Disney's WILDERNESS LODGE Information & Questions

[WDWKOOK]

Just booked DH and I a night at WL due to a flight change. We'll be in a CYV room 2/26. We are staying at CSR Business Class for most of our trip (wanted confirmed King room) but when our flight changed I booked WL. DH has been wanting to stay there again so I'm surprising him. I have been aware of the construction but I didn't realize the extent of it.
It's not going to deter me, we'll still stay our night. But I have decided that a return to CL is off the table. The changes there would be quite sad.

Having fewer guests will be a nice benefit.
Thanks to all here for the blow by blow changes to the resort.

One thing I wanted to get my mind around... the main elevators are closed so the elevators are now where?
Last time we stayed there we were in the South Wing and we used an alternate elevator on that side. Is that the similar location for the North side elevators?

I'm actually thinking we'll request a 1st floor room just to avoid the whole elevator issue

YAY for booking, even for one night.

Just initiated our reservation through DVC Store.

I'm not terribly concerned about the construction, and we wanted a resort with some theming.

We're going back to the World!

Let us know when it's official

Thank you for posting these. Did you take them from the monorail? Love that boat tucked underneath the bushes and I wonder how long it's been there?

Castle View?

Yes, at least some of those cabins should be classified as TPV with a Wishes view. There will be 12 on the North Side.

 

[southernfriedmom]

BWI Club level has been our go to hotel for our family of 6 for 3 summers and I like to add 2-3 nights at least one other hotel to try something new. I was planning on 2 nights at WL in their 6 person CL room (never stayed at WL before) this May/June but now I am seeing all this talk of major refurb. Can someone catch me up and give some quick thoughts on how impacted my CL stay would be during this time frame? Should I wait? TIA

 

[WDWKOOK]

BWI Club level has been our go to hotel for our family of 6 for 3 summers and I like to add 2-3 nights at least one other hotel to try something new. I was planning on 2 nights at WL in their 6 person CL room (never stayed at WL before) this May/June but now I am seeing all this talk of major refurb. Can someone catch me up and give some quick thoughts on how impacted my CL stay would be during this time frame? Should I wait? TIA

Short answer, yes.

If you've never stayed at WL/VWL, I can't recommend your very first stay be during the construction project. The Deluxe rooms command a premium rate and I don't see that justified with all the construction and closures. Many of the amenities are unavailable and more than half of the WL rooms have been taken out of inventory. We don't know when the CL lounge rehab will be completed and as of now, the "lounge" is temporarily located in a corridor. It's slated to be temporarily moved, again, to the VP Suite, perhaps by the end of the month, but this isn't certain. We don't know how long it will take for it to move to its permanent location.

 

[Royal Consort]

We are visiting WDW this September. We unfortunately needed to amend our booking to do a split stay to save some money, so we are staying 6 out of our 10 nights at the Contemporary Theme Park View. We had wanted to return back to the Wilderness Lodge for the remaining four nights but after reading through this thread and seeing the pictures I have opted not to book. We've now booked at Port Orleans Riverside instead.

I am seeking advice so my question is: do you think WL would be ok by September or is keeping the POR reservation the best bet?

 

[WDWKOOK]

We are visiting WDW this September. We unfortunately needed to amend our booking to do a split stay to save some money, so we are staying 6 out of our 10 nights at the Contemporary Theme Park View. We had wanted to return back to the Wilderness Lodge for the remaining four nights but after reading through this thread and seeing the pictures I have opted not to book. We've now booked at Port Orleans Riverside instead.

I am seeking advice so my question is: do you think WL would be ok by September or is keeping the POR reservation the best bet?

No one knows exactly what they will be working on in September and what might be finished, but I would make the assumption that whatever is closed now, will likely still be closed in September, but maybe I'm being overly pessimistic.

The entire project is slated to be completed April 2017 so in September there will still be about 7 months of work left. Having said that, @GrandCalifornian is returning to WL in September, having stayed at POR (which they loved) on his last WDW vacation. He could offer better advice than I. Would this be your first stay at WL?

