Our Vexing Visit to Wilderness Lodge
We’re back at Walt Disney World again, this time from Wilderness Lodge for a look at the resort hotel after a couple weeks of operations, on the eve of Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom reopening to guests. In this quasi-trip report, we’ll share photos, dining details, and commentary about the vexing nature of the visit.
It’s been over two weeks since Our Surreal Stay at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn. Suffice to say, a lot has changed since then. At that point, new daily cases were on an upward trajectory, but as much was to be expected with businesses reopening. With more people venturing beyond their homes, an increase was a predictable inevitability. However, two weeks later the daily case numbers are between double and triple their previous numbers.
That moved this visit from “surreal” to “unsettling” territory. Erring on the side of caution, we didn’t go out in the roughly two weeks following our previous stay (or do anything for Fourth of July weekend), save for dining outdoors at the All-Star McDonald’s and a quick visit to Target earlier this week. Nevertheless, all of this still leaves us conflicted–it truly is surreal being in Central Florida right now.
We previously addressed this in our Should Walt Disney World Stay Closed? post, and if you were one of the 4 people who read that before commenting, you already know our perspective is “it’s complicated.” We’re not going to rehash all of that here, but the challenges facing Florida are multifaceted. Too much of the discussion has been myopic, reductionist, and devoid of nuance, offering simple solutions to a complex problem.
Our view remains one of risk mitigation and harm reduction, making reasonably informed and responsible decisions while trying to strike the right balance between staying home and venturing out for our sanity. We continue to read studies, daily numbers, and commentary from epidemiologists to keep apprised of changes. More than anything, we’re trying to avoid making what turns out to be the wrong decision in hindsight. Like everyone else, we feel overwhelmed, uncertain, and just plain tired.
Escaping to the Wilderness (Lodge) was a nice reprieve from all of that, even if the real world contrast felt more pronounced this time…
Upon arrival at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, we’re greeted by a health liability disclaimer and quick rundown of the temporary rules and protocol.
For those keeping score at home, Wilderness Lodge adopted the “BoardWalk approach” (as opposed to the Riviera style) of the health liability disclaimer on the left. Safe to assume this is a matter of American versus European sensibilities.
We’re not going to fixate on all the warning signs and protocol here. For photos of that, see our Health & Safety Protocol at Walt Disney World Resorts post. Same idea here, but transposed to Wilderness Lodge.
About the only interesting difference was this liability disclaimer affixed to one of the support beams. Definitely the most ‘organic’ appearance of this that we’ve seen. Not sure if that’s a good thing, though. I like the other signage having a very temporary look as it suggests it’ll be gone at some point in the not too distant future.
Also on a ‘things are different’ note, here’s a look at the closed entrance to Artist Point and Territory Lounge. No word on when these will reopen.
Otherwise, we’re going to focus on the ‘familiar feeling‘ of Wilderness Lodge here. After all, we are visiting as a break from the real world, so it’d be self-defeating to obsess over the temporary abnormal aspects.
Inside Wilderness Lodge, we’re greeted with a largely empty lobby. There’s no Photoshop trickery here nor were the photos taken late at night. These were captured mostly during what would be the dinner rush.
The lobby seating area is totally devoid of people–and was pretty much our entire time at Wilderness Lodge.
Whispering Canyon Cafe was the primary exception to this, and it was reasonably busy. We didn’t dine there, so I didn’t capture photos of the seating area for obvious reasons, but Whispering Canyon was close to half capacity (or nearly full temporary capacity).
While it smelled as delicious as always, Whispering Canyon was much quieter than normal. I hadn’t thought of this before, but it would make sense for the hijinks to be temporarily suspended. Servers can’t exactly go bananas while wearing masks and keeping a safe distance.
The pools were also fairly hoppin. (Busy enough that I didn’t feel comfortable taking a photo…hence this walkway shot.)
Not crowded to regular summer levels, but they also not abnormally low. Let’s call it a comfortable level, all things considered.
I love this hallway leading up from Roaring Fork to the main lobby. The light fixtures, rock walls, windows, overhead beams, gentle incline–it’s all just pitch perfect.
I’ll take this over the Red Hallway at the Overlook Hotel any day.
One thing that really captivated me on this particular visit was the carpet.
It was poppin.’
Maybe it’s the lack of people around, but I’m guessing it received a deep cleaning (or several) prior to the reopening.
It looks really clean and crisp, and kept catching my eye.
Some more sweet, sweet carpet action.
Isn’t this what keeps us all coming back to Walt Disney World?!
Joking aside (it wasn’t really a joke), the atmosphere in the lobby of Wilderness Lodge was exquisite.
While there was a mildly eerie Overlook Hotel vibe in some of the quieter spots, there were just enough people around to keep it from being downright surreal, plus a good guest to Cast Member ratio. Still quiet enough that the background music was clear, with the bubbling brook and crackling fireplaces providing a layer of ambient noise.
