VWL Groupies...yes, we love the Lodge!!

[sleepydog25]

As soon as we have an idea of the settlement, we should be able to look for another car. We have always been GM lovers and have had Buicks or Chevrolets since we have been married and even before. DH is seriously thinking about looking at Nissans or Toyotas for the gas mileage.
Any feedback from the groupies?????

Have owned Toyotas and Hondas going on nearly 30 years now, and they're wonderful autos overall. Have a '97 Toyota 4Runner with 190K miles and still going strong. My Hondas have also given me similar life and stress-free ownership. More than the mpg, I've enjoyed the reliability of them all. Good luck with your search.

 

[rfassett]

As soon as we have an idea of the settlement, we should be able to look for another car. We have always been GM lovers and have had Buicks or Chevrolets since we have been married and even before. DH is seriously thinking about looking at Nissans or Toyotas for the gas mileage.
Any feedback from the groupies?????

Our first "non-american made" vehicle was a 2006 Toyota Prius. Bought it new and it now has over 140,000 miles and going strong. We are thinking at least another 140,000. It has been wrecked a couple of times and survived. And the mpg has deteriorated over the years from 52 mpg to 43. But still... This is Rebecca's car - I still like my pick up trucks.

 

[sleepydog25]

Still well below normal temps for this time of year, but we're thankful the brunt of Sandy was blunted in our area. Some cold, cloudy, and windy weather is far better than the pour souls trying to get back on track in NY, NJ, and beyond.

To ease the cold weather crunch we're feeling, however, an airplane with our name on it (figuratively, at least) is heading south to MCO come Thursday morning. We're ready!

 

[horselover]

Kathy - so glad to hear the doctor gave you the all clear except for the aches & pains. Praying that will go away quickly.

I have a Nissan Murano. Can't say it's the best on gas mileage because it is an SUV but it's been a really good car & I'll get another one after I finish driving this one into the ground! It's a 2003 with 89K miles on it so it still has several good years left in it. I've owned a Nissan Altima. I really liked that car too & it did get good gas mileage. My niece has one now & really likes it. You can't go wrong with a Honda either. DH just got rid of our '99 Accord in the spring. It was a great car right up until this last year & then it did start to have major repair issues. He traded it in for a Honda Civic. He's been very happy with that car so far. He has a long commute & he says it gets very good gas mileage. Happy shopping!

 

[Muushka]

Kathy, I'm so glad that you are not in any pain. And you are turning your lemons into lemonade!
New car shopping!!

I am a Nissan/Datsun (shows how old I am!) kind of gal. The 2013 Nissan Altima gets excellent gas mileage.
Enjoy!

 

[twokats]

Saw some really nice airplanes today, but did not stay very long. . . but long enough for my stiff muscles. The carlot we used before has changed again from a Chev/Buick dealer to Chrysler/Dodge, so we did not even stop and look. Disappointed us in a way, but I am sure we will look next weekend or possibly in between.

Have had a nice day today, although we had a storm this afternoon with some slight hail, but not very big, so am not worried about any damage.

Thanks, for the advice on the foreign car issue. I can assure you it will not be a SUV type vehicle. I don't care for them plus that is what hit me in the Monte Carlo!! I have heard of the Altima and will check that out. Keep the opinions coming and thanks.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Hi Groupies! Doing a little catch up after having a trip to WDW and then a rather crazy week since getting back. (We did fit in a quick stop at the Lodge which was lovely as ever!). We first had a stop in MN were DH and I met with his Dr. for a follow up on his surgery. We learned that when the additional testing was done on the lymph nodes they discovered that it were in fact 2 of 42 rather than just 1 that tested positive for cancer. However the Dr. still remains optimistic of a postive outcome with the hormone therapy he is recommending for the next 2 years. We just try and remain positive and will continue the fight.

This is for Kathy and any other corgi lovers out there! Hope everyone has a great Halloween!

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Costumed-Corgis-do-Howloween-176184661.html

Loved this DLI!!!! While looking at the pictures I kept trying to figure out what my boys would think of a costume. I couldn't decide if they'd show off or just sit and refuse to move.

