How Does WL Compare?

[MAKHayes-DisneyDiva]

My DH, DS 8 and I LOVE the YC, and sort of like CSR. Please tell me how WL compares to either or both of these resorts, in terms of rooms, atmosphere, food, pools, transportation, beds, service...or anything else you can think of. We are leaning toward WL for our next WDW trip. Thanks!!

 

[brergnat]

I cannot answer, but am interested in the responses. We LOVE WL but I really want to stay at the YC for our next trip. However, I'm having a very, very hard time convincing myself to take the plunge.

I can tell you for sure, the WL is a fabulous resort. I've stayed there 3 times, and I like it better than:

Port Orleans Riverside
Pop Century
All Star Music and Movies
Contemporary Resort

In my personal opinion, it has the PERFECT balance of atmosphere, recreational activities, dining options, and proximity to the parks.

The only thing I find lacking is the bus service. I hate sharing buses with the Ft. Wilderness and sometimes Poly and GF. If we stay there on our next trip, we are DEFINITELY renting a car. Getting from point A to point B from the WL takes too much time, unless point A is the boat dock and point B is the MK (which is the only efficient transport that exists at the lodge). Imagine our frustration with trying to get from the WL to the Poly for dinner one night and it taking ONE HOUR!!! Yes, I'm serious. You can practically throw a rock to the Poly from the WL, but for some reason, it took us an hour to get from the WL to the MK to the Poly. If we had known, we would have taken a cab...

 

[HM]

I've stayed at both WL and YC.
WL rooms are smaller and the decor is darker than at YC.
There is no day bed at WL like at YC (though not all YC rooms have them....ours didn't)
WL has the newer flat screen tvs and dimmers for the lights over the beds.
WL has bunks in some rooms, not available at YC.

WL has a quick food place (Roaring Forks) which YC didn't have. They both have nice sit-down restaurants.
WL pool is much smaller and we've found it to be just as crowded at the main pool at YC gets midday. WL pool has a smaller slide. We liked them both.

Transportation is similar for both resorts. Most buses will go to another resort as well as yours. They both have boat service to at least one park. You can walk from YC to two parks, but can't do so at WL.

I like both places, but I prefer WL because it is less expensive and seems more compact.

 

[java]

Where do you live now? We live in the mountains so the Wilderness Lodge didn't really seem like vacation to us I guess. The running water was our favorite part. We stayed pre renovation and it really needed it.
Step up from CSR. and maybe a step down from the YC.

Not a huge fan of the YC either(we are BC people) but it does have that great pool. WL- not so much. YC also is walking to Epcot. WL no walking to any parks. The boat is nice to get to MK but everyplace else is a BUS. And I LOATHE the bus.

*boy I sound like a princess don't I

For us in order of favorites to least favs of the places we have stayed are

GF
Poly
BC
Swolphin
YC(although in all fairness we had a TERRIBLE room) It was the one time I didn't pay up for water view and what we got was a tiny view of the valet- the rest of the room was covered by that awning entrance thing- so the room itself was waaaaay dark even with the shades open.
WL(again dark room)
CSR(DR again)
It is all personal taste though.

I felt rushed at the WL check in- they didn't give us any information just our keys I had to go back to get the "packet" you usually get with park info ect.

Just wasn't my cup of tea. We are trying the Boardwalk this time! Fingers crossed that the scary clown pool doesn't ruin the trip- hence the water park option on the tickets.

 

[MAKHayes-DisneyDiva]

Where do you live now?

Good question! We live in Ohio, so pretty much any resort will seem new and exotic! (Just kidding, if my fellow Buckeyes are reading this.) Thanks for your input. All replies are very helpful.

 

[mumom95]

Where do you live now?

Good question! We live in Ohio, so pretty much any resort will seem new and exotic! (Just kidding, if my fellow Buckeyes are reading this.) Thanks for your input. All replies are very helpful.

I also live in Ohio. We went this past November and stayed at the WL and absolutely loved it. But you are right, any of the resorts seem new and exotic compared to Ohio, especially if you go in the winter

 

[GQ's Ghost]

The yacht and beach club and wilderness lodge are our 2 favorite resports (i count yc / bc as 1 resort becuse they basically are).

When we have extra monet, we stay at the yc / bc. WL when we are trying to save. the extra $50 a night adds up.

Yes, the pool at YC is better, but it also has more work. At the YC, you have to pay attention to your kids more. the pool is huge and has currents and the slide is too far away. So if your kid swims, you swim.

At the WL, you can find a seat and observe the entire pool area without getting wet.

YC / BC has more dining options, since you can walk to the boardwalk or swan dolphin.

Being able to walk to 2 parks is the big draw for yc / bc. Where everything for wl is a boat or bus ride away.

 

[Gooofy-Blade]

Where do you live now? We live in the mountains so the Wilderness Lodge didn't really seem like vacation to us I guess. The running water was our favorite part.

OK, as an Eastern Kentuckian I can sure appreciate the joke that you missed on this one!! We loved the indoor plumbing as well!!!

Seriously, the WL is our favorite.....if nothing else, the lobby speaks for itself!

 

[LilGMom]

We love the WL!! But we live in a coastal FL community so the woodsy feeling makes it feel like that much more of an escape. While Roaring Forks doesn't offer a ton of choices it offers enough of a variety to appease a family with two picky eaters. WCC is a favorite of ours for breakfast or dinner. I can't comment on the buses since we drive down and have our car that we use. When we visit MK we take the boat over to MK and when we visit Epcot we take the boat to MK and hop the monorail to Epcot. If we were to visit Poly we'd probably hop the boat to MK and then hop the monorail to TCC and then to Poly. If visiting CR we just hop the boat going to CR. Pool can get crowded but I like that it is smaller so it isn't as easy to lose sight of anyone.

I should be saying that I hate WL so less people will stay there and I won't have any issues getting rooms for a spur of the moment trip.

 

[eliza61]

I love them both. I would say that because WL is a stand alone resort and is heavily wooded, I thought it was very peaceful & relaxing. YC/BC is (or at least seems to be) more lively especially at night with the Broadwalk area. I do like the WL pool area better (even though SAB is the better pool). The area around SAB/Beaches & cream can get really crowded (we generally go late August/early september) especially on a hot afternoon. I didn't have that feeling at the WL.

 

[Disney loving Iowan]

We love both of these resorts so much that we are doing a split stay when we go in May. Will will have 3 nights a VWL and 4 at BCV. I prefer the atmosphere and beauty of WL but love the pool and location of the BC/YC. You can't go wrong with either one.

 

[MAKHayes-DisneyDiva]

Where do you live now? We live in the mountains so the Wilderness Lodge didn't really seem like vacation to us I guess. The running water was our favorite part.

OK, as an Eastern Kentuckian I can sure appreciate the joke that you missed on this one!! We loved the indoor plumbing as well!!!

Seriously, the WL is our favorite.....if nothing else, the lobby speaks for itself!

I get it now!!
My Husband taught at EKU for 7 years. I taught in Jessamine County for a while, and actually had students without running water. Yikes! Where do you live?

Back to the topic, when was WL renovated? I read somewhere that it was showing its age, and that the beds were uncomfortable. Maybe this was written before a renovation?

 

[java]

'OH MY!! I meant the river thing that runs through the lobby!!!
Not the TOILETS!