Is WL worth it?

[rockin_rep]

Originally posted by John Dobbertin
WL will save you a trip to Yellowstone. WL is a direct steal of the Old Faithful Inn at Yellowstone National Park (built c. 1904). This is one of the great hotels in the U.S. We do wish the boat service (& we've posted on this one before) to MK was up to Disney standards. But the hotel is absolutely fabulous. If you have any sense of the Great Hotels of the National Parks, Disney's WL is in that category.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooo Myyyyyy Goooooosh!!

You obviously have NOT been to Yellowstone's Old Faithful Inn, or Grand Canyon's El Tovar, or Glacier's Lodge or Crater Lake's National Park Inn or Yosemite's Ahwanee or Mt. St. Helen's Paradise Lodge....etc etc etc.

Noooooooooooooo comparison whatsover. That's like comparing apples to brocolli! But if it makes you feel better, good for you! And i mean that in all sincerity.

That reminds me of the saying: "Until you taste steak, hamburger tastes good."

 

[John Dobbertin]

Hey, Rockinrep you're way-way wrong. I actually worked at East Glacier Park at the Glacier Park Lodge for two summers. My job took me frequently to Many, Lake McD, Prince of Wales & all the motor lodges owned by Glacier Park , Inc. I know all of those places extremely well. I've been to Yellowstone & the Inn. All I can say about WL is it is far superior mechanically (every room has a bathroom unlike the main building at Old Faithful), the heating pipes don't bang & clang, & WL's lobby is about four-times the size -- even the fireplace is in the same corner (minus the clock, of course). Whispering Canyon restaurant is an absolute direct-steal of the dining room at Old Faithful. Look at a picture of the exterior of the Inn at Old Faithful, and then put a piciture of the exterior of WL right next to it. Amazing, isn't it?!

 

[Linda88]

Adding an extra question has anyone stayed concierge at WL? Wondered if rooms any bigger, what lounge like etc

 

[rockin_rep]

Hey john, PLEEEEZE don't tell people that 'visiting WL will save them from visiting Yellowstone!!!!!"

WL is a re-creation of a lodge, a *place to sleep*.
It is absolutely nothing like actually sleeping and visiting a NATIONAL PARK. And you should know that with your experience!!!

Old Faithful Inn is only a FRACTION of Yellowstone, a teeny tiny little piece of it - a hotel - a place to sleep after one explores thousands of acres of grandeur within Yellowstone National Park!

You speak of 'mechanics'? You MAY hear the banging of the OLD OLD Pipes of Historic Old Faithful Inn --- but its the REAL DEAL. Walk out of the private 2nd floor balcony of Old Faithful with your morning coffee or evening cocktail and gaze at one of the wonders of the world, Old Faithful erupting in all it's glory. Won't see that at WL! And you also won't see around WL all the sizzling, colorful paint pots, the buffalo, moose and bears roaming and a myriad of other natural wonders.

Yellowstone National Park is MUCH more than the Wilderness Lodge that was manufactured at DisneyWorld!
To say "WL is like being in Yellowstone" does a MAJOR dis-service to our spectacular National Parks!!!!!!!!

I would hope EVERYONE has the opportunity to explore Yellowstone and ALL our great national parks at some time in their lives and not just *settle* for seeing something that *resembles* just a FRACTION of one.

One last thought..... Please don't suggest that if you've seen WL, you've seen Yellowstone. That would be like sending a picture of your newborn baby to the grandparents and saying "with this picture, theres no need to actually see the baby in person!!!!!!!!!!!"

 

[John Dobbertin]

Can't argue the grandeur of Yellowstone or any of the National Parks. WL has a grandeur of its own. And I'll stay with the argument about WL. The old Park lodges are darned-right uncomfortable. The Inn, Many, McD, Prince of Wales have been redone at a cost of millions-and-millions. However, they still are not up to the expectations of this new generation. In the original "Old House" Old Faithful Inn first-floor rooms share baths; only 10 rooms in the place with private bath -- wonder if you could start a "thread" on that if Disney tried shared baths at their hotels/resorts at WDW. In renovation some sinks were added, that's about it. At Glacier the old closets in the lodges were made large for steamer-trunks (folks would move in for a month) -- so those closets have been converted to baths. WL has captured the spirit of the Old Faithful Inn -- and left out the discomfort. WL views are not too shabby either. And MK is a boatride away. Also agree that everyone should visit the National Parks, they are wonderful. Especially "the forgotten" National Park: Glacier. But brace yourself for the very rustic accommodations!

