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

[Dad]

After reading floridacat's great report, I think I have a pretty good understanding of the room layouts.

My question is: For a Standard view room,

What room # or #"s would be a good area if my priorities are in order:

1. 2 Queens
2. Non-Smoking
3. Near the elevators
4. Close to the bus stops
5. View of the Lobby
6. Quiet

I'm thinking South side Lobby view but I'm not sure if Standard view rooms are available on the South side.[

 

[FloridaCat]

2 Queens
Request this when you make your reservations.

Non-Smoking
Request this when you make your reservations.

Near the elevators
Request a room over the south side of the lobby

Close to the bus stops
Request a room over the south side of the lobby

View of the Lobby
Request a room over the south side of the lobby

Quiet
Well can’t have everything, but should not be too bad.

 

[jmommy]

Ok---when I read about transportation I get a little nervous. We have previously stayed at POR--once in Oct. and once in March. The bus transportation was so horrible in March that we swore that we would never do that again. So....we decided to stay at WL thinking that surely the transportation would be better--it is a deluxe after all. Please tell me that even though there will be wait times for bus/boat, that it won't be as bad as waiting in huge long lines to find the bus filled to capacity (kind of hard to stand on bus with two children, back pack, and stroller.) By the way, we are going in Oct. this time.

 

[Ratpack]

Both times that I have stayed at WL in the past, I have never found a bus to be full and waits weren't that long either. The only bus that was much of a wait was DTD and that is fine with me, allows my money to stay with me a few more moments. And the boats were always fast other than coming back from MK if you try to leave AT closing when the masses are also leaving. If you leave MK at closing, I would suggest the TTC monorail and bus to WL from TTC.

 

[FloridaCat]

Buses were never bad from the resort while we were there this past week. They also were no problem when we left the parks during the day to return to the Lodge for a breather. The only problem we had was what I posted in the WL report. We were to far in line to get back out or I was going to take the mono to Contempoary and boat back to the Lodge.

 

[jmommy]

Ratpack and FloridaCat---what would you rec. for a return trip to the WL after the MNSSHP on Oct. 19? We hope to be able to stay until the midnight closing, but will have to see how kids hold up. But if we do stay until closing, what is the best way to get back to the resort? Don't mind waiting, but would hate to deal with the "standing room only, packed like sardines" feeling that we had with the bus system to the moderate. Thanks for any feedback. Also--how about getting the the GF and Beach Club for character breakfast?

 

[FloridaCat]

I would try th boat first. If it looks crowded, then any of the mono suggestions posted are options. As to GF and Beach Club, the bus terminal at WL is very clear on where to be for any destination. We also found the drivers more then helpfull to any questions we had.

 

[keith-atl]

In September, my wife, daughter, cousin, his wife, and daughter are staying at the Wilderness Lodge for the first time.

I have a couple of questions...

I was wondering about Disneys transportation to the golf courses and how good it is? I have a car so I can use that, but was curious.

My wife and my cousins wife want to go to a spa as payback for us golfing, which I dont have a problem at all with, was curious which is the best spa out of the resorts and what would the costs be for the works?

We got PS for CRT at 9:10, should we take the boat from the lodge to go to it or the bus???

Thanks in advance.

Keith

 

[FloridaCat]

WLV & GF has Spas and Guest Services can answer the fees.
I would the a boat to MK with that late of PS
Post the question on getting to the Golf Course on the Transportation Thread, someone will nswer that for you.

 

[kimmar067]

Dad ~
It definitely sounds like you are looking for a south side lobby view room. Ask for as high a floor as possible. That'll help with the noise "sitch" !

Ratpack ~
Well, it looks like it's a "go" for that trip to WDW after all! I will be heading' down to Cranford to put a deposit on an RV. We are "doing" Disney a bit different this time -- camping, with Disney thrown in!

jmommy ~
Last year, we had ressies for Cindy's Castle for dinner (9PM) and we watched the fireworks while eating dessert. Waiting for most of the crowd to die down, we took our time strolling thru' the stores on Main St. Unfortunately, it got too late and the last ferry had already departed from MK to WL. So, we took the monorail to the TTC, went downstairs and out to the far left to the bus depot and grabbed a bus to WL! Also, the only "inconvenienve we had was the bus to/from DTD.... .

 

[FloridaCat]

On earlier parts on this thread there was posts about renting a refrigerator or not. Based on that we cancelled ours. I took a big cooler, froze two gallon milk bottles of water for ice, froze a case of drinking water bottles. Put in beer, snacks and it worked out fine. 4 days later everthing was stilll very cold.

