DVC Snowbirds!!

[RobDoc]

We have been at OKW since last week. Our villa is in great shape - had a couple of lightbulbs out and missing a paring knife - but Mousekeeping and Maintenance took care of those issues.

The temps since we arrived have been pretty COLD - with a day when the high temp was in the 30s and several with highs in the low 40s - but today has been great with temps in the low 70s with mid-70s predicted thru the weekend. There has been ice on the pond outside our villa several mornings. Park crowds last week were very busy compared to past years, but have returned to normal this week after the Marathon ended Sunday. I expect the weekend will be busy again with the MLK holiday on Monday.

We've had a fairly quiet week, spending a lot of time in our villa but we have had opportunity to visit with DIS friends on a couple of occasions (Hi, David) and had a nice dinner at Sanaa with jdvm. Sanaa was wonderful.

Today we had lunch at Earl of Sandwich at DD - there is an unpublished DVC discount (10%) on purchases there - and decided to walk back to OKW afterwards along the Trumbo Canal.

Upon our return to our building we noticed a parking pass in a vehicle that has been here since we arrived last week - the pass is good thru 3/11/10 - meaning a stay of at least 9 weeks (maybe longer). I think they are in the studio a floor below us -meaning the stay is costing at least (since I don't know the date of arrival) 848 points (not bad for 9+ weeks).

When we left home it was 7 and snowing (6" total later that day), but the weather certainly wasn't significantly better after arriving at WDW. We rented a car to visit DW's father in Ft. Myers on Sat. and the high there that day was 39 with rain all day. We're still delighted to be here instead of at home - what's the old saying - "A bad day at WDW is still better than a good day at ... " ?

Buildings 11/12 are cordoned off with construction barricades - so it appears that the extensive renovation promised for this year has begun in earnest.

Stay Tuned!

 

[burnsoc]

Looking forward to the rest of your report. That couple staying until March is living my dream. Have a great trip!

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

Hi Webmaster Doc!

We were there last week as well. Brrr! It was cold!

We were able to walk on a lot of things early in the mornings. However, we chose not to ride some rides such as Big Thunder Mtn. & Kali River Rapids.

 

[DisDaydreamer]

Hoping you have the better temps for the rest of your stay. It's been an unusual winter pretty much everywhere.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Enjoy your vacation! We were at BLT 1/6 to 1/11 and yes, the temps were very cold. We went to one of the Pirate and Pals Wishes Dessert Party and there was ice, enough to slip on, on the boardwalk/dock at the Contemporary. They provided lap blankets.

Looking forward to reading more about your stay!

Bobbi

 

[hulagirl]

someday I would really love to do that. My ideal retirement would be DVC for a couple months and a month in our travel trailer at Fort Wilderness. (we call it the rolling suite..it's more like a house! lol) What a lovely thing, huh? 9 weeks at Disney?

Have a great trip Doc. Look forward to hearing more and I'm really glad the temps are warming up for you.

 

[lbdpw1285]

We have been at OKW since last week. Our villa is in great shape - had a couple of lightbulbs out and missing a paring knife - but Mousekeeping and Maintenance took care of those issues.

The temps since we arrived have been pretty COLD - with a day when the high temp was in the 30s and several with highs in the low 40s - but today has been great with temps in the low 70s with mid-70s predicted thru the weekend. There has been ice on the pond outside our villa several mornings. Park crowds last week were very busy compared to past years, but have returned to normal this week after the Marathon ended Sunday. I expect the weekend will be busy again with the MLK holiday on Monday.

We've had a fairly quiet week, spending a lot of time in our villa but we have had opportunity to visit with DIS friends on a couple of occasions (Hi, David) and had a nice dinner at Sanaa with jdvm. Sanaa was wonderful.

Today we had lunch at Earl of Sandwich at DD - there is an unpublished DVC discount (10%) on purchases there - and decided to walk back to OKW afterwards along the Trumbo Canal.

Upon our return to our building we noticed a parking pass in a vehicle that has been here since we arrived last week - the pass is good thru 3/11/10 - meaning a stay of at least 9 weeks (maybe longer). I think they are in the studio a floor below us -meaning the stay is costing at least (since I don't know the date of arrival) 848 points (not bad for 9+ weeks).