I want a Corgi so bad I can taste it!! Those pups are so cute!

There's rarely been a dog I've met that I didn't like but I gotta say Corgi's have absolutely won me over. Charming Clowns was the description I found when first learning about the Cardigan Corgi's and it's absolutely true!!

I am still recovering from losing my precious Corgi last month, (and my other 3 years ago) and these pictures made me smile and cry. Thank you.

Only a dog lover can truly understand that. I had a silver female German Shepherd pup when I got married. Putting her down at the age of 13 was the second hardest thing I have ever had to do. It took twenty years before I got my next Shepherd.

My good groupie news for the day is our waitlist just came through for our additional night on 12/19!!! I'm happy we won't have to move. If we can somehow be lucky enough to snag one of those fantastic corner rooms like we had last year I will be the happiest girl at the Lodge! This will be our longest stay so far 9 days & 8 glorious nights.

Awesome!!! Our trip was supposed to be 8 nights but last minute turned into 9. It felt like a decadent luxury to have so much time!!

Here is an update on the cruise to nowhere. DCL had offered all cruiser's on that nightmare of a cruise a 25% discount on a future 3 night cruise. The offer was meaningless to me and my family who have sworn off DCL. After several emails and phone calls, DCL has agreed to extend the discount to a 3 night stay at WDW. And the latest word is that DCL has initiated a full blown inquiry about the two fateful cruises that were sailed into the wake of Sandy.

First - let me add my welcome to the Groupies! And what a nightmare cruise. I would have been furious also.

At first I thought you meant the movie On the Beach (Gregory Peck ).

I love Monsters Inc. Thank you for the heads up!

I find that movie facinating. But rather different from watching a movie "on the beach"!

Just needed some groupie hugs.

So glad you're ok Kathy!!! How scary! I hope that the aches and pains go away quickly and that they remain the worst you have to deal with. And the new car shopping. I realized just a few months ago that since I sold my Mazda 626 many years ago I've been driving American made. And always happy with my selections. There are many domestic models that get great gas mileage too - mostly GM. So - can't help with any foreign model recommendations but hope you have fun with the search.

 

[MiaSRN62]

Hi Groupies! Doing a little catch up after having a trip to WDW and then a rather crazy week since getting back. (We did fit in a quick stop at the Lodge which was lovely as ever!). We first had a stop in MN were DH and I met with his Dr. for a follow up on his surgery. We learned that when the additional testing was done on the lymph nodes they discovered that it were in fact 2 of 42 rather than just 1 that tested positive for cancer. However the Dr. still remains optimistic of a postive outcome with the hormone therapy he is recommending for the next 2 years. We just try and remain positive and will continue the fight.

Thoughts, prayers and hugs Kathy ! Helping to foster that positivity !!!! Hope is a wonderful thing

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Thoughts, prayers and hugs Kathy ! Helping to foster that positivity !!!! Hope is a wonderful thing

Thank you Maria!

 

[jimmytammy]

Kat4Disney
I have sorta been missing on the groupies for the past couple days. Praying for the Drs. prognosis to be on track and your DH comes out all the stronger for it.

 

[Muushka]

Yes, Kat4, your husband and you are in my prayers for a successful treatment. And HOPE is a good thing!

 

[eliza61]

.

I have a Nissan Murano. Can't say it's the best on gas mileage because it is an SUV but it's been a really good car & I'll get another one after I finish driving this one into the ground! It's a 2003 with 89K miles on it so it still has several good years left in it. I've owned a Nissan Altima. I really liked that car too & it did get good gas mileage. My niece has one now & really likes it. You can't go wrong with a Honda either. DH just got rid of our '99 Accord in the spring. It was a great car right up until this last year & then it did start to have major repair issues. He traded it in for a Honda Civic. He's been very happy with that car so far. He has a long commute & he says it gets very good gas mileage. Happy shopping!

I am a Nissan/Datsun (shows how old I am!) kind of gal. The 2013 Nissan Altima gets excellent gas mileage.
Enjoy!

