Our first WLV experience

[Claudia1]

Overall, our 1-BR villa was very nice. It was actually too quiet! I could hear my son sleeping in the other room. We were "home" over President's weekend.

Does anyone else think the toilets are too loud? We made a family rule to not flush during the night. It would wake the dead and/or Sleeping Beauty in the MK.

The new pool was great and very convenient.

The only thing that bothered us was the food services. It seems that none of the restaurants or the food court have increased services or capacities with the addition of the villas. At 9am, the food court line was over 40 minutes, just to place the order. We went to the Mercantile, bought bread, bacon, etc... and I breakfast cooked in under 30 minutes.

Without the search fuction, I am not sure if these comments have been made previously.

All in all, it was a great place to call home!

[Lesley]

Yes, the toilets do seem to be quite powerful! Made me jump the first time I flushed....WHOOOOSH!

And isn't the quiet just wonderful? I didn't realize how loud almost everything at WDW is (including the lobby at the WL!) until after we stayed here!

I wasn't inconvenienced by the lines at the Roaring Fork...but they did seem to be long at times. We're generally "eat breakfast on the run" folks....unless we have a ps somewhere. I guess they just assumed that since the villas have food prep facilities in each unit there really didn't need to be any more food service establishments. It seems that maybe they could find a better way to handle the breakfast rush though.....if you just want a croissant its kind of absurd to wait in that line!

I'm glad to hear you had a good time....we'll have to check out the villas pool next time. It looked nice from our balcony!

[Granny]

Claudia 1.....thanks for the post. Always like to hear about VWL experiences.

136 consistly highly occupied units at VWL does add a lot to the WL area population. We look forward to using our "home" to replace a lot of the quick food we used to get at Roaring Forks. My biggest complaint there is it is too cramped. Trying to refill a refillable mug can be quite a chore sometimes....I feel like a fish swimming upstream!

I've never seen Roaring Forks (food court) lines anywhere near 40 minutes just to place an order. Wow! :eek:

I hope that was just a unique situation....were a lot of them in cheerleader outfits or wearing Brazilian shirts? :cool:

[Regina]

Gotta agree about the atomic toilets, but they're at OKW too.:(

Here was my way to get around the wait for breakfast at the Roaring Forks: Let DH shower first, send him to Roaring Forks and act dumb when he comes back and says "wow, there was a big line.";) "Really dear? I had no idea":D

And Granny, BEHAVE!!:mad:

[yasuern]

I think the toilets are loud because they use less water and more air (or something like that) so these toilets are environmentally freindly - plus I think its a bldg code law for newer construction to have these "lowflow" toilets - but I agree at the ALL STARS we could hear evertime the people above and next to flushed.

[Richyams]

I am always worried that a young child will get sucked down those toilets at OKW.

Are they about the same or even more powerful at VWL?

[DaveH]

What we did was I take a shower first(I am also he early riser). I would go down to Roaring Forks early and the lines were not so bad. I would get our pastry or fruit or whatever. I would bring it back with our mugs full of whatever and if DW did not want anything to drink I would bring 2 for me :). Yes at peakk times the line there was real bad. We plan on this time of doing a grocery stop on the way to VWL and have breakfastt. More likely something fast and easy.

[DVC1996]

I was just thinking that Disney really underestimated about the size needed for a food court at WL! We vacationed at the WL the first year it opened. At that time....Roaring Forks was a much smaller entity than it is now. They expanded a few years ago. Does anyone else here remember actually how small it was when it first opened? From the posts here, it sounds like they are needing yet another expansion to meet the needs of the growing resort.


Harriet ( aka HarrietSLP & DVCMom)
DVC Member '96
Next Trips: DVC Anniversary Cruise 4/7-4-11
Grand Floridian 4/11
Off-Site: Grand Canyon/Bryce NP/Zion NP/Las Vegas 6/7-16

[Granny]

Originally posted by DVC1996
I was just thinking that Disney really underestimated about the size needed for a food court at WL! We vacationed at the WL the first year it opened. At that time....Roaring Forks was a much smaller entity than it is now. They expanded a few years ago. Does anyone else here remember actually how small it was when it first opened? From the posts here, it sounds like they are needing yet another expansion to meet the needs of the growing resort.

I do remember the pre-expansion area....very small....they really didn't expand the ordering area when they expanded into the old arcade area....they just added some much needed tables and chairs.

I agree they might have underestimated the demand for this. They probably didn't realize that when you build such a beautiful place, people are more apt to hang around it longer and place a heavier demand on all the on-site services.

And Regina, I'll try to behave better in the future.

[Simba's Mom]

I remember the "original" Roaring Forks" and of course also, the original size of the Mercantile. We made ressies before WL opened and visited about 6 months after it opened. Also, at that time, there weren't any "antics" in Whispering Canyon.

[Claudia1]

We stayed at the WL about 7 years ago and I remember a food cart by the lobby bridge with muffins, pastries, and juice in the mornings. It was a great alternative to the food court.

I vote for them to bring back the cart.

Let's all sing together,

"Bring back the cart"

"Bring back the cart"

"Bring back the cart"!

Seriously, while it is not perfect, at least we had the kitchen. I am not sure what the Lodge guests do without at least a microwave. One of the reasons we joined DVC was to get a ktichen to avoid food lines in the morning.

[Bigcat]

I would be willing to add on extra points at VWL if they would put an unlimited soda/coffee area in the villas area. The walk is too far just to get a coke.

[bjsmythe]

I would be willing to add on extra points at VWL if they would put an unlimited soda/coffee area in the villas area. The walk is too far just to get a coke.

