Disney World Resorts: Why You Need to Stay at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge!
Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Resort.
This past December, we traveled to Orlando, Florida and stayed at one of the most wonderful resorts in Disney. Many of you know that I adore all that is Disney and all their resorts have loads of magic and wonder. This resort’s main building has 7 floors and the wings have 6, the lobby itself is the second floor with the pool and the Roaring Fork downstairs.
This was our first time at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and it definitely didn’t disappoint. It was during the holidays so, of course, the whole resort was still donning beautiful Christmas decorations. The lobby in itself is absolutely breathtaking. You can look up for stories on end until your eyes finally reach the roof. It has such a warm and toasty feel and has a truly romantic feel.
The Holidays at the Lodge.
The staff is stellar and every time you get back from the parks, they make sure to tell you, “Welcome Home” and you walk into the lobby to be greeted by this gorgeous and breathtaking Christmas tree. My daughter is roughly 4 feet tall and if you can see the difference from the base to the top. It was a gorgeous sight to see and since we came during the holidays, it was great to have the feel of the holidays when not at home.
Relax by the Fire.
The Grand Fireplace is another breathtaking vision in the Wilderness lobby. With two long rows of rocking chairs you can sit back, enjoy the warmth and the detail of the fireplace. I believe a Disney employee told me that the fireplace has stone and rocks from the Grand Canyon.
The most impressive of Disney’s Wilderness Lodge’s fireplaces is in the Resort’s lobby. The mammoth 3-sided fireplace—with rockwork layers in hues of green, magenta, buff, black, brown and more than 95 other colors—represents the nearly 2 billion years of the Earth’s history that are exposed in the rock strata of the great chasm known as the Grand Canyon.
At 82 feet tall, the stone fireplace in Disney’s Wilderness Lodge lobby is as high as Chickapin Hill in the Splash Mountain attraction in Magic Kingdom theme park.
Mickey Awaits.
We had adjoining rooms and they were roomy enough to share. They are approximately 340-square feet and we had the Standard Room with Woods view. Which you can get for about $307/night during low-peak or value seasons. But, since we stayed during the holidays I believe it was somewhere between $500-$525/night.
Comfort and A Homey Feel.
There were two Queen beds that were very comfy, the linen was freshly washed and you can tell just my seeing it and of course, they smelled laundered We had a balcony that faced the Woods and below us was a small pond. At night, we had partial views of the fireworks at Magic Kingdom.
The washroom and shower were separate and private and were in their own little room. Outside of the room was a vanity and two sinks. Also a full-length mirror that was useful.
Functionality.
This was the perfect area to get ready in the mornings and we were all able to do so without being in each other’s bubbles. Other in-room amenities was an in-room wall safe, iron, ironing board, Pack ‘n Play play yard, refrigerator, writing table, phone with voicemail, ceiling fan and one thing I most definitely need… complimentary in-room WiFi.
The WiFi was pretty decent in our rooms and we almost rarely had a problem connecting. When we arrived they had recently just launched Disney-wide WiFi and it was spotty to say the least but, much, much welcomed.
Take a Breather Before You Head Out!
When you stay at Disney Resort and purchase a Disney Dining, Magic Your Way Plan, you get a refillable mug. So, you can head down to the Roaring Fork and fill up on fountain drinks, coffee and tea and quench your thirst. You can fill up as much as you want within your resort. If you are not on the Disney Dining Plan, you can still purchase this mug for about $19.99 or up.
Roaring Goodness.
We ate at least something at The Roaring Fork inside of the Wilderness Lodge every day. Myself, I traded in a lot of my snacks here since I had extras. They are on the Disney Dining Plan! My brother and father both had quite a few breakfasts here. The Roaring Fork offers counter-service and wholesome entrees. They even have vegetarian options.
I love that they have a Grab N’ Go premise and you can literally take it and walk-out. They also have delicious breakfast options during the morning hours. From waffles and pancakes to made to order parfaits. They have a decent sized seating area and you can always take it outside to the pool patio and eat outside.
Not so Whispering Canyon Cafe.
We also did the Whispering Canyon which is an absolute must if you stay at the Lodge. The wait staff is unbelievably energetic, knowledgeable entertaining and lively.
It is also on the Dining Plan and we all had the Famous Canyon Skillet All-You-Care-To-Enjoy which came with fresh baked cornbread, smoked pork ribs, pulled pork, oven-roasted chicken, pork sausage, beef, mashed potatoes, creamy coleslaw, beans, and corn on the cob! And, they’ll keep it coming!
P.S. ask for the ketchup.
Heading Out.
The outdoor area and pool area is absolutely gorgeous. There are waterfalls galore, flowers and greenery and a beautiful site of the resort itself. There is also a Geyser you can visit that goes off, every hour on the hour. You can take a water taxi/boat to hitch a ride to Magic Kingdom and from Magic Kingdom you can take the Monorail if you want to go elsewhere. The Monorail is a Disney must since you get gorgeous views of Magic Kingdom and Disney World altogether.
Transportation elsewhere from Wilderness Lodge is available by buses that run quite frequently, the bus stops aren’t too far from the main entrance at all.
Bring The Whole Family Down to Wilderness Lodge!
All in all, our stay at Wilderness Lodge was absolutely wonderful. The staff from the ones in the the Gift Shop to the ones that greet you at the door, always had a smile on their faces and were more than happy to welcome you or answer any questions. We had adjoining rooms and the housekeeping staff was very accommodating and always left our rooms in tip top shape.
Splish, Splash!
The pool was amazing, it has a waterfall that starts running from inside the resort lobby and into the pool. You can swim over to the waterfall and it will cascade into the pool. We had little ducks swimming with us and since it’s heated, we were able to swim in Florida winter. The Silver Creek Springs pool has a water slide and a hot tub. The Resort’s second pool, Hidden Springs, also features a hot tub and both pools have a lounge and a bar.