 

[fauntleroy1953]

Have been giving WL construction and CL construction lots of thought concerning our end of August visit. Back in December, we had to give up our usual room,7127, due to closure. We stayed in the mirror of that room,7035.
No big deal,but we knew it was just the beginning of bigger things to come.
The year before we weren't the least bit bothered by the big pool construction. We were actually looking forward to sitting by the small,quieter pool this past December,only to find that under construction,but this time,we asked for and received a discount, which was greatly appreciated. So here it is,our third visit in a row,and still,more construction,with an inside disruption now added. We've thought about a split stay,maybe BWI for 4 days and WL for 4 days. As silly as this sounds,just thinking about being at WDW and not staying at WL,just thinking about it,gave us serious withdrawal feelings,missing WL and we're not even physically there yet! Truth is,we just love WL,the whole feeling the environment gives us,that it's so hard to imagine being somewhere else. I don't think the outside construction will impact us at all. We love the full frontal view from 7035, so the trade off will be knowing that area won't be as deserted/ quiet this time because of OFC being right there. But we'll know that going in, and how much noise are we talking about? It's just people grabbing food/ eating.
We haven't totally discarded the idea of a split stay. It's an option that makes sense. But I believe that the more knowledge a person has,the better decision can be made, and due to these boards, we have as much info as a person can have. For us,we can deal with pretty much whatever WL is going to throw our way. it comes down to, very much,personal preference and state of mind going in. I can totally understand people not wanting to deal with any of this and waiting a year before returning here. Makes complete sense. As for us,at this moment,we feel we can still have our usual terrific time at WL,making adjustments as we go.
I'm so grateful for the people who have taken the time to post pictures and write their reports and impressions of the ongoing state of WL. It's so thoughtful to care enough to keep the rest of us posted. Removing the element of surprise goes a long way in helping deal with the situation.
DH and I never realized how much emotion we had invested in WL until the time came to think about the possibility of staying somewhere else. We surprised ourselves!
So we're still in and see what transpires over the next few months. I guess we're just hopeless when it comes to WL.

 

[Royal Consort]

No one knows exactly what they will be working on in September and what might be finished, but I would make the assumption that whatever is closed now, will likely still be closed in September, but maybe I'm being overly pessimistic.

The entire project is slated to be completed April 2017 so in September there will still be about 7 months of work left. Having said that, @GrandCalifornian is returning to WL in September, having stayed at POR (which they loved) on his last WDW vacation. He could offer better advice than I. Would this be your first stay at WL?

Thanks for your response WDWKOOK. No, this wouldn't be our first stay at Wilderness Lodge. I don't mind some refurbishment but it depends on the extent. Of course Disney never provide a lot of detail so it's hard to know exactly how extensive it will be at any given point. Ideally I'd prefer to stay at WL but I'd take the non-construction themeing of POR if WL is undergoing heavy construction and isn't discounted. Then again, if construction is minimal it wouldn't bother me.

 

[bluecastle]

I posted this question on another thread and haven't gotten any responses yet. Have any of you had a DVC owner make a res for you and you reimburse them? I guess this called "renting points" ? Anyhow, I know that you only get housekeeping on the 4th day, but are there any other pros and cons I should be aware of? It definitely seems like it would cost less. Also, the person has travel insurance, so if I had to cancel she would reimburse me. (this is a colleague at work, not a stranger)
Any info would be appreciated. She won't be making the res until November, so I have plenty of time to research.
TIA!

 

[WDWKOOK]

Yet another closure. I have no idea whether VWL/WL guests will be allowed access/transportation to CR's or GF's gym.

Wilderness Lodge's Sturdy Branches Health Club will be closed for refurbishment July - October 2016.
AllEars Newsletter

 

[rcraw45425]

thanks for the updates WDWKOOK!

 

[LBlovesM&WDW]

Yet another closure. I have no idea whether VWL/WL guests will be allowed access/transportation to CR's or GF's gym.

