“New and improved” labels show up on food and beverage brands all the time, signaling the taste of your favorite spaghetti sauce or sports drink is better now than it ever was.
(“New” Coke, of course, being the popular exception).
Two years ago, Disney made an already-lovely resort even better when they completely redid the grounds and debuted Copper Creek Villas and Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge.
It took only a handful of visits to convince my wife and I to buy into Copper Creek. It was a no-brainer, actually. We had stayed at Wilderness Lodge several times before the re-do. Boulder Ridge, though in need of upgrades, remains an atmosphere-rich Disney Vacation Club property and we enjoyed it. However, the improvements made at Copper Creek quickly propelled it to our No. 2 resort (Grand Floridian maintaining the top spot for being on the monorail line and for its gorgeousness).
What do I like most about Copper Creek? When I’m there, I feel isolated from the noise and crowds. When I walk to Geyser Point and look out over Bay Lake I am in another world. It’s serenity personified. Seeing the Contemporary Resort in the distance just adds to the scene.
And what can I say about Geyser Point? It was a stroke of genius for Disney to build an open-air restaurant-lounge overlooking Bay Lake. The wonderful earth tones merge into the Pacific Northwest feel of the resorts surroundings.
The new and improved Boulder Ridge Cove Pool is a zero-entry infinity pool, themed perfectly with railroad and mining motifs throughout. My only beef here is the hot tub. Every time I’ve stayed here, the jets are either not working or set so low the water doesn’t circulate. It is akin to a warm (not hot) bathtub. Although I’ve told cast members about this issue twice, no changes have been made. I seek out the hot tubs in every resort I go to and I have many favorites, but that might be the subject of another column.
Now on to the NEW Copper Creek Villas!
While I haven’t stayed at the Cascade Cabins (26 rustic retreats that line the shores of Bay Lake), I toured one of the models and instantly fell in love. For for two people, reserving a cabin doesn’t pay off. However, this is a great option for our once-yearly family visit when the kids and grandkids meet up with us at one of the resorts and spend time together.
I absolutely love the Copper Creek Villas. We stay in a Deluxe Studio, and albeit on the smaller side at about 350 square feet, Disney did a fantastic job of re-purposing the space. These rooms were formerly part of the Wilderness Lodge Resort and were converted for Disney Vacation Club. I especially like the slide-out pantry in the kitchen and the discreetly hidden storage areas that open up the room. The Pacific Northwest décor is on display here and the dark paneling and wood floors add to the feeling you are spending the night in the wilderness. Most every balcony view is a winner. On most trips, we have had rooms overlooking the Springs Pool or Cove Pool, with a gorgeous view of Bay Lake in the distance. Be sure to request an upper floor for the best views.
You also can’t beat the convenience of accessing the main lobby with it being only a short elevator ride away. Additionally, there is far less walking at Copper Creek as compared to other DVC properties. If you’ve stayed at the Polynesian or Kidani Village, you know to pack your track shoes.
Copper Creek also gets props for being a boat ride away from the Magic Kingdom, the monorail resorts and Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground. One minor pet peeve I have is that the timing of the boats can be infuriating. For some reason, we typically arrive on the lodge deck just when the boat we want has already sailed and it’s a 15-minute wait for the next one.
The service at Copper Creek is first-rate. The cast members are friendly and our magic bands have worked every time, which I cannot say about every resort. We recently stayed at Bay Lake Tower and it took some time getting that resolved.
Summing up, the bigest selling points for Copper Creek are its easy access to the magnificent lobby, wonderful views, clean rooms, gorgeous grounds and its proximity to Magic Kingdom and the monorail amenities.
Kudos to Disney’s new-and-improved Wilderness Lodge. They made a great resort even greater!
About Michael Bates
My wife Lori and I bought into Saratoga Springs in 2014 and added Copper Creek Villas in 2017. We typically visit a resort and the parks every two months or so and never looked back on our decision to become DVC members.
Great review. One thing that I can’t stand is when people say there’s a long walk at the Polynesian. Its longer at other resorts like Boardwalk and Animal Kingdom, never mind Old Key West and Saratoga. I guessing people just think the walk is long just because they are separate buildings but Morea to the lobby is not that far. Your bigger point is correct, the CC has no long walks!
Love Copper Creek and all of Wilderness Lodge. Having the rooms attached to the main lobby is a huge plus in my book, especially when there is weather. I do think that when Boulder Ridge gets its refurb in the next couple of years, it is going to be just as amazing.
They scored BIG with Geyser Point – where my husband fell in love & finally allowed us to buy into DVC.