Disney's WILDERNESS LODGE Information & Questions

[maryandtyson]

Wood Nymph,
Such great information! Thank you! Are you a journalist in real life? You may have missed your calling!

I hope they don't ruin this gorgeous resort! It's been my favorite for a long time. Hoping for the best.

 

[Wood Nymph]

Are all of these trees gone? We were in the south wing Nov. 19-25 and this was our balcony view...the FORMER pool area....

Yes, all of those trees between the "hole" in your picture that used to be the pool and the water are gone. There are still some trees further down the former nature trail, though.

Is the club level desk by the elevators also closed or it still there? Didn't know if it had been "relocated" like the lounge.

There isn't any check in desk on the CL floor at all.

Just curious, if they had been honest with you prior to arrival and reached out to explain the major changes to CL, would you have accepted an offer to move to another CL or would a credit have been more appealing?

Tough question. The hardest part was finding out that what I had been told by IPO just a few days before arrival was not what we encountered. We would have stayed at WL no matter what. We still love this resort. A credit is more appealing than club level at another resort. And by the way, we did receive a credit but it took talking to the right person to get it.

Are the "bear face" rooms off the lobby available or is that part of the rooms being closed?

The bear face rooms on the north side of the lobby are still open.

 

[JReneeW]

Thank you @Wood Nymph for your help and insight! 17 days until we arrive at WL, so it's nice to know what to expect!

 

[Miffy]

Quick update: We can see them moving furniture out of the rooms on the sixth and seventh floors of the south wing.

Hi, Wood Nymph,

Thank you for all the updates. Can you tell me if it's noisy in the lodge during the day? Thanks!

 

[rcraw45425]

All of this info is great, thank all of you for sharing. It's been 6.5 years since we last stayed at the lodge (CL). I switched over from POR Royal Room with the AP discount for our March college Spring Break trip (just my younger daughter and I this time). Honestly, we rode the boat over from MK in December and didn't see much obvious construction then. I think we'll have no problems this visit as we're old hands at Disney. Our last stay there we were in a CY room on the 7th floor, right next to a suite. This time I booked standard view so who knows what I'll wind up with, but no worries, our last two stays at the Poly we didn't have balconies to sit out on and we were fine. And the idea of a less crowed resort is always appealing!

 

[MickeyEars]

Carla, I'm answering your question right off since you also PM'd:

@Wood Nymph posted that the CL check-in desk has been relocated, but she was greeted downstairs and escorted upstairs.

The mid-Lodge bank of elevators (near The Mercantile) has been closed. I posted the elevator closure announcement here maybe a couple of weeks ago?

The entire South Wing is closed - top to bottom. The mirror of 7127 in the North Wing is 7035 (although everything is backwards LOL) so you might want to request that. However, it's right next door to the VP Suite to where the "lounge" will be relocated very soon, which may be a negative or a positive to some. The "lounge" is currently set up along the wall next to the manager's office. There are a couple of photos posted several pages back.

Essentially, WL has been "halved." Walls are up which block the beautiful lounge view of Bay Lake and the CY. Check-out Wood Nymph's posts here over the last 4 days for more complete information. She's returning home today, but has provided a lot of valuable new information.

Thank you for helping me!! It's just so hard to wrap my head around all these changes.

Carla

 

[MickeyEars]

We're thinking of upgrading to a deluxe room. Does anyone like a particular one so we have some idea what to request?

Thanks!!
Carla

 

[goopysolelady]

Yes, all of those trees between the "hole" in your picture that used to be the pool and the water are gone. There are still some trees further down the former nature trail, though.

 

[jzuzphreek]

It'll take me some time to trawl through the vast amount of info in this thread, but I wanted to stop in to say that we'll be arriving at WL on 12/19/2016, and staying through 12/26/2016. It'll be our second trip to Disney, but our first time staying at WL, and our first time at Christmas!

