With plenty of time to sit and reflect on our most recent trip to Walt Disney World, Amy and I are finally ready to share some of our thoughts on each of the Disney Vacation Club Resorts we stayed during our trip! We kick things off this week where our mega split-stay vacation began, Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. Having stayed at Copper Creek once before, we were excited to revisit and see if it continued to impress us!
These reviews will follow the same template that appears over on the Walt Disney World Resort Reviews page of The DIS. Be sure to head there after your next trip and leave your review!
Check-In Process
We are early risers when it comes to a Disney vacation, and what I mean by that is that we book the earliest possible flight out of Pittsburgh to head to Orlando. That being said, after a long morning that began at 4:00 am, we arrived at Wilderness Lodge shortly after 11:00 am, already feeling the effects of the days travel.
Although we had previously completed our online check-in via the My Disney Experience, we stopped by the front desk to verify that our room was not ready and drop off our bags before heading off to lunch at Geyser Point.
Fast-forward five hours, and I checked with the front desk once again on our way past. The cast member helping informed us that they had tried to contact us hours ago about a Deluxe Studio on a lower floor (we had requested an upper floor) being available for us. We happily agreed to take the room, ready for a bit of relaxation, but both noted that we had never received a call or text as the front desk indicated.
At this point, all that mattered to me was that I had a room, and for that reason, I was happy.
Rating: Satisfied
Service and Cast Members
One thing that was apparent from the moment we stepped through the front doors of Wilderness Lodge was how happy the Cast Members were to see guests and welcome them ‘home.’ We had multiple encounters during our stay of Cast Members going out of their way to interact with us and say hello.
Rating: Very Satisfied
Lobby / Common Areas
Even though we were only at the resort for two nights, we had plenty of time to wander through the lobby and common areas as we awaited our room to be ready.
Perhaps the resorts theming lends itself well to aging, but we found the Wilderness Lodge and Copper Creek to be beautiful as ever, three years after its opening. The rustic feel immediately sweeps you away to a different place and different time as you quietly relax in front of The Grand Fireplace or next to the Hot Spring in the main lobby.
Rating: Very Satisfied
Hotel Condition / Cleanliness
In the age we now live, cleanliness is a must, which was very prevalent throughout the entire Copper Creek Villas. We saw many Cast Members rotating throughout the lobby and common areas wiping surfaces and cleaning.
I think it is also worth noting here that Copper Creek has not missed a beat since becoming a ‘big brother,’ so to speak. With Disney’s Riviera Resort opening last year, I expressed concerns about whether the same attention and care would be given to Copper Creek now that it was not the premier Disney Vacation Club Resort being actively showcased and sold. As of now, this is not the case. It is as beautiful and in excellent condition!
Rating: Very Satisfied
Room Cleanliness
Our Copper Creek Deluxe Studio was Room 1142, located on the resort’s lowest level towards Boulder Ridge. This was the second time we have been in this area of the resort, and while it fails to provide a fantastic view, this section is tranquil and feels very private.
I would give the room 4 out of 5 stars when it comes to the “Pete Werner Cleanliness Test.” The resort still benefits from being new, and many of the design features make it easy to clean. Add in the enhanced cleaning measures due to the current pandemic, and we felt that overall it was a very clean room. One of the only noticeable issues was the bathtub drain, which seemed to have a clog preventing it from draining fast. Depending on how long you were in the shower, it quickly would turn into a bath.
While on the cleanliness topic, I would like to point out one issue we ran into during our stay at Copper Creek. On our first morning relaxing on the balcony, we noticed several discarded cigarettes outside, one of which found its way onto our patio area. I don’t feel like turning this into a smoking debate but hope this serves as a reminder that we should respect those around us when on vacation and do our part in caring for these resorts.
Rating: Satisfied
Room Decor
As mentioned above, the style and decor of Copper Creek make the room feel both clean and spacious. This is important given the fact that the Deluxe Studios here are the smallest found among DVC Resorts. A significant amount of attention appears to have been spent maximizing the space for guest’s needs. The decor also provides theme and character to the room, being a nice blend between rustic and modern.
