Just returned on Sunday from our first stay at WL. Overall, we were pleased with our stay. I was a little disappointed at check in because I had requested a north wing higher floor room (booked woods view), but got a 1st floor south wing courtyard view room. Go figure, but the room was fine. Looked like the refurb is on the 2nd floor now of the north wing. We ate at WCC and several times at Roaring Forks. Both were fine, although RF can be very slow. We never had a problem finding a table though. Cast members were always polite and acknowledged my DD's birthday button many times. We used the boat and bus transportation a few times and never waited more than 10 min with relatively uncrowded conditions. The pool was nice and wasn't overly crowded either. We would definitely consider staying there again, but I would probably try to get a room further away from the pool and boat horn noise.
I'm sorry you didn't get the room location you requested. Did you ask at check-in if it was available? Maybe they thought it would be too noisy for you in the North Wing? I'm going to post your room rehab location update to the first page. Looks like they'll be starting the South Wing very soon.
I've also found RF to be very slow. I prefer the order kiosks like at Capt. Cook's and Contempo Cafe where you are given a buzzer. That way, everyone in your party's meals are ready at the same time and you can get a table without carrying all your food instead of standing in line.
Thanks for checking-in with us!
We love October in WDW
DH and I have gone the last two years and the weather has been beautiful. Warm enough to swim in the afternoons and add a light long sleeve or jacket in the evenings and
I hooked DH with
MNSSHP and he can't wait to return
Add the F&W festival - he is now collecting the beer mugs and he is one happy guy and a happy DH means more trips for me
As DS graduated this year he will also be going with us so I think the bunk bed room will work well. We'll also be taking a trip to the "dark side" as we are all Harry Potter fans and finally we'll have a chance to experience it - we've waited until we could go together as a family - can't wait!!!
Congratulations on your DS's graduation
This time next week we'll be on our way to our first stay at WL deluxe room with club access. Can't wait!
I know I speak for all of us when I say we'd all love to see some rehabbed Deluxe room photos if you get into one. I hope you have a great vacation!
SO excited! We are coming home to WL again September 16-22! Woohoo! DH and I celebrated our 10th anniversary last summer and weren't able to do anything to celebrate (DD #2 was just 5 months old). This year we decided to book a family trip and take our daughters (4 years old and the baby will be 20 months when we go) for the first time. We got in on FD and I originally booked POP to save $$ since we already had a beach vacation scheduled for this June as well. After booking POP I really was second guessing myself since we will be in two double beds
and the girls will be with us. So I switched to AKL since I've always wanted to stay there and I had secretly been saving up the money to make the upgrade
. Then I started second-guessing myself again since we LOVE WL more than anything and the #1 thing for us (besides the resort) is the boat to MK. There's just something magical for us to arrive across the water to MK. DH found out that I had made the upgrade to AKL and said "You need to call them and see if we can change." DH likes Disney but he isn't IN LOVE like I am
. I called on Monday and the wonderful CM at the travel Company connected me with a CM at Guest Services and we were able to book WL still under the FD pin. I AM SO EXCITED! We get to celebrate our 10th plus bring our princesses for the first time to our favorite resort!
SO SO Excited!
I'm so glad the switch worked out for you,
kristainohio! Isn't Bay Lake great? It is amazing to be transported from such a majestic resort to a magical kingdom
I think you're happy about this change? Don't worry about the room requests, we all know you're going to upgrade your view, right?
Mousemommy1, I am almost feeling exactly as you do. We aren't celebrating our 10th, but we are taking a belated honeymoon with our boys and we have never stayed at WL and we are staying on CL thanks to my husband's disabled veteran discount. My husband's son arrives this saturday for the summer and he has no idea we are going yet, one he arrives it will be 20 days away. I am soooo excited and can't wait. I love disney and haven't been there since 2001 because of a divorce and not having the finances.
What a great surprise and please thank your DH for all the sacrifices he's made - we salute him...
