Wilderness Lodge Vs Beach Club

[yaksplat]

When it storms, you're not getting on the Skyliner

My neighbors just got back from a stay at the pop century. They said that their hopper passes were generally useless because they could never get on the skyline in the afternoon or all evening to EP or HS due to storms. They said it was basically shut down every evening and there were no busses available either.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

My neighbors just got back from a stay at the pop century. They said that their hopper passes were generally useless because they could never get on the skyline in the afternoon or all evening to EP or HS due to storms. They said it was basically shut down every evening and there were no busses available either.

That was my experience at Caribbean Beach as well. I love the Skyliner when it's running, but the storms are way too frequent in the summer to rely on them, and Disney is too slow to deploy buses at those times.

 

[UNCgolf]

Who doesn't like the Skyliner?

Me! I'd never want to stay at CBR or Riviera because of the Skyliner. I hate it as a form of transportation. Not that I'm a huge fan of buses, but I'd rather take a bus than the Skyliner.

I wouldn't like it even if storms weren't an issue, but the fact that storms shut it down is also a serious problem.

 

[Eric Graham]

I would definitely recommend the Beach Club over the Wilderness Lodge, Walking distance to Hollywood Studios and Epcot. One of the pools is a saltwater pool. Really incredible. The steakhouse is very good at the Beach Club also!

 

[Eric Graham]

The Boardwalk is also steps away that just opened up a new deli also. We enjoy the Big River Grill there also.

 

[Tuvalu]

One of the pools is a saltwater pool.

All WDW resort pools are saltwater.

What sets Stormalong Bay apart is the sand bottom.

 

[nickys]

If I might add, and maybe I'm only one of a few, but I just love the Solarium in the Beach Club. It's gorgeous, peaceful and provides a nice place to eat, drink some coffee, have a glass of wine or just relax.

And it doesn't smell like fish.

View attachment 663370View attachment 663371

Shhhhh, don’t tell everyone.

 

[JusticeDisney]

Based on the criteria that you stated, the Beach Club is the clear winner. Phenomenal location, best pool on property, great dining options in and around the place. It’s honestly hard to find a negative, other than the cost, I suppose. Of course, you are going to pay a lot for any Disney deluxe.

As for the idea that the place smells like fish, what has been said above is somewhat misleading. It’s true that you get a seafood smell when the dinner buffet is open each night, but there is absolutely no smell at all in the morning or during the day. And even when you do get the smell during dinner hours, it is only in the lobby area - you don’t smell it anywhere else in the hotel (just didn’t want you to get the impression that it was something that permeated throughout the entire hotel, because it does not).

 

[ajshop]

Thank you everyone for your advice, we’ve decided on the Beach Club.

 

[tpoly88]

My family and I are trying to choose between the Wilderness Lodge Resort and Beach Club Resort.
It will be our first time as a family visiting as a family and also mine and my husbands first time staying at a Disney resort (we’ve been to the parks)
Our boys will be 10 & 6 years old and very much Star Wars fans, so we’d visit Hollywood Studios the most.
We like Beach Club for the location and dining options (we won’t have a car) and the pool.
But we like the Wilderness Lodge for the overall look of the hotel. But heard the Disney buses can be unreliable from resorts.
Has anyone got experience/ advice which they’d recommended between the two? Thanks

The one thing about the WL is you can get a room with a queen and bunk beds so the boys dont have to share a bed. Location at the BC is great for epcot and not bad for hollywood stuios. Buses at the WL are better than they used to be but if worried over there get a Lyft or a Minivan. quick ride to HS. either place is good.

 

[Tuvalu]

The one thing about the WL is you can get a room with a queen and bunk beds so the boys dont have to share a bed.

Wilderness Lodge no longer has bunk beds.

 

[tpoly88]

Wilderness Lodge no longer has bunk beds.

Really! that sucks, ok forget my advice!

 

[DisneyfanMA]

That was my experience at Caribbean Beach as well. I love the Skyliner when it's running, but the storms are way too frequent in the summer to rely on them, and Disney is too slow to deploy buses at those times.

Sounds like Disney is once again happy to collect people's money but unprepared to deliver. If the skyliner can't run frequently due to storms (and that part of FL gets them faily in summer?) and they advertise their transportation as an included perk of paying extra to stay on property...they had better have a lot of spare buses at the ready....I would not be a happy guest having bought a park hopper or even having reservations and tickets to a park i couldn't get to on their transportation.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Sounds like Disney is once again happy to collect people's money but unprepared to deliver. If the skyliner can't run frequently due to storms (and that part of FL gets them faily in summer?) and they advertise their transportation as an included perk of paying extra to stay on property...they had better have a lot of spare buses at the ready....I would not be a happy guest having bought a park hopper or even having reservations and tickets to a park i couldn't get to on their transportation.

Could we stop with the hyperbole? I said I had an experience that I didn't care for. Just leave it at that. We don't need to go down the "happy to collect people's money" tedium every single thread.

 

[heapster411]

If you want to stay @WDW but not feel like you are @ WDW, WL is the place to be. We have stayed their many times, and it is the most relaxing Resort to be at, OKW not withstanding. We usually go in December, and when you first walk into the lobby and gaze upon the Magnificent Christmas tree, it makes you breathless.

 

[KaliSplash]

The problem with Yacht, Beach and Boardwalk is lack of transportation during storms, which occur pretty much at the same time every afternoon. The weather halts both the Skyliner and the boats, so you are left with walking in a thunderstorm to your destination, or waiting an eternity for Mickey to crank up a bus to serve those hotels during the weather outage.

 

[Lilofan]

Just don’t get a room at WL that has a view of the backstage garbage dumpsters and truck loading dock.

 

[Lilofan]

If you want to stay @WDW but not feel like you are @ WDW, WL is the place to be. We have stayed their many times, and it is the most relaxing Resort to be at, OKW not withstanding. We usually go in December, and when you first walk into the lobby and gaze upon the Magnificent Christmas tree, it makes you breathless.View attachment 665028

It’s not published but some lucky fellow guests wearing their PJs stay up all night near the Wilderness Lodge lobby area and watch the tree get built and decorated .

 

[heapster411]

Just don’t get a room at WL that has a view of the backstage garbage dumpsters and truck loading dock.

Had one of those while staying @ WL DVC. Not pretty hearing garbage trucks and deliveries early in the morning.

 

[dreday3]

The problem with Yacht, Beach and Boardwalk is lack of transportation during storms, which occur pretty much at the same time every afternoon. The weather halts both the Skyliner and the boats, so you are left with walking in a thunderstorm to your destination, or waiting an eternity for Mickey to crank up a bus to serve those hotels during the weather outage.

Honestly, all our stays, that never happened, but maybe we didn't have storms? I know I've been on the boat in the rain. (although I'm sure it does close)

If it does, put on a poncho and walk to Epcot - 4 minutes fast walking from Beach Club!