Happy December! Chris and I had a blast checking out Disney's Wilderness Lodge Resort, through Disney Vacation Club this past week. I've stayed at this resort several times growing up, but this was my first stay with DVC. If you're looking to stay at a DVC resort on your next trip to Walt Disney World keep reading to find out how!
Disney’s Wilderness Lodge is a Magic Kingdom resort located on the shores of Bay Lake, next to Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground. Architect Peter Dominick Jr. took his inspiration from nature-centric accommodations and designed the beautiful 8-story, split-log lodge. Dominick is also responsible for the design of Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge as well as Disney's Grand Californian Resort in Anaheim. This resort offers three different options for accommodations. In addition to the resort’s standard guest rooms, Disney Vacation Club (DVC) has TWO different wings of villas at Wilderness Lodge: Boulder Ridge and Copper Creek.
We had the pleasure of staying in the Copper Creek Villas this time and were completely blown away. We had booked a one-bedroom villa, but were sprinkled with some last minute pixie dust at check in and were upgraded to a 2 bedroom villa. During this time of year the larger-than-life Christmas tree takes up the whole lobby and is always so beautiful. Thank you so much to David's Vacation Club Rentals for hosting us on this stay and for making the process of renting so seamless and magical for Chris and I.
December is such a beautiful time of year to visit Orlando and what better way to celebrate the Holiday offerings than with Christmas staycation at one of my favorite resorts on Disney property. If you are unfamiliar with David's and what they offer, check out my last blog post which gives more details about their services and how they can help you plan out your next stay at a DVC resort.
I have now stayed at Disney's Wilderness Lodge a total of 4 times and I feel like I finally have a good idea of why this resort is so popular amongst the Disney Fans. Not only do you get that Disney magic that comes with staying on property, but this resorts theming is like no other. This resort is inspired by turn-of-the-century National Park lodges and features one of the most impressive lobbies in all of Walt Disney World complete with multiple fireplaces, an indoor bubbling spring, towering totems, and massive chandeliers.
Dining Options:
There are 2 table service restaurants, 1 quick service, 1 lounge, and a restaurant and bar with to-go options on property spread out amongst the Lodge.
Wilderness Lodge’s lounge operates from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.; guests are free to walk in and have a seat.
Located just off the lobby this restaurant features Storybook Dining at dinner where guests are invited to wander into an Enchanted Forest-like setting that was inspired by Walt Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Guests enjoy visits from Snow White, Dopey, and Grumpy while they dine. Music and activities in the dining room assist in bringing the timeless fairy tale to life. Guests also have the opportunity to have an encounter with The Evil Queen.
Dinner is a prix fixe menu, including shared starters, a choice of individual plated entrees, and ‘sweet spells’ to top off the meal. (4pm-9pm)
This western-style table service restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner and is famous for its staff’s antics and all-you-can-eat skillets. Advance dining reservations are encouraged and can be made on the My Disney Experience app. Guests can also join the walk-up reservation list on the app or in person. The restaurant staff is so interactive and really take the time to make sure your experience is unforgettable. On your next visit, be sure to ask for ketchup ;)
This is the resort’s quick-service spot for quick meals and snacks, guests can order to-go or eat-in. There is seating both indoors and outdoors and offers a beautiful view of the resort and Copper Creek. We chose to eat here by ordering on the mobile app. It was simple and easy and our food was done within 15-20 minutes. They also have a great assortment of pastries and bakery items.
This open-air, waterfront lounge serves lunch, dinner, and appetizers. Guests can join the walk-up list or place a to-go order on the My Disney Experience app. Walk-ups are accepted. In the colder months they do provide space heaters for a more comfortable dining experience.
Wilderness Lodge Pools / Recreation
The Copper Creek Springs Pool appears to be “spring fed” from the hot spring originating in the lobby. The pool itself is encompassed in a small forest of trees and rocks. The water-slide cascades down a rock formation, emptying out into the deeper end of the pool. There is also a hot tub and cold spa in addition to a kids' interactive water play area.
Boulder Ridge Cove Pool
Bask in the laid-back charm of this watery oasis nestled within the Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge. At this location, you can soak in the whirlpool spa, enjoy a swim in the zero-depth entry pool or score a first come, first served spot at one of 6 shaded seating areas.
*Pool towels are available in both locations. A number of poolside activities are scheduled each afternoon. We noticed they were not as active this weekend due to it being extra cold in Florida. Normally activities will range from chalk art to bingo, water games, and more.
Disability Services (pool lifts and other access options)
Complimentary life jackets
Swim diapers required for children that aren’t toilet trained (swim diapers can be purchased in merchandise locations)
Wilderness lodge also has jogging trails, Outdoor campfires and movies under the stars, guided fishing excursions, play areas, bike rentals and more.
