Sad to think that a week ago I was asleep in a king bed at OKW! But we're back and finally recovering from the cold we brought home with us via our 2yo dd.
Our trip started on Thanksgiving day at the VWL where we had a studio for our first 2 nights at WDW. We got our room a little early, though not when we checked in at 9:30am. I had requested a pool view, non-smoking room and ended up with a service area view smoking optional room that was the farthest one can possibly get from the elevators.
But other than the location and view the room was perfect. Not even a trace of evidence that it was actually a smoking room, other than the lack of a no smoking sign on the door. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner at the Garden Grill in Epcot.
The decorations at the WL and the Villas are beautiful and just walking around the resort was a treat. Except, of course when I accidentally found myself locked out of the building in the formerly mentioned service area in the dark. I had been attempting to just take the stairs down to the first floor as we were on the 2nd floor and so far from the elevators.....but at the bottom of the stairs there was just one door that lead outside and I discovered just a moment too late that there was no handle on the outside! Luckily the gates to the service area were open and I was able to get through to a path on the other side of the building that led me up to the Iron Spike Room....though the path was unlit and right next to a swampy area, where I was guessing it might not be a perfectly safe place to walk knowing of the presence of alligators at WDW. It was a bit scary and I've learned never to walk out a door without knowing if I can get back in! If the service area gates had been locked I might have had to yell until someone in one of the rooms noticed!
I had really wanted to get a family photo at the window seat in the Iron Spike Room....its a very cozy spot anytime, but there's a great big wreath there for the holidays and it would be the perfect spot for a picture....but we just didn't get around to it. Perhaps another year.
After our 2 nights at the VWL we moved to the BWV where my parents stayed with us for a week in a 2br. This time I requested a boardwalk view, smoking room (Mom's a smoker) I was told upon check in that I had only gotten one of my requests....that we would be getting the boardwalk view, but not a smoking room....but when we finally got the room (promptly at 4pm) we discovered that it was a smoking room after all. Unfortunately, it was also a handicapped room. Luckily we were able to manage with it, as my parents didn't need a bathtub and we had the whirlpool bath for the kids. It was a bit inconvenient having the light switches, etc...so low, as my 2yo delighted in flicking the lights on and off while we ate dinner...and other things that were just less comfortable for a standing person, but I understand the need for the rooms to be there and since it wasn't a major problem we didn't ask to be moved. Our view was wonderful. We were right on the corner of the building over the Screen Door General Store.
Everything was fine here until we needed to use the dryer....which made a horrible, very loud screeching sound while it ran. A visit from engineering services set it right fairly quickly. We had to summon them again on the day my dd locked herself in the studio portion of the 2br, but before they arrived I managed to coach her through opening the door ("pull down on the handle") Just remember, when small children are around its not wise to leave the studio connecting door open while the safety latch is in place on the hallway door....especially if the balcony door is also open!
The Boardwalk lobby has an incredible chocolate sculpture of an amusement resort...the smell is heavenly. The trees in the lobby were decorated beautifully with glass ornaments of many different designs too. I was disgusted when my mom told me she saw a woman stealing ornaments off the trees.
You'd think people would have just a little more class than that in such a beautiful place.
On our first day we spent some time in the community hall.....playing ping pong rather badly (wow...those balls can really fly...they were all over the place!) and relaxing while waiting for our room to be ready. One day my dh and I will have return here to continue our tradition of air hockey battles that stopped when we had kids. We played one game and I seem to have lost my touch. (on a side note....I discovered air hockey at WDW when I was a kid....played many games with my grandfather at the Contemporary! Great memories!)
Our week at the BW went much too quickly, but then we stayed a few nights at the Polynesian (not on points...a splurge even with cash and a great rate code) and then moved to OKW for our last few nights in a one bedroom.
We had stayed at OKW once before, for one night, in a studio. We hadn't been very impressed. The room was beautiful and all, but the resort seemed too quiet for us, and we didn't even have parking right outside the building (we later found out that we were in the only building that doesn't have it!)
This time we were staying at OKW because it was the only place with any availability on shorter notice and we wanted to try a 1 br. I requested to be near a bus stop and a pool. We got a wonderful villa in the Turtle Pond area...4324. I was really impressed this time. This area of the resort feels much more like a family community than where we were previously. The one bedroom was so large....like a real home. And we had a very nice water view from the balcony. I felt like we could really stretch out and relax, and didn't feel quite as compelled to rush out to the parks as I usually do at WDW. I would have loved to use the kitchen more.....but only got to try it out on frozen pizza, microwave breakfast burritos and cocoa. I loved the decorative touches in the villa also...and found it amusing that they were all hot glued in place! But I can see the necessity after hearing of the ornament theft at the BW...
We spent a lot of time in our room here as my dd started running a fever on our second night....so we stayed in. What a great place to just spend a day inside! By the next afternoon she seemed to be feeling better so we visited the BCV (lovely...can't wait to try them next Oct. if we can get in!) finished our shopping at Epcot and MGM and had dinner at Olivia's. We very much enjoyed the dinner and it was much less expensive than many of the other restaurants on WDW property, even though we each got the filet and lobster stuffed shrimp. The mango infused iced tea is wonderful too.
That's about it. We had a nice trip, though it was over too quickly! Its so easy to get spoiled at WDW!
I'm happy to answer any questions about the resort, parks, whatever.
