By Teri.
AMBIANCE: The mood, character, quality, tone, atmosphere. That which surrounds or encompasses the environment.
When it comes to Disney Resorts, the word “ambiance” comes vividly to my mind. Each resort on Disney property has it’s own tone, atmosphere, and most of all, character. Upon arrival at our resort we all immediately check in, drop our bags in our room and take off for our favorite park. We come back to our resort happy, tired, and ready for a good night’s sleep, so that we can pop up and take off in the morning again!
It is so easy to overlook the magic that surrounds you as you make your plans for the day. I wanted to share with you some of the wonderful ways to sit back for a bit and just see how a Disney vacation can be both exciting and relaxing at the same time at one of my favorite places in all of the Disney World – Wilderness Lodge.
To borrow a quote from one of my favorite Disney characters’ “Peter Pan”….
“Here We Gooooooooooooooooo”!!!!!!!!
Picture, if your will, a beautiful forest filled with pine trees. Towering over these magnificent trees is the biggest log cabin you have EVER seen. Wilderness Lodge resort is representative of those lodges found in the Pacific Northwest. Although very rustic in appearance, it is luxury at its finest.
The lobby houses two 55’ totem poles, one on either side of the seven story atrium lobby. Each one is hand carved and entirely unique. Guests are quite comfortable relaxing on one of the many comfy sofas and chairs throughout the lobby, just soaking in the atmosphere that surrounds them.
You can sit and rock for hours on one of the many oversized rocking chairs in front of a roaring fire that is blazing from a fireplace so large, it appears as if you could stand in it. The grate work enclosing the pit is a piece of art depicting scenes of a time gone by. The fireplace itself rises upward, made of sandstone and rock to the very top of the seven story lobby. This is quite a remarkable sight to behold.
At the far end of the Wilderness Lodge lobby, a wall of windows overlook a beautiful waterfall and brook. The most fascinating thing is that this brook starts in the lobby as a spring and flows outside down into the pool and out in what appears to be to Bay Lake. Many happy families have taken memorable photos standing on the rustic little bridge over the “hot spring.” The kids just love running back and forth over the bridge Throw in a penny and make a wish! Maybe your wish will be to come back to this beautiful resort again someday?
There are Indian artifacts throughout the lobby and resort. Some of the most beautiful and colorful Indian headdresses’ ever worn are showcased here.
A fun experience at Wilderness Lodge is to take the “Wonders of the Lodge” tour. This is a walking tour of the resort where you are escorted by a Lodge Guide with many interesting little-known facts about the lodge itself and the artifacts it houses. You’ll have a history lesson while having fun!
The pool at Wilderness Lodge is a wonder in itself. On one side you have beautiful cascading gardens with a refreshing waterfall that is fed by the spring and brook coming from the lobby. On the other side of the pool is an amazing sight to see… Fire Rock Geyser erupts every hour on the hour. You know when it’s blowing it’s top from all of the squeals of delight from the kids swimming in the pool. There is a platform where you can stand and watch this glorious spout of water rising from the rocks below.
If you just want to sit and relax a bit – a welcoming beach chair beckons you from the beach. Since this resort is surrounded by pines and forest so there is much wildlife abound. If you are a bird fancier, this the place to be. You can enjoy watching egrets and great blue herons soar above the trees perching on the highest branches to sun themselves.
There are many walkways through the pines to explore. Just sitting and listening to the haunting boat whistles coming and going on Bay Lake is a very soothing experience also.
If you happen to be at the Lodge in the evening, look out to Bay Lake around 9:30 for the whimsical Electrical Water Pageant. This parade hosts an amusing sea monster with friends cruising along the lake while playing several merry tunes.
Curious as to what the Lodge costs for a night? Here are some 2012 room rates. Some rooms are available with a queen bed and bunk beds.
- Standard View $265 – $470
- Woods View $300 – $500
- Courtyard View $330 – $530
Have fun exploring the Wilderness Lodge inside and out. Ambiance is everywhere, as is that Disney Vacation Magic!
Thanks for stopping by for a photographical Disney ride, and we’ll see you in the Wilderness Lodge lobby, hogging one of the rocking chairs.
Teri
Teri Scavette lives in Runnemede NJ. She and her husband, Dan, own and operate a window treatment business. Teri is a veteran of four Disney cruises and over 70 trips to WDW.
“I so look forward to each trip more than the last. Why do I love Disney? Quite simply…Being there and making so many happy treasured memories with my family just makes my heart smile!”
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