We fell in love with WL when we had dinner on our first night of our first trip at Whispering Canyon. Our decision to stay here was further cemented upon reading the majority of positive regarding the WL Christmas decor!!

 

[WDWKOOK]

The following is now in POST 1 of the WL DVC Expansion thread HERE:



NEW!
1/13/15: Thank you to Wood Nymph for summarizing the current state of WL/VWL after her stay this week. (This is current as of 1/12/15. I will modify as I get more info.) I've done some editing and added some of my own comments which begin with *

The side of the South Wing that faces the villa is completely covered in scaffolding from the section that begins above the Cub's Den and goes along the entire south side. This scaffolding is more heavy duty than the scaffolding they used when they were doing the refurbishing work last year. We saw workmen climbing all over it, going up and down. And there were a lot of workman working on it. I couldn't tell what they were doing, though.

They have that whole area blocked off so you can't walk between the South Wing and the former Hidden Springs (VWL) pool anymore.

We walked to Trail's End at Fort Wilderness this morning and saw a lot of construction vehicles in the staging area near the end of the villas building. We took the boat from Fort Wilderness to the Magic Kingdom and we could see the construction work from the boat. Almost all of the trees that used to be around the Hidden Springs pool are completely gone. And for those of you who remember the pool, that was a lot of trees! We could see the backhoe working in that area.

We also did a little exploring after dinner tonight. I was surprised to find that they had blocked off the lovely sitting area that is located on the fifth floor above the main lobby entrance doors. That sitting area has a fireplace that had a fire going in it and two big armchairs. But no one can get to it because they have put up walls to block it. The only balcony sitting area that is still open is the fourth floor seating area above the lobby entrance. All of the other ones are closed off. I think this is the biggest surprise of all. I never expected them to alter the building as much as they are doing.

To summarize as best I can without pictures:

WL CURRENTLY UNCHANGED:

~Main lobby area of WL, WL pool, splash pad and Trout Pass Bar - still having pool parties, too.

~Restaurants - still serving same food in North Wing.

~Buses and their frequency - it seems like they are running on the normal schedule although there are less people on them.

~Boats - still running on the same schedule although there are less people on them.

~Wonderful, friendly cast members.

~The whole inner courtyard with the waterfall is still the same.



WL/VWL UNAVAILABLE OR MODIFIED:

~South wing closed - all floors.

~Entire bank of lobby elevators near The Mercantile are closed.

~Balcony viewing areas that face Bay Lake closed on fourth floor and fifth floors.

~Sitting area above front doors on fifth floor closed off.

~Beach closed.

~Marina closed.

~*Spa closed.

~Movies moved to villas building.

~Bike rentals are available I think. I saw all the bikes stacked at the Cubs Den play area. (*Bike rentals were to remain available at WL/VWL, but no longer at the marina.)

~Cub's Den closed.

~Old Faithful Club under major renovation with temporary *lounge set-up currently in corridor. Offerings have been reduced and guests must ask for most beverages. Window-area overlooking Bay Lake and Courtyard is blocked off. Plans are to move the OFC lounge to VP Suite soon while new lounge is being constructed out of two honeymoon suites in North Wing. There will no longer be seating surounding the lobby.

They haven't started the heavy construction yet so there really isn't very much disruption at this time. But once they really get going on building the new pool and the cabins, it is going to be one heck of a major project. I would hesitate to advise anyone to stay here during that time, unless you plan to be at the parks during the work hours and you get a good discount. And the courtyard rooms that face the main pool won't really be too affected.

 

[WDWKOOK]

WL is our favorite resort and we always stay there. Except for our upcoming trip, starting in 12 days, we booked AKL, because we didn't want to be around all the construction and noise, etc. Then today I get an email from Disney saying that there's a refurb going on at AKL! I realize it's not the same big thing that's going on at WL, but I started wondering if maybe we should just move to WL. I mean, if there's going to be construction and noise, maybe I'd rather be at my first choice.

Could anyone who's been there in the last week or so comment on the noise there? Thanks so much if you can.

