Wilderness Lodge parking, unloading and checking in

[mickeystoontown]

We are scheduled to arrive at the Wilderness Lodge for 10 days in May/June. We are driving and will have two additional days on the road. Needless to say, the car will be full of luggage and "stuff".

Where do we park to check in? Where do we park to unload? Etc.

Thanks in advance!

 

[eliza61]

To unload, you will pull up to the front of the lodge under the canopy. There is usually a bell person there to assist. There is also a small desk/stand where some one will park the car for you if you want valet (I believe it's $10.00 bucks) if not after you unload you will just drive you car around and the self parking lot will be in front of you.

 

[fla4fun]

It can look a little confusing the first time you drive in. When you go through the guard gate, keep going straight. There will be some turn offs to the left, and one road to the right, but ignore them and follow the signs to the lobby.

After you have unloaded, you will go to the bottom of the hill and there will be a stop sign. The parking you see straight and to the immediate left is self parking. The valet parking is to the left of the self parking. The parking lot is kind of circular, and you can basically drive around it. If you are headed toward the guard shack, and don't want to exit, turn into the last turn in on the right before the guard shack, and you'll be back on the drive that circles the lot.

 

[mickeystoontown]

It can look a little confusing the first time you drive in. When you go through the guard gate, keep going straight. There will be some turn offs to the left, and one road to the right, but ignore them and follow the signs to the lobby.

After you have unloaded, you will go to the bottom of the hill and there will be a stop sign. The parking you see straight and to the immediate left is self parking. The valet parking is to the left of the self parking. The parking lot is kind of circular, and you can basically drive around it. If you are headed toward the guard shack, and don't want to exit, turn into the last turn in on the right before the guard shack, and you'll be back on the drive that circles the lot.

Thanks for the details. I am a detail kinda person. Like to know EVERYTHING.

 

[mickeystoontown]

To unload, you will pull up to the front of the lodge under the canopy. There is usually a bell person there to assist. There is also a small desk/stand where some one will park the car for you if you want valet (I believe it's $10.00 bucks) if not after you unload you will just drive you car around and the self parking lot will be in front of you.

Thanks a bunch. I am so looking forward to our first WL stay!

 

[SnowWtch]

The only problem I had was that they take the bags to your room for you. You can't just do it yourself if you're using a cart. So, you have to factor in a tip for the person bringing in your stuff and when you want it brought back to the car. I was caught off guard by this b/c I had not budgeted for it. We've always stayed at a value or mod and just gotten a cart and done it ourselves. I'm paranoid about people touching my stuff so it was a bit of a shock for me to be told no.

 

[eliza61]

The only problem I had was that they take the bags to your room for you. You can't just do it yourself if you're using a cart. So, you have to factor in a tip for the person bringing in your stuff and when you want it brought back to the car. I was caught off guard by this b/c I had not budgeted for it. We've always stayed at a value or mod and just gotten a cart and done it ourselves. I'm paranoid about people touching my stuff so it was a bit of a shock for me to be told no.

I was caught off guard the first time also. But boy, did I get use to it quickly. Now if I stay at a simple motel along 95, I'm looking for the bell hop

 

[Bugsmom73]

I LOVE bellhops. For some odd reason, shlepping 2 kids, one husband and a bunch of luggage and food doesn't thrill me. The WL was above and beyond helpful with our stuff.

 

[Seahunt]

There is also a small desk/stand where some one will park the car for you if you want valet (I believe it's $10.00 bucks)

mickeystoontown just so there are no surprises at the end of your trip I just wanted to make sure that you know that the $10 valet parking charge is $10 PER DAY plus tip

The self parking (no charge) lot at the WL is convenient, but there is a very small hill to walk up from the parking lot in case someone in your party has mobility issues (yes there are hills here in flat Florida )

 

[DisneyWisher]

Have someone in your party count the bags as the bellhop is taking them out of the car. When staying at AKL (just DD and myself) they lost a bag. I noticed it right away when he came to the room with the bags. I followed him downstairs to where they hold the bags and he found it on the floor. My DD playstation 2 was in it along with games and dvds. My dvd Con-Air (love Nick Cage) was broken though it was in the DVD book (holds 100+ dvds or cds) DD's playstation was fine. I chalked it up to a lesson learned. If there is anything of value that you don't want to have the chance of losing or being damaged leave it in the trunk until you yourself can get, in case the room is not ready.

 

[mickeystoontown]

Don't mean to sound cheap but...there's no way to just simply take your own luggage and "stuff" in?

How much do you tip the bellhop? I've only stayed at one other resort that offers bellhop services and I can't remember how much I tipped but I remember I tipped per bag. Lordy! With all our stuff, I better start saving bellhop tip money!

 

[Cindy's Mom]

You can't take your stuff with you because your room will probably not be ready yet. The bellhops will hold your luggage for you, you can check in, get your keys to the kingdom and be on your way. They will bring your bags up to your room.

I would budget this into your trip.

 

[eliza61]

Don't mean to sound cheap but...there's no way to just simply take your own luggage and "stuff" in?

How much do you tip the bellhop? I've only stayed at one other resort that offers bellhop services and I can't remember how much I tipped but I remember I tipped per bag. Lordy! With all our stuff, I better start saving bellhop tip money!

I generally tip $5.00 per bag, but let me say we usually just give the bellhops the big suitcases. When we go for 10 nights all kids carry their own bags with toys, dvd's etc. Dh & I carry our small bags (dh has a case for his laptop- no way does he hand that over and I carry my makeup/dump bag). So we may have 3 or 4 big bags that the bell hop puts on the cart. It's not cheap, between waitstaff, mousekeeping and others, tips can really add up. As disneywisher said, you can always just off load the big stuff and bring the rest in later.

 

[DVCLiz]

I usually tip the bellhop $20 for a normal "load" of our vacation stuff. Then I tip another $20 for the one who takes it down to my car on the day we leave.

If a bellhop is helping me with our luggage out of the car, but we aren't going directly to the room, I tip him at the time - usually $10 - for helping get the luggage out of the car, onto the cart, and into storage. Then I tip the guy who brings it to my room $20. So sometimes it's $30 total instead of $20 when we arrive. The guy who helps out of the car deserves something, but the guy who pushes it all the way to my room deserves more, I think!!!

It's well worth it to me - I am a bellhop/valet parking kind of gal at WDW all the way!!!

 

[mickeystoontown]

You can't take your stuff with you because your room will probably not be ready yet. The bellhops will hold your luggage for you, you can check in, get your keys to the kingdom and be on your way. They will bring your bags up to your room.

I would budget this into your trip.

Not quite sure I understand the "will probably not be ready yet" part. We won't be checking in until late in the afternoon/early evening.

 

[ctjsowens]

We've never used a bell hop before but if we carry as much as we did last year on our trip next year then we'll probably use the bell hop. As far as having the bell hop store your luggage because the room isnt ready. We just leave ours in the van , go check in and get our tickets, then go to the parks and unload the van when the room becomes available.

 

[Tomh]

This is good, useful information. I plan on arriving early in the morning, and figured that I would leave everything in the van. Can you check in as early as you want to get your park tickets? How about parking, do you need to get a card for the car or anything before parking?