Disney's WILDERNESS LODGE Information & Questions

[hvanes]

Hello! We are staying at BRV for the first time in August. We have never even set foot on the WL property. Last year we visited Yellowstone National Park, so we thought our kids would love the theming here. We're also super excited to be in the MK area. We had a 3-night stay at BLT several years ago and loved the convenience. I booked through the website (cash reservation, not points), and the only item listed in the room request section was for a Pack n Play. Are there other room (2 br villa) requests at BRV?

 

[DG25]

Hi, not sure where you put your name to be on the list of people going, so I will place here, if wrong change it.

We will be at WL may 6 to 11, BRV May 11 to 17 and WL May 17 to 21.

 

[ArielSRL]

So is the general consensus that once RF opens back up, Geyser Point will continue to stay open? Or does anyone think they will open it makeshift for when RF closes and then close it back up to finish it once RF opens back up?

 

[sleepydog25]

Hello! We are staying at BRV for the first time in August. We have never even set foot on the WL property. Last year we visited Yellowstone National Park, so we thought our kids would love the theming here. We're also super excited to be in the MK area. We had a 3-night stay at BLT several years ago and loved the convenience. I booked through the website (cash reservation, not points), and the only item listed in the room request section was for a Pack n Play. Are there other room (2 br villa) requests at BRV?

While not as stunning as Yellowstone Nat'l Park, I do think you and your kids will enjoy the experience at WL. As for the 2BR options, there are dedicated 2BRs and 2BRs which are a combination of a 1BR with a lock off studio. In either case, your choices are fairly simple and involve two of the three following options: lake side or bus stop side; high floor or lower floor; near elevator or end of hall. To be fair, I don't know what choices they allow you to make on a cash basis since we own there. As owners, we usually ask for a higher floor on the lake side. Others would rather be near an elevator, so might request that and lake view opting to take their chances on what floor they get. We prefer looking toward the lake (in the past, it was mostly trees; now it's construction and lake), but many like being on the bus stop side which actually is a very quiet tree view with almost no signs of buses--that's simply a designation of which side of the building you're on. Either way, you'll find a lot of serenity, even with the ongoing construction. Be sure to explore the entire resort as it's one of the best-themed properties in the World. Enjoy!

 

[Circusgirl]

GrandCalifornian, I'm planning a fall trip and booked at POR, but am now thinking hard about WL. We live in Southern California and have stayed at the Grand Californian many times. I'm a little worried that WL won't be "different" enough from what we have here in California and in our Western parks. Are you a Californian who still really enjoyed WL?
Thanks for any input!!

Edit to add that I'd welcome input from any and all Westerners out there! Thanks!

I grew up in California and live in Washington, so I was also hesitant about booking at WL because it did seem too much like staying in my own backyard as it were. I was a loyal Poly fan for years, but while it was under heavy construction I didn't want to stay in the middle of the mess so I did try other resorts, including WL. It is now one of my favorites, and I am returning for the fourth time next week, despite construction! The location is fantastic, the grounds are beautiful and relaxing and the cast members are awesome. I am a big fan of the room and lobby decor as it is very deeply themed. The trend now in the rehabs is to go bland generic hotel with much less theming so I am looking forward to my room and all the wonderful details too. I have stayed CL here several times and it is my favorite CL on property.

 

[DG25]

Question I'll ask here and see if anyone knows. It is important for me to book into the right room category, I don't care at all about the view, just the room category to get what I need. I am legally blind, and have a guide dog. I could do an upstairs room, but prefer to have ground level, just encase she wants to potty after 10 or at 4 am when we usually go potty because that is what time I wake up for work. So at 4 am to just open a slider and go out to potty is great, if I had to go thru hotel I would feel the need to shorter and dress at 4 am.

So, I booked for now a standard room ground level. First there does not seem to be many, maybe 8. So I looked and find it says on touring plan, that the rooms, opposite the pool down near the docks are woods view. I look at WL and find no wood views that you can reserve. I can do a king bed, or two queens, I think I'm going alone but may have my dad, but she won't mind sleeping in the same bed it King, so I could pick king bed which would be the two end rooms down near the docks, but on touring they say garden view, you can't book garden view king beds. So now I am so confused. Disney is usually really good, and last year at VWL we had a perfect room and will ask again for the same room this time over there, but we are going 16 days so I have 5 at WL, 6 at BRV, and 4 at WL.

