Why DVC Members Stay at Boulder Ridge Villas

One of the best yet toughest parts of Disney Vacation Club membership is choosing where to stay. Since every DVC resort is so gorgeous and teeming with world-class amenities, you’ll always feel restless about your decision. But you’re overthinking it, I swear! 

Every DVC resort will dazzle you in its own way. As proof, here are some reasons why DVC members stay at Disney’s Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. 

The Theming

During the 1960s, Walt Disney sneakily acquired thousands of acres of swampland in the greater Orlando area. By 1971, Imagineers had converted much of it into a sprawling urban landscape. Since then, Walt Disney World has been its own little city, one brimming with life. 

Wilderness Lodge provides a stark contrast to the rest of the Disney campus. It’s a nature-themed rustic hotel hidden between the forest and the trees. It’s the proverbial cabin in the woods, lovingly designed to pay tribute to national park lodges and specifically the Old Faithful Inn. 

You’ll be at one with nature when you visit here, and you’ll re-live the log cabin days of Abraham Lincoln as an added bonus. You won’t find concrete anywhere within Wilderness Lodge, as Disney imported a specific kind of pine from Oregon just for this resort. All the interior elements of the hotel are wooden, which adds to the homespun folksy vibe here. 

You’re staying at an oasis in the forest, but it just so happens to be a short boat or bus ride from Magic Kingdom, the most popular theme park in the world. The theming here causes you to forget that you’re staying in the heart of Orlando civilization.

The Location

I just touched on this reason, but it’s important that you understand the specifics. On all maps of the Disney campus, you’ll find Wilderness Lodge listed as a Magic Kingdom resort. That’s the theme park closest to the hotel.

Disney accentuates this fact by operating scenic boat transportation to and from the park. Here’s a video of the boat ride, which you’ll notice takes about eight minutes one way.

The trip is so short because the hotel resides only 2.8 miles from Magic Kingdom. Bus rides take about the same amount of time, depending on traffic and stops, as shown in this clip:

So, the location of Wilderness Lodge is ideal for Magic Kingdom fans. You’re seemingly in the middle of nowhere, yet a boat or bus will have you on Main Street, U.S.A., in ten minutes. 

The Restaurants

Dining at Wilderness Lodge is an absolute joy. Four different restaurants here are DVC favorites, and the lounge is quite popular, too. Let’s start with that place, Territory Lounge, which you’ll find by the hotel lobby. It’s rarely crowded and has an excellent menu:

Territory Lounge tends to slip beneath the radar due to the competition. Two other DVC staples are within 250 feet of it. One of them is Storybook Dining at Artist Point with Snow White, the stylish character meal. It’s one of the most popular dining options at Disney. 

Directly across from the hotel check-in desk sits Whispering Canyon Café, a DVC institution. At this raucous restaurant, the food is hearty enough to come straight from the campfire. But you may not be eating here for the food. It’s just a happy bonus.

The true joy of Whispering Canyon Café is the service. Cast Members entertain you by providing all sorts of hijinks that somehow never grow old, including the legendary ketchup gag.

Recently, DVC members have steered toward a newer establishment, though. Geyser Point Bar & Grill resides by the water near the boat dock. Disney loaded this menu with some of its most unique offerings, including a delicious Bison Burger, and the drink options are exquisite, too. To a larger point, this is a great place to just sit down, hang out, and bask in the ambiance at Disney.

Finally, we have the Roaring Fork, which is one of the best Quick Service options at any DVC resort. The fact that I’m mentioning it last tells the story about how exceptional the dining is at Wilderness Lodge. 

The Dude Ranch

Until quite recently, Boulder Ridge and its twin, Copper Creek Cabins & Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, were the closest resorts to Fort Wilderness. While that changed with the opening of The Cabins at Fort Wilderness Resort, the thought process remains the same.

When you stay at Wilderness Lodge, you’re just a short boat ride away from Fort Wilderness and all the spectacular entertainment op

tions available here. The most popular of them is the Tri-Circle-D Ranch, the place where Disney houses all its horses. Yes, here’s where the animals on Main Street, U.S.A., live once they come home from work. 

You can understand why kids would delight in visiting these noble creatures. But you’ll have a great time here as well. Dude, ranches remain a popular vacation option for adults. Remarkably, you can spend one of your Disney vacation days at this dude ranch and then head to Magic Kingdom once you’re done. Where else in the world could you combine such diverse vacations? Well, you can whenever you stay at Boulder Ridge!