Wilderness Lodge Villas first-timer

[joepoe]

I'm heading 'home' in Dec and like the OP, it will be our first stay in VWL, so this thread is fantastic. I'm sitting here reading all of these posts and just saying to myself "aaaahhhhhhhhh". You guys are really putting me in the mood for this trip and upping (is that even a word ) the excitement level for VWL.

Thanks a lot and like the OP said, "keep them coming"!

Thank goodness for that 7 month window! It's like being a new member and going home for the first time!

 

[newholidayx2]

jimmytammy - that was beautiful
thanks for taking me "home"

 

[mickeys#1fan]

Here I sit listening to Wilderness Lodge music on Live365. Makes it real easy to answer this one. I think that WL is the only one of the Disney resorts that can transport you to another place and time. It is a true escape from the real world and helps build the whole experience of fantasy and magic.

 

[ryanmilla]

Thank goodness for that 7 month window! It's like being a new member and going home for the first time!

Couldn't have said it better myself.

 

[nuttylawprofessor]

There is everything to love about WL and VWL. The lodge has all of these wonderful little nooks and seating areas to read by little fireplaces. You could spend hours wandering around finding the little nuggets of joy. While the villas don't have the little secluded places, they do have nice intimate "living rooms." The place makes you forget that you're in the middle of a hot, humid swamp. I think its the one place in all of WDW that can make you crave hot cocoa and comfy flannel pants in the middle of July. The only criticism I have of the entire resort is the choice of furniture for the villas. There isn't nearly enough storage space to unpack a week's worth of clothes. Talk about having to get nit-picky!

My home resort is Boardwalk, but we've stayed at WL more often. =)

Allison

 

[JimFitz]

When I enter that lobby and hear that music, I just want to strap on some Levis and tackle some steer! That music is terriffic!!

 

[JimFitz]

Here I sit listening to Wilderness Lodge music on Live365. Makes it real easy to answer this one. I think that WL is the only one of the Disney resorts that can transport you to another place and time. It is a true escape from the real world and helps build the whole experience of fantasy and magic.

How did you find the music?

 

[Luigi's Girl]

The VWL is my home resort and this thread is actually making me feel sad that I'll be staying at the BCV for F&W in November! How sick is that!

 

[JUDSON]

How did you find the music?

mickeys#1fan, I am glad to see there are other holdouts here like me too cheap to pay for internet radio service!!

JimFitz, try this link for a connection to "mouse house radio" on live365.com: http://www.live365.com/stations/ian07042003
They play all things disney including Wilderness Lodge songs.

hurry!! You're missing "carousel of progress"!!

 

[sleepydog25]

How did you find the music?

A large portion of the music comes from Aaron Copland, a famed American composer. The best collection of his music can be found on a Leonard Bernstein CD. Go to Amazon or Barnes and Noble and type in Aaron Copland. Copland's music alone is enough to make you want to buy points at VWL. aw:

 

[zillow]

I just love the very early morning when I walk, in sweats, (and unshowered - sorry to those of you I've run into) out the back door of the villas with my (newly purchased ) refillable mug, strolling past the pools, listening to the inspiring music, waving to the ducks and bambi, and finally filling up my mug with coffee and cream (I splurge on vacation) at the snack bar. I then take the lobby route back to the villas, walking along slowly, taking in all of the sights, maybe glancing at a few pins on the cart before crossing the lobby bridge and doing a little window shopping at the mercantile. Sometimes I even spend a few moments on the rockers in front of the villas. Of course I tell my husband that Roaring forks was unbelievably crowded that morning!
Peacful, serene, hypnotic all come to mind...which, at Disney, is a HUGE accomplishment in my book. But shh! Don't tell anyone - I would love it to stay that way.
Enjoy...

 

[Luigi's Girl]

I just love the very early morning when I walk, in sweats, (and unshowered - sorry to those of you I've run into) out the back door of the villas with my (newly purchased ) refillable mug, strolling past the pools, listening to the inspiring music, waving to the ducks and bambi, and finally filling up my mug with coffee and cream (I splurge on vacation) at the snack bar. I then take the lobby route back to the villas, walking along slowly, taking in all of the sights, maybe glancing at a few pins on the cart before crossing the lobby bridge and doing a little window shopping at the mercantile. Sometimes I even spend a few moments on the rockers in front of the villas. Of course I tell my husband that Roaring forks was unbelievably crowded that morning!
Peacful, serene, hypnotic all come to mind...which, at Disney, is a HUGE accomplishment in my book. But shh! Don't tell anyone - I would love it to stay that way.
Enjoy...

DH and I love the morning stroll to Roaring Forks for tea & coffee and I CAN'T believe neither one of us has ever thought of walking out the back and around the pools as you do. What a great idea! I can't wait to tell him. Oh darn, I can't tell him because we're staying at BCV this trip and he's a little unhappy about that!

 

[jimmytammy]

You can find the WL music on live365.com. It is a free radio service. You have to sign up and have a username and password. Once in, they will ask if you have a preffered listening genre or something to that effect), type in Disney and scroll til you find mouse house radio. On Wed nights from 8 til 10? they play all WL music. I think they also play on Fri as well. I close my eyes and it takes me home.

3 particular CDs that come to mind when thinking of WL music are Aaron Copeland's Appalachian Spring, soundtracks from Dances With Wolves, and Field of Dreams. The Magnificent Seven(the one with Yul Brynner) is another but I havent found a CD for that one yet. And one other song, The Carpenters Top of the World. If you ask at the Mercantile they will give you a list of the songs.

BTW, a couple of our fellow DISers/DVCers, DVCJen and DVCIan are the folks who made that station possible. 3 cheers for Jen and Ian!!!

 

[zillow]

Luigi's Girl - Good for you though for trying another DVC - I still can't do it. Since we only go every other year right now I'm afraid to 'waste' a trip on a resort other than VWL. Yet I'm sure that once we've stayed at the others we'll like them too. I would be interested to hear your opinion on BCV.

 

[Muushka]

We also love walking around the lodge/grounds. Really, any excuse to do it. I have read posts from those who believe that the villas are too far from the lodge. It could be twice as far as it is now and we would still enjoy it. We usually take some sort of detour to make it last longer.

Last time we went we got there to check in at about 1pm. Our room wasn't ready and we knew from past experience that it probably be around 4 till it was ready. We just walked around, sat in all the different areas, soaked in the atmosphere. I think we just started a new tradition. Unless we are with friends. They would probably not enjoy it!

 

[CaliforniaDreaming]

We are BWV owners, but love WL/VWL! It is close to the MK, but you feel a million miles away. It is very relaxing, nice and quiet. The resort is beautiful, and I think the villas are the nicest decorated of all the resorts.

Have a great time!

 

[kda]

How could I forget to mention the music!!!!! That grabbed me from the first time I walked in the lobby. When I'm back in the 'real world', I categorize certain music I hear as "Wilderness Lodge music", and it immediately takes me back there.

One of my favorites is from Last of the Mohecans.