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

[Mousemommy1]

One of her kids is only 15-months so that's why she has to use a babysitter. I think your kids will love the Cub's Den and I know that mom and dad will have a great time at Artist Point

Oops! Should have paid better attention...
We have friends who used the Kids Nite Out (I think that's what it's called) in room service, and they were satisfied. Their kids are a bit older though.

 

[CuteAsMinnie]

We have arrived CL WL. It is beautiful. On the beach roasting marshmallows. CL is beautiful. We have a view of the pool/courtyard. CL CM's are wonderful. We are the only family on CL tonight.

The only family....? So VERY cool!!!!

 

[shburks]

Hi
First up thank you to all you regulars who contribute to this thread - so much info - it is a wonderful resource for all us compulsive planners, so thank-you for your efforts!
We are a family of four from New Zealand planning our first trip to WDW. We have been to DL twice (hey, it's only a 16 hour plane trip away!) but are now planning a trip all the way to the "big Kahuna" in May 2013.
I LOVE the look of WL - the decor is fantastic and the attention to detail looks superb.
We are probably looking at bunk-bed rooms as our boys (13 and 10) kick and squirm too much to sleep together.
We are happy with woods view - would be great if we saw some wildlife, so are there any bunkbed rooms with a view of the otter pond? (Dumb foreigner question: are there otters in Florida?)

I'm sure I will have other queries but will leave it at that for now!
TIA

We had a bunk bed room last Oct and our 7 yr old loved them! However, they're smaller than a normal bunked so I'm not sure a 13 year old could sleep in one!

 

[TheLodgeLady]

We have arrived CL WL. It is beautiful. On the beach roasting marshmallows. CL is beautiful. We have a view of the pool/courtyard. CL CM's are wonderful. We are the only family on CL tonight.

So cool!!!!! Did you get the room you wanted?

 

[ksuskin]

Thanks for the welcome and advice! Do you think I would have any luck asking for an HA room that's been refurbished? Any suggestions about where would be a good spot if I have any options? I'm concerned about the noise level for the baby, though I did think of bringing a white noise machine. I don't really think I'll have any choices, but maybe a little pixie dust will head my way! No matter what, it will be amazing!

 

[Cshel85]

The weather is a little overcast when we arrived but the sun came out. Got the room we wanted and the food on CL is unbelievable. Watched Tarzan on the beach and saw the water pageant and MK fireworks from the beach

 

[GarakDS9]

Ended our last evening at WL. We just got back from Tarzan as well and the water pageant. How funny!

 

[Mousemommy1]

The weather is a little overcast when we arrived but the sun came out. Got the room we wanted and the food on CL is unbelievable. Watched Tarzan on the beach and saw the water pageant and MK fireworks from the beach

Ended our last evening at WL. We just got back from Tarzan as well and the water pageant. How funny!

I wanna be there!!!!!!

Oh wait!! I will be....tomorrow morning!!!!

 

[WDWKOOK]

Hi
First up thank you to all you regulars who contribute to this thread - so much info - it is a wonderful resource for all us compulsive planners, so thank-you for your efforts!
We are a family of four from New Zealand planning our first trip to WDW. We have been to DL twice (hey, it's only a 16 hour plane trip away!) but are now planning a trip all the way to the "big Kahuna" in May 2013.
I LOVE the look of WL - the decor is fantastic and the attention to detail looks superb.
We are probably looking at bunk-bed rooms as our boys (13 and 10) kick and squirm too much to sleep together.
We are happy with woods view - would be great if we saw some wildlife, so are there any bunkbed rooms with a view of the otter pond? (Dumb foreigner question: are there otters in Florida?)

I'm sure I will have other queries but will leave it at that for now!
TIA

to the DIS, the WL/VWL thread AND WDW, Saskiwi! WDW is so different from DL - your family is going to love it. So many parks, restaurants, activities and resorts - it's worth the extra flight hours!

WL is amazing and you're so right about the attention to detail. I noticed on a recent trip that even though all the fireplaces are gas, the Imagineers made sure to paint faux soot above all the fireplaces. The whole resort is full of amazing details. You'll have to take the free Lodge Tour.

