Air-conditioning problems have been plaguing Disney’s Wilderness Lodge — as well as its visitors and workers — this week.
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Guest rooms, restaurants and backstage areas have experienced elevated temperatures and stuffiness as Central Florida thermometers flirt with triple-digit territory. Those conditions extended into common areas of the resort, including the seven-story lobby.
“Pardon our pixie dust” signs in the resort Wednesday warned the AC would be unavailable throughout the morning. Reports of such problems started last week.
A Walt Disney World spokesperson said Wednesday afternoon that work has been going on “around the clock” and that the resort hopes its normal cooling operations are in place soon.
Wilderness Lodge, located on Bay Lake just south of Magic Kingdom theme park and Disney’s Contemporary Resort, features more than 700 standard guest rooms. It opened in 1994 with a design inspired by national park lodges.
Resort guests report that Walt Disney World cast members placed portable coolers in rooms and common areas late last week. Other guests were given options of moving to different Disney World resorts, including Coronado Springs Resort and the Art of Animation Resort, and receiving financial compensation, the spokesperson confirmed.
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Room rates for Wilderness Lodge vary with dates, size and views. Kayak, a travel and booking company, says the average weeknight price of a room in the past two weeks has been $609. Disney World categorizes it as a “deluxe” resort alongside properties such as the Contemporary, Grand Floridian and Animal Kingdom Lodge.
Cathy McKinley is visiting Disney World with nine family members from North Carolina, New Hampshire and Texas. They are staying in three rooms in the main building of Wilderness Lodge.
Cast members “put three fans in each room and also put a mini-fridge in one of our rooms. While it is warm on the common areas, the rooms are fine,” McKinley said.
In fact, she complimented the workers for their efforts in the heated conditions.
“We came in from a long day at Hollywood Studios a couple of days ago, and they were giving out free ice cream varieties and free drinks such as water, soda and others,” she said. “We are out in the heat all day, so it’s a relief going into the lodge with the fans they have running.”
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