Disney's WILDERNESS LODGE Information & Questions

[Wood Nymph]

Are there standard view rooms that overlook the lobby?

Yes, there currently are standard rooms that overlook the lobby. Call Disney reservations to add that request to your reservation. We had a room overlooking the lobby and we really liked it.

 

[Cluelyss]

Checking into VWL next weekend. Staying on a cash reservation, so will get daily mousekeepibg, correct? Also, do we check in at WL main lobby? Any suggestions for room requests in a studio? First stay here, so excited to be "home" for the holidays!! TIA!!

 

[danikoski]

Checking into VWL next weekend. Staying on a cash reservation, so will get daily mousekeepibg, correct? Also, do we check in at WL main lobby? Any suggestions for room requests in a studio? First stay here, so excited to be "home" for the holidays!! TIA!!

Yes, you check in at WL main lobby. Because it's cash and not DVC points, you should get mousekeeping each day.

If a balcony is important to you, make sure to ask for a studio with a balcony. There are a few studios that do not have a balcony. We didn't realize that, and got a studio without a balcony.

 

[Cotillard]

Yes, there currently are standard rooms that overlook the lobby. Call Disney reservations to add that request to your reservation. We had a room overlooking the lobby and we really liked it.

Thanks! I will add this request.Hope we get one!

 

[Cluelyss]

Yes, you check in at WL main lobby. Because it's cash and not DVC points, you should get mousekeeping each day.

If a balcony is important to you, make sure to ask for a studio with a balcony. There are a few studios that do not have a balcony. We didn't realize that, and got a studio without a balcony.

Thank you!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Yes, you check in at WL main lobby. Because it's cash and not DVC points, you should get mousekeeping each day.

If a balcony is important to you, make sure to ask for a studio with a balcony. There are a few studios that do not have a balcony. We didn't realize that, and got a studio without a balcony.

Actually, other than the ground floor studios which have patios, afaik there's just one studio that does not have a balcony, 4533.

 

[danikoski]

Actually, other than the ground floor studios which have patios, afaik there's just one studio that does not have a balcony, 4533.

Yep, and we got it....I protested since it was our honeymoon and the actual front desk helped us out. I was told then that if a balcony is important to request it.

 

[WDWKOOK]

We were there early October and Sturdy Branches was still open.

Thank you for confirming. I don't think they actually ended up closing at all.

If anyone is at Wilderness Lodge right now, we are checking out, we can't take a twin air mattress with us. I can leave it at the front desk

That was very nice of you to offer, @Jennifer Brooklyn.

So, my mom was sorting some old photo albums, and she found in one of them old Disney World paper tickets for her and I. And guess what? They still had days on them! In total, we have three days each from tickets from 1991 and 1995. After contacting Disney, they are still good and we just have to turn them in at guest relations at one of the parks to get the tickets transferred to RFID tickets. About the same time, I received a 30% off PIN Code from Disney, and low and behold, Wilderness Lodge was part of the discount. I have stayed at WL before, but my mom has not, so we decided to book from Feb.5-11 at WL in a standard room.

I've been tracking the construction. From my understanding, the Standard rooms are all on the North Wing and will view the construction, but don't they also view fireworks from higher floors? And my mom is a people watcher, so she might actually find the construction entertaining. Has anyone had issues with noise issues in the evenings/mornings in those rooms?

The last time I went, we started off in a VWL studio, but had room issues, and we were moved to a Courtyard View room, North wing, 5th floor, so I didn't have to make any room requests. So what is a good room request and any recommendations on the best way to make that request?

How smart that you saved those tickets and can still use them. Yes, WL only has rooms now in the North Wing and yes, the view from those upper rooms is a TPV, but the rooms have not yet been re-classified.

I'll log your dates and congratulations on booking

Hi WL folks. Got back earlier this week from a short WL Club Level trip. We had the good fortune of getting to experience the new Old Faithful Club lounge, which in my opinion is VERY well done. I posted some pics and reviews of the food offerings over in the Club Level forum here:

Disney's Club Level (CL) Information and Questions

I'll be posting some more pics of the new lounge over there at some point.

Come check it out if interested. Thanks!

