dvccamper

I bet when you return to the cabin in the evening, there will be a QR code on your bed to scan and see pictures of towel animals. 

Enjoyed reading along.
Note to self: book Boma breakfast next time.

I’m late to the party but I just have to comment that it’s nice to see you got a pedicure for your classic hammock shot.

So I'm trying to catch up since getting back from WDW. But I just read your post about Raglan Road and you asked if anyone had been there recently. Well we were, last Tuesday!
We had never been before but we went with some friends who were also down there and they go just about every trip. I had the salmon, DH had the chicken pot pie and we were both very pleased with our meal. When it came time for dessert, which we don't normally order, our friends said "We're all getting the bread pudding. There is no other choice, that's what you're getting." So DH and I split one and we both thought it was delicious. Of course it was our first time so I can't compare but our friends seemed happy with it and they always get it.
Just my two cents. 
 

What a treat, I haven't been on FF in ages but logged on tonight and found your thread. 
Excellent start at WL. We head to WDW a week from today and we're spending a couple of nights in one of the cabins. After reading about your visit Geyser Point and the Territory Lounge are two must-do's (as if they wouldn't be anyway...those drinks looked delicious).
 

If you're planning to visit Alcatraz, get your tickets well in advance.
When we visited last summer we did all the typical tourist things, Fisherman's Wharf, Ghirardelli Square, etc. If you're venturing outside the city, Sausalito is very nice. Had a great lunch there right on the water at Spinnakers.  Also, we didn't stay in SF, we stayed in Half Moon Bay, just south of San Francisco. Very nice spot, stayed at the Beach House, ate a few times at Mezza Luna, fantastic Italian restaurant.
Not sure where else you're visiting in CA but Yosemite and Sequoia were the most beautiful places I've ever seen.

Great pictures of the castle suite. I love the starry night over the tub...I want that!

It has been written on other threads that the theming of Wilderness Lodge is changing somewhat with the upcoming DVC additions. One of those changes is that Silver Creek Falls, the main water feature at the resort, will be renamed Copper Creek Falls. That change made my family sad, as we have a history with Silver Creek Falls, as I'll explain below.
You see, both my wife and I are from a small town in western New York called Silver Creek. And both of my parents grew up there too. So imagine our surprise when we made our first ever trip to Disney with our kids in 2001, during which we stayed at the WL, and stumbled upon this sign.

Those 3 girls are 21, 19 and 17 now.
Six years later we had begun RVing and camped at the Fort with my parents. We took the boat over to the Fort to show my parents the sign, and continued what has become a tradition to get family pictures in front of the sign on every trip to Disney.


Fast forward....most recently, INC and I got a picture in front of the sign while on a date. We also stayed at the Lodge before our cruise on the Wonder this year.

And on our trip to the Fort a few weeks ago, I got one last picture in front of the sign of my parents, who spent part of the week with us. My Dad turns 80 next month.

I figured that might be the end of the story, as the retheming of the Lodge is proceeding at a rapid pace and will be completed before we return to WDW.
But that's not the end of the story.
Wondering what would become of the sign, I contacted the GM of the Wilderness Lodge to tell her about my family's history with the sign and our love of both the Lodge and the Fort. We traded some emails, and she assured me that she would try to find out what would be done with the sign as construction continues. I last heard from her a few weeks ago, and had not received an update since.
Until today.
A large box arrived at our home today. So I opened it.

Mabel is curious too.


Can you believe it? I was blown away. Also included in the package was a beautiful print of Silver Creek Falls, a WL magnet, and a very nice note.
I've heard of pixie dust but this is something else.
Do you now understand why I hate Disney so much? [emoji1]

http://www.disneydining.com/major-changes-are-coming-to-the-disney-dining-plan/
http://www.disneydining.com/major-changes-are-coming-to-the-disney-dining-plan/
Sent from my handheld doohickie

Poor guy was hoping to see some Stormtroopers in March of the First Order, but instead all he saw was the Moons of Endor.

I'm glad you enjoyed it! We had actually reserved it a couple of months ago but we never found a good airfare that we could afford so we had to cancel . Now we have a trip booked for NYE, so even though I know there's no free party then, it's okay, at least we've got a trip in the works!

