See why so many travellers make The Wilderness Club at Big Cedar their hotel of choice when visiting Ridgedale. Providing an ideal mix of value, comfort and convenience, it offers a family-friendly setting with an array of amenities designed for travellers like you.
Big Cedar Wilderness Club Ridgedale is a family-friendly hotel offering a flat screen TV, a kitchenette, and air conditioning in the rooms, and it is easy to stay connected during your stay as free wifi is offered to guests.
The hotel features a concierge and room service. Plus, guests can enjoy a pool and an on-site restaurant, which have made this a popular choice among travellers visiting Ridgedale. For guests with a vehicle, free parking is available.
Travellers looking to enjoy some shrimp can head to The Worman House, Devil's Pool Restaurant, or Osage Restaurant. Otherwise, you may want to check out a diner such as Log Cabin Cafe.
Should time allow, Ancient Ozarks Natural History Museum is a popular natural history museum that is relatively easy to get to.
At The Wilderness Club at Big Cedar, your comfort and satisfaction come first, and they look forward to welcoming you to Ridgedale.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
We stayed in unit 2447A in the 2400 Building (James River Lodge), top floor. The view from the balcony was great! The decor of the unit was a fishing/outdoorsy theme. The furniture was in great condition, appliances worked as expected, the full kitchen had everything we needed, and the washer/dryer came in handy as well. Area golf courses are a bit challenging so take extra balls! The new Payne Valley course is unbelievably beautiful. The Osage Restaurant at Top of the Table is pricey but well worth it for the fantastic food and view. An old canon is shot off each night at sundown. A destination to add to one's bucket, that's for sure!
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Review collected in partnership with RCI
Date of stay: September 2020
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Check-in was fast and he went through the map to help us get an idea where everything is. This place is very large. We were able to walk everywhere, but there were shuttles available and they were quite fast to pick you up. We had cookies delivered to our rooms each day. Hot cocoa at the registration building all day. We did the campfire, mini golf, paddle boats and the scavenger hunt to get familiar with everything there is. Fun Mountain was really fun; we went bowling, wall climbing, arcade games, and the pirate ship. There is a cost, but we bought the family pack a couple of times; and people gave us there remaining cards so the grandkids could play more games. Rooms were nice, although you can hear the people upstairs at times....we never heard the couple that was next door, go figure. Top of the Rock Museum was more than we expected. We did not have to pay for parking and tickets were 1/2 price as it was February. Did not get to do the golf cart tour as it was cold and rainy when we planned to go; perhaps next time. All in all a great trip for us and our family. Planning on returning, although we were during the off season, I imagine it is very, very busy in the summer and may not feel so special.
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Review collected in partnership with RCI
Date of stay: February 2020
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I look forward to my trip to Wilderness Club each year. 2020 has been a giant turd, so I was anxious to get away. WC did not disappoint.
My husband and I have found that this is one of the few places where we can genuinely relax. Every detail is thought out. From the courtesy shuttle, to the thoughtful cookie delivery each day. Even as an adult, I get so excited to see the little bag hanging from my doorknob.
Rooms are clean, well decorated and well stocked. Anything needed is just a phone call away. We were lucky enough to have a top floor room, and enjoyed overlooking the lake for coffee in the morning, dinner at night, and while enjoying a beverage at sunset.
We stayed in a studio room. Plenty of room for two. King bed, pull out couch, and small table for two. Kitchenette had a confection microwave and two burner stove. There was also a mini fridge. Safe was in the closet. Has grills were available on the bottom level. Laundry room was in our building and soap was provided.
While the resort offers many pools, we only visited the infinity pool next to our building (2700). It was clean, and always had plenty of towels and chairs. Sanitizer and cleaner was available for guests.
We enjoyed the new pickle ball court, and a few rounds of mini golf. We enjoyed the walking trail each morning. We spent a day at the beach, and treated ourselves to a pontoon boat rental. We fished from the piers, and along the banks. Staff throughout the resort were always so friendly and helpful.
I have always loved this resort, and look forward to returning next year.