Wilderness Lodge's Sturdy Branches Health Club will be closed for refurbishment July - October 2016.
AllEars Newsletter

Well, hope they do allow WL guests to use the gym facilities at another resort. We aren't going till Dec, (who knows if it will actually be done on time), but this will be a big deal to my H who needs to work out to help back issues. Thank you for the update.

 

[5ofus]

I've just requested VWL for the first two nights of our stay in September before moving to CBR for the remaining 9 nights I have stayed there before and LOVE the WL I'm not overly concerned about the construction - I'm sure we'll be fine. My husband loved the GCV when we stayed there a few years ago so I know he's going to LOVE VWL

A question though... we're hoping to do a MNSSHP on our first night and are considering doing Hoop Dee Doo on our second. How hard is it to get to FW from VWL?

 

[rcraw45425]

I've just requested VWL for the first two nights of our stay in September before moving to CBR for the remaining 9 nights I have stayed there before and LOVE the WL I'm not overly concerned about the construction - I'm sure we'll be fine. My husband loved the GCV when we stayed there a few years ago so I know he's going to LOVE VWL

A question though... we're hoping to do a MNSSHP on our first night and are considering doing Hoop Dee Doo on our second. How hard is it to get to FW from VWL?

Super easy, they are literally side by side. There was a path that you could take untii the construction started, now I think that you have to walk on an access road, or you can take a boat to Ft Wilderness (super short ride) and then you just walk straight ahead a little ways.

 

[Wood Nymph]

A question though... we're hoping to do a MNSSHP on our first night and are considering doing Hoop Dee Doo on our second. How hard is it to get to FW from VWL?

The nature trail to FW begins right next to the park bus stop - which is right next to the villas building. It is a 20 minute walk to FW and Pioneer Hall. We really enjoy taking this path. Once you get to the pony stable head left to Pioneer Hall. Just don't take the path at night. It doesn't have any lights on it.

You can also take the boat to and from Hoop Dee Doo from the WL.

We walked this trail last month and it was open and will remain open during the construction, since it runs along a major access road to both the villas construction area and Fort Wilderness.

 

[Grand Admiral]

Let us know when it's official

It's official! I have sent my first half of payment and have a confirmation number.

 

[GrandCalifornian]

No one knows exactly what they will be working on in September and what might be finished, but I would make the assumption that whatever is closed now, will likely still be closed in September, but maybe I'm being overly pessimistic.

The entire project is slated to be completed April 2017 so in September there will still be about 7 months of work left. Having said that, @GrandCalifornian is returning to WL in September, having stayed at POR (which they loved) on his last WDW vacation. He could offer better advice than I. Would this be your first stay at WL?

Hello! Thanks for thinking of us, and sorry it took a couple of days to reply. We really love WL, and as @WDWKOOK mentioned we had a great stay at POR last trip. In our opinion it is a tough decision between the two resorts at their normal Disney prices, because they do such a good job of pricing just a little extra for the extra amenities you get. With the construction and the things that will be closed at WL (boat rental, beach, villas pool, lobby elevators, spa, and now the health club) it would tend to tip the balance to POR, but we are still going with WL largely because of its location. Since WL still has the great boat access to CR and MK we feel it will be worth some extra cost over POR for our trip. Also we are glad that the main pool and kids splash area will be open during our trip, while they were closed in September 2014 when we stayed at POR.

We still aren't sure what will be closed in September, but like @WDWKOOK we aren't expecting much more to re-open, we are just hoping more doesn't get closed. Deal breakers for us would be the boat transportation closing or possibly any issues with Roaring Fork, but at this point we think we'll be good for September.

Thanks for your response WDWKOOK. No, this wouldn't be our first stay at Wilderness Lodge. I don't mind some refurbishment but it depends on the extent. Of course Disney never provide a lot of detail so it's hard to know exactly how extensive it will be at any given point. Ideally I'd prefer to stay at WL but I'd take the non-construction themeing of POR if WL is undergoing heavy construction and isn't discounted. Then again, if construction is minimal it wouldn't bother me.

