fitness center/health club at VWL

[wscato]

DH and I will be staying at the Villas at Wilderness Lodge in October. This will be our first time at the VWL. Do DVC members have access to the fitness center for free? From the allearsnet.com fact sheet it says "The Sturdy Branches Health Club offers daily or length of stay membership for individuals or families." So I assume there is a fee.
What type of weight lifting equipment is in this facility?

Thanks so much.

Ginger

 

[spiceycat]

all DVC member get free access to all DVC resort gym/health club/fitness center.

all WDW resort guest get free access to their gym. (if there is one)

It is very, very nice - I have a picture - I will see if I can find it.

 

[NewJerseyDVCMembers]

Sturdy Branches is free for DVC members. Altough it is not that big, they have squeezed a lot of nice equipment in there. There is new nautilus equipment, free weights and lots of cardio (Treadmills, bikes and steppers). Go either when they first open (6 or 7am) or near the times when the park gates open. We've found that sacrificing the early entry times at the parks gives us the gym to ourselves. Don't forget your earphones, they have tv's in the wall above the cardio.
If you jog VWL is in our opinion the best place for it. You can start just outside of the villas building and go down the nature trail or the bike trail towards Fort Wilderness. We love it.
And don't forget, the harder you excercise the more you can eat!!!

 

[quentina]

Hit SSR...I am pretty sure it is free to members no matter where you stay. The Gym is incredible.

Kim

 

[wscato]

Thanks for the replies everyone!
NewJerseyDVCMembers, thanks for the detailed reply and the trail info. I didn't realize you could jog to Fort Wilderness. We will give that a try.

Kim, We've stayed at SSR and loved the gym there. I know we could use it. But when I'm on vacation I'm too lazy to drive over. LOL But if there is one where I'm staying, I'll use it.

Ginger

 

[bjakmom]

Do they have a locker room that we could use just to change? I made a PS at AP for dinner one night and booked a Wishes Cruise leaving from WL - if Wishes end up being scheduled at 10 PM or so, I was thinking we could take our suits, have dinner, swim a bit in the pool and enjoy VWL atmosphere, then find somewhere to change before we had to meet the boat for the cruise. How doable do you think this would be? Is the spa near the VWL pool or the main WL pool?

 

[NewJerseyDVCMembers]

There are lockers near the main pool, on the side of the trout pass bar. I'm not sure about changing rooms at the main pool. There are changing/locker rooms in the health club, which can be accessed from the pool area on the vacation club side. You may need to go into the health club and "check-in" to get a locker.

 

[spiceycat]

the spa is really just part of the gym.

Yes I think you can do what you want. just be prepared with DVC member card - if anyone asks plus your resort ID.

 

[jaysue]

Sturdy Branches is a great place to work out and right by the quiet pool as well - as others have stated make sure you have your blue card and your tink room key to use the facilities

Enjoy!

 

[bjakmom]

Thanks ! You're all mentioning to bring my room key - we'll be staying at the Swan for the weekend (saving my points for big family trip in October at BWV) will it make a difference that I'm not staying at a DVC resort even if I have my DVC card with me, or will the Swan room key do? is it just that you need to be staying onsite?