These rocking chairs are among the most serene seats at Walt Disney World.
This also exemplifies the discordance between Walt Disney World and real world Florida. Our brief forays into stores over the last month-plus have been stressful and uncomfortable, with crowds and non-compliance. By contrast, nothing of the sort at Walt Disney World (or Universal, for that matter).
It’s easy to sit at home and armchair quarterback what’s happening with Walt Disney World and what shouldn’t occur–it’s another to experience it as compared to other things in Central Florida. The contrast is stark.
Again, this is not meant to actively encourage visiting from out of state right now. We’d caution against that for a number of reasons that we’ve previously discussed in detail.
However, for locals wanting to do staycations, nearby Disney Vacation Club members needing to use their points or lose them, and others, it’s a nice escape that offers a temporary reprieve and certainly feels much safer than literally anywhere else we’ve been.
Obviously, there is no magical pixie dust bubble that makes Walt Disney World completely safe. It is absolutely not.
It’s also fair to say that unless you’re prepared to sequester at home for the next year-plus, you are not going to be completely safe. (And doing so is likewise unhealthy for its own reasons.)
Conversely, this doesn’t mean we should throw our arms up in the air and do whatever. It’s not an exercise in all or nothing futility. Hence our risk mitigation and harm reduction perspective.
To that end, we’re now only dining outdoors. With the exception of Topolino’s Terrace, which we quickly came to regret, this has been our approach with restaurants.
While not yet conclusive, there’s plenty to corroborate the belief that bars and indoor dining are one of the key differences between outbreaks in America’s Sunbelt and a lack thereof in Europe (here’s an interesting new-ish WSJ article on the topic).
Prolonged indoor exposure—as opposed to more fleeting encounters or outdoor activity—is more conducive to transmission. That’s why we put together this List of Outdoor Dining Options at Walt Disney World.
We won’t rehash everything covered there, but thought it was worth reiterating this in case you missed it.
We also don’t want to sugarcoat it and pretend outdoor dining in Florida during the middle of summer is pleasant.
Evening at Geyser Point Bar & Grill is probably the biggest exception to that. A nice breeze and lovely views of Bay Lake. The only thing that could’ve made it better? Electrical Water Pageant.
Another thing we won’t sugarcoat is the ‘pleasantness’ of wearing masks. However, they are effective. As much has been shown by incredibly low daily case numbers from democracies such as Japan, the Czech Republic, and Hong Kong.
Those success stories are predicated on masks, as those countries did next to nothing else differently or better than the United States. That’s the closest to a case study as you’ll get on real world efficacy of masks.
We’ve touched upon this before and it’s not our intent to be preachy about it. Unfortunately, public health messaging has been so poor on the topic throughout this that even intelligent and informed people have been confused. (It’s not just a matter of ‘evolving knowledge and research’ here–the CDC and WHO have repeatedly bungled communications.)
Masks reduce the distance of exhaled aerosolized particles by the wearer, which in turn reduces spread. For visualizations, click here and here. As illustrated there, my mask helps protect you and yours helps protect me. This coupled with asymptomatic transmission should convey why mandatory mask policies are being enacted throughout the United States.
Anyway, bringing this back to the fun stuff, we had an exceptional meal.
We’ve updated our Geyser Point Bar & Grill Review with items from this visit. Suffice to say, this is one of the best spots to eat at Walt Disney World right now.
On another positive note, construction walls! Okay, so normally construction during your resort stay would not be a positive, but this could explain why the hotel side of Wilderness Lodge does not yet have a reopening date.
With the Old Faithful Club Level being out of commission (and the only floor finished) plus two more floors currently under construction, it makes sense that the hotel side of Wilderness Lodge would simply remain closed until this work is finished. Hopefully this means the reopening date for Wilderness Lodge is simply TBD based upon construction progress, and not ‘closed indefinitely’ until demand picks back up.
In other news, here’s a look inside the gift shop. There were a couple of new-to-us items, including an awesome canteen (bottom middle), coffee cup (top middle), and a leather-billed hat (not pictured).
Everything else (including a lot more that’s not pictured) is just the same stuff covered in our Wilderness Lodge Update: New Rooms, Merchandise & Photos.
Ultimately, it was a great visit to Wilderness Lodge that, like BoardWalk Inn before it, was a chance for relaxation and hitting reset. With more guests at the resort, it was less surreal, but still far from crowded or discomforting. Quite simply, it was peaceful–which is hardly surprising given that serenity and tranquility are Wilderness Lodge’s normal strong suits. Those assets are especially appreciated right now!
