Naples’ Great Wolf Lodge vs Walt Disney World’s Wilderness Resort: Let's compare
Not every Floridian enjoys the surf and sand 24/7, some residents want to experience a taste of the mountain life every once in a while. And soon it can be done without leaving the state.
But soon it will be the battle of the two Florida wilderness lodges — Naples' upcoming Great Wolf Lodge location and Walt Disney World's Wilderness Lodge Resort.
From pricing and pools to theming and things to do, here are the major comparisons between the two resorts:
Right off the bat — what are Great Wolf and Disney Wilderness Lodge resorts?
The Great Wolf Resorts is the largest family of indoor water park resorts in North America. Great Wolf Lodge originally began as a small indoor water park resort called Black Wolf Lodge, founded in 1997 by brothers Jack and Andrew "Turk" Waterman, the original owners of Noah's Ark Water Park in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin.
The name change didn't happen until a few years later when Black Wolf Lodge was purchased by The Great Lakes Companies in 1999. In 2000, president and founder Craig A. Stark and the team changed the name to Great Wolf Lodge, and its company headquarters was established in Madison, Wisconsin.
It has now grown to 20 locations across the country, with Naples a part of their expansion.
Learn about the lodge's lore: Florida’s first Great Wolf Lodge coming to Naples next year. Here are 8 fun facts about waterpark resort
Walt Disney World's Wilderness Lodge Resort is one of the company's deluxe hotels that opened in May 1994. It has over 700 rooms and sits lakeside on the Seven Seas Lagoon near the Magic Kingdom.
Sidenote: What is Fort Wilderness on Disney property?
Resorts aren't your thing? Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground is 750 acres of pine and cypress forest located in the Magic Kingdom Resort Area.
Four types of campsites accommodate everything from tents to 45-foot and longer RVs, with a maximum of 10 Guests per site. Each campsite is equipped with privacy-enhancing landscaping, water, cable television and electrical hook-ups, a picnic table, and a charcoal grill. Most campsites also include a sewer hook-up and some even permit pets.
Fort Wilderness has a pool for guests to enjoy, as well as archery, horseback riding, and canoeing. They also host an array of dining options, including the iconic Disney 'Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue' restaurant.
Where are the two resorts located in Florida?
The upcoming Naples location will be the first Florida for Great Wolf Resorts. It will be located at the Interstate 75 and Collier Boulevard interchange.
The Wilderness Lodge Resort is found on Disney's 25,000-acre property in Central Florida, on 901 Timberline Drive in Lake Buena Vista.
Are there any differences in their wilderness theming?
Besides some slight differences, both resorts strive to recreate the rustic feel of the nation's national parks and wilderness. Disney's resort claims to focus on the Northwest corner of the country, modeled off the historic Old Faithful Lodge circa 1904 in Yellowstone National Park while the Great Wolf Lodge doesn't specify a specific location for their theming.
As it's in the name, Great Wolf Lodge also does tend to focus on wolves in their motifs and merchandise. Disney uses their expansive list of characters to their advantage, incorporating those such as princesses, Marvel, and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse characters throughout the resort. They also have hidden Mickeys in the lobby and rooms.
What is the cost difference between Great Wolf Lodge and Disney Wilderness Lodge?
Depending on the size of the room, the number of guests, and the season, patrons of Great Wolf Lodge can book a vacation for roughly $300–$700 per night.
The Naples Daily News reported that participating in clubs like AAA can save you up to $100 or so, depending on the day, and your membership number from those is required for reservations. They also highlight using promo codes when booking and checking discount sites, such as Groupon, first.
Per AllEars, the Wilderness Lodge Resort rooms have nightly prices of:
Standard View Room $369 – $709
Woods View Room $430 – $725
Woods View w/ Bunkbeds Room $478 – $748
Courtyard View Room $463 – $733
Courtyard View w/Bunkbeds $486 – $786
Club Level Standard View $615 – $997
Club Level Deluxe room $780 – $1,355
What food options are at each resort?
So far, Great Wolf hasn't released much on their dining options except in a statement that noted "casual and full-service dining for every appetite." The new Maryland venue features seven eateries for guests or the public at various pricing levels, and you may see some of those in Florida.
