Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Review
Wilderness Lodge is a Deluxe Resort at Walt Disney World that is themed to the Pacific Northwest and U.S. National Parks. This hotel review features room photos, restaurant info, details on amenities, if it’s worth the money, and whether it’ll work well for your vacation. (Updated April 3, 2022.)
For starters, Wilderness Lodge is essentially three distinct resorts. There’s the main building, which encompasses the normal hotel rooms and the Copper Creek Villas. Outside of that, there’s a separate building that’s home to the Boulder Ridge Villas, which are a Disney Vacation Club resort. In front of Boulder Ridge–but not part of it–are the Cascade Cabins along the waterfront.
We have stayed in all of the different areas of Wilderness Lodge several times. This includes the New Rooms at Wilderness Lodge, which are less than one year old. Personally, Wilderness Lodge is my favorite resort in all of Walt Disney World, the place I could stay over and over again, and the hotel I’d choose over everything else. However, Wilderness Lodge is very much a taste-specific resort and is not right for everyone. This review will help you determine whether Wilderness Lodge is right for YOU!
We fell in love with it the first time we stayed here during the Christmas season, and have returned for several other Christmas visits–and stays other times of the year, as well. For more gushing about the holiday season, see Wilderness Lodge: Walt Disney World’s Best Place at Christmas. We’re not going to fixate on that too much in this review since you might be booking Wilderness Lodge one of the other ~10 months of the year.
Because Wilderness Lodge is one of the cheaper Deluxe resorts, offers great location, and has quite possibly the best design and best-executed theme of any of the Walt Disney World hotels, it’s an option we almost always consider when booking a trip.
Thematically, Wilderness Lodge is one of the strongest hotels at Walt Disney World. It’s inspiration is an amalgamation of Old Faithful Inn at Yellowstone National Park and Ahwahnee Hotel at Yosemite National Park, with amply artist liberties taken so that the end result isn’t merely a mixture of those two famous lodges and, rather, is something new and distinct.
This was a savvy approach, as the grandiosity of Wilderness Lodge’s lobby and its wow-inducing appearance is unique to Disney. The many National Park Lodges at which we’ve stayed feature similar details, but they’re more intimate. None have the same epic scale and polish of Wilderness Lodge.
When it comes to the details of Wilderness Lodge, we could do an entire blog post. The most iconic is the Grand Canyon Fireplace, an 82 feet tall, three-sided fireplace that represents the Grand Canyon’s strata deposits from over 1.6 billion years–represented via over 100 colors and layer tapers. You’ll find rows of cozy rocking chairs around this fireplace, as well as display cases with rocks and fossils from the Grand Canyon.
Another big one we’ll highlight is the towering totem poles in the lobby. Each of these two totem poles, the Raven Pole and the Eagle Pole, is 55 feet tall and tells its own story that can be read from bottom to top. These took over 6 months to carve by the totem artist and their team.
Again, details abound throughout Wilderness Lodge. Not just detail and “stuff” for its own sake, either. Almost everything has meaning. The Native American Carpet floor pattern is comprised of four types of wood, and depicts the unity among four seasons, wildlife, humans, and the cosmos.
Murals and items on display are nods to Lewis & Clark and Teddy Roosevelt. Furniture in the lobby is varied and gorgeous, of the American Craftsman movement.
Our coverage of Wilderness Lodge’s thematic details only scratches the surface. The result of such rich design is that you are transported away from the hustle and bustle of a theme park complex in Florida to a quiet lodge in the snowy mountains of the Pacific Northwest.
For this experience at its most authentic, head to the third floor alcove at around 1 a.m. after a long day in the parks while wearing some flannel pajamas. Just be sure you don’t fall asleep in one of the comfy chairs like a certain author also did not do. Wilderness Lodge is Disney immersion at its finest.
In addition to brilliant U.S. National Park Lodge thematic flourishes, there are also plenty of Disney touches to give a sense of funny and whimsy to the resort.
Let’s take a look inside the guest rooms.
It should come as no shock that the rooms at Wilderness Lodge have the same type of theming found in the rest of the resort. Lots of woods, Native American patterning, rustic details, and more.
Above is the new room, below is how they used to look. Personally, I preferred the prior style, but they were starting to show their age and had a bit too much wear and tear. The new rooms have a lot of functional improvements and definitely appeal to more mainstream tastes.
This style isn’t for everyone, but chances are that you’ll know whether the Wilderness Lodge rooms will appeal to you simply by looking at the lobby of the Lodge.
If you don’t like that, you won’t like the rooms. If you do like that, chances are that you will like the rooms. I would place them a rung below Animal Kingdom Lodge’s rooms.
