We just recently returned from another trip to Disney World. This one was fun but very hot. The weather was just crazy. I know it’s normally still hot in early to mid September, but the heat index every day we were there was over 100 degrees!!! Me being about 7 months pregnant didn’t help either. But we survived!
This time we had a couple off park days where we just spent time swimming or exploring other resorts. I’ve been wanting to visit and explore the Wilderness Lodge Resort for years now, so we finally made it happen this trip. All I have to say is wow. Wilderness Lodge is absolutely beautiful. We’re a camping and outdoor family, so this resort was simply gorgeous to us. It has a way more laid back and tranquil vibe. The outdoor areas leading to the pool and boat docks were simply stunning. We didn’t even feel like we were in Disney anymore. My daughter loved the little bridge inside so much she ran back and forth over it probably 100 times. She was on the move so much that I actually didn’t even get any pictures here. My bad! So I’ll share one that one of our other writers has taken.
So if you’re ever looking to explore other Disney resorts, I can’t recommend this resort enough! So beautiful and detailed. This one is definitely going on our list for a future stay.
We had also planned to head over to the campground area, known as Fort Wilderness. There was a quick service restaurant we wanted to try since we had the dining plan for free this trip. We simply walked to the boat launch dock and waited for a boat ride over to the campgrounds. It’s a nice little boat ride, maybe about 10 minutes. It leaves you off right near a little store, playground, and some of their restaurants. We were picking up some food from P & J’s Southern Takeout. There’s only a few metal picnic type tables out front, and a few more over the playground. We chose to eat by the playground while my daughter played. It was perfect! The playground over there is completely enclosed with a fence, so you can enjoy your meal or just relax without having to worry about your child running away. Again, we were so busy eating and having fun that I forgot to take any pictures. Again, I apologize. The food was amazing for a quick service place, and if you have the dining plan, I would definitely recommend trying this place if southern food is your thing. We were able to get rib or fried chicken dinners, and both meals came with two sides and corn bread. We chose the mac n’ cheese and mashed potatoes of course! We liked this place so much, we actually came back a second time. P & J’s Southern Takeout is located right next to the Trails End Restuarant. In fact, when you go in to place your order, you can see the people sitting in the restuarant. The Hoop De Doo Review is located on the other side of this place.
My daughter absolutely loved the playground here. There were multiple climbing structures and slides and another area with several swings. The playground was set on that rubber type ground material, making it nice and squishy and soft if anyone fell. The swings were on wood chips.
There were also horse drawn carriage rides available, but we did not do them.
If you find yourself with a non park day, you should definitely check out the Wilderness Lodge and/or Fort Wilderness Campgrounds. While you cannot use their pools unless you are staying there, you can eat at any of their restaurants, play on the playgrounds, and just walk around. I’m so glad we were able to check these places out, and will most likely visit again in the future.