 

[kimmar067]

...don't want to freeze those items, you could just replenish your ice from the ice machine, too !

 

[Majestic]

Yeah! We did the same thing sort of. We bought a styrofoam cooler from the local store for like two or three dollars and filled it with ice from the machine daily. Worked great and saved us about $140. Nice chunk of change! (Not that Disney didn't get that savings money from us for clothes and toys anyway.....)

I think I actually posted when we discussed this last time.

Originally posted by FloridaCat
On earlier parts on this thread there was posts about renting a refrigerator or not. Based on that we cancelled ours. I took a big cooler, froze two gallon milk bottles of water for ice, froze a case of drinking water bottles. Put in beer, snacks and it worked out fine. 4 days later everthing was stilll very cold.

 

[FloridaCat]

The cool thing about the milk jugs is it made it maintenace free. Did not have to remember getting ice. A trick we used in our old camping days.

 

[jwfla422]

keith-atl
You should be able to take the boat for that time. I believe they start running about 8-8:15 which should get you there in plenty of time for a 9:10 PS, just give yourself at least 45 minutes. Or you can take the bus to the TTC and then take the monorail. We did that last time and got there in 15 minutes! We were early and ended up having to wait!

I have a question which I'm sure has been addressed...can WL guests swim at the quiet pool at the WLV? I know WLV can swim at the WL main pool. Just wondering?

 

[Majestic]

We swam in it all the time. The other pool was way too packed. This was definately a nice quiet pool most of the time. There "were" times though that some of the kids would go from the main pool to the quiet pool and it could get kinda rowdy. Best thing to do is be patient and wait it out. They leave after a while when they notice all the adults around.

I particularly frown when people are splashing me and I make sure that they know it.

Originally posted by jwfla422
I have a question which I'm sure has been addressed...can WL guests swim at the quiet pool at the WLV? I know WLV can swim at the WL main pool. Just wondering?

 

[FloridaCat]

If you have not done so already go back a few pages and read my WL Report. This will answer most of your questions and any others you have, please feel free to ask me.

We used the main pool in the morning and moved to the"quite" pool after lunch. I enjoyed sitting by the Rock Speakers listenng to the lobby music while I sipped my "Tea" out of my mug.
Warning you will have a hard time checking out of WL. I thought I woud have to hog tie my DD & Dgd to get them out the door. LOL

 

[jwfla422]

Thanks, I was wondering. That's good to know. We've stayed at the WL several times. Last year was actually our first stay in a while. It was pretty busy at the main pool and the thought didn't even cross my mind to use the WLV pool/quiet pool but I'll remember that for this trip. It was pretty rainy every afternoon that trip so when it didn't rain, well, everyone got the same idea to swim

We usually use the quiet pools at the resorts we stay in (particularly the S/D)...I really prefer their lap pools, just a little more "laid back"...dd doesn't like getting splashed (of course, who does??)

What is the best way to get to the WLV pool from the main building?

As for leaving, as long as we have our next trip planned it makes it much easier. I just tell dd we'll be back in a few months. We go to WDW about every 3-4 months, we're so SPOILED!!!!!! So, is dd. Last night I realized she's been there 8 times since she was 2 and she'll just be turning 5, not bad, huh!

Floridacat, my very good college friend's parents retired to Deltona. I bet it takes you a whole 45 minutes to get to WDW

 

[kimmar067]

...to get back on top !

 

[FloridaCat]

You kow the path to the beach, so just keep going to your right until your on the other side of the south wing of WL. It's about a third of the way up.

Yes I can get down there in 45 minutes on a good day, little longer in traffic. Local knowledge of what lane to be in and when to switch helps a lot.

My DD & DGD live in Altamomte Springs and we hit the parks on a pretty regular basis. Course the joke all of the transplants have is we need to put hotel sign on our roofs as we have so many that want to stop by. Glad to see them though if they space it out.

We spent two weeks in Yellowstone and two weeks in Glacer National Park in 1975 and it amazes me how accurate Disney built WL.

In some ways I wish the young familes would forget the Mouse for a season or two and see the National Parks. Spent a monh in Yosemite and several vacations in the Minnesota back country.
I wanted my children to know and love the land as I do. They have been to the Grand Canyon, Painted Desert and all points in between. I must have been a good Teacher as they have done much of the same with their children.