On a recent trip to Walt Disney World with my daughters, we stayed at Disney Vacation Club’s (DVC) newest property – Disney’s Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. These new DVC villas are a re-modeling of some of the original hotel rooms of Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. Our Copper Creek Villa in the main lodge combined two original hotel rooms into an expansive 750+ square foot villa.
Photo by Rafael Tongol
Accommodations
The 1-bedroom Villa had a separate bedroom and living room outfitted with a king-size bed and queen-size sleeper sofa. The entry door opened onto a full kitchen complete with coffee pot, oven, stove, microwave and large refrigerator. There was also a dinette set with table, bench and three chairs. Everything you needed to cook and eat meals in the Villa was included. The living room had the sleeper sofa, an armchair and a large flat screen TV mounted above a 6-drawer dresser. Between the separate living room and bedroom was a closet and full-size washer and dryer. The bedroom contained the king size bed, wardrobe, 6-drawer dresser and small vanity.
As it was just me (Dad) with my two older daughters (ages 20 & 17), I turned the bedroom over to them to share, while I took the pull-out sofa. We had plenty of room – the girls had a king size bed to spread out and the sleeper sofa was so comfortable that I could barely notice it wasn’t a regular bed. We had plenty of storage space for clothes and luggage throughout the Villa.
A highlight of this Copper Creek Villa was the two spacious bathrooms. One bathroom contained an oversized sink with large counter space and a luxurious deep soaker tub. The second bathroom had another sink, toilet and shower facilities. Doors closed off each separate bathroom from each other, allowing my daughters to get ready in one area while I had my own private bathroom.
The Villa’s décor could be characterized as “rustic elegance.” It was outfitted with wood, stone and natural fibers – evoking a “Parkitecture” vibe from the turn of the century. A polished slab of wood served as the bed’s headboard, and the bathroom contained translucent art – like a geode – that allowed soft light to filter beautifully into the bedroom.
The Villa’s double balcony/porch looked out over the wooded courtyard toward the pool and lake. By day, one could see the geyser go off at regular hourly intervals. By night, one could watch (and listen to) the Electrical Water Pageant pass by on the lake. This balcony quickly became the perfect spot to savor my morning coffee.
Restaurants and Dining
As Disney’s Copper Creek Villas are located within Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, families have access to all the dining options of the resort. These include Whispering Canyon Café, Artist Point, Roaring Fork and the Territory Lounge. New to Disney’s Copper Creek Villas was Geyser Point Bar & Grill, which was my favorite dining option of the resort. The open-air lounge sits right on Bay Lake, and the unobstructed views and breezes were divine. The eatery is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with a full-service bar offering specialty cocktails and craft beer. The menu is nothing fancy (perfect for my family) – burgers, sandwiches and salads – but you can also find shrimp-on-a-wire and a charcuterie board. Also on the property was a fire pit for toasting marshmallows and roasting s’mores. After a long day at the theme park, nothing was better than sitting in a soft chair by the lake at Geyser Point Bar & Grill watching the fire and water.
Pool, Fitness Center and Salon
There are two main pools at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge: the original (but renamed) Copper Creek Springs and the new Boulder Ridge Cove Pool that opened with Disney’s Copper Creek Villas. Copper Creek Springs pool features a water slide and a children’s splash ground activity play area. The Boulder Ridge Cove Pool has a railroad theme with mine cars and equipment, an old track and a steam train water tower lining the zero-depth entry pool. In addition to the pools, Disney’s Copper Creek Villas offers a fitness center. Open 24 hours a day, Sturdy Branches Health Club has treadmills, exercise bikes and elliptical trainers, as well as free weights and weightlifting machines. The Salon by the Springs is located adjacent to the Copper Creek Springs pool and offers manicures, pedicures, hair braiding and more.
Recreation and Activities
In addition to the two pools, families staying at Disney’s Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge will find bike and boat rentals, fishing, outdoor movies and extensive running routes around the resort. Reunion Station is the activity center for the resort with a pool table, ping pong, foosball, BBQ, movie area and more. Of course, the not-to-be-missed activity is visiting the four Walt Disney World theme parks. The Magic Kingdom is but a quick five-minute boat ride from Disney’s Copper Creek Villas, while Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom can all be reached by bus.
By Dave Parfitt