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Brian Bennett

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Wilderness Lodge & the Villas at Wilderness Lodge - Photo Tour

First Impressions  |  Pools, Shopping, and other Recreation  |  Restaurants  |  Lodge Rooms  |  Villas Building and Rooms

Photos by Brian Bennett

The Villas building (red roof) is located directly adjacent to the main Lodge Building.
The Villas building (red roof) is located directly adjacent to the main Lodge Building.

Right next to the Lodge, in a building that pre-dates the lodge according to Disney's storytellers, are the Villas at Wilderness Lodge.  The villas share all of the resort facilities of the Lodge including restaurants.  When the villas were built, though, another pool was added as was a small game room (called the Iron Spike Room) and a fitness center (Sturdy Branches).

Another view of the Villas building from the front elevation.
Another view of the Villas building from the front elevation.

The rear of the Villas building includes the exterior entrance to Sturdy Branches.
The rear of the Villas building includes the exterior entrance to Sturdy Branches.

Many of the Villas rooms look out into the scrub woods that surround the Lodge.
Many of the Villas rooms look out into the scrub woods that surround the Lodge.

The Villas lobby serves only as an entrance to the building since check-in is handled at the main Lodge lobby next door.  Obviously, the building certainly lacks the  majesty and grandeur of the Lodge -- but it faithfully captures the feeling of a rustic railroad workers lodge, just like it's supposed to do.

Looking up at the ceiling (or some reason I always do that in Disney buildings) you can see the same attention to detail here that everyone enjoys in the Lodge.  It's just done on a smaller scale and with a slightly different theme to set this building off from the other.  Instead of huge teepee lights, this building "makes do" with a simpler cast iron one.  Instead of huge pillars of logs to hold up the edifice, this building gets the job done with single columns and simple trusses.

Looking up in the Villas lobby.
Looking up in the Villas lobby.

A snake, carved into the woodwork, is one example of the great attention to detail that went into this building... (Photo by Pat Edaburn)
A snake, carved into the woodwork, is one example of the great attention to detail that went into this building... (Photo by Pat Edaburn)

...and the etchings on the elevator door is another (Photo by Pat Edaburn).

...and the etchings on the elevator door is another (Photo by Pat Edaburn).

This is a beautiful addition to Wilderness Lodge.  It adds a bunch of rooms to the resort, but also provides some additional amenities.  I'm sure that guests that stay here in the coming years will thoroughly enjoy the great outdoors.

Looking down in the lobby from the fourth floor.
Looking down in the lobby from the fourth floor.

The Iron Spike Room, just off the lobby in the Villas building, so called because the decor celebrates the history of the railroad, has some railroad memorabilia on display. In fact, buffs of the history of Disney railroads will get a kick out of seeing the photographs of the Carolwood Pacific Railroad, a scale model steam railroad that Walt Disney had running around the yard of his home in the Holmby Hills in California and one of the cars that actually ran on the Carolwood Pacific.

Railroad memorabilia in the Iron Spike Room.
Railroad memorabilia in the Iron Spike Room.

Seating area in the Iron Spike Room.
Seating area in the Iron Spike Room.

The Iron Spike Room's fireplace.
The Iron Spike Room's fireplace.

Adding a number of additional Disney Vacation Club rooms to the DVC lineup at Walt Disney World was the main reason why the Villas was built. Without embellishment, here are some pictures of the studios and one- and two-bedroom villas that are available at this resort:

Studio
Studio

Studio bathroom
Studio bathroom

Queen bed in the studio.
Queen bed in the studio.

The studio's sofa bed.
The studio's sofa bed.

Kitchenette provided in the studios.
Kitchenette provided in the studios.

The kitchen in the one- and two-bedroom villas.
The kitchen in the one- and two-bedroom villas.

Laundry can be done in the one- and two-bedroom villas.
Laundry can be done in the one- and two-bedroom villas.

The master bedroom.
The master bedroom.

Just for reference, remember that a two-bedroom villa is simply a one-bedroom villa (with master bedroom, kitchen and living room, and laundry) attached to a studio.

The master bath.
The master bath.

The master bath, looking into the master bedroom.
The master bath, looking into the master bedroom.

First Impressions  |  Pools, Shopping, and other Recreation  |  Restaurants  |  Lodge Rooms  |  Villas Building and Rooms

Click here to return to the Wilderness Lodge "Fast Facts" Page or click here to return to the Villas at Wilderness Lodge "Fast Facts" Page.

 

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