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Tall timber and the grandeur of Rocky Mountain national park geyser country are
the inspiration for Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, one of the new Walt Disney World
resorts.
A sun-drenched atrium dominated by 60-foot lodgepole pine timbers and a massive
stone fireplace helps recapture the romance of rustic, century-old architecture
with a contemporary flair, bringing the wilderness world of nearly 100 years
ago 2,000 miles to Florida lakes and forest lands.
The Lodge is hidden away on the shores of Bay Lake surrounded by towering pine,
cypress and oak forests. The 728-room hideaway is accessible by boat across the
Seven Seas Lagoon to the Magic Kingdom and by complimentary bus to all the
Disney theme parks, hotels and attractions.
The Lodge was designed by award-winning Urban Design Group of Denver, headed by
architect Peter Dominick, Jr., who saw the project as a special challenge to
create old style with new flair.
"There are romantic and endearing qualities associated with the early national
parks movement -- the Northwest, the native Americans, the great lodges," the
designers pointed out. "All of these elements have been combined in wonderful
detail, creating a unique wilderness resort experience."
Warm tones of brown, green and beige create a cozy, woodland feeling in the
guest rooms. An old-fashioned patchwork quilt, artwork depicting the mystery of
the old West and a light-wood armoire etched with mountain scenes adorn the
rooms. Most rooms include a balcony with views of waterfalls, "geysers,"
courtyards, Bay Lake or the surrounding woods.
The resort features a volcanic meadow with bubbling color pools, babbling
brooks and geysers spewing misty streams up to 100 feet into the air beside the
swimming pool and white sand beaches.
Though conditions during the two-year construction project didn’t match the
harsh, subzero climate when Old Faithful Inn was created by craftsmen 90 years
ago, forging Wilderness Lodge out of the Florida landscape was no small feat.
Tons of granite flagstones and hundreds of giant lodgepole pines from the West
were brought in to re-create the authentic atmosphere of America’s national
park lodges.
A soaring, log-framed main lobby is the centerpiece of the complex. Massive
six-story-high bundled log columns help support roof dormers that bathe the
multicolored wood and stone floor below in natural light. Four massive
chandeliers with torch-cut scenes of Indians and buffalo, topped with glowing
teepees, grace the lobby. Two 55-foot handcarved totem poles -- the "eagle" and
"raven" -- were inspired by Northwest Indians.
A majestic, 82-foot-tall, three-sided stone fireplace re-creates a
2-billion-year geological record of the earth with fossilized remains of
prehistoric animal and plant life. Colorful rock strata layers are re-created
in the proportions they occur in the Grand Canyon.
The culture and beauty of the West is showcased in the artwork at the Lodge.
The oldest culture to be honored in the hotel is the Native American, with
artifacts from tribes such as the Cheyenne, the Crow, the Sioux and the
Blackfoot. The era of exploration is represented by maps from the great Western
survey teams plus sketches and watercolors from artists such as Karl Bodmer and
George Catlin.
Guests are invited to explore porches, the Continental Divide lobby bar, the
library and other intimate spaces that are tucked away within the lobby and
six-story guest wings which surround a themed water recreation area.
A bubbling hot spring in the main lobby expands into a geothermal area outside
the building. The water flows under a picturesque window wall to become Silver
Creek in the upper courtyard. The quiet, contemplative creek widens and is
transformed into a roaring waterfall which plummets 15 feet past Overlook
Point, another traditional National Park icon, and widens again in the swimming
area.
A kiddie pool and hot and cold spas complete the swimming area which then flows
toward Bay Lake. The excitement is capped off by steaming color pools and an
Old Faithful-style geyser that erupts at regular intervals.
The serene setting of Disney’s Wilderness Lodge is complemented by unequaled
epicurean experiences like Artist Point, a fine-dining restaurant featuring
traditional Northwestern specialties such as smoked seafood, salmon steaks,
venison tenderloin and Dungeness crab. The eatery is adorned with grandiose
murals celebrating landscapes of the great Northwest.
The nearby Territory Lounge pays homage to the trappers, explorers and survey
parties who led the country’s move westward. Roaring Fork Snacks and Arcade
offers grilled sandwiches in a cafeteria-style setting.
Wood-roasted, smoked, grilled and barbecued cuisine can be found at Whispering
Canyon Cafe -- a family-style, all-you-can-eat restaurant with an American West
motif.
The artistic wilderness theme is also captured at Cub's Den, the lodge’s kids
recreation and dining club, the retail shop, arcade and Trout Pass poolside
bar.
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