Honest Review of Disney’s Wilderness Lodge at WDW
If you are planning a visit to Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, you’re in for a treat! This beautifully themed resort at Disney World is the perfect place to stay on your vacation. With its unique dining options, convenient location, and roomy accommodations, the Wilderness Lodge at Disney World is great for families, couples, or friends visiting WDW in Florida.
If you’re looking for all the tips and information you need to know about this amazing Disney hotel before your visit, we’ve got you covered! In the post below, we’ll explain our favorite tips for finding cheap rates at Wilderness Lodge along with information on the best spots to eat and must-do activities while on property.
So, continue reading our ultimate guide to Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, so you don’t miss out on any of the fun activities and amazing entertainment options at one of the best deluxe Disney World resorts!
(This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, I may receive a small compensation at no extra cost to you. Please see my disclosure policy at the bottom of this page for more details.)
Disney Wilderness Lodge Restaurants
One of our favorite features of Disney’s Wilderness Lodge is the dining options offered on property. From character dining to quick service restaurants to unique dining experiences, the Wilderness Lodge has it all!
Guests can visit Artist Point to enjoy dinner with characters from the movie Snow White. This character experience, known as Story Book Dining at Artist Point, features classic Disney characters like Snow White, Dopey, Grumpy, and the Evil Queen.
If you’re looking for a quicker meal, head over to Roaring Fork. This restaurant offers counter service options at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You’ll also find some grab and go items available as well. Geyser Point Bar & Grill is another quick service option where you can order to-go items or be seated for full service. This open-air restaurant features beautiful views of the lake.
Territory Lounge sits in the lobby of Wilderness Lodge and is the place to go for cocktails and beverages. In addition to the full bar menu, you can find a small selection of appetizers here. Finally, Whispering Canyon Cafe is a full service restaurant located in the lobby of the Wilderness Lodge. This dining experience includes a unique menu along with wait staff who humorously give guests a hard time.
No matter where you choose to dine at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, you’ll find friendly cast members and diverse menus that offer food for the whole family to enjoy. My husband has a gluten allergy and a dairy allergy, and each restaurant was able to accommodate his dietary restrictions.
Wilderness Lodge Rooms
The guest rooms at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge offer woodsy themed decor, modern bathrooms, and balconies. You can choose anything from a standard room (with 2 queen beds or 1 king bed) to a spacious cabin with multiple bedrooms.
During the booking process, you’ll also be able to choose the type of view you would like. The Wilderness Lodge in Disney World offers standard view rooms that look over parking lots/roofs, resort view rooms that face landscape, water view rooms that look over the pool or lake, and fireworks view rooms that allow you to watch the Magic Kingdom fireworks from your room’s balcony.
While visiting Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, you’ll also notice lakefront cabins lining the water. These spacious cabins are part of the Copper Creek Villas and Cabins, and they even include a hot tub on the large porch. If you’re interested in pricing out one of these Disney Wilderness Lodge cabin rentals, we highly recommend checking out the cost calculator here.
Wilderness Lodge Prices
Since Disney’s Wilderness Lodge is classified as a deluxe hotel, the prices are typically higher than those that you’d find at a value or moderate resort. That being said, the Wilderness Lodge at Disney World usually features rates that are cheaper than other deluxe hotels.
Although the official Disney World website shows the average cost of a room at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge is over $800, my family and I have never paid that much to stay there. Instead, our rooms at the Wilderness Lodge usually cost between $350 and $500.
If you’re open to booking one of the Wilderness Lodge villas, you can really save a lot on your trip. This is by far our favorite way to stay at WDW for a fraction of the regular price. Disney’s Wilderness Lodge has two villas on site, which means they share pools, restaurants, and other amenities with the main hotel. We highly recommend pricing out the rooms at the villas before booking the hotel.
Both of the Wilderness Lodge villas (Boulder Ridge Villas AND Copper Creek Villas and Cabins) offer beautifully designed rooms with balconies. If you book one of the villas through our preferred company, David’s Vacation Club Rentals, you can sometimes even score a one, two, or three bedroom villa for the price of a regular hotel room. These one, two, and three bedroom suites come with full kitchens, washers and dryers, and separate living/sleeping areas.
To price out the cost of a villa, just visit the cost calculator on David’s rental website. This is always our first go-to source when booking a room at Disney World as you can book really spacious rooms for the price of a moderate hotel. Our family has used David’s Vacation Club Rentals multiple times over the years and have always had amazing experiences. You can read more about how the process works in our post on the best DVC rental sites.
23 Best Things to Do at Wilderness Lodge
Disney’s Wilderness Lodge is full of amazing activities and entertainment options for guests to enjoy. Below, we will include our top picks for the best things to do at Wilderness Lodge in Disney.
1. Meet characters from Snow White.
If you attend the Storybook Dining character meal, you can meet the Queen, Snow White, and some of the seven dwarfs.
2. Marvel at Fire Rock Geyser.
The large geyser is located just behind the main pool area, and you can enjoy the show each hour on the hour. The views are really pretty here, and it makes a great photo op.
3. View the Electrical Water Pageant.
Head down to Geyser Point to view the Electrical Water Pageant each evening. The nighttime show usually runs at around 9:30 on the lake.
4. Slide on the water slide at Copper Creek Springs Pool.
The Copper Creek Springs Pool, which is the main pool at Wilderness Lodge, features a medium sized water slide that is perfect for kids of all ages.