When we left home it was 7 and snowing (6" total later that day), but the weather certainly wasn't significantly better after arriving at WDW. We rented a car to visit DW's father in Ft. Myers on Sat. and the high there that day was 39 with rain all day. We're still delighted to be here instead of at home - what's the old saying - "A bad day at WDW is still better than a good day at ... " ?

Buildings 11/12 are cordoned off with construction barricades - so it appears that the extensive renovation promised for this year has begun in earnest.

Stay Tuned!

Doc,
We are also here at OKW, our favorite!!
Last week was a little chilly, but better than home up north.
We are here until Jan 29. Not fully retired yet but I did manage to get away for all of January.
Hoping to do what that studio person near you is doing. Jan, feb march then go home.
We noticed in our parking lot there are 3 or 4 cars that also have been here since Jan 3. They dont seem to even move parking spaces like they even went out to the grocery.
Whatever.
Enjoy your time, maybe we will bump into you at the pool.

 

[KathyRN137]

Doc, enjoy your vacation!

Last trip I met a DVC member whose family stays at WDW every year from Halloween through Thanksgiving.

Can you say "green with envy?"


Kathy

 

[5forDiz]

Being a DVC snowbird would be living the dream for DH & I !! Hopefully! if we can actually afford to retire after putting 3 through college

Always love hearing about our OKW home, it has been some time since we've last been as we've been DVC hopping past couple of trips. But I think we may now book at OKW for late August instead of trying for AKV or BLT if we can get a remodeled villa with pull-out chair; our eldest DD will have 2 friends come along so we'd need that extra sleep option. Thinking I'd better call MS before 7month window opens too to request.

May you and your DW have a wonderful stay

 

[katmittens]

Doc, We usually stay at OKW our home resort for the first week in Jan every year, but this year we stayed at VWL. It was quite cold, but nice and cozy at VWL. We stayed down by the fireplace in the villas with a bottle of wine one night. Last year when we were at OKW we saw a car with a parking pass from Jan when we checked in to March, maybe same people. Lucky people.

I also saw the area around buildings 11 and 12 closed off and when I was there they were taking the siding off of the one building. Hope refurbishment is starting. We are hoping to be back in June and maybe Nov or Dec, so I'm sure we will be at OKW one of those times.

If you get any news or pictures on the refurbishment please post. I am hoping they put the sleeper chair in the units and the same sleeper sofas like the ones in VWL. They were comfortable to sleep on.

Have a great trip.

 

[Sully]

WE are actually living that dream.We are checking into a studio at SSR on Jan. 24 and checking out on Jan 31 and checking into an OVR at VB for 10 nights.
We then move over to a studio at AKV for 4 nights. The next stop is back to a studio at SSR for 27 nights. The journey is ended with 7 nights on the Disney Magic before back to reality in Wisconsin. This is the 4th year we have done something similar to this.

 

[stopher1]

Buildings 11/12 are cordoned off with construction barricades - so it appears that the extensive renovation promised for this year has begun in earnest.

We saw that Monday when we arrived. DME stopped at OKW before SSR where we were headed. It was nice to see that it has begun.

 

[LoveKermit]

There was someone on the boards that had a year-long plan. He was retiring soon. I bet this was last summer. He had, I think, all 52 weeks planned for 2010 and were going to use a rented house or a 2 BR DVC or something as a ground zero and always "go" from there. There were WDW plans and cruise plans. It was quite an adventure. Wonder if it was them.....

 

[arthur06]

WE are actually living that dream.We are checking into a studio at SSR on Jan. 24 and checking out on Jan 31 and checking into an OVR at VB for 10 nights.
We then move over to a studio at AKV for 4 nights. The next stop is back to a studio at SSR for 27 nights. The journey is ended with 7 nights on the Disney Magic before back to reality in Wisconsin. This is the 4th year we have done something similar to this.

Am I reading this right??? 55 nights at WDW or on a Disney Cruise??? GOOD FOR YOU!!!

