Disney's WILDERNESS LODGE Information & Questions

[kcpinwdw]

Are you referring to the add-on club service for DVC?

I believe they are referring to adding Club Level access to regular WL rooms at checkin.

Yes, this is adding on regular club level access on a standard (any view) WL room.

 

[Lsdolphin]

Yes, this is adding on regular club level access on a standard (any view) WL room.

Thank you. I had no idea this was even possible!

 

[Wood Nymph]

Thank you. I had no idea this was even possible!

I was talking to one of the CL cast members last year and he said that they are offering cl to people who have rooms on other floors because the 7th floor didn't have rooms with good courtyard views. There were probably a lot of people like me who refuse to stay club level because of the dormer balconies. Plus, half of the former cl rooms were lost in the conversion to DVC.

 

[Lsdolphin]

I was talking to one of the CL cast members last year and he said that they are offering cl to people who have rooms on other floors because the 7th floor didn't have rooms with good courtyard views. There were probably a lot of people like me who refuse to stay club level because of the dormer balconies. Plus, half of the former cl rooms were lost in the conversion to DVC.

I will be returning to the WL in August for the first time since I lost my Adam. I know so much has changed since our last visit. He loved the CL lounge the CMs there were always so good to him, but like you I never liked the dormer rooms. So many wonderful memories.

 

[Dranawor]

Does anyone know if the old faithful club can/will accomodate a dairy allergy?

 

[Wood Nymph]

Does anyone know if the old faithful club can/will accomodate a dairy allergy?

They will be able to accommodate a dairy allergy. Just let them know ahead of time about it and they will be prepared for you.

 

[mom23guys2]

I just booked our first visit to the Wilderness Lodge in a standard view room. Can I ask for a magic kingdom view? I was a little confused with the newer categories I was reading about such as Nature view and Nature view with Fireworks. They all seem to be showing up as the same rooms on Touring Plans. I am so excited to stay at WL. We've stayed at most Disney resorts except for CR and CBR. Our usual favorite is AKL but I didn't want to go there this October due to the pool refurbishment. It is just my husband and I this time, we are a retired couple and he has some difficulty walking long distances.

 

[Wood Nymph]

I just booked our first visit to the Wilderness Lodge in a standard view room. Can I ask for a magic kingdom view? I was a little confused with the newer categories I was reading about such as Nature view and Nature view with Fireworks. They all seem to be showing up as the same rooms on Touring Plans. I am so excited to stay at WL. We've stayed at most Disney resorts except for CR and CBR. Our usual favorite is AKL but I didn't want to go there this October due to the pool refurbishment. It is just my husband and I this time, we are a retired couple and he has some difficulty walking long distances.

You can request a MK view with a standard view. There are quite a few standard view rooms that have a good view of the fireworks.

 

[GrandCalifornian]

I just booked our first visit to the Wilderness Lodge in a standard view room. Can I ask for a magic kingdom view? I was a little confused with the newer categories I was reading about such as Nature view and Nature view with Fireworks. They all seem to be showing up as the same rooms on Touring Plans. I am so excited to stay at WL. We've stayed at most Disney resorts except for CR and CBR. Our usual favorite is AKL but I didn't want to go there this October due to the pool refurbishment. It is just my husband and I this time, we are a retired couple and he has some difficulty walking long distances.

Congratulations! We absolutely love WL, especially for some of the attributes that you are already familiar with from AKL. The thing that puts it over the top for us is the boat transportation and general proximity to MK. Bay Lake is also really beautiful.
We always book Standard View, and have stayed in many different categories of room in different locations throughout the resort. Don't be afraid to request the attributes you are looking for in a room, no matter which category you booked. Yes, there is a new highly priced category for the rooms with the best fireworks views, but the room next door might well be a Standard view room, or you could get one of these higher classified rooms with a Standard View reservation. The key is to be willing to take what you get, and to realize that there is no bad room at WL. Your Standard View reservation means you can get any room at the Lodge, since all rooms are Standard View or better. Understandably, those who pay more for a specific area will have first shot at those, and will be guaranteed their category room or better. You may get a nice view, or may not, but you'll still be at WL.
Our favorite request is High Floor in Standard View, because it gets you a better view and you get further from the loading dock area below. We personally also really like rooms that open to the lobby, because the views inside the building there are great, but this comes at the cost of the better park/fireworks view. In your case, requesting a room near an elevator might be important as well, and that definitely does not conflict with your request for a nice view. There are elevators about 1/3 of the way down the wings from the lobby toward the lake that take you down to just outside Roaring Fork, the resort's main QS restaurant on the 1st floor.
Happy planning and enjoy your trip!