I just posted a bunch of pics of the seating area (and other parts) over on the Club Level Thread starting at this post: Disney's Club Level (CL) Information and Questions

Happy to answer any questions about the lounge or our stay. We loved it, it was was too short!

Thank you so much for posting the link to your new OFC photos, @GADisneyDad14. Would you mind if I move some over, with credit, to the CL chapter of this thread?

With 43 days to go, we bit the bullet and booked our first day at WL for Jan. 14-22! My mom and I stopped by in 2015 for dinner at Whispering Canyon and fell in love. With the AP discount factored in it was just $400 more to stay at WL over POFQ and really there was no question. Now I'm wrestling over upgrading from our standard view up to CL and letting my mom think we were graced with pixie dust for the second time....

Congratulations! I'll add your dates to the Lodgers' Log.

We are looking hard at WL for Labor Day weekend 2017 4 nights MK only trip this time. We stayed at the Contemporary last year and loved the walk to MK, but it is just too pricey. It will be my wife, me, two girls (5 and 3) and my parents. We are looking at WL because of the closnes to MK, but is the location to MK worth the higher cost? Is the boat ride/ bus ride really that much more convenient then let's say POR bus ride?

The least expensive MK area resort option would be FW so I would compare the cost of a cabin to a WL room. The cabin is larger and has more beds and a full kitchen and you would still have the bus/boat options to MK.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

@WDWKOOK Yes, of course, use anything you'd like. I have a ton more if needed. Happy to help.

 

[ariane37]

We are looking hard at WL for Labor Day weekend 2017 4 nights MK only trip this time. We stayed at the Contemporary last year and loved the walk to MK, but it is just too pricey. It will be my wife, me, two girls (5 and 3) and my parents. We are looking at WL because of the closnes to MK, but is the location to MK worth the higher cost? Is the boat ride/ bus ride really that much more convenient then let's say POR bus ride?

We stayed at WL for the first time in Aug. and totally think the boat is worth it! Not only is it quick and convenient to MK, we took the boat to MK when we had dinner reservations at the GF and to take the monorail to Epcot. We also took the boat from WL over to FW. Just lots of convenient transportation from the resort, in addition to it being gorgeous!

 

[danikoski]

How smart that you saved those tickets and can still use them. Yes, WL only has rooms now in the North Wing and yes, the view from those upper rooms is a TPV, but the rooms have not yet been re-classified.

Thanks for the confirmation on the room views...and I didn't save the tickets, my mom did... sometimes it pays off to be a pack rat

 

[mystery222184]

Trying to catch up. Now that the new lounge is open, is there still seating around the lobby? I'm trying to decide where to book the Bounceback before I leave the Poly Saturday! I have to say, both the Poly and BC have greatly improved their CL offerings from those of a year ago. Everything is much fresher and lunch has more than cookies and goldfish crackers...hopefully the WL is doing the same!

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Trying to catch up. Now that the new lounge is open, is there still seating around the lobby? I'm trying to decide where to book the Bounceback before I leave the Poly Saturday! I have the say, both the Poly and BC have greatly improved their CL offerings from those of a year ago. Everything is much fresher and lunch has more than cookies and goldfish crackers...hopefully the WL is doing the same!

I can vouch for as of two weeks ago. At the moment, there is no seating "around" the lobby. Below is a rough floor plan of the 7th floor with current conditions. The blue is the location of the new Old Faithful Club lounge (including food service area, seating, and CL CM desks). The yellow line is temporary construction walls. So, as you can see you really only have that one side open to the lobby. Hope that makes sense.



Here are links to my posts with lots of pics of the new lounge and food offerings. I walked away VERY impressed with the food offerings. Lots of variety, fresh ingredients, and BOLD flavors for Disney standards! Two big thumbs up from us.


Disney's Club Level (CL) Information and Questions

Disney's Club Level (CL) Information and Questions

Disney's Club Level (CL) Information and Questions

Disney's Club Level (CL) Information and Questions

Disney's Club Level (CL) Information and Questions

 

[mystery222184]

I can vouch for as of two weeks ago. At the moment, there is no seating "around" the lobby. Below is a rough floor plan of the 7th floor with current conditions. The blue is the location of the new Old Faithful Club lounge (including food service area, seating, and CL CM desks). The yellow line is temporary construction walls. So, as you can see you really only have that one side open to the lobby. Hope that makes sense.

