We stayed a week in the Villas in 2003. We had a two bedroom villa, which I think is what they call a suite plus an attached studio. There were five of us. With a king size bed, two doubles, and the fold out couch for the kids, it was great...too much space actually, as we didn't use one bed nor the little kitchenette (as we had the full kitchen in the suite).
Our location and view were perfect. (I am at the stage where I really work hard to get the room, floor and view we want). We had a room overlooking the quiet pool and out over the lake and it was probably the nicest of all our vacations at WDW. The whole family loved it and it was great having the kitchen, though we only used it for breakfasts and late night snacks.
The bathrooms in the suite were huge and really nicely done.
I also liked having two balconies. So we could go on the balcony in the smaller room, whilst the kids slept on the fold out in the larger room or watched tv.
Finally, the lobby area and sitting rooms downstairs in the Villas are really wonderful and create a much more intimate environment than the public areas in the lodge. One sitting room is devoted to Walt's love of trains and includes some of the cars he used on his private railroad. The one he built in his back yard before there was a disneyland. The lodge is great though, so it was like having two hotels to hang around in instead of one.
Although I think with the kids now 12 and 10, we will probably stay at the Boardwalk again next year when we go- because there is much more for them to do and easier access to everything- I think the Wilderness Lodge Villas were excellent. However, like some others have said, they were not cheap. But everything is relative....I paid just about as much for a water view room at the boardwalk between Christmas and New Years as a I did for the suite at the Wilderness Lodge Villas the first week in January.
If you have any other questions about the villas, lodge or seeing WDW using the Villas as a base of operations, let me know.
Ecks
