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DISNEY WORLD NEXT WEEK: JANUARY 11 TO JANUARY 19, 2014

The material below details operating hours, Extra Magic Hours, parades, and fireworks.

The same stuff is in the image, but organized by park, not by topic.

For more on January 2014, see this.

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Many have written with concern about the ongoing and expected upcoming construction at the Polynesian, wondering if another resort is a better choice.

Known construction issues at the Polynesian are

• Construction activity in the lagoon and around Tahiti related to Disney Vacation Club work
• Major work in the Great Ceremonial House that began in 2014
• Rehab and closure of one of the two pools (and the larger and more fun of the two) from late July 2014 into spring 2015. (To keep up with this, check TikimanPages.com and its Facebook page.)

Despite the construction, I’m still keen on the Polynesian for first time visitors, as the construction will only moderately diminish its combination of kid appeal and convenience—which is what this site ranks resorts on.

But sensible people differ on this, so here’s some thoughts on the next most highly ranked deluxe resorts.

After the Polynesian, the next three highest-ranked deluxes for first time family visitors who may never return are, in order

1. Wilderness Lodge
2. Animal Kingdom Lodge
3. Contemporary Resort

The differences among these three are stark:

Wilderness Lodge kid appeal is spectacular, convenience is moderate, and rooms are small—fitting only four.

Prices are low—at least for a deluxe!

Animal Kingdom Lodge kid appeal is almost as strong as that of the Wilderness Lodge, but convenience is low.

Like the Wilderness Lodge, rooms are small—fitting only four.

Because at the Animal Kingdom Lodge you should always get a “Savanna View,” prices are higher than standard-view rooms at the Wilderness Lodge.

Contemporary Resort kid appeal is moderate, but its convenience is high, and it’s the only one of these three on the monorail.

Prices are high but the rooms are large and sleep five, on two queens and a daybed.

So what’s best for your family?

• If you need to sleep five—or three beds—pick the Contemporary
• If a smaller room works for you, and convenience is important, pick the Wilderness Lodge
• If a smaller room works, and convenience doesn’t matter, pick whichever of the lodges has the theme that appeals to your family more.

For other deluxe options see this, and for more on pros and cons of the deluxes see this.

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For the first page of this review of Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, click here.

PHOTO TOUR OF A STANDARD ROOM AT DISNEY’S WILDERNESS LODGE

Standard rooms at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge–like those at the Animal Kingdom Lodge–are distinctive among Disney’s deluxe resorts for sleeping only four, and for the overall small size of their sleeping area. Rooms here were refurbed in 2021. I’ll have updated photos and floor plans shortly.See the floor plan. Most other Disney World deluxe sleeping spaces are longer and wider, and many have a couch that provides the fifth sleeping spot.

As you enter the room, there’s a bath on one side and the closet, coffee maker and mini-fridge on the other.

The bath is divided into two areas, starting with these double sinks.

A closer, but not all that well-focused,  view of the toiletries.

All Disney rooms come with a hair dryer.  Here’s the one at the Wilderness Lodge.

Behind a door you’ll find a toilet and tub/shower combo.

Wilderness Lodge rooms abound in charming detail. These little guys are inlaid into the bath surround.

On the other side of the entry hall, there’s a coffee maker and mini-fridge, with a couple of drawers above the mini-fridge…

…that are larger than they first appear.

Here’s the inside of the fridge with a scaling object.

The closet is next, good-sized but unstructured, with two sliding doors.  Here’s it open–you can see half of it…

…and the other half. Note the ironing board and luggage rack.

Built into the closet wall is this small safe.

Deeper into the room you’ll find in most Wilderness Lodge standard rooms two queen beds on one side.

Here’s the bed side from the back of the room.

Some of these bedrooms have kings, and–rare among Disney resorts–others have one queen and a pair of bunk beds–if you want these, they are a separately bookable category. The bunk mattresses are about 5′ 9″ so are best for kids.

A closer view of one of the queens.

Between the beds is a bedside table with a shelf below…

…and a storage drawer for your important books..

The other side of the room has the connecting door (if present), TV, dresser, and a table and two chairs.

Here’s the TV side from the back.

The dresser is large. Its looks like it has six drawers…

…but in fact has three. Regardless, here’s plenty of storage in the room for the four people it sleeps.

Between the dresser and balcony is the table and chairs, with a mirror above. There’s a Disney World rule somewhere about in what resorts these tables are round, and in which they are square. I haven’t found it yet.

