The Wilderness Lodge and Villas FAQ (Part 7) Simbas and Tiggers and Humphreys OH MY!

[MMrules]

That same lime green mickey head!

Where do you get these Mickey heads????

 

[Tinkerbellie16]

Where do you get these Mickey heads????

They are actually Disney's paint chips that you can grab at a store that carries Disney paint (Home Depot is one of them). The particular color is something like alien green - it is almost a neon green. Folks do different things with them - laminate, cut them out, past them on, hang them on their purse, write their DIS board name, etc. I cut mine out, glued them back to back (so green on both sides), laminated them (just the quick sheets they sell at Target for photos), punched a hole in it, and attached a mickey head grommet. IF I REMEMBER, I end up hanging it off my purse.

I personally have never seen anyone with a lime green mickey head but I have recognized people at the resorts from the pictures they post on the DIS. It's pretty neat to meet a fellow DISer!

 

[sophie832]

Just wanted to live post poolside at WL. Hot tubs are still down, but the pool is busy! Temps in the 70s now. Really enjoying ourselves!

 

[pmdeve]

We were considering WL for our next family vacation. But after reading this thread, I'm ready. Got more than a year to go, but I'll be watching for codes and reading the thread. Can't wait!!! Thanks for the great info.

 

[Wendy31]

Hi, everyone!

I have a quick question for the WL experts!

In June 2008, we booked a MYW package in a woodsview room at the Wilderness Lodge. When we checked in, we were pleasantly (& excitedly) surprised to receive an upgrade to an inner courtyard view room - #4139.

Well, the Disney "magic" worked on us, &, for our upcoming trip in Sept 2011, I went ahead & booked a courtyard view!

I LOVED the location of room #4139 & wanted to request a room in the same vicinity.

Last week, I asked how to make specific room requests for the area & received helpful advice from RustyScupper. So, today, I officially booked our trip through AAA and emailed our room requests to her.

I requested an inner courtyard view room on the 3rd or 4th floor on the right (or south) side of the lodge. In my note to her, I said that I think the rooms on the right (or south) side are odd numbered rooms.

Did I request correctly?

Also, since I'm making the request through AAA, do I need to (or can I) make another request directly to the WL closer to our trip?

And... one more question -

In 2008, they didn't have online check-in, so I'm not familiar w/ how it works. Since I booked through AAA, can I still do online check-in? And how are the room requests made then?

Thanks for the help!!

 

[troynkasey]

Hi, everyone!

I have a quick question for the WL experts!

In June 2008, we booked a MYW package in a woodsview room at the Wilderness Lodge. When we checked in, we were pleasantly (& excitedly) surprised to receive an upgrade to an inner courtyard view room - #4139.

Well, the Disney "magic" worked on us, &, for our upcoming trip in Sept 2011, I went ahead & booked a courtyard view!

I LOVED the location of room #4139 & wanted to request a room in the same vicinity.

Last week, I asked how to make specific room requests for the area & received helpful advice from RustyScupper. So, today, I officially booked our trip through AAA and emailed our room requests to her.

I requested an inner courtyard view room on the 3rd or 4th floor on the right (or south) side of the lodge. In my note to her, I said that I think the rooms on the right (or south) side are odd numbered rooms.

Did I request correctly?

Also, since I'm making the request through AAA, do I need to (or can I) make another request directly to the WL closer to our trip?

And... one more question -

In 2008, they didn't have online check-in, so I'm not familiar w/ how it works. Since I booked through AAA, can I still do online check-in? And how are the room requests made then?

Thanks for the help!!

We do online check-in each time. It saves in some of the hassle. I will warn though one time at SSR we did the online check-in and the guy in front of us had every question in the book for the CM. When he was done, the line was longer for online check-in than it was for those who didn't. All you need is your Disney Confirmation number to do your online check-in prior to your visit.

 

[jecskc]

Hey !! We just got back from a magical weekend at Wilderness Lodge - Club Level !!! Here's my trip repost if you want to follow along !!

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2647427

 

[EmCredible]

Hello Everyone! Just wanted to stop by and say hello. Will be at the WL Feb 9-13th. Had been booked at the Poly but things came up so we switched to WL tonight. I am excited to try it, but a little stressed that I don't know much about it, and we are leaving in 8 days!!! Booked standard view room. Any suggestions on room requests? Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[MMrules]

I am supposed to be checking into the Wilderness Lodge on Friday ....3 more days!!!

But as I write this snow is falling and will be for another day . If I cannot make it on the plane and leave on time somebody is going to get hurt!!! Keeping my fingers and toes crossed that I will be able to get out on time, the trip is only for the weekend!

 

[prune1977]

Hi all, just returned yesterday from our trip to the WL. We had booked a woods view but recieved a courtyard view. They didn't even tell us; I just noticed on our package when we got to our room and when I looked out our balcony. We were first timers so this was a great surprise. We loved our stay and would recommend it even with little ones as we've got a ds5, dd 3 and ds infant. The only disappointments were no hot tubs and no geyser as our kids really wanted to see what a geyser was up close. But these were minor things and we would stay again in a heartbeat.

 

[disney newb]

Hi all, just returned yesterday from our trip to the WL. We had booked a woods view but recieved a courtyard view. They didn't even tell us; I just noticed on our package when we got to our room and when I looked out our balcony. We were first timers so this was a great surprise. We loved our stay and would recommend it even with little ones as we've got a ds5, dd 3 and ds infant. The only disappointments were no hot tubs and no geyser as our kids really wanted to see what a geyser was up close. But these were minor things and we would stay again in a heartbeat.

