(CLOSED) Disney's WILDERNESS LODGE and VILLAS Information Thread

[Minnie&Nana]

You could walk to the ferryboat to TTC from BLT...or as Brian said boat over to WL. Just saying both the BLV and TPV at BLT look amazing. VWL don't have nice views?

This is OT but a little funny. The CM on the phone when I booked WL kept talking about the amazing "geisha" that spouts out water. I didn't have the heart to correct...It was cute Made me smile!

I am not a fan of TPV at CR or BLT - to me, it is no more than an expensive parking lot view. We had that view at CR a few times and would probably not pay for it again.

Most VWL views are not great...not even good. Most look at thick pine trees...a few look over the walkway/roof from WL to VWL and a few of the Villa pool and the quiet side of the Lodge. Lots of people don't mind, but I really enjoy a nice view and it is part of my vacation...sitting on the balcony...so nice.

We've never had a bad view at the Poly (and there really are some bad views there...just not many)...and we all but once had a partial lagoon view in a GV room...watching and listening to the ferries...seeing the monorail...sooo peaceful.

 

[Minnie&Nana]

Ohh.. Monorail to the TTC then take the Ferry to the MK.

Or take the Blue boat to WL, then take the Red boat to the MK.

I can see I am in serious company in helping me choose a resort for Sophia's first trip....

...as if I don't have enough scenarios going on in my brain already!!!

 

[annmarieda]

Back from our quick trip to WL.

The crowds were crazy! but that just made us stay in the Lodge more! The princess did surprisingly well. We didn't do any pics with characters, but probably will in the future.

Got a "bear face" room, which is incredible during christmas. Opening the room door and seeing the tree was so special.

I don't think I would ever go this close to christmas again.

We were just there too... and I have declared the same thing. I do not think I will ever go that close to Christmas again!

Until the poster-in-question replies, I thought I'd chime in. We were at WL from Sunday 12/11 through Saturday 12/17. During the beginning of our stay, the parks were just fine. There seemed to be a lot of people, but the wait times were small or nonexistent and there were FPs for everything else. On a beautiful sunny day, we rode KRR 2x in a row--zero wait.

On the 16th (Friday), we got to DHS about 2:30 in the afternoon, the FPs for TSM were already gone, and there were so many people in the park that we ended up having lunch and then leaving. I couldn't imagine staying for the lights that evening. It was really difficult just walking around. (And I'm a New York City girl!)

On the 17th (Saturday), we were at DAK, where the crowd levels were not bad at all, but there were suddenly TONS of people at WL. We could really feel the difference from earlier in the week.

HTH.

We were there almost the same exact days you were. We switched over from Pop on 12/11 and checked out on 12/22. I found the same thing as you... first days were not bad...but the closer to the 20th..the worse it got and by the time we checked out on 12/22 the crowds were quite unmanageable.

 

[jlindley9]

We are going to be staying in a 1-bedroom villa in March. Can anyone recommend a specific room number to request. We would like something with a nice view of the lake to watch the EWP. Thanks!

 

[Minnie&Nana]

We are going to be staying in a 1-bedroom villa in March. Can anyone recommend a specific room number to request. We would like something with a nice view of the lake to watch the EWP. Thanks!

The Villas are not like the Lodge and few of the rooms, if any, have a full view of the lake...there might be a couple facing the lake - the pines trees are quite tall now and mostly block the lake. You might, big might, get lucky with one of the very few rooms with a bit of a view that face the pool and lake, but again, the pines trees are tall and a lot of trees. You could check out the link to the map on the first page, but even with rooms numbers there would be no way to know about the view until in the room.

It would much better to add a request of "EWP view", rather than a specific room.

(we had a corner studio and could see a bit of the EWP through the pine trees last year - but we had a better view of the top of Wishes from our balcony and corner window (facing the lodge and villas pool. We could easily hear the EWP.)

Have a great trip!!

 

[nathanyell]

I can see I am in serious company in helping me choose a resort for Sophia's first trip....

...as if I don't have enough scenarios going on in my brain already!!!

You've been helping me come up with new scenarios for years, so I think it's fair play!

 

[nathanyell]

We were just there too... and I have declared the same thing. I do not think I will ever go that close to Christmas again!

We were there almost the same exact days you were. We switched over from Pop on 12/11 and checked out on 12/22. I found the same thing as you... first days were not bad...but the closer to the 20th..the worse it got and by the time we checked out on 12/22 the crowds were quite unmanageable.

I'm very lucky to be going back in 2 weeks so we really did very little. But if it was a first vacation, I would have been very discouraged. I'm glad I know the slow side of Disney. I'm glad you had an enjoyable trip though!

Brian

 

[Minnie&Nana]

You've been helping me come up with new scenarios for years, so I think it's fair play!

 

[pas130]

Ohh.. Monorail to the TTC then take the Ferry to the MK.

Or take the Blue boat to WL, then take the Red boat to the MK.

Walk to MK and just ferry back and forth............we will find a boat for EVERY resort. I really liked to boat from YC to DHS too

I am not a fan of TPV at CR or BLT - to me, it is no more than an expensive parking lot view. We had that view at CR a few times and would probably not pay for it again.