5. Ask for Ketchup at Whispering Canyon.
The Whispering Canyon dining experience is one you won’t want to miss! We highly recommend asking for ketchup after you get your food. The response is lots of fun!
6. Browse through the gift shop.
You can find everything from a small selection of grocery items to Disney toys and merchandise at the gift shop near the lobby.
7. Take part in pool games.
Each afternoon the main pool features activities that the whole family can enjoy for free. You’ll find things like hula hoop contests, “fishing” competitions, and more at the Copper Creek Springs Pool.
8. Look for wild animals.
My kids absolutely love all the wildlife you see at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. We found tiny lizards, bunnies, squirrels, ducks, and even a snake during our stay.
9. Play in the arcade.
The arcade is a great spot to kill time while at Wilderness Lodge. If you’re wanting to know what to do at Disney World when it rains, the hotel arcades are a great option!
10. Meet characters in the lobby.
The main lobby at Wilderness Lodge sometimes features surprise character visits. During our last visit to the resort, we met Chip and Dale in the lobby during the mid-afternoon.
11. Workout at Sturdy Branches Health Club.
This fitness center is located in the Boulder Ridge building and can be accessed from the outside or near the entrance to Boulder Ridge Villas.
12. Tour a Cascade Cabin.
At times, you can visit the Disney Vacation Club desk to ask for a tour of the Copper Creek cabins.
13. Roast s’mores at the campfire.
Guests can attend the campfire for free each evening. You can also purchase kits to make s’mores by the fire.
14. Stroll through the jogging trails.
The jogging trails and walking paths allow you to explore the beautiful property of the Wilderness Lodge. Just make sure you watch out for all the wildlife mentioned above!
15. Watch Magic Kingdom fireworks.
The Magic Kingdom fireworks show is visible from some of the room balconies. If your room doesn’t have a view of this nightly entertainment, just head down to Geyser Point Bar and Grill to watch the show.
16. Attend the Wonders of the Lodge Art and Architecture Tour.
You can join an informative architectural tour of the hotel daily at 9:00 AM.
17. Take selfies in front of the waterfall and boulder.
The beautifully designed Wilderness Lodge at Disney World is full of great spots to take photos. One of the best backdrops is the waterfall and boulder near the main pool.
18. Relax at Boulder Ridge Cove Pool.
The Boulder Ridge Cove Pool is typically much quieter and less busy than the main pool area. However, this pool is huge and serves as a great place to cool off from the heat.
19. Ride the boat to Disney’s Magic Kingdom.
Even if you don’t have park tickets, you can take the short boat ride from the hotel to Disney’s Magic Kingdom and back again.
20. Watch a movie under the stars.
Each evening (weather permitting), Disney’s Wilderness Lodge shows an outdoor movie for guests to enjoy. You will find the month’s movie schedule on the resort recreation calendar that’s posted throughout the hotel.
21. Join the craft of the day activity.
While not a free activity, you can partake in the Craft of the Day event that takes place daily at 4:00 in the afternoon.
22. Book a fishing excursion.
You can board a boat for a fun fishing excursion just off the dock at Wilderness Lodge.
23. Play at the splash pad.
Just off the main pool, you’ll find a really great water play area for younger kids. This includes small water slides and little fountains to run through.
(It’s important to note that guests at Wilderness Lodge used to be able to walk to Fort Wilderness and enjoy additional activities at that resort. However, this trail is no longer open.)
Transportation from Wilderness Lodge
Disney’s Wilderness Lodge is a great option for visitors to WDW because it offers multiple transportation options for guests. If you’re wondering how to get from Wilderness Lodge to the various theme parks using Disney transportation, these are the ways we find most convenient.
To Magic Kingdom
While Disney’s Wilderness Lodge offers bus service to Magic Kingdom, we recommend taking the water taxi. The boat service to the theme park typically takes around 10 minutes.
To Epcot
You will need to board a bus to get to/from Epcot. The actual ride straight from Wilderness Lodge to Epcot typically takes 15 minutes. However, you may wait up to 20 minutes for a bus to arrive to pick you up, so make sure you plan accordingly.
To Animal Kingdom
Similar to the ride to Epcot, the bus to Animal Kingdom is around a 15 minute ride. Again, you will want to factor in waiting for the bus if you are trying to stay on a schedule.
To Hollywood Studios
Hollywood Studios is also located roughly a 15 minute bus ride away from Disney’s Wilderness Lodge.
Is Disney Wilderness Lodge Worth the Money
Overall, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge is one of my family’s favorite deluxe resorts at Walt Disney World. The theming is so impressive that you truly feel like you’re in a mountain lodge rather than at a resort in Florida.
The cast members are so friendly and helpful, including those behind the front desk, the valets, the lifeguards, etc. Additionally, the rooms are beautifully decorated and the dining options are really incredible. We also love the amazing views from the hotel, including the lake and boulder waterfalls.
Plus, the added bonus of being able to enjoy the Electrical Water Pageant and Magic Kingdom fireworks right from the resort really can’t be beat! If you’re looking for a deluxe Disney hotel with a convenient location and lots of fun activities, we highly recommend checking out the Wilderness Lodge at Disney World.
We hope you enjoy your Walt Disney World vacation and Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Resort! Continue the discussion in our Mom’s Guide to Disney Resorts Facebook Group! What are your favorite things to do at Wilderness Lodge? Comment below to share with us!