 

[mom23guys2]

Thank you so much for this, it helps. One question. Is Wilderness Lodge set up similar to AKL with two separate elevators lobbies one about a third of the way down and the other about two thirds of a way down the wing or is there only one elevator?

 

[GrandCalifornian]

Thank you so much for this, it helps. One question. Is Wilderness Lodge set up similar to AKL with two separate elevators lobbies one about a third of the way down and the other about two thirds of a way down the wing or is there only one elevator?

There are three sets of publicly accessible elevators at WL. They are in the Lobby on the South side, and about 1/3 to 1/2 of the way down each wing. They are the squares with X's in them in the map on the 4th post of the thread, here. The wings aren't as long as at AKL, so the maximum walk to an elevator isn't as bad, but it is still nicer to be close to the elevators.

Here is the Map image:

 

[Dave006]

Thank you so much for this, it helps. One question. Is Wilderness Lodge set up similar to AKL with two separate elevators lobbies one about a third of the way down and the other about two thirds of a way down the wing or is there only one elevator?

No the WL is a little different. The main elevator bank (3) is on the south side of the lobby in what is now the CCV DVC section. On the north side wing there are (2) elevators that run through all 7 floors. From the QS Roaring Fork, pool access, courtyard to the 7th floor Oald Faithful Club level rooms.

Note: Hotel rooms on the north side and a mix of DVC villas on the south side.

Dave

 

[Dean Marino]

There are three sets of publicly accessible elevators at WL. They are in the Lobby on the South side, and about 1/3 to 1/2 of the way down each wing. They are the squares with X's in them in the map on the 4th post of the thread, here. The wings aren't as long as at AKL, so the maximum walk to an elevator isn't as bad, but it is still nicer to be close to the elevators.

Here is the Map image:

THAT is a very good, very SIMPLE, map....
Why? It clearly shows why the WL "Rental Rooms" are much harder to get these days. About HALF of them have been converted to DVC....
Now, I'm actually glad this got done... our favorite resort was constantly offering 30-35% discounts... and still only about 60% booked.

Today? This is no longer the case . And that was sort of the PLAN - which has worked well.
Now, if only the WL, BRV, and CCV had a Signature Restaurant on site.... .

 

[wgeo]

We just got back from our stay at WL and we just loved everything about it. We paid for a standard room and the only request we put in was that we get bunk beds. We got bunk beds and were given room 3030. It was very close to the elevators and faced the Magic Kingdom. We could just barely see things over the trees, I imagine that room on higher floors would be a great view. In the future I may throw in a request to be a little farther away from the elevators simply because I didn't like the noise.

The boat ride to MK was simply divine, clearly the best and most relaxing way to go the MK in my opinion. I enjoyed walking around the resort quite a lot, although I couldn't find the unpaved nature trail. The only I found was at the end of the Copper Creek cabins and was blocked off, but the paved path to FW was very nice. My kids were slightly disappointed in the pool they said the slide was pretty lame, but liked everything else.

We had just great luck with buses and boats. Having the bus times on the app was very helpful so we never had any waits at the resort, and never had more than a minute or two wait coming back from the parks and the longest we had to wait for a boat was probably 2 minutes.

So peaceful and it never seemed crowded at all.

 

[Lsdolphin]

So just where is the Old Faithful Club currently located?

 

[kcpinwdw]

So just where is the Old Faithful Club currently located?

On the 7th floor. There is a big door that is key accessed on the copper creek side, or elevator up to 7 on the other side. Seating wraps around the lobby, with views into the lobby and balconies that have a fireworks view. Food area is tucked behind the desks with access from the hallway heading towards the rooms and another door that exits into the main seating area.

 

[ArielSRL]

Don't give up! Keep trying. A good time to check again will be around Oct. 22, 45 days before your trip. That's when some people will be canceling packages.

I’m behind so someone may have mentioned this already but it’s a 30 day cancellation policy for packages now.

 

[ArielSRL]

We are looking to book a December 2019 WL stay. Any idea when those rooms may become available? Looks like November recently went online. (Sorry if there’s a better place to ask, I swear I looked before posting.)

You are a little early, Dec 1, 2019 is 518 days from today. Currently, Nov. 12 is 499 days from today. You can book a room only reservation at the 499 day mark.

Dave

Actually now that 2019 packages are available one can book a package at 499 days out (as opposed to room only)...as long as it’s for 2019.

 

[ice cube]

Yes you have it correct its a 30 day cancellation

 

[bluecastle]

I always do room only, so I guess I missed the update on the "new" cancellation policy.
As long as they don't change the 5 days for RO, I'm good. Thanks for the correction!