Beca
Apparently, we all have more money than brains!!!
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2004
- Messages
- 4,676
Well, we just returned from our first trip home!!! Overall, our trip was WONDERFUL!!!! I got to meet jekjones1558, and go to the CP with her, and her friend. And, I also got to meet my friend who is a performer for WDW. We got to see all the on-property DVC resorts, and here are our impressions.
First...the ones we stayed at:
Arrived on 12/03...checked into VWL dedicated studio #4563. The CM's at the security gate and the check-in counter were WONDERFUL!!! Heard lots of "Welcome Home". The CM at the front desk (I WISH I could remember her name) was SO sweet!! She said that our room had not been assigned, and gave us a choice of a few. We went with the highest floor they had. Our room was the VERY last room on the 4th floor.
Maintenance was "refinishing" the villas lobby wood floors while we were there, and they even had to close off one of the elevators for a while.
It was WONDERFUL sleeping with the sliding door open. I loved seeing the wildlife, and feeling the "woodsy" feel of the VWL. We also loved the "old-Disney" feel of the resort (I grew up staying at the CR, the Poly and Ft. Wilderness). I really liked being able to take the water ferry to MK, and the MK resorts. I also really liked that we never had to wait too long for transportation...as the WL lines were never long, even when others were. We were SURE the VWL was going to be our favorite!!
Until, we went to BWV...okay, I have read all of you talking about the 1bdrm villas, and how nice they are, but....OH MY, are they wonderful???!!!! I got into my light blue and white room, and did not want to leave!!! I am SO in love!! We were in 2002, a standard 1bdrm overlooking a white tent where some DVC "stuff" used to be. It was at the very end of a long hallway, which we did not think was nearly as long as some who have posted on these boards. We did have to walk through the "construction zone", but never saw anyone working, and didn't experience any trouble from it.
We were really hoping to avoid a trip to the emergency room, but...no luck. DD got sick, and we had to take her one night. I do not know what I would've done without that washer/dryer. I had loads of pukey & poopy clothes to wash every day...plus, it was really HOT (something I did not expect)...so, DH and I had some really stinky clothes as well. It was SOOO nice to come home with clean clothes instead of dirty ones!! I think I washed 2-3 loads of clothes per day!!!
I thought the BWV lobby was small, and a little busy for our tastes...but, we really like the hotel a lot. Staff members seemed...different from VWL. At first, I thought they were not very nice...no "welcome home", somewhat frazzled. But, then I realized that in the course of our 5 night stay, two different cast members at BWV took pins off of their lanyards and gave them to my dd (one was a "cast exclusive" pin). I couldn't believe it!!! Oh, I thought the cm's in the gift shop in the BWV (not on the BW itself) were the worst!!! Not helpful....and, I couldn't understand them very well. I went to return something that I had purchased at the WL, and when the CM asked me where I had purchased it, I told her, "At the Wilderness Lodge". She rolled her eyes and said, "What THEME PARK is that at?". Hmmmm????
We are the proud owners of BWV, VWL, and OKW...and, which resort did DH fall in love with....you guessed it....BCV!!! Actually, we both did!! I thought SAB was beautiful. And the night we walked over, there was a private party on the beach with a "pirate band" singing fun music. It seems much quieter on that side of the lake, and the resort itself seemed much quieter than BWV.
We ate at Beaches 'n Cream...it was the best food we had on property!!! We loved it!! I now see why it is as popular as it is. We have decided to get on the endless waitlist to do a small add-on for BCV...we just have to own a few points there!!! Maybe we'll actually get them in a year or so!!!
Later in our trip, we drove over to OKW...it is just the cutest resort ever!! I love the Mickey's in the railings, and all the different pastel colors of the resort!! We had a ressie at VWL for April, and called and changed it to OKW instead!! I did not expect to like this resort as much as I do...it just melted my heart!!!
We met my guide at SSR...he is REALLY nice. SSR looks to be a beautiful resort, but much like we had thought...it really is just not to our tastes. We didn't like the concrete hallways (I thought it was interesting that they had painted the floors by the DVC model units), they seemed less than elegant. The interiors are gorgeous!!! But, we just didn't see the advantages of this resort. It is far from any of the parks (DTD is not a draw for us), it is VERY large and parking is not nearly as close as OKW, and it is too spread out for our liking. To us, it just seemed "off" in some way. I didn't like how Artist's Palette and the store were in the same "space". And, overall the community spaces just seemed too small to accomodate a resort that large. The pool was VERY crowded, and even though there was some overflow from OKW...I cannot imagine how busy it will be.
Overall, I LOVED the DVC resorts far more than I expected. We often spent fewer hours in the park, and more hours in our room than I had planned...we just really liked relaxing at "home". We did try to find the DVC watches (DH now wants one) and found the women's at BWV, but couldn't find the men's. We called VB, and they are sending us one...yea!!!
I truly believed that when you all posted on here that you "didn't have a favorite resort" or "loved them all"...that most of you were just being polite. But...now, I am joining those ranks!! I really thought I would come home with a "I like .......best!!!" But, I cannot say that. They are all wonderful depending on what you are looking for in a vacation. I didn't expect them all to be so amazing!!
The only things I can say from this trip for certain is this:
1) If everyone on these boards is as nice as jekjones1558...we have a bunch of WONDERFUL people on here!!!! And,...
