Cameragrl
Registered: July 2010
Posts: 7
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Review Date: Sat April 27, 2013
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Beautiful, amazing staff
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Cons:
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We stayed here 4/17-4/22 and our stay was amazing! I was a little nervous when we checked in at 1 am. The girl working the front desk was not overly helpful and didn't seem too happy to be there, but then again it was 1 am.
The room was clean and really quiet. In fact, the room was so quiet that we kept our balcony door open so that we could sleep. We had a room on the 6th floor over looking the courtyard. It was so nice to sit on the balcony and over look the courtyard.
We were traveling with my 13 month niece and never once worried about her being too loud or allowing her to run in the lobby. She is not in any way unruly, but she is a 13 month old that had spent a lot of time in the stroller. She loved the lobby and being able to go out on the balcony. In the other deluxe resorts we would have been nervous to let her run around, but here we felt at home while keep that deluxe resort feel.
The last day of our trip we went to DTD and came back with a very sleepy child. The front desk offered us a key to a room so that we could let her take a nap before our flight home. That was going above and beyond! Would highly recommend the Wilderness Lodge!
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Gadawggirl
Registered: February 2013
Location: Georgia
Posts: 6
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Review Date: Sat February 16, 2013
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 8
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Pros:
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Room, decorations, lots to do.
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Cons:
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6th floor balcony, boat horn
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Our first time at the Lodge and it's soooo nice! I hope to be able to stay there again. We have stayed in the value and the moderate resorts and this place blows them out of the water! Quite and relaxing place. Only disappointment was that the 6th floor balcony is a wall and not a rail so you have to stand up to see the view. We had a courtyard view.
We took our bikes this year and was able to ride them to Ft. Wilderness Campground where we ate breakfast one morning.(de-lish) We rode about 10 miles just looking around the campground.
You can see the light parade from the beach at night.
Buses were good and I enjoyed that you can take the boat to Magic Kingdom.
Roaring Fork was a great place to grab a quick bite.
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dandnmom
Registered: February 2013
Location: Cincinnati OH
Posts: 2
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Review Date: Mon February 11, 2013
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Would you recommend the product? No
| Rating: 3
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Pros:
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beautiful surroundings
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Cons:
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manager interefered; upgraded room not worth $$
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After trying Value & Moderate Resorts on prior vacations, booked a room at the Wilderness Lodge. The greeting was wonderful - didn't even have to check in- the package was brought to us and we were oriented to the Lodge. WOW - what incredibly beautiful surroundings. No theming detail was missed.
Paid extra for a Courtyard View - this was a waste of money! Was on the second floor - only saw trees off the balcony w/ a glimpse of the pool & nothing of the geyser or lake. Food in quick-service was very good but the actual serving area was much too small for a resort of this size. Food service staff was best we've ever met.
On second to last day, my son (who has Asperberger's type problems) had a meltdown which involves crazy levels of crying - the Manager saw this and interferred - said he couldn't have any situations where children were obviously upset by their Parents. Tried to explain son's needs and interventions - he didn't listen. He threatened to call Authorities if we didn't follow his advice and separate our son from the rest of the family for the night - ruined everything!!
Next time - will do Moderate or Value where we can spread out and have more privacy - if our son gets overwhelmed and starts to have a meltdown, will be able to just walk him around the resort which is all he needs to calm back down!!
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bellebookworm9
Registered: May 2009
Location: 1,194 Miles from Disney World
Posts: 131
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Review Date: Sun December 23, 2012
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 8
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Pros:
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Amazing view from room, excellent transportation, very friendly cast members, great atmosphere
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Cons:
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Hard beds, shared buses, minor cosmetic and design issues, very poor in-room Wi-Fi
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We stayed at Wilderness Lodge from 12/17-12/21. I had booked a courtyard view with a cast member discount, and put in a request for third or fourth floor, center courtyard view (as opposed to the villas courtyard).
When we stepped off Magical Express, Megan greeted us and made us feel right at home. We didn't even have to go to the counter to check in, she brought our packet right to us and explained everything.