ETA: I'd book a courtyard-view room. Don't know if that would make a difference.

You're kidding?! What's the nature of the AKL rehab - rooms, resort interior or exterior? Are amenities closed or parts of the resort closed? I'd stick with AKL seeing how many amenities and parts of WL are closed. If that doesn't matter to you, then having better transportation and fewer guests at WL is a big advantage over AKL. Unless you were booked CL, then I would stick with the Kilimanjaro Club.

Just returned from 6 nights ar CR garden wing. Def. stay at WL. I found the CR rooms large, but utterly lacking in charm of any sort. The hallways feel like a basement. Low ceilings made of tiles. CR main concourse felt like we were trapped in an airport. We will not be back to CR.

Currently, all amenities and areas of CR are available to guests, but they aren't at WL. It's important to keep that in mind when comparing the two resorts right now.

Quick update: We can see them moving furniture out of the rooms on the sixth and seventh floors of the south wing.

Do you really need to go home?! Even though you've switched to BC, will you stop by WL next month for a special report?

We're thinking of upgrading to a deluxe room. Does anyone like a particular one so we have some idea what to request?

Thanks!!
Carla

The Deluxe rooms at the end of the North Wing have an obstructed view due to trees, however, they may have actually cleared that area. If they have, then you'd have a direct Bay Lake/Marina view, which is what I would recommend. Otherwise, the mid-Lodge Deluxe rooms are probably a better choice. Location maps are in the DELUXE ROOM chapter.

It'll take me some time to trawl through the vast amount of info in this thread, but I wanted to stop in to say that we'll be arriving at WL on 12/19/2016, and staying through 12/26/2016. It'll be our second trip to Disney, but our first time staying at WL, and our first time at Christmas!

We fell in love with WL when we had dinner on our first night of our first trip at Whispering Canyon. Our decision to stay here was further cemented upon reading the majority of positive regarding the WL Christmas decor!!

Welcome to the thread, @jzuzphreek. I'll add your dates to the Lodgers' Log and let us know if you have any questions.

 

[MickeyEars]

Kook-
Please forgive me for so many questions!! Is Deluxe room 6123 closed? I wasn't sure if it is considered mid lodge or south wing.
Also do you think all the lounge traffic would make room 7035 unbearable? I love the view and the location but can we stand it?
Any idea when the lounge will be placed in the renovated honeymoon suites?

Thank you for your help and for all you do for us Lodge lovers!!

Carla

 

[Poola]

We have CY room booked for last of May. We plan to spend 4 days in the parks, and one day at the resort. Given the layout of WL, I'm thinking that the construction won't be too disruptive to our room or our day at the pool. True??? We also want to go to Fort Wilderness for some fried chicken and a wagon ride, and it sounds like we can still walk over. A little worried about the lobby, though. I'm confused . . . is the seating down in the lobby (first floor) still available?

 

[Miffy]

Kook--

The AKL is a refurb--of the CL, I believe, not full-out construction, however I'm concerned about noise. I mean, they sent me an email warning me about it, so they must be expecting more than nothing, although they refused to move me. If I want to move, I have to redo my reservations myself. Which I still might. I don't do noise well, which is why I don't stay at Value resorts, as beautiful as many of them are. And we use the resort room a lot, often during the day.

I'm guessing, from reading through here (as much as I could) that the heavy construction hasn't started at WL yet, and maybe no one knows exactly when it will start. We visited the Poly just to see the new lobby last February, and the noise there was deafening. Literally. So I certainly am not in love with that idea, even though I am in love with WL! I'd love someone who knows to say "the heavy construction at WL won't start until February 15th" or something. Then I'd just switch to WL and be done with it.

DH and I still haven't decided what we're going to do. It's quite expensive to move somewhere else at this late date, since most of the discounts are over and a lot of room categories are booked. I couldn't even get a room at the B, one of the few off-property places I'd even consider. They were totally booked. And I'm not amused at WDW for waiting until 12 days before our scheduled arrival to tell us about a refurb that I can't believe wasn't scheduled weeks, if not months, ago.