Bedding is incredibly comfortable, and the pillows are perfectly plush. Bed runners would be nice, but doing away with them is a hospitality industry trend that doesn’t appear will reverse itself anytime soon.
The new rooms at Wilderness Lodge are undeniably more upscale and refined. The interior design features are generally low-key and restrained, but offer subtle sophistication, good uses of texture, and upgrades throughout.
A major selling point of newer guest rooms at Walt Disney World is their improved functionality and finishings.
That continues to be true with Wilderness Lodge, which offers smart design elements that improve the quality of a stay. Things like storage space, power outlets, USB ports, and more.
The biggest upgrade in the new rooms at Wilderness Lodge is the lighting, which is true in both the bathroom and the bedroom. The highlight is the illuminated window between the bathroom and bedroom, which evokes Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park.
The backlit mirror provides ample lighting in the bathroom. In the bedroom, the lighting is now a lot less harsh and customizable. In addition to the bedside sconces, there’s also uplighting from the headboard itself. Then there’s the lighting on the decorative window between the spaces.
Transportation at Wilderness Lodge is generally good. Although it’s not on the monorail loop, it is a Magic Kingdom area hotel, and there is boat service to the park. This is, by far, my favorite way of getting from Wilderness Lodge to the Magic Kingdom, and I highly recommend this mode of transportation.
There’s also bus service, which is generally efficient. Wilderness Lodge has a relatively convenient location for accessing Epcot and Hollywood Studios; only Animal Kingdom is a long commute.
With regard to restaurants, Wilderness Lodge is also similar to Animal Kingdom Lodge.
Artist Point, Whispering Canyon Cafe, Geyser Point Bar & Grill, Territory Lounge, and Roaring Fork (click to read our dining reviews) are all great dining options that offer a variety of options. The case could be made that several of these are underrated or hidden gems–that’s especially true of Geyser Point Bar & Grill, which is home to one of the very best burgers in all of Walt Disney World.
With that said, not every restaurant at Wilderness Lodge is a hidden gem.
The most popular princess meal in all of Walt Disney World is Story Book Dining at Artist Point, a new Snow White character dinner. Then there’s the fan-favorite Whispering Canyon Cafe, which is a zany table service option that’s fun for all ages. Suffice to say, the dining scene at Wilderness Lodge is very strong.
Wilderness Lodge gets high marks for interior design of the common areas and dining, but the most important aspect of this resort that is sometimes overlooked or taken for granted is its beautiful outdoor areas.
It’s the trails, trees, and little touches out there that really make the resort. Albeit to a lesser degree than Fort Wilderness, Wilderness Lodge feels like its light years away from the chaos of the Magic Kingdom…despite being only a short boat ride away. The highlight of this, for me, is that Wilderness Lodge actually has a (man-made) geyser modeled after Yellowstone National Park’s Old Faithful.
Wilderness Lodge has a couple of nice pools and water play areas for kids. These are not among the best pools at Walt Disney World, but they’re not weak, either. Perhaps that’s a blessing in disguise; unlike other pool areas, those at Wilderness Lodge are never as overcrowded.
Wilderness Lodge also has the standard amenities of other Deluxe resorts, like a salon, health club, babysitting, bike rental, etc. At night, you can also see the Electrical Water Pageant, which is a charming, old school Walt Disney World offering that we recommend watching if you’re at the resort. It’s cute.
As a Deluxe Resort, guests staying at Wilderness Lodge have access to a couple of perks. First is Early Theme Park Entry, which gives ALL on-site resort guests a 30-minute head start at any Walt Disney World theme park, every day before normal operating hours begin. Learn more strategy in our Guide to Early Entry at Walt Disney World.
Second, there’s Extended Evening Theme Park Hours, which is exclusively for guests staying at Deluxe Resorts, Deluxe Villas, or other select hotels. This second perk is incredibly advantageous, as crowds are usually low during these nighttime hours. See our Guide to Extended Evening Hours at Walt Disney World for taking advantage of this perk, eligibility, and more.
Overall, Wilderness Lodge is one of our favorite resorts at Walt Disney World. With an incredibly well-executed and transportive theme, plus newly-remodeled rooms, relaxing boat transportation to Magic Kingdom, efficient bus service, a great and well-rounded dining slate, and nice pools, it’s a really well-rounded resort. It’s one that sneaks up on people, especially those who might not expect such high quality from a “rustic” hotel.
The theme of Wilderness Lodge is wonderfully executed year-round, but at Christmas, it really shines, when it’s the best resort at Walt Disney World. This theme won’t appeal to everyone, but those to whom it does appeal are sure to love Wilderness Lodge. And those who give it a chance just might be pleasantly surprised.
