Disney's WILDERNESS LODGE Information & Questions

[GrandCalifornian]

Consider it done! Umm, something, err, someONE, is missing from your signature block

Good point! Mr Marshall would not approve of being left out, and I have fixed the situation. We also still have to call Disney and add him to the reservation, now that he has a birthday!

 

[KristiK]

I posted recent "permits" (NoCs) to the WL DVC Conversion thread today HERE.​

Doesn't AKL have a playground? I feel like I'm cheating on WL because the thought of having construction on three consecutive visits was too much. Lol.




I would choose the North Wing which is furthest away from most of the construction.



That's interesting, that dining room table was in the Pres. Suite. But during the last suite rehab in 2013, some of the Pres. Suite furniture was moved to the VP Suite, such as the bed frame.

View attachment 143729

POST 2013 REHAB PRES. SUITE DINING TABLE:
View attachment 143730




And you thought your rant was over? My rants can go on indefinitely. Would you rather have... Vs. ??? Next they'll remove the TVs and replace the clocks with hour glasses or sun dials and tell us we can just watch NetFlix on our phones since we all have them.




I certainly hope he/she was reported to the TAP (Towel Animal Police) for this transgression



Welcome to the WL/VWL thread!

The playground is no more and was the last Deluxe playground. Touring Plans posted some photos of it unceremoniously tossed onto the beach by Teton Boat and Bike Rental.

I don't foresee the mid-Lodge elevators being open for quite a while, but your trip isn't until April, so it's certainly possible, but probably unlikely.

I'm reluctant to recommend WL/VWL to first-timers until all the construction is done. Many amenities are closed and the resort isn't at its finest. If you've stayed there before, then I think it's easier to overlook missing amenities and construction or if you know exactly what to expect ahead of time. But to be honest, you or your kids might prefer AKL over WL this year. However, one thing that hasn't changed are the transportation options at WL/VWL are much better than AKL.



Welcome to the thread! @dansdad has already pointed you in the direction of the LL. All of the thread chapters are hyperlinked there, too. The North Wing is furthest from the majority of the construction.

 

[KristiK]

Doesn't AKL have a playground? I feel like I'm cheating on WL bc we switched to AKL, but the thought of construction for a third consecutive visits was too much. Lol.

 

[WDWKOOK]

Doesn't AKL have a playground? I feel like I'm cheating on WL bc we switched to AKL, but the thought of construction for a third consecutive visits was too much. Lol.

Yes! Thank you for correcting my error. It's next to the Uzima Pool, right? At least it was there when we last stayed in 2010. So AKL must be the last Deluxe with a playground?

Not cheating! Same architect

 

[Wood Nymph]

Yes! Thank you for correcting my error. It's next to the Uzima Pool, right? At least it was there when we last stayed in 2010. So AKL must be the last Deluxe with a playground?

Not cheating! Same architect

I thought that there was a playground by the BWI clown pool.

 

[pixarmom]

We stayed at AKL last January and BWI in June - both playgrounds were up during our stays, if I remember correctly.

 

[KristiK]

Yes! Thank you for correcting my error. It's next to the Uzima Pool, right? At least it was there when we last stayed in 2010. So AKL must be the last Deluxe with a playground?

Not cheating! Same architect

Good lol. I thought I saw it had one . I was worried for a second.

 

[WDWKOOK]

Glad to know I have fact checkers paying attention - thank you!

I thought that there was a playground by the BWI clown pool.

Yes! I had that in my mind as the splash pad, but I do think it's a dry playground by the Luna Park Pool.

So just BWI and AKL, or am I forgetting another one?

We stayed at AKL last January and BWI in June - both playgrounds were up during our stays, if I remember correctly.

 

[mindy6540]

So, a quick comment on the renovations with the lounge at Wilderness Lodge. They have set up two long tables against the wall and if you want juice (in the morning) or a glass of wine (evening service) you can't pour it yourself, you have to ask for it and they will bring you a glass. No hot water for tea, but tea bags displayed so you have to ask for this as well. My husband and I are really disappointed with the arrangement of the concierge, we like the convenience of having the freedom to visit the lounge at our leisure. With this arrangement, you have to wait to be served. Having said that however, the staff as always are accommodating and absolutely top notch!!

