Tag Archives: Wilderness Lodge

It’s the small things….

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Sometimes you can spend so much time planning your Walt Disney World visit down to the finest of details; what parks, attractions, restaurants, resort….but sometimes it can be the small things that can make your vacation extra magical.

If you stay at a Disney resort you will have come across the housekeeping staff…or ‘Mousekeeping’ as they are affectionately called by us Disney fans. They do the thankless task of keeping our rooms tidy everyday…we’re on vacation so we don’t want to even think about housework!!

Many guests leave a daily tip for their Mousekeepers and I am no exception, but I like to do something a little extra if I can. During our visit in 2010 we left a UK picture postcard with our tip everyday and this year saw me leave a decorated Disney envelope which held a Disney trading card and the tip.

Now it’s likely that you will be aware of the small phenomena that are ‘towel animals’….animals made from towels left in your room by Mousekeeping. These days you usually get a Mickey face left on your bed for your check-in day and then you may get one or two extra during your stay. In 2010 we got a duck to hold our toothbrushes and a candle as it was Christmas.

During this most recent trip we got our Mickey and a duck in the first week but that was it; I must confess that I was a little disappointed that my Disney envelopes each day hadn’t resulted in a few more….but all of that changed in the second week!!

I don’t know if we had a different Mousekeeper in the second week or whether they just had more time but boy did they go to town with our animals!!! The first afternoon we came back and saw an elephant on the bed I squealed with delight, it was BRILLIANT!!! We left the elephant sitting on the spare bed and so it began…everyday we would return to the room to be greeted by something different…our Mousekeeper’s talent was amazing and each one made us smile and laugh out loud!

I hope you enjoy taking a look at our creations….and remember…it can be the small things that bring magic to your Disney vacation :)

 

 

 

Returning home….

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Don’t worry… I haven’t skipped all the posts about my recent trip and gone straight to the sad coming home part…. today I’m thinking about returning to my ‘Walt Disney World’ home…

In my series of posts covering planning for a trip to WDW I discussed how Wilderness Lodge had become my favourite Disney resort, after staying there in December 2010. As the October 2012 trip approached I began to wonder if I would feel the same affection for the Lodge, whether it would feel as magical as I had remembered it or whether I should have taken the risk and chosen to stay at a different resort for a different experience.

I need not have worried…..

As soon as our airport transfer car pulled up at the Wilderness Lodge main entrance a cast member came out to greet us and said ‘welcome home’….yep, the magic had begun. I explained that I had already completed the Disney Resort On-Line Check In, at which point we were shown to a CM on the front desk who was ready and waiting with our documents, it was that easy! The cast member at the desk was from the UK so we had a chat about the International programme, how long she was there for, what roles she had been working and how she hadn’t packed any jumpers for the ‘winter’ months!

After being given our check in documents the cast member said that she had some mail for me and handed me two envelopes. I couldn’t believe that I was getting mail, it really was like coming home!!! It turned out that two of my wonderful Disney friends had sent me letters in anticipation of my arrival, it was such a kind thing to do….and made me feel very important!!

Despite liking the location of our room in 2010 we had decided not to submit any specific room requests during on-line check in, we decided to let fate (or Disney) choose! Boy am I pleased that we did!!!

We had been allocated a room on the fifth floor, overlooking Bay Lake, with views of Discovery Island and even a glimpse of the Contemporary Resort! When we first got to our room I couldn’t stop looking at our view, I felt immersed in the Disney magic that I had spent so long daydreaming about.

Later that first evening we discovered that not only we could hear the music from the Electrical Water Pageant but see it from our balcony too!! It was great fun each night to be able to tell what time it was based on the pageant music starting up and the sound of the Wishes fireworks from Magic Kingdom.

And I’m so pleased to say that the rest of the resort lived up to the memories too. Obviously the Christmas tree was missing from the grand lobby during this visit but that just made the size of the lobby even more impressive. Roaring Forks (the quick service area) was as good as we had remembered and the outside pool and geyser area was as pretty and relaxing as before.

I fell in love with the calmness of the resort all over again during this trip.The flickering lights leading from the bus stops, welcoming you home after a long day in the parks, the distant sound of the Lodge music, the colour of the wood and trees…. it all felt as perfect as I had remembered.

We also had some new experiences of Wilderness Lodge during this visit. As we were using the Disney Dining Plan we treated ourselves to a meal at Artist Point, and as the weather was a LOT warmer during this trip we used the resort boats to get to Magic Kingdom and the Contemporary. And how can I ever forget the amazing collection of towel animals that we received from Mousekeeping? More on these experiences to follow!!

At some point during our trip I realised…. this resort truly is my Walt Disney World home! :)

 

 

 

 

 

A year of daydreams!

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During this week of celebration I wanted to look back at some of the posts which I have shared over the past 12 months.

