Disney's WILDERNESS LODGE Information & Questions

[DisneyArkie]

We stay at WL every year. We are here now and have come to realize it’s time for these rooms to be renovated. Very dated. They put us in a handicap room that seems like it hasn’t been touched in several years. First time we have been disappointed. Bus service is struggling too. We have never had problems until this stay. We have also notice some bus drivers and cast members inside the park seem a little grouchy. It may be us because we are disappointed in the room and we are picking out every negative thing, but we haven’t ever noticed attitudes like this before. A lot of money we spent to turn into a disappointing trip so far.

Here is a positive. We usually dine at signature restaurants at night. We have eaten at most of them and we have our favorites, but a new one for us, took the number one spot. Monsieur Paul was delicious and we can’t wait to go back...

WL is still a great location.

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

We've added CL a couple times including when we checked in on Thanksgiving Day last year, so don't rule it out for your Dec. trip

How much did adding on access cost? We have FD for our December trip so it might be too much food, but people wax so poetic about being in the club during the holidays that I would be tempted if it isn't too much to add. We could drop a few ADRs especially breakfasts. Also, if you add CL service, could you theoretically add the CL extra FPs? That would really be a budget buster but with the new tiering system at HS and 4 park days in our trip just trying to maximize our time.

 

[Wood Nymph]

How much did adding on access cost? We have FD for our December trip so it might be too much food, but people wax so poetic about being in the club during the holidays that I would be tempted if it isn't too much to add. We could drop a few ADRs especially breakfasts. Also, if you add CL service, could you theoretically add the CL extra FPs? That would really be a budget buster but with the new tiering system at HS and 4 park days in our trip just trying to maximize our time.

I would not add Club level if you have free dining. You will never get your money’s worth from it. In fact many people can’t eat all the food they get with free dining.

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

I would not add Club level if you have free dining. You will never get your money’s worth from it. In fact many people can’t eat all the food they get with free dining.

That has been my experience with FD in the past, just wondering what the cost was to add-on.

 

[PolyRob]

That has been my experience with FD in the past, just wondering what the cost was to add-on.

The cost is $99 per night regardless of the number of guests in your room. You must add it for all nights and it cannot be added to a reservation at BRV or CCV, only the regular cash resort rooms.

I am not sure about the CL-FP with the CL add-on. IDK if you are only given lounge access or full DSS access. I imagine FP+ selection at time of check-in would also be depleted for headliners where the 90+ days gives you an advantage when booking.

 

[Ferrentinos]

We arrive in 3 days! Any recent reports about lotion in the room? I've read on some other threads about no longer supplying lotion. I'm working on packing and want to bring lotion if needed. Thanks!

 

[ilovevacation]

We arrive in 3 days! Any recent reports about lotion in the room? I've read on some other threads about no longer supplying lotion. I'm working on packing and want to bring lotion if needed. Thanks!

Ya! See you there. We leave in 4. I was wondering the same about the lotion!

 

[cart-mom]

We arrive in 3 days! Any recent reports about lotion in the room? I've read on some other threads about no longer supplying lotion. I'm working on packing and want to bring lotion if needed. Thanks!

From previous page. - - No pumps, still individual little containers, but yes, shampoo, conditioner, and body wash are all included, along with lotion, aloe gel, and bar soap.

 

[cart-mom]

Booked Courtyard but now that they have Nature Fireworks I feel like I'm missing out. We come home in 7 days. 7! I am panicking now. FOMO. I did ask for highest floor. Last time we were on the villas side which I felt was too far away from the boat launch, roaring fork, etc. but now I see the Courtyard rooms are all on the other side. I should just leave this up to fate and accept what I get and be happy, right? I mean, it IS the Wilderness Lodge. I'm just over thinking things, right?

 

[Emme]

Hi Everyone! Can you please help! I am sooo confused! A courtyard view with free dining just opened up for Sept. so we booked it! I asked for a high floor room with a nice view! I was looking at videos on youtube and I saw some high floor rooms with a courtyard view you had to stand to see out into with large like partitions on each side of the balcony (like wings). I do not want that!! I want to be able to sit and see the view. Can you please help me with a decent courtyard room request area/floor? Please! Thanks!

 

[4vrdreamin]

We stay at WL every year. We are here now and have come to realize it’s time for these rooms to be renovated. Very dated. They put us in a handicap room that seems like it hasn’t been touched in several years. First time we have been disappointed. Bus service is struggling too. We have never had problems until this stay. We have also notice some bus drivers and cast members inside the park seem a little grouchy. It may be us because we are disappointed in the room and we are picking out every negative thing, but we haven’t ever noticed attitudes like this before. A lot of money we spent to turn into a disappointing trip so far.

