We had a marvelous time. 7 nights in the Wilderness Lodge, MNSSHP on Halloween night and the Food & Wine festival during the days. Of all my trips there, this was definitely the best! 
The new Concierge lounge (The Old Faithful Club) is a huge improvement.
Just to address some "controversies":
1. Didn't buy refillable mugs and didn't take ours from last year. With the free sodas in the Club lounge, and Roaring Forks on the **** end of the hotel from our room it just didn't seem practical.
For years I've fallen on the side of "you have to buy a new refillable mug for each visit." Ethically I'm still there. But I really wish Disney would design and print new mugs every 6-12 months. They're a good souvenier. The ones this year were Exactly the same as the ones more than a year ago. Want to discourage people from reusing the mug? Make it obvious that the mugs they have are "last year's model". That should do it. And it would encourage people like me to collect the new ones.
2. Didn't tip our housekeeper. We did last time. I noticed no difference in service, and didn't feel that it was necessary after reading that Disney lists this as a "non-tipped" position. We tipped all over the parks in the restaurants, at the valet, etc. I saw no sense in tipping for a room that only had two adults in it. My husband and I were very good at picking up after ourselves. We paid a lot to stay there. Etc.
3. There were a few pool-hoppers (I overheard their conversation) which wasn't too bad. The WL is so hellandgone from everywhere else that they had to really work to come over to our pool. Don't get it. The water is the same everywhere. But they were well-behaved.
Our room (7127) had a great view. It is one of the few on the Concierge level facing the pool and the lake. However, it is right next to a service area/maintenance room, and we were kept awake by an intermittent noise that sounded like a buzz saw/powerdrill/motor. That was not so cool.
The new Concierge lounge (The Old Faithful Club) is a huge improvement.
Just to address some "controversies":
1. Didn't buy refillable mugs and didn't take ours from last year. With the free sodas in the Club lounge, and Roaring Forks on the **** end of the hotel from our room it just didn't seem practical.
For years I've fallen on the side of "you have to buy a new refillable mug for each visit." Ethically I'm still there. But I really wish Disney would design and print new mugs every 6-12 months. They're a good souvenier. The ones this year were Exactly the same as the ones more than a year ago. Want to discourage people from reusing the mug? Make it obvious that the mugs they have are "last year's model". That should do it. And it would encourage people like me to collect the new ones.
2. Didn't tip our housekeeper. We did last time. I noticed no difference in service, and didn't feel that it was necessary after reading that Disney lists this as a "non-tipped" position. We tipped all over the parks in the restaurants, at the valet, etc. I saw no sense in tipping for a room that only had two adults in it. My husband and I were very good at picking up after ourselves. We paid a lot to stay there. Etc.
3. There were a few pool-hoppers (I overheard their conversation) which wasn't too bad. The WL is so hellandgone from everywhere else that they had to really work to come over to our pool. Don't get it. The water is the same everywhere. But they were well-behaved.
Our room (7127) had a great view. It is one of the few on the Concierge level facing the pool and the lake. However, it is right next to a service area/maintenance room, and we were kept awake by an intermittent noise that sounded like a buzz saw/powerdrill/motor. That was not so cool.