While the bunks are small, my 5'11" DH once slept in one years ago, so it's certainly doable. And, I'll bet that two boys would be thrilled to have them over sleeping together. Your other option would be a Deluxe room which comes with club level access (photo links are on the first page). They have a separate sitting area with French Doors and a queen sleeper and their own balcony. There are also two queen beds in the main room. But, I think the boys will be happy to have the bunks and only argue over who gets which bunk!

Keep us posted as your planning progresses

We have arrived CL WL. It is beautiful. On the beach roasting marshmallows. CL is beautiful. We have a view of the pool/courtyard. CL CM's are wonderful. We are the only family on CL tonight.

You're there!!!!! I can't imagine being the only ones on club level (I'd pay extra for that perk). Did you take pictures? So all the food and drinks and CMs are just for you?! How neat! I can't wait to hear more about your stay

Yep, there are otters in Florida -- we have a little pond in our backyard (we're on the SW coast of FL) & get otters back there from time to time. Not a dumb question at all, though, as we had no idea until we moved here...and some of our neighbors didn't even believe us until they saw photos!

I think there's a gator in the pond, too

So cool!!!!! Did you get the room you wanted?

I believe that when they declined the two Tower Club MKV rooms, they were upgraded to a Deluxe room at WL.

Imagine being the only one on club level and the day the rehab ends. All those great pictures you could take with NOBODY around and you'd have all those wonderful CMs to yourself.

Thanks for the welcome and advice! Do you think I would have any luck asking for an HA room that's been refurbished? Any suggestions about where would be a good spot if I have any options? I'm concerned about the noise level for the baby, though I did think of bringing a white noise machine. I don't really think I'll have any choices, but maybe a little pixie dust will head my way! No matter what, it will be amazing!

The entire North Wing rehab is finished (there might be a few punch list items) so if you request a North Wing room, you're guaranteed a rehabbed room. The ground floor rooms in the South Wing MAY not have been rehabbed when you're there, but it's possible they will have just finished them, so you could also request "A REHABBED HA ROOM" and let the room assignor decide which wing to put you in. If being in a ground floor room isn't necessary, then some of the top standard rooms in the North Wing have a partial Wishes view.

The weather is a little overcast when we arrived but the sun came out. Got the room we wanted and the food on CL is unbelievable. Watched Tarzan on the beach and saw the water pageant and MK fireworks from the beach

Sounds amazing! Oh, we ALL want to be there with you right now

Ended our last evening at WL. We just got back from Tarzan as well and the water pageant. How funny!

Bon voyage and have a great time on the cruise! Did you book a BB? Thanks for reporting in to use during your vacation.

 

[WDWKOOK]

Been a while since an update. North wing seems done. You can hear a pin drop over here. Today, I heard muted sounds of construction above me near the lobby elevators on the fifth floor. Seems like south wing work is running full speed ahead. Checking out Saturday, experience has been wonderful, but no reason to be sad, now it is off to DCL.

WCC lunch was a lot of fun yesterday. They tortured my son. We were sitting next to another family who had a 14 year old daughter. The waitress kept trying to set them up, even forced them to exchange phone numbers. Didn't know he could turn so many shades of red.

Thank you once again for everyone's pre-trip help. It is a great thread.

Thank you for the update (which I missed replying to earlier). I'm going to post your update to the first page.

I hope you got some photos of those red faces! WL is so much fun! (Except for teens who temporarily lose their sense of humor).

Booked a stay this week at the WL in December! We'll be in a woods view bunk bed room from Dec 8 - 14. I can't wait! I have never been to WL, but I know my two boys (7 and 5) are gonna LOVE it! It's going to be so beautiful at Christmastime, too.

I'm a little nervous about the transportation after reading some negative things. WL vets: how has your experience been? Do you take the bus to Epcot, or do you take the boat to CR and then monorail to TTC, then on to Epcot?

Congratulations on booking WL, CaliKT! You and your family are going to be so impressed with the resort and beautiful grounds, especially in December.

Please don't be nervous at all about transportation. Glitches can happen at any resort which can cause delays, but they are the exception and not the rule. During peak occupancy times, WDW does a great job of making sure they provide extra buses to accommodate more guests. It's actually easier to just take the Epcot bus. WL is the first picked-up and dropped-off so there's never a problem getting a seat. (Unless the bus has taken a very long time to get there and a large crowd has amassed at the bus stop, but that's not common). If you don't feel like waiting for the bus or you want to take the monorail or see the CR, then you can mix it up and take the boat, but it will take more time, but it really depends on your timing and when the boat, bus and monorail arrive.

