HELP ! Wilderness Lodge or Saratoga Springs ?

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HayAntPat

New Member
I am planning my next trip to WDW and I don't know if I want to stay at SSR or WL. I am hoping I can get the good and the bad. I have stayed at SSR and love it but want to try something new !! Convince me please ! Thanks for the input !!
 
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J

jordanyosh

Member
I guess you have to ask yourself why you love SSR. If you like the Spa, closeness to DTD, being able to park pretty close to your villa and the look and feel of SSR, you may not like VWL.

Parking for VWL is pretty far out, although you will have access to valet.
Proximity to restaurants and shops in WL is not too bad and not too far.
We were on the bottom floor in a studio facing the woods...very quiet and nice.
Pool for VWL pretty small. Depending on how busy WL pool is, you may get overflow from the WL.
If you like woodsy, this is the place...beautiful.
Bus/boat transportation not too bad; not great, but not bad.
The rooms all have interior hallways.
The fitness center and spa services all very close.
There are some nice sitting rooms in the VWL...
Overall, I enjoyed my stay there and would stay there again.

Hope this helps.
 
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bcampione

bcampione

Member
Wilderness Lodge is really amazing yet so is Saratoga. Id say choose on style, and location (WL is close to the monorail, boats, buses, taxi and SS is near PI and Downtown Disney with only bus and taxi shuttle)

Good luck with your choice! :)
 
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harryk

harryk

Well-Known Member
Another for VWL

Villas have a quiet atmosphere, very relaxing ---:snore: -- when you want this type of rest. Easy access to campgrounds by a walking path should you choose to take a walk on occassion - have done it several times to go to Pioneer Hall. Boat transportation is on a regular basis. I do wish you could walk to Ticket and Transportation center since it is so close - but there is no path to that location. Bus transportation is on a regular basis and begins early. If you choose to have an early 'character breakfast' they are able to get you there quickly. (Once the boats were not running - due to fog [of all things!] and they had a cast member drive my party to the Grand Floridian so that we would not lose our reservation!!) Have always enjoyed our stay at the Villas and am looking forwared to it again in 120 days.:ROFLOL: :ROFLOL: :xmas: :xmas: :sohappy: :sohappy:
 
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devoy1701

devoy1701

Well-Known Member
jordanyosh said:
Parking for VWL is pretty far out, although you will have access to valet.
Proximity to restaurants and shops in WL is not too bad and not too far.
We were on the bottom floor in a studio facing the woods...very quiet and nice.
Pool for VWL pretty small. Depending on how busy WL pool is, you may get overflow from the WL.
If you like woodsy, this is the place...beautiful.
Bus/boat transportation not too bad; not great, but not bad.
The rooms all have interior hallways.
The fitness center and spa services all very close.
There are some nice sitting rooms in the VWL...
Overall, I enjoyed my stay there and would stay there again.

Hope this helps.
Click to expand...


The Wilderness Lodge (and Villas) is great (in my opinion).

-Although the parking lot is alittle far out there, you probably wont be needing your car that often. If you will be using your car, valet is only $6.00/day, which you have them bill to your account, and I've noticed they usually only charge for the first day of the trip. I dunno if they just forget about the rest or what.

-Though the Villas pool is smaller, its very quiet and peaceful with it's own hottub. And if you would like to go to the main pool, it's literally right around the bend. It's really not ALL that small either. It has a waterslide and it's own hot tub.

-It will take alittle bit of time to get to AK using Disney Transportation, I ended up driving over there myself because it's quicker. But the Wilderness Lodge has it's own ferry boat to MK or to the Ticket and Transportation Center where you can grab a Monorail over to EPCOT.


***Jordan, I just quoted your reply because it gave me an outline for what to mention. No bashing. I promise! :animwink:
 
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harryk

harryk

Well-Known Member
Unless I'm wrong, or there has been a change to DVC members - Valet Parking is included with membership and there is no cost for it at all.

Has this change happened?
 
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happymom52003

happymom52003

Active Member
Another vote for WL, for all the reasons listed by other posters. We love the location. We love being on Bay Lake for various reasons: easy access by boat to MK, CR, and FW; watercraft rentals; Electric Water Pageant every night.....just to name a few. The themeing is wonderful, and there are bunnies everywhere...I once counted 24 of them on my way from my villa to the boatdock! We just get such peacful and relaxing feeling there. And even though the villa pool is small, we love it...it is very peacful and the villas are surrounded by it, so you dont have to walk far to get to it.
 
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Unplugged

Unplugged

Well-Known Member
I'm also a DVC member with points at both Wilderness (WLV) and Saratoga (SS). We're staying at SS during our September/October stay because WDL was booked solid (never had that experience in all my ownership years).

I love the theming, quiet nature, and over all feel of the WLVs. I vote for them.

There is two things I did not see anyone reference that may be of value (sorry if I over looked it, I read through pretty quickly):
  • According to what I've read on SS, the only laundry facility is near the main pool which can be a haul during rough weather. At WLV, it's on the first floor near the elevators...same building. (There is an alternate laundry in WL on the main floor near the Roaring Forks.)
  • Room access to WLV is internal in the building, an inner hallway like most newer upscale hotels. SS room access is from the outside much like the older motels. I don't care for that design as it feels less home like to me.
 
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Cinderella1976

Cinderella1976

New Member
Wilderness Lodge has my vote! Because of the great atmosphere, Whispering Canyon, and it is a short boat ride from the Magic Kingdom. I have stayed there twice and had a wonderful time.
 
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