Disney's WILDERNESS LODGE Information & Questions

[cgattis]

While I'd love to read all 136 pages (and I've read a bunch!), I'd like to ask for some speculation (wild is ok LOL) about DVC for Thanksgiving of next year. Some guesses on the availability? The state of the surroundings? The state of the main lodge at that time? This would be our first stay at WL (wanted to ever since a meal at WC on our first trip in 2008), but I don't really want to stay there if it's going to be like staying in a construction zone. (And the darn kids want to stay at AoA again!! LOL). I considered the FW cabins too (there are just 4 of us), but not sure it would be worth the $$$. Thoughts?? Thanks!!!

 

[GrandCalifornian]

We are staying at WL for the first time for 2 nights of a split stay next week. We are thinking of going to Trail's End for breakfast on our check out day, but I am a bit worried about transportation time . I see we should take the blue flag boat, but do they go directly to and from FW or is a on a loop with the Contemporary? If so, does anyone know the direction of the loop. Just concerned about having enough time to get back to the car at WL after breakfast and get to the airport. Thanks.

ETA Or maybe would it be smarter to just drive to FW and take their internal bus to Trail's End?

We have hopped over to TE on our last day. The boats are efficient, and run in a loop between CR, FW, and WL. There are usually two boats running, one in each direction. If the first boat is going to CR instead you can ride it and still get to WL in under 15 min, or you could wait for the next boat which will be going straight from FW to WL. You could also walk it in under 30 minutes, so just leave some time and you'll be fine.

While I'd love to read all 136 pages (and I've read a bunch!), I'd like to ask for some speculation (wild is ok LOL) about DVC for Thanksgiving of next year. Some guesses on the availability? The state of the surroundings? The state of the main lodge at that time? This would be our first stay at WL (wanted to ever since a meal at WC on our first trip in 2008), but I don't really want to stay there if it's going to be like staying in a construction zone. (And the darn kids want to stay at AoA again!! LOL). I considered the FW cabins too (there are just 4 of us), but not sure it would be worth the $$$. Thoughts?? Thanks!!!

We have a trip planned for September 2016. While there is no way to know what the situation will be, we expect that the Villas pool will still be closed and there will be construction along the shoreline north and south of the main lodge. At some point before the project is done there may be restaurant construction and re-organization within the main lodge but we don't know when that will be. In general we are not bothered by construction adjacent to where we are staying so we are hoping it won't be that bad. If however you would prefer to have a resort that is construction three it might be better to look at other options. You can always wait and watch for a bit and see how the project progresses.

 

[jh91]

We are here now. How wonderful it is to be back. I just love the wooden walking path to the villas at night after a long day. Scaffolding is still up on the southside but hardly noticeable unless you're walking in between the villas and the main lodge. There are absolutely no construction walls up yet. No other signs of construction other than the scaffolding on the main lodge.
We r in a studio this year and r greatly missing the one bedroom villa we had last year. The spaciousnous and the kitchen in the one bedroom r fantastic and r not fully appreciated until u don't have them.
After we checked in around 1pm we went to the pool and enjoyed the new kids water area which we missed last year with the construction. My kids loved it and r ready to go back tomorrow. While we were at the pool. When we came back to our room there was mysteriously someone else's luggage waiting in our room. They brought ours up when we first checked in. So it's not like they just brought the wrong luggage to us. They completely messed up and put someone else's luggage from the magical express in our room. Good thing we are nice trustworthy people and called Bell services who sounded quite surprised/mortified.

 

[funkydelia]

I read on Touring Plans today that some of the resorts (CBR) are letting you fill resort mugs with apple juice now. I'd love to know if this is the case at the lodge as my kids don't really like soda.

 

[jh91]

I read on Touring Plans today that some of the resorts (CBR) are letting you fill resort mugs with apple juice now. I'd love to know if this is the case at the lodge as my kids don't really like soda.

I just went down and checked... unfortunately no apple juice or any other juice option. On the bright side, it is a picture perfect 80 degree sunny day here

 

[crazycheryl]

End of January will be our second trip to WDW. Our first trip we stayed at Wilderness Lodge and had a wonderful view of the castle/fireworks. This trip, I have a theme park view at the Contemporary booked. DH really wants to go back to Wilderness Lodge (even with the construction), but really only if we can see the castle and fireworks again from our room. I can put in my room request like before, but no guarantees. What would you do? Keep the Contemporary and enjoy the greatness that is a theme park view room or switch to Wilderness Lodge, save some money and take a risk with the room view? I am torn. I loved the Wilderness Lodge and the only downsides were the buses with a stroller/sleeping kid and bus sharing at the end of the night. Please help me make up my mind (or my DH's)