 

[Wood Nymph]

So, a quick comment on the renovations with the lounge at Wilderness Lodge. They have set up two long tables against the wall and if you want juice (in the morning) or a glass of wine (evening service) you can't pour it yourself, you have to ask for it and they will bring you a glass. No hot water for tea, but tea bags displayed so you have to ask for this as well. My husband and I are really disappointed with the arrangement of the concierge, we like the convenience of having the freedom to visit the lounge at our leisure. With this arrangement, you have to wait to be served. Having said that however, the staff as always are accommodating and absolutely top notch!!

That does not sound good at all. I'm hoping that they are just working out their system and things will be better soon, like maybe by Saturday.

Is the sitting area above the lobby still open?

 

[WDWKOOK]

So, a quick comment on the renovations with the lounge at Wilderness Lodge. They have set up two long tables against the wall and if you want juice (in the morning) or a glass of wine (evening service) you can't pour it yourself, you have to ask for it and they will bring you a glass. No hot water for tea, but tea bags displayed so you have to ask for this as well. My husband and I are really disappointed with the arrangement of the concierge, we like the convenience of having the freedom to visit the lounge at our leisure. With this arrangement, you have to wait to be served. Having said that however, the staff as always are accommodating and absolutely top notch!!

Thank you @mindy6540 for the OFC lounge update.

Originally, when it first opened, the "lounge" was set-up in front of the large window that overlooks Bay Lake, where now there is seating. I'm assuming all previous lounge activities are taking place in the Yosemite Suite with guests then walking back to the seating area? Is the adult and kids' seating area that's right next to the lounge still open? With the South Wing closed, that would mean 50% of the Honeymoon Suites (two) and the Presidential Suite are out of commission.

Guests should have been notified, well in advance, of the lounge closure and relocation so they could make a decision as to whether that was acceptable to them or if they want to possibly move. I suspect this will be a long closure and then possibly, relocation. Having to ask for items that have always been self-serve is inconvenient, for both guests and CMs. While there may be no way around it, guests still should be notified of the closure and changes that impact there stay. The CL experience isn't the same as when you last stayed there or even when you booked and guests should be given the courtesy of knowing this well before arrival.

Were there even letters from the CL manager in your rooms or offered at check-in? Some CLs have chosen to use bartenders to serve all alcohol, such as the Regatta Club. It sounds like this is what the OFC is now doing or is this just temporary?

Glad the great CMs are still smiling through all this. Have they estimated how long the temporary lounge will be in place? Seems when they relocated the BC/YC lounges during rehab, guests were notified and a re-opening date was made public.

That does not sound good at all. I'm hoping that they are just working out their system and things will be better soon, like maybe by Saturday.

Is the sitting area above the lobby still open?

Unfortunately, I suspect this may be how it is for a long time. It's too bad this is your first WL CL experience. Is this also your first WDW CL stay?

 

[Wood Nymph]

Guests should have been notified, well in advance, of the lounge closure and relocation so they could make a decision as to whether that was acceptable to them or if they want to possibly move. I suspect this will be a long closure and then possibly, relocation. Having to ask for items that have always been self-serve is inconvenient, for both guests and CMs. While there may be no way around it, guests still should be notified of the closure and changes that impact there stay.

We received the normal welcome letter from IPO last November, without a single word about construction. Then I contacted IPO this past Monday, when I had heard about the closures, and they confirmed them. I also asked IPO if they were going to send out letters to the CL guests to notify them about the lobby elevator and south wing closures and his response to me was :

Itinerary Planning is not and will not be sending out letters to notify guests. You will be receiving communication letters, but IPO is not the source of those letters.

I am trying to keep an open mind but right now I am a little bit upset about this.

Unfortunately, I suspect this may be how it is for a long time. It's too bad this is your first WL CL experience. Is this also your first WDW CL stay?

It is our first WDW CL stay, so I have nothing to compare it with.

 

[tuckerkeys]

I was at the wl cl for 4 days in december. During this time, i spoke with 1 of the cl cm about this ongoing renovation & they are NOT happy with it at all!

I will say that the rumor about dvc studios going into the cl, like the akl has, was told to me as being not true. The cm told me they did hear about that rumor & were told by their boss it was false, however, the cm said that rumor wasn't going away & the cm told me that if it turns out to be true, that all the wl club level workers were going to leave if that happened. They did NOT want dvc studios w/ club level access.