Some of those options may include:
Campfire Kitchen - Buffet with a variety of different options
Hungry as a Wolf - Snack bar with pizza, sandwiches, and more
Freshwoods Markets - A grab-and-go market
Barnwood - Upscale dining option
The Watering Hole - A bar
"We'll have anywhere between six to eight different food venues, everything from grab and go to a really nice sit-down restaurant," Steve Jacobsen, executive vice president said.
Dining packages also will be available, but local pricing hasn't been determined. In Maryland, it looks like this:
Silver dining: $145 per package for a $150 dining credit
Gold dining: $185 per package for a $200 dining credit
Platinum dining: $225 per package for a $250 dining credit
"Wolf Wakeup Breakfast:" for breakfast buffet only, $16.99 per person per day
At the Wilderness Lodge, there are two full-service restaurants, a lounge, a snack bar, and a combination bar and grill:
Artist Point – This restaurant becomes an enchanted forest as it hosts the Storybook Dining with Princess Snow White
Whispering Canyon Cafe – Located off the main lobby, this is a Western-themed family-style restaurant. Food is offered in skillets placed on lazy susans; breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served, in addition to a la carte plates.
Territory Lounge – Adjacent to Artist Point, this is a lounge that serves coffee drinks, such as micro-brews, espresso, and cappuccinos. Appetizers and light snacks are available in the afternoon and evening.
Roaring Fork - This is located on the ground floor near the pool entrance of the main Lodge. It is a quick service location with light meals and is open from approximately 7 a.m. to midnight.
Geyser Point Bar & Grill - This is located behind the Copper Creek Villas, overlooking Bay Lake. It serves lunch and dinner. The Bar is a full-service bar, and you can order food there as well.
Miss Jenny’s In-room dining - Available for breakfast from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. and dinner from 4 p.m. to midnight.
Guests can use their Disney Dining Plan towards their resort meals, which is a method of pre-paying for meals and snacks at Walt Disney World. To see the different plans offered at the Walt Disney World Resort, visit their website.
Is there an array of amenities for patrons?
The new Great Wolf Lodge in Naples "will offer a host of family-friendly attractions including miniature golf, arcade and more," Jason Lasecki, a Great Wolf vice-president said to the Naples Daily News. "It is also the home to MagiQuest, our interactive adventure game that allows players to unleash their imagination and go on a quest to save the mythical land of Vellara."
From pools and beaches to outdoor movies, Disney's Wilderness Lodge says it offers "fun recreation and activities for the whole family. Guests can watch movies under the stars, roast marshmallows for smores, fish in the lake, explore the nature trails, play games in the Button and Bells Arcade, and relax at the spas.
How do the waterslides and pools hold up?
You can't go to Great Wolf Lodge without checking out the waterslides. The Wisconsin-based resort promises that the new Naples location's water park will be a little over 90,000 square feet with six swimming pools.
"As for first-time features, we do have a few surprises up our sleeves as this will be our next-generation Great Wolf Lodge resort. (We) also have some newer slides coming to the Naples resort," Lasecki said to Naples Daily News. "The indoor water park will have some beloved Great Wolf Lodge favorites like the Crooked Creek lazy river, Slap Tail Pond wave pool, and River Canyon Run family raft ride, (We) plan to share all the exciting details and renderings about the water park in early 2024."
The Disney resort offers two different pools:
Copper Creek Springs Pool - A heated pool surrounded by nature. Guests can choose to relax in hot and cold whirlpool spas or book it down a 67-foot waterslide. There's also an activity play area for children and the Geyser Point Bar & Grill offers refreshments.
Boulder Ridge Cove Pool - More laid-back, patrons can soak in the whirlpool spa, enjoy a swim in the zero-depth entry pool or score a first come, first served spot at one of 6 shaded seating areas.
What can patrons do off resort property?
Wilderness Lodge Resort patrons don't even have to leave the general area their entire trip. Outside of the resort, Disney guests have four theme parks, two water parks, two golfing courses, and the Disney Springs shopping plaza to venture into. They can use the free transportation to head to-and-from these locations.
Just four hours away in Naples, Great Wolf Lodge is on the outskirts of the city. However, it's only less than a 20-minute drive to other hot spots around town, such as:
Paradise Coast Sports Complex
Naples Zoo
Naples Botanical Garden
5th Avenue South
Tin City Shops
Naples Depot Museum
Naples Pier
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Florida Great Wolf Lodge or Disney Wilderness? Prices, pools, food
