Posts Tagged ‘Disney’s Wilderness Lodge’

Views of the beautiful courtyard at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge with its winding creek, waterfall, and wildflowers, provide an enchanting backdrop for Artist Point, one of Walt Disney World’s Signature restaurants.

The room has a casual feel with its murals and Mission furniture. Woods and Craftsman-style lighting lend warmth to the soaring space. Interesting game meats are a standout on the Pacific-Northwest-inspired menu. Best known for cedar-plank-roasted salmon, Artist Point is one of the few restaurants which serve Copper River Salmon during its short season; typically around the end of May.

Review: The bare tables and casually-dressed clientele belie the formal and attentive service at Artist Point. A cheerful and knowledgeable waitstaff is always well-versed on both current menu items and a wine list that features wineries from Oregon and Washington State.

This lovely restaurant has managed to retain its distinctive flavor through the years, continuing to offer a thoughtful and interesting menu which changes to reflect the seasons. Even the signature dishes are continually served up in creative new ways. One of the best features here, which has been adopted by some of the other restaurants at Walt Disney World, is a wine flight which allows diners to choose three wines from the list to enjoy during their meal. At $28.00, it’s not the bargain it was just a few years ago, but it includes all wines available by the glass and is a nice opportunity to sample some less-familiar bottles.

Menus

Dinner
Dessert
Wine
Drinks

Artist Point

Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Resort

5:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Business Casual dress code

Years ago, during one of my earliest visits to Walt Disney World, I was certain that, while driving to Disney’s Contemporary Resort, I had seen a boat glide by on an overpass.  Each time I brought it up, I got strange looks from people and after a while, I began to think that I had misremembered.

Much later, while on the launch between Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and the Magic Kingdom, I was delighted to hear the explanation for that vivid memory from long ago:  a water bridge!  With an eye to keeping the vistas beautiful, Disney decided to put the water over the road rather than having a roadway over the water.  While there is a second water bridge in the EPCOT resort area, guests can actually cross over the one that connects Bay Lake with the Seven Seas Lagoon.

Most visitors never realize that they are passing over a busy road as they travel between the Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, and Disney’s Fort Wilderness.

All vessels cut their speed as they approach; a signal to passengers that the water bridge is just ahead.  So, next time you’re cruising the lake or lagoon, watch for the NO WAKE signs and take a moment to appreciate this engineering marvel.

Reindeer are another recurring theme at Walt Disney World, and are found in some unexpected places.  At Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, there’s a twinkling deer family grazing on a ledge over the main entrance.  They add to the beauty of the lobby in the evening, when it glows with light and good cheer.

For the holiday parade at the Magic Kingdom, Santa’s reindeer have left their post to join the dancing on Main Street U.S.A.  Wearing their “hollyday” bows and sleigh bells, they’re a favorite year after year.

Nestled in fields of flowers, the beautiful twig deer at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa draw visitors outside to enjoy the perfectly manicured grounds of this splendid resort.

Look for a reindeer motif featured on everything from antenna toppers to chocolate.   Take the time to visit Disney’s Fort Wilderness and enjoy the fantastic holiday displays at the campsites.  You’ll see lots of reindeer prancing through the woods.

But, do they really know how to fly?  Oh, yes!

One of the pleasures of a holiday stay at Walt Disney World  is the seasonal entertainment.  Everywhere you go, the air is filled with the sounds of the season.  The parades adopt a holiday score; the parks ring with Christmas cheer; even the ambient music at the resorts takes a yuletide turn.

Fountains bounce and lights twinkle to a holiday beat.  The Voices of Liberty appear in bonnets and top hats at the American Adventure for special performances of a decidedly wintry repertoire.  Of course, they also join the cast member and guest choruses for the annual Candlelight Processionals.

You’ll hear cheerful Christmas music as you wait for the busses at Downtown Disney, and enjoy sidewalk choral offerings in the evenings.  Arrive at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in time for the park opening ceremonies and enjoy the carolers at the holiday tree.

As Christmas approaches, the resorts begin a schedule of nightly concerts featuring small chamber ensembles, bell ringers, and choruses.  A favorite is the Cast Member Choir at the Wilderness Lodge which includes a number of executives.  They don red and white scarves and gather around the lobby tree to sing carols, much to the delight of both visitors and other cast members.

Guests can expect to be enlisted as participants, so polish up your tambourine and sleigh bell skills and make sure you know at least two verses of every Christmas song!

Guests staying at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge should be sure to ask about being a Flag Family during their stay.  Each morning, one fortunate group has the opportunity to climb to the top of the Lodge, and walk out to assist the ranger in raising the flags.

It’s an early-morning ceremony that includes our American flag, the flag of Florida, and flags representing Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and Walt Disney World.  There’s time to take pictures and enjoy the spectacular views from high up on the roof.

The family is presented with a certificate, has a photo taken and is given a frame to hold this memento of their special Disney moment.  Some families are invited to enjoy breakfast at the Old Faithful Club, the private concierge lounge on the seventh floor.

Those hoping to participate should make their request at the time of check-in.  This is very popular and limited to one party each day.

