Just Back from BWV

[Goofy's Mum]

We just got back Friday afternoon after six days in a preferred studio. Our view was great - overlooked the main pool - it felt like we could reach out and touch the slide! We even got a great nature lesson watching two mallards in the pool do their mating dance and mating! Not for everyone, but we thought it was a beautiful sight.

We were a little disappointed in the studio, but that's undoubtedly because we were in a one-bedroom last time. The studio was immaculate and lovely, but we had a bit of a hard time with the plastic utensils and the couple of paper plates they supplied. Next time we'll remember to bring out own utensils and a couple of plates of our own. Cooking was limited to eggs in the microwave in the morning. We didn't rent a car, so we couldn't get to the grocery (didn't want to cab it). The Screen Door was fine except it had all high-fat stuff, and we didn't really want that. Has anyone tried an on-line grocery service? We were hesitant about doing that...

Weather was beautiful - mid to high 70's (one day in the 80's) and sunny. There was a bit of smoke in the air because of the wildfires, but it quickly left at mid-morning. The crowds were wonderful on SuperBowl Sunday - no waiting at Epcot for anything! Animal Kingdom was awesome - lots of animals because it wasn't too hot for them. MK was a bit crowded, though.

We were totally amazed at the number of school-aged children in the parks. We (stupidly) thought that people wouldn't pull their kids from school so soon after Christmas. I really can't understand that whole concept.

Everyone at BWV was wonderful - we got a nice "Welcome Back" at the front desk, and everyone was pleasant, helpful and constantly smiling. Such a pleasure!

We hated to leave, naturally. We came home to two inches of ice on our driveway and grumpy people everywhere. Such a drastic change from the warm weather and warm people at Disney...

Just thought I'd let everyone know how it was this time...

Hugs!

 

[Ms. WDW]

Thanks for that report! Especially the part about the studio. I'll be down in July with my son. For the first 3 days we'll be in a preferred studio and then when the rest of the crew arrives we move over to a 1 BR. We don't rent a car either and I'm seriously thinking about using the on-line grocery delivery. The screen door was ok for us last year but we didn't really do alot of "cooking" in the room. We did stock up on cereals and breakfast stuff mostly.

How bad was the smoke? I was down there the last time they had those wild fires and sometimes during the morning hours it was pretty "smokey".

So...when are you going back???

Linda
Poly -'76,'78,'82,'85,'89
'90,'93,'95,'98,'99
DVC/BWV - 8/00, 07/01

"I won't grow up, I won't grow up"

 

[wdwnut]

hi: glad you had a good time. know what you mean about coming home to grumpy people. sprinkle a little pixie dust on them.

 

[Goofy's Mum]

The smoke from the wildfires was worst on the day we arrived. The air was pretty hazy and gray, and the air felt heavy. It cleared up pretty much by noontime, so we didn't really notice it after that until the last day. We woke to a hazy morning and a slight smell of smoke in the air, but it dissipated pretty quickly after that. We did get a bit of rain over the last two days - just small showers, and the news said that helped the situation - more like muck burning than bush. All in all, though, it wasn't a problem for anyone we talked with (other than the poor wildlife and people in the area).

As for spreading pixie dust, I'm doing my best, believe me!!!

We usually try to go again in September, but due to a pregnancy in my office (not mine, unfortunately, although it would be a miracle!), and the fact that she's due around September 5, I'm not sure if we'll be able to go...I'll have to wait and see what my boss says after the announcement of the pregnancy is made...Otherwise, we'd have already booked our next visit!!!

Hugs!

 

[AnnK]

Quote
"We were totally amazed at the number of school-aged children in the parks. We (stupidly) thought that people wouldn't pull their kids from school so soon after Christmas. I really can't understand that whole concept"

I am not sure what you mean by this? <IMG SRC="/infopop/emoticons/icon_confused.gif" alt="confused"> Maybe some of us can explain.

 

[Lesley]

Glad to hear you had a great trip...we'll be there next year at the same time. And with our kids no less! (only one of mine is school age though) I can't speak for everyone but I definitely find vacationing whenever we want to a big advantage of homeschooling..though I doubt all the school agers there were homeschooled. I can't imagine any one time of the school year is any better or worse to take kids out for vacation, though.

If you want to avoid school-agers I'd try the last week of Aug. or first week of Sept.- I don't think too many families choose to have their kids miss the first week of school! We've used this strategy at the shore and it works.


Lesley


1979 Contemporary
1992 Off-site
1994 Carribean Beach
1999 Fort Wilderness and Coronado Springs
2000 Polynesian and Old Key West
2002 Boardwalk Villas

 

[DisMN]

There were always several reasons we pulled our daughter out of school for vacations to Disneyworld.
The first one was that winter (particularly Jan/Feb) was the only time daddy could get his vacation time!
The second reason was that our daughter learned stuff she didn't learn in school........
we hung out at Epcot a lot and she'd write reports about the countries, about Spaceship earth (the history of communication), about growing plants etc etc.........
Nuthin' wrong with a little "field trip" with the whole family!! LOL

 

[Beachangel]

I haven't been "home" yet but did I read correctly? The "silverware" in a studio is
"plasticware".

"Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the THINKS you can think up, if only you try." Dr. Seuss

 

[RobDoc]

Studios have no dishwasher, so the DVC policy is to provide disposable tableware in those units. All DVC resort studios have plastic tableware, but larger villas all have silverware and dishwashers.

The topic of taking children out of school to go to WDW is a frequent discussion on the Family Board....and the Debate Board. It is a far more appropriate topic for those forums than this Board!

Thanks!

Doc
doc@wdwinfo.com

 

[Beachangel]

Its a bummer though - cannot stand plastic! LOL

"Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the THINKS you can think up, if only you try." Dr. Seuss

 

[PamOKW]

Beachangel you can either bring your own or I've heard people have gotten "real" silverware from housekeeping. They might give you some plates/bowls as well if you ask.

 

[Peggy Sue]

Doc..I agree that pulling kids out of school should not be debated on this board..

but if I may..

When we were at Hilton Head in September we saw quite a few school age kids. We asked a group one day at the pool why they weren't in school. They replied that they were on school break because they go to their public school year round. I think they said 9 weeks on and 2 weeks off..or something like that..but you get the point. Anyway, the parents told us a lot of cities are starting to adopt this, which provides parents with the opportunity vacation when the rest of the nation is still in school.

No debate..just passing along a fact that explained what we encountered so many families at HH last fall.

Have a wonderful day!

 

[Goofy's Mum]

Thanks to everyone who enlightened me about kids and school. I certainly wasn't complaining about all the kids - I had a ball talking to so many little ones!!

I guess I'm behind the times - we don't have kids and I didn't understand how people could pull them from school. My parents would have eaten rusty nails rather than do that, darn it! Lucky kids!!!

Thanks again! <IMG WIDTH="15" HEIGHT="15" SRC="/infopop/emoticons/icon_redface.gif" alt="red face">

 

[RweTHEREyet]

A lot of school's are on the year-round system where their breaks are at differennt times of the year--including end of Dec to end of January. The traditional shool year is not the only deal in town anymore.

My son who is now a senior has been in year-round since 4th grade and it has enabled us to vacation at all the off-season times at WDW. It has worked great for us.

RweTHEREyet?