Wilderness Lodge... is it worth it ???

[Andrea]

Hey guys we went on a very fast trip january 9-11 and stayed at pop and it was just the basic hotel room.... nothing to wright home about.


This time we are going either the end of sept/start of oct and I was thinking about staying at the wilderness lodge, but is it really worth the price ?

What is really differnt about it, then say pop ?

 

[heimlichfan]

I stayed at WL with my mom and aunt a few trips ago... the trip before that I had stayed at ASMo so I think I can offer a good comparison!

I LOVED WL! These are the things that I liked about WL over ASMo:
1. Inside access to rooms - You actually go into the WL and have an interior door for your room.
2. Theming/decorating - when I walked into WL (at 1:30 am btw) I was the only one in the lobby and was totally overwhelmed by the size and detail of the place. I really felt like I was at a super fancy resort.
3. Rooms - more space that ASMo, better sink area, better toiletries (Yes, I know, I am a dork.)
4. Proximity to MK - I loved taking the boat over to the MK. Other transportation was great too. It was also fun to be so close to CR - we watched the fireworks from there one night.
5. This may sound stupid but it just "felt" nicer than ASMo. I don't know, maybe I'm just a closet snob!

 

[kiddisney]

go to wl - we actually went many years ago w/my parents - and now they only want to go there -

there is a 'special' feeling - it classy - different - we also like po - but walking into wl makes it feel like a real vacation - sitting in the lobby - the boat to mk - i know that it's more money - but the resort itself is a vacation w/o even going to the parks

 

[lucky978]

Without a doubt. You will love, love, love the Wilderness Lodge. It's convenience to the MK, everything is so close (roaring forks, boat dock, bus stop, etc.), the pool, the slide, the beach. And more!

If you can afford it, I say go for it! You will not regret it.

 

[melomouse]

I've heard that WL has the most repeat guests of any WDW resort.

We love it - DD doesn't want to stay anywhere else. "Majestic" comes to mind, without being "fancy" "stuffy" or "upscale".

I've never stayed at a value, so I can't compare, but the fact that a wooded country setting theme can be re-created in Florida has always just blown me away.

I always price out a mod and WL when we book, and the price difference is about $400 - well worth it!

We'll be there for our 5th stay this coming Saturday.

The PP is right - you will never regret it. I've heard folks say they prefer another deluxe over WL, but never heard anyone say they hated it.

 

[msehsejim1]

This is a NO brainer, anytime you stay at WDW delux resort you are paying for more than the stay. There is much more there than you can imagine. Remeber the value resorts are for those who want only a room and time in the parks. Their is diffenatly a big change between the two. It is still a great value when you consider where you are at, and why your there. Once in a delux you will come back for more. Besides where can you go and have all the extras you really want and enjoy all right there.

 

[WDW LifeLong Fan]

Only you can decide if the financial part of WL is possible. If it is something you can do, then please go to WL!

With the lead time until your trip, look for discounts and the price may not be as different as you think.

Good Luck!

 

[labattblue]

Only you can decide if the financial part of WL is possible. If it is something you can do, then please go to WL!

You are absolutely correct! If someone told me I won an all expense paid trip to WDW and I could stay anywhere I want, I would be all over the CR Tower view. That being said, when planning a trip with my money and budget, I would never spend $400-600 for a room there. I could plan a 7 or 8 night stay at a WDW moderate including airfare, hotel, park tickets and food just for the price of the CR stay. I would also factor in how little time I would be spending in the room/resort due to park touring.

Just my 2 cents!

 

[LeslieG]

No comparison. Completely different experience. I've heard the values compared to a Motel 6 with theming. I love, love the WL. But it comes down to how much you're comfortably able to spend.

 

[Alphabetsoup]

I had been to ASMu in 1999 for a week with a college friend and LOVED it. It was my first time staying on site. For our honeymoon my husband and I stayed at the WL and now he doesn't want to stay anywhere else!

What we loved about it:

- taking the boat to MK and the short (and relaxing) boat ride back at the end of the night.
- Whispering Canyon (GREAT brekkie!!)
- The awe-inspiring lobby! We'd spend time just sitting there watching people.
- The wildlife hanging out by the pool (non-humans...hummingbirds, rabbits, racoons, all kinds!)
- The interior room access and room decor.

Is it worth the cost? Well...to each their own. We got a good rate on the room so it was definitely worth it (we bumped our honeymoon up from AsMo, to POFQ, to WL...and would do it again!!).

We liked the special features that you just don't get at the lower priced resorts, like the choice of restaurants, the gym and massage availability, and of course the location is great for people who love the MK and can't stay at GF or Contemporary.

