TIdoublegaER
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- Joined
- Dec 12, 2001
- Messages
- 1,008
We just returned home this evening from a week in the World. We were able to experience all of the onsite DVC resorts and overall, we had a great trip. This was an extended family trip with DH's mom, dad, sisters, spouses and kids. There were some issues, but even Disney couldn't fix those!
Our first night we had 2 studios at VWL. We arrived at 3:30 on July 4 and our room was ready. The resort was at capacity and we were assigned a smoking optional dedicated studio (2560). This was as far from the elevators as humanly possible and had the infamous dumpster view! We had requested non-smoking, but the room only smelly slightly musty so it wasn't a problem. When my inlaws checked in a couple of hours later, they were given an HCA, non smoking, lock-off studio (3546). What is interesting about this is the only request made on either one was non-smoking. We made our reservations at least a month before we made theirs. Not sure how rooms are actually being assigned here. I was actually relieved that my inlaws received the NS room since bil has asthma and I was concerned that might be a problem w/ a smoking room. Both the main pool and villa pool were PACKED!! It didn't help that as we were getting on the boat to MK that we saw people leaving the pool area, getting on the boat and then get off at Fort Wilderness!
Ate dinner at 1900 Park Fare with Cinderella and then watched the fireworks from the lawn by Narcoosee's. It was the most spectacular display I have ever seen! 6yo DD told me that she wants to come to WDW every year for the 4th! Then we had to brave the crowds to get back to WL. WOW! The crowds coming out of MK was almost as incredible as the fireworks! I've never seen that many people, EVER!
Saturday night we moved over to BCV in a 2bdr. Room wasn't ready, but totally expected that. It was ready by 1pm, not too bad. Again the only request made was NS. We had a dedicated, NS 2br with 2 queen beds in the 2nd bdr (253). Had a HUGE balcony facing EPCOT. Could see some of IllumiNations through the trees and some of the higher ones. Had we been on a higher floor, we would have had a great view. Also had a view of the road and that weird cement, crop circle thing. I think we decided it was for turtle races, since we saw quite a few turtles in the canal (but no alligator). SAB was great and didn't get too crowded until after 3:30. Hurricane Hanna's OTOH was really busy. DH and I got some nasty looks and comments because we got our food before some others (we intentionally ordered wraps that didn't need to be cooked so that we could get our food faster). Really looking forward to returning for New Year's and spending more time at the resort.
Sunday we moved over to OKW for 5 nights in a GV. We requested NS, near HH. Our villa was ready at 7am and all of our requests were met. We were in 6322 and didn't realize it until we were settled in that it was HCA since this is one of the buildings with an elevator. My only 2 complaints about this were that there was no garbage disposal in the kitchen and no vanity space at all in the master bath. It's like Disney doesn't think handicapped people would use these things! Surely there is a disposal that would fit the sink and still allow a wheelchair to fit under it. Our view was over the 7th green and we enjoyed watching the golfers miss the green on this par 3. The GV was totally awesome and I think I am really spoiled now and want to stay in one everytime we go! There was a DJ at the main pool and games and contests. My kids, however, are forever banned from doing any more contests at the pool! DH and I had to get up and hula hoop in front of everyone and then do the YMCA!! (Good thing I had had a drink by then!)
My sil won the adult hula hoop contest though. It was a lot of fun. One evening on the way back from DTD, the boat driver told DH that the first buildings at SSR should be done by Oct and that the boat system for OKW, POR/FQ and SSR will be revamped. Larger boats than the ones currently at OKW will be used and their will be multiple stops. He said OKW doesn't use the boats that POR uses because they are too large. Apparently the new boats will hold about 30 people.
We moved to BWV for our last night. Again, our only request was NS. When we checked in at 11am, we were told our room was ready and that it was a Boardwalk view! Yep, we were assigned a dedicated NS studio w/daybed overlooking the boardwalk (5055)! The room actually wasn't ready, but we had planned to go to DTD anyway so no problem there. I would have been happy just to sit there and look at my view all day! The kids enjoyed Luna Park pool and I even went down the slide. We had dinner at Spoodles, enjoyed the entertainment on the Boardwalk and then watched IllumiNations from our balcony. It was great!