Rating: Very Satisfied
Dining Options
When it comes to dining options available at Wilderness Lodge, you will never go hungry. Even with two dining options closed currently, I don’t think we would have ever found ourselves searching for food. The resort had the most options available out of any we visited during our trip. Geyser Point continues to be a standout homerun for drinks, a quick bite, or a meal. We also enjoyed breakfast at Whispering Canyon, although it’s not on our list to return soon. Add in Artist Point once it reopens, and Copper Creek is a foodies paradise.
One important takeaway we noticed is that Roaring Fork is currently operating as Mobile Order only. When you have a late-night sweet tooth as we do, a thirty-minute pick-up wait quickly kills it.
Rating: Very Satisfied
Pools and Recreation
With many guests choosing to enjoy a resort-only vacation, the pool at Copper Creek was a bustle of activity all-day long. Given the current circumstances, Amy and I opted instead for the quieter Boulder Ridge pool area; however, I noticed that once the main pool closed, this area drew quite the crowd. With the resort not quite at capacity, it begs the question of how busy these areas could get, and whether the resort would benefit from one more quiet pool area.
Other recreational activities are typically available, providing guests plenty to do during their vacation.
Rating: Satisfied
Transportation
Disney’s Copper Creek Villas & Cabins typically offers boat service to and from the Magic Kingdom as well as area resorts. This was unavailable at the time of our visit.
Bus service is also available for transportation to all four theme parks, both water parks, and Disney Springs.
We elected to utilize a rental car on this trip, making transportation a breeze. If we had one wish for Wilderness Lodge, it would be a walking path connecting it to Disney’s Contemporary Resort. With the Grand Floridian/Magic Kingdom walking path finally a reality, this would be a great next step for the Bay Lake and Seven Seas Lagoon area. Looking at this in detail while driving by the resort and from the Contemporary’s observation deck, I’ve determined it is a pipe dream. We joked about a monorail stop as well, but now we’ve really gone deep down the rabbit hole.
Rating: Satisfied
Value for the Points
Nightly point cost for Copper Creek starts at just 15 points per night for studios. Since we were in one of the higher point seasons known as Magic Season, we spent 21 points each for Friday and Saturday-a lower amount than studios for at least six other Walt Disney World DVC resorts. We find the point charts here, which mirror that of Boulder Ridge, to be surprisingly low and a great value considering Copper Creek is still very new.
Rating: Very Satisfied
Overall Impression
All in all, Copper Creek was the perfect start to a fantastic vacation. The resort continues to impress us through its theming and the care that cast members have shown to continue to make it one of the premier properties at Walt Disney World. Amy and I both agree that we can’t wait to have another opportunity to stay here!
Join us soon as we head over to our stay’s second resort, The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa!
*Please note that this resort review was conducted during Walt Disney World’s initial reopening period. We ask that you take into consideration that any negative impacts may be a result of situations surrounding the ongoing pandemic, and may not accurately represent the resort once it has fully reopened.
Great stay report! I really enjoyed reading it in this topical format. Looking forward to the next one!
I have had an issue with missed (unsent?) room text message. The MDE app seems to have better access to up-to-date information.
Same thing happened to me on my last Boardwalk Villas stay.
I never got the notification that my studio was ready. So I checked the app, and sure enough my Villa room number was listed there, and off to the room I went.
Although I agree with much of this review, I have one big issue with it. You can’t rate transportation as satisfied if you had and used a car. At best, you need to leave that section unrated.
Here’s why: the major drawback of this resort is transportation. It takes forever to get anywhere from the Wilderness Lodge. We’ve stayed there twice, both times without a car, and will never stay there again, because the transportation issue eats up too much time on our trips, even when we’re just going to MK. With a car, this is a nice resort. Without a car, this resort makes for an unpleasant stay.
What a fun idea, though – a 6 resort split stay! We’re doing a 3 resort split in October, and I’m really looking forward to it!
I completely understand where you are coming from here. We had stayed at Copper Creek in December as well and did use Disney transportation. We didn’t find it too bad, but we never mind waiting for or on a bus. I can see where WL is not as convienent as the other MK area resorts. Hope your October stay is great!