The Wilderness Lodge FAQ (Part 6) Simbas and Tiggers and Humphreys OH MY!

[Finiamh]

Great thread!
I am sorry if this has been beat to death but being over 100 pages it would take forever to find. We are having problems deciding over the Honeymoon suite or a standard Club level. I know only two Honey-suites face MK, but what kind of request should I make to get an MK facing standard club room?

Are the trees obstructing all the good views from the 6th floor?

Thanks and sorry again.

 

[lissiesmum]

Was this room a Bunk Bed room? I would like a bunk bed room with view of fireworks.

not a bunk bed, just two queens...

 

[ang38]

We were in one of the hm suites that didn't face MK. I was at first very upset about it when we checked in and went to our room. Then something great happened a little later in the evening....Wishes right outside our balcony! So while we didn't have much of a view during the day, we had our own private showing each night. I also noticed that by having this room, we had a very secluded balcony. We could keep our shades open and even the door, sit outside w/o worrying about how we looked. We could hear the boats going by and even catch a glimpse of the ferry! So while we didn't have that fantastic view during the day, We were very pleased with our room. When we wanted to sit and "see" something, we sat by the huge windows in the lounge~

Great thread!
I am sorry if this has been beat to death but being over 100 pages it would take forever to find. We are having problems deciding over the Honeymoon suite or a standard Club level. I know only two Honey-suites face MK, but what kind of request should I make to get an MK facing standard club room?

Are the trees obstructing all the good views from the 6th floor?

Thanks and sorry again.

 

[shmedly123]

I was wondering what would be the easiest way to take the monorail ride to EPCOT from the WL...

Should we take the boat to the MK then the monorail from MK to the TTC to catch the monorail to EPCOT?

Or is it easier to take the boat to the CR then take the monorail form the CR around the loop to the TTC and swicth to the EPCOT monorail?

 

[tigger_03]

I was wondering what would be the easiest way to take the monorail ride to EPCOT from the WL...

Should we take the boat to the MK then the monorail from MK to the TTC to catch the monorail to EPCOT?

Or is it easier to take the boat to the CR then take the monorail form the CR around the loop to the TTC and swicth to the EPCOT monorail?

.
Either of those options are good. We took the boat over to the CR one morning when we had ADRs at Chef Mickey's. It was a quick boat ride.

 

[TPCShauna]

I read the material on page 1 regarding the launches but I have a question. I am going to have to use an ECV while I am at WDW. We will have a rental vehicle that we will use to travel to Epcot, MGM and AK but we were hoping to use the resort launch to get to MK.

The information on the first page says that ECVs can be rolled onto the Red Flag launches but that guests must transfer from wheelchair and step down to get on Blue Flag launches.

I'm assuming this means that you cannot take the ECV on the Blue Flag launch even if you are not riding on it. I know this sounds like a "duh" question but I wanted to confirm.

TIA!

 

[AlexWyattMommy]

Having just come back from there, I would say no to the ECV on the blue flag boat. They are little. If you look at the picture of them, I don't see where you put the ECV, let alone get it on the boat from the dock. They dock a little lower than the bigger Red flag boats. I almost always had to step up to the dock from the boat.

 

[bas71873]

If I have an 8:30 CP ressie at MK on a day when the park does not open until 9:00, what's the best way to get there? Boat (if so, which color and what time should I be getting on it to get at MK by 8:00) or bus? Do they both run early for early ADRS?

 

[ash&abby'smom]

If I have an 8:30 CP ressie at MK on a day when the park does not open until 9:00, what's the best way to get there? Boat (if so, which color and what time should I be getting on it to get at MK by 8:00) or bus? Do they both run early for early ADRS?

The bus is much faster than the boat. You should allow yourself at least 45 min. to an hour for travel. Even though the resort is close to MK, it just depends on how fast the bus or boats are running. You could miss the bus or boat and have to wait for the next one. When you get to MK, you will have enough time to walk to CP and take a couple pics without all the people in the park.

 

[lunapnp]

This may be a dumb question...but, is there different loading areas for the red flag vs. blue flag boat? We will be there in a few weeks with DD who is in a wheelchair. I'm not sure if we are taking her power wheelchair or her light weight push chair...or both! Either way, I would be concerned about having to maneuver her in and out of a boat with her standing. We will probably do the busses the majority of the time, but I think the boat would be fun, too.

