Disney's WILDERNESS LODGE Information & Questions

[luvmymouse]

HAPPY DANCE!




Was able to apply the summer discount to our existing WL reservation! Saved $675! LOVE that I can apply it to an existing reservation!

Good news! Congrats and have a great time!

 

[ttfn3]

Hello everyone. I am posting Live from the Wilderness Lodge. We have been busy, busy, busy since we checked in on Saturday. Having a fabulous time at this wonderful hotel. We have a woods view room with 2 queen beds in the south wing near the main part of the lodge. I'm loving the room location since its centrally located and very quiet. Let's see if I can post a couple of pictures of our view.

 

[ttfn3]

Does WL share a bus with FW? If so, how many stops does it make at FW?

We took a bus to Epcot from the WL this week that made a stop at Fort Wilderness on the way to Epcot. It only stopped at one place at the Fort.

 

[Wood Nymph]

We have a woods view room with 2 queen beds in the south wing near the main part of the lodge. I'm loving the room location since its centrally located and very quiet. Let's see if I can post a couple of pictures of our view.

We had a room near your room. We also loved the location for the same reason you do.

 

[eeyore45]

Kook!

Enjoy your drive down and have a Magical trip!!!

DH has a question and forgive me for not taking the boat on over to the CR thread..... Can we just meander on over to the Cali Grille and grab a seat at the bar if we just wanted to enjoy a glass of wine or other such spirits??? No inclining really to dine there really. I would imagine tho that the bar will become crowded as the sun sets. Thoughts??



Have one of these for me!!!!

From what I understand (reading lots of threads on the restaurant board - we haven't been since 2012) they don't take walk ups at Cali Grill for the bar only - well that's the short answer anyway! It truly depends, you have to be escorted up in the elevator, so you need to check in - at the 2nd floor - and ask, and usually they say no, but I've heard that people have been able to get up there for drinks very early (5:30) or after the fireworks... you just never know!

 

[CuteAsMinnie]

^^ That is what we remember from pre-rehab of Cali Grille. Thought maybe things have changed...

 

[TheLodgeLady]

Kook!

Enjoy your drive down and have a Magical trip!!!

DH has a question and forgive me for not taking the boat on over to the CR thread..... Can we just meander on over to the Cali Grille and grab a seat at the bar if we just wanted to enjoy a glass of wine or other such spirits??? No inclining really to dine there really. I would imagine tho that the bar will become crowded as the sun sets. Thoughts??



Have one of these for me!!!!

Good morning!!

We have done this several times. And we are usually a party of six. What we do is go up to the podium downstairs and tell them we would like to have a drink at the bar. They will then escort you upstairs.

Now if they are super busy, they may not let you (as in around fireworks time), but even then we have had no problems.

 

[diddldonna]

Hello everyone. I am posting Live from the Wilderness Lodge. We have been busy, busy, busy since we checked in on Saturday. Having a fabulous time at this wonderful hotel. We have a woods view room with 2 queen beds in the south wing near the main part of the lodge. I'm loving the room location since its centrally located and very quiet. Let's see if I can post a couple of pictures of our view.View attachment 84187View attachment 84188

What room number are you? As I like the sound of it being quiet. How far is in located from the lobby? Is it in the main building or further down?

 

[TaraPA]

Hello WKWKook & everyone! I've been MIA for awhile (have to change that ticker!) But just wanted to pop in & say that on my last trip 3 weeks ago, due to bad weather, I had to unexpectedly extended my trip by 2 days (bummer right!) I had to leave a day early ahead of snow, and then had to stay an extra day because of it as well. My original ressie was 3 nts AKV Jambo 1BR & 1 nt GFV studio - and ended up being a 4-split stay with WL on both ends! It was a girls trip, and I was travelling in/out alone, so it was easy peasy. I called a friend I know at WL and he was able to get me in a lodge woods view the 1st night, and a 1BR VWL the last night. I was soooo in love with that villa! I had only stayed in the Lodge before, not the villas, and I absolutely fell in love with it. I was in a 1BR all by myself (to the tune of $179 - awesome!) and enjoyed every minute of it. It was so secluded yet close to everything. I felt like once I went through the doors I was in a whole other place. Can't wait to go back!

 

[GrandCalifornian]

What room number are you? As I like the sound of it being quiet. How far is in located from the lobby? Is it in the main building or further down?

