(For the first page of this review of the Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, see this.)
MORE ON ACCOMMODATIONS AT THE VILLAS AT THE WILDERNESS LODGE
There are currently 8 official Disney Vacation Club resorts at Walt Disney World.
However, I have come to count them as ten.
Ten because two of the resorts–Saratoga Springs and the Animal Kingdom Villas–have two very different areas.
In order of their appropriateness for first time family visitors to Walt Disney World, they are:
- The Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas–Jambo House
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas–Kidani Village
- Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
- The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa
- Disney’s Beach Club Villas
- Disney’s Boardwalk Villas
- Disney’s Old Key West Resort
- Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa, main resort
- Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort, Treehouse Villas area.
These resorts are available to anyone to reserve through the regular Walt Disney World website or the resort reservations phone number at 407-939-7675.
They also are available to the general public at great discounts through renting points from a Disney Vacation Club member.
ROOMS AT THE VILLAS AT DISNEY’S WILDERNESS LODGE
Like all Disney Vacation Club resorts, the Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge have studio rooms, One-Bedroom Villas, and Two-Bedroom Villas.
Unlike most, it has no Grand Villas.
At the Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, Studios sleep five, on a queen, fold-out couch, and fold-down 75″ x 33″ bed that sleeps smaller than that.
They also come equipped with a coffee-maker, mini-fridge, toaster and microwave. These rooms are slightly larger than the main lodge’s 340 square feet, and have a slight additional feeling of spaciousness because of the couch rather than a second queen.
There aren’t any standard rooms in the main lodge that sleep 5, so I expect the small number of studios here–about 65–to be in high demand.
One-Bedroom Villas sleep 4 in a master bedroom with a king bed and a fold-out couch.
The couch is in a shared space that also includes a full kitchen/ dining/ living space and a washer/ dryer.
The bath is accessible from both the master bedroom and the shared living space, and is designed so that the kids can use one side without intruding into the master bedroom.
The master bedroom includes a king bed.
Two-Bedroom Villas add a second bedroom to a One Bedroom Villa. “Lockoff” Two Bedrooms simply combine the spaces and capacity of a Studio and One Bedroom. “Dedicated” Two Bedroom Villas (floor plan below) replace the Studio with a two-queen room.
As noted on the first page of this review, I don’t recommend Two-Bedroom villas at the Villas at the Wilderness Lodge for families that can’t entirely fit into the two bedrooms themselves.
There isn’t enough living or dining capacity, and the placement of the connecting door to the second bedroom is awkward when the couch is folded out and being used as a bed.
So if you have to use the fold out couch, avoid a Two Bedroom here, and stay in a Two Bedroom at Kidani Village instead.
(To each of the capacity figures above, you can add one more kid under 3 at time of check in who sleeps in a crib.)
MORE ON THE VILLAS AT DISNEY’S WILDERNESS LODGE
According to Walt Disney World’s website,
“Recalling the 1860’s railroad hotels of the American West, The Villas offer the comforts of home amid the rustic beauty of Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. Relax on the white-sand beach, explore trails through lush meadows and delight in the enchanting Silver Creek Springs Pool. Just a breezy boat ride to Magic Kingdom park, The Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge celebrate American craftsmanship and the majesty of the great outdoors.”
While the Villas have tons of railroad memorabilia, including from Walt Disney’s own model Carolwood Pacific, the old railroad hotels–such as the Harvey Houses–weren’t nearly as lovely as the Villas.
Moreover, the lobby of the villas is themed as a roundhouse or turntable-served car shop with a covered turntable–a rare amenity in a hotel.
Think of the Villas as being themed around the old west, adventure, exploration, and railroads, and you’ll get it!
While not as stunning as the Wilderness Lodge itself, because the Villas share the check-in, services, restaurants, and lobby of the Wilderness Lodge, as a package including the Lodge, the Villas are overall amazingly kid-appealing.
The Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge’s principal negatives are the small size of the shared space of its Two-Bedroom villas.
Returning visitors will likely find The Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge to be a favorite. The Wilderness Lodge itself is spectacular, but has small rooms. The Villas give your family a little more room to spread out!
THE AMENITIES AND ART OF THE VILLAS AT THE WILDERNESS LODGE
This review continues here!
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1 Comment on "Review: The Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, Page 5"
I love the balance they have been able to achieve. Rustic and woodsy, yet high class and elegant.