by Ray Keating
Review
DisneyBizJournal.com
December 20, 2023
The Wilderness Lodge ranks as one of my favorite resorts in Walt Disney World. And I particularly enjoy it at Christmas time.
Inspired by National Park lodges, such as the Old Faithful Inn in Yellowstone National Park, there’s something rustically majestic about this place. The Wilderness Lodge opened in May 1994, and it offers an assortment of high-end amenities for guests. And it somehow fits in … Florida. That’s some Disney magic on the part of the Imagineers.
The six-story lobby can be breathtaking, particularly with its massive Christmas tree this time of year. And the Christmas hymns playing in the background throughout much of the resort just add to the holiday feelings.
And there are some noteworthy places to eat, such as Artist Point, Whispering Canyon Café, the Territory Lounge, and out by Bay Lake, the open-air Geyser Point Bar & Grill. Geyser Point and Territory Lounge are my two favorites.
I just stopped in at the Territory Lounge the other day. And while I was getting writing done on my laptop, I enjoyed their Territory Popcorn Sampler, which offered five mini-bowls of flavored popcorns – Spicy, Caramel, Sea Salt, Truffle and Barbecue-flavored.
This sampler makes for an ideal snack – enough for two or three people, or just one, if you happen to be on the hungry side while getting a little work done. The popcorn itself was crunchy, stood up well to the various flavors, and had a fresh taste (as opposed to the often stale popcorn one can suffer with when venturing outside the home for a popcorn fix).
As for the flavors, the Truffle popcorn offered a gentle balance of salt and sweet – though leaning more to the sweet. The Caramel was unabashedly sweet, but not too much – it had the just right amount of sweetness. The Sea Salt had a distinctive and perfect saltiness for a popcorn. And the Barbecue-flavored offered a salty BBQ taste that wasn’t overbearing. But then we come to the Spicy popcorn, which was very spicy. In fact, my tastebuds were overwhelmed, and could have done without this Spicy option. Next time, I’ll ask if I can replace the Spicy mini-bowl with a second Sea Salt option.
It's certainly fun to mix things up while crunching away on this popcorn sampler, but there is a clear benefit to eating in a certain order. I’d start with the Truffle popcorn, followed by the Caramel, the Sea Salt, the Barbecue, and lastly, the Spicy. Also, there are enough flavor options that one can find a particular option that might fit best with an adult beverage or soft drink.
And yes, this popcorn sampler just seemed to fit in before and after I enjoyed the Christmas decorations at the Wilderness Lodge.
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Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com; and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries, the Alliance of Saint Michael novels, and assorted nonfiction books. Have Ray Keating speak your group, business, school, church, or organization. Email him at raykeating@keatingreports.com.
The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?
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