We tried 1 of Disney’s cheapest deluxe resorts — here’s what Disney’s Wilderness Lodge is like

When you pull up to Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, you may only be a mile or two from the gates of the Magic Kingdom, but you will feel like you’ve left Central Florida in favor of a national park filled with tall trees and ample shade. You may even get flashbacks to Old Faithful Inn or Glacier Park Lodge when you walk through the doors into the oversized atrium.

While those authentic and traditional national park lodges are absolutely worth a visit, staying at the Disney version can be a little bit easier and a lot more attainable, as it offers significantly more rooms and stays open year-round. Not to mention, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge just unveiled newly refurbished rooms that were part of a larger renovation carried out during the pandemic closure.

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Although the iconic property, which first opened in 1994, has been freshened up, it’s still the tried-and-true themed resort inspired by America’s great national park lodges that many Disney fans — us included — have come to love. Plus, its location on the shores of Disney’s Bay Lake makes it convenient for a day at the parks, as it’s a short boat ride away from the Magic Kingdom.

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But should you go out of your way to visit Disney’s Wilderness Lodge now that it’s been updated? Here’s what it’s like staying at one of Disney World‘s most affordable deluxe resorts — and all you need to know before you reserve a room.

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Booking

As a deluxe Disney resort, rooms here are not inexpensive. However, the rates can be lower than at many of the other deluxe resorts, as the property is not within walking distance of any of the Disney theme parks.

Rates for entry-level rooms at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge usually sit between $300 and $500 per night, though Disney sales and discounts can cause that price to fall below $300 per night at certain times of the year. On the night of my most recent stay, my room was $392 per night without taxes and fees.

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For this visit, I paid with my Chase Sapphire Reserve so I would earn 3 points per dollar spent on my room. You can also book Disney resorts using some types of credit card points, such as Citi ThankYou or Bilt Rewards points, but this was not an option for me with Chase, as you cannot currently use Chase points to cover the cost of Disney resorts or tickets.

To save money in another way, you can book your stay with discounted Disney gift cards. Or, if you want to stay at one of the Disney Vacation Club properties that sit on the same grounds (Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and the Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge), you could try renting Disney Vacation Club points. Depending on when you visit, using DVC points could be the cheaper way to go; you’ll not only be spared from paying $24 per day for parking but could also save up to 50% on the retail price.

Related: Best credit cards for Disney and Universal vacations

Location

Disney’s Wilderness Lodge overlooks Bay Lake, so you can take a short boat ride to the Magic Kingdom from the property.

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Boat rides generally take less than 10 minutes from dock to dock, meaning you could be through the gates of the Magic Kingdom in about 20 minutes … if you time your departure just right. Helping cut down on your wait to get in is the separate security area by the dock you pass through after arriving.

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You can also use Minnie Vans to get to other parts of the Disney property from the lodge. The last time I went with this service, my ride took about 11 minutes from door to door. However, the wait for Minnie Vans can vary, so be sure to allow for extra time.

Check-in

The grandness of the lobby at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge is rivaled only by Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, which was designed by the same architect a few years after Disney’s Wilderness Lodge.

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You can check in and go straight to your room via Disney’s app. However, I like to do it the old-fashioned way here.

During my most recent stay, the cast members at the reception desk had good news waiting for me when I arrived: My one-night stay in a standard room had been upgraded (aka “pixie dusted”) to a club-level stay. This was fantastically good news, as club-level rooms are generally several hundred dollars more per night.

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As luck would have it, this is the second time I’ve been upgraded to a club-level accommodation at this Disney resort in as many stays. That’s a small sample size, but it’s noteworthy since it’s never happened to me at any other Disney resort.

Because I was upgraded to a club-level room, a cast member came down from the Old Faithful Club lounge to escort me to the venue to finish the check-in process and show me to my room.

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Related: Magic at every budget: These are the best hotels at Walt Disney World in 2022

Room

Before I show you my room from my most recent visit, here’s a look at the pre-renovation rooms at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge so you can get a sense of what recently changed.

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Instead of the dated Western-style carpet and more rustic bedframes featuring frontier scenes etched onto the headboards, the renovated rooms offer forest-inspired wallpaper, wood floors, fresh lamps, additional outlets and more modern furnishings with natural elements like stone and wood. Plus, you’ll find a number of contemporary conveniences commonly found in up-to-date hotels, including flat-panel TVs and Keurig coffee makers.

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While pops of red are still part of the updated look, the rooms are now less influenced by the American West and more on par with what you may find in the forests where Bambi, Chip and Dale reside. You’ll even find subtle nods to these classic Disney characters in details like framed artwork and wallpaper.

The bathrooms at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge also benefited from a refresh. Mine had a walk-in shower and a single vanity with a toilet in its own small room that could be closed off with a pocket door.

Some rooms at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, such as the one I was upgraded to, face the Magic Kingdom, so you’ll enjoy views of the park’s nighttime fireworks show from your furnished balcony.

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Food and beverage

If you stay in the Old Faithful Club at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, you have access to a few breakfast items, plus snacks and drinks throughout the day and evening, in the lounge.

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Breakfast each morning consisted of options such as muffins, croissants, bagels, hard-boiled eggs, lox, fruit, turkey bacon and French toast sticks. A couple of juices, iced tea and espresso beverages via a Nespresso machine were also available.

In the afternoon, the offerings switched to snacks like cookies, chips and candies.

There were several Coke products, too. Plus, a selection of beer and wine was available upon request.

I stayed here while in Orlando testing out the return of Victoria & Albert’s in Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, so I wasn’t able to fully check out the evening lounge selection. However, there are hearty appetizers that you can turn into a light meal if you are not ravenous.

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My favorite time in a Disney club lounge is when the day ends and the evening fireworks begin. This is because music for the show is piped in so you can watch from the balcony as if you’re in the parks. At Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, the same is true, so I enjoyed a superb view of the Magic Kingdom’s fireworks from the lounge’s two balconies during my latest stay.

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Besides the lounge, there are a number of other dining options at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge providing everything from casual meals to memorable character dining experiences.

One of our favorite places to eat outdoors at Disney World is the lodge’s casual quick-service restaurant, Roaring Fork. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, this grab-and-go venue dishes up comfort classics like chili, meat and veggie burgers, pulled pork sandwiches and french fries.

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Another casual option outdoors is Geyser Point Bar & Grill. When the weather is nice, this is a great spot for an evening cocktail, as it sits adjacent to the lake.

To go along with the cocktails, which include options like the Frose (frozen rose), the eatery serves a variety of lunch and dinner items, such as a bison burger, a grilled portobello salad and a children’s sampler of finger foods.

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