Bunnies and mooses and groupies, Oh my!!! The Wilderness Lodge groupies thread. 4.0

[Granny]

Hi Groupies!

Well, after a week at WDW we got home around midnight last night as we had a late flight out of Orlando and connected thru Atlanta.

The highlight of our trip was definitely meeting up with Jimmy, Tammy (and their great young adult daughter and son!) as well as the surprise addition of AnnieT and her DW. We met at....of course....the Iron Spike room at VWL which we all were able to find despite Disney having it currently mislabeled.

Our visit was a lot of fun, and everyone there is about as lovely a person as you would ever hope to meet. I appreciate Jimmy's kind words above very much, and there were certainly no awkward pauses or strangeness as the conversations were going fast and furious! My DW doesn't look at the DIS Boards and she was impressed with the quality of people I have managed to "meet" over the internet when she sees them in person.

I told her that having a fondness for WL/VWL was a pretty good character filter from the crazies out there on the internet.

We really enjoyed our stay at Kidani Village...it is a beautiful resort and we loved the 1BR layout there with the extra full bathroom and spacious living room area. It came in handy as I was laid out for a couple of days on the pull out couch with some sort of nasty stomach bug that really put me down for the count.

However, I did recover and enjoyed our stay quite a bit. The animals were great and we like the pool at Kidani as much as any pool we've seen. However, like the AKL pool, we thought it was much too small once they get into the summer season. It was semi-crowded even during our late April trip!

Also, the lack of counter service is really a head-scratcher. They lost a fair amount of sales from us just because it was so inconvenient to get a snack or quick sandwich.

But those small issues were really not all that major. The staff, theming, resort amenities and rooms were super and quite enjoyable. We'd recommend anyone give it a try at least once.

Having said that, we did comment a few times that as great as AKV is, it just isn't WL/VWL. To underline that, we ended up visiting WL three different days in our 7 day stay at WDW.

I know that everyone wants pictures, but I won't be able to get to them tonight. And I literally have a "to do" list more than a full legal pad long that I have to get to this week. Hopefully we'll be able to get some pictures posted in a few days.

Thanks for putting up with the extra long post.

Loribell.....HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Best wishes to all Groupies for a great week!!!

 

[DiznyDi]

Thanks JT for including us in your travel plans. Sounds like you are having a wonderful time meeting new Groupies while enjoying the World and all it has to offer. I hope you're able to meet up with tea pot and Ranger Stan.

Welcome back Granny! So sorry to hear you had ill health while away. Vacations are too short to have to spend time on the couch. Thanks though for your observations of Kidani - we'll be there next week.

Safe travels Inkmahm as you head for home.

Happy (early) Birthday Loribell! Tomorrow's your big day. Enjoy!

 

[disneyj914]

I ordered my normal salmon and was disappointed to see they have changed the dish to an entirely different sauce and veggies. It was okay, but no where near as good as the halibut I had at California Grill last night. I won't order salmon again at Artist Point until they change the recipe again.

Sounds like you're having a great time!!! I'll be down there next week and was planning on getting the salmon....how is it being prepared now?

 

[Dizny Dad]

. . . . . . . . . Having said that, we did comment a few times that as great as AKV is, it just isn't WL/VWL. To underline that, we ended up visiting WL three different days in our 7 day stay at WDW. . . . . . . . .

We are staying at AKV next week: I just wanted to try it out. I had to spell out my plan for DiznyDi yesterday on how I plan to have her at VWL for breakfast before 10:30 Am in the mornings: VWL Yogurt is like no other don't you know!

With the disney transportation as it is, and with what I like to do in the mornings when in The World, I figure I will need to head to the Hot Tub at 5:30 AM to be sure I can get it all in and we make it before they put away the Yogurt! (We arrived at 10:45 AM once. It took a whole bunch of pins from the Pin Cart to get DiznyDi back into happy.)

 

[Muushka]

Happy ​

Birthday​

Loribell!!​

Have a special day today. Whatcha going to do? What time shall we meet for lunch and where???

Welcome back Granny. Great report. Sorry you were not feeling up to snuff the entire time.

 

[horselover]

Heading over to Epcot a little later to catch the fellow from the rock band Boston. Though its not the original, still cool to see some music played from my days. Saw Boston in 86 and they were great so hoping this guy will at least sound similar.

Hi Jimmy. I saw Boston in 86 too! They were great. Of course the hometown boys had to do many shows here to keep up with the demand. I think they sold out at least 9 shows here. It may have even been 11 shows but that was a long time ago & my memory is not that good! Enjoy the rest of your trip.

We are staying at AKV next week: I just wanted to try it out. I had to spell out my plan for DiznyDi yesterday on how I plan to have her at VWL for breakfast before 10:30 Am in the mornings: VWL Yogurt is like no other don't you know!