Our assigned room was 4151, and it was exactly the view I had imagined. It was literally like they had plucked the image from my head! We had an amazing view of the pool and Bay Lake, and even found we could see the higher Wishes fireworks over the top of the other wing!
The room itself was just okay. The beds were extremely hard; Mom had difficulty sleeping at all, and I woke up sore every day. There were some minor cosmetic issues: the hall light was dirty; one of the above bed lights' glass was crooked, not flat in it's frame; one of the sinks was missing the decorative piece that indicates the cold water, and the bathroom door handle was broken, so it wouldn't even close securely, let alone lock! We felt the hallway area where the closet and fridge are was very cramped, particularly when trying to maneuver a scooter in and out. The vanity area and bathroom was just a disaster. In most other hotels, the door opens into the bathroom, but here it opened out into the vanity area, which caused a lot of space issues. The Wi-Fi was very poor for the first few days; I was having to disconnect and reconnect literally every other page. We had a bit of a weaker and therefore slower connection to the "Public WiFi" network, but at least it didn't constantly kick us off. And the trade off to that amazing view was noise. Every afternoon, from about 1pm onward, loud pop music would BLARE from the pool area-earplugs barely blocked it out. We could also hear the geyser erupting and the boat horns.
However, the hotel had many positives as well. The atmosphere and Christmas decorations were amazing. Transportation was excellent; we NEVER waited more than 10 minutes for a bus or boat coming or going anywhere, and many times it was less than a 2 minute wait. All the cast members we encountered were extremely friendly and knowledgeable, with the exception of one who had some difficulty connecting us to the Ft. Wilderness Lost & Found. We ate at both Whispering Canyon Cafe and Roaring Fork and had great food and service. Mousekeeping was very good, and they brought us a sharps container within an hour of asking.
The Mercantile was well stocked, and we bought several items there, including snacks on the dining plan. Bell Services brought our luggage up from Magical Express just about two hours after we had checked in, and they were very helpful when our scooter was delivered. However, there was some confusion upon check out. I went to the inside desk to store our carry on, and they told me I had to do that outside. So when I went to return the scooter later that day, I went to the outside desk and was told I had to return it inside. And it took them longer than I thought was acceptable to retrieve the carry on when I went to pick it up, because they are also the valet desk, and they seemed more concerned about catering to the cars than the people waiting to pick up their bags.
I would recommend this hotel to others, with the conditional warnings about the beds. However, the beds alone would probably prevent me from staying here again.
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ADISNEYNUT
Registered: November 2012
Location: HIALEAH, FL
Posts: 2
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Review Date: Wed November 28, 2012
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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WONDERFUL RESORT
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Cons:
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NOT A THING
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We went to the Wilderness Lodge Resort for my parents 58th Wedding Anniversary. I also took my family. All together, we were 9 people.
This resort was wonderful from the time we got off our SUV's to the moment we got back on the SUV's. The check -in was perfect..our rooms were ready and it was 11:00 am. Mousekeeping was amazing...they were wonderful and so friendly.
The food at all 3 restaurants was amazing. We usually always stay at the Grand Floridian Resort (but right now it is semi-under construction) so I decided to stay at this wonderful resort. We also love the shop. GREAT RESORT.
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snoozer
Registered: November 2008
Location: Stillwater,NJ
Posts: 11
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Review Date: Mon November 19, 2012
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 8
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Pros:
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beautiful decor, and comfortable atmosphere
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Cons:
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was not impressed with the front desk personel's knowledge and ability to answer questions
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We would definitely return to this resort
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meghanp
Registered: June 2008
Location: Memphis
Posts: 36
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Review Date: Wed November 14, 2012
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Great location, large rooms, great views
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Cons:
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No real "counter service" restaurant
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First - we did not plan to stay here, but thanks to some amazing Disney magic - we were upgraded here at no additional charge. Wow is all I can say. The rooms are very spacious - enough for three women to get ready at the same time with no issues. The location is very convenient, and the resort is beautiful. It is also not overly themed Disney - which I found to be great! The only problem I could see with this resort is the lack of counter service. They have a small area where you can get a few items, but nothing quite as comprehensive as most of the other resorts. However, this will not deter me from booking to stay here again!
