Disney's WILDERNESS LODGE Information & Questions

[Wood Nymph]

Hello,
We will be checking into a Boulder Ridge Deluxe studio in 16 days! I checked in on-line already and made my room requests of being on a high floor. However, looking at my reservation I can’t tell if I paid for a view or not. Is this something I can call and request? I do realize these are only requests!
What view options are there at Boulder Ridge?
Thanks!

Bouler Ridge is a DVC resort and doesn't have view separate view categories like a regular resort has. You can request a view by calling reservations if you booked through Disney on a cash reservation, though.

 

[DisneyMommy77]

Bouler Ridge is a DVC resort and doesn't have view separate view categories like a regular resort has. You can request a view by calling reservations if you booked through Disney on a cash reservation, though.

Thank you. Do you know what view options are even possible at Boulder Ridge? I wouldn’t want to request fireworks view if that isn’t even possible etc....
Thanks!

 

[Wood Nymph]

Thank you. Do you know what view options are even possible at Boulder Ridge? I wouldn’t want to request fireworks view if that isn’t even possible etc....
Thanks!

Most of the rooms either face the villas pool and Bay Lake or face the bus depot side of the resort. The fireworks are mostly blocked by the WL building. The villas pool side of the resort would definitely have the nicest view.

 

[Deb & Bill]

No fireworks views at BRV. It used to be woods and woods views, but since they built a new pool, you can get woods or pool view.

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

This upcoming trip in two weeks is our first stay at Wilderness Lodge, and I have never used the ferries. Our one MK day the park opening has been pushed up to 8am (not EMH, just regular). What time should I get to the ferry dock at WL so I can be safely through security, through the turnstiles and up Main Street in time for the opening show and Rope Drop? I will have a stroller and have to do bag check. I understand the lines at WL can get backed up and you might have to wait for several ferries before you get on one? Thanks!

 

[Wood Nymph]

This upcoming trip in two weeks is our first stay at Wilderness Lodge, and I have never used the ferries. Our one MK day the park opening has been pushed up to 8am (not EMH, just regular). What time should I get to the ferry dock at WL so I can be safely through security, through the turnstiles and up Main Street in time for the opening show and Rope Drop? I will have a stroller and have to do bag check. I understand the lines at WL can get backed up and you might have to wait for several ferries before you get on one? Thanks!

The MK boat starts running 30 minutes before the park opens. You might want to get there a little earlier if you want to make sure you are on the first boat. But everyone got on the second boat, the one we were on.

 

[DrunkJam]

I'm planning to do the Trails End Brunch on my last day, ADR permitting, and I am wondering when the FW boat starts running? (I don't want super early brunch really but, you never know what's available)

 

[Wood Nymph]

I'm planning to do the Trails End Brunch on my last day, ADR permitting, and I am wondering when the FW boat starts running? (I don't want super early brunch really but, you never know what's available)

It starts running really early. I think it is 6:45am, maybe even 6:30am.

 

[DrunkJam]

It starts running really early. I think it is 6:45am, maybe even 6:30am.

Oh my goodness. Thank you for that, I hope not to need to get up that early, but, I am really glad I know it's possible!

 

[Jacq7414]

Oh my goodness. Thank you for that, I hope not to need to get up that early, but, I am really glad I know it's possible!

When we went we definitely took a boat that was after 7 over and we made the opening show. They hold you outside until a certain time anyway so everyone just clumped together. We had CRT reservations at 805 so I wasn’t running to any ride though

 

[nicoco]

If anyone is interested, here is a little patch of new carpet outside what MIGHT be a test room on the first floor of the lodge. Next to old carpet to compare!

 

[nicoco]

Double post!

 

[beccasmom]

Most of the rooms either face the villas pool and Bay Lake or face the bus depot side of the resort. The fireworks are mostly blocked by the WL building. The villas pool side of the resort would definitely have the nicest view.