 

[PratersloveDW]

I vote you try it! It is a beautiful place and the boat ride is so peaceful. We would take it for round trip rides just for the enjoyment. Good luck with your choice and have fun!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Originally posted by John Dobbertin
But brace yourself for the very rustic accommodations!

My favorite is Crater Lake NP (met my DH there 25 years ago...) and that lodge has been redone and the rooms are now very nice. They used to be tiny with shared baths. Yes, the shared baths would go over very well at WDW.

T&B

 

[NoodlesTheRabbit]

WL is phenomenal, amazing, and absolutely incredible.

 

[rockin_rep]

Oh john, you're making me LOL. You just don't get it ... or perhaps you just don't wanna admit it.... Or maybe you just love comparing apples to brocolli??!

Some of the national park inns are rustic, making them perfect for the national parks! NOT perfect for WDW, OBVIOUSLY. No one is disputing that. Disney is a world of it's own. National Parks are totally different.

Certainly not ALL national park inns are rustic. You obvioulsy haven't been to the VERY ELEGANT and Expensive AHWANNEE!!! Many nat'l park lodges are similar to holiday inns, such as Seqoia NP, Bryce Canyon NP, Crater Lake NP etc - we've been to them all.

Oh, I am NOT a camper (ewwww - THAT is rustic!) and i do just fine at the nat'l park lodges!

But once again and for the last time, as i won't return to this thread:

To see WL is NOT to see Yellowstone Nat'l Park. NOT EVEN CLOSE. And it is downright wrong to suggest otherwise.

 

[rockin_rep]

PS:

The Ahwahnee is in spectacular Yosemite National Park, California. It offers elegance, luxury and comfort -- and is very pricey. All within steps of some of the most amazing natural wonders of the world.

Another national park everyone should explore at least once in their lifetime!

I don't know about your generation john, but many in mine (30s) LOVE LOVE LOVE Disney, but also love our national parks as well! In fact, our generation is loving them soo much, we're loving them *to death*....but that's another issue for all the national park boards.

 

[John Dobbertin]

Rockinrep -- Note on your logs you've never stayed at WL. You need to stay there some time. Then trot on out to Yellowstone for a comparison. As far as Yosemite it is overrun by Californians. I assume you made your reservation to stay at The Ahwahnee in another life -- that's about what it takes. . . plus a large wad of money. The Ahwahnee opened a quarter-century after the Old Faithful Inn so it learned from the mistakes made by others. Drive a few hundred miles and enjoy a real National Park -- Glacier. Hike on the hundreds of miles of trails. Stay at Sperry. Find out what real rustic is.

 

[John Dobbertin]

Linda88 -- Concierge at WL is on the top floor (believe it's the fifth level). Rooms are same as others in WL -- not large, but well done. Standard WDW bathroom. Concierge service is located along a balcony walkway. Dramatic views of the lobby, but nothing really fancy.

Tigger&Belle -- You're kidding about the shared baths, right? I mean two families of Mom-Dad 2 children -- eight people sharing a bath? Maybe OK 40 years ago when four adults (two in each room) shared one bath -- but not at WDW. Or maybe you're not kidding and want to post it to Eisner?

 

[tinkerbee]

I would just because it's a good rate. I think WL is a wonderful place to visit, but if you have to pay full price for a room there is now way.

I personally don't care for the rustic feel but we have stayed there before just to say we have. My taste is more Poly or OKW. Only because if I'm going to Florida I want to feel like I'm in Florida not like in my back yard (woods). But GO for it!!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Originally posted by rockin_rep

Certainly not ALL national park inns are rustic. You obvioulsy haven't been to the VERY ELEGANT and Expensive AHWANNEE!!! Many nat'l park lodges are similar to holiday inns, such as Seqoia NP, Bryce Canyon NP, Crater Lake NP etc - we've been to them all.