 

[goopysolelady]

End of January will be our second trip to WDW. Our first trip we stayed at Wilderness Lodge and had a wonderful view of the castle/fireworks. This trip, I have a theme park view at the Contemporary booked. DH really wants to go back to Wilderness Lodge (even with the construction), but really only if we can see the castle and fireworks again from our room. I can put in my room request like before, but no guarantees. What would you do? Keep the Contemporary and enjoy the greatness that is a theme park view room or switch to Wilderness Lodge, save some money and take a risk with the room view? I am torn. I loved the Wilderness Lodge and the only downsides were the buses with a stroller/sleeping kid and bus sharing at the end of the night. Please help me make up my mind (or my DH's)

I think I'd stay at CR...you can't beat that Theme Park view and a "close up" of the fireworks...plus being able to walk to the MK. Not sure about bookings at the end of January but DD tried to change our "bunk beds" room to "2 queen's" room for Nov. 19-15 and she was told there were none available but would put us on "the list" to change. You can never get a "guaranteed" room view so I wouldn't take the chance.

 

[crazycheryl]

I think I'd stay at CR...you can't beat that Theme Park view and a "close up" of the fireworks...plus being able to walk to the MK. Not sure about bookings at the end of January but DD tried to change our "bunk beds" room to "2 queen's" room for Nov. 19-15 and she was told there were none available but would put us on "the list" to change. You can never get a "guaranteed" room view so I wouldn't take the chance.

Thanks for the advice. I think I will be staying put... and live vicariously through you guys on your Lodge trips!

 

[bluecastle]

Thanks for the advice. I think I will be staying put... and live vicariously through you guys on your Lodge trips!

I second the decision to stay put. As much as I love the WL, I have always wondered what it would be like to have a theme park view at the CR. Also, since it only your 2nd trip, I think you should try something different. Since views are not guaranteed at the WL, I am afraid you would be trying to recreate something and might end up disappointed. (and let's not forget the construction!) If you were going during the holiday season, I would probably vote to switch, just because the WL at the holidays is something everyone should experience at least once! Another thing to remember is that at the end of January, the parks will be closing earlier and you may really enjoy being so close to MK.
Good luck. Either way, happy planning!

 

[funkydelia]

So it's currently 50degrees and raining in my part of the world.
But... Three more sleeps till we check in!

 

[PamelaKay]

One week from today and we will be heading south. 7 days until Harry Potter and 9 days until I check in to my favorite place in all WDW - OFC at WL.

 

[jh91]

After 6 wonderful nights at VWL we are heading home very early tomorrow morning. We had a fantastic trip with great weather, lots of yummy food (Boma tonight was delicious) and priceless memories. Our first trip to the lodge was last October during the pool construction and while we had a great trip and the construction really didn't bother us, now I truly know what we were missing. This year we came back to the resort almost every afternoon so my boys ages 2 & 4 could enjoy the pool. They both loved the new kids area which they did such a great job designing, and my 4 year old had the time of his life on the "big" water slide in the main pool which he must have rode literally a hundred times.
As for construction update, there really is not much to report, the scaffolding is still on the south side near the walkway to the villas. In all my time here, and as I mentioned before we came back most afternoons, I only heard noise from the scaffolding one time and it had zero impact on our trip. There are still no construction walls up for the big project starting in a couple weeks. I could not see any real prep work going on either as the beach is still open and no visible construction roads. I did not have a chance to walk around the north side of the property since we stayed at the villas, so I may have missed something over there.
On the monorail yesterday I could see on the north edge of the lodge property 2 pickup trucks by the lake that looked to be some site surveyors. But that is purely a guess as they might have been doing something else, but was really the only thing I saw.
Thanks again for this great thread Kook, I am a daily reader even though I don't post often. I am definitely going to miss this place as I think next time we may try the poly or bay lake tower.

 

[funkydelia]

We are here and it's everything I hoped for. Night night from the lodge!!

 

[WDWKOOK]

We are here now. How wonderful it is to be back. I just love the wooden walking path to the villas at night after a long day. Scaffolding is still up on the southside but hardly noticeable unless you're walking in between the villas and the main lodge. There are absolutely no construction walls up yet. No other signs of construction other than the scaffolding on the main lodge.

We r in a studio this year and r greatly missing the one bedroom villa we had last year. The spaciousnous and the kitchen in the one bedroom r fantastic and r not fully appreciated until u don't have them.