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ginny3
Registered: June 2012
Location: Central Illinois
Posts: 8
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Review Date: Wed November 7, 2012
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Ambiance & Excellent Staff
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Cons:
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Bus to Downtown Disney
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The Wilderness Lodge is one of our favorite resorts, with the staff being excellent as well.
We did the online check in and our room was ready when we arrived at the resort.
Roaring Forks is well stocked and has a variety of foodstuffs compared to The Beach Club which although a beautiful resort lacks in food options.
The bus wait can be a little long, but nothing to really complain about.
Although this next bit does not directly relate to WL it should be said. When leaving the Animal Kingdom there is no bus that goes directly to Downtown Disney---why is beyond me. You must take a bus to a resort, then get off at the resort and switch to a bus that goes there.
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jcaboose
Registered: November 2012
Posts: 9
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Review Date: Sun November 4, 2012
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Theming, landscaping, pool, rooms, LOCATION
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Cons:
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didn't get to enjoy half of it!
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Just stayed here for a week with my wife and two kids (10 & 5) and can't imagine there's a place I'd rather stay. The building is beautiful inside and out, the grounds and landscaping are amazing, and the location is fantastic. It was such a nice option to be able to take a relaxing boat ride or a 3-minute bus ride to the Magic Kingdom. Buses to other parks wasn't quite as quick or easy, but that's not the Lodge's fault. Could not recommend it highly enough.
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lkc102
Registered: October 2012
Posts: 3
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Review Date: Wed October 10, 2012
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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loved the decor/theme of the resort, friendliness of the staff, proximity to MK
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Cons:
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buses to non-Magic Kingdom parks
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Our travel dates were 8/25/12 to 8/30/12. We had checked-in online before leaving our home, and had stated that our arrival time would be 8am. When we got there, our room was ready! The bell hop that brought our luggage to our room was very friendly and knowledgable. We consulted the concierge desk a couple of times during our stay, and each time they were friendly and very helpful. We had a room with one queen bed and one set of bunk beds for our 5 year old twins - they loved it! We picked the Wilderness Lodge because it was slightly cheaper than the other deluxe resorts on the monorail, but still only a 5-10 minute boat ride from the Magic Kingdom. We could not have been happier with our choice! The kids loved riding the boat each time, and we never had to wait more than 5 minutes for the next boat to arrive. The pool and slide was a huge hit with the kids, and mom and dad had time to relax in the hot tub. The fast food cafe would get a little crowded at peak times, but we never had a bad experience there either. The only negative aspect of this resort is that sometimes we had to wait more than 15 minutes for a bus to get to a non-Magic Kingdom park...and then the bus would make stops at other locations before arriving at our destination. (Animal Kingdom seemed to be the longest wait time.) I think we got spoiled with the ease of taking the boat to the MK! Overall, a GREAT place to stay!
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KatieAnn179
Registered: October 2012
Location: Scotland, UK
Posts: 4
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Review Date: Mon October 8, 2012
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Fabulous hotel, location, staff, food, beds!!
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Cons:
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Absolutely nothing!
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I could wax lyrical for hours. Stayed here with my sister from 12-26 September in Room 6052. Overlooks generators and the place they smoke the pork (!) but you do get a fabulous view of Wishes from the balcony and can see the top floors of the Contemporary and the Monorail as it glides by.
We had a blast here. The hotel is stunning - the reception/lobby is breathtaking and I spent some time on different floors taking pictures. And, the carpets are really, really thick! I had a problem with my foot and took my sandals off as soon as I exited the bus/boat. Walking barefoot across the thick carpets on the hallways did wonders for my poor wee tootsies!
The bedrooms are a little dark, but that's just the theming, and it wasn't a problem. The ceiling fan was welcome as during our stay the weather was exceptionally hot (90s) with little wind, and only a couple of heavy downpours during the entire fortnight we were there.