Hi Groupies! Doing a little catch up after having a trip to WDW and then a rather crazy week since getting back. (We did fit in a quick stop at the Lodge which was lovely as ever!). We first had a stop in MN were DH and I met with his Dr. for a follow up on his surgery. We learned that when the additional testing was done on the lymph nodes they discovered that it were in fact 2 of 42 rather than just 1 that tested positive for cancer. However the Dr. still remains optimistic of a postive outcome with the hormone therapy he is recommending for the next 2 years. We just try and remain positive and will continue the fight.
foreign model recommendations but hope you have fun with the search.

KAT You know you have my prayers. Stay strong, live well friend.

Muush you're not the only one who remembers the old "Datsun" label.
I had an old Datzun 240z for a hot minute. It was actually my older brothers but I happened to be able to take advantage of it when he enlisted in the Navy and had to do basic training. Wonderful sister that I am, I stepped up to the plate and offered to take care of it. the sacrafices we make for our loved ones.

Anyhoo, we still love our nissans. Sid has a 17 year old maxima with 250K miles on it, I have a nissan rougue and the had an altima. He also had a classic ford mustang that we had to genuflect upon passing but that's another story.

 

[Muushka]

Ahhhhh. Datsun 240Z. Sweet car. I worked for a doc who had a 260Z and he let me drive it about once a week.
But it was an automatic!!! What in the world was that man thinking??

 

[jimmytammy]

I remember Datsun too
My cousin loved those Datsun 240z's. He had 2. I remember riding with him once and rocking to some Molly Hatchet, Flirting With Disaster

I always wanted at 77 Black Trans Am with the gold bird on the hood(like the Smokey and the Bandit version). Starting to get a recurring theme here, redneck

A buddy that is a CM from AL. who once worked at WL(now at Chef Mickeys) told me he didnt consider me to be a redneck, but rather a hillbilly. I asked him the difference, he explained redneck was a state of mind, hillbilly was a way of life. I guess thats a compliment

 

[rfassett]

I remember Datsun too
My cousin loved those Datsun 240z's. He had 2. I remember riding with him once and rocking to some Molly Hatchet, Flirting With Disaster

I always wanted at 77 Black Trans Am with the gold bird on the hood(like the Smokey and the Bandit version). Starting to get a recurring theme here, redneck

A buddy that is a CM from AL. who once worked at WL(now at Chef Mickeys) told me he didnt consider me to be a redneck, but rather a hillbilly. I asked him the difference, he explained redneck was a state of mind, hillbilly was a way of life. I guess thats a compliment

Not a 77 Trans Am, but the 32 year old car I referenced in an earlier post is an '81 Camaro I bought new off the show room floor in Waco, Texas. Twenty years ago I thought about selling it, but just could not make myself do it. Now it is part of the family and getting rid of it is not an option. It has the t-roof and the still operable 8-track tape player and loves the open highway.

Never had a Datsun.

Not sure about that redneck/hillbilly comment, but I guess we will go with compliment.

 

[rfassett]

I did one of my least favorite chores yesterday. Rebecca and I stored our porch rockers for the winter. It will be late April before they get back on the porch so I guess I will just have to come here more often and sit a spell in one of our rockers here.

Oh, and that reminds me. I did not keep exact track, but I think Rebecca and I sat in probably 85% of the rockers at the lodge when we were there a couple of weeks ago. Great Times!!!

 

[jimmytammy]

Not a 77 Trans Am, but the 32 year old car I referenced in an earlier post is an '81 Camaro I bought new off the show room floor in Waco, Texas. Twenty years ago I thought about selling it, but just could not make myself do it. Now it is part of the family and getting rid of it is not an option. It has the t-roof and the still operable 8-track tape player and loves the open highway.

Never had a Datsun.

Not sure about that redneck/hillbilly comment, but I guess we will go with compliment.

I have a 83 Monte Carlo, silver with T tops. I bought it with 7k miles. It was a GM exec. car(thats what they told me). We drove it up til 98 when the transmission started slipping and we couldnt afford to replace it at the time. So years passed and I kept telling myself we would fix, never happened. Bottom line, DS wants to fix up but we are neither mech. inclined enough to take on. Engine, trans are def. needs to fix, other things are what really concerns me, at what point will the $$ stop flowing into it. He has enough to really fix it up right, just want him to be careful not to overkill it.

