VWL Groupies & Lovers Thread (Special Collectors Edition 2.5) updated 2 February 2025

[KAT4DISNEY]

Glad for those of you who like this, but there should be trees where all those rooftops and rock piles are. No wilderness feel at all.
Let the real grieving for the hidden springs pool begin.... I think I'm going to cry.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Uh, it's just clicking now but could they have chosen a less natural looking pool than this? All the sharp angles - so not wilderness.

The water tower doesn't look like it could be a slide - just something for ambiance.

 

[jimmytammy]

Be sure to check out the Winter 2016 issue of Disney Files, specifically page 9.

According to article,

the former Hidden Springs Pool will be called Boulder Ridge Cove;

it will have a zero-depth entry pool;

it should open Summer 2017;

it looks like it will have cabanas;

it will have a water tower; and

it will have a rock wall surrounding at least part of the pool.

Here is a scan from the Disney Files Magazine showing an artist rendering of Boulder Ridge Cove:

wdrl,
Thanks for adding this picture, it really gives me a better idea of how its all going to look now overall. I showed it to TammyNC, and she replied "so stupid" and CaptainD uttered what I believe was a curse word under his breath
Since I don't see a diving board, wonder if that means we can jump off those "boulders"?

 

[jimmytammy]

twokats, you have been warned

 

[hebbynan]

So, for December, 2017, I'm thinking VWL from Dec 2 - Dec 9. I've invited my youngest daughter, Sarah. She made Gambit's Top 40 Under 40 List in New Orleans. She's the first one listed.
http://www.bestofneworleans.com/gambit/gambits-40-under-40-class-of-2016/Content?oid=3054959

WildernessDad that is awesome! Your DD sounds like an amazing person. You have every right to be proud! Big Kudos to your daughter! She is making an impact in young lives and that is just AWESOME!

 

[sleepydog25]

twokats, you have been warned

Moi??

As for the rendition of the new pool, it looks better than the current construction site. However, just about anything would. It appears to me the general drift in direction is toward a west-themed resort vice a northwest theme. Perhaps in the end, it will blend in with the current thematic elements that made the Lodge so wonderful, but at least at first glance, this pool seems a bit jarring to the senses. I agree about the angles of the pool, as well. Looks quite geometric when geothermal would have been better. Perhaps it was cheaper to build this way? While lovely enough in its own right, that rendition doesn't make it appear to fit in. . .

And WDad, that is a wonderful acknowledgement of your daughter's accomplishments! I especially like her drink of choice.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

I'm not sure what PPP means, but I don't think they do much announcing until they are ready to sell. And from the looks of things, that may not be for another year until PBV is much closer to selling out.

CCV may get some mention at the annual meeting as going forward according to schedule. But I wouldn't expect any details from them at this point. The best bet would be to try to corner the resort manager after the meeting.

PPP- price per point. I need SOME info...... this construction is really wearing on me. Booked three nights post cruise for next Oct. I'd like to try to switch to the the new CCV at 7 months.

 

[DenLo]

Based on the article in the Disney Files they are saying the pool is an abandoned rock quarry.

Here is the backstory:

Such rejuvenating transformations were common the Pacific Northwest following the mid-20th-century fading of the Transcontinental Railroad, as locals turned rails into trails, repurposing everything from bridges and tunnels to cranes and quarries.

A nearby "Boulder Ridge Railway and Minging Co." water tower and vintage mine cart will be amount the pool area's landmark reminders of its pioneering past.

So I think the brown cylinder item in the middle is a mining water tower and the other part is a crane. Perhaps there is some sort of water feature, dumping water into the pool for kids to get wetter.

I have to admit that my first reaction to the water tower was that it was ugly but now I think it is just not what I think of as old time water towers. I guess I have watched to many westerns in my youth.

 

[wdrl]

Other than being able to see what the new Boulder Ridge Cove will look like, the most important takeaway from the Disney Files article is that the pool construction will be finished by Summer 2017. Its not going to drag on until the Winter or into 2018. So, if anyone is thinking of staying at Boulder Ridge beginning in October 2017 or later, they won't have to worry about construction noises.

I suspect that not only the Boulder Ridge Cove will open by Summer 2017, but that the new lakefront restaurant will also be open by then. And if the restaurant is open, then the walkway between the Cove and Wilderness Lodge's main pool will also be open.

That's not to say that all the construction at Copper Creek will be finished by Summer 2017. In all likelihood, Disney will still be working on some of the lake side cabins. But those cabins that are nearest the Boulder Ridge Cove will probably be completed and ready for occupancy.

I have also looked at the water tower being added to the Boulder Ridge Cove. I can't see how it could have a slide but I agree with Denlo that it will be some type of a water feature with cascading water.

 

[sleepydog25]

Based on the article in the Disney Files they are saying the pool is an abandoned rock quarry.

Here is the backstory:



So I think the brown cylinder item in the middle is a mining water tower and the other part is a crane. Perhaps there is some sort of water feature, dumping water into the pool for kids to get wetter.

I have to admit that my first reaction to the water tower was that it was ugly but now I think it is just not what I think of as old time water towers. I guess I have watched to many westerns in my youth.

Okay, I will give credit where due, and at least it appears the Imagineers have attempted to create a plausible backstory. I still think it looks western vice northwestern, though. Personally, I would have appreciated something more along the lines of an old sawmill operation. Then again, no one asked me.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I'm not certain how many of you grew up actually swimming in a quarry turned swimming pool but I actually did! And.....this looks nothing like it. Must be the difference between a Midwest granite quarry and a Northwest rock quarry. Still, Imagineering just doesn't have it here IMO even after hearing the new backstory.

