NEW (and IMPROVED, if THAT's possible!)Wilderness Lodge FAQ

[BCVNovember]

I have been holding FTP reservations for the last week of October for 2 lodge/woods view rooms at WL for about a month now. I have been checking the disneyworld.com website several times a day for courtyard rooms and calling periodically for availability in concierge, but no luck until yesterday afternoon. I had pretty much given up, but then I decided to check the website and I was amazed when courtyard view rooms were available, so I was able to call and get changed up!

I can't wait until October!

 

[JBurke]

Duck Races-

When you check in they will give you a list of that week's lodge activities.

The duck races are where the kids all pick out rubber ducks, each has a number on the bottom.
You stand along where the waterfall is that leads from the lodge to the pool. The kids release their ducks at the same time and the first duck to travel down the waterfall first wins a prize. I believe the prize was a free water mice rental.

They also had pool games when we were there where the kids would dive for pennies.

The WL pool is very nice, its not huge but I wouldnt call it small either. In the aerial shots I have seen of the pool, it does look small compared to the large resort.
I have never been there when the pool has been packed, although we have found that you need to get there early to get lounge chairs.
The water slide is fun for all ages, not scarey or too long.
Our favorite part of the pool is where the waterfall, which starts in the lobby, flows into the deep end of the pool. It creates an effect of streaming up stream in that area of the pool. My kids like trying to swim against the tide trying to make it to the landing where the water flows in.
There is also a kiddie pool next to tha main pool which is pretty large. There is also a queit pool by the WLV, though I have never been to it.

 

[Ratpack]

My 1000th post!!!


(and bumping this back to first page)

 

[FloridaCat]

This is my first time on site. You good folk’s sure help with a lot of good information I had not given any thought to. Having said that it also raised some questions I my mind

What is the custom in tipping the Housekeepers?

What are the rooms numbers at the end of the last north wing, close to the MK dock?

I understand you can not sit on the balcony and see the scenery, please someone explain that to me.

 

[Ratpack]

Just got off the phone with WL marina and got some info on the unlimited boat rental plan and thought I would share. It seems that the price, $199 covers up to 5 "drivers" and these can come from different rooms. For instance in our situation, we are traveling with another family and this will allow us to split the cost and all 4 adults wil get unlimited use of the mouseboats and pontoons. The kids are considered passengers. That equates to $50 per person for length of stay boat rentals verses the $30 for one hour on a mouse boat. Hope this helps someone else out as well.

 

[kimmar067]

...congrats on the 1K milestone! Also, that $199 price has apparently been updated, because when we were there last Aug. it was $199 for any FOUR persons, not five!!

 

[Ratpack]

Thanks kimmar,

Less than a month to go and I will be back at the Lodge. Would you like me to send you a post card?

 

[JBurke]

Thanks for the info Ratpack.
That seems like a good deal that we might take advantage of.

FloridaCat-

As for housekeeping, I think the custom is $1 a day for each person in your room. Since there are 5 of us, I plan on leaving a $5 tip daily in the room for "mousekeeping"

As for room numbers, I am not sure exactly. We were in the one of the last rooms of the north wing, 6th floor and our room number was 6005. So I would assume that a room with low numbers as ours would be near the boat dock (although I cant say that we ever used the stairs!!)

As for the balconies, most rooms have "open" balconies, meaning that you can see out whether sitting or standing. They have the normal wooden slats that a balcony would have (slat, open space, slat, open space, etc.).
Certain rooms (I believe only on the 6th floor, whcih we had, and the 7th floor) have "enclosed balconies" so instead of slats the balcony is surrounded by a solid piece of wood. So when sitting down on one of these balconies you would not be able to see through since its solid wood with no slat openings. The wood comes up waist-chest high so in order to see anything you have to stand.


Hope that helps.

 

[FloridaCat]

JBurke, (Janice):
This is a very big help and I thank you. When we vacation we always plug in one day we called “R&R. This year it is “RESORT DAY” Sleep in, catch your breath, enjoy the Lodge, have a late breakfast or whatever. Each is on their own until dinner. I am making a list of the questions, like mine, that fellow WI’ers have posted. I will use some of my RD to check out WI and on my return I will report on my stay and give the Skinny on many of the questions. For me this will be a lot of fun.

Ratpack:
Thanks for the info on the boats. My DD & DGD are all charged up about that for Resort Day. We vacationed for many, many years in Beautiful Minnesota Resorts and both generations grew up loving the woods, water and boats. Wondering why we chose WI?

Was the 199.00 a flat price, regardless the number of days at WI?
This is such a neat forum. I wish all that I belong to were this fabulous.

 

[FloridaCat]

I am not sure where the "LODGE VIEW" came from. I made my arrangements last month for 7/7-7/10 and was offered Standard, Woodsview, Courtyard.
I just went back to the site and only standard is avaialable for my dates.

I plugged in Septmber dates and all three choices are still the same.

 

[floridafam]

I would like some info on the junior suites/deluxe rooms please.

I read that you can get connecting rooms.

I am familiar with the set up of the deluxe rooms.

Where is the connecting door to the other kind of room? If you are in the deluxe and reserve a connecting room will that room be on the other side of the parlor area or the bedroom?

Do all of the deluxe rooms have connecting doors to other rooms and does this make for more noise?

Thanks in advance.

 

[skfulkers]

My DW and I booked a standard view room at the WL for the end of July. This is our first time staying at the WL, so I figured I'd jump on this thread for some "insider info."
What should I put in for a room request if I don't want to see the service area or a roof right in front of my window?
I know I can't be too picky (since it is a STANDARD view room, after all ), but I was wondering if you guys had any tips for getting a really good standard view room.
Thanks for all the info! I've already learned so much about the WL from this thread.

 

[johndavid]

We stayed in a deluxe room in December, the room was great. The door to the connecting room was in the parlor. From what I understand, all of the deluxe rooms are on the corners, so the connecting door would always be in the parlor.

 

[floridafam]

Thank you johndavid.

The connecting door in the parlor is a plus.

 

[momtotwinglesx4]

Do they ever give AP discounts on the deluxe rooms?

Sue

 

[johndavid]

I'm not sure about AP discounts, when I was planning our trip the only discount on the deluxe rooms was through the Disney Club. We saved about 40% off the rack rate. It was just a little more than booking two woodsview rooms.

 

[Ratpack]

Anyone recall what it cost to run a load of clothes in the W/D at WL?

Not that I want to wash clothes, but DW says 8 nights and a 5mo and we will have to wash.

 

[Amy]

Ratpack, we were at WL June 7-13. The washers cost $2 per load, and the dryers are $1 for 15 minutes; it took 2 dryer cycles (or $2) for each of my loads, and some of the clothes were still damp, so I combined them into one more 15-min load to finish up.

And rest assured, it's not just a 5-mo old who makes lots of laundry; my boys are 11 and 13, and they STILL haven't figured out how to make their clothes last for more than one wearing. I keep telling them that their shirts are NOT napkins, but they just won't listen....

 

[kimmar067]

Ratpack ~
Har-har-har!!

Amy ~
How true!!

 

[dizneykid]

just wanted to wish everyone a:

"HAPPY WEEKEND"