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

[volleygirl]

Hey all!
Just trying to cross all the last minute questions I have off my list....

This one is about the pool: Are there specific restrictions on floatation devices? My daughter has a swim vest that is not a life jacket, or an approved life jacket device, but it keeps her more boyant than without it. Will they allow this? I think it is a Speedo brand. If not, do they rent or borrow life jackets for the pool?

Thanks everyone!

 

[bedogged]

I couldnt find in the first posts all about the resort (which are fantastic and I might just have skipped over this part). My dad and step mom are staying there this fall...my stepmom is renting a scooter/ECV from an outside company for the duration for her trip...is there somewhere at the hotel to park these and charge them?

Thank you!

I have stayed in a king bed room with a Go Go scooter and had plenty of room for it and us. I will be staying there in May with four adults in a standard room and plan to keep it there as well. I can't see parking it in the hall.

Have you looked into the boat situation using the scooter? You can take the scooter on the larger boat that goes to MK, but not the smaller one. They run every other one so you might have to wait for the bigger boat. You cannot take the boat to CR with the scooter. Just giving you a heads up.

 

[BradyS71]

Just a quick question, do the VWL has access to grills? Want to make burgers for the inlaws and hate to fry them inside. THanks in advance

 

[Ronald Duck]

We're in single digits now for our "welcome to spring" trip

Since I haven't read any mention of it on this thread, I thought I'd post this FYI. For all the times we've visited and stayed at both WL and VWL, we have never before eaten at Whispering Canyon (mostly because my wife and I are not especially fond of the hijinks), but this time we made a lunch ressie for Tuesday the 13th. To my surprise, I got an e-mail from the manager telling me that WC would be closed for breakfast and lunch that day and instead they would be serving in Artist Point...with no pony rides, etc. I wrote back thanking him for the heads up and told him that it was just fine with us (how can you beat Artist Point as a place to eat lunch?), and the manager wrote back within an hour thanking ME and wishing us a great stay! Impressive!

I wonder what's going on that day at WC...has anyone encountered this before?

We're still not going to ask for ketchup!

 

[WDWKOOK]

Yes, WDWKOOK, I have made a few ADRs. This trip we are not doing any character meals or going to too many places, like Le Cellier, that really require the 180 days out advantage.
I love this site and have lurked off and on for a long time (a former RADPer-shhhh don't tell) and hope that I will be able to spend enough time here to feel a part of the WL community.
I would like to put a countdown and banner in my signature, but have been unable to figure out how. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I am sorry if you have been asked this a zillion times-you can just send me to a link.
Thanks!
151 days to WWoHP, 153 days to VWL

I don't think you have enough posts yet (maybe you need 10?), though I'm not certain how many you need for a ticker. But, all you have to do is either go to DIStickers which is on the wdwinfo site or I like to use ************** and just follow the instructions. Good luck!

I really, really know these questions are in this thread somewhere, but...
1) Are MK fireworks visible, and from where?
2) The boat ride to MK, about 20 minutes? And about how often do they arrive? It seems like they made a stop at Ft Wilderness too, right?

You can see some of Wishes from the higher Woods View and (WL) Courtyard View balconies that face toward the MK/CR and from the Presidential Suite. You can also see it from the boat transportation dock and there is a huge outdoor area which is right over the porte-cochère in the front of the building that can be accessed through doors from either the 5th or 6th floor - I can't recall which. It's a hidden little gem of an area that overlooks the parking lot/driveway with FW/VWL to the left, but if you look to your right, you can see some of Wishes. There are even benches out there. I'll take some photos when I'm there in about a month.

To get to the Magic Kingdom there are 2 options: Take the Red Flag Boat or you can also take the bus which is often faster and it doesn't stop anywhere else. You can also take the CR boat (Blue Flag) and then walk to the MK on the pathway. The Red Flag only takes about 15 minutes and seems to arrive about every 20 minutes or so, I think.

The Blue Flag boat goes to Fort Wilderness and the CR from 6:45 - 11:30 or you can take a bus to the FW Settlement Depot or you can walk to FW.

Hey all!
Just trying to cross all the last minute questions I have off my list....

This one is about the pool: Are there specific restrictions on floatation devices? My daughter has a swim vest that is not a life jacket, or an approved life jacket device, but it keeps her more boyant than without it. Will they allow this? I think it is a Speedo brand. If not, do they rent or borrow life jackets for the pool?

Thanks everyone!

They do have life jackets available for free at the marina, however, there is no problem using your own

Just a quick question, do the VWL has access to grills? Want to make burgers for the inlaws and hate to fry them inside. THanks in advance

I know for certain that there are grills and picnic tables on the beach, directly behind the marina "rental house." I don't know if there are also grills at VWL.

I don't have a photo of the grills, but in this photo, they are directly to the right, on the beach, behind the marina rental house:

I'll take photos of the grills when I'm there in about a month.