Of course, now my problem is trying to get hubby to want to stay anywhere else....tho since it will be at least another year before we can afford to go again, I've got time to work on him!

 

[eliza61]

Worth is always subjective. We love the WL and the BC so we always stay there. We love having a Balcony, we love having King size beds, we love having a full service TS restaurant in the hotel and close proximity to a park. So for us WL has always been worth every penny we've paid..

 

[Thats_for_Shore]

I'm so glad to hear mostly everyone say that it's worth it.

I work really hard for my money (I'm sure everyone else does too) and I don't like to throw it away. I'm fine with staying at a Value (hey, you're still in Disney, right?), but my DH decided that if we went back, it had to be at a Deluxe.

So I gave in, and we're booked at WL in less than 3 weeks.

I'm really keeping my fingers crossed that it'll be worth it!!

 

[chickenskin]

We were just there in Dec. and if you take notice to my ticker, we loved it. If you're unsure about the cost, why not consider a moderate, POR is beautiful. But in my opinion WL is well worth it.

 

[Andrea]

that's everyone!!!!!

I think i will book it... The money part of it isnt a problem, I just didnt want to pay that much money for the same "type" of the value resort room!!!

But all of you guys won me over!!!!!!

 

[TheRustyScupper]

Wilderness Lodge... is it worth it ???

1) Yes.
2) Enough said.

 

[Grumpy3]

The WL is awesome; but you need to build in time to spend at the Lodge to really appreciate everything! It is very convenient, relaxing, and fun. Even though we are going to try CBR next December (I'm going kicking & screaming) we will still probably visit the Lodge and have dinner at WC.

 

[Disney Anna]

I love the WL! It's a beautiful resort. Thematically, it's my favorite - by far. I just love the woodsy setting - the boat to the MK, CR and FW.

I sometimes think of trying another deluxe because I also enjoy their theming (Poly) or proximity to Epcot (Beach Club), but I just can't justify how much they charge for those places. I believe the WL is fairly reasonable.

My next trip (tomorrow-HOORAY) we'll be staying at POR. Again, this is another resort that I love thematically. Plus, I got a great AP deal at $99 per nite.

I prefer WL over POR by a nose - so it usually comes to cost.

BTW, we can afford any of the hotels. But just because you can afford something doesn't mean you should pay for it if you think it's not priced appropriately. Again, I just think they over charge for the other deluxes.

 

[msabol01]

The WL is awesome; but you need to build in time to spend at the Lodge to really appreciate everything! It is very convenient, relaxing, and fun. Even though we are going to try CBR next December (I'm going kicking & screaming) we will still probably visit the Lodge and have dinner at WC.

I absolutely agree you have to build time to enjoy the lodge. We were on vacation in West Palm Beach and decided surpise the kids with an overnight trip to WDW. We arrived at noon and were in awe of the lobby it is absolutely grand. We checked in, but our room was not ready, so we had a quick lunch and proceeded to the boat launches to catch our boat to the MK. Being a one day trip, we closed the park. Mind you this was July so it was hot and we were exhausted. We finally got back to the lodge around midnight. We got our room number from the front desk and proceeded to our room. We were just amazed by the decor, and ammenities. My wife looked at me and said, " If I would have know the room was like this I would have left the park hours ago." This experience eventually led us to joining the DVC. We are normally a room is a room people but this experience was awesome. Glad you decided to go for it!!

 

[grannyminnie]

I love the WL too! Having stayed at some of the other deluxes, I still seem to have a special place in my heart for it...for me, it's the lobby that wins me over. How wonderful to go down in the early morning when it's peaceful and just listen to the soundtrack with my cup of coffee. I'd love to join the DVC but it's not in the cards right now.

 

[simonkodousek]

I think the WL is worth the extra price. The rooms and atmosphere are very nice, and the lobby is incredible! The only thing I must complain about are the dining options. Roaring Forks is the CS, but it is so packed in the morning that the line goes out the door and around the corner into the main hallway. Seating is VERY hard to find, except the occasional outdoor table and chairs. If you really want to eat here, I recommend that one person in your party leaves the room early, gets breakfast, and brings it back up to the room. Seriously, seating is that hard to find at Roaring Forks. Whispering Canyon is the mid-priced non-Signature table service place. It is really fun, but gets loud and raucous especially at prime meal times. Breakfast here is really good, but more expensive than Roaring Forks. Artist Point is the Signature restaurant at the WL, so obviously it is more expensive, quieter, and with more unique food.

I'm going to stop my rant now...