Absolutely there is a lot of various National Parks in Wilderness Lodge.  The overall feel of the lobby is very much like Old Faithful Inn, yet as you stated, the Grand canyon is represented in the fireplace.  I am also reminded of the El Tovar when walking through Wilderness Lodge, since that is also log construction.  In addition, there is an Artist Point at both Yellowstone and Yosemite, and Roaring Fork is in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  The Ahwahnee Lodge at Yosemite is also part of the basis for the design.
I mentioned the different architecture at Yellowstone because as I looked at the pictures you posted and read your observations regarding the differences of the designs, I immediately was reminded of Yellowstone and the two different Lodges. Maybe that was what they were after, who knows.
 

There are a few threads here discussing Geyser Point.  I have a bunch of photos I took last weekend that show the layout of the place and its surroundings, so I'll post them here.
As has been discussed, the original Wilderness Lodge quick serve location, Roaring Forks, is currently closed for renovations.  Everything I've read says that it will be coming back and will reopen as the main quick serve food location for the resort.  There is currently a construction wall enclosing the outdoor seating area adjacent to Roaring Forks, and you can see that they are adding a covered area for seating:

Interestingly, they had CM's stationed at the gates for the pool with iPads to scan Magicbands to keep out pool hopping freeloaders:


The grounds of Wilderness Lodge are beautiful:

This is the old Trout Pass pool bar.  It is also closed, allegedly for renovations, but it is not fenced off, and there doesn't seem to be any renovating going on.  The restrooms for the pool are located in this building, and they were still open and available to use, even though the bar was closed:

Take a moment to look at the architecture and theming of the Trout Pass pool bar.  Very rustic, and authentic to the theme of Wilderness Lodge- like an old National Park lodge built out of logs.  It matched up perfectly with everything else at Wilderness Lodge.
The new Geyser Point building is right around the corner from, and visible from Trout Pass:

There have been questions about the fate of Trout Pass.  Will it be closed?  Torn down?  Are they going to have two bars within sight of each other?  What about restrooms? There are restrooms in the Geyser Point building, but that's kind of a long walk from the pool.
Also, the architecture and theme of the Geyser Point building is clearly a departure from everything that used to be at Wilderness Lodge.  It looks more like something at the Grand Californian Hotel in Disneyland:

It's beautiful.  But it doesn't match up with the log cabin theme of the Lodge.
The design is modern. The quick serve location is over there.  As is the case with some of the other deluxe resorts, the concept here is that you go to the window and order, and you are issued a number sign that you take with you to place on the table where you'll be sitting.  A CM will then bring your meal to you.  Beverages are self-serve, and you can see the beverage station to the right of the order counter in this photo:

One thing about the beverage station that I found significant was that the soda dispenser is the style used in the other Disney quick serve restaurants, and not the Coke Freestyle machines that they recently installed in the FOFQ food court.
This is the original Villas at Wilderness Lodge building. It's kind of shocking to see it out in the open like that, as it used to be hidden behind a forest:

This is the south/west side of the new Geyser Point building- the side opposite Bay Lake- there is a large, open area enclosed by a privacy fence.  It sounded like maybe the kitchen or dishwashing facilities were located behind that fence.  I found it odd that it wasn't completely enclosed or screened in:

There are fake railroad tracks incorporated into the pavement back here, and there's that old railroad car that we saw in DIT's photos. That water tower next to the old bike and boat rental shack is new:

The railcar is loaded with fake boulders from the fake abandoned quarry that supposedly used to be here:

The base of the new water tower is still enclosed by a construction fence.  That building to the right is one of the new DVC cabins.  The building right behind the tower is the old bike and boat rental shack:

Another look at the fake train tracks:

This is the original bike and boat rental building.  Its style matches that of the Trout Pass bar and the rest of the lodge.  But it kind of looks out of place now with the modern-looking Geyser Point  building and the adjacent DVC cabins:

What's cool to me is that this building was part of the original Wilderness Lodge. It has stood here since 1994 when the Lodge opened, and was here before they built any of the DVC stuff.  I've told the story before that Mrs. TCD and I stayed at the Lodge the summer it opened in 1994.  We just had our oldest DD then, and I rented a bike from here and rode it over to Fort Wilderness.  That's something I'll never forget, and it's cool that the little bike and boat rental shack is still here in its original place.
The signage is the same- Teton Boat and Bike Rentals.  The Tetons are in Wyoming.  I wonder if they are going to change the name?:

Here's the signage for the back part of the Geyser Point building, which has something called Reunion Station in it:

There hasn't been any kind of official announcement about what Reunion Station is going to be.  The general consensus from those speculating about it seems to be that it will be a community hall recreation facility for DVC members.  If that's true, it's odd to me that they have it in an area accessible to regular guests, and not in an area that they have fenced off to exclude non-DVC members.
There's a large patch of fake grass here for some reason.  This is the same stuff they used in the Wishes Fastpass viewing areas in the MK.  The cool kids call it Hub Grass:

There's a patch of Hub Grass at the Polynesian Resort, near the Dole Whip stand.  I've seen recreation CM's use it for kids' activities.  Maybe that's what this is here for.
This is a shot peeking through the construction fence that is still up next to the bike and boat rental shack.  This area used to be a beach.  Maybe it will be a beach again:

Now we are looking back at the new Geyser Point building.  It's beautiful.  But, it doesn't quite fit in with the original Wilderness Lodge theme and architecture:

The deck area between the Geyser Point building and Bay Lake is nice.  It would make sense for them to add some more seating out here:

It's going to be a long walk to and from some of the new cabins that they're putting in here:

The view looking toward the Fort is beautiful:

This has already been discussed, but it's surprising that they did not use their rock and fence treatment here to keep guests separated from the Bay Lake gators:

This sign on the seawall warns guests to keep back.  I would think they don't want anyone close enough to read that sign:

Now that I've had a chance to look at it, I think this seawall was already here- it wasn't built to prevent gator attacks:


I like that wall they built on the Bay Lake side of the building- perfect for sitting and enjoying the view:

Here's a look back at the bike and boat rental cabin:

There is an open area on this side of the building too, but without the privacy fence.  I am not sure what this space is for. It looks like it could be a play area for kids, and it is adjacent to the Reunion Station entrance.  But, there's an AC unit back there, and ventilation duct work from the kitchen up above.  Plus, that fence is kind of low.  It seems like a weird place for a kids' play area:

That's not AC duct work- it's a ventilation system for the kitchen, and it was putting out the greasy smells of a grill cooking food:

They included fake animal footprints in the pavement here:

Now we are on the other side of the Geyser Point building, getting a look at the whole back of it:

The water tower advertises the Boulder Ridge Railroad, and tells us it was established in 1871- exactly 100 years before Disney World opened:

I still haven't figured out the significance of the number 749 on the railroad car, but I'm sure it's not a random number:

The seating area around the bar looks great:

As DIT has already reported, there are definitely retractable screens hidden above the openings around the perimeter of the seating area:

Here's that outside area on the Bay Lake side again, as seen from the other side:

The bar is big, and has much more seating than the Trout Pass bar:

There is a fire pit on the side of the Geyser Point building closest to the original Lodge buildings.  I am not sure when this is used, or if there will be any kind of storytelling or entertainment accompanying it when it is used:


Overall, they did a great job with the new building.  But, it doesn't quite fit in with its surroundings.
TCD

That sounds just fine.  You'll be able to use the new pool and go to the new restaurant, and you'll have plenty of room in your villa.  I'd rather be in the original building too.
TCD

The Orlando Theme Park News website is reporting that the Geyser Point restaurant is opening on February 13th, and that Roaring Forks and the Trout Pass pool bar will simultaneously be shutting down for refurbishment.  According to this article, Geyser Point will be serving breakfast, lunch and dinner:
The Walt Disney World Resort just announced that the new Geyser Point Bar & Grill will officially open its doors to Guests on Monday, February 13 at Disney's Wilderness Lodge. At this location, Guests can settle back and relax at our open-air pool bar and grill located along the water’s edge of Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. Cedar beams and natural stone will create a rustic setting reminiscent of the Pacific Northwest. Artisanal Pacific Northwest distilleries are the foundation for the refreshing pool bar cocktails.
While sipping a cool libation, Guests can also select from an assortment of unique small plates including our signature Shrimp on a Wire with Miso-Lime Vinaigrette, Togarashi, Shishito Peppers, and Chili-Aioli.
At the quick-service walk-up window, Guests will be able to discover a taste of the wilderness—from the Bison Burger with Tillamook Cheddar (a nod to the Pacific Northwest) and House-smoked Salmon BLT with Lemon-Caper Mayonnaise to a delicious Grilled Portobello, Zucchini, Roasted Red Peppers, Tomato, and Multi-Grain Salad with Goat Cheese. Sweet treats include Chocolate Brownie Mousse with Caramel Popcorn and Toasted Meringue and a house-made seasonal pie.   Roaring Fork Snacks and the nearby Trout Pass Pool Bar will be closed for refurbishment effective Monday, Feb. 13. The location will reopen with a fresh look later in 2017. During that time, the new Geyser Point Pool Bar & Grill will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as specialty cocktails, beer and wine. Territory Lounge will also continue to be available for Guests’ enjoyment.   http://www.orlandoparksnews.com/2017/02/geyser-point-bar-grill-opening-feb-13.html It's interesting that the construction going on in that area of the Lodge is still in full swing, yet they are choosing to shut down the both the existing quick serve and bar locations and direct all guests over to the construction zone.
TCD
 