We're in single digits now for our "welcome to spring" trip

Since I haven't read any mention of it on this thread, I thought I'd post this FYI. For all the times we've visited and stayed at both WL and VWL, we have never before eaten at Whispering Canyon (mostly because my wife and I are not especially fond of the hijinks), but this time we made a lunch ressie for Tuesday the 13th. To my surprise, I got an e-mail from the manager telling me that WC would be closed for breakfast and lunch that day and instead they would be serving in Artist Point...with no pony rides, etc. I wrote back thanking him for the heads up and told him that it was just fine with us (how can you beat Artist Point as a place to eat lunch?), and the manager wrote back within an hour thanking ME and wishing us a great stay! Impressive!

I wonder what's going on that day at WC...has anyone encountered this before?

We're still not going to ask for ketchup!

Yeah! For single digits

Sounds like they must be doing a quick repair of something since they'll still be open for dinner. That was great of the manager to email you twice and I'm glad that you now get to try WCC in such a beautiful venue - request a window seat. Oh, if you're not going to ask for ketchup, you should at least ask for a large drink and tell 'em you're real thirsty. I hope you have a great trip!!!

 

[nyrebecca]

We just switched from the BW to a WL Bunk Bed room....I have been looking at a ton of pictures, but I can not find any that show what the sign on the end of the bunk beds actually says. Does anyone have a close up, or know what it says?

Thanks -

 

[WDWKOOK]

We just switched from the BW to a WL Bunk Bed room....I have been looking at a ton of pictures, but I can not find any that show what the sign on the end of the bunk beds actually says. Does anyone have a close up, or know what it says?

Thanks -

Congratulations on switching!

I know that it's a warning, but I can't recall what it says. There is a great photo here, but I wasn't able to enlarge the image and still read what it says:

http://www.oyster.com/orlando/hotels/disneys-wilderness-lodge/photos/bunk-room/show/

 

[nyrebecca]

Thanks for the quick reply KOOK. I guess I was more wondering if it said there was a weight limit on the top bunk. My son is 13 and would LOVE to be on the top bunk.

 

[disneyjunkie]

Are there bunk beds in the standard rooms? How about balcony?

 

[WDWKOOK]

Thanks for the quick reply KOOK. I guess I was more wondering if it said there was a weight limit on the top bunk. My son is 13 and would LOVE to be on the top bunk.

Oh, I didn't know that's why you wanted to know or I could have answered that. My DH actually slept in the top bunk once, so I know that it can hold at least 175. Your 13 year-old will be just fine

Are there bunk beds in the standard rooms? How about balcony?

Every room that is not a ground floor room has a balcony. Only the Woods, Courtyard and CL rooms have the bunk beds as an option. You can book a Woods or Courtyard View room with a bunk bed, but it's by-request only for Club Level.

 

[disneyjunkie]

Every room that is not a ground floor room has a balcony. Only the Woods, Courtyard and CL rooms have the bunk beds as an option. You can book a Woods or Courtyard View room with a bunk bed, but it's by-request only for Club Level.

Thanks

My DF (who has never been to WDW) got a free dining pin. The pin rate at WL is about $2000 less than the package we had booked at AoA. The cast member was great and DF and I we excited about WL.

I was so excited, I forgot to inquire about the room types.

Called back this morning and the CM was horrid. She told me if I want a balcony, I'd have to up grade from standard. She also said I had to pick bunk beds or balcony ~ balcony rooms do not have bunks.

I had a feeling she was wrong, but she was so darn nasty didn't push it.

Now that I know the options, I'll know what to ask for when I call back.

This will be the first trip to WDW for my DF and his girls 5&7.

 

[nyrebecca]

Well I have hit some sort of personal record.

Last night we switched from BW to WL Bunk bed room, and now I just got off the phone and we switched our week and were able to get a WL Standard Club room with the bounceback discount.

VERY VERY excited We will have 3 new things this trip -
1) WL Club level
2) Food and wine fest
3) MNSSHP

 

[WDWKOOK]

Thanks

My DF (who has never been to WDW) got a free dining pin. The pin rate at WL is about $2000 less than the package we had booked at AoA. The cast member was great and DF and I we excited about WL.

I was so excited, I forgot to inquire about the room types.

Called back this morning and the CM was horrid. She told me if I want a balcony, I'd have to up grade from standard. She also said I had to pick bunk beds or balcony ~ balcony rooms do not have bunks.

I had a feeling she was wrong, but she was so darn nasty didn't push it.

Now that I know the options, I'll know what to ask for when I call back.

This will be the first trip to WDW for my DF and his girls 5&7.

What was that CM thinking? Bunk bed rooms don't have balconies? Not true. But, you can't book a bunk bed in a Standard Room - only Woods and Courtyard.

