Complete Guide to Wilderness Lodge (w/ review)

Disney’s Wilderness Lodge is a Deluxe Resort that can be found in the Magic Kingdom resort area.

From popular dining, to photographic views, to embracing the great outdoors, to its Pacific Northwest theme, Wilderness Lodge has a lot to offer.

This is 1 of 8 Deluxe Resort hotels (not including Deluxe Villas) on Disney World property. This is truly one of the most beautiful resorts on property.

You can also find 2 Disney Vacation Club resorts here as well. They are: Copper Creek Villas & Cabins and Boulder Ridge Villas.

Here’s everything else you need to know about Wilderness Lodge.

Quick review

Submit your review at the bottom of the page.

Pros and Cons

Pros: One of the most affordable of the Deluxes, great theming, beautiful grounds, can take boat to Magic Kingdom, can view Electrical Water Pageant, one of the most beautiful at Christmas

Cons: Shared buses, most rooms are smaller than other Deluxe Resort rooms and will only accommodate four people (can have 5th person if they are under 3)

Overview

Wilderness Lodge is a gorgeous resort offering guests a rustic vibe with stunning views, all while being located super close to Magic Kingdom.

There are pine forests, nature trails, a geyser, and other ways the resort celebrates the great outdoor. In addition to Wilderness Lodge being beloved for its overall theme, it features popular dining, including character dining with Snow White, the Whispering Canyon Café that offers unforgettable skillets, and several other options.

When it comes to rooms, there are a variety of styles you can book, in addition to rooms that have Club Level Access, which we go into more detail later.

Wilderness Lodge first opened in 1994 and continues to thrive. Let’s go over what else you need to know.

Guest Rooms And Bathrooms

Wilderness Lodge has a variety of room offerings. Depending on which room you book, you can sleep up to 4 adults. 

There are, of course, the standard amenities, including a hairdryer, TV, free WiFi, a Keurig coffee maker, telephone, in-room safe, and an iron and ironing board. There are also a range of views, including the pool, courtyard, woodlands, waterfall, Bay Lake, Copper Creek, and more.

The rooms also have both standard and USB outlets scattered around, with some near the beds and TV stands. Better yet, there is even space underneath the beds for storing luggage and whatever else you need to get out of the way.

As for the bathrooms, each offer a nice amount of counter space and drawers, cupboards, and cubbies to store belongings. 

Now, let’s take a look at the rooms and their offerings.

Standard Rooms And Suites Without Club Level Service

• Standard View: Views of Service Areas,  Rooftop or Parking Areas; 2 Queen Beds

• Courtyard View: Views of Courtyard, Pool, Waterfall or Bay Lake; 2 Queen Beds
• Nature View: Views of Landscape, Trees, or Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge; 2 Queen Beds

• Courtyard View — King Bed: Views of Courtyard, Pool, Waterfall or Bay Lake; 1 King Bed
• Nature Fireworks View: Views of Landscape or Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and Partial View of Magic Kingdom Fireworks; 2 Queen Beds

• Standard View — King Bed: Views of Service Areas, Rooftop or Parking Areas; 1 King Bed
• Nature Fireworks View — King Bed: Views of Landscape or Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and Partial View of Magic Kingdom Fireworks; 1 King Bed

• Nature View — King Bed: Views of Landscape, Trees, or Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge; 1 King Bed

Room And Suites With Club-Level Service

• Standard Room — Club Level: Views of Woodlands, Courtyard, Pool, Waterfall or Bay Lake; 1 Queen Bed and 1 Bunk Bed or 2 Queen Beds

• Standard Room — King Bed — Club Level: Views of Woodlands, Courtyard, Pool, Waterfall or Bay Lake; 1 King Bed 
• Deluxe Room — Club Level: Views of Bay Lake, Woodlands or Interior Courtyard; Deluxe Room is larger than Standard Room; 2 Queen Beds and 1 Queen-Size Sleeper Sofa

Note: There are also both wheelchair and hearing accessible rooms available that include accessible bathrooms and visual alarms.