At the end of the room is the balcony (patio on bottom floors). Here’s the balcony from one of our woods view rooms…

…and here’s one from a courtyard view room.

The conversion of half of the former Wilderness Lodge rooms into Cooper Creek, and the Copper Creek-associated bulldozing of a number of trees on the Bay Lake side, means that many higher Wilderness Lodge woods view rooms now have distant theme park views, including of the evening fireworks.

In the zoomed shot above from my fifth floor room near Bay Lake, you can see the Main Street station directly above the chimney on the cabin. Views are not quite so good once the leaves are back on the trees…

But if you are high enough you can still see Magic Kingdom fireworks between and over the trees–above and below.

For a hotel so stunningly decorated with objects and art in its public spaces, the rooms are delightfully but more subtle decorated.

Higher on the page I already showed some minor decoration in the bath.

These nice carvings decorate the headboards…

…you’ll find this minor print on the wall by the bath.

And the bed posts have more darling carvings:

And note all the furniture that like the bed posts is in the style of having been assembled from branches or small logs.

The light fixtures are charming, especially the one over the table.

And you’ll find a friend on the bed pillows.

While  delightful, these rooms are small. The glory of staying at the Wilderness Lodge is outside the rooms.

AMENITIES AT DISNEY’S WILDERNESS LODGE

This review continues here!

MATERIAL IN THIS REVIEW OF DISNEY’S WILDERNESS LODGE

• Overview and summary of DIsney’s Wilderness Lodge
• Theming and accommodations at the Wilderness Lodge
• A photo tour of a standard room at the Wilderness Lodge
• Amenities at the Wilderness Lodge
• The main Copper Creek Springs pool at the Wilderness Lodge
• The new Boulder Ridge Cove pool at the Wilderness Lodge
• Dining at the Wilderness Lodge

OTHER KEY PAGES FOR WHERE TO STAY AT DISNEY WORLD

• Where to stay–the Basics
• Where first-timers should stay
• Reviews of all the Disney World resorts, based on my 160+ stays in them

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OVERVIEW: DISNEY’S WILDERNESS LODGE

In July 2017 Disney’s Wilderness Lodge completed a major refurb.  Half of its rooms–those in the southeast wing–were converted into Copper Creek Villas. The old quiet pool was completely redone into the delightful new Boulder Ridge Cove pool. The old quick service, Roaring Fork, was refurbed, and a new counter service option and bar, Geyser Point, opened.

The overall impact is that the Wilderness Lodge, already a great option, gained upgraded and additional amenities, but lost capacity–so fewer people are using the better amenities. In other words, it’s an even better choice than before.

Details follow…

Our most recent stay (our twelfth here–four in the main Lodge, six at Boulder Ridge, and two in Copper Creek) in July 2017 confirms that Disney’s Wilderness Lodge is the second best deluxe resort at Disney World for first time family visitors.

You can have a wonderful visit at any Walt Disney World resort hotel.

However, this site recommends that first time visitors to Walt Disney World who can afford it should stay at Disney’s Polynesian Resort, a deluxe resort, and that those who can’t should stay at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, a value resort.

(It also suggests that first time visitors should avoid the moderate resorts, while noting that these resorts are wonderful for visits after the first. See this for why.)

Compared to other Walt Disney World owned and operated resorts, the deluxe resorts are distinguished by having (on average) the most amenities, nicest views, best dining options, best transport options, largest rooms, best service, and highest prices.

Among the deluxe resorts, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge stands out for having the most stunning kid appeal, moderate convenience, smallest rooms, and lowest prices.

(See this for much more on resort distinctions by price class–value, moderate, deluxe, etc.)

In addition to the standard accommodations in the northwest wing of the Wilderness Lodge, the Wilderness Lodge also has additional room types in the two Disney Vacation Club offerings associated with it–Copper Creek Villas in the southeast wing of the main Lodge, and Boulder Ridge Villas in its own building outside Copper Creek. These areas are available to anyone to rent–you don’t have to be a member of the Vacation Club. These Villas have their own detailed reviews, at the links.