I didn't mind it.
but our previous stay was in the All Stars in the back corner of one one the back buildings. Now that was a walk!!


We loved our stay at the VWL. Our first time there was early Feb

The only way we knew there were others in the building was when the toilets flushed - yes they are loud- or when little kids went by in the hall.

I can remember the coffee cart. We had gone there for supper and it was in the lobby in the evening. I'll join in the song

"Bring back the cart"

"Bring back the cart"

[Regina]

Gotta say it Bigcat, that would be one expensive refill.;)

With the refrigerators in the units, I doubt that Disney would see a need for this service.

My DH didn't complain about the walk to the Roaring Forks. One of these days, I'll have to try it myself.:D :D :D

[SimplyMagical]

We can't comment on the way it used to be because we just returned from our first stay. The lines at Roaring Forks were long sometimes, but moved quickly. As far as the toilets, they had a lot of power but did not seem to bother us with the noise. We did not have any problems in the middle of the night.

[BraveMom3]

I was at WL for the first time about 6 years ago, and I distinctly remember the set-up in the lobby with muffins, coffee, etc,.,.. and I really liked that also. Was really fast and simple!

[DisneyPhD]

Originally posted by Bigcat
I would be willing to add on extra points at VWL if they would put an unlimited soda/coffee area in the villas area. The walk is too far just to get a coke.

Sound like a good idea to me.

We have not stayed at VWL yet, we just joind DCV this month (after coming home from staying at Poly in Dec.) What I am wondering is, do they have a set up like at DL (yes I know some call it POR now) and Captian Cooks at Poly were you can fill your mug yourself, our do you have to wait in a line to do it?

I am looking forward to coming "home" to VWL and enjoy all the post from veterns here!!!! Thanks.

[Granny]

DisneyPhd....you just walk up to the soda machine and load up with ice and soda. No problem, except for the line coming through from the other side after having checked out of the food line! Somehow, it all works out as long as everyone has a little patience.

[kda]

Yes, bring back the cart!

Bring back the cart!

Especially the dessert cart in the evening. Remember the Wilderness Lodge coffee? Shaved chocolate and whipped cream, sipping on it sitting in front of the fire or taking it outside.:bounce: :pinkbounc

[Mooobooks]

IMHO, the biggest problem with the atomic toilet flush is that the cool air against my tush wakes me up in the middle of the night!
I know ... more information than you needed!:)

[Simba's Mom]

Hey, kda. Do you mean that cart in the lobby in the evening is gone? We're going to have to rethink this whole VWL purchase (LOL). Actually I remember-we loved it and were really looking forward to sipping that coffee (and Frangelica?) in the evening. Yes, bring back the cart-quick!

[perdidobay]

DH and I had our first visit at VWL in Jan this year and we really enjoyed the stroll to the WL to roaring forks, but I can see if you were in a hurry you wouldn't want to have to go there for refills or breakfast. It wasn't too crowded when we went, but I could see it being really horrible during the summer and over holidays. During our trip to WL in 1999 we had a small suitcase with a toaster and poptarts, ect and never ate at roaring forks! (We did occasionally get refills for our mugs though), but this time we had a 1 bedroom villa (full kitchen!) and never used it!!! go figure:rolleyes: It would be nice to have a small cart in the lobby of the villas with fruit and cold pastries for sale!

[DaveH]

I stayed at WL when it was a couple of years old and remember the cart. There was story then about a CM was always on the cart. that CM had to stay home for some reason some kind of emergency. So they sent another CM there and the take like doubled.:eek: So they started to watch what was going on and the story went that the CM was scimming off of the top. That was the story going around then. If I remember right now they have something else in the area they use to have the cart. The line for the cart use to be real bad too. Just an observation on my part.

[Disney Doll]

I think that they'd probably hesitate to put a soda thing in the WLV because they assume that if you're in the villas, you have a fridge to buy soda and keep it in your room. Even if you're in a studio, you still have a small fridge.

[thepoohbear]

We stayed over Presidents' Weekend for the first time, too. We loved it so much we bought add-on points. Again. :) But I was wondering...Has anyone noticed that the water smells really bad there? Was it just our room, is it the water all over Florida, or what? The room had a smell when we got there and I couldn't figure out what it was until I filled the bathtub at night. Pew! I still love the place and can't wait to go back, but next time I'm bringing bubble bath or something!

[DisneyPhD]

Regarding the bad smelling and tasting water, I think it is the area. Each resorts we have stayed at I found the water is unbearable. My husband supects Disney of having awful water so you will shell out the 2.50 for bottled water. Really I think it is Florida. I wonder if it is a bad for residents? If so do most people have filters to fix the problem and Disney doesn't bother?

[ErinC]

I grew up in another area of Florida, and the water did not taste bad. I think it's a Disney thing. We took my DD when she was four months old. It took me about 2 days to figure out that any time I mixed her formula with Disney water she would not drink it. I had to use bottled water to mix her formula so that she would have any thing to do with it.

[Mooobooks]

Could the smell be connected to the atomic toilets?
Seriously, the first time I brought my wife down to WDW she couldn't get over the rancid sulpherous stench of the water. Really awful.
But, it's not just at WDW. I have smelled water in other parts of the country that is just as stinky.
For my DVC brethern, I have a great tip: Pack a "Brita Filter" and pitcher and fill it up once a day. It'll save you a LOT of money in bottle water!:)

[Olaf]

I can live with the toliets, it's water pressure that drives me nuts. I know that thread has been done before, but I'd lay money on VWL having the worst water pressure on property.