Here is a positive. We usually dine at signature restaurants at night. We have eaten at most of them and we have our favorites, but a new one for us, took the number one spot. Monsieur Paul was delicious and we can’t wait to go back...

WL is still a great location.

My family and I had never stayed at WL and we rented DVC points and stayed in a Studio villa at BR. We were excited to try out the resort and also get a taste of DVC. We were also extremely disappointed in our room. The resort is amazing. The cast members were the best we've had in all our stays. But the room was in very bad shape. The sofa was exactly how Pete described in his review (stained and really bad shape). The fridge was broken, the hot water faucet was broken at the sink (just turned and turned), and the mattress on the sofa was so thin and worn I couldn't believe it. I really thought that there would be a punch list for DVC side of the resort to make sure all appliances and such were working and in decent shape prior to the next guest being able to check in since it's 4pm or later. I never write the GM but this time I had to. Within an hour of sending my email (stating the disrepair of our room and how we had to wait til 9pm on our arrival night for maintenance to "prove" we weren't lying about the fridge and finally find a fridge to put in our room ) we get Rosie from maintenance who comes to fix it all for us. She spent two hours trying to fix the faucet. It was so stripped she couldn't get it out to replace! Meanwhile, two electricians are sent from her boss and she is screaming at them about how they cant help her and why did her manager send them and huffing about why she doesnt know the faucet cant be fixed. It was really stressful.

Finally, she is so frustrated that she calls her manager to come and do something for us. The housekeeping manager comes up and orders a new mattress and offers FPP. We say No thank you! That isnt good enough. This should not be happening for the amount of money Dvc owners pay to purchase and annual dues!! Unacceptable! With regards to the sofa I say I heard rooms were scheduled to be refurbished next year and she and the engineering gentleman (he came with her to deliver the new mattress) state no not for TWO years! What?! I was shocked! I'm new to timeshares and how they are maintained and would love input from DVC members but I couldn't get over the state of the room and lack of things being checked and replaced at this cost.

Anyway, eventually Rosie got the faucet handle replaced with her team of 3 spectator electricians lol. And Niska made sure we were comped a night stay and gave us her card should we need anything else and if we should stay in the future to email her and she would make sure our stay was better next time. The rest of the stay was uneventful but it did sour our experience. I will say that I'm either a glutton for punishment or hard headed but I do want to stay again. The food was great the atmosphere was amazing (saw armadillos and huge owls right outside our door) and the staff were so nice. I was hoping our room was an anomaly. But with your post I'm wondering if the rooms are in such a dire need of refurbishment that its frustrating for staff as well. The engineering gentleman suggested the cabins for our next stay because they were in good shape and had the same type of environment. I thought that spoke of his thoughts on the state of this resort as well. We'll see after some more of Pete's DVC reviews and reviews on this thread where we stay next year.

 

[Deb & Bill]

We just stayed at BRV last fall in a one bedroom and it was in wonderful shape. Bed was comfortable, everything was working. Only minor issues with the last renovation that changed out the bathroom mirror and left the outlet at the sink impossible to use.

 

[GrandCalifornian]

Booked Courtyard but now that they have Nature Fireworks I feel like I'm missing out. We come home in 7 days. 7! I am panicking now. FOMO. I did ask for highest floor. Last time we were on the villas side which I felt was too far away from the boat launch, roaring fork, etc. but now I see the Courtyard rooms are all on the other side. I should just leave this up to fate and accept what I get and be happy, right? I mean, it IS the Wilderness Lodge. I'm just over thinking things, right?

Now that the South Wing is entirely Copper Creek, your Courtyard View room will be in the North wing and have a balcony that faces the South, so you will not have a fireworks view. You will still have a nice view, and many of us would be fine with that, but it is good to know what to expect. Personally, I wouldn't pay the extra for Fireworks Nature view, but I might consider taking my chances with a Standard View or regular Nature View room. We have stayed in lots of different locations, and our favorite view was of the Fireworks, but our next favorite was Courtyard View. At this point just be excited that your trip is so close, and like you said, it IS Wilderness Lodge! Have a great time!