Wilderness Shopping:
Wilderness Lodge Mercantile: Open 7:30am-11pm (sundries, snacks, apparel and souvenirs)
This shop had a little bit of everything. 50th and 100th merchandise filled the walls as we first entered the store. As we ventured further in you can find a little bit of everything you'd want and need on your next visit to Walt Disney World including pins, magnets, keychains, clothing items and of course specialty Minnie ears. I loved that this shop had a section dedicated to DVC as well. Because our room had a full kitchen area, the refrigerated section in the back of the shop had frozen pizzas, breakfast items, eggs and more. They also had items perfect for packing a lunch or breakfast which can be a money saver in the parks. One of my favorite items was this wilderness lodge totem featuring some of the fab 5 characters.
Room Tour: Disney Vacation Club Copper Creek
2 Bedroom Villa
While the Copper Creek villas are technically a part of Disney Vacation Club, guests who are not DVC members can book them as well. Find out how to book with David's here.
Upon entering the two bedroom unit, guests will find a stackable washer and dryer behind a sliding door just ahead and to the right, and the kitchen area straight ahead. The kitchen features a full sized refrigerator and dishwasher, as well as a microwave, coffeemaker, full sized range, and ample plates, cups, cookware, and utensils.
Thankfully, a running theme in this unit is storage. Guests will have no problem making sure that there’s a place for everything, and everything in its place. In a room that sleeps up to 8 adults, storage is key. We found that this particular room compared to others we have stayed in had quite a bit more storage including pull out drawers, a walk-in closet and more.
Just beyond the kitchen area, guests will find a spacious kitchen table and banquette. The banquette features a drawer underneath similar to ones you’ll find in comparable rooms at Disney’s Riviera Resort.
The couch doubles as a queen size sleeper sofa, and the coffee table opens to reveal additional hidden storage. The living room is spacious, and features access to the balcony via a sliding glass door. The only problem we had in our living room area was the television volume. When watching anything with the volume all the way up it was only as loud as a whisper, and we could not see to fix it. Luckily there were 2 other tv's in the space but if we wanted to watch tv in the living room area we were out of luck.
Just off of the living room, guests will find a bedroom with 2 queen beds. I love that the bed frames in most Disney rooms now are elevated, allowing guests to store luggage and gear underneath. A dresser and wall mounted flat screen can also be found in the room.
This bedroom was bright and sunny and also had its own private balcony. The sliding doors leading to the bathroom vanity area were full length and perfect for getting ready. The bathroom connected to this bedroom is quite large. The vanity area has two sinks, set across the room from each other with large mirrors and great lighting. The toilet and shower are in a separate space, and the closet attached to the bathroom will hold just about anything you need it to. (I would suggest storing all of the larger luggage bags in there.
Stepping into the master bedroom area, your eye is immediately drawn to the free-standing tub and the translucent window. The colors used in the window are incredibly vibrant, and, along with the sleek lines of the tub, help to set a modern tone for the space. Note that the window does not open but is more of a room divider. After a long day in the parks this soaker tub is the way to go.
The shower and toilet are in a separate room which can be accessed from both the hallway and the room with the tub. Both rooms have a vanity with sink and mirror.
The master bedroom features a king size bed crowned with a beautiful wooden headboard. This room has plenty of lighting which was dimmable and of course included another private balcony. This room had a wardrobe for hanging clothes and plenty of drawer space.
Right outside the master bedroom is a mudroom type installation where you can hang your coat and put your shoes. I loved this little feature as it added so much character to the space. The entry way is also equipped with a full-size washer and dryer.
Our Experience:
Overall, we had a wonderful time hanging out at this resort. It was December 26th when we checked in, so all of the holiday happenings were still being offered. We got to stay in the main building which was a dream of mine and were able to walk straight out of our room into the gorgeous lobby and tree.
For dinner we ordered at The Roaring Fork. We tried several items off of their menu including the cheeseburger with house made chips, tomato soup, meatloaf, and a few bakery items. I would rate the food 4/5 as the flavors were delicious. Some of the bakery items we found to be a bit on the stale side as they may have been put out too early in the day. We probably would not order those items again in the future.
We loved walking around the lobby and back by the Copper Creek and dock area. There are just so many wonderful places to sit and relax at this resort and it truly transports you out of Florida and into a National Forest. I loved being able to catch a beautiful sunset by the docks as well as the end of the fireworks over at Magic Kingdom.
Transportation was quite easy to locate with the boat docks being in the back of the resort and busses to the front. The walks to get everywhere were short and there was plenty of beautiful artwork to look at along the way. I would absolutely love to stay here again in the future.
Thank you again David's Vacation Rentals for allowing us to check this resort off of our bucket list. If you are looking to stay at a DVC resort I highly recommend renting through David's as they have top notch customer service and are highly trained in creating the most magical experience for you!