The NEW WL FAQ (Part 5) Simbas and Tiggers and Humphreys OH MY! Part 2

[MAGICinMYHEART]

I'll be staying at WL Jan 8-13th for our honeymoon! On Jan 9th we will be spending the whole day at MK and then have an ADR for CRT at 7:40pm (Wishes is at 8pm). I figure that we won't be done dinner until well after Wishes is over (I have no intention to rush!). What is the best way to plan to travel back to the WL lodge? We will have a rental car. I just don't want to be worried about missing the last boat back to the WL or anything.

Kimberly
Your plans sound great...Don't worry about returning home to the Lodge. All the transportation continues to run untill an hour after park closing time.

So your good until 9:00pm, if for some reason you're later then 9:00pm and the boat and direct bus have stopped running to the lodge, you still have a few options. The Blue Flag Boats run between the Contemporary Resort and Wilderness Lodge until 10:00pm so you could either walk from the MAGIC KINGDOM to the Contemporary or ride the Resort Monorail around to the resort then catch the boat from the Marina to the Lodge. Or you can catch either the Express or Resort Monorails back to TTC and catch a bus back to the Wilderness Lodge.

You should also check while your at the resort, before you plan on any of the above because Disney has a way of changing things.

Beckie

 

[hhouse]

We are a 3 generation family doing to Disney for 1st time, and have a 2 bedroom Villa at the Wilderness in 3-2007. We got LOTS of information from this thread and many thanks! Questions are: Is there daily mousekeeping, like making beds, vacum rugs, etc? Our res says "trash & towels" after day #3. (Or, do we need to request "daily" and pay extra?) Also, our grandkids will be 9 and 11, so any pre-planning ideas for us? We know about asking to be Flag Family, but is the outside good for them for swimming, etc. We read a lot on this thread, but it sounds like most of it appies to being the Lodge vs Villas...So, anyone who has been at the WL Villa recently, let us know what to plan for, expect, etc. THANKS!
Grandpa Ted & Grandma Nancy, with son & daughter-in-law and the 2 kids.

 

[MAGICinMYHEART]

Questions are: Is there daily mousekeeping, like making beds, vacum rugs, etc? Our res says "trash & towels" after day #3. (Or, do we need to request "daily" and pay extra?) Also, our grandkids will be 9 and 11, so any pre-planning ideas for us? We know about asking to be Flag Family, but is the outside good for them for swimming, etc. We read a lot on this thread, but it sounds like most of it appies to being the Lodge vs Villas...So, anyone who has been at the WL Villa recently, let us know what to plan for, expect, etc.

Hhouse
OK, first all the information about the lodge with the exception of the rooms and room views hold for the Villas @ Wilderness Lodge. So if you haven't read all the information on page 1 please go back and read the information. All the transportation, pool, restaurant, childrens programs and marina information are the same for both resorts.

If your reservations says "Trash & Towels" after Day 3, you must be renting points from a DVC Member and they should have given you that information. Yes you can request daily maid service for an additional charge. You do have the option of paying for additional services. $10 per day requested for trash & towel only service. Full cleanings are $25 for a studio, $30 1-Bedroom, $40 2-Bedroom.

If you are renting a 1 or 2-Bedroom Villa you will have a washer and dryer in the villa. If you are renting studios there will be laundry services located on the first floor. (at no charge) In a 2-Bedroom you will have towels for 8, in a studio or 1-Bedroom there will be a supply for 4. We usually throw the towels in the room washer before we leave for the parks then transfer to the dryer when we come back for our mid day break. That way everyone has fresh towels for baths. There are towels located at both pools so you don't need to take your room towels down to the pool. We have ended up with extra towels from the pool area and just added them to the washer when we do a load of towels that gives us extra towels for the room. You can then just leave them in the villa after your stay.

I always pack extra detergent and dryer sheets as you will only recieve one package of detergent until your 4th day.

We have never paid for the daily cleaning service because I love not having someone come into my room everyday.

I have always found extra trash bags located at the bottem of the garbage cans so if you need to take out the trash there will be extra bags under the bag in the cans. (if not just ask Mousekeeping for exrta bags no charge) There are rooms on each floor that you may take the garbage to, please don't place them outside your villa door in the hallway, take them to the trash room.

If you don't have daily mousekeeping you will also have limited supplies of face and bath soap, a small resort size shampoo bottles so bring your own from home.

We drive so I bring our groceries with us but there are services that will do your shopping and deliver them to the resort. Check on this service over on the DVC forum boards, don't forget coffee and sodas.

Thats all I can think of now but if you have any other questions please ask, many of the WL Vets are also DVC members.

Beckie

 

[hhouse]

Thanks for taking the time to reply. We are flying, so we knew we would have to eat out or purchase food. We have a 2 bedroom villa. Appreciate the advise about extra shampoo, detergent and dryer sheets....it is best to bring and be prepared. Many thanks, again, for the detailed advise! Nancy

 

[yaksack]

I don't mean to start trouble but someone on another thread said WL is a "low end Deluxe." I've never stayed there but the way you guys rave about it, I know it's going to be wonderful. I just thought that comment wasn't nice! ( The op was about poor bus transportation)

That means two things:
1. Not as expensive as the others, but in my opinion, just a grand.

2. Not as many snobs.

I bet you you will not be disappointed.

 

[Tracy Savage]

That means two things:
1. Not as expensive as the others, but in my opinion, just a grand.

2. Not as many snobs.

I bet you you will not be disappointed.

I"m counting on it!! Honestly, the photos of GF and BW and the others are beautiful and very elegant. I have a 9 yr old boy that can unintenionally be like a bull in a china shop. He is well behaved, just a bit of a clutz sometimes, and I would be nervous walking thru those places. A bit to uppity for me. When I read that some of you go down to the fireplace at night with your slippers on, I thought, this place is gonna be GREAT!

