I'll be there in 5 days
I'll do my best to try and post a picture, or at least provide an update!
Don't forget about those ground floor South Wing rooms across from the VWL pool
Hi. We are heading to WDW 6/22 - 6/29 and will be in a Courtyard view WL room using the summer discount. I switched from POR - royal room when the summer discounts came out, only paying a small amount more over my original reservation at POR. Once I began hearing about the construction I became a little nervous. This is our first trip to Disney and we will be park hopping, but likely most of our time will be at MK. I've always wanted to stay at WL and the boat to MK sounds so convenient. We will also have our car, driving from NC.
So, I had contemplated changing resorts to avoid construction but am just hoping for it to be minimal.
The only place I would want to change to and could afford might be Beach Club or even back to POR - Royal room but I think the deluxe category and having a balcony weighed more on my decision to stay with WL than to switch back to POR. BC is a bit more expensive. I've been using Touring Plans and they do a fax room request. Does anyone know if that gets looked at WL? I was going to request a room like 5077, but have time to change my request if you all have other recommendations. Do you recommend online checkin?
Thanks so much for such an informative thread!
Welcome! You might encounter "construction" at BC as well. All of the rooms are being rehabbed and aren't slated to be finished until close to the end of August.
Everyone should do OCI, but the room location selection feature of OCI isn't always very useful. Sometimes the options don't even apply to your booking. Always have any requests added to your reservation by calling or via your TA so they are more accurate/complete. Some have reported that faxes end up in the trash at some resorts and others report that because they got their request, they assumed their fax was looked at. The Room Assignor will see both your OCI requests and those added to your reservation. There's really no reason to fax any requests. You can request a room "like 5077," just make sure you explain why in case that room is blocked.
Why not just rent a cash room at VWL through Disney? We did that last December and also booked a bounceback for this coming October. We got some awesome pixie dust in December with an upgrade from a 1 bedroom to a 2 bedroom villa at VWL! The rooms in the DVC resorts come online in Disney's cash system 11 months from your check OUT date, and if you rent a villa for cash, you fall under the regular cancellation periods and you're eligible for the same discounts. In December, we rented our villa with a RO discount, which was 35%. Our bounceback for this fall was the same. It's not quite as cheap as renting points, but it's close.
ITA with cash reservations at DVC resorts. Like you mention, unlike points, you can also apply discounts, which in the case of the military rate is 40% off. You also receive daily housekeeping and the booking is so much more flexible with any changes/cancelations and you "own" the reservation and have complete control over it.
Just logged in and we have managed to do OLCI not many options to select from and only allowed to pick 2 of them. Praying for pixie dust and a North Wing room hopefully close to the otter pond. There was no way to request it . Really ready for this vacation now it's been a tough year.
Also picked our FP + attractions for our stay. However noticed they had no availability for the Festval of Fantasy Parades or the Main St Electrical Parade
Darn in we will have to keep popping back in to see if they show up. Do they usually pop up at about 30 days in advance I wonder?
We did manage to get preferred fireworks viewing for Wishes one night and a night time ride on the Seven Dwarves Mine Train which will be our first ever time on that ride it should be awesome
Your trip is getting closer everyday!
Yesterday, the scaffolding noise was ...trying. We were sweaty and tired from a morning at Hollywood Studios and came back around 1 pm to take an afternoon nap, but the drilling, hammering, and tap-tap-tap kept us up UNTIL a glorious afternoon storm came through!
I imagine this noise is limited to rooms on the 6th floor near the scaffolding. So....if you check in and notice 6th floor, go give it a listen before you unpack. If it's too noisy for you, go and request a change of rooms.
I take back what I posted this week about the scaffolding work not being that noisy. Obviously, it's generating noise as well
Question I'm hoping someone can help with. We are working on our plans for early/mid august. What is the approximate transportation time via Bus from WL to Epcot?
Thanks!
I think your question was answered, but in case you missed it, the
TRANSPORTATION chapter of the thread has timetables.
Just checked in this morning! It's as beautiful as I remember it from all those years ago. Rooms aren't ready yet but they did get us adjoining so yay! Let the magic begin!
Hope you're enjoying your first full-day. Have you happened to go by those South Wing ground floor rooms across from the VWL pool?
can't wait to rub Humphry's nose!!
Its almost time!!
He's ready for you!!
We leave tonight!!!! Going to the beach for a few nights first then 8 days at WL, I can't wait for our first lodge stay.
So exciting! Safe travels!
I was just looking to see where else I could stay for my late Sept stay, I find it odd that Disney puts on the website that construction is going on at the Poly and not at Wilderness Lodge, despite jack hammering! I have a young 2 year old and we were planning mid-afternoon naps at 1 ish each day of our trip. We even reserved a deluxe room to make that easier... This construction has me concerned... We wake up early-ish and go to bed early. so the morning construction isn't really a problem. But we need naps!
I've noticed that Disney seems to warn about construction only when it takes away an amenity, like a pool.
