Wilderness Lodge

[Senderella]

I think we've *finally* decided on WL. I was wondering what everyone who's been thought about it. What do you love and hate about it? My only hesitation is that it's not on the monorail (which was one of the things we were wanting), but it looks so beautiful and like something we'd really enjoy so it's really calling us like a siren's song! I was on a different board (AOL's Disney board) and everyone was saying how horrible & unreliable the transportation was. We're planning on doing some resort hopping for meals... mainly Chef Mickey's & 1900 are 2 I can think of right off the top of my head that we're dying to try. How hard (or long) is it to try to get to the other resorts and the other parks from WL (especially for something like Chef Mickey's in the morning!!)? Please be brutally honest with your reviews. I want to hear both sides of the coin... the good bad & ugly! Not to mention any sort of info you've got on what I just mentioned (transportation & other resorts & the other parks.. particularly Downtown since on all the maps I've seen it looks to be way over there).

 

[BrerPete]

Talk about coincidence. Same goes for what she said.

 

[optjay]

Great choice! I have stayed at WL many times and and say nothing but great things. I know you will love it.
Transportation seems to be most peoples concern at WL. Many people say it is the pits, becouse there is nothing else to say that could remotely be considered neg. about WL.That being said, the transoprtation is fine.its not on the monorail , but if you really want to ride take a boat to the Contemporary (which is what you would do to goto Chef Mickey anyway) and ride from there to what ever monrail destination you desire. Regardless of what resort you stay at the busses will always cause some wait, big deal, YOUR AT DISNEY WORLD, enjoy it.

 

[tigsmom]

We are making our return trip to the WL in July (can't remember which # it will be. ) We love the WL. There is something about the atmosphere there...
Our kids love it. They can go to the Roaring Forks Cafe for a snack, the Mercantile for "goodies" or the Arcade and have a great time. I love sitting in one of those big rockers sipping on a cup of tea & watching the world go by. Though I've never been, the kids love the water slide in the pool.
We aren't ones for rushing around during vacation, we like to relax and the WL is great for that. You may even see someone sleeping on one of the leather sofas in the lobby...they are that comfy.
We have never had a problem with transportaion ( bus or boat).
To get to Chef Mickey's take the small launch (on the left side of the dock) and head on over to the Contemporary. You can do this to hit the monorail to EPCOT or one of the monorail based resorts. Give yourself an extra half hour (you can check with the desk about transportation schedules). The main boat to the MK take about 10 mins (I think, though I never really timed it). Be aware that you share the boat with Fort Wilderness & may have to stop there first. The ride across the lake is beautiful, especially at sunset. The bus is shared with Fort Wilderness, too, but we have never had a problem with this. We have been both on & off peak and its been OK. Its not like you car...there when you want it, but they run pretty consistantly. The rides to the other parks should take around 20 minutes or so.
We take our own car when we will be out late (past closing
time) because the bus can get crowded and our youngest
doesn't "wait" very well. We also do this when we are exploring, but thats just us. We took our own car to Blizzard Beach also. Again, just us.(and parking is free to resort guests so you don't have to worry about that) We usually do DowntownDisney on our last day as we are leaving so I don't know about the bus ride there.

 

[roysta123]

Not only will you save money at WL compared to monorail resorts but you can take a boat from WL to the Contemporary and eat at Chef Mickey's and walk to MK or ride the monorail. I love staying at WL.

 

[BalooChicago]

Originally posted by roysta123
Not only will you save money at WL compared to monorail resorts but you can take a boat from WL to the Contemporary and eat at Chef Mickey's and walk to MK or ride the monorail. I love staying at WL.

I just stayed at WL, it was my third stay at WL and the first not in the villas. What can I say, I love WL. Transportation was one of my main issues in choosing WL as I see Disney Transportation as one of the main advantages of staying on property. I had narrowed the choice down to the Contemporary and WL, Contemporary has an advantage in the Monorail, but loses in theming and cost. I could not justify the additional cost of the Contemporary over the WL (And while I have yet to stay at the Contemporary [My Dad would tell you I did, but I was two] I still cannot get over the fact it looks like a large version of a bad roadside motel, guess that's the architect in me.) Transportation from WL is great, the Bus service is as prompt if not better than I have experienced elsewhere on property (In general I despise the buses, they are just too un-Disney for me, it didn't help that we got stuck waiting for an hour for a bus at midday at Animal Kingdom [Though not a WL bus, can't remember if we were going to Epcot or TTC]), The boats too are great (Both to MK and to the Contemporary, we used both a lot)... The only sad thing was when the boat would loop around to Fort Wilderness and you could see both River Country and Discovery Island practically abandoned... All in all WL is an awesome resort, we had an excellent room, the atmosphere was homey and welcoming, and it was incredibly convenient. I have no doubt we'll be at WL on our next trip as well.

 

[tigsmom]

Everyone we have ever directed to the WL has loved it & has (or will, in the near future) returned.
I've stayed at the Contemporary and its too big and geared to conventions for us (though we like to visit to eat & shop), the Polynesian; we love the theme but didn't like haveing to go outside to get to everything. My kids like the pool at the Poly better than the WL.
The WL is the least expensive of the deluxes & has the smallest rooms, but it works for us. Its really one of those things you'll have to figure out for yourself.
:wave:

 

[HennieBogan1966]

Well, having stayed at The Poly, The Contemp., FW Camp., and All Star Sports, I can tell you that there's no better convenience than having the Monorail right there at your resort doors. However, we have had the opportunity as well to enjoy beautiful and relaxing boat rides throughout the MK, going from place to place.