Finally, a brief note. This post ended up focusing more on our frame of mind, justifications, and safety philosophies than initially intended. Going forward, we’re going to try getting away from that. As is, our middle ground perspective is probably alienating the vocal voices at each end of the spectrum–but this is how we feel and hopefully at least some of that is worth sharing. We’ve stressed that no one is going to change anyone else’s mind on controversial or polarizing topics via the comments section of a Disney blog…and that’s probably true of the body text, too.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
What are your thoughts on visiting Walt Disney World right now? Are you eagerly awaiting your next vacation ‘escape’ to Walt Disney World, or still apprehensive about everything going on right now? Think Wilderness Lodge would be a good place to stay? Do you have any questions about the current resort experience at Walt Disney World? Will you be attempting to visit Walt Disney World this summer or fall, or are you waiting until 2021 or beyond? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
Tom,
I loved your photos of probably our favorite hotel at Disney World. Everything looks so fresh and clean. And, as an upstate New Yorker, we are missing it terribly! Your shot of the hallway from Roaring Forks up to the main lobby is one of my favorite walks on Disney property – kudos for capturing that. We also love the walk and view from the Boulder Ridge Villas to the main lobby as well. Terrific job capturing the essence and feel of our favorite hotel.
Tom, what masks are you wearing in your photos? I think you mentioned them somewhere in a previous post, but I can’t find it.
Hi Tom. Thanks for the always insightful and uplifting posts – they are so welcome at this time. We are going on 4+ months of lockdown and need the vicarious anecdotes to put smiles on our faces.
Quick question – not sure if I’ve missed this in past posts – can you “resort hop” from where you are staying to another open resort? We have a reservation for August on points and will unfortunately lose them if we don’t come down, but we still are too uncomfortable, leaving the house, let alone traveling far from home.
Thanks in advance!
Tom, truly appreciate your voice as it pertains to risk mitigation. I cannot thank you enough for voicing the complexity of the issue (as every policy and requisite decision must address). I’m a Floridian in the panhandle with grandparents in Orlando and parents in Sarasota, and, though I feel comfortable leaving home and venturing, I hop that other folks like me (young-ish, healthy folks in their thirties) try to mitigate the risk to others. Seems to me that Disney is doing everything in their power. As my entire family has APs and DVC (and coming from a prior CM), I’d expect nothing less. My first stay back is in a month, and I’m excited to escape for a bit. As always, thanks for what you do and best wishes from one Floridian to another.
No offense Tom, but I hardly consider “stay at home for two weeks except for one grocery trip” to be “middle ground”. There are tens of millions of American’s who don’t have the luxury of a work-from-home job and must be out with the normal population on a daily basis. I suspect your ability to work-from-home and therefore stay home most of the time is highly skewing your mindset. The tens of millions of folks like me who have had to leave the house for (indoor) work for 40+ hours a week everyday this year see very little issue with spending 1 hr indoors at a restaurant.
No offense taken–you make a very fair point.
There’s definitely a divide between those who have the luxury of working from home and those who do not. That probably plays out in a variety of ways, including mindsets–my view of what’s “middle ground” may very well be a laughably impractical scenario for many people in light of their day to day lives.
I check this blog almost every day in between work tasks for a nice escape! These photos of the Wilderness Lodge… I can practically smell the scent of the “Disney water” by the rocking chairs! (Am I the only one who thinks fountain water smells differently in Disney??) With all reliable news sources contradicting each other and themselves, I actually did take your advice with the facemasks. No one around here was agreeing with me, I was starting to doubt my logic, but you folks seem reasonable so I figure if the precautions make sense to you then they really do make sense! Thanks for keeping up the blog despite all the negativity thrown your way.
Scent of the “Disney water” is a real thing! I can still remember the taste of the water from River Country having swallowed so much if it.
Thank you for your article – I look forward to your reviews as I find them honest, balanced and actually useful! I view tirades on use of masks and bubbly discussions of how perfectly safe Disney is equally vexing – they add nothing g to folks trying to make a decision on visiting. Please don’t feel the need to censor your feelings/opinions/concerns from your articles- many of us are experiencing the same conflicting emotions – our love of Disney vs our safety and our responsibility for safety of others in the middle of a pandemic.
Very well written and helpful piece!
We have been at Copper Creek since July 3rd and check out tomorrow. It’s been an incredible staycation; we were looking for the magic of Disney and to get a change of scenery after being at home for 4 months. Typical Disney, safety and magical moments all week. We went to the AP review yesterday from 1:45-6 and it was great. Too bad we can’t have the crowd levels like that at all times. We rode several rides multiple times with barely any wait. Got our Dole Whip and pretzels and a delicious dinner at Tony’s. I agree that I have felt safer here over the past 8 days than even going to Target, Lowe’s, etc.
Wilderness Lodge is so beautiful inside! Thanks for bringing us some magic while most of us are at home and missing our other “home”!!!
