VWL Groupies & Lovers Thread (Special Collectors Edition 2.0) updated 21 June 2023

benjyt · Mar 28, 2015

Good morning, everyone! We're likely to make some decisions this weekend about an October trip to WDW. There will be four of us - me, DW, and two kids (12 and 9). As I mentioned before, we tried to rent points for a VWL studio for early October, but no availability. We may still have a chance to get a 1BR at VWL, but not sure our travel budget can take it. As an alternative, I'm considering a Wyndham Bonnet Creek stay. We've stayed at WBC twice before - it's a nice timeshare, plenty of space, and a very reasonable cost, but nothing like staying onsite. However, we could add at least one or two days to our stay and still save a good bit of $$. Any thoughts would be appreciated. In the end, I know it will be determined by what we want to experience and what we're willing to spend...

Granny · Mar 28, 2015

sleepydog25 said:
I do vote "Aye!" for the steam train, but don't mess up my nature trail to FW. As for the 2BRs, only the dedicated ones have the two queens in the second bedroom. The 2BRs that have a lock-off will only have a queen and the sofa bed. Now, I don't know the number of dedicated 2BRs vs 2BRs w/lock-offs, so I can't tell you the odds of one over the other. I suspect someone will know.

There are 44 dedicated 2BR villas at VWL. There are 45 lock-off 2BR villas at VWL. When booking, be sure to ask for the one you want. MS will always book the dedicated ones first since that leaves more flexibility for 1BR & Studio bookings.

Granny · Mar 28, 2015

benjyt said:
Good morning, everyone! We're likely to make some decisions this weekend about an October trip to WDW. There will be four of us - me, DW, and two kids (12 and 9). As I mentioned before, we tried to rent points for a VWL studio for early October, but no availability. We may still have a chance to get a 1BR at VWL, but not sure our travel budget can take it. As an alternative, I'm considering a Wyndham Bonnet Creek stay. We've stayed at WBC twice before - it's a nice timeshare, plenty of space, and a very reasonable cost, but nothing like staying onsite. However, we could add at least one or two days to our stay and still save a good bit of $$. Any thoughts would be appreciated. In the end, I know it will be determined by what we want to experience and what we're willing to spend...

I think that this depends on a lot of things. Personally, we love the immersion in all things Disney during our trips which is why we paid the premium to stay on-site. We did some off-site stays when the kids were younger and they were great, but a car is a must in that case. By all accounts Bonnet Creek is a very nice resort, and I thought they had shuttles there to Downtown Disney so you could use WDW transportation to get around? And adding a day or two to the stay is pretty important.

If you've ruled out SSR studio as an option then I would think WBC would be a good fall back. It's all about creating memories, and at the end of the day where you stay won't be as important as the time you spend together. Good luck.

brettcw23 · Mar 28, 2015

sleepydog25 said:
As for the 2BRs, only the dedicated ones have the two queens in the second bedroom. The 2BRs that have a lock-off will only have a queen and the sofa bed. Now, I don't know the number of dedicated 2BRs vs 2BRs w/lock-offs, so I can't tell you the odds of one over the other. I suspect someone will know.

Granny said:
There are 44 dedicated 2BR villas at VWL. There are 45 lock-off 2BR villas at VWL. When booking, be sure to ask for the one you want. MS will always book the dedicated ones first since that leaves more flexibility for 1BR & Studio bookings.

Terrific info! Thank you @sleepydog25 and @Granny
I'll make sure to note it on the requests. If we get it, bonus. If not, it's far from being the end of the world! #DVCProblems

I'm kind of excited about the nature trails. I'm a jogger and I'd love to run in the "wilderness" at WDW. nd I know my MIL would LOVE it for her walks.

Corinne · Mar 28, 2015

DiznyDi said:
Corinne, we leave on the 16th. We do have a later flight but will still be leaving the Lodge around 4:30. Traditionally we spend our last day at MK. Usually sitting at the train station and watching all the activity on Main St.

Di-I'm officially confused! I thought your last day is May 9th? :confused3

Our dates are now May 9-15.

Granny · Mar 28, 2015

brettcw23 said:
Terrific info! Thank you @sleepydog25 and @Granny
I'll make sure to note it on the requests. If we get it, bonus. If not, it's far from being the end of the world! #DVCProblems

I'm kind of excited about the nature trails. I'm a jogger and I'd love to run in the "wilderness" at WDW. nd I know my MIL would LOVE it for her walks.

Once you get your reservation, dedicated or lock-off isn't a request. I remember my reservation confirmations including the words "Dedicated 2BR Villa" the last few times we've stayed there. So I think that once they designate a reservation that way, it is pretty sure to end up that way...though Disney of course will always reserve the option to change if it benefits them. Still, I think you should be in good shape if the reservation says "dedicated".

And the walk to/from Fort Wilderness really is a hidden gem for that area. If you walk to FW and don't want to walk back you can always go hop a boat that will take you back to WL.

Enjoy!

jimmytammy · Mar 28, 2015

Just got home from a pre-deployment ceremony and hit the phone before DVC closed...sorry folks, just cant contain the excitement, we are finally, finally going to be back at the Lodge after all this time!!!!

Granny · Mar 28, 2015

jimmytammy said:
Just got home from a pre-deployment ceremony and hit the phone before DVC closed...sorry folks, just cant contain the excitement, we are finally, finally going to be back at the Lodge after all this time!!!!