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Date of stay: September 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi all, i wanted to post about wilderness club at big cedar . I am here right now and leave tomorrow,, the rules have changed as of today and i want to let everyone know what to expect. First of all the infinity pool is open from 10 to 10, and they have a maximum capacity of 75. Because of covid. Well unless your in line at 9 to 930, it is completely maxed out at 10 oclock so good luck. So unless someone comes out and is done swimming and lets face it most people go to the pool for the day, you will not get in. The only way to get in at this point is too wait at the gate in the scorching heat hoping someone leaves. They will not take your name ,you literally have to wait. There are no time limits as of yet for guests in the pool. So if 75 people wanted to be there all day and not leave thats ok for the time being. Although i have talked to the manager about this because to be fair they need to access this. When at 100% occupany there is about 800 adults and 300 kids at wilderness club, so do the math, most people wont get in. So the next place to go to swim would be lazy river. Well as of today you are not allowed in the lazy river unless you have a tube. There are only so many tubes. You are not allowed to go in without a tube, so again lines are long and good luck. If you do get a tube and you stay in then when you come around to the entrance you get to get all the dirty looks of the guests waiting in line beacuse you didnt get out lol. They have also closed the water slide as the ceo supposedly came down yesterday and decided its not sanitary enough due to covid., so it and all the chairs around it have been closed. So unless your at the club house by 9 dont expect a chair to sit and if you plan on doing the lazy river, know the new rules. The indoor pool is the only place you are guaranteed to get to swim at this point because there is not as many people in here. So to say the least dont expect to swim most the day. The best time is 5;00 or after if you want in the infinity pool. I have suggested they do the reservation times or time limits to be fair to all but it hasnt happened this far. I know covid is an issue but people if you dont feel safe you shouldnt be coming to the resort and if you dont like the sound of this call management becaue if you pay to come here be prewarned most people are not happy with the way this is all be handled and their kids cannot swim. Ps, you are now not allowed to go to big cedar pools.
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Date of stay: June 2020Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stayed in 2746B in Mill Creek Lodge for a week. Despite it's location and name, Wilderness Club at Big Cedar IS NOT part of Big Cedar Lodge. You'll pay a $10 daily fee to have access to most Big Cedar amenities with one big exception...if you are coming here to golf, you can't book tee times any farther out than someone walking in off the street, whereas if you actually stay at Big Cedar you can book tee times as soon as your accomodations are confirmed even one year out. And if you want to play Payne's Valley forget trying to get tee times 14 days out. The Room was good. It has dishes and silverware, small fridge, microwave and dishwasher. Had a really nice pool area as well as free laundry. Location was excellent as well. If you aren't a golfer, Wilderness Club at Big Cedar is a good and slightly less expensive option to get the Big Cedar experience.
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Date of stay: September 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We have been coming here since 2001 and have always enjoyed our time but was disappointed with cabin 2027. This was our first time in a cabin, usually we stay at one of the lodges. The floors felt dirty but we weren't quite sure until we found candy under a chair one evening and then when wiping a drink that had spilled, our rag was filthy with dirt and grime. It was obvious the floors hadn't been swept or mopped. A new coffee pot strainer is needed because the coffee took forever to brew. Place could use a new dishwasher - doesn't clean the dishes well. Sorry to say but the beds were very uncomfortable for all of us. Enjoyed the deck in the morning but forget about going out in afternoon or evening from all the wasps and hornets and spiders by the door and flying around the windows. The deck should be sprayed and the back of the cabin so it's enjoyable to be outside. Also, the toilet seat in the bathroom with just a shower needs to be replaced. It wobbles back and forth. More than likely we won't be spending time in a cabin again. We do love Big Cedar and the friendly staff, exceptional food, great entertainment, gorgeous views and fun activities which will bring us back but we hope to not experience this again in our lodging.
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Date of stay: June 2021
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We got a little lost getting to the Wilderness Club, but found it wasn’t far from Big Cedar. Check in was easy and we were invited to the preview a couple of days later which we accepted. The presentation was very pleasant and we actually enjoyed it. It wasn’t aggressive like some others. We were given a $200 prepaid credit card for our attendance. Our one bedroom unit was on the 5th floor. It was a great unit with a wonderful view of the lake in the distance and the surrounding area. The unit was quite spacious with a pullout bed in the living room. The kitchen had everything and there was also a washer and dryer. A shuttle is provided for guests who do not wish to drive. There is a charge of $5 per day at this resort. The view from the Lookout point is very nice. Branson is within driving distance and there are lots of restaurants and entertainment there.