You can check out room layouts below.

Wilderness Lodge Resort Room Options

Room type(s)	Bed size	Max people per room	Floor plan
Standard View Views of Service Areas,  Rooftop or Parking Areas	2 Queen Beds	4
Courtyard View Views of Courtyard, Pool, Waterfall or Bay Lake	2 Queen Beds	4
Nature View Views of Landscape, Trees, or Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge	2 Queen Beds	4
Nature Fireworks View Views of the Pool, Courtyard or Parking Area	2 Queen Beds	4
Standard View – King Bed Views of Service Areas,  Rooftop or Parking Areas	1 King Bed	2
Courtyard View – King Bed Views of Courtyard, Pool, Waterfall or Bay Lake	1 King Bed	2
Nature View – King Bed Views of Landscape, Trees, or Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge	1 King Bed	2
Nature Fireworks View – King Bed Views of Landscape or Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and Partial View of Magic Kingdom Fireworks	1 King Bed	2
Standard Room – Club Level Views of Woodlands, Courtyard, Pool, Waterfall or Bay Lake	2 Queen Beds	4
Standard Room – King Bed – Club Level Views of Woodlands, Courtyard, Pool, Waterfall or Bay Lake	1 King Bed	2
Deluxe Room – Club Level Access Views of Bay Lake, Woodlands or Interior Courtyard	2 Queen Beds and 1 Queen-Size Sleeper Sofa	6

VIDEO: Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Resort tour (rooms, pools, dining)

Checking In And Out

When it comes to checking in and out, you have a few options: at the front desk, online through the official Walt Disney World website, or via the My Disney Experience app.

The front desk is located in the lobby of the main building of Wilderness Lodge. Even though the front desk is there to assist guests, especially with checking in and checking out, all Disney World Resort guests are encouraged to check-in online or by using MDE.

• Checking-In: After you check-in online or using the app, you’ll receive a room-ready notification via next. You can then use your MagicBand or MDE’s digital key feature to unlock your room door.
• Checking-Out: Currently, guests will automatically be checked out of their rooms. But, if you have unresolved charges to your hotel folio, you’ll need to visit the front desk.

Note: Guests also have the option of to chat virtually with resort Cast Members via MDE for any assistance. 

As for the pickup and dropoff location for Mears Connect (which is the replacement for Magical Express) and the bus stop, you can find those near the main lobby of Wilderness Lodge, along with luggage storage for those who have checked out or are waiting to check in.

Note: Resort Airline Check-In and Magical Express are no longer available.

Package Delivery & Pick Up

You can have packages and groceries delivered to your Disney Resort hotel, along with shipping select items home.

Here’s everything you need to know about having packages delivered and picking them up.

Grocery Delivery

You can have groceries delivered directly to your Disney Resort hotel. Dry-good storage and refrigerated storage are offered (subject to availability).

Important: a $6 fee will be charged to your room account for each grocery delivery order brought to your room by Bell Services or Luggage Assistance. Or, you can pick up these deliveries yourself from Bell Services or Luggage Assistance — at no charge.

Select items will need to be picked up in person, like alcohol. Most grocery delivery services require an individual of age to sign for alcohol and to show valid identification. Disney Resort hotels will not accept these types of orders on behalf of you.

Resort Hotel Delivery (temporarily unavailable)

If you’re staying at a Disney Resort hotel, you can have park souvenirs delivered to your hotel instead of carrying them around with you all day.

Just tell the Cast Member at checkout that you want your purchase delivered to your hotel. You’ll usually pick up these items at your hotel’s gift shop (a Cast Member should tell you the designated pick-up location).

Home Delivery

In-park purchases can also be shipped to your home via UPS or FedEx for an additional fee.

Sending and Receiving Mail

Sending Mail

You can mail postcards, letters, and packages from the theme parks and select Disney Resort hotels.