With the disney transportation as it is, and with what I like to do in the mornings when in The World, I figure I will need to head to the Hot Tub at 5:30 AM to be sure I can get it all in and we make it before they put away the Yogurt! (We arrived at 10:45 AM once. It took a whole bunch of pins from the Pin Cart to get DiznyDi back into happy.)

Mmmmmm yogurt parfaits from the Roarin' Fork. You wouldn't think yogurt with fruit would be that filling & tasty but it really is. I can never finish mine. Enjoy DiznyDi! DiznyDad you are the epitome of a good husband!

Welcome back Granny!

 

[Granny]

Just poppin' in quickly this morning to say hi.

Welcome back Granny! So sorry to hear you had ill health while away. Vacations are too short to have to spend time on the couch. Thanks though for your observations of Kidani - we'll be there next week.

Di...thanks for your comments. See my response to your spouse below on AKV. As for my illness, it really did lay me out for two full days. But that's another great part of DVC that we didn't feel "cheated" on the trip since we know we'll be back soon. If you do have to get sick, WDW is a nice setting anyway!

Sounds like you're having a great time!!! I'll be down there next week and was planning on getting the salmon....how is it being prepared now?

My wife had the salmon at Artist Point last Sunday night. We had never eaten there so she had no comparison to how they did it previously. All I know is that she loved the salmon and said it was the best she'd ever had! I don't know much about cooking but it did look good. I had the pork chop and it was excellent!

We are staying at AKV next week: I just wanted to try it out. I had to spell out my plan for DiznyDi yesterday on how I plan to have her at VWL for breakfast before 10:30 Am in the mornings: VWL Yogurt is like no other don't you know!

With the disney transportation as it is, and with what I like to do in the mornings when in The World, I figure I will need to head to the Hot Tub at 5:30 AM to be sure I can get it all in and we make it before they put away the Yogurt! (We arrived at 10:45 AM once. It took a whole bunch of pins from the Pin Cart to get DiznyDi back into happy.)

I think you will really like AKV. Are you at Kidani or Jambo House? We found the transportation to be outstanding this past week all over WDW. Aside from one wait, we never waited more than 12-15 minutes for a bus. The one long wait was from Downtown Disney back to AKV (35 minutes) and they said that they'd had some sort of problem that caused the long wait and apologized. Even resort-to-resort transportation (via a park) was always easy and quick. In fact, I think AKV might have had the best overall transportation we've experienced. The slower time of the year might have helped (we normally travel in the summer) and the lack of heat made the waits easier. But whatever you do, don't miss the yogurt or you'll be overweight on your baggage with all the pins you'll be bringing back!

Welcome back Granny. Great report. Sorry you were not feeling up to snuff the entire time.

Thanks, Muush. As I said, all in all it was a good trip. When asked what we were celebrating (they ask everyone that) we decided to go with "second honeymoon" since it was our first solo trip anywhere in 22 years!

Welcome back Granny!

Thanks....always nice to come back to the "home thread".

 

[Granny]

I had to spell out my plan for DiznyDi yesterday on how I plan to have her at VWL for breakfast before 10:30 Am in the mornings: VWL Yogurt is like no other don't you know!

Just thought of one other thing about resort-to-resort transportation. We did this several times this trip (yes, mostly to WL) and we found that it is always a good idea to ask the bus driver who takes you to a park where he is going next. They often don't return the resort they just picked up at.

Three different times the driver told us that he was going to the resort we wanted to end up at! Just luck, but it made the trips very fast when it happened! Asking the driver saves you from getting off the bus and then realizing it's the right bus and getting in the back of the line of people who had been waiting for the bus.

Good luck, and enjoy AKV!

 

[Granny]

Muush...I almost forgot! During our trip Mrs. Granny decided we should do another trip after Thanksgiving. I explained to her that she was talking about a tough time of the year to book in the 7 month window but I went ahead and called. As it turned out, we couldn't get into most resorts but were able to get back into AKV Jambo House. So, put us down for:

December 1-5 AKV-Jambo

Looks like we'll be tag teaming with you and several Groupies coming in on the 5th. We tried for the 6th but no dice. But there will be some Groupies there while we're there so hopefully we'll meet up with some of them!

 

[Muushka]

Muush...I almost forgot! During our trip Mrs. Granny decided we should do another trip after Thanksgiving. I explained to her that she was talking about a tough time of the year to book in the 7 month window but I went ahead and called. As it turned out, we couldn't get into most resorts but were able to get back into AKV Jambo House. So, put us down for:

December 1-5 AKV-Jambo

Looks like we'll be tag teaming with you and several Groupies coming in on the 5th. We tried for the 6th but no dice. But there will be some Groupies there while we're there so hopefully we'll meet up with some of them!