Hooray! I can't think of anything less needing of an apology

We went ahead and switched out our September trip to VWL too. Like you, we have been far too long away from our beloved home.

twokats · Mar 28, 2015

Jimmy and Granny, congrats on finally getting back home. Right now Kati and I can't figure out a way to get there before the end of 2016. We have a cruise in Dec '15 (when we would have been there), January '16 and now one in May '16. That pretty well cleans out our vacation budget and account and I still haven't told my boss how many vacation days I am going to be gone in those 5 1/2 months!!!

Sleepy, sending you a pm to update my latest cruise info.

brettcw23 · Mar 29, 2015

Granny said:
Once you get your reservation, dedicated or lock-off isn't a request. I remember my reservation confirmations including the words "Dedicated 2BR Villa" the last few times we've stayed there. So I think that once they designate a reservation that way, it is pretty sure to end up that way...though Disney of course will always reserve the option to change if it benefits them. Still, I think you should be in good shape if the reservation says "dedicated".

And the walk to/from Fort Wilderness really is a hidden gem for that area. If you walk to FW and don't want to walk back you can always go hop a boat that will take you back to WL.

Enjoy!

Well, I was hoping at the online check-in I could note it or even call Member Services to make the request. Looking at my current notifications, this is what I have.

From the DVC site:

From my e-mail confirmation:

Granny · Mar 29, 2015

Brett...I would go ahead and call MS to make the request. I think they will be able to tell right away which villa type you have. Since I don't see "dedicated" on the reservation, I'm thinking it may be a lock-off. To my knowledge, on line check in doesn't have any "write in request" areas. Good luck!

sleepydog25 · Mar 29, 2015

brettcw23 said:
Terrific info! Thank you @sleepydog25 and @Granny
I'll make sure to note it on the requests. If we get it, bonus. If not, it's far from being the end of the world! #DVCProblems

I'm kind of excited about the nature trails. I'm a jogger and I'd love to run in the "wilderness" at WDW. nd I know my MIL would LOVE it for her walks.

I love the trails to FW, especially the dirt one. Although it diverges to the right after about 1/3 of a mile, I continue to run straight, paralleling the lake, and wind up going through the CM parking lot at FW. No one has ever told me to not to do so. :rolleyes1

twokats: Gotcha covered! :thumbsup2

jimmytammy · Mar 29, 2015

Hey sleepy, I heard there are black panthers in the woodsy areas in and around WDW, so it leaves me wondering, can a 2 legged "dog" outrun a 4 legged cat??

I guess if Luv reports you missing around the Lodge area, we may have our answer :duck:

Just giving you a hard time(but watch out for those pesky CMs who are picky about their parking area)

sleepydog25 · Mar 29, 2015

jimmytammy said:
Hey sleepy, I heard there are black panthers in the woodsy areas in and around WDW, so it leaves me wondering, can a 2 legged "dog" outrun a 4 legged cat??

I guess if Luv reports you missing around the Lodge area, we may have our answer
Just giving you a hard time(but watch out for those pesky CMs who are picky about their parking area)

I'm reminded of the advice I received during my initial in-briefing at Elmendorf AFB in Anchorage, Alaska: one mustn't be the fastest runner to get away from a grizzly, only faster than the slowest person in the group. I've run right by CMs in the parking area without a comment, so until they tell me to stop. . . pirate:

jimmytammy · Mar 29, 2015

Sleepy, those are good words to live by, or run by :yay:

just dont be like this guy :snail:

twinklebug · Mar 29, 2015

sleepydog25 said:
I'm reminded of the advice I received during my initial in-briefing at Elmendorf AFB in Anchorage, Alaska: one mustn't be the fastest runner to get away from a grizzly, only faster than the slowest person in the group. I've run right by CMs in the parking area without a comment, so until they tell me to stop. . .

Cats love active prey. Run!!!

j/k

From http://www.fws.gov/floridapanther/panther_faq.html:
There are no known attacks on humans from the Florida panther. ( I don't think you have anything to worry about.)
They prefer white tail deer. They also eat armadillo, wild hog, raccoon, and the occasional alligator! (yum?)

twinklebug · Mar 29, 2015

I was reading on another forum that Disney has filed a permit for a work trailer to be on WL property through to the very end of 2017. Sounds like DVC conversions are planned to begin. Here's the permit

sleepydog25 · Mar 29, 2015

twinklebug said:
Cats love active prey. Run!!! j/k

From http://www.fws.gov/floridapanther/panther_faq.html:
There are no known attacks on humans from the Florida panther. ( I don't think you have anything to worry about.)
They prefer white tail deer. They also eat armadillo, wild hog, raccoon, and the occasional alligator! (yum?)

Doesn't look as though they roam near Disney, either. Whew. :earseek:

sleepydog25 · Mar 30, 2015

twinklebug said:
I was reading on another forum that Disney has filed a permit for a work trailer to be on WL property through to the very end of 2017. Sounds like DVC conversions are planned to begin. Here's the permit

Couldn't get your link to open, but here's a link to another thread on the DIS where the discussion is ongoing and is very informative: http://www.disboards.com/threads/ne...illas-information-thread-2015.3372315/page-42

KAT4DISNEY · Mar 30, 2015

brettcw23 said:
Well, I was hoping at the online check-in I could note it or even call Member Services to make the request. Looking at my current notifications, this is what I have.

From the DVC site:
View attachment 84835

From my e-mail confirmation:
View attachment 84836

That is a dedicated 2 bedroom so unless one unexpectedly goes out of service you'll have 2 real beds in the second bedroom. :thumbsup2

If it's a lock off which has a queen and a double sleeper sofa in it would say "2 Bedroom Lock off villa."

VWL Groupies & Lovers Thread (Special Collectors Edition 2.0) updated 21 June 2023

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