Did everyone also see the info about the new restaurant?

http://blog.touringplans.com/2016/11/23/disneys-wilderness-lodge-to-receive-new-amenities/
"Besides the pool, there will also be a new quick-service location called Geyser Point Bar & Grill. The new areas will include ample outdoor seating."

and http://wdwnt.com/blog/2016/11/disne...s-pool-enhancements-disneys-wilderness-lodge/
"Beyond the new pool space, scheduled enhancements to the resort are “chugging along” and include a brand-new bar & grill, in addition to a quick-service restaurant. Geyser Point Bar & Grill will be located in the heart of the feature pool area of Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, where guests can grab a bite to eat as they lounge by the resort’s main pool. The rendering for this area highlights ample outdoor seating and architecture that looks right at home with that of the existing Lodge, as well as Boulder Ridge Villas."

Trout Pass has to be a goner.......

 

[twinklebug]

I agree Kat, Trout Pass, as a bar, will go. The bar is quite cute, but the exhausted look of the bartenders working there tells me it is not laid out well for their use. This may be a good thing for them. Now, would Disney remove Trout pass, or re-purpose it? I love the little building. Would be nice to see it stay.

Roaring Forks is suspect for being axed too if the new food service location is all that they make it sound to be. Part of the draw to WL to me is being able to stay dry while grabbing lunch or dinner in stormy weather. I hope Roaring Forks stays.

 

[Starwind]

THis article has not just the already posted above pic of the new pool, but also a rendering of the new Geyser Point Bar and Grill, and a bunch of construction photos without the fence

https://*******.com/wilderness-lodge-dvc-construction-update/

 

[Starwind]

Roaring Forks is suspect for being axed too if the new food service location is all that they make it sound to be. Part of the draw to WL to me is being able to stay dry while grabbing lunch or dinner in stormy weather. I hope Roaring Forks stays.

This is one of the big draws for us too: interior halways and access to the restaurants. especially important too for those os using an ECV (which don't like getting wet in the rain going from a room building to a food building).

SW

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I agree Kat, Trout Pass, as a bar, will go. The bar is quite cute, but the exhausted look of the bartenders working there tells me it is not laid out well for their use. This may be a good thing for them. Now, would Disney remove Trout pass, or re-purpose it? I love the little building. Would be nice to see it stay.

Roaring Forks is suspect for being axed too if the new food service location is all that they make it sound to be. Part of the draw to WL to me is being able to stay dry while grabbing lunch or dinner in stormy weather. I hope Roaring Forks stays.

THis article has not just the already posted above pic of the new pool, but also a rendering of the new Geyser Point Bar and Grill, and a bunch of construction photos without the fence

https://*******.com/wilderness-lodge-dvc-construction-update/

Oh yes, Roaring Fork has to be a goner too.....not a fan of not having cover to the QS though either.

 

[twokats]

twokats, you have been warned

Moi??

OK, you two. I have enough males around here (my husband, 4 sons and 2 male puppydogs) that I think I can handle one little sleepydog!!

 

[sleepydog25]

KAT, your comment regarding the quarry swimming hole made me laugh out loud. Too funny. Again, I wonder why not an old sawmill or some mining operation that would better fit the northwest. Or better yet, how about a nod to the Native American population from that area which would have keeping with much of the theme at our Lodge? I'm beginning to believe the division has become just Gineering and lacking Imagin(ation). In the course of world events, this is but a mere pothole, yet it's still makes me sigh.

As for the new eatery, I'm going to be a provocateur and disagree with the current thinking. I believe Roaring Fork will survive. If we look at other deluxe resorts, I believe each has more than one QS and I see no cause for that trend to stop. Further, if we look at the issue in terms of sheer numbers, the prevailing theory is that the south wing of the main Lodge is being refurbished into DVC suites primarily due to the Lodge often being underbooked, with the assumption being that DVC suites will be more often fully reserved. That would mean more people at the Lodge complex rather than fewer or being static. It's not much of a leap, then, to assume Disney will want to continue to have enough eating options to satisfy all the guests. Moreover, if you're booked into a far end of the hallway, top three or four floors of the Lodge, I just don't know that Disney would want to force those guests to walk all the way over to the DVC area just to grab a quick bite. In essence, that would make them feel a bit like second-class citizens. So, I believe RF will survive in some form or another. In the same manner, I don't believe Territory Lounge will disappear, either, just because they'll have a new bar on the beach. I do think Trout Pass is a goner; however, my prediction is RF and TL will stay.

Beyond that, Luv and I hope that you each have a cozy, loving, and genuinely happy Thanksgiving!

P.S. Kathy, I've no doubt you can handle me. Sounds like you've had plenty of experience. Besides, Chris will be there to help.

 

[bobbiwoz]

OH my! My next stay at VWL will be before next year's Member Cruise. I am looking forward to being there. I am interested in seeing just how large that pool is. It sort of reminds me of Jambo's pool.

Happy Thanksgiving all!

 

[jimmytammy]

Happy Thanksgiving Folks!!!!

 

[twokats]

P.S. Kathy, I've no doubt you can handle me. Sounds like you've had plenty of experience. Besides, Chris will be there to help.

So right, Sleepy, plus I forgot two more parts of the male equation in my family. . . my grandson and soon to be born great-grandson!!
Plus along with Chris, there is my sweet Kati. And let me tell you, her brothers are afraid of their little sister, so I think we will be fine.
But Jimmy, I will keep your warning in mind.