Having said that, the buses can be a bit of a wait. Especially during peak moving times during the day and evening hours. So pack your patience, as we sometimes waited 15-20 minutes for bus arrival. It wasn't a big deal to us, and we even laughed at watching the names on the headers of each bus to see if it was "our" bus. You're on vacation, so enjoy the moment.

The best advice I could recommend to you would be to allow more than enough time when trying to keep reservations. Don't try to cut it close, cause you won't make it. Instead, leave yourself extra time for something unexpected, like extended wait times for trans., and everything will be fine. Enjoy!!!!


Brian

 

[Mia's Daddy]

The WL is our faorite resort. My wife and I are the kinda people that got to the parks and stay from open to close. When we stayed at WL, we spent a lot of time at the resort. We just loved being at the resort. Now the bus transportation is a pain, but the experience of staying there made up for it. Oh and the Whipering Canyon cafe is very cool.

 

[MKCP 1985]

This is such a beautiful resort. It is my favorite. The restaurants, Whispering Canyon and Artist's Point are outstanding. The swimming pool is first rate. The boat service to the Contemporary is just fun. The shops are well stocked and the cast members who work there have always gone out of their way to help me find what I am looking for.

 

[Senderella]

Thanks for all of the input. Poly was in our list of choices, but there's a hotel at our beach that looks almost exactly like it. We figured if we wanted to stay there for the feel, we could go to the Tiki cheaper! :lol: Contemp was our first choice but for some reason we kept looking at the others. Definately a lot of good tips. Basically, if we have any morning PS's we should allow 30-45 mins extra just in case transportation does happen to be running late, right? Do the CMs at the front desk happen to have like a trasnportation schedule for the week (or whatever) they can give to you? Ok I'm really curious... what time do most of yall wake up for a breakfast PS if you wantto get to a park pretty early. Is it even possible to hit a breakfast like Mickey's and still hit the gates before they open?

 

[figmentfan]

WL is the best Resort on Property!

Great scenary, music is great, just the best resort ever!

The transportation can be a hassle, but you can get around the hassle by planning extra time in between destination.

At Disney, it is all about timing.

Couple of extras you can do at the WL. They have Lodge tours that take you around the resort, and tell you secrets. Also they take you to the Smoke House where they cook the meat for the restaurants, and take you to the lookout point on the roof of the Lodge. Cool View! Also, there are many hidden mickeys in the WL, the guest relations use to have a challenge fot eh guest to find all the hidden mickeys. If you find all of them, then they give you a button. Have Fun!

 

[awallaceunc]

There's also a campfire celebration type thing at certain nights, with Chip & Dale, where they tell stories and show Disney shorts or a movie. I think you can even call the WL and make reservations.

-Aaron

 

[tigsmom]

Originally posted by awallaceunc
There's also a campfire celebration type thing at certain nights, with Chip & Dale, where they tell stories and show Disney shorts or a movie. I think you can even call the WL and make reservations.

-Aaron

Thats at the Fort Wilderness Campground not the Wilderness Lodge...its two separate resorts. Its a mistake alot of people make. They are so close together and sound alike. :wave:

 

[JaSnake16]

I know Ill probably get ripped for this but...

If transportation is extremely important between the resorts (especially when it comes to getting somewhere for priority seating) then rent a car. Ive go to WDW once a year and stay on property and I always rent a car. This year Im staying at the Contemporary (cant wait), last year I stayed at the WL and my girlfriend and I were so happy that we had the car to go everywhere. You could go on your own timetable and do whatever you want. Beats waiting in line for the buses and water boats.

You will love the WL, the scenery, the service, everything was great. Eat at Artists Point you wont be sorry. Great service and good food.

 

[Buzzforprez]

Wilderness Lodge is a great resort, I'd say the best. Be sure to eat in the restaurant in the lobby and make sure you ask for ketchup, it will enhance the meal greatly. The resort has a hidden mickey hunt, bedtime stories, great snack area and unbelieveable grounds. I loved just going into the lobby at night with a good bok and a hot chocolate and sitting in the comfy couches to read and watch those who go by. I am staying in the Contemporary and the only reason is that it sleeps 5. Transportation is not too bad. We took a boat to the Contemporary each day to use monorail for MK & Epcot. Also good to hotel hop. Busses took a few extra minutes, but it always seems that whatever bus I am waiting for it is always the last. Have a great trip!

 

[Jenngusto]

After reading all your info about WL, I will definitely have to check it out on my next trip! I have never been and can't wait to check it out! :king:

 

[JET12monorail]

I have stayed at both the WL and Contemporary several times and I must say that the boat service to the CR IS OK. However, there is just something about being in the CR with the monorail running thru the middle of the building. It's part of that "disney" experience, even though you can see it from alot of the rooms at the WL. There is also something to be said for having a walkway to the MK. Just a 5-10 minute walk and your there. You'll never have to worry about taking a boat ride to eat breakfast in the morning either-- just a few steps away. The extra money you'll spend will be well worth it. You'll get a MUCH larger room and a WAY larger bathroom to boot. Have fun on your trip!

 

[Senderella]

Originally posted by JaSnake16
I know Ill probably get ripped for this but...

That's just silly! Why would you get ripped for that? Goofy! Anyhow, we wont need to worry about a rental because we're driving up. We'll have that option if we wanted to go that route which we may. It's not that transportation is such a big issue per say, but as long as it RAN and it was pretty reliable, we're cool if we've got the option. I don't think it'd be such a big deal in the evenings, I was just wondering about timing & morning trans.... I know I'm leaving off on an incomplete thought, but I need to go fix dinner.

 

[disneydummy125]

Good Choice!

WL is one of my favorite resorts. The transportation really isn't as bad as it sounds. I've never had much of a problem with it.