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Welcome to the sixth in a series of articles introducing newbies to Disney Vacation Club. In this article, we’ll take a look at the DVC options at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge resort, so even if you’re not a newbie to DVC you might want to keep reading to learn more about this wonderful resort.

Many vacationers, especially Orlando vacationers, shudder at the mention of a timeshare. And while DVC is a timeshare, it’s unlike a traditional timeshare in almost every way. This series of articles will outline the basics of how Disney Vacation Club works, how to become a member, and how to book stays at a Disney Vacation Club resort. If you missed Volume 1: Timeshare Basics, we talked about timeshares in general and how Disney Vacation Club is a timeshare but is also very different from a typical timeshare. In Volume 2: DVC Basics – All About Points, we delved into the points system that DVC uses to book accommodations. In Volume 3: DVC Basics – Use Years, Banking, and Borrowing, we took a deep dive into how you can use your points wisely by banking and borrowing points. Last month in Volume 4: Exchanges, we took a detailed look at how timeshare exchange networks function, both within Disney and across the world. If you haven’t read those articles yet, I’d recommend you go back and read those first and then come back here.

Now that we spent a few months to give you a good look at many of the concepts behind Disney Vacation Club, I thought it would be a time for a tangent to take a look at some of the DVC resorts in detail so you can get a feel for how they compare to the accommodations you’ve stayed at for your past Disney trips. Last time we looked at Disney’s Old Key West Resort, the original Disney Vacation Club Resort. Now we’ll take a look at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge.

The History of Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Resort

Disney’s Wilderness Lodge is located in the Magic Kingdom Resort Area at Walt Disney World. When it opened on May 28, 1994, this was a resort hotel without any DVC rooms, but a separate DVC building was constructed and called The Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. This DVC wing opened to guests on November 15, 2000, and is themed to lodgings built by railroad workers in the west in the late 1800s. This building has 136 villas, comprising studios, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom units.

The Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge were renamed to the Boulder Ridge Villas when the Copper Creek Villas and Cabins were announced in 2016. Eventually, 26 over-water cabins were constructed just offshore which opened on July 17, 2017, and additionally the entire south wing of the original Wilderness Lodge building was converted from hotel rooms to DVC units. Copper Creek has 158 villas, including Studios, 1- and 2-Bedroom Villas, and four 3-Bedroom Grand Villas. These rooms are all in the main building, and in addition to these rooms, there are 26 Cascade Cabins.

Accommodations at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Resort

Wilderness Lodge rooms are among the most heavily themed of any Disney resort. We have extensive photo and video room tours so you can see all of the details of each room type.

Although Wilderness Lodge is an older resort, many guests appreciate the fantastic theming of the resort, as well as its proximity to the Magic Kingdom.

Amenities at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Resort

Whispering Canyon is the one of two table-service restaurants at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Resort and offers western fare served family-style in all-you-can-eat skillets at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Artist Point is the second table-service restaurant and offers a dinner experience called Story Book Dining at Artist Point with Snow White. This restaurant is open for dinner only and has a prix fixe menu that includes appetizers, entrees, and desserts.

Roaring Fork is a counter-service location in the main building facing the feature pool. It offers burgers, salads, desserts, and snacks.

Disney’s Wilderness Lodge has two bars. Territory Lounge is the bar in the main building, while Geyser Point Bar & Grill is between the main pool and Bay Lake, near the geyser.

Geyser Point is one of the more unique amenties at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Resort, with a simulated geyser erupting on a regular schedule!

Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Resort is served by Disney Transport bus transportation to the parks and Disney Springs, and also offers watercraft transportation to the Magic Kingdom, which is a nice change of pace especially when the busses are crowded!

How to Stay at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Resort if You’re Not a DVC Member

Now that we’ve introduced you to the Disney Vacation Club concept, are you excited to learn more? If you’re interested but not ready to buy into DVC just yet, I recommend trying out the DVC resorts and see if they’re for you. If you’ve always stayed at the All-Stars, a DVC resort can make a big difference in your vacation. To find out just how big of a difference, and whether you think it’s worth it, you can rent DVC points for your next Disney trip. This gives you the opportunity to stay at a DVC resort just like a DVC member, but without buying into the system just yet. If this sounds like a great idea, contact our friends at DVC Rental Store to book your next resort stay in one of the many DVC resorts at Walt Disney World, Disneyland, or Hilton Head Island, Vero Beach, or even Hawaii! If you’re in love with this idea and think you’re ready to buy in, get the best deal on a DVC contract from DVC Resale Market, which is staffed by many former DVC cast members who know the ins and outs of buying into DVC.