Here are a couple of photos to show you some of the Standard View rooms and their balconies:

If you do book a Std. View, request a high floor (5 or 6) and you'll be able to see some of Wishes. If you book a Woods View and request a high floor and you don't want a standing-only balcony, put that in your request. Some of the 6th floor rooms have balconies with a solid railing that you have to stand to see over. All of the 7th floor CL rooms are like this.

Have a great trip!

Well I have hit some sort of personal record.

Last night we switched from BW to WL Bunk bed room, and now I just got off the phone and we switched our week and were able to get a WL Standard Club room with the bounceback discount.

VERY VERY excited We will have 3 new things this trip -
1) WL Club level
2) Food and wine fest
3) MNSSHP

You are going to LOVE the Old Faithful Club. The CMs and manager are so friendly and do such a great job. Their nightly cobbler is the best!

CL views can be of the WL Courtyard, the woods or the VWL courtyard. Which did you request?

Congratulations on your trip of firsts

 

[bluecastle]

WDWKOOK- I just want to thank you for this wonderful resource. Having stayed at the WL twice I thought I pretty much knew everything about the place, but I have been adding info to my files daily as I try to catch up on all 96 pages here! I took lots of pictures of the lodge on our last trip (Dec. 2009) and would be happy to share some of them if you would like. I have been home from work because I pulled my back out and the one positive of this has been time spent here! Thank you!

 

[nyrebecca]

CL views can be of the WL Courtyard, the woods or the VWL courtyard. Which did you request?

We are so happy to just be going Club that I hadn't even thought of the view. I will lean towards sending a request for WL Courtyard. My family is a bunch of people watchers so that should work out well.

 

[Mammaz]

WDWKOOK- I just want to thank you for this wonderful resource. Having stayed at the WL twice I thought I pretty much knew everything about the place, but I have been adding info to my files daily as I try to catch up on all 96 pages here! I took lots of pictures of the lodge on our last trip (Dec. 2009) and would be happy to share some of them if you would like. I have been home from work because I pulled my back out and the one positive of this has been time spent here! Thank you!

More pictures...more pictures PLEASE!

 

[WDWKOOK]

WDWKOOK- I just want to thank you for this wonderful resource. Having stayed at the WL twice I thought I pretty much knew everything about the place, but I have been adding info to my files daily as I try to catch up on all 96 pages here! I took lots of pictures of the lodge on our last trip (Dec. 2009) and would be happy to share some of them if you would like. I have been home from work because I pulled my back out and the one positive of this has been time spent here! Thank you!

Awww, thank you, bluecastle. Anytime you want to post WL/VWL photos go right ahead! We all love seeing photos of our favorite resort

I hope you recover from your back injury soon and that you keep posting even when you're well

We are so happy to just be going Club that I hadn't even thought of the view. I will lean towards sending a request for WL Courtyard. My family is a bunch of people watchers so that should work out well.

You'll be able to do a lot of people-watching from the CL lounge, too. You can look down and see all of the lobby below and there are chairs/tables and sofas where you can sit and observe.

 

[WDWKOOK]

More pictures...more pictures PLEASE!

Here are a few...

 

[mlewis]

Just returned from a 9 day stay at WL. We LOVED it and had a wonderful time! My family reserved a courtyard room and requested a room off the lobby on the 4th or 5th floor (bear face room). When reserving we also requested an adjoining room with my parents who would be arriving later in the week for a 3 night stay, they reserved a standard view room. We were given exactly what we requested room 5071, but to our SUPRISE my parents were given a connecting to ours and upgraded to a courtyard view, 5073!! They actually had a better view than we did because of a tree blocking part of our view of bay lake. So after my parents arrived the 4 of us enjoyed the view off their balcony, and watched the electric water pagent nightly, after we put the kids to bed in our room!

 

[WDWKOOK]

Just returned from a 9 day stay at WL. We LOVED it and had a wonderful time! My family reserved a courtyard room and requested a room off the lobby on the 4th or 5th floor (bear face room). When reserving we also requested an adjoining room with my parents who would be arriving later in the week for a 3 night stay, they reserved a standard view room. We were given exactly what we requested room 5071, but to our SUPRISE my parents were given a connecting to ours and upgraded to a courtyard view, 5073!! They actually had a better view than we did because of a tree blocking part of our view of bay lake. So after my parents arrived the 4 of us enjoyed the view off their balcony, and watched the electric water pagent nightly, after we put the kids to bed in our room!

to the WL/VWL thread and the DIS, mlewis! I have always found the WL room assignors to be great. I've been so lucky to have been upgraded every visit at WL. I can't say that about any other resort.

I'm so glad you enjoyed watching the EWP from your parent's balcony. I never tire of seeing it and every night I still get excited when I hear the song start playing.

It sounds like you would return to WL for a future stay?