We've not stayed at WL before, so I'm just trying to learn what to look for at the loading area! TIA!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

This may be a dumb question...but, is there different loading areas for the red flag vs. blue flag boat? We will be there in a few weeks with DD who is in a wheelchair. I'm not sure if we are taking her power wheelchair or her light weight push chair...or both! Either way, I would be concerned about having to maneuver her in and out of a boat with her standing. We will probably do the busses the majority of the time, but I think the boat would be fun, too.

We've not stayed at WL before, so I'm just trying to learn what to look for at the loading area! TIA!

It's not quite about the loading area (one side of the dock or the other) but about the layout of the boats. The blue flag boats have a step down to the deck whereas the larger red flag motor cruiser boats have no step which means that wheelchairs can roll right on. I have heard that the lake level can possibly have an affect but have seen them use a ramp that helps compensate. They also operate the smaller boats as a red flag to MK but I think they at least run one cruiser and one small launch.

I've seen many wheelchairs (both powered and not) on the larger red cruiser and you should have no problem with that.

If you look at the first page of this thread you will see pictures of both types of boats that may help you get a better idea. And if you go to this post you'll see the dock. Red (MK) loads on one side and blue (resorts) on the other.
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=23206486&postcount=28

My sister uses a power wheel chair and I'd have no concerns about planning a boat ride on the cruiser. Though she can take a few steps I don't think I'd try the smaller launch and definitely not with a power chair. It would just depend on your daughters ability to do a couple of steps with a reasonable amount of steadiness down into the boat and back up again to get off the boat in order to take the small launch.

 

[TarzansKat]

Hi, everyone! ::

I just wanted to thank all of you who have answered my questions. We leave tomorrow, and I couldn't be more excited about our trip and staying at the Wilderness Lodge!

I'll definitely be writing a trip report, but if you're interested, I'll be happy to post a brief summary of the resort on here when I get home, as so many have been so kind to do.

 

[lissiesmum]

If I have an 8:30 CP ressie at MK on a day when the park does not open until 9:00, what's the best way to get there? Boat (if so, which color and what time should I be getting on it to get at MK by 8:00) or bus? Do they both run early for early ADRS?

Hey there stranger! the red flag boat (which only goes to the MK) doesn't start running until a half hour before the MK opens, so if you have an 8:30, you could take the bus, or take the blue flag boat. the blue flag boat starts running at 6:30 I believe and goes over to Fort Wilderness and the Contemporary. We had an 8:00am ressie at CP and we boarded the blue flag boat around 7:15, got to the Contemporary at 7:20 and walked over to the MK from there, which took about 10 minutes. Or you could go straight through the Contemporary and hop on the monorail. It does stop at the Poly and GF first, but it only takes about 15-20 mins to get to the MK from the Contemporary. Either way, I vote for the boat ride to the Contemporary

 

[lissiesmum]

I'm confused about the postings of the red vs blue flag boats. I was just there last week and the red flag boat loads on the left side of the dock. The red flag goes back and forth to the MK. There were two kinds of boats for the red flag, a smaller ferry that you stepped down into and I would have to fold my stroller for that one. The larger cruiser I could roll right onto the ferry and it had much more room. The blue flag boats load on the right hand side of the dock and go to the Contemporary and Fort Wilderness. I only saw the smaller ferries for the blue flags. If you are in an ECV, you could just wait a little bit for the bigger red flag cruiser to come by. When I was there the first week of September, the MK was dead and the boats would come every 10 minutes, I rarely waited longer than five Good luck, and you will love the WL!

 

[lunapnp]

It's not quite about the loading area (one side of the dock or the other) but about the layout of the boats. The blue flag boats have a step down to the deck whereas the larger red flag motor cruiser boats have no step which means that wheelchairs can roll right on. I have heard that the lake level can possibly have an affect but have seen them use a ramp that helps compensate. They also operate the smaller boats as a red flag to MK but I think they at least run one cruiser and one small launch.

