In 1996, Disney Vacation Club opened it’s first mixed-use resort – part deluxe hotel and part DVC villas – at the BoardWalk.
Based on the success of Disney’s BoardWalk Villas, Disney decided to take a similar but slightly different approach with it’s next development. Instead of developing another brand new mixed-use resort, it decided for the first time to add on DVC villas at an existing deluxe hotel (a pattern which DVC would end up repeating many times).
In August 1998, with Disney’s Old Key West Resort recently sold out, Disney Vacation Development (DVD), operators of Disney Vacation Club (DVC), announced it’s fifth DVC resort. The third proposed ownership development at Walt Disney World Resort would be located immediately next to and adjoining Disney’s Wilderness Lodge in the Magic Kingdom Park Resort area.
Initial plans for the proposed DVC resort called for the development of a 136-unit free-standing, five-story vacation ownership resort consisting of studio, one- and two-bedroom vacation villas on a 4-acre site adjoining Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. Development was slated to begin in the spring of 1999.
By building the resort on land immediately adjacent to the Wilderness Lodge, Disney was able to spend less on infrastructure items, such as parking and restaurants. “We’ll be able to take advantage of their front desk and all of their restaurants,” said Mariska Elia, a Vacation Club spokesman.
On April 14, 1999, Disney executives and resort industry representatives, along with a team of costumed Disney railway workers, officiated over the groundbreaking of the newest vacation ownership project — The Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge (VWL) — as they commemorated the “union” of two Disney resorts.
On November 15, 2000, The Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge opened and became the 5th DVC resort. Recalling the 1860’s railroad hotels of the American West, the villas offered the comforts of home amid the rustic and majestic beauty of Disney’s Wilderness Lodge.
On April 1, 2015, DVC opened Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows, which featured unique over the water bungalows.
In May 2015, Disney filed plans for an expansion of Disney’s Wilderness Lodge which included 26 standalone cabins. Plans included demolishing the Hidden Springs quiet pool. Besides the Hidden Springs pool, the beach, marina and playground were all closed as a result of the construction.
It wasn’t until September 22, 2015 that Disney confirmed that the expansion would be DVC’s 14th development and the second at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge.
In May 2016, DVC announced that the proposed new Disney Vacation Club Resort would be known as Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge.
DVC also announced that the original Disney Vacation Club property at the resort – The Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge (VWL) – will be renamed Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge (BRV).