I usually stay at Beach Club this time switching it up going to be staying at the Wilderness Lodge am i going to be disappointed in my decision?
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Wilderness Resort
- Thread starter CKurczeski
- Start date
ilovelabs2021
Well-Known Member
I have heard only great things about WL, although we haven't stayed there. We LOVE Beach Club and love how close it is to two parks. If the pool is important, obviously BC has the edge.
WL is a great resort. IMHO from a resort v resort standpoint WL wins hands down. But there are other factors such as accessibility to the Boardwalk area, and the convenience of walking to EPCOT or a quick Skyliner trip to DHS.
WL though does open up opportunities with a quick shuttle to Pioneer Hall and convenient boat to the MK and Contemp. for additional options.
WL though does open up opportunities with a quick shuttle to Pioneer Hall and convenient boat to the MK and Contemp. for additional options.
KaliSplash
Well-Known Member
Admittedly I have not been to WL in a number of years. Visited YC a couple of years ago. Assuming nothing changed during that time frame, WL wins easily. I rather suspect things have changed, YC certainly is a more central location, but I don't think the theming was/is as good.
Heppenheimer
Well-Known Member
Wilderness Lodge is my preferred hotel. It just knocks your socks off as soon as you walk in, and the service is usually great.
Upside is the easy boat access back and forth from the Magic Kingdom. At the end of the day, when everyone else is waiting in those long lines for the ferries, buses or monorails, there's usually only a small handful of people waiting at the Wilderness Lodge boat launch.
Downside- getting just about anywhere else on property. Depending on the day, time and crowd levels, you sometimes need to share a bus with other resorts.
Upside is the easy boat access back and forth from the Magic Kingdom. At the end of the day, when everyone else is waiting in those long lines for the ferries, buses or monorails, there's usually only a small handful of people waiting at the Wilderness Lodge boat launch.
Downside- getting just about anywhere else on property. Depending on the day, time and crowd levels, you sometimes need to share a bus with other resorts.
HouCuseChickie
Well-Known Member
I think you need to look at it from the "every resort has pros and cons" perspective. WL is a neat resort and is one of the best themed on property. I prefer the room size and location of Beach Club, but because of that theming, WL can feel a bit more special. The boat to MK is nice when it's running, but we've had mixed experiences at WL with the busses...of course, that could probably be said of pretty much any of the resorts.
ParentsOf4
Well-Known Member
We have stayed at the Beach Club and Wilderness Lodge several times. We last stayed at the Beach Club in November 2020. My daughter stayed at Copper Creek in January; we will be staying there in 2 weeks.
My wife prefers the Wilderness Lodge theming, hotel dining options, and pools. (Stormalong Bay is one of her least favorite pools - it's always so crowded.)
I prefer the Beach Club. Although I also think the theming and hotel dining options are better at Wilderness Lodge, we part ways on Stormalong Bay. I also prefer being able to walk to Epcot and the Boardwalk. I prefer the Skyliner to DHS over buses. My wife enjoys the boat to the Magic Kingdom. (It's painfully slow for me.)
We both greatly enjoy having a sandwich/burger and beer outdoors at Geyser Point.
How much you will enjoy the Wilderness Lodge largely depends on how tied you are to the Beach Club. Over the years, I've talked with many other Guests. Some are "we always stay at X and nothing else is as good" kind of people. They seem to be disappointed no matter where else they stay, always finding ways other hotels are inferior to their favorite. Others are "we look forward to trying something different" kind of people. They seem to enjoy a different hotel but are glad when they return to their favorite the next trip.
The Wilderness Lodge definitely will be a different experience than the Beach Club. How much you enjoy the Wilderness Lodge will largely depend on how you approach it.
My wife prefers the Wilderness Lodge theming, hotel dining options, and pools. (Stormalong Bay is one of her least favorite pools - it's always so crowded.)
I prefer the Beach Club. Although I also think the theming and hotel dining options are better at Wilderness Lodge, we part ways on Stormalong Bay. I also prefer being able to walk to Epcot and the Boardwalk. I prefer the Skyliner to DHS over buses. My wife enjoys the boat to the Magic Kingdom. (It's painfully slow for me.)
