Robin S
Nestled along the shore of Bay Lake is a Deluxe resort themed like a national park in the Pacific Northwest. Wilderness Lodge is a beautiful resort with a spectacular lobby. The massive fireplace (as tall as the Splash Mountain drop) and towering totem poles are no secret. But did you know these six things about Wilderness Lodge?
6. Wide Array of Dining Options
This falls less in secret category and more into the underappreciated category. With so many amazing restaurants all over Walt Disney World, it’s easy to overlook the ones in Wilderness Lodge. Enjoy counter service from Roaring Forks, a breakfast buffet and rowdy lunch and dinner at Whispering Canyon, and a signature dining experience at Artist Point. Not very many resorts can boast restaurants at all three dining tiers. In fact, not every Deluxe resort at Walt Disney World has three tiers of choices. Plus, there’s even Territory Lounge (home to an Abraham Lincoln-era 34 star U.S. Flag) and Trout Pass Pool Bar, perfect if you want a night cap at the end of your park day!
5. Bunk Beds
Most hotel rooms (both in and out of Walt Disney World) have either two queen beds or one king bed. But can you imagine a hotel room with bunk beds? How cool? Kids love bunk beds, and they always bring out the kid in adults too. Some of the rooms in Wilderness Lodge offer bunk beds in lieu of a second queen bed. These rooms also offer views of woodlands or the courtyard.
4. Christmas Decorations
Touring the monorail resorts is a popular activity during the Holiday season. Grand Floridian, Polynesian, and the Contemporary all have beautiful decorations. But don’t forget about the Wilderness Lodge! If you’re a fan of the northern, cozy, rustic Christmas vibe (and who isn’t?), then you will definitely want to stop by and see the decorations all over the lobby. The centerpiece is a giant Christmas tree, one of nine such giant trees around Walt Disney World during the Holidays. During the week leading up to Christmas, you’ll often find Cast Members passing out cookies and apple cider in the lobby. While Wilderness Lodge is not on the monorail route, you can easily get there via boat from the Magic Kingdom. Trust me, you’ll be glad you took the time to see these spectacular decorations!
3. Waterfront Cabins
Hot off the heels of the Bungalows over at Polynesian Village Resort, Disney is constructing waterfront cabins at Wilderness Lodge. Like those at Polynesian, these cabins will be Disney Vacation Club rooms. However, unlike the Polynesian Bungalows, the Wilderness Lodge cabins will not be built over the water, but just along the shoreline of Bay Lake. Don’t hold your breath for these cabins though, they aren’t expected to be done until 2018!
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2. Wonders of Wilderness Lodge Tour
fExperience a tour of the details and theming at Wilderness Lodge for free! Since the resort tours typically are not advertised the way tours like Backstage Magic and Keys to the Kingdom are, they are often very small, and your chances for having a private tour for your family is fairly high. Guests on the tour will learn about the Lodge’s backstory and inspiration. The tour begins at 9am and lasts only an hour, yet it manages to pack in quite a bit of information. Plan for a breakfast at Whispering Canyon either before or after the tour. Or experience the tour on a “down day” where you hang out at the resort or plan to visit a hard ticketed event like Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party later in the day.
1. Silver Creek Spring and Fire Rock Geyser
Towards the back of the lobby is a small spring, crossed by a darling foot bridge. The water from the spring flows all the way into the waterfall and into the Silver Creek pool outside. Meanwhile, past the pool is the Fire Rock Geyser. Themed after Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park, the Fire Rock Geyser erupts every hour on the hour during the daylight. These water features are often overlooked by casual visitors to the resort. So make sure that if you come for a meal that you take a few moments to appreciate this over-the-top national park theming!
Bonus Secret: Every morning, one family gets to go up on the roof and help raise the flags. Ask a concierge if there are any open morning during your stay!
What is your favorite aspect of Wilderness Lodge? Let us know!