 

[SarahK]

I'm so excited to find this thread. I've finally decided on the Wilderness Lodge for me "indoctrinate the husband" trip next year. I think he is going to like it because of the setting, and I'll like it because I'm at Disney!
Ok..off to start at the begining of the thread to get a fix

 

[Tigger714]

I am so excited I am going to burst. DH & I are taking our three kids in just 13 days and had originally booked a room at ASMO, we have been so worried ever since. Well, we came home this evening only to find that our financial situation had changed some so the first thing we did was call & upgrade to "home"! We are so excited to be back at the lodge again, there truly is no place like home!

 

[ransom]

I am so excited I am going to burst. DH & I are taking our three kids in just 13 days and had originally booked a room at ASMO, we have been so worried ever since. Well, we came home this evening only to find that our financial situation had changed some so the first thing we did was call & upgrade to "home"! We are so excited to be back at the lodge again, there truly is no place like home!

That's wonderful!!

 

[BethyBelle]

i hope y'all can help me out. Our very first WDW trip is coming up. We're going over the week of Thanksgiving. Now that the direct bus to the Magic Kingdom will not be in service while we are there, what do y'all recommend as the quickest way to get to the Magic Kingdom from the Wilderness Lodge?
Thanks!

 

[Dis31]

HEY
We're gonna be there the same time as you!! The easiest way would be the boat, its quick and a nice ride. Or you can take the boat over to the Contemporary and hop on the monorail, or walk to the MK. I would take the MK boat though, even when they had the direct bus last time we were there last we decided to take the boat!!!

 

[gabbyrosebud]

i hope y'all can help me out. Our very first WDW trip is coming up. We're going over the week of Thanksgiving. Now that the direct bus to the Magic Kingdom will not be in service while we are there, what do y'all recommend as the quickest way to get to the Magic Kingdom from the Wilderness Lodge?
Thanks!

Hi! I just got back from the WL and worried about the same thing. We had ADR at CRT and CP 2 mornings at 8:20AM. We made sure we were out at the bus stop at 7:00AM. My Mom and Sister thought I was nuts at first to be out so early, but you want to make sure you're on time. You take the bus to the transportation ticket center. Then you get on the express Monorail to the MK. You never know when the bus will stop by. Sometimes it's right away, sometimes you have to wait 15 minutes. We made it to practically all our ADRS on time. If you have later ADR the boats are a wonderful way to travel too. Have a wonderful time!

 

[BethyBelle]

Thanks for the info.y'all. Dis 31, Wow! I guess I should look for you. I'll have my DH, DD(6), and DS(9) with me in tow. We'll be easy to spot. We'll be the ones screaming and jumping up and down over every little thing since its our first trip.

 

[yaksack]

We are going to arrive in the WL 11/4. Will the lobby renovations we over with by then?

 

[Kimberly815]

Kimberly
Your plans sound great...Don't worry about returning home to the Lodge. All the transportation continues to run untill an hour after park closing time.

So your good until 9:00pm, if for some reason you're later then 9:00pm and the boat and direct bus have stopped running to the lodge, you still have a few options. The Blue Flag Boats run between the Contemporary Resort and Wilderness Lodge until 10:00pm so you could either walk from the MAGIC KINGDOM to the Contemporary or ride the Resort Monorail around to the resort then catch the boat from the Marina to the Lodge. Or you can catch either the Express or Resort Monorails back to TTC and catch a bus back to the Wilderness Lodge.

You should also check while your at the resort, before you plan on any of the above because Disney has a way of changing things.

Beckie

Thanks!!

 

[Alicnwondrln]

is the bus running to MK directly again or is it still down ??

 

[tardin1964]

Have any of you read what's going on over on the Restaurant Board concerning the new "standard" kids menu being tested at some restaurants? I really hope this menu isn't adopted by all the TS restaurants like they are saying.

I think the menus at both Whispering Canyon and Artist Point are both diverse and offer healthier alternative for kids. They also are in the spirit of the theme of these two restaurants. It would be a shame to see them change.

 

[campinggal]

Have any of you read what's going on over on the Restaurant Board concerning the new "standard" kids menu being tested at some restaurants? I really hope this menu isn't adopted by all the TS restaurants like they are saying.

I think the menus at both Whispering Canyon and Artist Point are both diverse and offer healthier alternative for kids. They also are in the spirit of the theme of these two restaurants. It would be a shame to see them change.

I've been watching the threads on the new 'standard' kids menu very closely and I, too, don't want it to be the 'only' kids menu across all restaurants.

My DD (age 9) and I are headed to the Lodge on Wed (can't believe our trip is here already!!). I'll be sure to report back- we have dinner plans at WCC on Thurs. We do have a good mix of buffets and 'regular' table service meals planned so even if she is presented with the 'standard' menu a few times (I'm hoping no more than three), she'll be OK but any more than that makes it really limiting. I am really hoping that WCC stays true to their original menu.

I'm back late on 10/24 so I'll post what I experience next week.

 

[campinggal]

We are going to arrive in the WL 11/4. Will the lobby renovations we over with by then?

I had heard that the lobby stream was suppose to be working again today. I'll be at the WL on Wed and home next week so I'll be sure to post my findings.

I think the outside work is going to take longer- I had heard by Thanksgiving they hoped to be scaffold free.

 

[LoraJ]

How is the cell phone service at the lodge? Any signal problems (specifically with Verizon)?

Just found out today that I need to be available for an important phone call while we're at the World. Thankfully it's coming on a day we were going to relax at the lodge anyway.

Just wondering if I should have a plan B if cell service is spotty.