Letter and Postcards
Postcards and letters with postage already applied can be mailed from any mail box located throughout the theme parks and at the Front Desk of Disney Resort hotels.

Packages
You can ship pre-packed, pre-labeled packages at the Front Desk or Concierge desk of most Disney Resort hotels. Hotels that include an onsite Business Center, including Disney’s Contemporary Resort and Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, can also ship packages for you.

Regular shipping and handling fees will apply.

Purchasing Postage
Postage stamps are available for purchase at various gift shops including:

• Art of Disney (Epcot)
• Celebrity 5 & 10 (Hollywood Studios)
• Disney Springs Welcome Center (Disney Springs)
• Disney Traders (Epcot)
• Garden Gate Gifts (Animal Kingdom)
• Heritage Manor (Epcot)
• Main Street Chamber of Commerce (Magic Kingdom)
• Mickey’s Gift Station (Transportation and Ticket Center)
• Mickey’s of Hollywood (Hollywood Studios)
• Movieland Memorabilia (Hollywood Studios)
• Newsstand (Magic Kingdom)
• The Outpost Shop (Animal Kingdom)
• Sundries (Disney Springs)

Receiving Mail

If you’re staying at a Disney Resort hotel, you can receive mail throughout your stay. Occasionally, some guests will ship items in advance of their vacation to help save luggage space.

If you want to receive mail during your vacation, be sure the letter or package:

• Includes the mailing address of your Disney Resort Hotel
• Clearly features the word “Guest” on the front and the date of your arrival

Important: a $6 per package handling fee will apply to all packages that are received through the Front Desk or are delivered to your Disney Resort hotel room.

Parking

Although parking at Disney World resort hotels used to cost a nightly fee for resort guests, Disney has changed their policy so that parking is now free for all on-site resort guests. This change was implemented on January 10, 2023.

Valet parking is also available for $33 per night.

Complimentary standard self-parking is available for non-resort guests exploring dining, shopping, entertainment, and other experiences during the day.

We also have a complete Walt Disney World parking guide you can browse.

Important: Valet parking might not always be available.

Resort Map

Wilderness Lodge Building

Wilderness Lodge guest rooms are located in the same area, within different buildings that are all connected.

The guest room buildings surround the courtyard and pool area. Depending on what you book, your room may offer some stunning views.

Once you enter the lobby, you simply follow the signs that will lead you to the guest rooms. There are elevators, as well.

Amenities And Shops

From gift shops, to a spa and fitness center, there are several amenities offered to guests staying at Wilderness Lodge.

Important note: Some of the following amenities might not be available at all times.

• Wilderness Lodge Mercantile: Find everyday essentials, souvenirs, beverages, and snacks.
• Laundry Services: There is a 24-hour self-service laundry room just beyond Roaring Fork.

• Dry Cleaning Services: Dry cleaning and valet laundry services are also an option.
• Electrical Water Pageant: A nighttime water parade that sails along on Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake
• Movies Under the Stars: Watch complimentary Disney movies between the marina and Geyser Point Bar & Grill.
• Salon by the Springs: A one-stop spot for manicures, pedicures, hair services, and more right by the pool.
• Sturdy Branches Health Club: A full-service fitness and center.

• Childcare Services: In-room babysitting for children 6 months to 12 years old.

Pools And Recreation

Wilderness Lodge offers several different types of recreation, along with swimming pools. If you need a non-park day, we recommended spending the day at your hotel and enjoying a Disney Resort pool.

Important note: Some of the pools and recreation options might not be available at all times.

There are two different pools to enjoy.

• Copper Creek Springs Pool: Features a 67-foot waterslide, hot and cold whirlpool spas, and an activity play area for kids.

• Boulder Ridge Cove Pool: A more relaxing pool with a whirlpool spa and a zero-depth entry pool. 