Thanks for the feedback and kind words, everyone. I was definitely not expecting that type of response (hence the note at the end), but it’s appreciated.
I’m also glad I had not started writing our Magic Kingdom AP preview report before seeing these comments. Off to do that now, with your feedback in mind. Stay tuned! 🙂
Tom – thanks for your honest assessment, it is very valuable to me as we consider our planning. I think some of us are really getting caught up in all of the disney world reopening news and continuing to plan trips. I really enjoy all the planning, researching, and discount hunting that goes into planning a trip. We still have a trip planned for late August that we now have the 40% discount, which was great. But, we are still going to wait and see if we feel safe about it and will be ok cancelling. We are from PA and are considering driving this time as flying is definitely a concern.
Can’t wait to read it!
That rug really ties the room together.
A+ reference.
We have been here at Copper Creek for 2 nights now, and it has been Wonderful due to the decreased crowds. Yesterday we went to the Boulder Ridge pool right after the torrential downpour in the afternoon, and it was very empty. It was great being able to be so distant from others, enjoy the pool, and even have a free cabana to relax in the shade! Everyone wore masks when not eating, drinking, or swimming, and it made for a really great stay. On to Jambo today, which I’m sure will be verrrry strange with all amenities closed save for the pool.
Have they opened Jambo after all?
Julia, yes on 7/10, DVC only of course. Amenities ie restaurants not open though. Cast members here definitely not as happy as Copper Creek.
I appreciate so very much your nuanced, informed approach to covering Disney in the age of COVID-19. Stay safe, and thank you for your wonderful reporting!
I appreciate your balanced, rational perspective on visiting WDW. I think most people, although they are not vocal about it, share your middle ground perspective.
I appreciate your photo of my favorite hallway also. Especially when it comes with a King reference.
The WL is my favorite resort and these photos are beautiful.
Hi Tom. Great article! It was just what I needed to read while getting ready for a last minute trip (7/12-7/17) to animal kingdom kidani. I apologize if you’ve answered this before but do you know if resort restaurants are doing carry out dining?
Counter service offer carry-out but unless something has changed recently (and that’s always possible), table service do not.
We are at Sanaa last night and it was great as always! Socially distanced tables. They have breakfast carry out at Sana’a also
Thanks for the really balanced detail. Wish we were Florida residents and could “escape” to one of the resorts for some (safe & socially distanced) r&r. We’re in the uk and have DVC points to use by end of November so have taken a huge gamble and booked flights and rooms. There’s huge risk involved and I’m flagged as high risk due to a lung issue, but there’s a huge benefit to living life vs sitting inside and going crazy- as I’m currently doing! It’s really reassuring to hear what an amazing job Disney are doing and it fills us with hope. If everyone was respectful of each other and stayed sensible we can all do our part to slow the transmission and enjoy a more normal way of life.
Thank you for your posts, really enjoy reading them.
Wilderness Lodge and its “sister” Animal Kingdom Lodge are prime examples of “they don’t build ’em like that anymore” WDW hotels. Such warmth and a strong sense of place! You can’t help but feel the theme and atmosphere on gut level. The photos on this post really illustrate that vibe. Great work!
Agreed. Even if they’re not to someone’s tastes, I don’t see how anyone can look at Wilderness or Animal Kingdom Lodges, then look at Riviera Resort and say, “yeah, those are all of the same quality.”
Great info, we have stays at the campground in Sept and Dec and have concerns like everyone else, still up in the air wether or not to go.
Thank you for your always thoughtful posts. I appreciate how you share your perspective – with honesty, background, and nuance. I imagine that’s why you’ve developed such a strong following. You’ve got a loyal reader. Keep doing what you do – thank you!
As a local (Lakeland), I appreciate your tendency to talk about the middle ground approach you’re taking. I’m pretty much in the same boat, as I’m currently working from home and seldom venture out. I’ve been weighing my options the past week when I was able to get into the preview. On one hand, I’m playing it safe and wish others would do the same as much as possible. On the other, Disney’s precautions feel so above and beyond everything else in Central Florida that it seemed ok to try.
Last minute, a couple of my family members decided to seize the opportunity and go to MK. I have genuinely never seen the park that empty during the day. We walked into the park right at 3:30 and were astounded. We did some light shopping, ate a meal, rode 6 rides (Mine Train was 12 minutes from entry to exit and everything else was walk on), ate a Dole Whip, and were back in our car by 7:45. We were easily able to keep distanced, hand washing/sanitizer was readily available, and no one seemed to be trying to break the mask rule. Truly, I felt safer this afternoon than venturing into Publix or Target.
Do I think people should be rushing from all over the country/world to WDW anytime soon? No, I don’t. The places they are in are most likely to be handling this way better than Florida. However, as a Floridian, this was an afternoon where I could get out of the house and feel somewhat safe.
Also, your carpet narrative cracked me up!