What do dwarves, dinosaurs, and Dumbo have in common?  They’re all topiaries at Walt Disney World.  This fanciful foliage is found throughout the parks and resorts all year round, but each spring, EPCOT becomes a gallery for this leafy art during the International Flower and Garden Festival. 

Look for Mary Poppins over at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, and don’t miss the wonderful Bison gracing Disney’s Wilderness Lodge.  Mickey and Minnie are there to welcome you to the Magic Kingdom, and elephants march along the walkway that leads from the park entrance to the Contemporary Resort.  

During the holidays there are characters dressed for the season and each Flower and Garden Festival features amazing new installations.  Guests never know if they’ll see perfume, Pluto, a panda, or Pooh.  From a fluffy Lion King fashioned of long grasses, to an extraordinary dragon bristling with bromeliads, these charming creations are some of our favorite Disney Details.

Most people seeing the kids and their fathers galloping around the lobby at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge would be surprised to learn that they are having dinner.  It’s the delightful Whispering Canyon Café where fun is at the top of the menu.  Diners can expect the same type of basic, hearty foods as are found in neighboring Ft. Wilderness – barbeque, cornbread, and mashed potatoes are popular fare in this neck of the woods.  The big draw here is the interaction with the servers.  Men in particular seem to be the butt of jokes, much to the delight of the children.

Here are some of the ways to elicit a response:

• Chew gum
• Wear a piece of clothing from Universal or Sea World
• Ask for a drink refill
• Mention spending the day at a non-Disney attraction
• Tell your server who’s birthday or anniversary it is
• Have a male member of your group ask where the restrooms are
• Challenge your server to a gun fight
• Ask where you can buy some chewing gum at Walt Disney World
• Complain that your straw is too short
• Ask for ketchup
• Drop a utensil and ask for another one

The décor is rustic with chunky furniture, lazy-susans on the tables and wagon-wheel lighting fixtures. Down-home table settings include jelly jars and bandanas.  The main dining room is open to the magnificent lobby and tables closest the lobby side offer a pleasant view of the comings and goings.

Review: “Whispering” Canyon is a tongue-in-cheek name for this raucous restaurant.  Guests staying at the Lodge are often awakened by the early-morning greeting, “COOOOME AAAAND GEEET IIIT,” complete with triangle accompaniment and delivered by a server obviously chosen for her vocal talents.  In fact, after complaints from the poor souls trying to sleep in the rooms surrounding the lobby, management made the decision to open for breakfast at a slightly later hour.

Food is simple and plentiful, with “Canyon Skillets” at every meal offering the dine-till-you-drop option.  This is a restaurant that’s not for the shy, or anyone looking for a peaceful meal, but lunch is generally quieter than breakfast or dinner.  Those preferring a less “participatory” experience might request seating in the smaller dining room at the back of the restaurant.   Keep in mind that experiences will vary and not every server will be at the top of his game every day.   Make the decision to go with a happy heart and if your server isn’t as enthusiastic as you were hoping for, then enjoy the antics around you.  There’s always at least one table of diners who don’t know about the “theming” and they are fun to watch.

Menus
breakfast
lunch
dinner
dessert

Whispering Canyon Cafe

Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Resort

Breakfast 7:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Lunch 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Dinner 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Perhaps the single most magical Disney gift is the Electrical Water Pageant. Never included in any “must-see” list and not designed to lure guests into the parks, the stores, or any revenue-producing venue; its sole agenda is to surprise and delight.

Each night, it makes its charming way across the water, visiting each of the Magic Kingdom resort hotels in turn, silently floating in the dark until it suddenly bursts into a whimsy of colorful shapes and cheerful music. It consists of a number of floats with lighted images including King Triton, a sea serpent, turtles, and dolphins leaping from the water. At the end of each little show, all the barges turn into stars and flags in an All-American finale.

It can often be glimpsed from the monorail, and is an unexpected amenity of rooms with a water view at the Contemporary, Grand Floridian, Polynesian, and Wilderness Lodge. All guests can catch the show from the water’s edge at any of these resorts as well as from Fort Wilderness, and many of the resort restaurants.

Keep an eye on the water if you’re around the Magic Kingdom area some evening – this small parade is guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

Electrical Water Pageant

Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake

Nightly – check locations for times

Disney’s Wilderness Lodge is known for its nooks. One of the nicest, overlooking the gorgeous lobby, is tucked away above the main entrance. Like every corner of this resort, it’s themed to perfection and infused with warmth. Boasting two distinct spaces, it’s a favorite spot to enjoy coffee with the morning papers, or check email.

In the evening, the cozy seating area with its own fireplace invites guests to relax with a book or enjoy a board game with the family. The charming writing area features glowing Mission-style lamps and is perfect for penning postcards or catching up on a little work that just had to be brought along. While the seating areas in the lobby draw the crowds, this secluded place offers a bit of privacy with views to the activity below. Even visitors not staying here have discovered this wonderful place to sit and experience a bit of Lodge living!

A pleasant boat ride from the Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge is the perfect choice for a break from the bustle of Main Street, U.S.A.