We dined around the world and stopped back at the Riverside for our first sit-down dinner (lovely, as ever) and our last one was at Artists Point - highly recommended. I had salmon, sister had the pork - both divine. The cobbler was delicious and unlimited refills on soft drinks were welcome and promptly served. I couldn't speak more highly of the restaurant - it's beautiful, with excellent staff, fantastic food and a gentle, relaxed atmosphere. You can dress up or down as you please (but the usual rules about bathing suits and inappropriate t-shirts apply) and even the few children dining alongside us seemed to enjoy it.
Another favoured place of mine is the Plaza Restaurant on Main Street - the banana split is gorgeous! I could spend ages listing all I ate (and I ate a lot) but, what I will say, is the only "off" meal I had (and by "off" I mean, barely average) was actually at the Whispering Canyon. Sis and I ordered the breakfast skillet - and it was JUST lukewarm. Our server has been highly praised but we must have had him on an off day as he barely stayed around to hear what we had to say before ambling off to another table. However, as this was the only poor meal in two weeks, we really had very little to complain about.
Never had an issue with either boats or buses - but they could look again at the one that goes Downtown. We waited almost 30 minutes for one, and were nearly bowled over in the rush to get aboard, despite being at the head of the queue! However, we did get on and even got a seat, but the bus then made a stop at either the Poly or Grand Flo (can't remember which one) which was silly as the bus was totally packed and no-one wanted off. Journey time to Downtown was more than 20 minutes, which seemed a bit long. That was the only 'problem' we had the entire time, and it was pretty soon shrugged off as Cap'n Jack's and Ghirardelli's beckoned!
(PS: If you ask very nicely, you may get a list of music played in the lobby - it's wonderful!!) Saving for the next trip (2014?) has started!!
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pamhint
Registered: May 2007
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 5
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Review Date: Wed September 5, 2012
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Beautiful lobby, so close to parks
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Cons:
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We stayed there Aug 14 thru 22, when you walk in the lobby is so beautiful it takes your breath away. Everything was wonderful, buses were fast, boat to Magic Kingdom was great....the recent renovations were great ! New carpets, paint, shower tile and floors...we loved it!
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cece531
Registered: September 2012
Posts: 1
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Review Date: Tue September 4, 2012
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Atmosphere & Location
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Cons:
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None
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Had a wonderful 6 night stay the last week of August at The Wilderness Lodge. Fantastic property within close proximity to MK & quick bus rides to all other parks (never had to wait more than 5-10 minutes for a bus). The only issue during our stay was how crowded & busy the quick-service restaurant (Roaring Fork)was each morning. Other tham that, it was perfect!
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minnielilbit
Registered: July 2012
Posts: 1
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Review Date: Tue July 31, 2012
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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view was awesome, room was very comfortable, the resort was beautiful
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Cons:
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none
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My son and I spent two wonderful weeks at the resort. Our room was ideally located on the courtside view. We had a great view of the lake, geyser, and pool. We were also very close to the bus transportation.
I can't say enough good things about this resort. It was very quiet and comfortable. I loved being able to drink my coffee on the balcony while the resort "woke" up. The boat transportation was great and we very seldom had to wait very long for a bus.
I did not want to leave the resort when it was time to go home. This is my new favorite resort and will definitely stay here again.
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dwonderz
Registered: March 2010
Location: Northeast
Posts: 1
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Review Date: Wed July 11, 2012
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Spacious Rooms, Excellent Theming, Awesome Pool, Diverse Staff
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Cons:
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We thoroughly enjoyed our stay. We booked a standard view room and our room looked out on to a roof and our hallway looked over the lobby (very cool).
The room itself was spacious and the balcony very large. One of our favorite things to do was sit on the balcony and eat our breakfast.
The theming in the resort is incredible - every little nook and cranny has a detail it - from the light switches to the wallpaper it is all incredibly themed.
The pool and hot tubs were another highlight - the pool was large enough that it was never too crowded and the hot tubs were able to handle large groups of people at night.
The staff at Wilderness Lodge were also excellent - they were very personable and some even knew us by name.
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