Is Wilderness Lodge worth it?

[PrincessMagic]

I've read reviews on the Wilderness Lodge and they're mostly great. The biggest complaint I see is transportation (seems to be biggest issue with every resort lol). My question is this...Is the Wilderness Lodge worth the extra money from POFQ. I am a die hard POFQ fan and think it's one of the greatest resorts Disney has to offer. That being said, WL appeals to me. I love the way it looks, I love that it's a MK resort. I really want to know if the resort is really worth the extra $$. Please give me your opinions and the biggest pros and cons of WL. Thanks.

 

[happymom52003]

We are actually at the WL right now. It is worth it for us. Big pros are the theming and and the boat transportation to MK, the Contemporay and Ft. Wildernesss. We love the peaceful atmosphere.....being on the lake is very nice. For us, there really are no cons. We love it and have no desire to stay anywhere else.

 

[Ringo8n24]

Absolutely worth it. Stayed there last month for the 4th time. We usually stay at POR, but love the WL and splurge ever so often to stay there. The best deluxe resort to us.... The transportion issues have been improved over the years. It was really fast to and from the MK on the boat.

 

[tigsmom]

YES...plain & simple.

 

[WDWRocks08]

I have stood at the Wilderness Lodge many times and is probably my favorite all around resort (boardwalk area is a close second due to location) but the secluded and amazingly peaceful atmosphere is truly awe-inspiring! the transportation is great and always has been (Disney has always been great for me on this topic) I would give DWL a chance and i am sure you will enjoy it the minute you enter the resorts gate... good luck!!!!

 

[clairew]

Definitely YES! The theming and atmosphere are great! We loved the boat transportation to and from MK and never had to wait more than 15 minutes for a bus.

 

[Kofte]

We stayed at WL and didn't think it was worth the money. The transportation was horrible. The "fast food" area was small. For the money we like AKL so much better. The staff there is the best of any Disney resort we have stayed at. The theming is fabulous. And of course the animals. Transportation at AKL seemed better than WL. As for PO. I would stay at that over WL. We were at POR in October and really, really enjoyed it. Stay at PO and save money which you can then spend on sit down meals. If you want, go to Whispering Canyon for dinner at WL. Then you see the resort and it's best feature without all the money.

 

[imamouse]

We've stayed at nearly every WDW resort, and the WL is our family's favorite. It's so peaceful there (Whispering Canyon Cafe aside). It just feels like home - only a huge and splendid home. We always book a woods view on the MK side so that we can see the fireworks from our room (if we're in at the time). We love the boat transportation - very relaxing and enjoyable.

 

[raiden]

We stayed at WL and didn't think it was worth the money. The transportation was horrible. The "fast food" area was small. For the money we like AKL so much better. The staff there is the best of any Disney resort we have stayed at. The theming is fabulous. And of course the animals. Transportation at AKL seemed better than WL. As for PO. I would stay at that over WL. We were at POR in October and really, really enjoyed it. Stay at PO and save money which you can then spend on sit down meals. If you want, go to Whispering Canyon for dinner at WL. Then you see the resort and it's best feature without all the money.

I made the mistake of asking for ketchup at 8 in the morning. But yes awesome resort!

 

[swimmom]

WL is my family's favorite resort. We never get in a hurry to get anywhere so therefore we don't notice any transportation times. We are at WDW and love every minute of it!!!

 

[Nosmo King]

As one of the cheapest deluxe hotels, yes, it's definitely worth it.

 

[bears163]

there is not much else to say from what everyone has said about it. we stay there every year. it is totally worth it. bad thing is it may become your favorite resort.

 

[I-4Warrior]

WL is a beautiful resort, I like it very much, but it's not my favorite. When booking, please let them know you don't want a room overlooking the buses or the lobby (Whispering Canyon is fun and charming, but it'll make you really hostile being awakened by ketchup requests). While I'm a huge AKL fan, and would recommend that resort every time, WL is a nice option.

 

[eroyee]

WL is our favorite resort. we also love POR so you cant go wrong either way. If you can afford the deluxe go for it. If not, you sure arent losing out any but maybe some money to spend on souveneirs or something else. You can always go over and visit the lodge and eat there if you want to and take the boats..........

 

[George]

I love WL. If you have the extra money, give it a try. You may find that once you've made the "mistake" of staying at a Deluxe, you'll have trouble going back.

 

[dr_teeth90210]

It's tied with Animal Kingdom Lodge for the cheapest deluxe resort on property so it's definitely worth it. My advice would be save the money and
book a standard view room at the WL.

I don't see how anyone could complain about the transportation. It's got a great central location plus a very tranquil boat ride to the MK.

 

[DISMOM]

Hey, life is way too short...take a chance and stay at the wonderful Wilderness Lodge. That way, you can decide for yourself. We love it.

 

[mhead]

We stayed at WL and didn't think it was worth the money. The transportation was horrible. The "fast food" area was small. For the money we like AKL so much better. The staff there is the best of any Disney resort we have stayed at. The theming is fabulous. And of course the animals. Transportation at AKL seemed better than WL. As for PO. I would stay at that over WL. We were at POR in October and really, really enjoyed it. Stay at PO and save money which you can then spend on sit down meals. If you want, go to Whispering Canyon for dinner at WL. Then you see the resort and it's best feature without all the money.

Funny but my family and I found the exact opposite. AKL had the rudest staff, worst layout, worst decor, and worst transportation of any WDW resort in our opinion (and we have now stayed at almost all of them). It is in fact the only resort that we have no desire to ever stay in again. Also the "fast food" area at AKL is stuck away in a corner and is no bigger than that of WL. We loved WL and will be there again in March. AKL is the only resort that I specifically tell friends not to bother with.

That being said, everyone has has different feelings and experiences so go for it and see for yourself. This is just my opinion..........................but it ought to be yours. :lol:

 

[oldshovelhead]

Yes

Without a doubt, the WL was worth every penny during our last visit to WDW.:sohappy: We have so many magical memories at this resort after just one stay that we can honestly say that we just love it there. WL is our favorite non-DVC resort. The only thing we didn't like was having to leave. Every day you're there, you think about the fact that you're one day closer to the end of your trip.

My DD was engaged on the beach our last night there. My future son-in-law was doing his internship at the time at AP which is why we originally decided to stay there in the first place. We are DVC members now and I'm sure we will stay at the VWL many times in the future. If you do decide to stay there, one suggestion would be not to pay extra for a room with a veiw...you'll spend too much time in the lobby, by the pool, on the grounds etc... As far as transportation goes...we had no trouble at all getting to where we wanted to go in a timely fashion. The boat transportation just added to the relaxing at-mouse-phere...:wave:

 

[righttrack]

WL is a getaway from your getaway. Its a great contrast to the parks and just all around wonderful. Its our favorite resort. The transportation can be a little slower, but it isn't slow. What people are referring to is the additional "stop" the transportation makes at another nearby resort. You stop at Fort Wilderness (right nextdoor) for the boat and some busses and you stop at The Grand Floridian for another bus, also nearby. The experience far outweighs any negatives. I like WL over the higher priced deluxes as well, where you also share transportation.