DopeyDonald
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Aug 23, 2011
- Messages
- 467
We just got home a few hours ago from the VWL. IT WAS AWESOME. We stayed there last year too and it lived up to what we remembered. We stayed in a 1 bedroom and my parents had a studio. We were EXTREMELY lucky to get connecting rooms. We had requested them be close to us since my 2 yr old had a broken leg and thought it would be nice to have them to help. We got pixie dusted and they ended up with connecting rooms!
Mousekeeping was great - we had a few towel animals, but just overall great service. The room was very clean every morning.
The lodge itself seemed a little busier this year, but I wonder if it just seemed that way since MK closed early so many nights this week? The crowds were still practically nothing there, but just busier than last year.
We had pretty good food at Roaring Forks - the sandwiches are awesome, as is the soup and baked goods. We really liked the adult chicken nuggets and the flat bread. The burgers were just eh, but still not horrible. It was never too busy there either.
Bus service was good. We never waited for a bus any time - EXCEPT one morning the MK bus was very slow. We had opted to take the bus instead of the boat that morning thinking it would be quicker - wrong. 5, yes 5 AK/Blizzard Beach busses came while we were waiting for the MK bus. Of couse, it was the morning of my little girls BDay reservation at Crystal Palace. I'm sure that is why it was late
Other than that one time, the busses and boats were great. For one of the days we shared a boat with FW, I'm not sure why just that one day, but that was not too big of a deal. We just stopped there on the way to the MK.
We also attended the nightly campfire a few times. AWESOME! Free marshmallows for the kiddos (and any adults that wanted one) and sticks to roast them on. A beautiful location (right by the movie area). GREAT activity.
The movie area had moved from last year - it was ok, but we did like it better last year when it was behind the bike and boat rental place. It was a little harder to hear this year, as there was more traffic and commotion in the location it's in now. Still a fun time though.
We had a great stay - very friendly people and the lodge was very beautiful and clean. We would definately stay there again! and again and again.
Over all (besides just the VWL) I thought that Disney was/is still WONDERFUL. It is our 2nd time in 2 years and we are planning another trip next year. The parks were clean, the Cast-members friendly, the transportation excellent etc. My daughter, as I mentioned before, has a broken leg. We were able to get a GAC card so our stroller could be used as a wheel chair and we were so pleasantly surprised by how helpful everyone was. One CM saw me waiting in line at Cosmic Rays one night holding her and waiting for my food. She came over to me and helped me with my trays and made sure I had all the help I needed. The characters were great also, they signed her cast and made sure to kiss her "owie".
We vacation once a year, my husband is a borderline work a holic and these Disney vacations are a total re-connect for our family. We are just so impressed with Disney's level of service, and the total immersement (is that a word?) in magic. Disney has won us over and we will be returning for many years to come. It is a world all of it's own. We have been home for 5 hours and we are all ready to go back. If they could just find a way to turn down the heat and humidity in Sept just a bit then it would be perfect! 
Mousekeeping was great - we had a few towel animals, but just overall great service. The room was very clean every morning.
The lodge itself seemed a little busier this year, but I wonder if it just seemed that way since MK closed early so many nights this week? The crowds were still practically nothing there, but just busier than last year.
We had pretty good food at Roaring Forks - the sandwiches are awesome, as is the soup and baked goods. We really liked the adult chicken nuggets and the flat bread. The burgers were just eh, but still not horrible. It was never too busy there either.
Bus service was good. We never waited for a bus any time - EXCEPT one morning the MK bus was very slow. We had opted to take the bus instead of the boat that morning thinking it would be quicker - wrong. 5, yes 5 AK/Blizzard Beach busses came while we were waiting for the MK bus. Of couse, it was the morning of my little girls BDay reservation at Crystal Palace. I'm sure that is why it was late
Other than that one time, the busses and boats were great. For one of the days we shared a boat with FW, I'm not sure why just that one day, but that was not too big of a deal. We just stopped there on the way to the MK. We also attended the nightly campfire a few times. AWESOME! Free marshmallows for the kiddos (and any adults that wanted one) and sticks to roast them on. A beautiful location (right by the movie area). GREAT activity.
The movie area had moved from last year - it was ok, but we did like it better last year when it was behind the bike and boat rental place. It was a little harder to hear this year, as there was more traffic and commotion in the location it's in now. Still a fun time though.
We had a great stay - very friendly people and the lodge was very beautiful and clean. We would definately stay there again! and again and again.
Over all (besides just the VWL) I thought that Disney was/is still WONDERFUL. It is our 2nd time in 2 years and we are planning another trip next year. The parks were clean, the Cast-members friendly, the transportation excellent etc. My daughter, as I mentioned before, has a broken leg. We were able to get a GAC card so our stroller could be used as a wheel chair and we were so pleasantly surprised by how helpful everyone was. One CM saw me waiting in line at Cosmic Rays one night holding her and waiting for my food. She came over to me and helped me with my trays and made sure I had all the help I needed. The characters were great also, they signed her cast and made sure to kiss her "owie".
We vacation once a year, my husband is a borderline work a holic and these Disney vacations are a total re-connect for our family. We are just so impressed with Disney's level of service, and the total immersement (is that a word
?) in magic. Disney has won us over and we will be returning for many years to come. It is a world all of it's own. We have been home for 5 hours and we are all ready to go back. If they could just find a way to turn down the heat and humidity in Sept just a bit then it would be perfect! 
). I trust you'll be holding onto that cast as a keepsake? 