I know that when I discover a new Disney blog I tend to read the first couple of posts and the ‘About Me’ page; unfortunately when the blog has been running for a while you don’t always have time to go back and read some of the older entries.

So here’s my selection of posts which have been the most fun to write and share with you all. I hope that they still give you that few minutes of Disney filled daydreaming!

 

Expo Exposure – discussing the fun from the D23 Expo in Disneyland.

Sharing My Celebration – my favourite place outside of Walt Disney World.

Let It Snow! – sometimes getting to WDW can be an adventure.

A Letter to Walt – discussing the events of 2011 with our dear Walt.

Home Sweet Home! – making the ‘resort’ decision.

Orange Tuesday – welcoming back the Orange Bird.

I’ve Got The Key! – going behind the scenes at WDW.

 

See you tomorrow for more Daydreaming Disney!!!!

 

:) :) :)

 

 

 

Gettin’ around….

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As I have previously mentioned we don’t drive whilst at Walt Disney World. Letting someone else take the strain of getting us from A to B is part of the break for us.

I do however have a vivid memory of having a hire car in Orlando and I think I have just about recovered from the experience! It was during a family holiday back in the 90’s, in the days before everyone had GPS and sat navs. I will spare you all the gory details but I will say that we left Universal Studios in the dark, via the wrong exit, and spent hours trying to get back to our hotel….well, it felt like hours to the scared and embarrassed teenager that I was at the time!!!

Now that I’m all grown up and have the luxury of staying on property we make full use of the complimentary Disney Resort Transportation, or ‘Disney buses’ for short! We love the convenience of hopping on and off the buses, going from resort to park and back again.

Once you know your way around the transportation system you can work out how to get to just about anywhere on property. When we stayed at Port Orleans Riverside we started to notice that the buses going from the parks to Port Orleans French Quarter would often arrive more frequently and there would be less of a queue, so we soon started hopping on the French Quarter one and walking the short distance along the river back to Riverside.

During our last stay at Wilderness Lodge we noticed that the Magic Kingdom bus only took 5 to 10 minutes to get to the park so we started hopping on that one and then making our way elsewhere from MK. Whilst trying to get to Epcot from Ft Wilderness one night a Wilderness Lodge bus turned up so we jumped on that, knowing that we could start the journey again from our home resort!

Unfortunately in recent years the Disney Company has chosen to limit the bus drivers’ interaction with guests. I’m not sure of the official reason for this but I wonder if it had something to do with the negative ‘situations’ the bus drivers seemed to be experiencing with guests. I still get an excited feeling when I hear the recorded message announcing where the bus is heading to, for you to “have a nice day” or when the familiar music starts as you head towards your home resort, but it’s not quite the same as the crazy interactions we used to have with drivers in the past.

On our last trip we were on a bus around midday heading to Downtown Disney with only a few other guests on board. I assume the driver decided we looked like a friendly bunch as he switched off the pre-recorded announcements and decided to have a quiz with us! We had such fun answering his trivia questions about the number of fireworks let off in WDW during a year or how many cars are on Disney property on New Year’s Eve!! It felt even more fun as he sounded EXACTLY like John Candy!! The driver really made our day and we departed at DTD with huge grins on our faces; that was a magical Disney memory right there.

I know that some people have bad things to say about the Disney buses but I think they do a pretty impressive job of transporting thousands of guests around the WDW property each day. Yes, you can be stood at a bus stop for what feels like ages, seeing every bus go by except the one you want, but that’s no different from being in your home town or city…traffic is traffic no matter how much pixie dust there is to go around!

The only downside of Disney buses for me is unfortunately the other guests who use them. For some reason at certain resorts guests waiting for a bus choose not to queue, just stand in a crowd around several of the bus shelters, and then try to push their way to the front when a bus arrives. If you want to be first on a bus why not form an orderly queue? The other unfortunate habit is the people who think they can board first by using the side doors…you know….the doors that say ‘exit only’!!

So I’m prepared to put my hand up and announce that I love the Disney buses ;) I will continue to tolerate other people’s bad behaviour in order to use a transportation system that suits my needs whilst in the World.

And all I ask is the next time you use a Disney bus make sure you smile and thank that driver for his or her hard work, for they are responsible for getting us to the magic everyday :)

Thank Disney it’s Friday – March 30!

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What a lovely sunny week it’s been here…the sunshine makes it even easier to daydream about our happy place :)

I have had friends staying at Wilderness Lodge this week and seeing their photos has made me want to get back to my favourite deluxe resort as soon as possible!

So this week’s question is:

Whether you have had the pleasure of staying at one or just visiting for the day, which is your favourite Walt Disney World DELUXE resort and why?

 

:) :) :)

 

Home sweet home!

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So by using your pros and cons list or the ‘pin in the calendar’ method you have now decided WHEN to go….next to decide WHERE to stay. Personally I find this a difficult decision; one that I usually change several times before I make my booking, going back and forth between a couple of hotels and usually sticking with the one that appealed to me in the first place!