Question...
This is the first time we have to switch from AA to SW airlines. Our flight does not get in until 8:50 pm. So, this year, we will be using Florida Tours TownCar service to pick us up from the aiport & take us to the hotel. I don't want to wait 2-3 hours past 9 pm to get our luggage by utilizing the Disney Magical Express option. Also, we want to utilize their grocery stop visit on the way to the hotel.
Here is my question,they typically stop at "Publix" which closes at 10:00 pm & their website states they do not make grocery stop visits after 10:00 pm, do you think we will be able to make it to the Publix located 3 miles from the airport before it closes since our flight arrives at 8:50 pm? I know that is pushing it.
If we can't, do they sale cases of bottled water Wilderness Lodge store? I know they have some groceries from our last two visits, but I have never actually looked for cases of bottled water since I typically use We Go shop to deliver groceries, but since we are arriving late, I may just buy some at the WL store if they sale water by the case.
If not, I may just have some RedBulls, case of water, & some other drinks delivered to the Wilderness Lodge from UPS--- if I do this, should I have it delivered the day before we arrive?
I've never used DME, but unless they've changed something, I believe that it's recommended that if you don't want to wait for your luggage at your resort, all you have to do is go to baggage claim after you arrive, pick-up your luggage and bring it with you to the bus. They will load it and you'll have your luggage upon arrival at your resort. Then, you could just ship the beverages you need to WL and save the money on a Town Car. On the first page in the DVC section, there are photos of much of what they sell in the Mercantile.
Well we did not get a refurbished room and I was kind of bummed but the room was fine I was worried it would be really worn but it was fine I am glad they are working on it though
That's too bad. Did you ask at check-in if they could switch you to a rehabbed room? I'm glad thought that your room is acceptable to you. Maybe they are going to switch you? I hope you're having a wonderful vacation!
We have a couple of ADR scheduled at the CR. Does the resort boat go to FW first or CR? How much time should I budget for the trip? I have also read that the WL bus is shared with other MK resorts but stops at WL first. Can we cheat and use the parks bus to get us to resorts on the same rotation?
The MK bus is not shared with any other resort (at least as of April). You could take it directly to the MK, in less than 5 minutes, then just walk to the CR on the path which from the buses would only be about 5 minutes. The boat to the MK is also direct and takes about 10 minutes. The walk from the boat to the CR is less than 10 minutes.
Timing is everything, so it all depends on when the bus and the boat arrive as to which would be faster. I believe that at some point in the afternoon, the boat switches direction and goes to FW first then to the CR, so that would probably take longer than either riding the bus and then walking or boating to the MK and then walking. I would allow at least 30 minutes to get to your CR ADR.
Please thank your husband for his service. My husband is also a disabled veteran but I have never seen any discount for disabled vets. I can find discounts for active and retired military. Can you please tell me where and how I can find out about these discounts? Thank you so much.
The military room-only discount and SOG eligibility can be confusing. Steve explains it very well here:
http://www.militarydisneytips.com/b...unts-a-confusing-topic-for-disabled-veterans/
And, here's a salute to your DH, too!
Gosh I miss the WL. This thread is the best.
Awww, thanks and I hope you get to go back soon and welcome to our thread,
bumble!
I think the FW/CR boat is on a loop that goes FW-WL-CR and then back. I could be wrong though. The bus loop that WL is on stops at WL first, then GF then FW--I'm not positive about that order besides WL being the first stop, but I know that CR and Poly is not on the WL loop unless they've changed it. We haven't been since 2010.
You're correct, they haven't changed it - only the CR, FW and MK are still on the boat loop.
We wanted to go "all out" on this trip, so we are super excited. 
I didn't make any room requests. I was so excited to get it booked, I forgot. I booked a standard view, but with the pin code savings, I could do a view. Hmmmm. Another change? Oh wait that's the other thread. Thanks for everyone's advice and answers to my questions. 