But it would be sweet to see the Silver Bullet burning up the hwy. again

 

[rfassett]

I have a 83 Monte Carlo, silver with T tops. I bought it with 7k miles. It was a GM exec. car(thats what they told me). We drove it up til 98 when the transmission started slipping and we couldnt afford to replace it at the time. So years passed and I kept telling myself we would fix, never happened. Bottom line, DS wants to fix up but we are neither mech. inclined enough to take on. Engine, trans are def. needs to fix, other things are what really concerns me, at what point will the $$ stop flowing into it. He has enough to really fix it up right, just want him to be careful not to overkill it.

But it would be sweet to see the Silver Bullet burning up the hwy. again

Nice!!! I had a client do an exterior restore on the Camaro 12 years ago and brought it back to near show room condition. We have driven it just in the summer since - and it is definitely a head turner. I sold, this past spring, a '61 Comet that I had about ten years. Now there was a car. They don't make them like that anymore. Straight six, 180 horse, three on the tree, vacuum wipers and radio - oh my! Someone could crawl inside the hood compartment and work on the engine and still have lots of room left over.

Anyway, I hope your DS can get that Silver Bullet on the road. I love those vintage cars. I will be interested to hear the progress and maybe see a picture down the road. Or better yet, you drive that and I will drive my Camaro to a future meet at the Lodge.

 

[twinklebug]

Ahhhhh. Datsun 240Z. Sweet car. I worked for a doc who had a 260Z and he let me drive it about once a week.
But it was an automatic!!! What in the world was that man thinking??

Oh car talk! I'm a gal who loves cars and buys for performance and handling, not looks. I grew up with my dad and brother always using up their free time working on the cars.

Did you hear the 240z is making a comeback for Nissan's 80th in 2014? It's been confirmed by Leno's garage. I fell in love with a dark red 280zx my neighbor had when I was a kid.


Kathy - My parents have always owned GMs. I myself had 2 GM cars, but they're just not me. I've also had three Dodge/Plymouth/Jeep vehicles, let's not go there.

My latest car I decided to try a Nissan, Toyota or Honda given the good reputations they hold. After 5 test drives and multiple negotiations I went with the Toyota Camry for highway handling and the best no-BS dealership experience I've ever had. So far, I love this car. It's been almost 4 years and 30K so not much of a test mileage wise. The only problem I have had was the water pump that just went on me just last month (covered under warrantee, probably due to my running the AC a lot) It drives fantastic, gas mileage is only 22mpg, but then again, I got the V6 engine.

My reasons for not going with the Nissan Altima: It's a cool design with lots of toys for less than the Camry, but I decided for my price point I wanted the Hybrid Altima and it just didn't have the pickup I needed. Also, I have a large number of neighbors with the Altima and 2 of those folk have the same story of the rear bumper crumpling up with weather. Hmmm.

The Honda Accord didn't have a chance with me as I had a poor sales person. When I test drove the Accord there was a strange shaking coming from the engine when climbing a moderately sized hill. The salesperson said I was imagining it and then he backtracked and said the noise and vibration was normal after he couldn't deny it was there. I think it was just that car, but he wouldn't let me test drive any others insisting instead that I negotiate on the one I didn't like. I had to walk away.

 

[Dizny Dad]

I did one of my least favorite chores yesterday. Rebecca and I stored our porch rockers for the winter. It will be late April before they get back on the porch so I guess I will just have to come here more often and sit a spell in one of our rockers here.

Oh, and that reminds me. I did not keep exact track, but I think Rebecca and I sat in probably 85% of the rockers at the lodge when we were there a couple of weeks ago. Great Times!!!

DiznyDi & I also put our porch rockers away this past weekend. So sad. We love to sit and share our day in our rockers. And just like you, we will not put them back where they belong until the long winter months are behind us, probably late April as mentioned.

But, in ~30 days, we will be rockin' at the Lodge!