Hi Adam,
Disney's Wilderness Lodge Resort is such a fabulous escape in the middle of all the magic at Disney World. One of the things I love most about this Resort hotel is the quiet you can enjoy while relaxing here after a long day at the theme parks so I completely understand why you may have some concerns about upcoming refurbishments.
Unfortunately, exterior refurbishments will likely be happening while you are on vacation. The announcements about this refurbishment have not given an end date, so that likely means they will be ongoing for the foreseeable future. They have not announced that any of the Wilderness Lodge Resort amenities will be closed, so that is a good sign that you will see limited impacts during your trip. Disney World does a great job of ensuring that construction work at their Resort hotels only happens during daytime hours. This ensures that you are not disturbed when sleeping or relaxing in the evening and that most of the work is happening while you are at the theme parks. If you decide to still stay at Disney's Wilderness Lodge, make sure that you check out
Story Book Dining at Artist Point with Snow White. This experience is so much fun, the food is great, and you get to take a photo with the Evil Queen!
Walt Disney's motto was to "keep moving forward," so construction is a pretty regular feature at most of the Resort hotels, theme parks, and Disney Springs. The good news is that this means you are always getting the newest and most innovative experience when you travel to Disney World. We have never had it cause issues on our vacations unless the construction caused an amenity like transportation or the pool to be closed. If you are completely averse to staying at a Resort hotel while refurbishments are ongoing, there are a few Resort hotels that just completed lengthy refurbishments or are brand new.
Disney's Riviera Resort is a beautiful Mediterranean-themed oasis where everything is sparkling new! The rooms are well-appointed, the pool is a blast, and the restaurants are some of my favorites at Disney World.
Happy Planning,
Jenna