At over $400 per night rack rate starting prices, Wilderness Lodge can be expensive. However, it’s still much less expensive than almost all other Deluxe Resorts, making it a “value” comparatively speaking. Plus, after discounts, it’s not uncommon to score rooms for around $300 per night, which is a lot more palatable. Relative to the other Deluxes, Wilderness Lodge is usually cheaper because it’s not on the monorail loop or within walking distance of Epcot.
While other resorts make trips more convenient (Disney’s BoardWalk Inn, Disney’s Contemporary Resort), the only other resort that offers a comparable combination of theme, quality, and value is Animal Kingdom Lodge (or Port Orleans Riverside if you weight value more heavily). It’s an all-around great resort, and one that we highly recommend. Even if Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Wilderness Lodge were priced the same, I’d recommend Wilderness Lodge. That’s high praise.
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Your Thoughts…
What do you think of Disney’s Wilderness Lodge? Do you enjoy the back-woods Pacific Northwest theme, or is it not your style? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing feedback about your experiences is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
Hi Tom! How does the pool here rank compared to Stormalog Bay? I know – not a fair comparison, but you have me 99% persuaded to stay here in May vs. the Beach Club. The only hold out for me is the pool.
I love the Wilderness Lodge! We ate at Whispering Canyon one trip during Christmas and got to experience the incredible decorations and the bell choir in the lobby. There was a photopass person in the lobby also and we got our pictures in front of the tree
We just stayed at WL for the first time at the end of August. Absolutely loved it! Can’t wait to go back. We were told the geyser erupts every hour on the hour – we did see it and that appears to be true.
The geyser was erupting during our last trip in July, too. It’s pretty awesome to see!
Great review! We love the Lodge. Since we first stayed there, we’ve only managed to stay elsewhere twice (Contemporary and the Beach Club). Other hotels are fun to visit, but nothing beats the theming of WL. Especially when you are a Florida native, it’s nice to stay somewhere where you can pretend you’re on the other side of the country.
We just got back from a short trip and visited the Wilderness Lodge for a little bit. Also being from Michigan I agree that the lodge is reminiscent of a cold winter day even when it’s 80 degrees outside. Your pictures make it look better than it does in real life too.
Thanks for the review, this one is my top resort to try next. We love AKL, but also have a heart for cabins and western theming, so I can’t wait to stay there!
Didn’t realize you were from Michigan! I am from Novi, MI. Anyhow, great review! My wife and I went there in Feb. 2011 and by some chance got a free upgrade to club level, and I think we paid less than $200 a night. Gorgeous place. Room was just okay.
Sadly, during the time we were there the lodge had bats flying around all night and day. At one point, a bat flew down the corridor and my wife and I slammed the door leading to the courtyard just in time to see it slam up against the glass. They were so obnoxious that we had to cancel our dinner plans at artist point (since they were getting in there as well) and my wife will never go back to the lodge because of that. I posted about our experience on the disboards, and at first nobody believed it until some cast members confirmed it in the thread.
Tom, excellent review of my favorite resort! I just wish I could stay there more often.
Just a quick clarification on the architectural style. While I agree the lodge fits in the general “Parkitecture” style that was established for the great lodges of the National Parks by architect Robert Reamer, The Wilderness Lodge pulls most of its design elements from two lodges; the Old Faithful Inn in Yellowstone and the Ahwahnee in Yosemite.
Hi!
We have the choice of Bay Lake Towers (which we have never stayed in) or Wilderness Lodge in September. We love the Wilderness Lodge and have stayed there twice before.
Which would you choice? Just an FYI we are staying on DVC points, if that makes a difference.
Thanks!
Was your room in the main area of the resort or the villas? Yours just looked quite different than ours did, we didn’t have the kitchenette.
We had stayed at the Polynesian for our previous 3 trips to Disney World, first for our honeymoon (1995) and twice since, and we love it there. WL had opened a year or less before our honeymoon, so we visited and thought it was fantastic. We’ve made an effort each trip to visit, even if we weren’t staying.
Why didn’t we stay if we loved it so much? The monorail. It was the trump card each time, to us, it was worth the higher price to not wait around for buses.
Our last family trip to WDW was Christmas 2011. Unfortunately, a tummy virus made the rounds of the female members of our group, so they were out of commission 3 of the 10 days we were there. I felt pretty bad that my wife didn’t have a great time on that trip, so I decided to surprise her for Valentine’s day and planned a trip for April back to WDW with a stay at WL. It was sensational! The relaxing vibe is great and we found we didn’t miss the monorail as much as we thought we would, and taking the boat was a pleasure. I think there is an excellent chance that we’ll be staying there again for future visits, because as much as we love the Poly, the WL felt even more like we were home.