We stayed in an odd-numbered room which faced the lake on the 5th floor in August with a great view of the nightly Electrical Water Pageant.

 

[5kidsmommy]

We are usually moderate resort visitors. When all our kids came with us we would stay at the campground in our trailer. Being at CBR I really missed the convenience of the location of the fort. Anyhow we are planning a trip next September for three of us. My husband and I have both always wanted to stay at Wilderness Lodge. This trip the cost wouldn't be that much more to upgrade to the lodge. I'm thinking the convenience of MK and the beauty would make it worth it. Those of you have stayed at moderates do you think it's worth the upgrade? I really like the idea of having a balcony too.

 

[ksromack]

We are usually moderate resort visitors. When all our kids came with us we would stay at the campground in our trailer. Being at CBR I really missed the convenience of the location of the fort. Anyhow we are planning a trip next September for three of us. My husband and I have both always wanted to stay at Wilderness Lodge. This trip the cost wouldn't be that much more to upgrade to the lodge. I'm thinking the convenience of MK and the beauty would make it worth it. Those of you have stayed at moderates do you think it's worth the upgrade? I really like the idea of having a balcony too.

I don't think any of us would argue against you

 

[mamabunny]

If anyone is interested, here is a little patch of new carpet outside what MIGHT be a test room on the first floor of the lodge. Next to old carpet to compare!View attachment 457321

Which end of the hall is that? The Otter Pond door, or the boat dock door? Thanks

 

[mamabunny]

Well, it's December, and I have broken my (New! This year! Never before broken!) left foot, so that means we will be at Wilderness Lodge - home again! - in January!

Seriously. Someone find some bubble wrap and packing tape - I can't keep arriving at Disney World all broken and bandaged! LOL. This time? I dropped a new bottle of shampoo in just the worst possible spot, cracked that thing good. Well, bad. You know what I mean! At least I'm going to a great place to recuperate, right?

Currently booked in to a HARIS* Nature View room - no courtyard view for us, because my poor (adult) daughter will once again be sleeping in a bunk bed - so that probably means either 1034 or 1026; we have stayed in both of those rooms *multiple* times and have always been very happy! I think the only other HARIS room on the Lodge side is ?6027? I think, which is a Courtyard view with 1Q/Bunks. Hate to say it, but I hope that with the coming refresh, we get at least 1 HARIS room with 2 Queen beds. For a long time, Disney had a bad habit of putting King beds in those rooms (because they wanted to give mobility device users more room) but it means if you travel with a companion, like I do, that you have to book 2 rooms adjoining/adjacent or stay somewhere else, because the roll-in shower part is non-negotiable for me.

I was so hoping that they would do at WL what they did with POFQ, and simply "refresh" the existing furniture, especially those headboards. POFQ looks great, and we got to keep the beautiful themed furniture, which looks even better with the new laminate flooring, and the subtly patterned curtains. Having said that, I miss some of the other touches there; I get that Disney is just following an industry trend, but I can't help but feel that one of things we pay more for (besides the location itself) is the unique theming that every Resort hotel had in the past. I don't want to open my hotel room door at *any* Disney Resort, and wonder which hotel I'm standing in. As someone who has been coming to WDW since 1972, that just seems really wrong. Does anyone know what they did with the furniture at AKL during their refurb? If they are putting the original "refreshed" furniture back there as well, maybe there is hope for our headboards yet! Fingers crossed!

This is a rare split stay for us - we will start off at POFQ, and then move to WL after a few days. My two favorite Resorts, and my favorite traveling companion & best friend, my daughter, and I can't ask for a better way to start the new year!

As always, many thanks to @GrandCalifornian for your amazing pictures; I sneak over from time to time, and just live vicariously off those gorgeous images!