Anyway, from what I was told, info on this is not being told to the cl workers, that this mess is going to go well into 2017 and that my club level experience at the wl for our usual fall trip there would be greatly disappointing. I was told to wait until next year to come back. The 1 thing they are happy about is the new lounge replacing the old one. Apparently, the current one had many many issues with leaks and just things not working. While we were there, there were multiple walk throughs w/ construction workers. Looks like the WL is going to be a mess for a year or so. May be time to stay at some other places....

 

[Wood Nymph]

I was at the wl cl for 4 days in december. During this time, i spoke with 1 of the cl cm about this ongoing renovation & they are NOT happy with it at all!

Thanks for the update. I can understand why they would be happy to see a new CL lounge, since the old one looked rather claustrophobic from the pictures I've seen.

 

[pixarmom]

Thanks so much to everyone for contributing to the CL updates. We're arriving next month, and I kept thinking about upgrading to CL, but remained on the fence. This information is really helpful. I agree with Kook - not OK to make these changes so quickly without notice to guests or offering alternatives.

A few thoughts regarding WL CL generally (at least in its previous form.) The old lounge and setup were our favorite of any WDW CL (we've stayed CL at all deluxe resorts except YC - just a GV room there.) The small area in the photos is just for serving food and is just fine for that purpose. The seating area, in our opinion, is the most spacious and comfortable of the CLs we've experienced. We love the tables around the railing, the high ceilings, the view into the lobby and out to the lake. All the tables are spread out from each other, so each party has some nice personal space. The TV isn't in the middle of a big room, so if someone is watching it, it doesn't impact an entire room full of guests. The view out to the lake is incredible. I actually prefer it over the Poly lounge and the RPC lounge because it carries out a completely immersive theme and is so natural. The kids' tables are visible for most anywhere else in the seating area (and that area is adorable.) So if that is or will be different, that would impact our decision regarding CL in at least the short term future.

As for the current serving set up, not a fan. But if I had to ask for assistance, I'd choose WL CL over anywhere else (BWI is very close.) In our experience, when the serving area was closed and CMs said "let us know if you need anything," I think they actually meant it! Our youngest was looking through the bars of the serving area one afternoon and a CM approached to ask what she could get for him. Cookie on the way! I asked for a glass of wine before 5pm one day, and the CM was happy to not only get it, but a refill in a paper cup with a lid in case I wanted to refill before the lounge opened. When our luggage didn't come up from Bell Services right away upon arrival, a CM called our room twice with updates regarding his attempts to follow up with Bell Services. Also, instead of being syrupy sweet, we found them all more genuine - and helpful with issues that were meaningful to us during our stay.

 

[kcpinwdw]

Guests should have been notified, well in advance, of the lounge closure and relocation so they could make a decision as to whether that was acceptable to them or if they want to possibly move

I feel this way too. I did call a couple of times yesterday to see if there were options but there were none offered that were appealing. One CM offered to move me to a poly standard view-- but I can not take that change, I really dont want to downgrade. I didnt ask for guest services, maybe I should have? This is our first CL stay and I just feel that had we been better informed I would have picked elsewhere. But now I am only 16 days away.

But yesterday southwest had a sale and I changed my flight home, adding on another day. No CL rooms left for WL so I booked one night in standard view. I guess that probably complicates moving.

 

[DisneyJenK]

Does anyone have photos of the new "lounge" ??

 

[Wood Nymph]

Does anyone have photos of the new "lounge" ??

We'll be there tomorrow and I'll try to get some pictures posted of the temporary lounge and some of the construction.

In spite of all the closures and surprise lounge changes, we are very excited to be arriving at the WL tomorrow.

 

[kcpinwdw]

we are very excited to be arriving at the WL tomorrow

Safe travels! I look forward to your updates!

 

[cinderkelly]

We'll be there tomorrow and I'll try to get some pictures posted of the temporary lounge and some of the construction.

In spite of all the closures and surprise lounge changes, we are very excited to be arriving at the WL tomorrow.

Have a wonderful trip!!! Can't wait to hear back how you liked your CL stay! Safe travels