Will I feel trapped at WL (BRV or CCV)?

[Roveer]

As we are navigating our summer vacation planning, things are tight. We are considering a stay at either BRV or CCV at WL (if we are able to secure a reservation). The kids are older now 20's/teens, so no more strollers etc. I've always wanted to stay at WL but am concerned that we'll feel trapped by limited or overcrowded transportation (boat, bus). I'm not opposed to taking other forms of transport (uber or other), but don't think I'll feel too happy paying every day of our trip.

For folks that have stayed there I'd be interested in their experiences about getting to and from WL (parks etc).

Many thanks,

Roveer

 

[PalmettoPath]

It's one of the main reasons we don't stay there anymore. Love visiting there, but when I'm staying in the MK resort area, it's going to be at a monorail resort (that and undersized pools).

 

[Best Aunt]

I normally stay at BCV or BWV, but a few years ago I decided to try something new so I booked CCV.

I never have a car at Disney.

I like to go to a park in the morning, then back to the hotel mid-afternoon to rest, and then go back out. At BCV or BWV, I really like being able to walk to Epcot in the the late afternoon/early evening, or to the Epcot area hotels and BoardWalk, then walk back to the hotel.

At CCV I was okay with taking a bus to a park in the morning. But once I got back to the hotel in the afernoon, I felt trapped. Going back out felt like it took too much effort. If you want a snack and aren't happy with what the hotel has, the closest option is the Contemporary. But if the boat to Contemporary isn't running, you have to bus to Magic Kingdom and then walk or take transportation to Contemporary from there. That was too much for me. I ended up using Uber, Lyft and Minnie Van a lot; they're easy to use, but I was not a happy camper.

Every day of that trip, I wished that I were at BCV or BWV.

Every single day.

Wilderness Lodge was a "one and done" for me. Never again.

 

[JodyK]

My bigger concern about BRV at this point would be the rooms are quite outdated rather than the seclusion.

 

[hhisc16]

As we are navigating our summer vacation planning, things are tight. We are considering a stay at either BRV or CCV at WL (if we are able to secure a reservation). The kids are older now 20's/teens, so no more strollers etc. I've always wanted to stay at WL but am concerned that we'll feel trapped by limited or overcrowded transportation (boat, bus). I'm not opposed to taking other forms of transport (uber or other), but don't think I'll feel too happy paying every day of our trip.

For folks that have stayed there I'd be interested in their experiences about getting to and from WL (parks etc).

Many thanks,

Roveer

We stayed at BRV in Dec. 2021 and waited little time for the boat to MK and the bus to MK.
We would take whichever one was quicker at the moment from MK to WL. (At MK, we could walk and see if the boat or bus was waiting to WL)

 

[magicmountainmama]

We stayed at BRV in 2018 & the room was in terrible shape, so I wouldn’t stay there until after it’s refurb’ed.
But, to answer your question, we did feel a bit trapped especially when it came to food. We thought the options at WL were pretty limited, and going anywhere took a long time or was just inconvenient. Our youngest was 3 at the time though, so that probably added some to the stress around mealtimes.
We didn’t find transportation to be overly crowded though & the boat to/from MK was very lovely. A relaxing way to start and end the day.
I’d stay there again, but it’s never my first (or second, or third) choice.

 

[Roveer]

All good responses and all pretty much addressing my concerns. Considering I'd be paying a premium (if I am even able to get a reservation), I don't think I'd be happy there for some of the reasons outlined in the comments. We are a seasoned WDW family and have been fortunate enough to stay at GF, Poly (including King Kamehameha), BLT, BC, YC, SSR & OKW. I have a pretty good sense of what makes me happy and sad about resort shortcomings. I'm happy I posted here as I was forgiving what I knew were flaws at WL. We still may stay (we usually do multi resort stays), but I was considering a longer stay and I just don't think we'd be happy for many of the reasons pointed out in the replies. I'll keep the search going. Many thanks,

Roveer

 

[DeeBee3]

I love WL and have stayed there a few times. I have never felt trapped. Apparently that seems to be the minority opinion!

I think it depends on your style and what you look to do while there. They have really good food choices so that's a big plus.
The boat ride to MK is one of the things we love! That's even with a stroller and once we had someone who had a scooter. I mean it's not a huge issue. With your party, everyone is responsible and old enough that that's not even a remote issue.

We have not run into issues with the bus to Epcot or the other parks. It is a disappointment that there isn't another form of transport, but it didn't damper our time. The resort is beautiful and we though the 2 pools were just fine.

I would say BRV is in DESPERATE need of a refurb, so CCV would be the way to go.

I have not stayed at CCV since 2019 but have been to Disney twice since then.

 

[Shellyred8]

I stayed in a Studio at BRV last year and it was definitely showing it's age. If you can get into CCV or the WL rooms, those will be in better shape. I didn't find it was harder to get to get to the parks than if I was staying at any other resort where I have to take a bus to a park. Sometimes the buses were quick to arrive, sometimes we had to wait. Sometimes there are a lot of people, sometimes not. I always enjoy taking the boat to MK. The one thing I really miss though is the boat that used to go between CR, WL and the campground.

 

[yensid's offspring]

I have always loved WL. Love the atmosphere / vibe. Take the boat to MK and the bus everywhere else. Bus waits are no worse than anywhere else. If you like the Wilderness aesthetic than you will love WL.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

I guess it's all perspective. We usually stay at AKV or BRV/CCV. We pick the WL area for when we want ease of transportation. But maybe that's because it seems easier than AKV. I guess it depends on what you are used to.

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

I love walking to into the parks, so BC will always be our first love. BUT once we have “done” everything we want to do there is nothing more peaceful than staring at Bay Lake from CCV. So it is more inconvenient but not in a bad way, more in a “I’m going to enjoy my leisurely morning, then maybe take the boat to MK, ride 2 rides, get a dole whip, and come back and the day will be perfect” kind of way.

 

[RoseGold]

I stayed at CCV years ago one night, long enough to decide I hated the theme. But then I stayed in an accessible BRV 1BR in December, and I thought it was fine. I don't think it was that dated (or maybe shabbiness seemed to match the theme?), transportation was fine, especially to MK. Even after fireworks, those boats were running well!

The buses to other resorts were Disney buses, it is what it is. We didn't have a problem with them, but you never know.

But. It's a gorgeous resort. It's just such a stunningly beautiful place. The themed pools, and even the little bar overlooking the 7 Seas. Christmas decoration was incredible. I thought it was great to see it.