 

Excellent trip report! I missed out on the lemon beer, bummer. But I loved seeing the excitement on your nephew's face in the pictures, he's a cutie.
I fully expect to stay at the Poly next time we go as construction probably won't be done at the Wilderness Lodge.

This tiger was asleep on its back and suddenly woke up and looked directly at me!

Check out this article, it has some great pictures of the MK while being built.
http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/29/travel/tbt-disney-magic-kingdom-under-construction/index.html
 

SPOILER ALERT!:
SPOILER ALERT!
I just experienced the new Soarin' film this past weekend too.
My girls have already seen it, but the last few times I was in Epcot, we were focused on riding the Frozen ride, so that's where our Tier One FP+'s got used.  No way was I willing to wait on the Soarin' standby line.  Never have.  Never will.
Since I hadn't seen the new film, I had carefully avoided reading any discussion about it.
I wanted to keep an open mind.
I did not care for the new film.
We had seats in the center section, so I did not see the bend in the Eifel tower like you did.  But, that is a common complaint from people sitting in the two outer sections.
What did bother me a lot was all of the CGI they used in the film.  All of the animals are fake.  The polar bears and elephants shown in your photos are fake.  So is the entire Taj Mahal scene.  The building, the people, the stupid bird that flies in front of you- all of it.
What I enjoyed about the old Soarn' film was seeing the natural beauty of California and scenes that actually exist.
I don't like watching this fake stuff anywhere near as much.
Bad show, Disney.
TCD

I can't for the life of me imagine a scenario where they would ever reuse that pool.   They're never going to reopen a water park there, and if they ever build a DVC resort, that pool is so outdated in design it would never be considered part of a high end pool complex IMO.   The shape is outdated, the depth is outdated, it needs resurfacing, recoping, redesigning and resurrecting.  Any hope of the pool or any other component of River Country being reopened someday is just delusional nostalgia.

Too many people blame the parents.  It was a horrific accident and I grieve for them.  But, I don;t blame them.  I grew up in Florida.  I understand alligators are everywhere but never thought about it in the closed world we all call Disney.  I can remember walking my dog on the canal walk behind the 300 loop when she wanted to swim, and I let her......
Here is a quote from a good article that those who blame the parents should read:  An Open Letter To Perfect Parents: Put Down Your Pitchforks
 

I am the first to point the finger at the Disney corporation when it does something wrong, but I don't think it's fair to point the finger here.
Look at what Disney did when the thought there was a threat of bears at Fort Wilderness.  They spent a lot of $$$ to install bear-proof trash cans.
If a hurricane is heading toward the Fort, they will evacuate the entire campground and pay for guests to stay in hotels at no additional charge.
Someone drowned in one of the quiet pools at Pop Century Resort, and ever since, they have been installing fences around their pools, and have lifeguards on duty where they never have before.
Before that, they filled in the deep ends of all the pools property wide.
All the playground equipment at the Fort was replaced with modern, safer versions.
They installed doors on all of the parking lot trams to protect careless guests from themselves.
I can't think of many companies that put such an effort into safety.
There is no way that they would knowingly expose any guest to an alligator attack.
This was an unforeseeable and tragic accident.
TCD

Oh, I have an awesome story to tell from dinner. We were talking to the lady at the bar next to us. We were talking about the Fort and our campers. I mentioned I had a T@B teardrop. She said "I love those campers! Earlier this year I stalked one on the road near my house to get a picture. It was white with blue trim and had Mickey's down the side".
NO WAY!!! She showed a picture from her phone and it was MY CAMPER!! This, as it turned out was in Destin in January. Rick and myself were on a quick weekend trip to Topsail Hill State Park.

I have in the past used boiled ground beef/ground turkey/or ground chicken and rice for my dogs with upset stomaches.  Minnie was on that diet for about a week after she had an intestinal blockage about 2 months ago.

La Cava is the best! Don't get margaritas anywhere else in the Mexican pavilion. If you follow them on Twitter and go on Mondays, and margarita is $10.