 

[PolyRob]

Hi Everyone! Can you please help! I am sooo confused! A courtyard view with free dining just opened up for Sept. so we booked it! I asked for a high floor room with a nice view! I was looking at videos on youtube and I saw some high floor rooms with a courtyard view you had to stand to see out into with large like partitions on each side of the balcony (like wings). I do not want that!! I want to be able to sit and see the view. Can you please help me with a decent courtyard room request area/floor? Please! Thanks!

Those weird balconies are on the 7th floor (highest floor) which only consists of CL rooms. If you have a regular courtyard view room booked you will be fine.

 

[Dave006]

Hi Everyone! Can you please help! I am sooo confused! A courtyard view with free dining just opened up for Sept. so we booked it! I asked for a high floor room with a nice view! I was looking at videos on youtube and I saw some high floor rooms with a courtyard view you had to stand to see out into with large like partitions on each side of the balcony (like wings). I do not want that!! I want to be able to sit and see the view. Can you please help me with a decent courtyard room request area/floor? Please! Thanks!

Those weird balconies are on the 7th floor (highest floor) which only consists of CL rooms. If you have a regular courtyard view room booked you will be fine.

There are actually 2 different types of balconies that are less than ideal for sitting and watching the courtyard activities.

@PolyRob covered part of the "enclosed" balconies on the 7th floor due to the metal roof and the architectural roof line. These same "enclosed" balconies are also on the 6th floor out on the north wing: rooms 6005-6031 (odd number rooms = courtyard view) after the 7th floor ends & out to the end of the building. For these balconies on the 6th and 7th floors you have to stand to see much of the view.

The 2nd type of less than ideal balconies are in the main section of the lodge and have partitions between the balconies which give them a somewhat "side-walled" claustrophobic feeling but slightly more private balcony: rooms x067-x073 on floors 4-6.

I would suggest you request a room on floor 3, 4 or 5 in the range of x005-x031. These courtyard rooms over look the widest part of courtyard toward the main pool area and it is not a very long walk down the hallways at the WL.



Highlighted "enclosed" balcony rooms on the 6th floor on the north wing past the 7th floor roof line.

Dave

 

[Kickstart]

Is there a way to find out which courtyard rooms are connecting?

We have two (Courtyard/2 Queen bed) rooms booked for late September. I'd like to request rooms that are connecting and have a good view of the Electric Parade.

However, I'm not sure how accurate the TP room finder is.
For example,TP shows 5037 and 5039 to be connecting (and the type of room we reserved), but says 4037 and 4039 are not connecting (but seem like they should be)... Wondering if the "connecting room" information is accurate in the TP room finder.

Thanks.

 

[dansdad]

Is there a way to find out which courtyard rooms are connecting?

We have two (Courtyard/2 Queen bed) rooms booked for late September. I'd like to request rooms that are connecting and have a good view of the Electric Parade.

However, I'm not sure how accurate the TP room finder is.
For example,TP shows 5037 and 5039 to be connecting (and the type of room we reserved), but says 4037 and 4039 are not connecting (but seem like they should be)... Wondering if the "connecting room" information is accurate in the TP room finder.

Thanks.

It's definitely not accurate. Your best bet would be to ask for what you want. Connecting rooms with view of Electric Parade.

 

[Kickstart]

OK.. thanks!

 

[Emme]

There are actually 2 different types of balconies that are less than ideal for sitting and watching the courtyard activities.

@PolyRob covered part of the "enclosed" balconies on the 7th floor due to the metal roof and the architectural roof line. These same "enclosed" balconies are also on the 6th floor out on the north wing: rooms 6005-6031 (odd number rooms = courtyard view) after the 7th floor ends & out to the end of the building. For these balconies on the 6th and 7th floors you have to stand to see much of the view.

The 2nd type of less than ideal balconies are in the main section of the lodge and have partitions between the balconies which give them a somewhat "side-walled" claustrophobic feeling but slightly more private balcony: rooms x067-x073 on floors 4-6.

I would suggest you request a room on floor 3, 4 or 5 in the range of x005-x031. These courtyard rooms over look the widest part of courtyard toward the main pool area and it is not a very long walk down the hallways at the WL.

View attachment 425827

Highlighted "enclosed" balcony rooms on the 6th floor on the north wing past the 7th floor roof line.

Dave

Dave, THANK YOU SO MUCH!!That is exactly the info I was looking for! Great help and I appreciate it!

 

[Lacoccinelle]

Here now watching fireworks. When we arrived today, we were eating at WC and the lobby had tons of characters. They said, well it’s raining so why not. Pooh, Mickey, Goofy, Donald, Meeko, Rafiki, Chip, Dale, Gideon, a country bear. It was amazing.