Having stayed at all 4 resorts now, I can honestly say that there isn't any of them that I wouldn't gladly stay at again. I can't really say which I like the best because I like them all for different reasons. Now, if I only had enough money (and vacation time) so I could buy points at all of them!
Our first night we had 2 studios at VWL. We arrived at 3:30 on July 4 and our room was ready. The resort was at capacity and we were assigned a smoking optional dedicated studio (2560). This was as far from the elevators as humanly possible and had the infamous dumpster view! We had requested non-smoking, but the room only smelly slightly musty so it wasn't a problem. When my inlaws checked in a couple of hours later, they were given an HCA, non smoking, lock-off studio (3546). What is interesting about this is the only request made on either one was non-smoking. We made our reservations at least a month before we made theirs. Not sure how rooms are actually being assigned here. I was actually relieved that my inlaws received the NS room since bil has asthma and I was concerned that might be a problem w/ a smoking room. Both the main pool and villa pool were PACKED!! It didn't help that as we were getting on the boat to MK that we saw people leaving the pool area, getting on the boat and then get off at Fort Wilderness!
Ate dinner at 1900 Park Fare with Cinderella and then watched the fireworks from the lawn by Narcoosee's. It was the most spectacular display I have ever seen! 6yo DD told me that she wants to come to WDW every year for the 4th! Then we had to brave the crowds to get back to WL. WOW! The crowds coming out of MK was almost as incredible as the fireworks! I've never seen that many people, EVER!Saturday night we moved over to BCV in a 2bdr. Room wasn't ready, but totally expected that. It was ready by 1pm, not too bad. Again the only request made was NS. We had a dedicated, NS 2br with 2 queen beds in the 2nd bdr (253). Had a HUGE balcony facing EPCOT. Could see some of IllumiNations through the trees and some of the higher ones. Had we been on a higher floor, we would have had a great view. Also had a view of the road and that weird cement, crop circle thing. I think we decided it was for turtle races, since we saw quite a few turtles in the canal (but no alligator). SAB was great and didn't get too crowded until after 3:30. Hurricane Hanna's OTOH was really busy. DH and I got some nasty looks and comments because we got our food before some others (we intentionally ordered wraps that didn't need to be cooked so that we could get our food faster). Really looking forward to returning for New Year's and spending more time at the resort.
Sunday we moved over to OKW for 5 nights in a GV. We requested NS, near HH. Our villa was ready at 7am and all of our requests were met. We were in 6322 and didn't realize it until we were settled in that it was HCA since this is one of the buildings with an elevator. My only 2 complaints about this were that there was no garbage disposal in the kitchen and no vanity space at all in the master bath. It's like Disney doesn't think handicapped people would use these things! Surely there is a disposal that would fit the sink and still allow a wheelchair to fit under it. Our view was over the 7th green and we enjoyed watching the golfers miss the green on this par 3. The GV was totally awesome and I think I am really spoiled now and want to stay in one everytime we go! There was a DJ at the main pool and games and contests. My kids, however, are forever banned from doing any more contests at the pool! DH and I had to get up and hula hoop in front of everyone and then do the YMCA!! (Good thing I had had a drink by then!)
My sil won the adult hula hoop contest though. It was a lot of fun. One evening on the way back from DTD, the boat driver told DH that the first buildings at SSR should be done by Oct and that the boat system for OKW, POR/FQ and SSR will be revamped. Larger boats than the ones currently at OKW will be used and their will be multiple stops. He said OKW doesn't use the boats that POR uses because they are too large. Apparently the new boats will hold about 30 people.We moved to BWV for our last night. Again, our only request was NS. When we checked in at 11am, we were told our room was ready and that it was a Boardwalk view! Yep, we were assigned a dedicated NS studio w/daybed overlooking the boardwalk (5055)! The room actually wasn't ready, but we had planned to go to DTD anyway so no problem there. I would have been happy just to sit there and look at my view all day! The kids enjoyed Luna Park pool and I even went down the slide. We had dinner at Spoodles, enjoyed the entertainment on the Boardwalk and then watched IllumiNations from our balcony. It was great!
Having stayed at all 4 resorts now, I can honestly say that there isn't any of them that I wouldn't gladly stay at again. I can't really say which I like the best because I like them all for different reasons. Now, if I only had enough money (and vacation time) so I could buy points at all of them!
