If you want to be close to the Magic Kingdom, this is a fantastic place to stay. We went in blindly choosing this resort and we were pleasantly surprised. It is a short boat ride to the Kingdom. A bit further from Epcot, Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. They have a nice cafe for a quick breakfast and even a store to buy beer (at a handsome price). Rooms come with a fridge (to store your beer).
The thing that amazed me...it was quiet. You walk into the hotel and see a giant atrium. I thought this place is going to be loud...and boy was I wrong - didn't hear a sound.
Nice pool for the kids and there was a bar with a TV near it - so the kids swam and I watched the big game.
The staff was super friendly and helpful, too.
I would recommend this place.

My family stayed at The Wilderness Lodge for two nights, January 30 and 31, 2012. We had dined at Whispering Canyon before and knew we wanted to stay here someday, so when this trip came up we decided to splurge and stay here. (We usually stay at the moderates and had just had a great stay at Caribbean Beach- We also have stayed at Port Orleans Riverside, French Quarter, The Polynesian and POP) I am surprised to say that Wilderness Lodge has been my favortie!! I had really high expectations, and it was even better than I thought it would be.

Here is what I liked:

I liked when we stepped out of magical Express we were greeted and escorted to the check in. We asked for a Woods view room and received it... before check in time! Our room had a view of the castle! I loved the balcony and overlooking the pond and all the trees. It was quiet, and relaxing.

The Pool - It was plenty big that you never felt on top of eachother. I loved the double jacuzzi's in the pool area and the pool facing the lagoon and also the lodge- the brook that went into the pool. Agh, I can't expalin or say enough about it. So nice! The waterslide was perfect for my boys ages 4 and 7!

I loved the boat to Contemporary and Magic Kingdom. What a way to feel relaxed after a day in the Magic Kingdom!! Or going to dinner at the Contemporary and getting there by boat- so nice!

The atmosphere of this hotel was so comfortable- relaxing- romantic- peaceful. I just loved it. I loved the big porch with the teak chairs overlooking the courtyard. I loved the walk way to the boat. The fireplace in the lobby with the rocking chairs. The rockers in front of the brook that goes outside.... AMAZING place!

I loved sitting in the jacuzzi and hearing the music from the Electric Water Pageant and going out to the beach to watch it with my boys....

I love the look of Artist Point and want to try it on my next trip!

I loved the dimmer switch on the lights in the room- it was great as a nightlight and made my kids feel very comfortable in a strange hotel room!

I LOVED that we didnt need to walk outside to get our morning coffee! Having everything in one building/lodge was really nice!

The only thing I can even think of as a negative is the size of Roaring Fork - the counter service and its limited selections. When we go we usually love to eat at all the resorts and have the deluxe dining plan so it wasn't an issue for us at all. If you had the quick service plan and planned on eating most of your meals there, then I could see how some would not like that!

We will be going back to The Wilderness Lodge. In fact, next year we will be celebrating our 10th anniversary and will be in Disney for a week and had planned to try out Beach Club but we decided that Wilderness Lodge is where we want to spend our 10th Anniversary!

This was our first time staying at the Wilderness Lodge. The staff was very professional, helpful and friendly. The rooms were modern and clean. We have two kids, ages 5 and 4, and it was a great place for us to stay.

The biggest reason why we enjoyed it, was that the location on the Disney World resort is great if you are visiting Magic Kingdom. I think our average wait for a boat on both sides of the route was about 5 minutes, and the ride itself is less than 10 minutes. This was great for getting back to the room quickly and easily for a mid-day nap to re-energize.

There were also plenty of activities and a big pool at the resort itself. The rustic decor and atmosphere of the resort is fun, and the kids really enjoyed it. Also, we reserved a room with bunk beds, which was wonderful for our kids, who sleep better in their own beds.

One drawback we saw with the resort was that the quick service restaurant was very small, and was often too crowded to find seating inside. We were able to find seating nearby in the outside courtyard. But in general the quick service restaurant seemed under-sized for a resort as big as the Wilderness Lodge. The only other minor drawback was that the mattresses weren't very comfortable.

One tip for families with younger kids that either take naps or go to bed earlier...I would not pick a room with a court yard view. We reserved a court yard room, and the noise from the pool area was audible in our room until about midnight. Then during the day, the pool area had a DJ. The music made it tough to take a nap. Luckily, the staff was very understanding and helpful. They moved us across the hall to a room facing the villas, which was very quiet. Again though, this was only an issue for us because we needed to take naps and still have earlier bed times.

Overall, we were very happy with our stay at the Wilderness Lodge, and will probably stay there again for future visits to Disney World. The few minor drawbacks keep it from earning the "Excellent" rating.

This was me and my wife's first time staying at the Wilderness Lodge and it will be quite difficult to stay anywhere else on subsequent visits to WDW. We had a 4 night stay coinciding with Marathon weekend and we were seeking a relaxed, luxurious atmosphere.The grand lobby is beautiful and sets the tone for the rest of your stay at the WL. Check in process was easy, our room as available much earlier than we expected. Amenities were charming and rustic but modern. Flat screen tv, a mini fridge and in-room coffee makers were welcome additions. We had room 5238 with a woods view and it made for a lovely, relaxing view. The pool area was wonderful- at once bustling with children playing and music throughout the area but also relaxing due to the layout, proximity to the lake, hidden nooks and wooded surroundings. We had an outstanding meal at Artist Point and great cocktails at both the Territory Lounge and poolside Trout Pass bar. Quick service meals at Roaring Forks were above average - especially their fresh salads.

Staff everywhere on property were personable and easygoing. Transportation was a breeze, the boat to the Magic Kingdom got us there in 10 minutes, an absolute delight. Make sure to grab a blanket and sit on the beach to catch a glimpse of Wishes as well as the classic Elecrtical Water Pageant nightly. We also rented a sea raycer and had a great, albeit short time on Bay Lake.

I am a Disney veteran, having visisted WDW more than a dozen times and this is one of the Disney greats - casual resort elegance, minutes away from the hustle and bustle of Main Street USA.