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Date of stay: January 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Overall, the Wilderness Club was a great place to stay. I would recommend the property; it's just the time of year that I wouldn't necessarily recommend unless you're just trying to get away and do nothing. There's not a lot to do on the property and very little to do in Branson at the end of January/first of February. Other than an issue with the thermostat, the rooms were great; clean and pretty much everything we needed. We had a 2 bedroom (bedroom, living room and kitchen plus 2nd bedroom with kitchenette and small sitting area). I love that there is a washer/dryer (stacked) in the 1 bedroom section. Although you couldn't wash much at a time, I chose to wash and dry some of our clothing while we were just hanging out in the room so that I didn't have as much to do once I got home.
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Review collected in partnership with RCI
Date of stay: January 2020
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Ryan Sorensen, General Manager at Bluegreen Wilderness Club at Big Cedar
Responded 21 Feb 2020
Thank you for taking the time to write a review about your stay with us. We appreciate the feedback! January and February are definitely the slow times in our area. Big Cedar Lodge provides a lot of activities including our new Fun Mountain activity building for these slow times or during bad weather. Please come back and stay with us again soon!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
This resort is on Big Cedar property so there is lots to do, beautiful at Christmas time and I am sure just as wonderful in other seasons. Restaurants on site are a bit pricey so plan ahead as to this resort is out of town about 10 minutes. Room was a 8 out of 10 clean but I am extra picky. Studio rooms are small so would be hard with more than 2 especially if you want to cook in etc. Small bathrooms too. Wonderful place to stay for nature and outdoor activities and would love to go again at Christmas. Quick check in and friendly staff.
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Review collected in partnership with RCI
Date of stay: December 2021
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Check in was seamless, until we got to the part about an Owner's Review. They never want to take no for an answer. Their 60 minute presentation never lasts just 60 minutes, plan for at least 2 hours, or more. The room was clean and there was ice in the freezer. Being there on an off season weekend was nice as the lodge was not fully occupied and was quiet. We did have neighbors on one side, but we only knew that because they had kids and we heard them every once in a while. Everything in the room worked well, but we took our air fryer because it is faster in cooking, we only used the stove for breakfasts. The view as into the trees, maybe a thinning or something would be good so you got a good view of the sun setting. We were disappointed because there was no microwave popcorn or lemonade packets in the room, there always have been in the past. Also disappointing is that EVERYTHING seems to cost anymore. "Owners" do not seem to get anything discounted or free. The Halloween Maze that was set up on the public side could have been free for owners, but it wasn't. It would have been a pretty penny with kids. Other discount's for "owners" might be for Top of The Rock and Dogwood Canyon. Where have any benefits to ownership beyond getting a room gone? It was nice that the outdoor pool was heated, but we didn't make time to use it. Rooms could use fresh paint and updating. The decor, though rustic, is dated. The grounds are well maintained and clean.
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Date of stay: October 2022
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rochester Hills, Michigan173 contributions230 helpful votes
All the lodges are very nice. The formica counters are looking a little dated, but not enough of an issue to keep you from coming to the Wilderness Club. The decorating is very well done and gives you the lodge feeling. I would recommend the top level of the lodge for great views. We enjoyed the outdoor hot tub while there in February - the lazy river was not in operation. There is a lovely indoor pool. The restaurants are wonderful and the food is very good.
It's important to know that The Wilderness Club is a time share. As an owner at another resort, I stay away from the "presentation" at all costs. While on vacation, you want to relax and not spend part of your day being encouraged to buy.
You do if you have a bluegreen timeshare, OR you purchase a stay from a legitimate owner on craigslist or eBay. There are scammers out there so be careful.
I found it very easy to social distance while in Branson. I even went to Silver Dollar City in June. Masks were mandatory and most people tried to maintain space. It didn't seem an issue.
My advice would be to enjoy your trip in late July. Wear your mask and try to stay six feet away from folks.
"Avoid this company. They seem to be getting worse and worse. The "supervisors" can't do anything for you and it's very clear that the leadership makes horrible policy"
There are more places to choose from in the Ridgedale area.
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Is Bluegreen Wilderness Club at Big Cedar accessible?
Yes, it offers wheelchair access, reduced mobility rooms, and facilities for disabled guests. For specific enquiries, we recommend calling ahead to confirm.