View attachment 209419

Here are links to my posts with lots of pics of the new lounge and food offerings. I walked away VERY impressed with the food offerings. Lots of variety, fresh ingredients, and BOLD flavors for Disney standards! Two big thumbs up from us.


Disney's Club Level (CL) Information and Questions

Disney's Club Level (CL) Information and Questions

Disney's Club Level (CL) Information and Questions

Disney's Club Level (CL) Information and Questions

Disney's Club Level (CL) Information and Questions

Thank you I hope they bring back the seating.

Can you provide a few examples of the dinner items you had?

The BC had smoked salmon and pulled pork over polenta among others. The Poly has had seared Tuna, octopus, dumplings, meatballs, etc. I walked away very impressed with both - especially the Poly.

 

[Wood Nymph]

We stopped by the Wilderness Lodge on Saturday, December 3rd for a quick visit. I only took a couple pictures of the construction outside of Roaring Forks. This is the wall that is hiding the patio construction:



And they have frosted the windows near Roaring Forks so that you can't see what they are doing to the patio:



Then on Tuesday morning, Dec 6th, we booked a private water taxi from GF to FW for our breakfast at Trail's End. I asked the CM if he could take the boat past the construction at WL and he was happy to do it:



This is the cabin closest to the monorail and the least finished of all the cabins.


This one has some interior walls and you can tell that there will be a chimney.


It looks like a few of the trees are dying. There are a lot of trees in the courtyard area. The Trout Pass bar is to the right, the construction wall which blocks the view of the construction from the pool area is in the middle, and the new grill area is on the left.




This looks like it will be an open air patio.


This is probably the restaurant. The CM's on the boat said that there are job postings already for the new bar and grill. The marina is getting a new roof.



I posted a copy of these pictures to the Boulder Ridge thread.

 

[thewilderness3]

How long will the construction take outside of Roaring Fork? We check in next week, and one of our favorite traditions is outdoor breakfast side-eying those crafty birds.

 

[floridagirl61]

My family and I are going to be at the lodge at the end of January. We haven't stayed here in 20 years! The last time we were here we did not get to be the flag family. We are going to try again on this trip. I understand that you have to request it while you are there and not in advance. I was wondering if IPO can help us with this request or do we need to inquire at the main check in. It would be really awesome if we could surprise my hubby with him being able to help raise the flag. He is a vet who survived the attack on the USS Stark and he has great respect for our country and our flag. Can someone tell me the best place to make my request? Thanks for any info you can give.

 

[Wood Nymph]

My family and I are going to be at the lodge at the end of January. We haven't stayed here in 20 years! The last time we were here we did not get to be the flag family. We are going to try again on this trip. I understand that you have to request it while you are there and not in advance. I was wondering if IPO can help us with this request or do we need to inquire at the main check in. It would be really awesome if we could surprise my hubby with him being able to help raise the flag. He is a vet who survived the attack on the USS Stark and he has great respect for our country and our flag. Can someone tell me the best place to make my request? Thanks for any info you can give.

I've heard that you make the request at check in. But if you are staying CL then you might want to ask the IPO and see what they say about being flag family.

 

[floridagirl61]

Thanks Wood Nymph

 

[grease1739]

We are staying at WL in mid January, and I would like to build a "resort day" into our trip.
My wife and I have twin 4 year old boys and I'm trying to figure out what we could do during our resort day if we just wanted to stay at WL. We've stayed at Poly, Boardwalk, and the Contemporary before.(The boys loved the Poly resort day the most....due to all of the activities available). I'm trying to adjust my expectations of the resort, due to construction. Disney's website states that the nightly campfires, bike rentals, and even nightly movies outdoors are cancelled(you can watch a movie indoors). So my question is, "Is there enough to do at the resort itself to justify an entire resort day in mid January?" If so, can you give me some ideas that would keep 4 year old boys entertained?

Thanks!