Most VWL views are not great...not even good. Most look at thick pine trees...a few look over the walkway/roof from WL to VWL and a few of the Villa pool and the quiet side of the Lodge. Lots of people don't mind, but I really enjoy a nice view and it is part of my vacation...sitting on the balcony...so nice.

We've never had a bad view at the Poly (and there really are some bad views there...just not many)...and we all but once had a partial lagoon view in a GV room...watching and listening to the ferries...seeing the monorail...sooo peaceful.

DH and I had a 1st floor gv at Poly, and it wasn't bad at all. DH said the same thing about CR TPV, but the BLV from heather's TR is incredible

 

[Minnie&Nana]

Walk to MK and just ferry back and forth............we will find a boat for EVERY resort. I really liked to boat from YC to DHS too

You found the one boat I DON'T like!!! Honestly, almost hate that boat ride...so we usually walk unless it's 100 degrees in the shade. It is soooooooo slowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww....okay, so I exaggerate a tad, but truly, a guest can walk to the Studios faster than that darn boat.

Now, maybe I shouldn't mention this on the WL thread, but Poly and GF have the best of both worlds....water launch or monorail....and a price for the privilege.

 

[pas130]

You found the one boat I DON'T like!!! Honestly, almost hate that boat ride...so we usually walk unless it's 100 degrees in the shade. It is soooooooo slowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww....okay, so I exaggerate a tad, but truly, a guest can walk to the Studios faster than that darn boat.

Now, maybe I shouldn't mention this on the WL thread, but Poly and GF have the best of both worlds....water launch or monorail....and a price for the privilege.

We walked to Epcot, but I couldn't make my DH push my wheelchair to DHS, especially since he pushed me around the whole trip....

Yes monorail to MK from GF-1st stop, boat from MK to GF-1st stop....

here I go again

 

[nathanyell]

We walked to Epcot, but I couldn't make my DH push my wheelchair to DHS, especially since he pushed me around the whole trip....

Yes monorail to MK from GF-1st stop, boat from MK to GF-1st stop....

here I go again

Boat from MK to WL - 8 minutes.

I love to tell this story: My brother stayed at the Poly and we were at WL. The boat and Monorail left the MK at the same time. We were in our room at WL before they made it to theirs.

 

[TinkPirateMom]

I have a quick question that I know has been answered before but I can't seem to find it. On the boat ride between WL and MK, do strollers have to be folded up?

I think we are booking WL for our Nov. 2012 trip Thank you for all the help and info in this thread.

 

[pas130]

Boat from MK to WL - 8 minutes.

I love to tell this story: My brother stayed at the Poly and we were at WL. The boat and Monorail left the MK at the same time. We were in our room at WL before they made it to theirs.

 

[Minnie&Nana]

We walked to Epcot, but I couldn't make my DH push my wheelchair to DHS, especially since he pushed me around the whole trip....

Yes monorail to MK from GF-1st stop, boat from MK to GF-1st stop....

here I go again

Boat from MK to WL - 8 minutes.

I love to tell this story: My brother stayed at the Poly and we were at WL. The boat and Monorail left the MK at the same time. We were in our room at WL before they made it to theirs.

Great story!!

 

[nathanyell]

I have a quick question that I know has been answered before but I can't seem to find it. On the boat ride between WL and MK, do strollers have to be folded up?

I think we are booking WL for our Nov. 2012 trip Thank you for all the help and info in this thread.

There are two different boats to the MK. On the big cruiser you don't have to, but on the smaller one you do. I waited about 10 minutes longer for the bigger boat since she was asleep. Transferred her right to the bed for a nice long nap. That alone was worth staying at WL.

 

[jlindley9]

The Villas are not like the Lodge and few of the rooms, if any, have a full view of the lake...there might be a couple facing the lake - the pines trees are quite tall now and mostly block the lake. You might, big might, get lucky with one of the very few rooms with a bit of a view that face the pool and lake, but again, the pines trees are tall and a lot of trees. You could check out the link to the map on the first page, but even with rooms numbers there would be no way to know about the view until in the room.

It would much better to add a request of "EWP view", rather than a specific room.

(we had a corner studio and could see a bit of the EWP through the pine trees last year - but we had a better view of the top of Wishes from our balcony and corner window (facing the lodge and villas pool. We could easily hear the EWP.)

Have a great trip!!

Thank you!

 

[annmarieda]

I'm very lucky to be going back in 2 weeks so we really did very little. But if it was a first vacation, I would have been very discouraged. I'm glad I know the slow side of Disney. I'm glad you had an enjoyable trip though!

Brian

While I am not as seasoned as some... I have been to the world a few times and luckily some of those times were much slower. It made it hard.... I kept finding I wanted the crowd level to be like it had been for us on previous trips. But...had I nothing to compare it to...the frustration would haven higher and I think I would have gone away thinking that WDW was just too hectic.

 

[MMrules]

50 days!!!!

 

[TinkPirateMom]

There are two different boats to the MK. On the big cruiser you don't have to, but on the smaller one you do. I waited about 10 minutes longer for the bigger boat since she was asleep. Transferred her right to the bed for a nice long nap. That alone was worth staying at WL.

Thank you, sounds great!!!!