And to whoever suggested that Mousekeeper Devorah should be her own booking category at WL, I couldn't agree more! We have been fortunate enough to have her as our Mousekeeper on several trips, and she really does spoil you for anyone else

Refurb/Reno/Rehab starting? Don't care. I'm going *home*. Bad weather? Don't care. Broken foot? Don't care! This old rabbit is going to soak her cold bones in the warm January sunshine, in Florida, for a few happy days, and in the evenings I will bake in front of the most beautiful fireplace in the World! Well, and maybe enjoy some Adult Beverages. Just can't drink (too much) and drive (my mobility device)!

Thanks to everyone who has been posting updates and trip reports. This place, more than any other I have ever been to, or likely ever will go to, has captured my heart so thoroughly. (I know y'all *get* that!) So, tonight it's just about 25 days out for me - and I will try to be a better correspondent, and post pictures this time!



*because someone will ask: HARIS = Handicap Accessible Roll-In Shower


edited to change countdown - math was never my strong suite!

 

[nicoco]

Which end of the hall is that? The Otter Pond door, or the boat dock door? Thanks

Boat dock!

 

[amuse-bouche]

*because someone will ask: HARIS = Handicap Accessible Roll-In Shower

Thanks, because I was going to ask
So, how do you avoid ending up with the HARIS? We were assigned a room with one once and it put a serious damper on enjoying our room that trip. We were 3 people in one room and were looking forward to the standard bathroom set up because it makes sharing the bathroom so much more pleasant. In hindsight, I should have requested to be moved, but we arrived tired and feeling sick and just wanted to get settled. I don't ever want that room assignment again.

 

[mamabunny]

Thanks, because I was going to ask
So, how do you avoid ending up with the HARIS? We were assigned a room with one once and it put a serious damper on enjoying our room that trip. We were 3 people in one room and were looking forward to the standard bathroom set up because it makes sharing the bathroom so much more pleasant. In hindsight, I should have requested to be moved, but we arrived tired and feeling sick and just wanted to get settled. I don't ever want that room assignment again.

Typically (at Disney World) you won't ever be assigned one of those rooms unless the room you were originally assigned to was taken "out of service" for a maintenance issue that couldn't be resolved quickly enough, and that was the last available room (and that room had not been specifically booked). A more rare scenario is when a previous Guest does not vacate for some reason. And while I don't believe that Disney oversells, their policy is to never (knowingly) book someone who doesn't need/want that room type into an HA room; they are reserved for people who book them specifically.

WDW (and DL) have a policy that (as we understand it over on the DISabilties board) that type of accommodation must specifically be requested. Meaning, they don't just rent rooms willy-nilly, and then hope they can shuffle things around when I show up and require a HARIS room. Any of the rooms listed as "Accessible" on the website, and in their central res system must be booked deliberately - that way, someone who is hearing-impaired, and books a room with those features knows for sure that when they arrive, they will have that room type guaranteed.

In fact, it's one of the few "guaranteed" things about booking a hotel at WDW; everything else is pretty much a "request"!

So, if you ever find yourself in one of those rooms (and believe me, I wish I didn't *have* to - it makes travel so much more difficult because there are so few of them, especially at WL) know that it's most likely because your "regular" room had a problem of some sort, and to make sure you had a place to stay, they put you into an empty HA room.

Disney is pretty good about accommodating people in all situations - I know you probably wanted to be at our beautiful WL, and not anywhere else, but they might have been able to move you to your reserved room type at another Disney Resort hotel, or perhaps offered you a HA room that had a more traditional bathroom layout. Just always go down to the Front Desk for those conversations; since we know that all calls from the room phone to the "Front Desk" go to a central call center, it stands to reason that you will have a better chance at a successful resolution if you talk directly to the on-duty manager at the property.

I hope the rest of your time at WL was great - I know that people sometimes think that the HA rooms are bigger or somehow better, but they are exactly the same size, just typically with a different bathroom layout, and (at the refurbed hotels) lower beds that are "transfer height" for wheelchair/mobility users, instead of the new higher platform beds that you can store luggage under.