Grills at VWL, gas or charcoal?

[kbeam]

I'm assuming they're gas but just wanted to confirm! Thanks!

 

[hellerjw]

I believe all DVC grills are charcoal based

 

[twinklebug]

Charcoal is correct for all WDW grills. Only GCV offers the gas grill. Very nice, but I wonder how long it'll last.

If they have them I'm assuming the grills are near the quiet pool? I have never noticed them nor would know where to get the tools required to grill at VWL.

Are they there?

 

[vicki_c]

Someone asked that another time and that's what I said - I never noticed grills anywhere at VWL.

 

[kbeam]

Someone else had posted in the past that they are over by the beach area.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

They are on the beach area back behind the boat/bike rental where they have the movies now. You can see one of them in this picture.

 

[twinklebug]

Thanks for clearing that up Kat4Disney!

 

[kbeam]

Thank you!

 

[Dean]

I think VB has a couple of gas grills across the road. This and the studio amenities are two areas where I feel DVC lags other similar timeshares.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I think VB has a couple of gas grills across the road. This and the studio amenities are two areas where I feel DVC lags other similar timeshares.

What studio amenities would bring the DVC accommodations up to other timeshares? I have so rarely stayed in other timeshares and they've always been larger units so I'm unaware how DVC compares.

 

[DVCconvert]

I think VB has a couple of gas grills across the road. .....

Well then they must be well hidden, as the only one's I've seen there are charcoal.

 

[Dean]

Well then they must be well hidden, as the only one's I've seen there are charcoal.

I know at one point they did have gas ones but not very good ones. OF course at one point they didn't have any as I know from first hand experience but it go us a free meal for a family of 9.

What studio amenities would bring the DVC accommodations up to other timeshares? I have so rarely stayed in other timeshares and they've always been larger units so I'm unaware how DVC compares.

Many of the timeshares we stay at have very nice gas grills. As for studios, let me first compare to Marriott's Grande Vista in Orlando which has a KING bed and pull out queen in the studio. It also has real dishes, silverware and cooking utensils (both microwave type dishes and serving dishes including grilling needs). Bluegreen has gone a step further for their newer lockoff's and smaller dedicated units where they don't have studios but have larger and smaller 1 BR units. For example, at Mountain loft the lockoff's have a full kitchen, fireplace, separate BR and W/D on both sides (standard and Dlx 1 BR). However, the smaller side has a queen instead of a king bed, less sq ft and a smaller overall kitchen but with the same type appliances. Basically I feel that for minimal savings they've left a lot on the table when it comes to studios.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Many of the timeshares we stay at have very nice gas grills. As for studios, let me first compare to Marriott's Grande Vista in Orlando which has a KING bed and pull out queen in the studio. It also has real dishes, silverware and cooking utensils (both microwave type dishes and serving dishes including grilling needs). Bluegreen has gone a step further for their newer lockoff's and smaller dedicated units where they don't have studios but have larger and smaller 1 BR units. For example, at Mountain loft the lockoff's have a full kitchen, fireplace, separate BR and W/D on both sides (standard and Dlx 1 BR). However, the smaller side has a queen instead of a king bed, less sq ft and a smaller overall kitchen but with the same type appliances. Basically I feel that for minimal savings they've left a lot on the table when it comes to studios.

So in many ways DVC is like the Disney Hotel rooms that also don't compare as well to other hotel accommodations in that they lack in square footage and/or room furnishings and amenities. As you said - most of the things you have mentioned really wouldn't have added much to the cost. King beds are so standard these days that I have been surprised they are not in the studios and that they continue to build and place queens in the new resorts. I've been wondering if Hawaii will see a change to that setup. It would seem they would have to bump things up a notch in order to compete.

 

[Dean]

So in many ways DVC is like the Disney Hotel rooms that also don't compare as well to other hotel accommodations in that they lack in square footage and/or room furnishings and amenities. As you said - most of the things you have mentioned really wouldn't have added much to the cost. King beds are so standard these days that I have been surprised they are not in the studios and that they continue to build and place queens in the new resorts. I've been wondering if Hawaii will see a change to that setup. It would seem they would have to bump things up a notch in order to compete.

Please understand that I'm not complaining, merely comparing. No one situation is perfect for everything. Timeshares by their very nature are an exercise in compromise. My GUESS of why the options are set up as they are is that at the time of planning for OKW and to a degree, BWV, that what we have was more the standard. The better options take a little more sq ft than most DVC units and I'm guessing DVC didn't want to change midstream for resorts that were in the same general location especially.. SSR was the perfect time to break from what had been and expand the horizon's a little. Maybe have some lake homes that were 4+5 BR, maybe adjoining studios or 2 BR l/o where both were 1 BR. However, any significant variation in a given resort does create other issues and thus careful consideration must be given anytime real differences are considered for a resort. Multiple issues and scenarios must be considered by the planning team down to the actual life expectancy of carpets, drapes, etc, etc.

I own an RCI points resort where the lockoff's are 2 identical 1 BR units hooked together and they sell them as 1 or 2 BR units. I used to own at a resort that had mostly 3 BR units that were a studio sandwiched between two 1 BR units. They sold them as any combo you can think of from studio to 1 BR to 2 BR to 3 BR.

 

[La2kw]

Charcoal is correct for all WDW grills. Only GCV offers the gas grill. Very nice, but I wonder how long it'll last.

If they have them I'm assuming the grills are near the quiet pool? I have never noticed them nor would know where to get the tools required to grill at VWL.

Are they there?

They're going to last. The grills are built in and they are very close to the wall between DCA and the resort. Gas grills are more common than charcoal in Southern California.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Please understand that I'm not complaining, merely comparing.

I didn't think you were complaining and I'm sorry if something I said in my reply gave you that impression. After all, I asked you about the differences and appreciate the reply. I also am not one to think that pointing out differences, or even where things could have been done a bit better is complaining. It might be, but I look at it as comparing, stating a fact or just an opinion. My comment about Disney hotels wasn't a complaint either and the one's about the DVC accommodations weren't really meant to be - well, maybe the bed size was close to one but since we prefer 1BR's it wasn't quite.

 

[Dean]

I didn't think you were complaining and I'm sorry if something I said in my reply gave you that impression. After all, I asked you about the differences and appreciate the reply. I also am not one to think that pointing out differences, or even where things could have been done a bit better is complaining. It might be, but I look at it as comparing, stating a fact or just an opinion. My comment about Disney hotels wasn't a complaint either and the one's about the DVC accommodations weren't really meant to be - well, maybe the bed size was close to one but since we prefer 1BR's it wasn't quite.

Not at all, I just wanted to be clear to anyone that was reading my posts as sometimes some people get upset on DIS when comparing DVC to other timeshares just like they sometimes get upset about posts that aren't positive about their favorite resort. I try to leave the emotions out of it and deal just with the real information.