Congrats on the upgrade! I was wondering though, what time did you guys check in? I wonder if the time of day has anything to do with comp upgrades..?

 

[j-jhall]

I am supposed to be checking into the Wilderness Lodge on Friday ....3 more days!!!

But as I write this snow is falling and will be for another day . If I cannot make it on the plane and leave on time somebody is going to get hurt!!! Keeping my fingers and toes crossed that I will be able to get out on time, the trip is only for the weekend!

We check in Friday as well. Thankfully this ice storm will be long gone. Enjoy your trip!

 

[prune1977]

I am supposed to be checking into the Wilderness Lodge on Friday ....3 more days!!!

But as I write this snow is falling and will be for another day . If I cannot make it on the plane and leave on time somebody is going to get hurt!!! Keeping my fingers and toes crossed that I will be able to get out on time, the trip is only for the weekend!

Congrats on the upgrade! I was wondering though, what time did you guys check in? I wonder if the time of day has anything to do with comp upgrades..?

It was around 5:30 on Friday afternoon. But I don't think the time you check in has anything to do with it.

 

[MMrules]

We check in Friday as well. Thankfully this ice storm will be long gone. Enjoy your trip!

Thank you! You too!! I can't wait to see green again, I miss it!

 

[nathanyell]

Wish I was going back with you all. My Mom keeps texting me "Toot Toot!", she loved waking up to the sound of the boat whistle each morning.

It's those simple things that keep us coming back to the lodge!!

Brian

 

[Tinkerbellie16]

I'm still hoping those that just came back post some reviews, comments or insights! I'm so excited to be going to WL for the FIRST time - I haven't even visited the resort on any of my trips - just longingly looked at it from afar when I'm on the monorail squealing, "that's where I want to stay next!!".

 

[sophie832]

It's now the morning after our trip Boo!

We had booked a courtyard view for 1/25-2/1. When I booked the reservation and told the CM it was just DH and I, she asked if I'd like to request a king bed. At our Dec. YC stay, we also requested a king bed, and got a great room with a lake view. Well, upon check-in, we discovered we had a ground floor room at WL, room #1027. The CM at online check-in told us that most of their king bed rooms are on the ground floor. She could see I was a tiny bit disappointed, and told me if we didn't like the room we could come back and she would try to put us somewhere else.

Backtracking for a second, we found online check-in to be so-so. The lines for both check-ins were relatively short, but there was only on CM on our side, and the people in front of us had a lot of questions. That being said, having our keys and packet ready was nice, and I could see how online check-in could be shorter if the regular line was really long.

Our room was right around the corner from Roaring Forks, and our patio was literally right next to the outdoor seating for RF. We could walk to the pool from our patio as well. The laundry room was also close by, which was nice. Since we had an accessible room, we didn't have a tub, only a roll-in shower w/a seat. That didn't matter too much to us, since we've never used the tub for baths on our previous hotel stays (unless it was a jacuzzi tub). In my earlier posts, you can see that I was a little freaked out at first by these small bugs on our bathroom floor. However, being on the ground floor, I don't think there's much Disney can do about it. They looked like ghost ants, and they didn't bite us or crawl on our stuff (that we know of). Since we weren't spending much time in the room, and since it was close to a lot of key areas, we didn't switch. The bed was nice and we enjoyed the decor. The king bed room at the YC had an extra little chaise lounge chair next to the bed, and I wish our room at WL had that, too. Other than the bed, there was just one small table with 2 chairs for sitting.

Mousekeeping was awesome! At YC, we got 1 towel Mickey and 1 towel animal in the first couple of days. After that, we got some extra bath products, but that was it. At WL, we got quite a few towel animals, and they were very creative! We tipped $2 per day.

The decor and atmosphere of the lodge itself was wonderful. We've been to a lot of National Parks, and we really felt like Disney did a fantastic job with the theming. The only downside was the construction walls around the hot tubs and the geyser area. The concierge told me that the hot tub at the Villas was also closed, but I could see people using it from the window of the health club when I was working out.

We used every type of Disney transportation. The boat dock was very close to our room, but boat transportation can be slow sometimes. We never had to wait longer than 10-15 mins. for a bus or a boat, though, which was nice. I guess we got lucky.

I will post some pics as soon as DH gets them uploaded. Overall, a nice stay. I think we will return someday, but I don't think we'll request a king bed next time.

 

[elleinad16]

I just hit under 100 days!!! (97 days and counting, to be exact)

So close, yet so far.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

What's new since 2008?

I'm going back with just DS15 at the end of the month and haven't stayed at WL for a few years. I'm really looking forward to it.

I know the Villas are open now.
Has Roaring Forks ever been expanded? The seating area there was soooooo small, there were never any seats available. At least my husband won't be with us to complain about that if it hasn't been.

Anything new in the little arcade? DS15 is already requesting to go to the arcade at CR since he said the WL arcade was a "little lame".

 

[tkrozel]

Wish I was going back with you all. My Mom keeps texting me "Toot Toot!", she loved waking up to the sound of the boat whistle each morning.

It's those simple things that keep us coming back to the lodge!!

Brian

It's funny you said that... I was just telling my kids that I miss the sound of the boat horn. We just got home on Saturday, but I am so ready to go back already. We had a great view from our room 5141. I requested inner courtyard, upper floor, so I was very happy with the location. We also got 3 towel animals ~ very cute. There are so many little things that definitely keep us coming back.