Wilderness Lodge Pool

[PartyOf5]

Can someone please describe the WL pool? From all the pictures I've seen, it looks very tiny. About how long is the water slide? I can imagine that it gets very crowded...do the guests at WL Villas also share the pool? Thank you.

 

[garydove]

I thought it was small. Especially when compared to the AKL. We were there at the end of May and the pool did get very busy. Residents at the villas can use the pool but then WL residents can use th villas pool, which we found to be much quieter although it did not have the theming.

Hope this helps.

 

[gumdrop]

I agree with garydove in that the pool is on the small side for a resort of its size. But it does the job, and is very pretty. The pool actually starts out in the lobby as a small stream that runs outside, turns into a waterfall, and runs down to the pool. The slide was short and tame--it goes into a cave briefly if I remember correctly...and yes, the pool does fill up. We went in during the evening when it was less crowded. During the afternoon we laid out on the beach or rented boats.

 

[gumdrop]

Oh! And WELCOME TO THE DIS BOARDS!

 

[Ratpack]

Welcome to the DIS!!

Yes the pool at WL is kind of small, but the theme is great. It has the feeling of swimming in a small pool is a mountain river. The slide is not that long, but long enough to have a little fun.

 

[Amy]

We just returned from WL (June 7-13), and my boys (11 and 13) said they thought the pool was too small (we usually stay at POFQ), but they liked the slide better than the slide at POFQ.

 

[corvair]

I agree with amy.... we have stayed at POFQ... my 10 year old likes this pool the best so far... WL.. the pool is too small for the resort but is nice... AKL... i like this pool much better than WL... alot bigger... POLY....this is my favorite pool.... love it... corvairamy

 

[PartyOf5]

for all the replies! Boy, you guys are very fast to reply. We are leaning towards switching our ressies over to the Grand Floridian. If any of you have stayed concierge there before, I have a thread open for this.

We have also stayed at the Polynesian. My oldest loved the slide but younger one did not want to try it. I went down it a couple times myself but it was too fast for me! And dark!

We all likeed the slide at Port Orleans Riverside (Dixie Landings). I think the WL slide might be a disappointment for my kids after having such at blast at Riverside.

Thanks again for your replies!

Oh my...aren't these guys cute! :

 

[s&k'smom]

Hi just wanted to agree the pool did seem rather small and did get busy in the afternoon but they had a nice small toddler pool so it was easy to keep an eye on my 2 year old. When we were there June 10 there was a mommy duck with her four little ducklings in the pool. It was the most amazing thing I ever saw. They couldn't have been more than a few weeks old.

 

[Amy]

s&k'smom - wish I would have known you were at WL same time as us - we could have had a mini DIS meet! Wasn't the mom duck and her babies so cute! I picked up my pix on Saturday and I don't know how many I took of them - in the pool, beside the pool, in the upper area when the waterfall was........ What impressed me was how well-behaved all the kids were around the ducks. The lifeguards told them to leave the ducks alone, and they did! My youngest said the lifeguard let him help one of the babies get out of the pool and he thought that was neatest thing.

 

[s&k'smom]

Hi Amy was'nt that amazing. My picture of them came out lousy. But my DD thought they were amazing. We also saw a lifeguard help one of the little guys catch up to mom. But my God was it hot down there. I found the pool area so well maintained and clean as a whistle.

 

[HamHam]

We stayed at WL in 2001 and will be going back this August for a week. When we went in 2001 we thought the pool was also on the small side and it was in August so it felt very warm - too warm to cool off. However, we found the Villa pool to be nice and refreshing, much quieter but also quite small. We enjoyed anyway - we were with the Mouse so nothing else really mattered. By the way, smaller pools force you to talk more with other guests and make new friends - we met some folks from Mass (we're from Maine) and had several things in common. Fun, fun, fun

 

[AJKMOM]

Partyof5,
Depending on when you last stayed at the Poly, they do have a newer volcano pool that people seem to really love.

 

[Geoff_M]

However, remember that WL is one of the smallest deluxe resorts on-site. Between WL and the Villas, there's around 850 units. AKL clocks in at 1,300 units. I'd certainly HOPE the pool at AKL is a lot bigger! When you look at the number of guests each pool must serve, I don't think WL's pools are outta whack from the others.

 

[Ratpack]

Originally posted by HamHam
When we went in 2001 we thought the pool was also on the small side and it was in August so it felt very warm - too warm to cool off.

If memory serves me correctly, the pool is heated year round so the temp is pretty much constant. We thought it was warm last July too, and this was the reason.

 

[Geoff_M]

Wasn't the mom duck and her babies so cute! I picked up my pix on Saturday and I don't know how many I took of them - in the pool, beside the pool, in the upper area when the waterfall was........

My picture of them came out lousy.

Do you mean THESE ducks???

I took these on June 14th!

 

[Amy]

Yep, Geoff, that's them! Aren't they cute?!!!

 

[Wilma Flintstone]

I love almost everything about the WL, except for the pool. It could have been larger AND the sun is intense, as there are no trees or overhanging bridges to block the rays. You are right, however, about talking to fellow swimmers. It is nice to meet people from all over.

I understand that originally the WL was built to be a "moderate" resort. That is why the rooms are rather small. When Disney realized how popular the hotel became, perks like iron/ironing board and morning newspaper were added. This could be why the pool was not made to the usual size specifications.

Wish I were there now...Wilma