I don’t know if this is the case across the board or not, but the room we stayed in at WL definitely wasn’t as big as the Poly’s. This was not a big deal for us, but it was noticeable. What made up for it was the view. We had a view of the pool area, geyser and lake, and it was breathtaking from our vantage point. I definitely agree with your review. Don’t forget to check out the Carolwood Pacific room in the Villas if you are into Disney trains. It’s just a quiet recreation/gathering room (they have checkerboard tables and a fireplace instead of videogames), but has some interesting history of Walt’s love of trains, like this:
Dave
Bah! You can see the image here.
Unbelievable,Amazing, Really its fantastic resort for family it’s every ones dream paradise at weekends.enjoyyyyy.
During my College Program and my first Christmas away I would visit the lodge frequently for a taste of real Christmas. The other deluxe resorts offer nice atmosphere, but a northerner needs a fireplace. I love that you highlighted the upper fireplace, which I have NOT nodded off at while reading a book.
I am surprised by the garish colors of your room. Mine two years ago was much more muted and updated looking. The colors were more hunter green and suede tan. Maybe my favorite thing about being in a two bed room is having more banister carvings. In my unofficial testing, Wilderness also has the second warmest pool temperature on average after Grand Floridian.
During my College Program and my first Christmas away I would visit the lodge frequently for a taste of real Christmas. The other deluxe resorts offer nice atmosphere, but a northerner needs a fireplace. I love that you highlighted the upper fireplace, which I have
notnodded off at while reading a book.I am surprised by the garish colors of your room. Mine two years ago was much more muted and updated looking. The colors were more hunter green and suede tan. Maybe my favorite thing about being in a two bed room is having more banister carvings. In my unofficial testing, Wilderness also has the second warmest pool temperature on average after Grand Floridian.
Great photos. What I would give to be curled up in one of those chairs by the fire right now! I’m freezing!
Love the Wilderness Lodge. We stayed there many times in the 90’s when I was with my parents. Last year, I made sure to make a breakfast reservation at WCC so my daughter could see the gorgeous interior all dolled up for Christmas. (And btw, we’re in MI…and no antlers are to be found in our house! But we’re yuppies in A2…)
We LOVE Wilderness Lodge. The setting, the transportation options, all make it a great place to stay.
We stayed here on our first and only Disney Christmas trip 2010 (which was pop warner week – cheerleaders at Epcot drove is crazy one day!). My husband and I absolutely fell in love with this resort! One evening, I curled up by a fireplace in an alcove reading one night. We had breakfast and dinner at Whispering Canyon. Loved the breakfast skillet. The resort was simply beautiful! The CM were amazing, especially after leaving my key to the world card at Coral Reef one evening. So when we finally bought into DVC earlier this year, we knew our home resort had to be Wilderness Lodge!
Wilderness Lodge at Christmas is glorious. There’s no other word I can use. I love the resort at any time of year, but right now the decorations and special touches make it truly magical.
Awesome review and love the pics.. When visiting Disney we either stay at the Port Orleans or Saratoga because the grounds are so lovely but I think on my next trip in the spring,I will venture out and give the Wilderness Lodge a try.
Oddly enough the Wilderness Lodge, at discounted rates, is a better deal than most of the national park lodges in the Pacific Northwest which can be very expensive. On many a summer road trip, I find myself gazing longingly at those grand lodges from my tent at a nearby campsite… That being said, as someone who has spent many summers exploring the real Pacific Northwest, the WL is definitely on point. To me it seems most similar to the lodges in Glacier, Crater Lake, and Yellowstone Nat’l Parks. Disney really hit it out of the park with this one. Thanks for the review and the Christmas photos!
If I recall correctly, when we stayed in Olympic National Park, our cabin was around $300-400/night. Granted, it had a view of the Pacific Ocean and is about the coolest place I’ve ever stayed (and was worth it), but I was shocked at how much it cost.
If you consider Yellowstone in the Pacific Northwest (and I guess it is…for some reason I always considered it in the regular ole West), then I think Wilderness Lodge hits its “Pacific Northwest” N’tl Park mark well.
Sounds like your accommodations were better than mine at Olympic. My husband and I paid about $10 to hunker down in a tent in the Hoh Rainforest. Incredible scenery, but a bit too wet for my taste. I guess I should have known what I was getting myself into – I did agree to camp in a rainforest after all. Because I love the Pacific Northwest and all things National Parks, (not loving them would be distinctly unpatriotic) I am a huge WL fan. Lastly, if you like the Olympics and haven’t been to Glacier, I implore you to visit there asap!
Awesome work and photos. I miss this place so much. It’s the only place at WDW that we’ll stay at.
Did you have a bad experience elsewhere at Walt Disney World, or do you just really love Wilderness Lodge?