This review of Disney’s Wilderness Lodge has seven pages:

• This page, a summary review
• Theming and accommodations at the Wilderness Lodge
• A photo tour of a standard room at the Wilderness Lodge
• Amenities at the Wilderness Lodge
• The main Copper Creek Springs pool at the Wilderness Lodge
• The new Boulder Ridge Cove pool at the Wilderness Lodge
• Dining at the Wilderness Lodge

ACCOMMODATIONS AT THE WILDERNESS LODGE

Standard rooms at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge are tied with those at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge as the smallest deluxe rooms on property.

The bedroom component of these rooms is smaller than even those at the moderate resorts, being almost a foot narrower and, on the long side, 2.5 feet shorter. See this for more on comparative Disney resort room sizes.

Most of these rooms sleep four–two each in two queens.  Rooms with a queen and two bunk beds are also available.  The bunk bed mattresses are 5’9″ long, and 39″ wide.  (In real life they are not so blurry.) Rooms with one king bed are also available.

You can add to this capacity of four a child younger than three who sleeps in a crib.  A crib fits well between the closet and TV credenza.

Partly because of these room sizes, and partly because it is not directly accessible from a theme park, the Wilderness Lodge is also typically the least expensive of the deluxe resorts.

For more on accommodations at the Lodge, see this, and for a photo tour of a standard room, see this.

(The Copper Creek Villas and Boulder Ridge Villas at the Wilderness Lodge are reviewed separately.)

THE POOLS AT THE WILDERNESS LODGE

The main Copper Creek Springs pool at the Wilderness Lodge was refurbed in 2014 and remains one of the most delightful pools at Disney World. (It was renamed in 2017, from “Silver Creek Springs.”) For more on the Copper Creek Springs pool, see this.

The second pool re-opened in July 2017. Now named Boulder Ridge Cove pool, it has been transformed into a delightful themed space that adults will particularly like. For more on the Boulder Ridge Cove pool, see this.

DINING AT DISNEY’S WILDERNESS LODGE

The Wilderness Lodge has four or four and a half principal dining venues that collectively make it above average among the Disney deluxes for dining.

• Whispering Canyon Cafe is a raucous and fun setting for family dining
• The more sophisticated and expensive Artist’s Point is perfect for couples dining
• The old quick-service option, Roaring Fork, has been renovated, and remains among the best of its kind among the deluxes, but can easily become over-pressed
• The new Geyser Point combines an upscale waterside bar with new quick service options, one set from the bar menu and one set from a walk-up window, that’s particularly convenient to both pools

There’s also easy access via a boat to more great dining options at the Contemporary Resort and Fort Wilderness.

For more on dining at the Wilderness Lodge, see this.

KID APPEAL AND CONVENIENCE AT DISNEY’S WILDERNESS LODGE

Resorts are ranked on this site for first time visitors based first on their kid appeal, and then on their convenience.

On this basis, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge is the second-best resort for first time family visitors to Walt Disney World.

Kid Appeal.

• Three of the deluxe resorts–the Wilderness Lodge itself, Animal Kingdom Lodge, and Polynesian Resort, in that order–have spectacular kid appeal.
• None of the moderates do.
• All of the value resorts–Disney’s All-Star Sports, All-Star Music, and All-Star Movies, and its Pop Century Resort and Art of Animation Resort–have strong kid appeal.

The kid appeal of the Wilderness Lodge comes from its stunning re-creation of the grandeur of America’s great national park lodges–both inside…

…and outside.

Other wonderful elements both big and small continue the theme of the mountain west and of other western national parks, with some elements recalling the Pacific Northwest.

This is Lewis and Clark country, of great drama, history–and adventure!

The main building and lobby of the Wilderness Lodge–modeled on the Old Faithful Inn at Yellowstone National Park, and featuring totem poles from Duane Pasco–set the stage.  This lobby is jaw-dropping to kids, and also to most adults.

Convenience. Disney’s Wilderness Lodge is much less convenient than the Polynesian Resort in carrying out the itineraries for first-time family visitors on this site.

Transport to the Magic Kingdom is by boat and by bus. The buses begin earlier, and are more reliable for scooters and wheelchairs–not all boats can take these.

Transport to the other theme parks is by bus, each of which is shared by at least one other resort.

Boat service is also available to Fort Wilderness (convenient for the Hoop Dee Doo Revue) and the Contemporary Resort (convenient for Chef Mickey’s). These boats begin much earlier than the Magic Kingdom boats, so many families seeking an early start take the boat to the Contemporary, and then walk to the Magic Kingdom.

BEST PLACES TO STAY AT THE WILDERNESS LODGE

 This site suggests that first time visitors stay in standard rooms, not preferred rooms.