After we checked in around 1pm we went to the pool and enjoyed the new kids water area which we missed last year with the construction. My kids loved it and r ready to go back tomorrow. While we were at the pool. When we came back to our room there was mysteriously someone else's luggage waiting in our room. They brought ours up when we first checked in. So it's not like they just brought the wrong luggage to us. They completely messed up and put someone else's luggage from the magical express in our room. Good thing we are nice trustworthy people and called Bell services who sounded quite surprised/mortified.

Thank you for the update. I never knew they made those kinds of ME mistakes - that's a big mistake!

I just went down and checked... unfortunately no apple juice or any other juice option. On the bright side, it is a picture perfect 80 degree sunny day here

That was nice of you to check

Thanks for the advice. I think I will be staying put... and live vicariously through you guys on your Lodge trips!

See you on the CR/BLT thread

One week from today and we will be heading south. 7 days until Harry Potter and 9 days until I check in to my favorite place in all WDW - OFC at WL.

Please check-in with us if you can

After 6 wonderful nights at VWL we are heading home very early tomorrow morning. We had a fantastic trip with great weather, lots of yummy food (Boma tonight was delicious) and priceless memories. Our first trip to the lodge was last October during the pool construction and while we had a great trip and the construction really didn't bother us, now I truly know what we were missing. This year we came back to the resort almost every afternoon so my boys ages 2 & 4 could enjoy the pool. They both loved the new kids area which they did such a great job designing, and my 4 year old had the time of his life on the "big" water slide in the main pool which he must have rode literally a hundred times.

As for construction update, there really is not much to report, the scaffolding is still on the south side near the walkway to the villas. In all my time here, and as I mentioned before we came back most afternoons, I only heard noise from the scaffolding one time and it had zero impact on our trip. There are still no construction walls up for the big project starting in a couple weeks. I could not see any real prep work going on either as the beach is still open and no visible construction roads. I did not have a chance to walk around the north side of the property since we stayed at the villas, so I may have missed something over there.

On the monorail yesterday I could see on the north edge of the lodge property 2 pickup trucks by the lake that looked to be some site surveyors. But that is purely a guess as they might have been doing something else, but was really the only thing I saw.

Thanks again for this great thread Kook, I am a daily reader even though I don't post often. I am definitely going to miss this place as I think next time we may try the poly or bay lake tower.

Thank you for posting about your stay. You're welcome back here anytime - we'd love to have you help answer questions, and if you do book BLT, be sure to check in with us on the CR/BLT thread

We are here and it's everything I hoped for. Night night from the lodge!!

Hope your first full day has been a great one!

 

[waffocopter]

I'll be arriving in Orlando in 18 days and would like to do Online Check-in now. The form asks for the expected resort arrival time. How long does it usually take from flight landing to arriving at WL, using DME?

 

[Wood Nymph]

I'll be arriving in Orlando in 18 days and would like to do Online Check-in now. The form asks for the expected resort arrival time. How long does it usually take from flight landing to arriving at WL, using DME?

It usually takes about one and a half hours from touch down to arrival at the WL.

 

[waffocopter]

It usually takes about one and a half hours from touch down to arrival at the WL.

Thank you for the quick answer!

 

[RLC]

In exactly 4 weeks "Cousins Trip" will begin at WL......getting super excited!!

 

[Robbi129]

We are going to be at WL staying club level Oct 26-Nov 1. We also stayed at the Lodge last Sept when the pool was closed. We were in room 6100 and loved it, but wanted to come back to be able to use the pool and see old faithful. Now that we are getting closer to our trip, I am getting nervous because I see the closures start on our arrival day. I did have someone call and talk to me about it, but I figured it wouldn't bother us at all since the construction is in the villas. Now, I am reading about all the people who have "jumped ship" and wonder if I made the right choice. But at this point, I am thinking what will be will be. We will have fun regardless after all, it's Disney World.

 

[mastermind307]

We arrived on Saturday and are enjoying our stay. We landed at 11:45 and arrived at the lodge at 1:30. Of course we went the wrong way at the airport so it took us a little while to find the Magical Express. We waited about 10 minutes to board the bus and we were the 3rd stop. I received a text and email that our room was ready so once we arrived we went straight to our room. Magic bands worked fine.
We are in a studio 3505 and it has a woods view and I can see the pool throught some holes in the trees. It is a good location as we are right by the stairway, just around the corner from the elevators, and the bus stop is close. I was worried about the noise because Saturday night I heard lots of it, but last night it was fairly quiet. The bed is a little hard in my opinion. DH thinks it's fine. DD is sleeping on the fold down bed, it is the perfect size for her.
Bus service has been good so far. This morning will be the first time catching a bus for rope drop so we'll see how that goes. We had a pre-park opening at Tusker House yesterday morning.
I don't notice any construction except for the scaffolding on the main lodge.