Is Disney’s Wilderness Lodge the best deluxe resort on property?
We were taught, in journalism school, that the key to a good news article or feature is the lead. In most cases, you’ve got 30 words to hook the reader.
Disney’s Wilderness Lodge must have been designed by a journalism school graduate, or at least a fisherman, because one step into the grand lobby and you’re absolutely hooked.
Inspired by the Great American Northwest, Wilderness Lodge is an immaculately themed escape from the wilds of the central Florida swamps. It is stunning from the start, and in the running for the best themed resort in Disney World, Orlando, and Florida.
It is a recreation achievement.
But is it the best Deluxe resort on property?
IN THIS ARTICLE
Welcome to the Wilderness Lodge
As we said in the opening, the Wilderness Lodge is one of Disney’s more visually spectacular resorts. You step in to the seven-story tall lobby and are wowed by the commitment to details including 55-foot tall totem poles, and the 82-foot, tri-sided fireplace featuring colorful rocks designed to remind guests of the Grand Canyon.
The tribute to western native cultures and imported Oregon woods – frankly I’m not sure I could tell the difference between imported Oregon wood and more locally sourced materials – add to the high level theming. Of all the indoor spaces at Disney World, this is among the most impressive and welcoming. If I didn’t have a packed, pre-planned Disney agenda, I could linger in this lobby with a good book or two and consider it a worthwhile vacation.
The theming doesn’t stop there. There’s an artificial geyser and a hot springs on property, as well as two large pools. The biggest is the Copper Creek Springs Pool, which features a 67-foot waterslide and excellent views of the artificial Copper Creek Falls. The smaller Boulder Ridge Cove Pool isn’t quite as impressive but stands above other resorts’ secondary pools.
In addition to lodging in the… well… lodge, there are two Disney Vacation Club properties onsite—Boulder Ridge Villas and Copper Creek Villas and Cabins—which add a lot of availability but make the resort fairly massive in scale.
There’s extensive dining on site.
There’s a health club and spa on site as well.
The rest of the amenities are pretty much in line with Deluxe Disney Resorts. Shopping, dining, an arcade, and all of that business.
Dining at the Wilderness Lodge
You have some excellent dining options at the Wilderness Lodge, including one of the more unique character dining experiences at Story Book Dining at Artist Point. Guests meet Snow White, Dopey, and Grumpy in the rustically themed dining hall and pose for pictures with the Evil Queen—rebranded as simply the Queen in this setting.
That’s three exclusive and pretty unique characters. The prixe fixe menu offers an appetizer, main course, and dessert. Prices are $70 for adults and $43 for the kids.
But wait, there’s more, the Lodge is home to Whispering Canyon Café, a family style restaurant featuring Western fare themed skillets and a whole bunch of shenanigans. Basically, Whispering Canyon Café is Disney’s answer to Dick’s Last Resort where the wait staff is allowed to be rude to guests, and it’s all part of the charm.
At Disney, however, the wait staff isn’t rude. It’s just a little sassier than you’d expect.
The Geyser Point Bar & Grill is exactly what you’d expect down on the water with views of Bay Lake.
Rooms and views at the Wilderness Lodge
You can book theme park view rooms at the lodge, but keep in mind they’re limited. It is also located further from the Magic Kingdom than the Contemporary, Polynesian, or Grand Floridan.
If you want the best views of the fireworks, the Contemporary is still the best option. With two Disney Vacation Club properties on … well … property, there are a wide variety of rooming options starting north of $400 per night and climbing into the stratosphere
Transportation at the Wilderness Lodge
This is where the Wilderness Lodge really takes a hit compared to other Disney resorts. There are boats that will take you to the Ft. Wilderness Campground, the Contemporary, and to Magic Kingdom.
But the Polynesian, Grand Floridian, and Contemporary have access to the monorail and are walking distance to Magic Kingdom.
The Riveria has the Skyliner.
The Yacht Club, Beach Club, and BoardWalk are walking distance to EPCOT and offers access to the Skyliner. Only the Animal Kingdom Lodge has worse transportation options – bus only – among the Deluxe resorts.
Could that change? Maybe. The monorail loop runs not far from the Wilderness Lodge property; it would be fairly easy to add a connection to the monorail resort loop.
It has to have been a discussion at some point. Disney must have calculated that boat access to the Contemporary, where guests can board the monorail, was good enough.
With the new Lakeshore Resort adding significantly more traffic to the boat system, it might be time for Disney to revisit the monorail conversation.
Is Wilderness Lodge Disney’s best Deluxe Resort?
Based simply on the resort alone, it’s close. It’s probably second for me behind the Polynesian and right there with the Riviera.
Some probably prefer the BoardWalk Resorts, but I prefer the Wilderness theming.
To each their own. However, if I was booking a trip, the Lodge would fall for a couple of reasons. One is size.
With the DVC properties, it’s a big space. It makes getting the full resort experience more difficult.
In that way, it’s the Caribbean Beach Resort of the deluxe level.
Also, location and transportation are factors. If I’m paying deluxe level prices, I want deluxe level access. The boat rides are fun, quaint even, but they’re not exactly Disney’s most efficient transportation method.
If we’re going by where I’d actually book, on the deluxe level it’s the Poly, with everything else in a crowded race. Riviera comes in second, followed by the BoardWalk resorts and then Wilderness Lodge.
You could talk me into the Contemporary or Animal Kingdom Lodge if you promised theme park or safari view respectively. Grand Floridian is probably last for me, but we’ll have more on that at a later date.
