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Accommodations >
Magic Kingdom
Area Resorts > Disney's
Wilderness Lodge Disney's
Wilderness Lodge
Teddy
Roosevelt would exclaim “bully” to Disney’s dramatic depiction
of an early 1900s national park lodge, an atmosphere that
simply can’t be beat. I challenge you to keep your jaw from
dropping open on your first encounter with its awesome 8-story
lobby. A marvel of timber, sheer walls of lodgepole pine logs
and rugged rock surround the huge, open expanse filled with
oversized leather chairs and Native American crafts of beaded
moccasins, feathered headdresses, textiles, and drums. Relax
in old-fashioned rockers fronting the massive, 82-foot-tall
fireplace composed of rockwork replicating the diverse strata
of the Grand Canyon. Two authentic 55-foot Pacific Northwest
totem poles overlook rustic stone and hardwood floors topped
with Native American rugs, teepee chandeliers, and a bevy of
“park ranger” staff who roam the lodge attending to guests.
Quiet and seductive nooks and crannies on the floors above the
lobby offer hours of privacy, and rows of back porch rockers
facing the resort grounds look out to a serene scene of
natural beauty.
Seven floors of guestrooms are found
above the lobby and in two, 6-story wings composed of
quarry stone, chunky logs, and green tin rooftops
surrounded by a breathtaking scene of roaring
waterfalls, rushing creeks, and towering pines. What
begins in the lobby as a bubbling hot spring turns into
Silver Creek that widens to become a sparkling waterfall
emptying into the boulder-lined, hot springs–style
swimming pool, one of Disney’s best. The chirping of
crickets is heard beneath the bridges and along the
meandering pathways lined with natural grasses,
junipers, sotols, and wild flowers, and on the shore of
Bay Lake, the resort’s very own geyser, surrounded by a
steaming expanse of geothermal activity, erupts hourly
from early morning to late night. After dark when the
waterfall is lit, it’s even more spectacular.
728 rooms. 901 Timberline Dr., Lake Buena
Vista, FL 32830; 407-824-3200; Fax 407-824-3232.
Check-in 3 p.m.,
check-out 11 a.m.
For reservations call 407-WDW-MAGIC or your travel
agent.
Accommodations
| Guestrooms
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Those who have experienced other
deluxe Disney resorts may be surprised at the smallish
guestrooms here measuring only 340 square feet. Though pleasant,
they don’t leave room for a sitting area. Bedding is either two
queens, a king (handicapped accessible rooms), or a queen and a
set of bunk beds (an extremely popular choice with the kids).
Rooms have just received a redo with
new bedspreads in a Native American print with
rich blue dust ruffles, gold/green carpeting in a pine cone
motif, and different furnishings including a built-in, 32-inch,
flat panel TV with DVD player. Two-poster beds have padded
leather headboards accented with a carved woodland scene, triple
sheeted linens with nice downy pillows, and not-so-comfortable
mattresses (I can't imagine why they weren't replaced like the
other deluxe resorts). You'll find
a bureau in
the entry hall, and a small table and two chairs. |
Standard Guestroom with upgraded
bedding (part of the VP Suite)
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Bunk Bed Guestroom |
Bathrooms are a few feet smaller than other deluxe resorts
with a granite black/gold separate vanity holding two double sinks and a hair dryer;
the adjoining bathtub/commode area is embellished with
white-and-gold tiles and wallpaper imprinted with
a leaf print.
There's no makeup mirror or soft, fluffy
towels, but the new curved shower curtain and rain
shower-style shower head are a plus.
Room view choices
include: a standard view with a look at either the parking
lot or rooftops; a lodge view of either the forested area
facing the Magic Kingdom (views of the park and the
fireworks are mostly obscured by the trees except from some
rooms on the top floors) or the adjoining Villas at
Wilderness Lodge and woods; or a picturesque courtyard view
of either the pool or Bay Lake. Room amenities include a
small safe, iron and ironing board, coffee maker,
refrigerator, and daily newspaper. Sixth floor rooms in the
outer wings closer to the lake come with dormer balconies
that require standing for a view. |
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Old Faithful Club |
Concierge
rooms - Concierge rooms on the 7th
floor include
standard rooms with a variety
of views, four Honeymoon Suites, and the V.P. and Presidential
Suites. Check in is upstairs at the concierge lounge. Guest
receive the services of a private concierge staff and access to
The Old Faithful Club, which now has a renovated and roomy
serving area and many tables set around the
balcony overlooking the lobby.