This is because they won’t be spending much time in their rooms.

The single exception is visitors to the Animal Kingdom Lodge, who should always pay for savanna views.

On the map, the Lodge is the green-roofed connected set of six to seven story high buildings, in a “Y” (or “U”) shape.

The main lodge buildings are in the upper left northwest wing of the Lodge. The new Copper Creek Villas are in the southeast wing.  The  Boulder Ridge Villas  are in the separate orange-roofed building.

More so than most Disney resorts, there are no bad rooms at the Wilderness Lodge.

Those furthest from the main lobby, restaurants, and bus stops are closest to the pools, Geyser Point, and boat dock to the Magic Kingdom, and vice-versa.

Disney is currently booking two room types–Courtyard views and Standard views.

Courtyard view rooms look into the middle area of the Lodge–overlooking either the Copper Creek Springs pool, the stream and waterfall that leads to it, or Bay Lake itself. The opening of the “Y” (or “U”!) as it approaches the pool means pool noise tends not to be an issue, and noise surprisingly isn’t really as much of a problem as you’d think for the rooms that open onto the main lobby.

Standard view room overlook anything else–but because so many trees were cut down on the northwest side of the Lodge for the Cascade Cabins here…

…a vast number of them now have truncated and distant views of the Magic Kingdom fireworks. Truncated and distant means this is no substitute for seeing these fireworks in the park…but it is pretty cool!

However, not all standard rooms have this view–some are too low, some blocked by trees, and some are just unlucky…

So pick the view you want–or hope for–most, and request an upper floor room (quieter, and better views).

BEST FOR:

Any first time family visitors who can afford it, but can’t get into or can’t afford Disney’s Polynesian Resort.

WORST FOR:

Families too large to fit its 4 person rooms.   See this for more on large families at Walt Disney World.

THEMING AND ACCOMMODATIONS AT DISNEY’S WILDERNESS LODGE

This review continues here.

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As expected, Disney World announced today a room rate deal of 15-30% off at selected Disney World resort hotels for the general public—and one with a new twist, a free extra ticket day for longer stays.

The deal covers most nights

• 3/14-4/12/14, and
• 4/20-6/15/14,

…and needs to be booked by 3/31. (There’s also some availability for 2/24 to 3/5.)

Reported resort savings are as follows (for links to reviews of these—I’ve recently stayed in them all– see this):

VALUE RESORTS DEALS

Art of Animation Family Suites—15% off

All-Star Music, All-Star Sports, and Pop Century: 20% off

Art of Animation Little Mermaid rooms are not in the deal; All-Star Movies rooms may be available at 5% off.

MODERATE RESORTS DEALS

Caribbean Beach, Coronado Springs, Port Orleans Riverside: 25% off

Cabins at Fort Wilderness: I don’t know yet if they are in the deal.  Port Orleans French Quarter may be available at 5% off

DELUXE RESORTS DEALS

Animal Kingdom Savanna View, Wilderness Lodge Courtyard View, Contemporary Resort, Grand Floridian Resort: 20% off

Other deluxe resort standard rooms: 30% off

DISNEY VACATION CLUB RESORTS (EXCEPT GRAND VILLAS) DEALS

Animal Kingdom Jambo House and Kidani Village Villas, Beach Club Villas, and Villas at the Wilderness Lodge: 20% off

BoardWalk Villas, Old Key West, and Saratoga Springs: 30% off

Bay Lake Tower may be available at 5% off. Villas at the Grand Floridian: not in the deal

DISNEY WORLD TICKET DEAL

Moreover for the first time since the recession there’s a ticket deal in here too!

If you change your room-only reservation booked under this deal to a Magic Your Way package that includes at least 4 days of tickets, each ticket booked will get an extra day free, so long as the initial ticket set is for 4 days or more.

For more on this deal, see Disney’s page on it here or check in with my friends at Destinations in Florida Travel–877-918-8941 or online here.  Remember to mention yourfirstvisit.net when you call!

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DISNEY WORLD NEXT WEEK: JANUARY 4 TO JANUARY 12, 2014

The material below details operating hours, Extra Magic Hours, parades, and fireworks.

The same stuff is in the image, but organized by park, not by topic.

For more on New Year’s Eve at Walt Disney World, see this.

And for more on December 2013 at Disney World, see this, and more on January 2014, see this.

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