We will definitely stay here again as we made many wonderful memories that we want to relive again and again. This is definitely a resort that you will want to stay at more than once. Like anything Disney, there are so many things that we still didn’t do at this resort, that is why, it deserves another visit!
Have you ever stayed at the Wilderness Lodge?
Let me know, til then–cheers m’deres!
Nancy Polanco is a freelance journalist, lifestyle content creator, and editor of Whispered Inspirations. She is a proud Mom to Gabby and Michaela and partner and best friend to Darasak. Having worked as part of a health care team for almost a decade, Nancy is happy to be back to her passion. She is a contributor to the Huffington Post, TODAY’s Parents, and an Oprah Magazine Brand Ambassador.
Wow this looks amazing! totally considered it until I saw the price lol I bet you had an amazing time though!
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Yes, Disney is always worth every single cent. 🙂 It was amazing coming home to this!
That lodge looks amazing. I can't believe the size of that Christmas tree. I know my hubby would love the food at the Whispering Canyon Cafe & the kids would love the pool. Thanks for letting me know about this hotel.
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That is what was most breathtaking as soon as we walked in. Disney never disappoints and we had to do it during the holidays!
That looks fantastic!! We're hoping to head down to Disney next year. I'm adding this to my list of places to consider staying! Thanks for the great review 🙂
It's a great price and you get the full Disney experience. I definitely want to stay here again! 🙂
Oh I miss Disney World so bad!!!!! We went for 10 days this winter and stayed at Port Orleans Riverside. Wilderness Lodge looks incredible!
Port Orleans looks amazing too! I miss it too, so I'm going back!
That looks cool! I love "wilderness" or rustic themes. 🙂 That is one HUGE Christmas tree – I'm amazed you could fit it into one picture!!! 🙂
I had to keep stepping back, and stepping back again! 🙂 LOL!
That looks like a wonderful hotel. I think the benefits of staying at a Disney hotel make it worthwhile.
Totally, you get the refillable mugs, you get the shuttles and the themes are awesome.
This looks wonderful I can't wait to take my grandchildren
They will love it! They have great kids programs at the pool!
Holy cow! Amazing review and resort!! We budget travel so when I saw the price of one night !! I can get an all inclusive Caribbean 7night holiday for just a smidgen more! Lol but who can beat Disney !!
That's the thing, for me, I try to budget travel but, when it comes to Disney… you can beat it! Every single second is memorable on Disney property.
Wow, this place looks magical! The Christmas tree picture got me thinking what a fun holiday vacation this would make!
You don't really miss the snow when you have the magic of DISNEY and CHRISTMAS! 🙂
Oh my! This place is absolutely stunning, it looks like your family had a great time! Thanks for sharing!
My pleasure, it was amazing!
Wow! That's beautiful! As soon as the kids are a little older we want to go to Disneyland/Disneyworld, and I'll definitely check this place out.
Disneyland is next on our list!
I'd love to take my kids there when they're a little older! It's really cool how the decorate for the holidays. The Famous Canyon Skillet also sounds pretty great 🙂
Very true! They decorate every inch of Disney! 🙂
Looks magical and wonderful. Very lucky to have gone here. 😀 Looks stunning.
It was magic, you can always go during low season and enjoy it too!
It's a gorgeous place! We haven't stayed at the lodge in WDW yet, but we got to stay at the lodge in Disneyland. Awesome resorts!
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I've seen that lodge and it looks totally FAB! Gotta love Disney!
It is absolutely gorgeous. I would so love to stay there.
Wow – what a fantastic place! The foyer fireplace is especially impressive!
Oh wow, I wish we were there! Looks so amazing! Love the pool!
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The lodge looks so cozy and magical for holiday time! The price seems quite steep but the amenities seem wonderful!
Looks like a dream come true. Very stunning.
It looks like an amazing place to stay. We hope to go to Disney sometime soon we hope.
I've never stayed at a Wilderness Lodge, but it looks wonderful! It was nice to see it all set up for Christmas and that pool is something else! Glad you had a positive experience!
The lodge looks amazing. I've never stayed at the Wilderness before, but after blog, might have to consider it if it fits into our budget.
Looks like you had an amazing time and that the service was over the top like everything disney! Disney seems to know how to treat visitors in an incredible way.
This looks aweomse, I can't wait to take a trip like this when my daughter is a little older and will be able to remember it!
Wow that place looks amazing, I loved your pics.
We are hoping to go in a few years.
wowwwww this looks amazing!!! I want to go there
Hi there
Thank you for sharing your stay at wilderness lodge – we are going to stay there in
Late April for the first time and our first time to Disney World. I have a 5 year old and a 7 month old little baby
We have reserved a standard room with 2 queens the woods view -, is there really enough room for a pack n play for my baby to sleep in? I’m worried that we are going to be crammed in tight quarters — when we go my baby will be almost 9 months old so I’m nervous this room won’t be large enough if he begins crawling etc – but if I upgrade its another $1000 –
I would love to get your advice if you think this room is large enough. Thank you
Hi Stefanie, thanks for stopping by. The rooms we had were also woods view and while they have ample room, they can feel a bit crammed with the Pack N\’ Play. Not overly crammed though. They also differ depending on whereabouts you stay on resort. But, to be quite honest, you\’ll be comfortable. We slept well and so did our little one. Not to mention, you won\’t be in your room for the majority of your days since you will be out in the parks and will only be spending small amounts of time in your room. I know we always think to get amazing rooms with tons of space but, when we go to Disney, we make the most of our park passes and rarely spend time in our room. I guess you can decide based upon how much time you plan to spend in your room. Good luck and have fun! 🙂