In your case since you will have the great CR location for a good portion of your trip, you might not need WL's location for the other days. When we stayed at POR the biggest thing we missed about WL was being so close to MK. Bay Lake is beautiful and we really like having the option of the boats to get around. With that being said, one of the great things about POR is the boat transportation to Disney Springs. In your case you could save your DS trips for when you are at POR and have the best of both worlds. I would still hop over and visit WL when you are staying at CR, but I would probably save the money for the remaining days of the trip and go with POR. We did stay in a preferred room at POR, which guarantees that you will be close to the lobby and main bus stop, and in our opinion is worth the extra cost. It also means you'll be in the Alligator Bayou section instead of the mansions. While the rooms are the same exact size, there are less rooms per building in AB, and they are only 2 story buildings. It gives a more rural spread out feel, which we prefer.

Either way you can't go too wrong since you'll be at Disney. Happy planning and let us know what you decide. Also we'd be glad to answer any POR questions for you.

 

[jade1]

Thank you for posting these. Did you take them from the monorail? Love that boat tucked underneath the bushes and I wonder how long it's been there?

Yes. Maybe Walt himself floated around in that.

 

[WDWKOOK]

Have been giving WL construction and CL construction lots of thought concerning our end of August visit. Back in December, we had to give up our usual room,7127, due to closure. We stayed in the mirror of that room,7035.
No big deal,but we knew it was just the beginning of bigger things to come.

The year before we weren't the least bit bothered by the big pool construction. We were actually looking forward to sitting by the small,quieter pool this past December,only to find that under construction,but this time,we asked for and received a discount, which was greatly appreciated. So here it is,our third visit in a row,and still,more construction,with an inside disruption now added. We've thought about a split stay,maybe BWI for 4 days and WL for 4 days.

As silly as this sounds,just thinking about being at WDW and not staying at WL,just thinking about it,gave us serious withdrawal feelings,missing WL and we're not even physically there yet! Truth is,we just love WL,the whole feeling the environment gives us,that it's so hard to imagine being somewhere else. I don't think the outside construction will impact us at all. We love the full frontal view from 7035, so the trade off will be knowing that area won't be as deserted/ quiet this time because of OFC being right there. But we'll know that going in, and how much noise are we talking about? It's just people grabbing food/ eating.

We haven't totally discarded the idea of a split stay. It's an option that makes sense. But I believe that the more knowledge a person has,the better decision can be made, and due to these boards, we have as much info as a person can have. For us,we can deal with pretty much whatever WL is going to throw our way. it comes down to, very much,personal preference and state of mind going in. I can totally understand people not wanting to deal with any of this and waiting a year before returning here. Makes complete sense. As for us,at this moment,we feel we can still have our usual terrific time at WL,making adjustments as we go.

I'm so grateful for the people who have taken the time to post pictures and write their reports and impressions of the ongoing state of WL. It's so thoughtful to care enough to keep the rest of us posted. Removing the element of surprise goes a long way in helping deal with the situation.

DH and I never realized how much emotion we had invested in WL until the time came to think about the possibility of staying somewhere else. We surprised ourselves! So we're still in and see what transpires over the next few months. I guess we're just hopeless when it comes to WL.

It sounds like you've convinced yourself of where your next stay will be. However, even if the South Wing were to re-open by the time you visit again, there's no guarantee that 7127 would even be available. There's also the possibility that 7035 might not be available. If it weren't available to you, would you still be happy? In the past, I've had to answer these same questions, although there wasn't any construction going on and the OFC was fully operational.

How's your recovery and how's your dad doing?

