Laundry machines at the Wilderness Lodge?

[ZIPBAGS]

We are going for 7 nights to the WL. I have 3 young kids. If necessary do they have laundry machines? And if yes...how crowded do they get? Can I get a fast pass?

 

[FromVatoDisney]

We are going for 7 nights to the WL. I have 3 young kids. If necessary do they have laundry machines? And if yes...how crowded do they get? Can I get a fast pass?

Hi Zip,

We went for 7 nights July 13 to 20. The laundry is on the ground floor. It is across from the elevators that are nearest to Roaring Forks snack bar. We planned all along to do laundry during some down time, and DH offered to do it. He had no problem doing laundry on a Sunday afternoon. I don't think he encountered any waiting. I think when you're going for that amount of time, it's worth it to do laundry, it just cuts way down on the number of clothes you have to pack. Just bring lots of quarters.

 

[CAJUNWDWFAN]

We also plan on doing a little laundry on our trip Dec. 11th to 20th.

thanks for the info.

 

[kda]

There's only a few machines and I've had to wait for a washer and/or a dryer several times in the evening, between 6 and 10 PM. I think it requires planning and great flexibility to get laundry done at WL. Don't assume you can just walk in and do it. I've had to postpone to another day.

 

[DANAW]

We have had to wait for machines at the WL when attempting to do laundry around dinner time/early evening. However, I have found if you get up at the crack of dawn, you will have the place all to yourself!

 

[gepetto]

it can get crowded and there aren't many machines. a lot of people put their stuff in the dryers and left...for hours. aw:

 

[WiscMomof2]

When I did laundry there in 2003 I went first thing in the morning and there were open machines. I found the dryers to be a little on the cool side so you may have to run it for more than one cycle.

 

[SomePixiedust]

I had luck just after noon. There are 5 or 6 washing machines and 10 dryers. Yes, I too found that the dryers needed a second go round. They washers and dryers are $2 per cycle and there is a change machine in the room that makes change for $1's & $5's. There is also a detergent machine $1 per box (does one load). I brought my own. I bought some powder and measured it into small ziploc bags for each load, then packed them all together in a bigger ziploc with some dryer sheets. I also pack a stain stick---that ALWAYS comes in handy

 

[pooh2001]

Laundry tips:

1) at majority of resorts - best time is at 6 AM or earlier
- check hours, it may be open 24 hours a day

2) bring your own detergent & dryer sheets
- see if you can find detergent tablets, pack one per ziplock bag
- bring dryer sheets, again pack one per ziplock bag

3) bring a roll of quarters in a ziplock bag (easier after opeing)

4) designate one suitcase for laundry

5) if staying 10 days or more, do laundry mid-trip and before the last day

6) bring a small container of woolite - or another gentle brand of detergent,
and a bungee cord, thin rope, or clothes line (hang in bathtub)
wash your bathing suits and private items in the room


We stay 10 days or more. We do laundry at least twice during our WDW vacation. We also plan some AM's to use the pool and do a Park later in the day (great day's for laundry)

 

[FromVatoDisney]

Early to mid afternoon was when DH had his luck doing laundry. I don't think most people were thinking about laundry.. they were at the parks or in the pool. Another thing in our favor was he did the laundry on a Sunday. That's a travel day for many people... we did a Wednesday to Wednesday stay which was beneficial for many reasons.

The previous poster mentioned the bathtub... in our room at WL, there were two metal hooks, one on either side of the tub, at shower height. One of these contains a knob that, when you pull it, pulls out a clothesline that you can then hook onto to the hook on the other side. It is wonderful for hanging up bathing suits or clothes you don't want to put in the dryer. Sorry if this is obvious to everyone but me but I was surprised it was there. Dh, who stays in many more hotels than I do because of business travel, said he rarely sees these clotheslines.

 

[zdad]

We were at WL for 7 days in June. We did our laundry ~1/2 way through the stay. Our plan of attack was to return to WL in the middle of the day anyway, so we planned our laundry time during that part of the day. On day 4, when we returned to WL, we went straght to the laundry. it was ~ 1-2pm. Not one washer in use. Did 4 loads lickety split. Put the stuff in the washer, headed to the pool, swam for a bit, switched things to the dryer, showered and napped during the dry cycle. Then we had a gang folding event. Didn't miss a beat.

-- As others have said, be prepared for 2 go rounds in the dryers, especially for heavy stuff like jeans & khakis.
-- Also, just pack a roll or two of quarters. What you dont use to wash, you can use in the pressed penny machines
-- Our luck was midday. have heard many other who did well at the crack of dawn. Whichever suits your schedule best.

 

[rt2dz]

We were at WL in May. I got up extra early one morning, mid trip, and did laundry without anyone around at 5 am. I just went down there, popped my clothes in the washing machine, went upstairs, took a shower, went back down to throw clothes in the dryer.

A couple of hints... The dryers DO NOT work well. I hang dry all the kids clothes, so we barely had the dryer 1/3 of the way full and nothing dried. I just took the rest of it back up and hung it. Thank goodness for clothes lines in the shower!

Also, detergent and things are expensive compared to what you get at Target/Walmart for the same product. Bring your own. A travel size tide at Target for 3 loads cost me $1. A single load of Tide at WL costs $1. Just shoved some fabric dryer sheets in a ziplock bag and bring from home. Also, don't leave those things unattended in the laundry facilities. I left mine because I accidentally spilled some and didn't have anything with me to wipe it up. When I got back, ten minutes later, the maintance guy removed my detergent and threw it away. And not in the laundry rooms trash can, but off in the back where guests can't go and it is gone forever. I was a little miffed, but since I didn't have the need to do laundry again, we lived.

 

[ZIPBAGS]

Another quick question(s). How much are the machines? And do I need to bring quarters?

Thanks!

 

[winniedapooh]

Laundry tips:


3) bring a roll of quarters in a ziplock bag (easier after opeing)


We stay 10 days or more. We do laundry at least twice during our WDW vacation. We also plan some AM's to use the pool and do a Park later in the day (great day's for laundry)

DO NOT leave said roll of quarters in your purse when boarding an airplane...I have been stopped twice, you would have thought I would have learned the first time . In screening they show up as some illegal weapon and they had me empty my entire purse out. With 5 kids I carry a lot of junk in that thing!

 

[MAGICinMYHEART]

Another quick question(s). How much are the machines? And do I need to bring quarters?

WL LAUNDRY:
Location: 1st floor across from the elevators down from Roaring Forks

Washers: 5 (med sized loads) $2.00 a load

Dryers: 10 $1.00 for 15 min, (60 min max)

Most of the guest recommend early morning. Some days there is a waiting line till about 11:00pm. If you didn't come back for your dryer in time your stuff is taken out! Everyone is splitting their wash load into 2 dryer loads so it would dry faster.