Ah well.

Many thanks to you, Kook, and all the other wonderful WL lovers on this thread!

 

[disneymomma76]

Joining this thread! Thanks for all the great info. We arrive at WDW on 6/12 and are staying 5 nights at AKV and then 10 nights at VWL. We seemed to be attracted to resorts under construction . (We stayed at the Poly in 7/15.) No worries though! Looking forward to all the fabulous updates.

 

[Wood Nymph]

I'm back at work today so I won't be back until after dinner, but I wanted to answer a few questions.

will you stop by WL next month for a special report?

Yes. I'm just as curious as you are.

The Deluxe rooms at the end of the North Wing have an obstructed view due to trees, however, they may have actually cleared that area. If they have, then you'd have a direct Bay Lake/Marina view, which is what I would recommend. Otherwise, the mid-Lodge Deluxe rooms are probably a better choice. Location maps are in the DELUXE ROOM chapter.

The trees and brush at the end of the north wing, in front of the deluxe rooms, are still there. So if you look out toward the lake then you still have trees in your way. The cleared area starts just a little beyond that.

Please forgive me for so many questions!! Is Deluxe room 6123 closed? I wasn't sure if it is considered mid lodge or south wing.
Also do you think all the lounge traffic would make room 7035 unbearable? I love the view and the location but can we stand it?
Any idea when the lounge will be placed in the renovated honeymoon suites?

Yes, 6123 is closed. All of those rooms are closed.

There really isn't very much lounge traffic but if you are going to be in the room right next door to the VP suite, then you will probably hear noise.

We also want to go to Fort Wilderness for some fried chicken and a wagon ride, and it sounds like we can still walk over. A little worried about the lobby, though. I'm confused . . . is the seating down in the lobby (first floor) still available?

The path to Fort Wilderness is open. We walked there for breakfast at Trails End and there were a lot of people walking on that path.

The main floor of the lobby is unchanged. The seating is the same, the view is the same, just the elevators are closed off. It is the upper floors that have had their seating areas closed off, all except the fourth floor seating area above the front doors. That area is open right now.

 

[Wood Nymph]

One more update -

The area by the villas:

We walked down the nature path to Fort Wilderness to spy on the construction by the villas. They are bringing in dump truck loads of sand. You could hear the crashing noise when they dumped the load. I assume they are mixing the sand with the soil. That area is mostly wetland, which means the soil needs a lot of prepping before you can build on it. I would think it would take some time to get all the soil prepped. The cast member we talked to said that the soil has to settle and reach a certain level of density or compaction or something like that, before they can start construction. I have no idea how long something like this takes. But it appears as if they have finished the tree clearing and are working on getting the area ready for construction.

The north side nearest the MK side of the resort:
They cleared out the trees in a section on the north side but nothing else is happening. The soil is wet and muddy and half of the cleared area has standing water on it. They don't seem to be doing anything with it right now. All the construction that we saw was happening in the villas area.

 

[MickeyEars]

Thank you Wood Nymph!! Your updates and information have been so helpful. It's so sweet of you to take the time to share!!

Show us pictures when you get the chance!!

Carla

 

[Wood Nymph]

pictures



I took this picture by looking through a gap in the construction fence behind the
Trout Bar. The beach is on the left, the marina is little building, the villas are on the right and the backhoe is near the place where the quiet pool used to be.

 

[Wood Nymph]

We walked down the nature trail and stopped to take pictures at the construction entrance. You can't see much because we were using our cell phones to take these pictures and we couldn't get close.

..




The villas building is on the left. The south wing of the WL is in the back. There are piles of sand just behind the fence. We saw dump trucks bringing in loads of sand and heard the crashing noise they made when they dumped their loads.



This is the section of the WL by the Cubs Den. They were painting when we saw them.