2) I think (and DH agrees) that our "studio days" are coming to a close!! We are SOOO spoiled by the 1bdrm...there is no going back!!!
Oh well...add-on #3...here we come!!!!
Beca
First...the ones we stayed at:
Arrived on 12/03...checked into VWL dedicated studio #4563. The CM's at the security gate and the check-in counter were WONDERFUL!!! Heard lots of "Welcome Home". The CM at the front desk (I WISH I could remember her name) was SO sweet!! She said that our room had not been assigned, and gave us a choice of a few. We went with the highest floor they had. Our room was the VERY last room on the 4th floor.
Maintenance was "refinishing" the villas lobby wood floors while we were there, and they even had to close off one of the elevators for a while.
It was WONDERFUL sleeping with the sliding door open. I loved seeing the wildlife, and feeling the "woodsy" feel of the VWL. We also loved the "old-Disney" feel of the resort (I grew up staying at the CR, the Poly and Ft. Wilderness). I really liked being able to take the water ferry to MK, and the MK resorts. I also really liked that we never had to wait too long for transportation...as the WL lines were never long, even when others were. We were SURE the VWL was going to be our favorite!!
Until, we went to BWV...okay, I have read all of you talking about the 1bdrm villas, and how nice they are, but....OH MY, are they wonderful???!!!! I got into my light blue and white room, and did not want to leave!!! I am SO in love!! We were in 2002, a standard 1bdrm overlooking a white tent where some DVC "stuff" used to be. It was at the very end of a long hallway, which we did not think was nearly as long as some who have posted on these boards. We did have to walk through the "construction zone", but never saw anyone working, and didn't experience any trouble from it.
We were really hoping to avoid a trip to the emergency room, but...no luck. DD got sick, and we had to take her one night. I do not know what I would've done without that washer/dryer. I had loads of pukey & poopy clothes to wash every day...plus, it was really HOT (something I did not expect)...so, DH and I had some really stinky clothes as well. It was SOOO nice to come home with clean clothes instead of dirty ones!! I think I washed 2-3 loads of clothes per day!!!
I thought the BWV lobby was small, and a little busy for our tastes...but, we really like the hotel a lot. Staff members seemed...different from VWL. At first, I thought they were not very nice...no "welcome home", somewhat frazzled. But, then I realized that in the course of our 5 night stay, two different cast members at BWV took pins off of their lanyards and gave them to my dd (one was a "cast exclusive" pin). I couldn't believe it!!! Oh, I thought the cm's in the gift shop in the BWV (not on the BW itself) were the worst!!! Not helpful....and, I couldn't understand them very well. I went to return something that I had purchased at the WL, and when the CM asked me where I had purchased it, I told her, "At the Wilderness Lodge". She rolled her eyes and said, "What THEME PARK is that at?". Hmmmm????
We are the proud owners of BWV, VWL, and OKW...and, which resort did DH fall in love with....you guessed it....BCV!!! Actually, we both did!! I thought SAB was beautiful. And the night we walked over, there was a private party on the beach with a "pirate band" singing fun music. It seems much quieter on that side of the lake, and the resort itself seemed much quieter than BWV.
We ate at Beaches 'n Cream...it was the best food we had on property!!! We loved it!! I now see why it is as popular as it is. We have decided to get on the endless waitlist to do a small add-on for BCV...we just have to own a few points there!!! Maybe we'll actually get them in a year or so!!!
Later in our trip, we drove over to OKW...it is just the cutest resort ever!! I love the Mickey's in the railings, and all the different pastel colors of the resort!! We had a ressie at VWL for April, and called and changed it to OKW instead!! I did not expect to like this resort as much as I do...it just melted my heart!!!
We met my guide at SSR...he is REALLY nice. SSR looks to be a beautiful resort, but much like we had thought...it really is just not to our tastes. We didn't like the concrete hallways (I thought it was interesting that they had painted the floors by the DVC model units), they seemed less than elegant. The interiors are gorgeous!!! But, we just didn't see the advantages of this resort. It is far from any of the parks (DTD is not a draw for us), it is VERY large and parking is not nearly as close as OKW, and it is too spread out for our liking. To us, it just seemed "off" in some way. I didn't like how Artist's Palette and the store were in the same "space". And, overall the community spaces just seemed too small to accomodate a resort that large. The pool was VERY crowded, and even though there was some overflow from OKW...I cannot imagine how busy it will be.
Overall, I LOVED the DVC resorts far more than I expected. We often spent fewer hours in the park, and more hours in our room than I had planned...we just really liked relaxing at "home". We did try to find the DVC watches (DH now wants one) and found the women's at BWV, but couldn't find the men's. We called VB, and they are sending us one...yea!!!
I truly believed that when you all posted on here that you "didn't have a favorite resort" or "loved them all"...that most of you were just being polite. But...now, I am joining those ranks!! I really thought I would come home with a "I like .......best!!!" But, I cannot say that. They are all wonderful depending on what you are looking for in a vacation. I didn't expect them all to be so amazing!!
The only things I can say from this trip for certain is this:
1) If everyone on these boards is as nice as jekjones1558...we have a bunch of WONDERFUL people on here!!!! And,...
2) I think (and DH agrees) that our "studio days" are coming to a close!! We are SOOO spoiled by the 1bdrm...there is no going back!!!
Oh well...add-on #3...here we come!!!!
Beca
Now I can't wait to stay at the other resorts!