What room category would give me the best chance of a ground floor?
Can anyone tell me if ground floor standard have a sliding door out?
If they don't

 

[DG25]

Sorry hit the button!

If I don't do queen would I have a better chance getting ground floor or less since there is only 2 rooms.
I can book a room under disability, the hearing impaired rooms, since some of the amenities help, would that be better?

To the person who talked about the grand California and lives in Washington. I am the same, thought this would not appeal to me. We stayed poly, blt, BC, Vwl, akl. Bwv, and out of them all Val was our favorite. The lobby is much more calm and relaxing than GC, it is by far less busy, except for maybe 2 hours at night when whispering canyon has a large crowd for dinner. Almost every time we walked Thur last year the lobby was empty. Looking out and seeing the water, which actually starts inside makes it a totally different feel. The GC feels more grand, luxurious, the WL feels more like a lodge, a way of the past, you can feel the trains are coming, and the bears are close, now I am blind so I use different senses but it is a totally different feel. And I'm sure even those who use sight would say it is well worth it. I always feel crowded at the GC, at WL I felt relaxed in my room, in the pool, and I would say on the buses, but that has nothing to do with the GC, bus buses are so much less crowded at WL, probably one of my main reasons for staying there.

 

[hvanes]

While not as stunning as Yellowstone Nat'l Park, I do think you and your kids will enjoy the experience at WL. As for the 2BR options, there are dedicated 2BRs and 2BRs which are a combination of a 1BR with a lock off studio. In either case, your choices are fairly simple and involve two of the three following options: lake side or bus stop side; high floor or lower floor; near elevator or end of hall. To be fair, I don't know what choices they allow you to make on a cash basis since we own there. As owners, we usually ask for a higher floor on the lake side. Others would rather be near an elevator, so might request that and lake view opting to take their chances on what floor they get. We prefer looking toward the lake (in the past, it was mostly trees; now it's construction and lake), but many like being on the bus stop side which actually is a very quiet tree view with almost no signs of buses--that's simply a designation of which side of the building you're on. Either way, you'll find a lot of serenity, even with the ongoing construction. Be sure to explore the entire resort as it's one of the best-themed properties in the World. Enjoy!

Thank you! I'm wondering if we won't be able to make any requests since it is a cash reservation. Oh, well! Still looking forward to our trip.

 

[sleepydog25]

Thank you! I'm wondering if we won't be able to make any requests since it is a cash reservation. Oh, well! Still looking forward to our trip.

Perhaps not, though truthfully, I'm not well-versed in this area. You might try calling the resort directly and asking, however.

 

[DG25]

Hello! We are staying at BRV for the first time in August. We have never even set foot on the WL property. Last year we visited Yellowstone National Park, so we thought our kids would love the theming here. We're also super excited to be in the MK area. We had a 3-night stay at BLT several years ago and loved the convenience. I booked through the website (cash reservation, not points), and the only item listed in the room request section was for a Pack n Play. Are there other room (2 br villa) requests at BRV?

I just looked at my ressies for May at BRV, my room does not give a view either. I remember last year you checked in 60 days early and you were giving choices. If you really want a lake view or a woods view I would call and have them write the request on your ressies, because all I remember is they asked things like high floor, ground floor, near elevator, and such. I right in when I book I want ground floor near front enterance, I got the first room from the enterance on the ground floor, of course I tell them I have a guide dog so maybe the worked extra hard but not all Disney hotels do, they are excellent there.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Thank you! I'm wondering if we won't be able to make any requests since it is a cash reservation. Oh, well! Still looking forward to our trip.

You should be able to have the reservations CM's enter a request if you booked on cash.

 

[danikoski]

Thank you! I'm wondering if we won't be able to make any requests since it is a cash reservation. Oh, well! Still looking forward to our trip.

You still can call and put requests on your reservation, like upper floor/lakeside, or near elevator, or ground floor.

 

[BayouQueen]

I grew up in California and live in Washington, so I was also hesitant about booking at WL because it did seem too much like staying in my own backyard as it were. I was a loyal Poly fan for years, but while it was under heavy construction I didn't want to stay in the middle of the mess so I did try other resorts, including WL. It is now one of my favorites, and I am returning for the fourth time next week, despite construction! The location is fantastic, the grounds are beautiful and relaxing and the cast members are awesome. I am a big fan of the room and lobby decor as it is very deeply themed. The trend now in the rehabs is to go bland generic hotel with much less theming so I am looking forward to my room and all the wonderful details too. I have stayed CL here several times and it is my favorite CL on property.

