Wilderness Lodge Review

Wilderness Lodge review

This will be my first time staying at a deluxe hotel on Disney World property. After staying at All-Star Sports and off property hotels I finally get to stay in the deluxe hotel. I have stayed at all hotels at Universal and this is the start to stay at all hotels at Disney. Quite a few more than Universal but that is my goal. I also want to sail on all Disney cruise ships while I’m at it.

I usually don’t condone these hotels. Why would you pay so much for being in the park all day? Mostly because I wish this sentiment would become popular so prices could go down. Through 40% annual passholder discounts and through the use of credit card points I was finally able to afford a nice staycation at a deluxe resort. I booked this room the day of the stay after I figured out the math where I could pay nothing out of pocket. Coronado Springs was another good deal at over $200 for the night but I decided to splurge just a bit to go for the deluxe. Some values were available for under $200, and the moderates hovered around $200-$300.

This hotel has always been my favorite. I am a Florida boy through and through so by the theming of this hotel I feel like I am in the North in a log cabin. I just can’t walk outside as the Florida Heat will end that immersion quickly. Some good restaurants and an easy boat ride to the Magic Kingdom all make me very happy. They also have amazing cabins, geysers, a good pool, a basketball court, a gym, grill areas, and one of the best lobbies on property.

I checked in after work at about six o clock in the evening. My room was very clean, one small stain on the comforter but overall it was very clean. The bathroom was very nice with a shower with two heads and a glass door. I wish there would be a hand soap holder but that was not there. There were two different forms of lighting in the bathrooms, one was extremely bright, and one was a more muted lighting option. The soaps and shampoos were very nice in the pumps and with the shower alone I felt a deluxe room. These were recently refurbed, and I felt like it was new.

The bed was not anything exciting. The sheets did not scream luxury, and the comforter did have that stain on it. The pillows were nothing special but the headboard and the pattern behind the headboard on the wall was a nice touch to the room. Even had Chip and Dale on the wall in the art. Some of the furniture had direction signs like “camp” and others. There was a nice nightstand in the center of the two beds that had a couple of drawers. A few outlets, a phone, and one of the new Hey Disney devices. As a non-subscriber of Disney+ it didn’t really do anything for me.

The balcony had a view of the employee smokehouse, a little bit of the Contemporary, some cabins, but the railing height and the chair height made it hard to see over the top of the railing.

This room also came with a few closet cabinets, a fridge, and a coffee maker that I forgot I even had on my morning there.

This room amplified my feelings towards the Wilderness Lodge. It was a standard room but had a nice balcony and many deluxe features that I could feel the price difference. I was able to look at a room at the Contemporary Garden Wing and this room was not far off from one of the value resorts. It was old and needed an update to get more deluxe.

Unfortunately, Whispering Canyon was closed for our visit and with being a local, passing a Cheesecake Factory on the way to the hotel with a gift card in our pocket we had to stop by. No food eaten this time but the few times I have eaten at Wilderness Lodge it has been good food.

The hotel also adds great proximity to the Magic Kingdom with feeling a little bit further away. We were able to enjoy a nice pool day in the DVC pool which was very quiet for a portion of the day. We also enjoyed a nice boat ride to the Magic Kingdom to ride a few rides as well. It was overall a great trip, and the Wilderness Lodge has solidified itself as my favorite deluxe hotel and with a few deluxe stays under my belt, I don’t believe it will be moved from that top spot. This hotel is incredible and the best that Disney has to offer.