Often people do not post their room number during a trip, but from the look of the pictures the area the room is in the first section of the South wing, on the South side, so it is an even room number between x100 and x120. (Where x is the floor number.) This is a nice and quiet location with little to no noise from the lobby, despite being relatively close to it. These rooms exist on the 2nd floor and above. You can check out this section on the map here.

 

[Wood Nymph]

I called a friend I know at WL and he was able to get me in a lodge woods view the 1st night, and a 1BR VWL the last night. I was soooo in love with that villa! I had only stayed in the Lodge before, not the villas, and I absolutely fell in love with it. I was in a 1BR all by myself (to the tune of $179 - awesome!) and enjoyed every minute of it. It was so secluded yet close to everything. I felt like once I went through the doors I was in a whole other place. Can't wait to go back!

Hi Tara! I think 1BR villas are fantastic. I would love to have one for every trip, and if I could get one for $179, then I would definitely take it.

 

[ttfn3]

H

What room number are you? As I like the sound of it being quiet. How far is in located from the lobby? Is it in the main building or further down?

I will post our room number when we get home.

We are loving the Lodge and so far have had good bus karma. We are taking a mid day break from the parks. When we got to our floor, the staff was replacing the mattresses so we have brand new mattresses. Nice plump, high ones. DS is looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow. The CM are really nice here. Every day we come back to the room with a new room decoration with new towels creations - a first for us. Here are a couple of new pictures for today. (I really like how there is a little divider between each balcony).

 

[MrsSkellington]

Oh it looks so warm and sunny! And new mattresses? Yay!

 

[prune1977]

You have a recreation calendar for WL by chance?

 

[Wood Nymph]

You have a recreation calendar for WL by chance?

The one for March is out:

http://www.themouseforless.com/tripplanning/resorts/wdw/pdf/WLCalendar.pdf

 

[elaw]

View attachment 84273 View attachment 84271 HView attachment 84272
I will post our room number when we get home.

We are loving the Lodge and so far have had good bus karma. We are taking a mid day break from the parks. When we got to our floor, the staff was replacing the mattresses so we have brand new mattresses. Nice plump, high ones. DS is looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow. The CM are really nice here. Every day we come back to the room with a new room decoration with new towels creations - a first for us. Here are a couple of new pictures for today. (I really like how there is a little divider between each balcony).

Love the pics

 

[WDWKOOK]

Leaving soon for FL . I will post some WL photos next week even though I'm staying at CR. Let me know if there's anything specific you need to see, other than in-room or CL photos
​

Hi WDWKOOK! Can you put us on your log? We are staying 6/16-23/2015... Our first time CL! Can't wait!

You picked a great CL for your first time

Good to know on the EWP - the kids are big fans of that one so it will be fun to watch from the balcony. Can you see wishes from the beach or just EWP?

Thanks!

There is an obstructed view from the beach, boat dock, higher Woods View and South Wing CYV rooms, observation deck over the port cochere and the Presidential Suite.

I've always understood that to be true, but when we got the latest summer discount applied, it was specifically for a woods view bunk- it even says it on my confirmation email. Doesn't that mean definitely a bunk? We really don't want them, but that's just all there was open on the discount.

Yes, the Woods View has an option to book a bunk, but the Standard View does not.

Hi all, just back from an awesome stay at WL. Just FYI, we got a flier under our door last week that they were going to begin replacing mattresses in the room beginning on Tuesday the 17th, and sure enough they did start changing out mattresses on our floor (6th) that day. Every time we took a bus out we saw truckloads of mattresses coming in, so not sure if they were doing the whole lodge?

Great stay, the scaffolding was not very obtrusive and we loved the updates to the pool.

Thank you for letting everyone know about the new mattresses.

We check in on April 1st! Yay! Any idea when they WL will have the times for Easter activities? We plan on spending most of Easter day at the Lodge so I'm anxious to see what's going on.

The Activity Calendar is posted online after the month begins, but you will have it at check-in on 4/1.

Hi all I'm new to this thread....trying to read through all the wonderful information here. I'll get through it all before our trip. We are staying at WL for the first time. I visit each time I go to WDW, but have never stayed there. Actually we are booked in a studio at VWL, but close enough.

Our dates are Nov 11-17th. It will be myself, my son who will turn 9 a few days before and a very good DISfriend D~.

The studios look beautiful and I love that they have started making the rooms with a third bed. I am not good at sharing....toss and turn too much! This setup should work perfectly for us.

My biggest concern is the bus sharing. Just can't understand why Disney can't figure out that we don't like it!! But alas....no choice in the matter. We will make it work.

