WL trip report! A DVC'er does a "regular" hotel room!

[Divamomto3]

Well I just got back last night from my 4 night stay at the Wilderness Lodge. If you recall, I planned the trip at the last minute just a few weeks ago and I was unable to get a studio anywhere for my dates. The wait list never came through either so we went on a cash reservation at the WL. I have an AP and got a rate of $170 a night Woods view. We got there at almost 10pm on Sunday night. The valets opened the towncar door for me and said “Welcome Home”, which made me feel great, since I wasn’t technically there on an “official” DVC stay. The CM at the front desk, Elizabeth, was super super nice. She gave my 4 year old crayons and a coloring book. She really made us feel welcome. My voucher was fine for check in…thank goodness! Because after 2 planes and 1 towncar, the 4 year old wasn’t in any shape to go to DD to get the voucher activated. (And neither was Mommy!) I mentioned to the CM that my only request was nonsmoking for medical reasons. The 9 year old asthmatic and the 4 year old with a cold were unfortunately coughing up a storm. She said she could see we needed that type of room and that was no problem. She said she had a courtyard nonsmoking room for us and assigned us to room 6053. In my head I was thinking that courtyard was an upgrade from a woods view, but I wasn’t 100% sure. I had no expectations whatsoever for the view. The trip was last minute, my DH wasn’t with us, and if I looked at the famous Wilderness Lodge dumpster, it would have been OK with me. I got to the room and WOW, WOW, WOW! The view was of the waterfall, pool, and lagoon to the left. I was stunned. The view rivaled my boardwalk/lagoon view from the Yacht Club. What an unbelievable little bit of pixie dust for me… I hadn’t asked for or expected any kind of upgrade and after not getting a studio on points, and having 2 sick kids…I got that surprise. It was great! We could see the Electric Water Parade from our room. The room was in great shape…saw no problems at all. Room 6053 has 2 Queen beds. The $170 a night price tag on the $355 rack rate room made the AP totally worthwhile!

We spent quite a bit of time at the pool. The kids were a little disappointed in the size of the pool and the slide. I guess not much compares to Stormalong Bay. While in the hot tub I heard a lady raving over how great the whole pool was compared to her off site hotel. Seems, she decided to take the boat to the WL from the Magic Kingdom to use the nice pool with her son. She was asking everyone there how much they paid for the room. One lady that paid rack rate looked like she wanted to drown the guy who got a rate of $150 using a code from mousesavers. LOL! He was telling everyone about Mousesavers and I was like…Dude! Don’t let too many people in on our secret…especially these wandering “off siters!!!” I wanted to take the kids to the pool at Saratoga Springs, but read in my DVC newsletter that due to crowds, pool hopping was suspended for this week. So I follow the rules and don’t take them to our home resort pool with my DVC Member card and here’s this lady from I-Drive soaking in the Wilderness Lodge hot tub. Oy vey!

We enjoyed Roaring Forks for a quick snack that night and also for breakfast on 2 mornings. We ate at the Whispering Canyon Café for our last night there. It was OK. It’s very loud and the whole ketchup thing kind of got on my nerves by the end of my meal. The two younger kids loved there kids menu selections. My oldest and I thought the skillet was OK.

The parks were the most crowded that I’ve ever seen them. I’ve been there on Memorial Day, February vacation last year, and mid-August, and this week was the busiest I have ever seen them. I expected Magic Kingdom to be crowded, but we couldn’t even walk in Animal Kingdom. However, we made the best of it and really got to do a lot of rides.

Other favorite meals were dinner at the House of Blues in DD and breakfast at the Kona Café in the Polynesian. We also stumbled upon the fabulous arcade in the Contemporary Hotel and will definitely go back there again. I was disappointed with dinner at the Crystal Palace. I’m tired of running up to buffets while trying not to miss characters. I think we’re definitely over the whole character buffet thing. I barely ever remembered to use my AP or DVC discount for meals or DD purchases. I have to get better at that for my 11 night trip in August!

The DVC info booths were everywhere and there always seemed to be a lot of people at them getting info. We may have more neighbors soon! I loved the WL, but totally missed the villas. Our room had no fridge. I will be loving our 11 night stay in a 2 BR villa in August. And the best part…………my DH will be there! Looking forward to putting the kids to bed in their own bedroom, having an adult beverage on our balcony, and the king sized bed and jacuzzi won't hurt either.
Boy, do you miss the whole DVC thing when you have to go back to a regular room or what!

 

[ErinC]

Glad you enjoyed your "regular" trip. I'm sure it was better than being at home! We love the lodge and can't wait to get to stay there again. You should have asked for a fridge. I think most of the rooms have them now, and if they don't you can request them at no charge. You are not the only one that has mentioned how awful the crowds were last week. We were there 2 weeks ago and it was great. I'm sure Presidents day made the difference. Hopefully, your next trip with your DH will be a little more enjoyable.

Your nicer than I would be about the offsite pool hopper. I would have immediately told the lifeguards about her (not that they would neccesarily do anything). That is so aggravating! I just cannot believe the gall of some people. And then not to have sense enough just to keep your big mouth shut about it and tell other people sitting at the pool!!!

 

[jade1]

What a great update-I was asking you before you went why you felt stuck with WL (because its hard to beat WL) instead of a waitlist until you clarified you were in the Lodge itself. But it sounds like it turned out better than expected anyway-glad to hear it.