Until 2005 I was the standard British Walt Disney World visitor. I had visited several times with my family and we had always stayed in the International Drive area; staying at various hotels, all with various standards. I kind of like International Drive and its ‘touristy’ feel; it reminds me of Orlando holidays in the 1990’s! There’s a theme to my favourite things about I Drive; Mickey D’s, Denny’s, Dunkin Donuts, Walgreens, shopping malls, Ponderosa, Golden Corral, Denny’s, Dunkin Donuts…I could go on but I think you get the idea!

International Drive is great if you want a bit of ‘Orlando’ with your WDW holiday. Obviously you’re close to Universal Studios and Sea World, with the Disney parks a short drive away. It’s a great location if you have a car; a lot of the hotels run shuttles to the main tourist attractions but they can be a little restrictive…none of this going back to your hotel for a midday nap before hitting another park for the evening!!

And despite how much I enjoy visiting I Drive during my vacation it’s unlikely that I will ever stay in a hotel in that area again because in 2005 I experienced my first holiday at a Disney resort. I can’t really remember why I chose it but my first stay on property was at the Disney Moderate resort, Port Orleans Riverside.

It’s a beautiful place, the buildings are spectacular and the location is perfect. Nearly every evening we would get the boat to Downtown Disney, escaping the hustle and bustle of the parks. Port Orleans Riverside is a big resort and I think I was a little surprised at how busy and noisy the hotel could be. Unfortunately we were there at the beginning of December and so were the groups of cheerleaders visiting WDW for the Pop Warner event. It appeared that they were using Riverside as an overflow hotel for the cheerleaders as the Disney Value resorts were full, this was not a great experience and the resort manager would agree with us on that!

I haven’t returned to Riverside since that trip but I would consider staying at Port Orleans French Quarter at some point in the future. We did use this resort to escape from the noise at Riverside and we loved it. It has the same pretty setting as Riverside and shares the same location, but it’s also slightly smaller, meaning less noise!

My current WDW resort of choice is the Disney Deluxe resort, Wilderness Lodge. I remember a few years back sitting on a shuttle bus on the way to the parks from our hotel and stopping to pick up guests from Wilderness Lodge. I looked up at the buildings and thought how wonderful it looked, I thought how lucky those guests were to be able to stay there.

When we were looking to book our last trip we looked at websites, brochures and maps of the WDW property and decided it was time….time to experience a Deluxe resort. There is very little I dislike about Wilderness Lodge. We stayed there in December so we were lucky enough to see their magnificent lobby decorated for the season. We got an excellent room location close to the Roaring Forks food area, the bus stop, the beach area and the gift shop. We were even on the right side of the building to hear the music from the Electrical Water Pageant on Bay Lake every evening!

We don’t use a hire car for our WDW trips as we’re pretty content using the Disney bus system. We found that we could get to all the parks in reasonable time from Wilderness Lodge; meaning that we popped back to our room for a midday rest, a change of clothes, and even to stock up on spending money for a shopping spree!

Now when I started thinking about our next trip as always I sat down with the brochures and looked at each resort. I had wanted to experience another resort, another location on WDW property, but the draw of Wilderness Lodge was too much! Wilderness Lodge ticks all the boxes for my WDW vacation, and so I’ll be returning to my ‘home away from home’ later this year.

So what about you? Do you choose your hotel based on price, location, facilities? Do you pick a different resort each time to have a new experience or do you return to the place which feels like home?

‘Twas the month before Christmas…

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It’s the beginning of November and signs of the holiday season are starting to appear all over Walt Disney World. Christmas is my most favourite time of year to visit WDW; in fact, my last four visits have been at the beginning of December. I love the decorations, festive music, special events, festive merch and much much more. I thought it would be nice to share some of my observations of the season through a series of blog posts.

The Disney Resorts take on a whole new magical appearance for Christmas. Each resort will be decorated with a theme and will have a centrepiece (usually a magnificent tree) that will make guests ‘resort hop’ across WDW property to take in the sights and smells of the festive season.

Last December I was lucky enough to stay at the Wilderness Lodge Resort for the very first time, and this also happened to be in December. The lobby at WL is rustic and pretty all year round but when I saw that Christmas tree I was blown away. It really does add some seasonal magic to your stay.

I had also read so much about the life-sized gingerbread house which is constructed at Grand Floridian so I knew that this was the visit where I had to take the monorail from Magic Kingdom over to GF to see it for myself. Looking over the balcony and seeing the gingerbread house, the tree and the band I just knew it was Christmas!!

I happened to be over at the Beach Club Resort during my stay and got to see the gingerbread carousel too, this thing actually moves like a real carousel and the lobby was full of the smell of Christmas!

Just when you think the Disney resorts can’t get any prettier Christmas comes along. And this is one of the reasons why I can’t wait to get back and hop on over to the resorts showing off their seasonal displays :)