I've seen many wheelchairs (both powered and not) on the larger red cruiser and you should have no problem with that.

If you look at the first page of this thread you will see pictures of both types of boats that may help you get a better idea. And if you go to this post you'll see the dock. Red (MK) loads on one side and blue (resorts) on the other.
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=23206486&postcount=28

My sister uses a power wheel chair and I'd have no concerns about planning a boat ride on the cruiser. Though she can take a few steps I don't think I'd try the smaller launch and definitely not with a power chair. It would just depend on your daughters ability to do a couple of steps with a reasonable amount of steadiness down into the boat and back up again to get off the boat in order to take the small launch.

Thanks so much for the info! There is SSSOOO much in this thread to read that I'm somewhat overwhelmed! We leave in 4 weeks!

 

[hopelea]

We are arriving November 21 for MVMCP!! I originally booked POP, then changed to WL....just called this AM and booked a courtyard bunkbed room.
I don't know what I am going to tell my DH. Maybe I will just tell him that it was "magic". We stayed at WL last year and loved it. We had a woods view room with two queens. I had to sleep with one dd!! This year I would like a better nights sleep.

I can't wait!!! I hope he doesn't get mad that I upgraded us.

We should be arriving around noon on the 21st. Do you think there is any chance of us getting a room that early? I know, rooms aren't ready until 3 or after....but we can always dream

 

[2diamonds&a~gem]

We will be leaving in 7 days!~

Anyone else going to be there the 21st to the 27th?

Thanks so very much to everyone here for sharing all the info--

anyone know if they are currently doing a bounce back at WL for 09? If not how would I go ablout trying to get a bounce back?

 

[bas71873]

I can OFFICIALLY join the WL thread. I will be there in 19 days.....a fellow DISer (and new friend) completely talked me into the upgrade from POFQ. I am very excited and can't wait to check out WL with DD for our first mother/daughter only trip.

 

[bookwormde]

We have been back from our Aug WDW trip for a while and just wanted to thank everyone for the info and to add that after a 2-night stay at WL we are lifelong fans also.

I am a DVC member and do CRO on the weekends, but 2 days at WL was not enough so I am trying to fit WL into my next WDW vacation.

As a quick report/info we checked in at 1AM for a courtyard room (inner request) the front desk CM set us up and handed our room cards and said we would have to use the card to access the 7th floor. From reading this thread and others, I immediately new this was club level and quietly thanked him for the upgrade (to keep him from being bombarded with requests from the line behind use) while the family was wondering what I was thanking him for. Up we went to room 7058, explaining to DW what club level was. Into our room, opened the curtains and there was the castle, what a way to start a trip.

We loved everything about WL, but I have one question for people who do both VWL and WL visits. Is staying in the DVC section the same “experience” since it is somewhat removed with different views? I always include VWL in any waitlist but just hoping I will not be disappointed.

The only problem is that DW wants to do club level again.

bookwormde

 

[vbarry]

We have been back from our Aug WDW trip for a while and just wanted to thank everyone for the info and to add that after a 2-night stay at WL we are lifelong fans also.

I am a DVC member and do CRO on the weekends, but 2 days at WL was not enough so I am trying to fit WL into my next WDW vacation.

As a quick report/info we checked in at 1AM for a courtyard room (inner request) the front desk CM set us up and handed our room cards and said we would have to use the card to access the 7th floor. From reading this thread and others, I immediately new this was club level and quietly thanked him for the upgrade (to keep him from being bombarded with requests from the line behind use) while the family was wondering what I was thanking him for. Up we went to room 7058, explaining to DW what club level was. Into our room, opened the curtains and there was the castle, what a way to start a trip.

We loved everything about WL, but I have one question for people who do both VWL and WL visits. Is staying in the DVC section the same “experience” since it is somewhat removed with different views? I always include VWL in any waitlist but just hoping I will not be disappointed.

The only problem is that DW wants to do club level again.

bookwormde

We are DVC members and we have stayed both courtyard view and in the villas. I do feel the villas are somewhat removed and the views are very woodsy. I still love my one bedroom though....so I guess that makes up for it. The courtyard view cannot be beat at WL. I think the best view at VWL is the quiet pool view.