If you have never stayed at a Disney resort prepared to be wowed by the Wilderness Lodge. The themes are carried to the hilt and the service is unbelievable. I have only been to Disney twice but we have stayed at the lodge both times. During our visit this September our daughter came down with a 102.4 degree fever. While I was freaking out about being stuck at the resort without a vehicle, the resort managers arranged to have Judy, a wonderfully friendly front desk clerk, drive us the full twenty minutes to After Hours Pediatrics. She also came to pick us up when when we were ready. The next morning a personalized, autographed picture of the Little Mermaid was slid under our door wishing that Emily would feel well enough to come visit in person. Needless to say, the service and amenities far exceeded my expectations. The children are truly the guest at Disney and they are treated as specially as the paying adults are treated.  
 
While you should prepare to spend a pretty penny to stay in the park, the service and convenience make it worth it. Not only are you able to purchase the Ultimate Park Hopper ticket (unavailable to those not staying on site), you are right in the middle of the action, you dont have to fight traffic, and you are able to make it back to your room in about 15 minutes from anywhere in the Walt Disney World complex. While I havent stayed in other Disney resorts, this hotel is described by the cast members as the frequent guests favorite. The lodge is booked when other resorts are bare. Prepared to be impressed.  
 
 
 
Logistics  
The Wilderness Lodge is one of what are sometimes called the "Magic Kingdom Resorts" at Walt Disney World. It is considered one of the deluxe resorts which means it is a little more expensive than most of the other Disney Resorts. It is located in close proximity to the Magic Kingdom. While the resort is not on the monorail line, you can hop on a boat to the Magic Kingdom or take a bus to anywhere else on Disney property. We took a towncar from the airport and did not have a car the whole trip. Aside from the unexpected illness, we would never have needed a vehicle. Disney provides great access to transportation and every cast member is ready to provide detailed directions and tips for getting to your desired destination quickly.  
 
 
 
Is This Really Florida?  
The resort itself is modeled after a lodge that you might find in one of the country's national parks. When you first enter the lodge you immediately notice the grand openness of the design. The lobby is filled with little seating areas for you to rest your tired feet. There are large totem poles and a beautiful 80 foot tall fireplace. The chandeliers are designed to look like tee pees and there are Indian artifacts in cases throughout the lobby. The Wilderness Lodge also has a small alcove for children to watch a Disney cartoon while Mom and Dad check into the room. At the back of the lobby is a wooden bridge that spans a bubbling brook. It turns into a little stream that flows out of the lobby and appears to flow into the swimming pool outside (though I doubt it actually does). There are always kids running back and forth over the bridge they can't resist! I love the way the atmosphere makes you feel relaxed. I felt like I could lounge in the lobby chairs and not be overly concerned with how fancy my clothes were or whether my daughter was running in circles around the coffee table.  
 
 
The large service desk is divided into two sections, one for checking in and out and another section for guest services. It does normally take some time to check into your room since there is more than the normal information to go over. "Cast Members" often give guests tips to further enjoy the park. The cast members also have "goody bags" for children that include some stickers a couple of coloring pamphlets and some crayons. The guest service desk is typically used to arrange childcare or Priority Seating at resort restaurants after you have checked in. Check in is normally 3:00 pm. However, we arrived around noon and our room was available. This is not guaranteed as I did notice other families that were waiting at the pool until their room was ready.  
 
 
The resort consists of two wings with seven floors and 728 rooms. The seventh floor is reserved for concierge rooms and is not accessible from the elevator without swiping your room key. We stayed on the second floor right by the elevator. While we were there in a typically quiet season, the hallways remained quiet and there always seemed to be an elevator waiting for us when we needed one. There are 3 room views available.  
 
 
 
-The Standard View faces the parking lot, driveway, or the roof;  
 
-The Woods View faces the woods on one side and the Wilderness Lodge Villas on the other;  
 
-The Courtyard View looks over one of the pools or Bay Lake.  
 
 
 
We stayed in a Woods View room that looked out on a swamp and trees. It was peaceful and there were often birds near the water that my daughter enjoyed watching.  
 
 
 
Pricing  
Prices differ based on the season. The standard room which has 2 queens or a queen with bunk beds ranges from $199/night to $324/night. The concierge rate ranges from $250/night to $385/night. There are differing views and honeymoon suites that offer different amenities and price ranges.  
 