I booked WL for next October! Very excited!
Thanks for all the feedback from a "Westerner's" point of view!

 

[WDWKOOK]

Just got back on Tuesday from a wonderful 8 night stay at WL. It was perfect and we did not encounter any problems at all. We stay every year at the cabins at FW, but wanted to try the lodge and I am so glad we did. DH and the kids say we are only staying at the lodge now!!!! Housekeeping, Roaring Forks staff, and concierge were great as well!

Thanks for posting about your stay. I hope you get to book WL again soon.

Thank you..........I love seeing my name on Lodger's Log...........it creates such a good feeling

Doug

You're welcome, Doug and happy planning.

According to Disney Dining it will close on Feb 13 until March 31. The lady on the phone told me that it should be open again on Apr 1. But I am not really sure how accurate that is. When you check the opening times on the website you see "no times available" starting on Feb 13. With the new covered seating being built right now it would not make sense to have it closed so long. So I am inclined to believe Disney Dining. Otherwise they could have started the constrution outside of RF together with the refurb. But this is just wild guessing

Thanks for the closure confirmation

Hi, not sure where you put your name to be on the list of people going, so I will place here, if wrong change it.

We will be at WL may 6 to 11, BRV May 11 to 17 and WL May 17 to 21.

I'd be happy to add your dates to the Lodgers' Log in POST 1.

Question I'll ask here and see if anyone knows. It is important for me to book into the right room category, I don't care at all about the view, just the room category to get what I need. I am legally blind, and have a guide dog. I could do an upstairs room, but prefer to have ground level, just encase she wants to potty after 10 or at 4 am when we usually go potty because that is what time I wake up for work. So at 4 am to just open a slider and go out to potty is great, if I had to go thru hotel I would feel the need to shorter and dress at 4 am.

So, I booked for now a standard room ground level. First there does not seem to be many, maybe 8. So I looked and find it says on touring plan, that the rooms, opposite the pool down near the docks are woods view. I look at WL and find no wood views that you can reserve. I can do a king bed, or two queens, I think I'm going alone but may have my dad, but she won't mind sleeping in the same bed it King, so I could pick king bed which would be the two end rooms down near the docks, but on touring they say garden view, you can't book garden view king beds. So now I am so confused. Disney is usually really good, and last year at VWL we had a perfect room and will ask again for the same room this time over there, but we are going 16 days so I have 5 at WL, 6 at BRV, and 4 at WL.

What room category would give me the best chance of a ground floor?
Can anyone tell me if ground floor standard have a sliding door out?
If they don't

Given your unique situation, I don't see why you wouldn't receive your ground floor request no matter what category you book. Make sure that the CM adds your ground floor request and that you're legally blind to your reservation. I would also have your service dog added to your reservation so that the CM knows better why you're making the ground floor request. I would think this would ensure your request is met. Also, make sure to confirm this upon check-in.

As far as booking an HA room, I would think there are pluses and minuses to that since you are sight and not hearing impaired. I think your most important requirement is a ground floor room and I don't know how HA rooms are distributed throughout the floors. Also, if you have 3 separate reservations, make sure the CM also adds "continuing reservation" to your record. The Room Assignor may pay closer attention to your ground floor request as it applies to each reservation.

 

[preemiemama]

@WDWKOOK would you add my trip to the log as well? BRV from 6/28-7/5? It will be a family trip with 21 of us!

 

[Roxyfire]

@WDWKOOK Could you please add us to the Lodgers Log as well? 2 of (Me and 11 year old son) May 29th -June 5th 2017. 2nd time On-site, 1st at WL.

 

[Jillinwonderland]

Hi everyone!!

Please add me to the log for 5/11-5/14 First time stay at this resort!

I am so excited! It'll be my first time here as well as my friend (we've been friends for 16 years!) who has never stayed on Disney Property and just became and Annual Passholder. We've booked a standard room with DxDP.

Any hints or advice on the resort would be wonderful. Looking forward to it so much!

Is Artist Point really good? Thoughts?
We plan a WCC lunch the day we leave?
How much time should we plan to explore the resort?