Have a great time at WL!

 

[WDWKOOK]

I wanna be there!!!!!!

Oh wait!! I will be....tomorrow morning!!!!

I can't believe you're FINALLY going to be there tomorrow, Candace. We expect an ALL CAPS, large font with colorful text report from you tomorrow

 

[Mousemommy1]

I can't believe you're FINALLY going to be there tomorrow, Candace. We expect an ALL CAPS, large font with colorful text report from you tomorrow

I will definitely check in while we are there!!! We are only bringing the iPad, so uploading pics to Photobucket won't be possible, but I'll take plenty of pics and upload when I get back!!!

 

[CaliKT]

Awesome, thanks, WDWKOOK, for the information. Glad to hear that things go smoothly with the bus system most of the time. I can't wait to hear about your trip to WL next month!

 

[WDWKOOK]

I will definitely check in while we are there!!! We are only bringing the iPad, so uploading pics to Photobucket won't be possible, but I'll take plenty of pics and upload when I get back!!!

Don't forget the charger!!!

Awesome, thanks, WDWKOOK, for the information. Glad to hear that things go smoothly with the bus system most of the time. I can't wait to hear about your trip to WL next month!

You're welcome. It's so easy to get frazzled at WDW. There's so much to see and do and I know that feeling when you just want to be somewhere yesterday! We all get excited AND impatient at times, but a bad bus/boat/monorail experience at WDW, is still better than a good day at home with your car

 

[jenautchr]

Hi! My family is staying at WL Oct 21-26. We hit our 99 mark yesterday so decided to take the plunge and jump in today. I would like to thank so many for the wonderful info and shared enthusiasm. I started the planning about March, made the res originally in April for a Woods View room and modified it to get the FD on Thurs. Ended up having to change it to Courtyard as they said Woods View wasn't avail for FD. Checked with my local AAA agent yesterday to see if she was able to get anything different and she said she was unable to book anything for WL at this point. This stay will be our first ever to WDW and I'm super excited. My DH? Not so much! My DD7 is getting there. The boards have been my sole source of Disney companionship and support! Thank you all!

 

[WDWKOOK]

Hi! My family is staying at WL Oct 21-26. We hit our 99 mark yesterday so decided to take the plunge and jump in today. I would like to thank so many for the wonderful info and shared enthusiasm. I started the planning about March, made the res originally in April for a Woods View room and modified it to get the FD on Thurs. Ended up having to change it to Courtyard as they said Woods View wasn't avail for FD. Checked with my local AAA agent yesterday to see if she was able to get anything different and she said she was unable to book anything for WL at this point. This stay will be our first ever to WDW and I'm super excited. My DH? Not so much! My DD7 is getting there. The boards have been my sole source of Disney companionship and support! Thank you all!

to the DIS and our little thread, jenautchr! WL is a great choice for your first stay. DH might not be excited now, but believe me, he will be when he steps foot into the gorgeous lobby and and walks out back to Bay Lake, the geyser and the courtyard. Does he like boating or fishing? The marina offers many options. Does he like horseback riding or archery? FW has trail rides and the archery lessons are so much fun. You can even walk or take the boat to FW. He can easily visit the CR by boat and then walk to the MK or take the monorail to Epcot. Lots of fun things for your DH and DD, too.

Make sure you look through the first page for more WL activities. Do you have an ADR for Whispering Canyon? I think your DD would love the Lincoln Logs and all the fun with the servers and stick pony races. My DH loves their skillet breakfast and ribs in the evening.

Maybe you and DH could have an evening to yourselves at Artist Point while DD goes to the Cub's Den? Make sure you try the cobbler.

Feel free to post anytime if you have any questions and happy planning!

BTW, the courtyard view is amazing - our favorite! Just make sure you request an INNER or WL CV so that you have a view of Bay Lake, the pool and geyser, as opposed to a VWL CV.