Crater Lake NP is like a Holiday Inn? Huh? The CL that I grew up going to in Oregon? There must be another Crater Lake. lol Nothing like a HI and I'm sure that I can find a link to support that. You are obviously thinking of another place...how many Holiday Inns sit on the edge (and I do mean edge) of a caldera that is now holding the deepest, most gorgeous color blue-looking water you can imagine?

Here's a link--hopefully it will work:

http://www.craterlakelodges.com/galleries/lodging.htm

Truly a one of a kind place and the lodge is wonderful...we got the VIP treatment when we were visiting there a couple years ago (day trip) when they found out that my DH and I used to work there when we were college kids and that that is where we met. They showed us a room, which was very nice, especially considering what the rooms looked like before the major rehab.

No, of course WL isn't like going to a NP, but if you live on the other side of the country from where you grew up and like that sort of thing it's the next best thing to being there.

John Dobbertin, I was kidding about WDW offering shared baths! LOL That could be fun and you'd have to pity anyone having to share a bath with my teenage daughter!

T&B

 

[John Dobbertin]

Tigger&Belle -- Much -- bad pun here -- relieved you were kidding re. shared bath for WDW! Meanwhile happy to know you are a fellow alum of working for National Park lodge in your youth! Hope you have the fabulous book "Great Lodges of the National Parks" done by Christine Barnes to accompany the four-part PBS series by the same name. Many pages on fabulous Crater Lake Lodge. All Holiday Inns should be like this!

 

[limabeanmom2003]

I simply love WL, but you just can't compare it with national park lodges. They are two different things! WL is a re-creation of the NP lodges with all of the features of a resort added. The NP lodges are the real thing even if they are more rustic. We stayed at Paradise Inn at Mt. Rainier. That is one of the most beautiful places in the world. I have never been to Yellowstone, but Disney just can't re-create the beauty of a national park. My husband loves to camp, so when we travel to national parks, we camp part of the time and stay at a lodge part of the time. I am not a huge fan of camping, so after spending a few nights in a tent, I sure don't mind sharing a bathroom at the lodge!

 

[John Dobbertin]

Now that you've stayed at the WL you need to go to Yellowstone & stay in "The Old House" portion of the Inn at Old Faithful. When you've done that, post your thoughts! Thanks.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Originally posted by limabeanmom2003
We stayed at Paradise Inn at Mt. Rainier. That is one of the most beautiful places in the world.

My DH and I also worked at Paradise Lodge. Yes, a beautiful place! We've been back, but it's been years ago and I hope the place is still there when we make it back to Washington.

John, those national park college days were wonderful! No, I don't have the book, but will look it up on the internet.

Maybe I'd have the $ for more Nat'l Park visits if I'd quit spending it all at WDW!

One place I'd like to go back to (it's been almost 30 years) is Banff in BC. That is one of the prettiest places I've ever been to.

So many places, so little time!

T&B

 

[John Dobbertin]

Tigger&Belle -- Paradise Inn is also featured in the book. Gorgeous color photos. In fact, on p. 51 is a b&w photo that was "borrowed" by WDW, enlarged, doctored (sign reworked!) and is on the wall by the elevators in the VWL (originality is the art of concealing one's sources!). Great Lodges of the National Parks book was $35 when it first came out -- I suspect you'll find it somewhere at a discounted price. The cover is a four-color of the Inn at Old Faithful -- and it might as well be a photo of the WL (minus Old Faithful going off). If you are a fan of WL and the lodges of the National Parks, you should also find the four-part PBS series. It was very well done. Agree about Banff. Also, if you're ever at East Glacier at 19 I was the PR guy for Glacier Park, Inc. I lived in the chalet (for 2 summers) right next to the swimming pool, behind the Glacier Park Lodge.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I've never been to Glacier Park, but will one day!

I worked 3 summers for concession companies--2 at CL and one at Mt Rainier. My favorite job was working the "buffet truck", pronounced like it's spelled. I sat at the top of the trail to the lake (if I remember it was about a mile down into the caldera to reach the lake and it seemed a lot more getting back up the hill...) selling candy, soda, and beer. What a summer! I had the blondest hair and the darkest tan (and probably did a number on my skin that summer) and was bored to death, but I sure did meet and talk with a lot of people. Seems like ages ago!

Fun times, though!

T&B