 

[Scott MC]

Well, this is highly unexpected! We've been coming to WDW in August every year since 2006, and plan to do so again this summer. But, we just were invited to my future BIL's bachelor party in April and we'll be staying CL at WL! What a surprise! It will be my 2nd stay, having stayed in my early 20's in roughly 1998 and DF's (that's a new one as well, referring to him as my fiancee!) first stay there. At this point, he will have officially crossed all 8 deluxe resorts off his list, a feat I accomplished when we stayed at Poly in Aug. 2016. We're very excited, but nervous, as we sadly have a pet who's been diagnosed with cancer and been given a prognosis that could put her in harm's way during this trip, but at the moment, she's doing quite well, exceeding expectations, and we're hoping our streak of good luck continues through the end of April. Our dates are 4/28-5/1.
We're big fans of the Epcot resort loop, considering BC/YC our home away from home, but looking forward to getting more acquainted with WL and being back in WDW for F&G! I'll probably be lurking around this board for the next couple of months, and just wanted to say "Hi!"

 

[KathyTN]

Hello everyone.
We are planning a short stay, to attend a wedding in Mid May.
We have stayed on property several times over the years, but other than one time at Caribbean Beach Resort (which was too chaotic for us), we've stayed at Deluxe Resorts. We like larger rooms, themeing, full service restaurants. Views are important to us, too.
Our favorite place is AKL, club level, because we love the themeing, food, and animals.

When we go in May, there are 3 of us. We want 2 sleeping areas - a separate sleeping area for me and my husband, and then a place for our college daughter.

I'm looking at Wilderness Lodge, Deluxe Room, Club Level. We stayed in what was called a Junior Suite at WL, many years ago. We really liked it. There was no club level with the junior suite at that time.

To stay at AKL CL, we will need 2 rooms - which is way too expensive for us on this trip.
I also found a very well priced 1 BR villa at Saratoga Springs.
And I found a Jr Suite King at Coronado Springs, nicely priced.

I am wondering about the refurbishment at WL - how that will affect us.
Is it disruptive at the resort?
What about the pool?
Are these rooms already refurbished?

View is important to us too - any info on the room view?

Any comments would be gratefully received.

 

[GrandCalifornian]

Hello everyone.
We are planning a short stay, to attend a wedding in Mid May.
We have stayed on property several times over the years, but other than one time at Caribbean Beach Resort (which was too chaotic for us), we've stayed at Deluxe Resorts. We like larger rooms, themeing, full service restaurants. Views are important to us, too.
Our favorite place is AKL, club level, because we love the themeing, food, and animals.

When we go in May, there are 3 of us. We want 2 sleeping areas - a separate sleeping area for me and my husband, and then a place for our college daughter.

I'm looking at Wilderness Lodge, Deluxe Room, Club Level. We stayed in what was called a Junior Suite at WL, many years ago. We really liked it. There was no club level with the junior suite at that time.

To stay at AKL CL, we will need 2 rooms - which is way too expensive for us on this trip.
I also found a very well priced 1 BR villa at Saratoga Springs.
And I found a Jr Suite King at Coronado Springs, nicely priced.

I am wondering about the refurbishment at WL - how that will affect us.
Is it disruptive at the resort?
What about the pool?
Are these rooms already refurbished?

View is important to us too - any info on the room view?

Any comments would be gratefully received.

Since the deluxe room is a nice fit for you, I'd say go for it. WL is beautiful and has some architectural similarities to AKL, but has the added advantage of being on Bay Lake, which is beautiful and allows for boat transportation to MK as well as CR and Fort Wilderness.

As for the construction, it does not affect the main pool area, and by then you will likely have both QS food locations open. The rooms in the South wing will likely still be closed but we found that to not be a big issue last September. Most of the heavy construction on the new cabins will be done, and the resort is beautiful.

One last thing to be aware of is that the Deluxe rooms are not located on the 7th floor, but they do come with club level access to go up and visit the lounge. They are located at the end of the North wing with two rooms per floor on floors 1-6. They have balconies that look East towards the lake, but trees obstruct some of the view and you are quite close to the boat dock, so you will likely hear boat horns. The rooms were refurbished a few years ago and are still nice. The project underway is to convert rooms to DVC villas, so it isn't a normal refurb.

Happy planning!