Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge review

What is Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge?

Boulder Ridge Villas is one of two Disney Vacation Club resort offerings within Disney’s Wilderness Lodge (the other being Copper Creek Villas & Cabins). This means that DVC members can use their timeshare points to stay at Boulder Ridge or regular guests (like myself) can pay cash or rent DVC points to cover the cost of their stay.

Wilderness Lodge as a whole is designed to feel like an early 1900s national park lodge or, as my kids describe it, a hotel made out of giant Lincoln Logs. In the lobby, for example, you’ll find golden brown timbers, handcrafted totem poles, a stone hearth fireplace surrounded by rocking chairs and other rustic details. Outside, the buildings are surrounded by towering pines, rocky outcroppings and greenery-lined paths.

As a Deluxe DVC resort, this hotel has top-of-the-line amenities like full-service and quick-service restaurants, multiple pools, an activity center with games and crafts for kids, and a fitness center.

How to book a stay at Disney’s Boulder Ridge Villas

The location is just minutes from the Magic Kingdom

Spacious accommodations with all the comforts of home

My family stayed in a two-bedroom villa, which is the largest accommodation type Boulder Ridge has (studios and one-bedroom suites are also available). It features separate bedrooms, a full kitchen, in-room laundry and a balcony or patio. The wilderness theme was adorable, with a good mix of Disney elements and traditional woodland cabin decor.

Although there were only five of us, our accommodations had the capacity to sleep up to eight guests. There were two queen beds in the kids room, one king bed in the primary bedroom and a queen-size pull-down bed in the living area.

With three kids in tow, I really appreciated having so much space and that the living and dining areas were totally separate from the sleeping areas. We also had two bathrooms: one off the kids room with a shower, a vanity and a toilet and another off the primary bedroom with a shower, a tub, a vanity and a toilet.

We were only in town for two nights, but this is the type of room where I could have gotten very comfortable staying for a full week. The coffee machine could make a single cup of coffee or a full pot, the kitchen was fully stocked with cooking supplies and dishware, and there was an in-room washer and dryer with a couple of small bottles of laundry detergent included.

All Boulder Ridge guest rooms have balconies. Because we had a two-bedroom villa, we actually had two balconies, much to the kids delight.

Dining options, from quick-service to character meals

Disney’s Wilderness Lodge has a variety of dining options, whether you want a character dining experience or need to grab something quick before hitting the parks. Each morning, I mobile ordered iced Americanos ($3.29) for myself and my husband and to-go Mickey-shaped waffles with sausage ($10.49 for three waffles and two sausage links) for the kids before we headed to the parks. It worked out perfectly that they had something to snack on and we could get caffeinated while we waited for the water taxi to the Magic Kingdom.

Our most frequent stop was Geyser Point Bar & Grill. Its waterfront location near the pool made it a convenient stop for a quick drink, snack or dinner with a view. I tried the crispy chicken sandwich ($20) and loved that it elevated traditional theme park fare with a hint of spice and fresh slaw.

We also had brunch at the western-themed Whispering Canyon Cafe in the lobby. You can order individual menu items, but the venue is best known for its family-style skillets. Because we were sharing with the (somewhat picky) kids, we went with The Heritage ($26 per person), which included traditional American breakfast staples and Mickey-shaped waffles. Because the skillets are served family style, the eatery will bring more if you run out of anything.

I washed my meal down with a mimosa flight ($24), and I loved the variety. My favorites were the blood orange and the passion-orange-guava mimosas.

Pools and activities at Disney’s Boulder Ridge Villas

Aside from the accommodations, the best things about staying at a Disney Deluxe resort are the service and the amenities. Your resort becomes so much more than a place to stay between park visits; it becomes part of your vacation. When we walked into the lobby to check in for our stay, Disney characters were there taking photos. I don’t want to ruin the surprise, but there were some pretty rare characters in attendance, and it was such an exciting way to start our stay.

Wilderness Lodge has two pools. I appreciated that they were fairly close together, so we could go back and forth based on what the kids wanted to do. The Copper Creek Springs Pool is the main pool where the activities team hosts daily activities like trivia and pool games. This pool has a 67-foot waterslide and hot and cold whirlpool spas. Don’t mistake that for a hot and cold plunge; it’s more that the cold whirlpool is at a temperature that is comfortable on a hot Florida day when a hot tub might be too warm.

The Boulder Ridge Cove Pool has a zero-depth entry area and a large whirlpool. It also has six shaded seating areas that are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Both pools are large and never felt crowded during our stay, so which one you choose really depends on whether you want chill vibes or more active ones.

Boulder Ridge Villas also offers activities like complimentary tours that highlight the hotel’s design and decor, outdoor yoga, nightly campfires (with free marshmallows!), movies under the stars and arts and crafts at Humphrey’s Hideout near the Copper Creek Springs Pool. We received a printed schedule at check-in detailing that week’s offerings.

When we checked in on a particularly rainy day, we were also given a list of “Rainy Day Activities,” like an indoor movie and a scavenger hunt. This special touch is what sets Disney apart in my mind. The property went out of its way to make the day feel magical, even when the weather was anything but.

All Disney resort hotels, including Wilderness Lodge, have on-site arcades, but fitness centers are relegated mostly to Disney Deluxe resorts (the exception being Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort).

Reasons Disney’s Boulder Ridge Villas might not be for you

There are only a few instances where I would not recommend this hotel:

Accessibility

All Disney resort hotels offer wheelchair- and hearing-accessible rooms. Public spaces like pools, restaurants, gift shops, lobbies, fitness centers and laundry facilities are also wheelchair-accessible, and pools have accessible lifts.

Water taxis and bus transportation to the parks are also accessible.

TPG always advises that you call the hotel directly before booking to ensure it can meet your accessibility needs.

Checking out

Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort expertly marries the great outdoors with the level of service and accommodations guests expect from a Disney Deluxe resort. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay thanks to its serene setting, proximity to the Magic Kingdom and fantastic amenities, but I appreciated that you can save so much money on your stay by renting DVC points even more.

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