Booked VWL, did we make a good choice?

[MemoryMakers2669]

We will be there in December, doing a split stay with BCV the first 5 nights, then moving to VWL for the last 4 nights. This is over the Christmas weekend. The more I read about it though, I am worried we will have such a long walk to our room, that it will make the weekend just that much more tiring. We will already be tired from such a long trip anyway. I can't imagine we have much choice at this point though.

I picked VWL, because I thought it seemed the most Christmas-y. Couldn't imagine being at a "Beach" resort at Christmas Time. Will we regret it?

 

[CraftyMouse]

I don't think you'll regret it at all. The WL is fairly spread out but that is true for those staying in the regular rooms as well. We've stayed there many times (both in the Lodge and in the Villas) and never minded the walk. It's a trade off for the wonderful theming of the resort and well worth it. Also, when you return from the parks on the bus the walk isn't any further than it would be for those staying in the main Lodge building as the Villa building is on one side of the bus stop and the Lodge itself is on the other.

The BCV are just as spread out as the WLV so I don't think you'll see much of a difference. I think you made a great choice!

 

[bears163]

you made a great choice. we will be there next week for our 3rd trip there.

 

[Granny]

The more I read about it though, I am worried we will have such a long walk to our room, that it will make the weekend just that much more tiring.

VWL is a very small resort compared to the other DVC resorts. Even the furthest room from the elevators is not all that much of a walk. Look at the aerial photo below (VWL in red) and you can see that it's just not that big of a resort.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Granny, in that photo, there is a boat dock closer to the villas than the one that goes to MK. Does a boat leave from there to MK also, or do you still have to go to the boat dock from the whole resort?

 

[psu4glory]

we stayed at the WL last holiday season (week after Thanksgiving) and it was PHENOMENAL.....the theming on a normal day throughout the year is fantastic - but at Christmas it's that much better.....

don't worry about the walk - i think you made an awesome choice....

 

[MemoryMakers2669]

OK, we just added on 130 pts to our little 50 pts we bought resale earlier this year. That one came with a bonus of 34 banked points, giving us 84...the exact number needed for the 4 day Christmas weekend. It was simply meant to be.

Anywho.......now that I have all these extra points, I am thinking of upgrading to a one bedroom for that weekend now! Not really thinking, but we are actually going to do it. Except no room at the Inn for us...of course.

I did get on the waitlist, with an automatic book if one comes available.

BUT, I can get into SSR or OKW of course now. What do you all think, stay in a Studio at VWL or get a one bedroom at SSR? I wouldn't want OKW I dont' think.

 

[conciergekelly]

WLV at Christmas ... It is worth the walk. I didn't find it to be too far and I had a room at the end. You could always rest in the the beautiful lobby rocking chairs before venturing "all the way down the hall". I spent many mornings and evenings rocking and looking at the Christmas tree.

 

[JimC]

Granny, in that photo, there is a boat dock closer to the villas than the one that goes to MK. Does a boat leave from there to MK also, or do you still have to go to the boat dock from the whole resort?

The boat dock closest to the villas is where you rent boats. All of the public boat transportation leaves from the dock in front of WL.

 

[JimC]

To the OP, you made a great choice. WL is fabulous at the holiday season. Compared to the walking you do all day, the resort walking distances are not an issue (in my opinion).

 

[sleepydog25]

We will be there in December, doing a split stay with BCV the first 5 nights, then moving to VWL for the last 4 nights. This is over the Christmas weekend. The more I read about it though, I am worried we will have such a long walk to our room, that it will make the weekend just that much more tiring. We will already be tired from such a long trip anyway. I can't imagine we have much choice at this point though.

I picked VWL, because I thought it seemed the most Christmas-y. Couldn't imagine being at a "Beach" resort at Christmas Time. Will we regret it?

JimC and CraftyMouse are absolutely correct. The walking at VWL, IMO, has been greatly exaggerated. You are 2-3 minutes from the main lobby from any room in the Villas. The bus stop is just as close since it sits in between the main lodge and the Villas. You will enjoy VWL. It's beautiful, perhaps the quietest resort there is, and has one of the top 5 restaurants on property in Artist Point. Enjoy and worry no more!

 

[CraftyMouse]

BUT, I can get into SSR or OKW of course now. What do you all think, stay in a Studio at VWL or get a one bedroom at SSR? I wouldn't want OKW I dont' think.

I'd rank them in this order...
1. Tie between 1BR at OKW and ST at VWL
2. 1BR at SSR

...but that's just me. You can't beat the size of the 1BR units at OKW and the resort is absolutely beautiful. At Christmastime the themeing of VWL is a huge plus so that would make the decision more difficult. It would come down to theming vs. room size for me but I think I'd go for the 1BR at OKW. We just love it there.

 

[SEC]

WLV and WL are beautiful at Christmas, stay there it is very festive! The walk is not bad, WLV is our home resort and we chose not only for the theming but because it was a small resort and not very spread out. We have stayed at both OKW and SS and do not like how spread out they are, especially when you have luggage and no car!

 

[Sammie]

The distance to the boats and buses is as close at VWL as any of the other including BCV. It is not that far to the boat dock for the MK and very close to the bus stop.

Christmas there is beautiful, I don't think you will regret it at all.

 

[jimmytammy]

We own at VWL but I will try my best to be an impartial judge. WL and VWL are wonderful at Christmas and typically a tough room to book that time of year. Also, I have found the walk to not be very far at all to the main lodge or transportation. It is a very peaceful walk in most cases. Our one time at BCV(dont get me wrong, looking forward to another stay there) I found to get from one place to another seemed a lot longer than WL. But that tends to be because VWL is the smallest of all DVC. And we like it that way.

Stay with your ressies, I say.

 

[MemoryMakers2669]

I think we are staying with it. I just pray that the 1 bedroom comes through. She said two of the nights are available, but not the other two.