I posted this question on another thread and haven't gotten any responses yet. Have any of you had a DVC owner make a res for you and you reimburse them? I guess this called "renting points" ? Anyhow, I know that you only get housekeeping on the 4th day, but are there any other pros and cons I should be aware of? It definitely seems like it would cost less. Also, the person has travel insurance, so if I had to cancel she would reimburse me. (this is a colleague at work, not a stranger)

Any info would be appreciated. She won't be making the res until November, so I have plenty of time to research.
TIA!

One big con to me is that you don't control the reservation and you usually can't make any changes or cancel when renting points. Travel insurance would be a benefit, but isn't free, so I assume this cost would be passed on to you?

Hello! Thanks for thinking of us, and sorry it took a couple of days to reply. We really love WL, and as @WDWKOOK mentioned we had a great stay at POR last trip. In our opinion it is a tough decision between the two resorts at their normal Disney prices, because they do such a good job of pricing just a little extra for the extra amenities you get. With the construction and the things that will be closed at WL (boat rental, beach, villas pool, lobby elevators, spa, and now the health club) it would tend to tip the balance to POR, but we are still going with WL largely because of its location. Since WL still has the great boat access to CR and MK we feel it will be worth some extra cost over POR for our trip. Also we are glad that the main pool and kids splash area will be open during our trip, while they were closed in September 2014 when we stayed at POR.

We still aren't sure what will be closed in September, but like @WDWKOOK we aren't expecting much more to re-open, we are just hoping more doesn't get closed. Deal breakers for us would be the boat transportation closing or possibly any issues with Roaring Fork, but at this point we think we'll be good for September.



In your case since you will have the great CR location for a good portion of your trip, you might not need WL's location for the other days. When we stayed at POR the biggest thing we missed about WL was being so close to MK. Bay Lake is beautiful and we really like having the option of the boats to get around. With that being said, one of the great things about POR is the boat transportation to Disney Springs. In your case you could save your DS trips for when you are at POR and have the best of both worlds. I would still hop over and visit WL when you are staying at CR, but I would probably save the money for the remaining days of the trip and go with POR. We did stay in a preferred room at POR, which guarantees that you will be close to the lobby and main bus stop, and in our opinion is worth the extra cost. It also means you'll be in the Alligator Bayou section instead of the mansions. While the rooms are the same exact size, there are less rooms per building in AB, and they are only 2 story buildings. It gives a more rural spread out feel, which we prefer.

Either way you can't go too wrong since you'll be at Disney. Happy planning and let us know what you decide. Also we'd be glad to answer any POR questions for you.

I knew you'd have great advice

 

[TheFloatingBear]

Hi all!

We're staying at the WL from 4/15-17/16, for the front end of a split stay. We stayed here last April and just love it! I got a lot of valuable information before our trip lurking on this thread, and it's been very helpful to get an idea of the construction impact this year, so thanks to everyone that's been posting about it!

Any thoughts or suggestions about room/reservation requests, given the current construction? Or maybe it doesn't matter? We're Courtyard - we were in the South wing last year, I believe, and we had cool (and unexpected!) peeks of Wishes, but I think that's the side that currently closed. Any thoughts would be helpful - thanks!

 

[GrandCalifornian]

Hi all!

We're staying at the WL from 4/15-17/16, for the front end of a split stay. We stayed here last April and just love it! I got a lot of valuable information before our trip lurking on this thread, and it's been very helpful to get an idea of the construction impact this year, so thanks to everyone that's been posting about it!

Any thoughts or suggestions about room/reservation requests, given the current construction? Or maybe it doesn't matter? We're Courtyard - we were in the South wing last year, I believe, and we had cool (and unexpected!) peeks of Wishes, but I think that's the side that currently closed. Any thoughts would be helpful - thanks!

Your trip is getting close. Yay! Room requests won't matter a whole lot, but what we would do is go for a "bear face" room by requesting open to lobby with a courtyard view. There might be some noise from WCC but we love the view. There are still a few of these rooms open. Beyond that you could request high floor for better views and less noise or low floor to not have as long of a ride on the single bank of elevators that are open. You really can't go wrong though, so enjoy your stay and let us know how it goes.