We both greatly enjoy having a sandwich/burger and beer outdoors at Geyser Point.
How much you will enjoy the Wilderness Lodge largely depends on how tied you are to the Beach Club. Over the years, I've talked with many other Guests. Some are "we always stay at X and nothing else is as good" kind of people. They seem to be disappointed no matter where else they stay, always finding ways other hotels are inferior to their favorite. Others are "we look forward to trying something different" kind of people. They seem to enjoy a different hotel but are glad when they return to their favorite the next trip.
The Wilderness Lodge definitely will be a different experience than the Beach Club. How much you enjoy the Wilderness Lodge will largely depend on how you approach it.
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CaptainAmerica
Well-Known Member
Will you have a car? I like WL a lot better than BC but it kind of rots if you have to rely on Disney transportation. A lot of people talk about how Animal Kingdom Lodge is inconvenient to the Magic Kingdom, but I'd take AKL over WL for convenience hands down.
wdwfan22
Well-Known Member
Wilderness Lodge is a lovely themed resort, however for me the room size is comparable to a Disney moderate resort. Because of that I won't recommend the resort. I like to have space when I return to the room at the end of the day and if you are traveling with more than 2 people you are going to feel cramped there.
- In the Parks
- No
I would take WL over AKL hands down.....but that's me. My favorite park is the MK, favorite resort WL.....transportation via boat priceless to me.....there and back. Sure it takes longer to get to the other parks, but out the others really are one day parks and I need at least 3 at the MK. I love not having a car.....now that DME is going away though I may have to rethink. I guess it depends where you spend the bulk of your time.
So it's location location location, theming, lobby, food.....love the views and the waterfall, I actually recommend a courtyard view if you can snag the waterfall facing area.......sigh.....
So it's location location location, theming, lobby, food.....love the views and the waterfall, I actually recommend a courtyard view if you can snag the waterfall facing area.......sigh.....
CaptainAmerica
Well-Known Member
The boat is a *nicer" ride but it's not any more convenient. Boat from WL takes about as long as a bus from resorts that are much further away.I would take WL over AKL hands down.....but that's me. My favorite park is the MK, favorite resort WL.....transportation via boat priceless to me.....there and back. Sure it takes longer to get to the other parks, but out the others really are one day parks and I need at least 3 at the MK. I love not having a car.....now that DME is going away though I may have to rethink. I guess it depends where you spend the bulk of your time.
So it's location location location, theming, lobby, food.....love the views and the waterfall, I actually recommend a courtyard view if you can snag the waterfall facing area.......sigh.....
GimpYancIent
Well-Known Member
Stayed there as have in laws and extended family. NO bad comments only compliments. I like it!
Tink said they liked the boat ride not for convenience, but for the experience. Everyone has different ideas about how they like experiencing Disney. I’d much rather take a nice boat ride than a bus ride. Disney shouldn’t be a hurry up adventure.
CaptainAmerica
Well-Known Member
She said "it takes longer to get to the other parks," implying that it's faster to the Magic Kingdom. In fact, it takes longer to get to all four parks.
correcaminos
Well-Known Member
After staying at both many times with DVC, WL wins for me. Bus service at WL is better and with MK that makes a huge difference. Food options at WL are better too. It's more quiet and the main pool is not as insane as at BC. Both are great, but I find WL a step above.
In our experience the wait for MK from BC is pretty bad in general. So yes, it takes longer on average including waits for us. Regularly had to wait for a bus or two to get to MK. It's rare when we don't.
tractor tipper
Well-Known Member
Yes you may be disappointed with your decision to stay all that time at Beach Club when you could have been at Wilderness. Let us know.
- In the Parks
- No
YES! It is rather like another attraction.....plus it drops you off right in front of the MK and in evening there is a line JUST for the WL and I can't tell you how nice it is to walk straight down with a few people vs navigating the mass going to the left for ferry and bus waits.....sometimes we have timed it to watch the fireworks from the boat, and nice to walk down and up from the dock and see the lodge from that perspective too....and listen to the crickets......
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- In the Parks
- No
It takes longer to get to the other parks than it does for me to get to the MK even by boat.......
CaptainAmerica
Well-Known Member
It takes longer to get to the other parks than it does for me to get to the MK even by boat.......
