I was fortunate enough to stay at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge for the first time in August, and what an amazing experience it was. Nobody does ‘it’ like Disney, and by ‘it’ I mean find a way to work that little piece of magic into every part of your stay. This resort features amazing theming and service.
From the moment you enter the Lodge you will find a breathtaking lobby and are transported to the great North West American wilderness areas of the turn of the last century. From totem poles, to a small creek, to a roaring fireplace, Disney does not disappoint. There is something so restful about this resort, and even though you will find the surroundings to be very relaxing don’t think this means you are too far from Disney’s theme parks. A boat ride to the Magic Kingdom is only an 8 minute trip away, and these depart every 15 minutes. A bus ride to all other Disney theme parks and Downtown Disney frequent often and I personally never waited more than 10 minutes. Another perk of staying at a Disney resort, free transportation between all Disney theme parks (of which there are 4 main parks and 2 water parks), all Disney Resorts (of which there are 12) and the Downtown Disney Area – a great place to shop, eat and play.
The Wilderness Lodge is a large resort that has rooms ranging from standard hotel style, up to 2 bedroom villa’s, but don’t think that standard means ordinary. The attention to detail in the furnishings of the room range from large ornate carvings in the bed heads to hidden friends in the lighting, and bedcovers. The larger Villa’s have cooking and laundry facilities, however in saying this there is a coin operated laundry onsite as well as several dining options.
The Whispering Canyon Café definitely has a family friendly reputation and Cast Members (the name Disney call their employees) make this experience incredibly fun. My children found themselves having wooden horse races with others around the restaurant in a Cast Member orchestrated event, singing the hokey pokey and general fun at the table with neat napkin tricks and jokes – just don’t ask for ketchup, you will see what I mean! Food here is definitely family style and a ‘Skillet’ is the grown up’s favourite choice here consisting of Chicken, Ribs, Steak, Pull apart Pork, Cornbread, Corn on the Cob plus more. Go hungry, the servings are extremely generous. We found desserts here to be special, from the Bourbon and Pecan Pie to the ‘Smores’ Cheesecake.
Other dining options include Wilderness Lodges’ jewel in the crown and overlooking a picturesque waterfall, Artists Point. An A la Carte menu featuring Atlantic Salmon as one of their signature dishes, this restaurant books out and reservations are necessary. Quick service meal options can be found at Roaring Fork Snack Shop - is a self-service cafe, open for all meals. Food here consists of continental or cooked breakfasts, a variety of burgers, salads and wraps for dinner with usually the odd pasta dish. There are a range of bakery items, snack foods and a good drink selection, including alchohol. Of course, there is always in-room dining if you are feeling too exhausted from the excitement of the theme parks at the end of the day.
The free-form pool is nestled amongst rocks and waterfalls to appear as part of a creek. It features a waterslide, wading pool, as well as two hot tubs. A further leisure pool and hot tub are located near the villas. Be sure not to miss the fire rock geyser, modeled after ’ Old Faithful’, which erupts every hour.
Overall, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge gets 10/10 for theming and quality. For amenities 9/10 as the dining options here were good and perfect for a shorter stay due to variety. Value for money 9/10 as this resort is the least expensive of the Deluxe Disney Resorts and money is saved by utiliszing the benefit of the free Disney transport system.