 

[spiceycat]

the first thing that is lacking at the VWL - is the view.

aren't thoses courtyard views beautiful!!!

did you get see the EWP from your room - some courtyard views get an excellent view of this.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I'm glad you had such a nice time!

Bobbi

 

[Granny]

You definitely got an upgrade there...usually WL charges more for the Courtyard View than the Woods View! Glad to hear that it worked out so well for you.

WL pools seem to get an inordinate amount of pool crashers. Many, many come from Fort Wilderness and even feel that they're entitled to it since their pool is so boring! I hadn't thought about people coming over from MK...that's quite a lot of work just to go to a pool. I could see where it could become even more of a problem for SSR as people could come to DTD and just walk over to their nice pool.

I wish the CM's would check the room cards of people, but obviously Disney feels that the extra work isn't worth it at this time. Plus, no matter how wrong people are, some get absolutely indignant when told the rules. They think that because they pay "so much" to go into the parks that entitles them to everything.

Thanks for letting me rant. Feeling better now!

 

[newholidayx2]

thanks for your report
DS & I will be staying in the Lodge standard view (unless discount comes out) in Aug for 3nights
We had our first trip "home" to the VWL this past Oct. Stayed in the Lodge courtyard view in 01.
We're finishing up last yrs pts at the BCV this Aug

 

[Divamomto3]

the first thing that is lacking at the VWL - is the view.

aren't thoses courtyard views beautiful!!!

did you get see the EWP from your room - some courtyard views get an excellent view of this.

We sure did! It was fabulous and so unexpected!

 

[Divamomto3]

You definitely got an upgrade there...usually WL charges more for the Courtyard View than the Woods View! Glad to hear that it worked out so well for you.

WL pools seem to get an inordinate amount of pool crashers. Many, many come from Fort Wilderness and even feel that they're entitled to it since their pool is so boring! I hadn't thought about people coming over from MK...that's quite a lot of work just to go to a pool. I could see where it could become even more of a problem for SSR as people could come to DTD and just walk over to their nice pool.

I wish the CM's would check the room cards of people, but obviously Disney feels that the extra work isn't worth it at this time. Plus, no matter how wrong people are, some get absolutely indignant when told the rules. They think that because they pay "so much" to go into the parks that entitles them to everything.

Thanks for letting me rant. Feeling better now!

When I stayed at the Yacht Club in '03, preDVC, I was asked for my room card each and every time we went to the pool. And we were given wrist bands. I'm not sure if they are still doing that at Stormalong bay or not. I wish they'd check ID's too. The pool was soooo crowded, and so were the hot tubs. There was never a chair to be found whenever I went out there. Which leaves me to another rant about people who don't dispose of their used pool towels when they leave and you can't tell if their chair is occupied for real or just left with old towels on it. The woman obviously had no qualms about being in the pool at a hotel she wasn't staying at. The way she was so free with the info about where she was staying and asking everyone how much they paid for their rooms (thereby causing code vs. rack rate people to fume and possibly cause bodily injury to the mousesavers!) I truly think she was more totally clueless vs. arrogant.

 

[Greysword]

LOL, as I was reading I thinking what would have happened if you were staying as a DVC member.

Based on some of threads on here I have read, instead of an upgrade to a courtyard view, you would have been given a smoking handicapped room with a view of the dumpster!

Excellent report and I am glad you had a good time!

Thank you for sharing...

 

[crisi]

Your nicer than I would be about the offsite pool hopper. I would have immediately told the lifeguards about her (not that they would neccesarily do anything). That is so aggravating! I just cannot believe the gall of some people. And then not to have sense enough just to keep your big mouth shut about it and tell other people sitting at the pool!!!

Maybe I'm naive, but I'd rather believe the woman didn't "know" she wasn't supposed to use the pool. Way back when (like in the 1970s) Disney let you use the pools on site if you were just a day guest. I would have probably been mean and told her....along the lines of "you know, the hotel pools are reserved for guests of the hotel - people staying on-site can't even come here if they aren't staying here. I wouldn't want you to be embarrassed, because sometimes the lifeguards come around and look at room keys and kick anyone out who doesn't have one." Lifeguards almost never look at room keys, but maybe she'd have at least not been so relaxed in the hot tub. But hey, I'm passive aggressive.

 

[ErinC]

Great reply Crisi! I'm just so non confrontational that I would probably rat her out to a lifeguard and hope they would handle it, because I wouldn't have the guts to say that to her face. I just can't see how people could think they are doing nothing wrong by pool crashing, but maybe you're right.

I remember that when we stayed at BCV last year I saw an entire family come over the fence around the kiddie pool. They had towels in hand and were ready for their swim. I just kind of sat there stunned, I wasn't really sure that I had just "seen" what I had seen!

 

[loribell]

The thing I don't understand about the whole pool hoping issue is why anyone would want to. I totally agree with Granny that's an awful lot of trouble just to go swimming.

Every time I read about pool hoping, whether legitimate or not, I remember our short trip to OKW when we rented points so I could take mom and convince her DVC was a great idea. We didn't know to make location request and were so far from any pool it almost seemed like we needed to drive. To much hassle for us to load up in the car to go to the pool for a little while.

So here is one member you will never have to worry about pool hoping. We will swim at our resort or not at all!

Lori