 
Okay, Now Onto the Rooms Themselves  
The door of the actual room opens to a hallway with a small 3-4 drawer chest to the left as well as a closet with sliding doors that includes a small safe. There is a an alcove to the right that has a nice black marble sink and mirror. You can access the functional bathroom from a door on the right. In this room is the normal shower and toilet. In addition to the towel rack there is hook to hang clothes or wet towels on as well as a clothes line that can be pulled across the length of the bathtub.  
 
 
The sleeping area in the room we stayed had two queen size beds with a night stand between them. The beds were on wooden frames that lent themselves to frequent toe stubbings but the sheets were soft and the pillows were fluffy. The room was furnished with a wooden table with two chairs as well as a dresser with 3 or four drawers on the bottom and an television cabinet on the top. All of the furniture was very good quality and was decorated with a southwestern/Indian theme. The colors were a muted turquoise and orange and the wooden furniture was a rich maple color.  
 
 
Lastly, there were sliding glass doors that led to a small balcony. It has a small glass topped table and two all-weather chairs. To my delight the hotel was constructed to provide privacy on these balconies. You cannot see your neighbors balcony and they cannot see yours.  
 
 
 
Shopping  
The hotel amenities include the usual gift shop with a wilderness theme. The shop sells snacks and a small selection of hygiene and over the counter medical products. There is plenty there to satisfy your souvenir sweet tooth. In the lobby is one of Disneys ubiquitous Pin trading stations, and an information table for the Disney Vacation Club.  
 
 
 
Dining  
The Whispering Canyon Caf provides delicious family style barbeque dinners. While we enjoyed the dinner at the restaurant twice the first time we stayed, we only were able to go for breakfast this time. The food was outstanding. The prices for breakfast were reasonable, but for dinner expect to pay $40-50 for a family of three. Normally this seems steep to me but it is comparable to any other sit-down restaurant at Disney. If you enjoy Disneys famous themed restaurants, youll love this. The servers move through out the dining room using the tray stands to make galloping sounds. They frequently yell woo-hoo and scream who has the ketchup whenever someone asks. In the evenings they also have stick horse races around the restaurant for the kids. The kids love it.  
 
 
If you are looking for a quiet, calm place to relax and eat your dinner, you might want to visit the Artists Pointe. The Artists Pointe restaurant is an elegant dining alternative for those who would like to enjoy a little higher end dining. I have not been to this restaurant, but it has been described as "a celebration of the rich culinary heritage of the Pacific Northwest". The menu is seasonal and includes selections indigenous to the Washington, Oregon and British Columbia coastlines.  
 
 
Roaring Forks is cafeteria-type dining and offers burgers, fries, pizza, chili, bagels, deli sandwiches, Rice Krispie treats, beverages and other fresh and fast selections. While the prices are high for my standards- you can pay $6.00 for turkey on a croissant, the food is good and just right for a quick lunch by the pool.  
 
 
The Territory Lounge serves cocktails, espresso and cappuccino as well as appetizers in the evening. There are also refreshments available at the Trouts Pass bass by the pool and room service from Miss Jennys In-Room Dining.  
 
 
 
Entertainment  
The Wilderness Resorts pool is huge, clean, and definitely relaxing! It has a waterslide that runs through a rock formation, a separate baby pool and two hot tubs. You can go down to the beach but I have not been to the water to tell you whether its swim-able or not. But you will want to go down to watch the geyser that erupts hourly on the beach.  
 
 
If you exit the hotel near the gift shop you will find a video game room that I think is called "Buttons and Bells". It is larger than the average hotel arcade and offers newer games as well as the old stand-bys such as centipede and pinball.  
 
 
If you decide to venture to Downtown Disney you can use the babysitting services available at the Cub's Den. The Cub's Den can be accessed by an entrance near the arcade. The room is chock full of video games, Disney toys, books, craft supplies and Disney movies. While the cost is a little steep at $10 an hour, they provided dinner and my daughter had a wonderful time. I highly recommend the services. I felt comfortable my daughter was well cared for as it was staffed by two grandmotherly women who seemed to love taking care of children. It afforded us the opportunity to see more than Mickey and the Princesses and have an adult conversation. Most of all our daughter was out like a light on a cot when we went to pick her up. While I am sure some families used the service every night of the week, once was enough for us to enjoy an evening of adult activity.  
 
 
 
To Sum it Up  
Looking at some of the other reviews I am not the only one to recommend Disney's Wilderness Lodge. Not only does it allow you to escape everything that is Mickey for at least a while, it makes you feel at home. It is clean, beautiful and the cast members are indulgent and responsive.  