Some other recreational options include:

• Bike Rentals
• Motorized Boat Rentals
• Buttons and Bells Arcade
• Fishing
• Jogging Trails
• Campfire to roast marshmallows

How to get from Wilderness Lodge to anywhere at Disney World

There are two main forms of transportation: buses and watercraft transportation. Buses will take you to all four theme parks and Disney Springs. The boats will take you to either Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, and Disney’s Contemporary Resort. Check out all of the ways to get around Walt Disney World below.

Restaurant & Dining Options

There are several dining options at Wilderness Lodge. You can choose from both Quick Service and Table Service options, including character dining with Snow White, the Evil Queen, and some of the Seven Dwarfs at Artist Point. To make things easier, Roaring Fork has Mobile Order.

Whispering Canyon Cafe and Artist Point also offer Mobile Dine Check-In, meaning you’ll check-in using the My Disney Experience app rather than going to the host stand. When your table is ready, you’ll be notified to proceed to a specific location. You can read more about the dining options below.

Quick Service

Roaring Fork

This is a food court-style restaurant with several stations that serve burgers, salads, sandwiches, barbecue, and more.

Location type: Food Court
Type of food: American
Meals Served: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, & late night dining
Seating Available: Indoor

• Link to breakfast menu
• Link to lunch menu
• Link to dinner menu
• Link to late night dining menu

• On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 quick service credit
• Is Mobile Order available? Yes
• Pros: Usually good service, often have interesting seasonal cupcake options
• Cons: Mediocre food, small and can be very busy/crowded during peak meal times

Geyser Point Bar & Grill

This is an outdoor bar and grill with beautiful views of Bay Lake.

Location type: Quick service dining and lounge
Type of food: American
Meals Served: Lunch & dinner
Seating Available: Indoor

• Link to lunch menu
• Link to dinner menu

• On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 quick service credit
• Is Mobile Order available? Yes
• Pros: Lovely covered outdoor seating (with heaters and retractable walls for cooler months), home-made chips and many unique food options that should appeal to a wide range of tastes
• Cons: Out of the way for a Quick Service meal (unless you are staying at the Wilderness Lodge)

Table Service

Whispering Canyon Cafe

This is a table service restaurant featuring fun shenanigans and western fare and is located in the lobby of Wilderness Lodge.

Location type: Themed Dining
Type of food: American
Meals Served: Breakfast, lunch, & dinner
Seating Available: Indoor

• Link to breakfast menu
• Link to lunch menu
• Link to dinner menu

• On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 table service credit
• Pros: Family-pleasing food (skillets/platters) and a fun atmosphere that includes “pony” races
• Cons: Noisy, little bit pricey, and while the servers here used to be known for their shenanigans, those have been scaled back (which takes away some from the fun)

Story Book Dining at Artist Point with Snow White

Enjoy a prix fixe menu in an enchanted forest, with visits from Snow White, dwarfs, and the opportunity to meet the (Evil) Queen.

Location type: Character Dining
Type of food: American
Meals Served: Dinner
Seating Available: Indoor

• Link to dinner menu

• On the Disney Dining Plan? Yes, 1 table service credit
• Pros: Opportunity to meet Snow White and the Evil Queen, fun themed menu
• Cons: Can be a little bit of a hassle to get there if you aren’t staying at Wilderness Lodge or have plans to be at Magic Kingdom that day

Everything Else

Territory Lounge

The Outer Rim is a bar that strictly serves drinks, but it’s a great way to enjoy the evening with some stunning views of Bay Lake.

Location type: Lounge
Type of food: A lounge that serves both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, as well as light snacks
Meals Served: Snacks
Seating Available: Indoor

• Link to menu

• On the Disney Dining Plan? No
• Is Mobile Order available? No
• Pros: Fantastic place to grab a drink and appetizer, great ambiance
• Cons: Can be noisy, Disney Dining Plan credits not accepted

Scheduled Refurbishments

No scheduled refurbishments.

Other Info

• Wilderness Lodge Resort Maps
• Pros and Cons of on-site Walt Disney World Resort hotels

Submit Your Wilderness Lodge Review

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