Only 308 more days until we head for WDW again!
Our trip started on Thanksgiving day at the VWL where we had a studio for our first 2 nights at WDW. We got our room a little early, though not when we checked in at 9:30am. I had requested a pool view, non-smoking room and ended up with a service area view smoking optional room that was the farthest one can possibly get from the elevators.
But other than the location and view the room was perfect. Not even a trace of evidence that it was actually a smoking room, other than the lack of a no smoking sign on the door. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner at the Garden Grill in Epcot. The decorations at the WL and the Villas are beautiful and just walking around the resort was a treat. Except, of course when I accidentally found myself locked out of the building in the formerly mentioned service area in the dark. I had been attempting to just take the stairs down to the first floor as we were on the 2nd floor and so far from the elevators.....but at the bottom of the stairs there was just one door that lead outside and I discovered just a moment too late that there was no handle on the outside! Luckily the gates to the service area were open and I was able to get through to a path on the other side of the building that led me up to the Iron Spike Room....though the path was unlit and right next to a swampy area, where I was guessing it might not be a perfectly safe place to walk knowing of the presence of alligators at WDW. It was a bit scary and I've learned never to walk out a door without knowing if I can get back in! If the service area gates had been locked I might have had to yell until someone in one of the rooms noticed!
I had really wanted to get a family photo at the window seat in the Iron Spike Room....its a very cozy spot anytime, but there's a great big wreath there for the holidays and it would be the perfect spot for a picture....but we just didn't get around to it. Perhaps another year.
After our 2 nights at the VWL we moved to the BWV where my parents stayed with us for a week in a 2br. This time I requested a boardwalk view, smoking room (Mom's a smoker) I was told upon check in that I had only gotten one of my requests....that we would be getting the boardwalk view, but not a smoking room....but when we finally got the room (promptly at 4pm) we discovered that it was a smoking room after all. Unfortunately, it was also a handicapped room. Luckily we were able to manage with it, as my parents didn't need a bathtub and we had the whirlpool bath for the kids. It was a bit inconvenient having the light switches, etc...so low, as my 2yo delighted in flicking the lights on and off while we ate dinner...and other things that were just less comfortable for a standing person, but I understand the need for the rooms to be there and since it wasn't a major problem we didn't ask to be moved. Our view was wonderful. We were right on the corner of the building over the Screen Door General Store.
Everything was fine here until we needed to use the dryer....which made a horrible, very loud screeching sound while it ran. A visit from engineering services set it right fairly quickly. We had to summon them again on the day my dd locked herself in the studio portion of the 2br, but before they arrived I managed to coach her through opening the door ("pull down on the handle") Just remember, when small children are around its not wise to leave the studio connecting door open while the safety latch is in place on the hallway door....especially if the balcony door is also open!
The Boardwalk lobby has an incredible chocolate sculpture of an amusement resort...the smell is heavenly. The trees in the lobby were decorated beautifully with glass ornaments of many different designs too. I was disgusted when my mom told me she saw a woman stealing ornaments off the trees.
You'd think people would have just a little more class than that in such a beautiful place.On our first day we spent some time in the community hall.....playing ping pong rather badly (wow...those balls can really fly...they were all over the place!) and relaxing while waiting for our room to be ready. One day my dh and I will have return here to continue our tradition of air hockey battles that stopped when we had kids. We played one game and I seem to have lost my touch. (on a side note....I discovered air hockey at WDW when I was a kid....played many games with my grandfather at the Contemporary! Great memories!)
Our week at the BW went much too quickly, but then we stayed a few nights at the Polynesian (not on points...a splurge even with cash and a great rate code) and then moved to OKW for our last few nights in a one bedroom.
We had stayed at OKW once before, for one night, in a studio. We hadn't been very impressed. The room was beautiful and all, but the resort seemed too quiet for us, and we didn't even have parking right outside the building (we later found out that we were in the only building that doesn't have it!)
This time we were staying at OKW because it was the only place with any availability on shorter notice and we wanted to try a 1 br. I requested to be near a bus stop and a pool. We got a wonderful villa in the Turtle Pond area...4324. I was really impressed this time. This area of the resort feels much more like a family community than where we were previously. The one bedroom was so large....like a real home. And we had a very nice water view from the balcony. I felt like we could really stretch out and relax, and didn't feel quite as compelled to rush out to the parks as I usually do at WDW. I would have loved to use the kitchen more.....but only got to try it out on frozen pizza, microwave breakfast burritos and cocoa. I loved the decorative touches in the villa also...and found it amusing that they were all hot glued in place! But I can see the necessity after hearing of the ornament theft at the BW...
We spent a lot of time in our room here as my dd started running a fever on our second night....so we stayed in. What a great place to just spend a day inside! By the next afternoon she seemed to be feeling better so we visited the BCV (lovely...can't wait to try them next Oct. if we can get in!) finished our shopping at Epcot and MGM and had dinner at Olivia's. We very much enjoyed the dinner and it was much less expensive than many of the other restaurants on WDW property, even though we each got the filet and lobster stuffed shrimp. The mango infused iced tea is wonderful too.
That's about it. We had a nice trip, though it was over too quickly! Its so easy to get spoiled at WDW!
I'm happy to answer any questions about the resort, parks, whatever.
Only 308 more days until we head for WDW again!
