Wilderness Lodge Standard View Vs. Courtyard View?

[frayedend]

Well,

The Red Sox have won the World Series and a local furniture company had a free furniture if they win promo. So we are going to Disneyworld with the refund!!!

Anyhow, checking prices and resorts we are tossed between Wilderness Lodge and Animal Kingdom. But we don't want to go way over budget and we feel that when we get to Animal Kingdom we will have to have a Savannah view. So we decided on Wilderness Lodge for this trip. It is about a 400 dollar difference for Courtyard vs. Standard View. I realize the view is probably a parking lot. We aren't concerned about that so much as we are rarely in the room. We are concerned about walking distance to things (buses, restaurants, store, etc). So what do you all think? Is the Courtyard View worth the extra cash?

Thanks!!!

 

[spiceycat]

if you aren't into views than no it isn't worth it.

although the view from courtyard - over the pool to the lake is definitely an 'ah' in my book.

if you stay with the standard ask for a lobby room. then you have quick access to everything - okay the boats and food court are a little further - but not a whole lot.

 

[Got Quattro?]

Views are never worth paying for.

You can easily get comped for upgrades if your people skillz are up to speed.

I always book standard, and get comped upgraded views 8 of 10 times. The key is to get them to want to upgrade you without you comming out and asking for it.

Good luck.

 

[GovieMom]

Well congrats ... that must have been one heck of a refund! Anyhow, you basically ruled out AKL because you'd want a savannah view, which would be too costly. But wouldn't a courtyard view at WL cost about the same?

 

[DBH]

We stayed in a standard room @ WL this summer. We were on the 5th floor facing the contempary. Down below is the service parking area but the neat thing is every night we could see the fireworks from our room above the trees. You could also see the monorail thru the tree tops. I'm glad we didn't pay the extra for a courtyard view as we couldn't justify it for the time we spend in the room. The WL is a great resort and the family loved it.

 

[alldiz]

The Wilderness Lodge is awesome....any room.

However....I really love the inner courtyard view.
I will miss it when I stay DVC
Kerri

 

[chatty]

Just came back last May..We had 3 Courtyard rooms at the WL on the 4th floor. The 3 rooms were all right next to the main building. We did not see anything but a few bushes, small trees, and the tiny bit of the water that flowed from the main building but that was hard to see with all the rocks. So Is the Courtyard View worth it? In my Book NO, unless you are way toward the lake or pool..Some have said if your higher up than the 4th floor you see a bit more. We would just sit on our 3 balconies and watch people smoke on the 2 main outdoor smoking patios. One off the main lobby and one off the 4 floor. If we go back I will save the money and go for the standard. unless they could guarantee us a lake/pool view and there are no such Guarantee...
Chatty

 

[mickeystoontown]

We've booked a standard view room for our first WL stay in June, 2008. After much reading of these boards and much pondering, we decided to just go with a standard view room. We really aren't the "gotta have a view" kind of people so I saved my money. We are going to the Wilderness Lodge for the "feel" of the entire resort.

 

[frayedend]

Well congrats ... that must have been one heck of a refund! Anyhow, you basically ruled out AKL because you'd want a savannah view, which would be too costly. But wouldn't a courtyard view at WL cost about the same?

Good point. If we decide on spending the extra we will definitely compare the two.

Oh, and the refund was about $4000.00. We had been saving for a sectional for a long time. We were able to buy it on the last day of the promotion. I really didn't think the Sox would end up winning. We got really lucky. And this helped the kids become Red Sox fans.

 

[bellebuzzntink]

I really didn't think the Sox would end up winning. We got really lucky. And this helped the kids become Red Sox fans.

Congrats on winning and especially on the Refund! BIL works for Rockies and we were all SHOCKED they didn't play more competitively!

 

[dadof2]

Have to agree with you Chatty, we spent the extra $$ for a courtyard view last year only to be placed on the 2nd floor (which is actually ground level) looking out into trees.

 

[3for Me]

Have to agree with you Chatty, we spent the extra $$ for a courtyard view last year only to be placed on the 2nd floor (which is actually ground level) looking out into trees.

We had booked a standard this summer as it was a heck of a deal through Travelocity. I knew there was NO WAY we'd ever get an upgrade. Well, when I checked in the CM said we had a CY view. GREAT!

We had the same 2nd floor (actually ground level) view as the above poster.

I was thrilled that I would not be looking at a parking lot, but honestly, as nice as it was, I would have been slightly disappointed if I had paid a lot more for it. I would have paid a little more, but not $400 more. BTW, we are BIG view people and I still wouldn't have paid that much more.

That said, you never know what view you'll get...

 

[rcraw45425]

So you can see a courtyard view, here is the view from room 6039, an inner courtyard room:

 

[disneydebi]

Be sure to send Barry and Elliot pictures from your trip!

 

[spiceycat]

I always book standard, and get comped upgraded views 8 of 10 times. The key is to get them to want to upgrade you without you comming out and asking for it.

Good luck.

okay don't say this without giving example of the way to do it?

 

[Sammie]

okay don't say this without giving example of the way to do it?

Believe me you don't want to know.

 

[Tink51]

Just returned yesterday- in my opinion NOT worth it at all. Our courtyard view was on 1st floor- actually below the lobby level, next to the pool with loud screaming and yelling almost the entire time we were in the room! Never again,rather have a woods view. Even the parking lot looked more peaceful!

 

[Cinderella]

Honestly - it is not worth paying extra for a view. I have always booked WL standard view - and I think I got standard view once. In fact, the first couple of times I stayed there, I thought courtyard was standard view - I'd been upgraded without knowing it.

It was very nice, but I wouldn't pay extra for a view anywhere - unless there was nothing else available (maybe with the exception of Animal Kingdom Lodge). Because unless you sit on your balcony for hours on end, you're not going to see it.

IMHO it is best to get the best room rate possible at the WL - the rooms are all the same and you'll still have a good time.

 

[Brad Bishop]

Seems to me the only places where the view would matter would be: Contemporary (MK View), Grand Floridian (MK/Contemporary view would be nice), Animal Kingdom Lodge (animal view - I think they have this - never really looked into it).

Everything else just looks like nicer views of what you'd see at other hotels/motels.

 

[MrsCopper]

Well,

The Red Sox have won the World Series and a local furniture company had a free furniture if they win promo. So we are going to Disneyworld with the refund!!!

Anyhow, checking prices and resorts we are tossed between Wilderness Lodge and Animal Kingdom. But we don't want to go way over budget and we feel that when we get to Animal Kingdom we will have to have a Savannah view. So we decided on Wilderness Lodge for this trip. It is about a 400 dollar difference for Courtyard vs. Standard View. I realize the view is probably a parking lot. We aren't concerned about that so much as we are rarely in the room. We are concerned about walking distance to things (buses, restaurants, store, etc). So what do you all think? Is the Courtyard View worth the extra cash?

Thanks!!!

We stayed at the WL in Dec 06. We surprised the kids with a room with bunk beds. We had a standard view room. We looked out onto a small pond lined with trees and then the canal to the Contemporary just beyond that. Very quite and some wildlife in the morning. It was certainly better than seeing a parking lot, but we didn't spend enough time in the room to have warranted any extra money in securing a courtyard or better view. The WL was amazing!