jwfla422 ~
Welcome back, and so glad to hear you had a wonderful time. Of course, this means one thing -- now you can add "WL VET" to your siggie!!
richard3330 ~
Welcome aboard to our FAQ thread...everyone here is SOOOO friendly and helpful. I will try to answer your queries as best as I can:
1) Check-in is 3PM, but if you arrive earlier and your room is available, WL will let you check-in at that time. If not, they will hold your things in storage, while you may visit one of the parks or enjoy the pool. Check-out is 11AM, and they are pretty adamant about this because they have so many guests checking in and out....
2) Concierge rooms are only on the 7th flloor(key access only)...their layout can be the same as a standard room or dlx, depending upon the location)
3) Usually there is a nice assortment of items, especially for breakfast. If you and your family aren't "big breakfast" eaters, it'll do nicely (coffee, tea, fruits, yogurt, pastries, that sort of stuff) and lite snacks and soup throughout the afternoon (not "8-course full meals, but tummy fillers!) It also includes "turn-down" service and customized PS's for restaurants by CM's, if desired.
4) PS's don't have to be made too far in advance. However, I believe you are going during XMas, so I wouldn't wait too long, if I were you (especially for Christmas Dinner!

) DO try to visit WCC at least once!!! (ask for Jeffro)
5) "Ranger Stan" is like a permanent fixture to the WL! Some of his duties include tours of the grounds and "Flag Family" ceremonies.
6) The "Flag Family" experience cannot be booked in advance; you may request it upon check-in, to see if a date while you are staying at the WL is available. DO NOT MISS THIS!! It is a once-in-a-lifetime event!!
7) I guess it is less expensive than some of the other deluxe resorts because it is not a "monorail" resort and the rooms are slightly smaller than the typical deluxe (which does not take away from its charm and amenities) room. One of the reasons why it IS considered a deluxe is that the rooms are slightly larger than the mods and it has interior halls. So many guests love it because it is unique in that it has a certain "homeyness" that other deluxes lack (to me, the other deluxes seem too "hoidy-toidy", or "stuffy", but that's just MHO!!)
8) Once guests return from the WL, they can't wait to go back! So, now "armed" with a reasonable amount of knowledge that, no matter how many posts you read, you can't get the true feeling of WL until you EXPERIENCE it, you now become a Wilderness Lodge veteran, or "WL VET"!!!
Hope I've helped you......
kimmar