 

[bluecastle]

Hi! My family is staying at WL Oct 21-26. We hit our 99 mark yesterday so decided to take the plunge and jump in today. I would like to thank so many for the wonderful info and shared enthusiasm. I started the planning about March, made the res originally in April for a Woods View room and modified it to get the FD on Thurs. Ended up having to change it to Courtyard as they said Woods View wasn't avail for FD. Checked with my local AAA agent yesterday to see if she was able to get anything different and she said she was unable to book anything for WL at this point. This stay will be our first ever to WDW and I'm super excited. My DH? Not so much! My DD7 is getting there. The boards have been my sole source of Disney companionship and support! Thank you all!

Welcome jenautchr! Your post brought me back to the 1990's when I became a compulsive Disney planner and sought like-minded souls online. My DH liked WDW well enough, but didn't feel the need to have it be a part of his everyday life like I did. Fast forward 20 years and we are still going there! (with me being the primary planner-and my DD, who is 26 and a WDW veteran, contributing as well) We recently had to cancel a trip planned for this summer, but when I told him we had a new countdown- 396 days!- his reply was, "Yay!! New countdown!" Take lots of pictures so if/when you go back as your DD gets older, you can revisit favorite rides. We still take pictures of the hula dolls in It's a Small World because it reminds us of earlier trips. Some things I did to involve my daughter: bought Birnbaum's WDW Guide for Kids and read it with her and took notes on what she thought she wanted to do and didn't want to do (she didn't like sudden loud noises, but couldn't wait to go down the big slide at Typhoon Lagoon!), watched Disney's Sing Along video of the park-but now you can watch endless youtube videos of attractions online, watched Disney movies and listened to CDs in the car-these are just few. Some mistakes we made early on- not recognizing when she was overwhelmed. (she is ADHD and didn't get "tired", she got more active and it took us a long time to recognize that) Take those breaks that people recommend. We always tried to stay at a resort with a sandy beach (WL has one!) because that was a great way for all of us to unwind. I am happy to share my experiences if they will help. Happy Planning!! (it's almost as fun as the trip!)

 

[jenautchr]

Thanks for the welcome! Yes, my husband loves fishing and the outdoors, one of the reasons I chose WL. When initially looking through the Disney website resort information, I instantly knew this would be the perfect fit for our family. The price was a tough sell, as he's a pretty thrifty guy. I got him by comparing it to our wedding, where we splurged on location and it was well worth it. There was also the consideration of "just how much time are we going to spend in our room anyway?" I think since our daughter is 7, we will definitely be taking the mid-day break for a rest and a swim. I was wondering if anyone had ever gone on one of the guided fishing trips? I know he is interested! The planning has been fun, all of our ADRs are set. Another thing I have been trying to figure out is about when we will actually arrive on property. Our flight arrival time is 4:45PM. Assuming it is on time, what is a realistic estimate? That would help me figure out what to do for dinner that night. Thanks again for the advice and good wishes!

 

[Akess]

Is anyone familiar with how split stays are treated at the WL if both portions of the split stay are at the WL in the same room category? If I were to do this to take advantage of free dining for the last four nights of a seven night stay, would my family have to change rooms when we checked out for the first portion of the split stay and then checked in for the last portion of the split stay?

Also, has anyone, recently, had any experience with picking up their park tickets early. I hear from other posters on this board that it is possible to pick tickets up from part of a package when doing a split stay (up to three days early). The only thing that makes me nervous about this is that Disney phone reps say this is not possible, even though others say it is, so I would not want to get all the way to Disney and find out this was not possible.

 

[Kathymford]

FW has trail rides and the archery lessons are so much fun. You can even walk or take the boat to FW. He can easily visit the CR by boat and then walk to the MK or take the monorail to Epcot. Lots of fun things for your DH and DD, too.

And this is why I love this thread. I'm learning new things all the time. I know you were answering someone else, but it brought up a coupe of questions for me!!

Archery. Please tell me more. My DBF recently bought his first bow and I think he would love to do this activity on our off day of vacation. Do I need to reserve anything in advance?

Taking the monorail to Epcot. Does the monorail from MK go directly to Epcot? This will be our third WDW trip and we have yet to ride the monorail. We are DLR vets and it odd to us that the monorail is actual transportation and not a ride! Thanks!