Wilderness Lodge main building construction

DisneyDoug85

DisneyDoug85

Active Member
any update to this? I just got off the phone with Disney about booking at Wilderness Lodge. Told them i had heard about a bunch of rooms being closed off and work being done in the lobby area and that i was concerned as to how much it would affect my possible stay in October. They assured me that the only work currently being done at the Lodge was for the Villas. That there was no work being done inside the building.
 
LAKid53

LAKid53

Official Member of the Girly Girl Fan Club
Premium Member
DisneyDoug85 said:
any update to this? I just got off the phone with Disney about booking at Wilderness Lodge. Told them i had heard about a bunch of rooms being closed off and work being done in the lobby area and that i was concerned as to how much it would affect my possible stay in October. They assured me that the only work currently being done at the Lodge was for the Villas. That there was no work being done inside the building.
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Well, that's partially true - there is no work being done inside the lobby. I stayed at the Villas last month for the Princess Half Marathon weekend. From what I could see from the boat going over to the Magic Kingdom, land is still being cleared around water's edge in preparation for construction of the new lakefront villas. However, the entire South wing of the Lodge (the one closest to the DVC villas and the main pool, which is now the only pool) is currently undergoing renovations as the rooms are being converted to DVC studio rooms. Based upon the progress I witnessed (and the length of time it took to convert existing cash rooms at Poly to DVC studios), I honestly think the work will most likely have an affect on your stay in October. I would imagine by then construction should be underway for the new waterfront villas and I doubt the conversion of cash rooms to DVC studios in the South wing will be complete.

WL is one of my home resorts and I am glad to see the addition of more DVC rooms at this resort as it is the smallest of the DVC resorts. However, it is a shame it is coming at the expense of cash customers. But DVC is apparently where the uptick in room demand is and as long as Disney can sell those contracts, that is where the increases in rooms will be. Plus, renting DVC points is becoming very popular, so popular I'm surprised Disney hasn't gotten into it to discourage third parties, like they did with resales (limiting what points bought via resale not handled by Disney can be used for). I realize I can sell my points to someone else without using a third party like Dave's, but wouldn't it be nice if the DVC site let me do so and the non-DVC member's name would be the primary on the reservation and they could purchase the meal plan?
 
deeevo

deeevo

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Well if it is pretty much a done deal that they are adding DVC on the south side that would put WL down to around 70 Standard rooms. Good luck trying to find one now for a decent price in the off season.
 
Jon81uk

Jon81uk

Well-Known Member
DisneyDoug85 said:
any update to this? I just got off the phone with Disney about booking at Wilderness Lodge. Told them i had heard about a bunch of rooms being closed off and work being done in the lobby area and that i was concerned as to how much it would affect my possible stay in October. They assured me that the only work currently being done at the Lodge was for the Villas. That there was no work being done inside the building.
Click to expand...

Unless they have actually visited and seen it with their own eyes, the reservations phone operators don't know much other than the official statement, which is usually very optimistic about how much work is being done.


LAKid53 said:
WL is one of my home resorts and I am glad to see the addition of more DVC rooms at this resort as it is the smallest of the DVC resorts. However, it is a shame it is coming at the expense of cash customers. But DVC is apparently where the uptick in room demand is and as long as Disney can sell those contracts, that is where the increases in rooms will be. Plus, renting DVC points is becoming very popular, so popular I'm surprised Disney hasn't gotten into it to discourage third parties, like they did with resales (limiting what points bought via resale not handled by Disney can be used for). I realize I can sell my points to someone else without using a third party like Dave's, but wouldn't it be nice if the DVC site let me do so and the non-DVC member's name would be the primary on the reservation and they could purchase the meal plan?
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Disney already sell DVC rooms for cash, at a higher price than a regular deluxe room, so if they are offering cash sales on the villa rooms, there isn't much incentive to resell points.
 
aladdin2007

aladdin2007

Well-Known Member
60% of this resort is being converted, the lobby is very much affected now with scrim sheets blocking off all the floors above. We just dined here the other afternoon and the construction noise filling the lobby from the floors above was insane. Again was middle of the afternoon so its def a construction project during day hours. I hope aside from the rooms and work on all the floors that they leave the beautiful lobby alone and not ruin it like the polynesian.
 
DisneyDoug85

DisneyDoug85

Active Member
Jon81uk said:
Unless they have actually visited and seen it with their own eyes, the reservations phone operators don't know much other than the official statement, which is usually very optimistic about how much work is being done.
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yeah i guess i find it a bit surprising that Disney would be doing all that work inside the lobby etc and not make it common knowledge. If i showed up for my vacation with all that going on i wouldn't be happy. Guess at that point theres not much i could do about it but make the best of it...And Disney is getting their money so they're happy. thanks for the help!
 
jenos0524

jenos0524

Active Member
DisneyDoug85 said:
yeah i guess i find it a bit surprising that Disney would be doing all that work inside the lobby etc and not make it common knowledge. If i showed up for my vacation with all that going on i wouldn't be happy. Guess at that point theres not much i could do about it but make the best of it...And Disney is getting their money so they're happy. thanks for the help!
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I don't think they are doing work to the Lobby, but from the lobby you can see the boarded up wings. I know i saw some pictures somewhere. I will try to find them again. (This is one of the main reason's I am trying to switch from WL to Poly for my trip in August.)
 
jenos0524

jenos0524

Active Member
jenos0524 said:
I don't think they are doing work to the Lobby, but from the lobby you can see the boarded up wings. I know i saw some pictures somewhere. I will try to find them again. (This is one of the main reason's I am trying to switch from WL to Poly for my trip in August.)
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This is a picture that was posted on FB by @humphreys lodge They may have more info on when updates are made.
 

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DisneyDoug85

DisneyDoug85

Active Member
jenos0524 said:
This is a picture that was posted on FB by @humphreys lodge They may have more info on when updates are made.
Click to expand...


thank you jenos. We're having a tough time deciding if we want to risk the stay at Wilderness or not because of the work being done. I know understand that there isn't actually work being done in the lobby, but even the scaffolding etc outside is a bit of an eye sore. we will see, thanks again for your help
 
deeevo

deeevo

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Thank you. I saw that last night. Seems like the biggest secret at WDW now is what is going on inside. Am I correct in saying that if they are being converted to DVC that would leave about 70 Standard rooms. Unless some of those are converted to theme park views as I suggested might happen on your FB page.
 
DisneyBeatles

DisneyBeatles

Active Member
Getting nervous about my trip in early April here with some friends who have not been in a looong time and are not too big Disney World fans...
 
DisneyDoug85

DisneyDoug85

Active Member
deeevo said:
Thank you. I saw that last night. Seems like the biggest secret at WDW now is what is going on inside. Am I correct in saying that if they are being converted to DVC that would leave about 70 Standard rooms. Unless some of those are converted to theme park views as I suggested might happen on your FB page.
Click to expand...

What do you mean by 70 standard rooms? you talking about a specific view? just trying to clarify
 
Jon81uk

Jon81uk

Well-Known Member
deeevo said:
Thank you. I saw that last night. Seems like the biggest secret at WDW now is what is going on inside. Am I correct in saying that if they are being converted to DVC that would leave about 70 Standard rooms. Unless some of those are converted to theme park views as I suggested might happen on your FB page.
Click to expand...

It never looked like there was many standard view rooms anyway, as standard view is loading bay or rooftop. The majority of the rooms are woods view. Also in my opinion I don't think they will offer theme park view rooms, as once the trees are replanted when the cabins are built and they grow back the view will get obscured. I think once construction is finished they will go back to standard view (service area and roof), woods view and courtyard view.
 

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