 

[BCV23]

Doc,
We are also here at OKW, our favorite!!
Last week was a little chilly, but better than home up north.
We are here until Jan 29. Not fully retired yet but I did manage to get away for all of January.
Hoping to do what that studio person near you is doing. Jan, feb march then go home.
We noticed in our parking lot there are 3 or 4 cars that also have been here since Jan 3. They dont seem to even move parking spaces like they even went out to the grocery.
Whatever.
Enjoy your time, maybe we will bump into you at the pool.

WE are actually living that dream.We are checking into a studio at SSR on Jan. 24 and checking out on Jan 31 and checking into an OVR at VB for 10 nights.
We then move over to a studio at AKV for 4 nights. The next stop is back to a studio at SSR for 27 nights. The journey is ended with 7 nights on the Disney Magic before back to reality in Wisconsin. This is the 4th year we have done something similar to this.

How fun!!!

Doc, we were at BCV from 1/3-1/10. Brrrr....but still warmer than home by about 30 degrees from what I heard.

Have a great trip!

 

[Inkmahm]

WE are actually living that dream.We are checking into a studio at SSR on Jan. 24 and checking out on Jan 31 and checking into an OVR at VB for 10 nights.
We then move over to a studio at AKV for 4 nights. The next stop is back to a studio at SSR for 27 nights. The journey is ended with 7 nights on the Disney Magic before back to reality in Wisconsin. This is the 4th year we have done something similar to this.

This is sort of our plan for retirement, but we will likely split the trips a few weeks at a time with time at home inbetween. The problem is our cats and dog. By retirement, I think we'll probably just have two cats. But being away for several months at a time would be very difficult for me, I'd miss my pets too much!

 

[SamSam]

We need more points, but our dream is to spend all of October, and then all of January in the World. Our biggest problem is that we're spoiled with a 1 bedroom and that really makes the points go fast.

 

[DVC Mike]

Today we had lunch at Earl of Sandwich at DD - there is an unpublished DVC discount (10%) on purchases there

What? I just ate there this week and wasn't aware of that.

 

[RobDoc]

What? I just ate there this week and wasn't aware of that.

I wasn't aware either - until I paid with our KTTW card and the cashier commented ... and lowered the final cost by 10%. I went back to the villa abd checked the Portable Perks and found no mention of it.

 

[RobDoc]

The temps have warmed up nicely- above 70 the last 2 days and already 75 today with a predicted high of 78. There is a little rain today, but nothing bad expected until overnight.

Wednesday we spent the afternoon at MK, grabbing a bite at Columbia Harbour House after riding Buzz (twice), TTA, HM and PoC. Crowds were significantly down from last week and there was no wait for these attractions.

Thursday we went to AK and rode the safari and also saw Finding Nemo the Musical - a wonderful presentation we always enjoy. Otherwise, we had a nice quiet day.

Friday we spent a few hours at DHS, riding TSM, touring thru OMD, TGMR and watching the Jedi Training (which is well-worth a few minutes to see these wide-eyed children going after Darth Vader with laser swords ).

The Christmas decor is coming down - it was gone at DHS and AK, the crane is working on the Castle ice lighting (although the tree was still up on Main Street on Wed.) I think the cold snap had something to do with the delay in un-decorating.

This morning, I spent about 4 hours riding along in the Owner's Locker Purple Van. We had deliveries of both lockers and Magic Strollers visiting OKW, SSR, Swan, Dolphin, BC, BWV, CBR, ASM, Poly, GF and also stops at Windsor Palms and WIndsor Hills offsite. It is really interesting to get a small back-stage glimpse of the busy Bell Service and Front Desk Operations areas in the resorts - especially with someone who really knows his way around like John.

Back in the villa again, I was able to complete a reservation for this December and will head over to see if the Concierge Desk can print our Boarding Passes for our return to winter and reality tomorrow. We've certainly had a taste of winter here at WDW over the past week, but not a lot of reality and the last few days have been wonderful.

After getting our Boarding Passes we'll head to DD for some shopping and a late lunch at WP (using the new discount there). The evening will be spent getting organized for tomorrow's travel.

It's always sad to have to leave - but fun to plan the next trip in a few months!