WooHoo!! We are going to get to meet Granny and Mrs Granny!!!!

I will happily put you down!

 

[jimmytammy]

Boston was great! Peace of Mind, Cool the Engines, Long Time and More Than A Feeling along with drum/guitar solos. Sounded very much like original, though Brad Delp will never be replaced. Muushka, thought of you when guitarist asked if anyone played Guitar Hero and I raised my hand for me, you and Casey. You were there in Spirit!!

Pics will come after we get home, sorry, we forgot the chord to upload Will post these ASAP.

Stan called and we are going to try to get together tomorrow. Hoping it all works out!

Today, Nine Dragons, then monorail to MK. All will happen later as heat is a bit too much, and I work in it!

 

[Dizny Dad]

Horselover - I'm sure Anniversaryguy would go to the ends of the earth to get you yogurt, too!

Granny - Thanks for all of the tips - we will be at Kidani (3 days) then off to SSR - it should be fun! But of course, with yogurt in the morning, and Artist's Point in one of the evenings, the pin cart CM at VWL will think we are staying there. (That's the December trip - coming soon enough!)

jimmytammy - tell Stan and sweetie we all said Hi!

 

[Muushka]

Boston was great! Peace of Mind, Cool the Engines, Long Time and More Than A Feeling along with drum/guitar solos. Sounded very much like original, though Brad Delp will never be replaced. Muushka, thought of you when guitarist asked if anyone played Guitar Hero and I raised my hand for me, you and Casey. You were there in Spirit!!

Pics will come after we get home, sorry, we forgot the chord to upload Will post these ASAP.

Stan called and we are going to try to get together tomorrow. Hoping it all works out!

Today, Nine Dragons, then monorail to MK. All will happen later as heat is a bit too much, and I work in it!

Thank you! On Friday we scored another guiter for $30 and Mr Muush and I played More Than a Feeling together.
It is the one and only game I can beat him at!

It would have been difficult to NOT go to WDW had I known Boston was there. Maybe next year!

Give Ranger Stan a hug from Muush.

 

[Muushka]

Wow, look at the time I posted and the time DD posted. Hinkey?

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Hi Groupies!
Well, we also are back from WDW. Had a great time! Weather turned out to be almost perfect but it was turning into a scorcher on our last day. One BIG storm on Sunday night where we had to pull out the umbrellas's and poncho's but what would WDW be if you didn't have to do that at least once?

I'm afraid the closest we got to VWL was this:

I took this from the fireworks viewing area at BLT when we did the member event there one afternoon. Super Fastpasses for everyone! And yummy cheesecake on a stick!

BWV was nice and we made lots of trips into Epcot since we were so close. We did not make it to any of the Fran Cosmo/Boston concerts on Fri though like I thought we would. Sounds like it was great!

We had a nice anniversary dinner in the Castle on Sunday night during the start of the down pour. And then a great early dinner at Le Cellier on Monday night (way better than the castle although we enjoy the atmosphere there).

Saw this little guy on the safari at AK. Apparently it was his second day out on the savannah and he was cute as a button. He came running out at the truck like he was going to charge. Then stopped and looked confused as to what to do.

The Gorilla's were pretty funny too - draping towels over themselves that had been hung by the keepers in the trees for them.

Then it was time for me to come down with a hum dinger of a cold. Sore throat, cough and just exhausted. That led to some down time in the middle of the trip that wasn't planned but not much to do about that.

Welcome Home Wednesday scored us all caps and I also saw moderator CarolMN participate as one of the contestents in the game show. Nice to have a face to put to a name!

Finally - a few pictures from F&G festival. Epcot looked great.

 

[Muushka]

Thank you for the pics Kat4, my favoirte photographer. I notice you try to avoid "human clutter" like we do!

We just bought a new lens for our DSLR. A 55-200 VR. Fingers crossed it will give us enough UMPH to get those distant shots like you!

PS What lens do you use for those distant shots?

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LORIBELL!


Oh, and I forgot - we also made it to DHS and saw the UP characters before they were gone after May 1st. LOVE that movie!

 

[twinklebug]

Happy B'Day LoriBell!

May it be magical

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Thank you for the pics Kat4, my favoirte photographer. I notice you try to avoid "human clutter" like we do!

We just bought a new lens for our DSLR. A 55-200 VR. Fingers crossed it will give us enough UMPH to get those distant shots like you!

PS What lens do you use for those distant shots?

Thanks Muushka! That 55-200 lens should be great. I was mostly using a 135mm prime lens that I have or a 70-300mm. Another favorite is a wide angle 12-24mm. Then you can be almost on top of your subject and people can't get in between you and it!

 

[Muushka]

Looks like I need more lenses! I have a 50 mm prime, the new one and the 18-70 that came with the camera. Perhaps a wide angle should be next?

70-300...Whew!