Breakfast consists of the usual suspects
of fruit, juice, yogurt, pastries, cereal, muffins, and
bagels, and afternoon snacks are goldfish crackers,
pretzels, gummy bears, peanuts, sugar and chocolate chip
cookies. Evenings bring hearty food catered from either
Whispering Canyon Café or Artist Point in the form of
red pepper hummus, baba ganoush, fruit, crudités, dip,
cheese, and PB&J sandwiches, accompanied by one soup
such as clam chowder, vegetable, tomato basil, and
potato cheese, along with one hot dish such as beef
stew, beef stroganoff, fiery beef, pulled pork, or
grilled chicken with mashed potatoes. |
Wine offerings are King Estate Oregon Pinot
Gris, Washington State 14 Hands Merlot, Columbia Crest
Cabernet, and Kenwood Zinfandel. There’s also a self-service
cappuccino machine. After dinner, wine and cordials are served
with hot cobbler along with an assortment of yummy cookies,
brownies, and the famous Magic Bars. All concierge rooms have
dormer balconies that require standing for a view.
Although
they’re the same size as a standard room, the Honeymoon Suites
surrounding the lobby feel larger because they come with only
one king bed leaving more walk around room. Their claim to
fame is a large chocolate brown marble whirlpool tub perfect
for romance. Rooms also hold an entertainment center, table
and 2 chairs, and clothes bureau. Remember they come with
dormer balconies meaning you must stand for a view-two of the
suites offer a not so great look at the rooftops and the
Villas at Wilderness Lodge in the distance, while the other
two enjoy a view of the Seven Seas Lagoon, the Grand
Floridian, Contemporary, and the top of the Magic Kingdom
fireworks.
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Honeymoon Suite |
Honeymoon Suite Bath |
Honeymoon Suite Vanity |
Suites
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If a larger
room is more to your liking, consider a Deluxe Suite sleeping
six. At 500 square feet, these offer a comfortable but not huge
balconied parlor area holding a charcoal gray, queen-size
leather sofa bed, two easy chairs, coffee table, two-person
table and chairs, a flat screen tube TV, wet bar, coffeemaker,
and small refrigerator. The bedroom, separated by curtained
French doors from the parlor, has two queen-size beds,
entertainment armoire with plasma TV, and a stand-up balcony.
Robes are included. The double-sinked bathroom with separate
commode and shower area can be accessed from either the bedroom
or the foyer. Deluxe Suites come with some sort of a view of the
water (some rooms are nicely obstructed with trees). . With the
addition of a standard room holding two double beds on the other
side of the parlor, they can become a two-bedroom suite
accommodating ten people. Although they are not located on the
club level seventh floor, these suites can be had with concierge
privileges albeit at an additional price.
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Deluxe Suite Living Room |
Deluxe Suite Bedroom |
Deluxe Suite Bath |
The
885-square-foot Vice Presidential Suite (also known as the
Yosemite) is outfitted cowboy-style with rawhide curtains,
branding-iron towel bars, wood-paneled walls, and lodgepole
trim. It features one bedroom with a king-size bed,
one-and-a-half baths, and separate parlor with two sofas,
minikitchen, desk, four-person dining table, and wet bar.
The oversize bathroom has a whirlpool tub and separate
shower. Four balconies wrap the suite affording great views
of the courtyard and Bay Lake. A second bedroom with
upgraded furnishings can be added to the other side of the
living area.
On the
opposite side of the courtyard is the 1,000-square-foot
Presidential Suite (also known as the
Yellowstone), a Teddy Roosevelt delight with shiny hardwood flooring, an elk-horn
chandelier, and balconies running the length of the corner
suite overlooking
Bay Lake and
the pool. The living area comes with a leather/chenille
sleeper sofa, coffee table, three easy chairs (one leather),
and wet bar with sink, under-counter refrigerator, microwave,
coffeemaker, and dishes. A rustic dining table, separated from
the living room by a granite buffet/bar, seats eight. Off the
foyer is a half bath as well as a cozy office with a balcony
overlooking the courtyard. The bedroom is outfitted with
twig-style furnishings and a leather easy chair and ottoman.
An attractive chocolate and black marble bathroom has two sink
areas, a commode and bidet in a separate room, vanity, large
separate shower, and a fantastic whirlpool tub. An option of a
connecting standard room with upgraded fabrics would make this
a two-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath suite.
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Yellowstone Suite Living Room
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Yellowstone Suite Bedroom |
Yellowstone Suite Bath |
You'll find complete information on
dining, recreation, services, and transportation at Disney's
Wilderness Lodge in The Luxury Guide to
Walt Disney World Resort. |