Anyway....just wanted to stop in and say "hello"! I'll be following along from now til November

Welcome to the thread. Congratulations on booking your first stay at VWL - I'll log your dates

Kook!

Enjoy your drive down and have a Magical trip!!!

DH has a question and forgive me for not taking the boat on over to the CR thread..... Can we just meander on over to the Cali Grille and grab a seat at the bar if we just wanted to enjoy a glass of wine or other such spirits??? No inclining really to dine there really. I would imagine tho that the bar will become crowded as the sun sets. Thoughts??



Have one of these for me!!!!

Haven't left for FL quite yet, but my mind has! Your question's already been answered, but just adding that you can also order meals at the bar and in the casual seating area near the bar. In fact, we have an ADR there next week. We had an awful server there our last time on Christmas Day '13, but we're giving it one more try. I have a photo of the bar area in the DINING section on that other Bay Lake thread

Hello everyone. I am posting Live from the Wilderness Lodge. We have been busy, busy, busy since we checked in on Saturday. Having a fabulous time at this wonderful hotel. We have a woods view room with 2 queen beds in the south wing near the main part of the lodge. I'm loving the room location since its centrally located and very quiet. Let's see if I can post a couple of pictures of our view.

Love seeing some fresh photos!

Good morning!!

We have done this several times. And we are usually a party of six. What we do is go up to the podium downstairs and tell them we would like to have a drink at the bar. They will then escort you upstairs.

Now if they are super busy, they may not let you (as in around fireworks time), but even then we have had no problems.

Hello WKWKook & everyone! I've been MIA for awhile (have to change that ticker!) But just wanted to pop in & say that on my last trip 3 weeks ago, due to bad weather, I had to unexpectedly extended my trip by 2 days (bummer right!) I had to leave a day early ahead of snow, and then had to stay an extra day because of it as well. My original ressie was 3 nts AKV Jambo 1BR & 1 nt GFV studio - and ended up being a 4-split stay with WL on both ends! It was a girls trip, and I was travelling in/out alone, so it was easy peasy. I called a friend I know at WL and he was able to get me in a lodge woods view the 1st night, and a 1BR VWL the last night. I was soooo in love with that villa! I had only stayed in the Lodge before, not the villas, and I absolutely fell in love with it. I was in a 1BR all by myself (to the tune of $179 - awesome!) and enjoyed every minute of it. It was so secluded yet close to everything. I felt like once I went through the doors I was in a whole other place. Can't wait to go back!

Welcome back and WTG with that CM rate and impromptu WL/VWL add-on!

I will post our room number when we get home.

We are loving the Lodge and so far have had good bus karma. We are taking a mid day break from the parks. When we got to our floor, the staff was replacing the mattresses so we have brand new mattresses. Nice plump, high ones. DS is looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow. The CM are really nice here. Every day we come back to the room with a new room decoration with new towels creations - a first for us. Here are a couple of new pictures for today. (I really like how there is a little divider between each balcony).

You have a recreation calendar for WL by chance?

The link is in POST 1, but they aren't posted online until after the start of the month.

 

[chiisai]

I'm looking forward to hearing about your stay and how your fax requests worked. Did you make the same request in any other way?

Our trips overlap so if I see a very courteous person with a Sony, I'll be sure to do some photo bombing

Heya, yes, I did do the online check in - requesting 5th floor. There is no contradictory info, the fax just provides more information. My res is with Orbitz, so I couldn't do it directly with Disney. TP says the fax works for non-Disney reservations, so we'll see! : )

 

[CuteAsMinnie]

From what I understand (reading lots of threads on the restaurant board - we haven't been since 2012) they don't take walk ups at Cali Grill for the bar only - well that's the short answer anyway! It truly depends, you have to be escorted up in the elevator, so you need to check in - at the 2nd floor - and ask, and usually they say no, but I've heard that people have been able to get up there for drinks very early (5:30) or after the fireworks... you just never know!

Thanks much!!!

Thanks to you too, Kook! May I also put in a request for 'new' resort specific merchandise pics. If you hear that they may use some Disney Magic to bring a little shade around the newly renovated, now seemingly shadeless pool (or other pool deck related info...) please share! . Again, safe travels and Enjoy!

 

[chiisai]

We leave tomorrow! We are driving down and will spend the night somewhere in SC. Then we arrive at WL Friday afternoon. Yippee! I am frantically packing.