Disney World's Wilderness Lodge - Orlando, FL Review

Disney's Wilderness Lodge, is my favorite hotel within the Disney family of hotels, although I have to say I've enjoyed most of them.  It is located closest to the Magic Kingdom.  It looks like a "Lincoln Log" Style Building, with the brown tree poles the green tree slabs as the roof.  It is a smoke-free resort.  I want to say upfront, that even though it's not one of the cheapest (nor the most expensive), there is a way to make it an affordable, memorable, and stress-free stay.  I've outlined how in the last paragraph about Disney's Travel Agency.

Disney's Wilderness Lodge actually has more than just a hotel portion.  Each is at a different  cost "level", and include:  The Villas (the most expensive of the lot), where you can have a cottage with a kitchen, or a studio wih a kitchenette.  Then there are "The Cabins" where you can also camp in the woods, and lastly, you can bring your RV and camp in the "Wilderness Lodge campground".  The lodge is the most luxourious part of Fort Wilderness, and you can share in all of the amenities that each of the above offer. 

The lodge itslef, has king rooms or rooms with an option of bunkbeds for the kids, or suites that sleep six.  You can also get a room with a queen and one bunkbed, and rooms that connect to each  other.  The rooms are beautifully decorated, and kept,  each having earthy colors and Native American decorations and carvings.  All rooms have; irons, ironing boards, internet service, coffee, and refrigerators ON REQUEST at NO EXTRA COST.  Each room has a balconies that have views of the lake, where, each nigh, a boat goes 'round playing music and shooting fireworks.  Every morning, after housekeeping comes, there will be a little "creature" made with a washcloth by the housekeeping staff for the kids.  Nice touch.  Everything is clean, nicely equipped, and the housekeeping staff do detailed cleaning.

The lobby itself is a great retreat.  There are plenty of seating areas, couches and chairs around tables.. but there are also a number of the old timey straw rocking chairs that sit in front of a giant fireplace, where you can have a drink and talk into the wee hours of the night, or enjoy wonderful hot chocolate in the evenings during the winter time.  There's also a "Kids Club", where you can leave your kids for a few hours while you have some adult time.  My kids loved it! 

The lodge itself is a great place to let the kids explore.  It has one large swimming pool that  swirls around the middle of the lodge, with slides to hot tubs.  It has a white sand beach at "Bay Lake".   It is a virtual tribute to the country, with the "Rocky Mountains" to "Yellowstone's Old Faithful",   You can enjoy horseback riding, fishing excursions, wagon trail rides with a BBQ dinner afterward, and much, much more.  And with staying at any of the Disney hotels, one park opens an hour early and one stays open an hour later for hotel guests.  Transportation is easy and free when staying at the hotels, and you can ride the busses and the monorail to get around -- even to the Disney shopping/nightlife areas.

The Wilderness lodge is AMAZING during the winter and at Thanksgiving and Christmas.  The day after Thanksgiving, they put up a tree (almost like magic, it goes up so fast), and that is smack dab in the middle, and is as high as the lobby.  

I am very quality conscious, but am also concerned about the money.  One of the best things about Disney and their travel agency, is that you can plan your trip, 6-9 months away from your planned date:  purchase (reserve) the hotel stay, the tickets to the theme parks, the express airport shuttle service (which is free, if you buy through their travel agency)*, the dining option (absolutely recommended if paying in advance), as well as travel insurance* (we've used it more than once!) -- make a down payment, and then you pay an amount every month, and have everything paid 45 days before arrival.  This way, by the the time you arrive, you have paid for EVERYTHING except tips and souveniers, so it doesn't feel like you're spending a fortune for a vacation, and when making your reservations, you can upgrade your stay to a nicer hotel than you'd normally stay at, which we love to do because both my daughter and I have health problems, that sometimes makes us stay in for the day, and having a nice hotel room - makes that much easier to bear.

Personally, I never go in the summer, as you will never see everything, even if you stay a week.  It's hot, has miserable long lines, and very muggy and extremely busy.  We love going in the other seasons.