Sorry to hear of all of your challenges... But I want to tell you we just returned a few weeks ago from our stay at WL the pool and surrounding areas were a real mess it's true, however the smaller pool which is open is truly lovely and soooo peaceful! With the options of visiting the Ft Wilderness or CR pools or BB the pool was never crowded there were always available lounges and tables w/umbrellas. The resort is still magical and in spite of the construction it remains relaxing. There is a bar steps from the pool with bathrooms and changing area as well.

Wishing you and your family well and hoping you have a wonderful trip!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I just got some bad news, I was told for sure that the decorations will not be put up until the 23rd. I hope its wrong but they seemed very confident. I hope to be proven wrong but as of now I am very sad.

That would be quite late for WL I think. CR has bee working on their display this week and WL is usually done just shortly after that and the GF I thought.

 

[patty57]

That would be about how things are working for me....was at the emergency room tuesday with my 77 year old mother in law who is very sick when I got the call that my mom has cancer of 3 different organs, on top of my dad having lung cancer. Went to visit my mom today (she finds out her treatment plan tomorrow) and left for the hospital to see MIL and my husband and I were rear ended! I got jerked bad in my seat and am now in pain. This %/#$×@ trip is the thing holding me together! I was gonna blog the install, but we are therec11/17-11/22....so no go. I'm disappointed, but we are going to MVMCP and Osborne Lights and its my birthday 11/19. My source said 11/18, but multiple WL staffers have been telling guests 11/23. It figures!!

Between this and the pool rehab, I am regretting choosing WL over Contemporary.

I'm so sorry. Too many awful things at once. Your trip will help to cheer you up. I hope the decorations go up on the 18th as you were hoping.

 

[chigirl]

I'm so sorry. Too many awful things at once. Your trip will help to cheer you up. I hope the decorations go up on the 18th as you were hoping.

Thanks for your kind words!

I am just glad that I am healthy and well-employed that I can assist my parents and MIL during their troubled times. I was going to cancel the trip, but my mom is not starting treatment until after we return and my mother in law is expected to leave the hospital Saturday and return to her assisted living facility.

Everyone is so kind on here! Its a Disney hug!!!

I have my blog site ready to go if the decor does go up during my trip and will post the link here.

 

[nyrebecca]

We talked to Bonnie in club level last night, and she had stated they were not given a day yet about the decorations going up. What she did say was that WL is always the last to get theirs up.

 

[chigirl]

We talked to Bonnie in club level last night, and she had stated they were not given a day yet about the decorations going up. What she did say was that WL is always the last to get theirs up.

Hi...yes, my DD's BFF also said WL would be last, but the night of 11/19. She said the order for the deluxes was the monorails 11/15, Yacht/Boardwalk 11/16, AKL and OKW 11/17 and WL 11/18...may have forgotten some there, but she said WL was last. I am staying hopeful. 11/23 seems late, when it went up on 11/19 last year and Thanksgiving was the same date as this year, but who knows? I hope to have a good trip either way! ANYTHING is better than my "real life" right now!

 

[nyrebecca]

Kook - when you get a chance can you add us for next years trip? We have a hard time resisting the bounce back offers. We will be WL CL 11/15 -11/21/15.

Thank you!