Just returned this afternoon from our annual Holiday trip to Disney. We had a great time. Our first two nights were spent at the Animal Kingdom Lodge Conceriege - We loved it! Great room and lots of animals..amazing! We signed up for the sunrise safari and that was the highlight of our trip. Very informative and we saw so many animals..up close and personal! The buffet Breakfast at the tusker house after the safari was also excellent. We were given fast passes to return to the safari attraction, but gave them to another couple, as we just didn't feel anything could top our early morning experience.
We checked into the VWL on Sunday. Pixie dust was flying as our room was ready at 10:30 AM!! We were on the first floor, 1533..right off the lobby/iron spike room. Our home resorts are OKW and BWV .. Our first stay at VWL and we really enjoyed it. The Villa was neat and tidy. Surpirsed it still had a VCR instead of a DVD player?? The lobby area of the DVC building is so beautiful and cozy. Wonderful tree, fire place and lots of great chairs, rockers, nooks and crannies to sit and talk, read a book, etc. A very warm and inviting space. Of course, the Wilderness Lodge lobby is eye popping dung the holidays. We've always enjoyed visiting this resort during the holidays. We had 2 terrific dinners at Artist Pointe. Also enjoyed lunch at Whispering Canyon Cafe, but have to say the breakfast we had there this morning was a bit disappointing.
We attended the Merry Member Mixer (I think that's the name) on Tuesday. (Held weekly during December every Tuesday) It was very nice!! Victorian carolers, string quartet, disney characters .. along with disney photographers, cookies, hot cider and ice water were in abundance. Location - International Gateway - Epcot. As we exited the event we were given a very nice silver key chain with Disney Vacation Club engraved. It was a nice way to spend a hour. The open house event ran from 3-5 PM. this is the first event we've attended since joining in '97, and we really enjoyed ourselves.
We toured Saratoga Springs one afternoon. Didn't realize we were suppose to go after 5, (the leave the units open between 5-7 PM daily for members) but the sales reps let us in and let us wander around. The units are quite attractive. Very nice furnishings (a bit formal?) and colors. The 3 bedroom unit was very nice. We were a bit taken aback for the open hall ways..We asked a sale rep why they had been built that way and we were told it was a cost cutting measure to keep dues under control. ie..open hall ways mean no air conditioning or heating necessary. We notice our voices echoed in the hallway. Question for those who have stayed there...can you hear people walking/talking in the halls inside the units? The views were very nice. This resort is going to be huge... Wish DVC would change the room styles. Everything is so cookie cutter from BWV to SS .. with OKW being the only exception. (excluding vero and HH..which do have different layouts) Noticed they still kept the multitude of doors in the bathroom area. We really love OKW, so don't think we will be staying here any time soon, but it is a very nice resort.
My one concern with SS is the size of the resort and the impact that it will have on the rest of the DVC resorts. We really love OKW and BWV..and also enjoy our ability to use the 7 month window to try different resorts. Once SS is fully developed, it's going to make the 7 month window reservations very difficult to obtain. For those of us prior to SS, reserving our units between 11-7 months is going to become very important. If we want until after the 7 month mark there is a very good chance we won't be able to get into our own resorts as it's only natural that SS members are going to want to try out other resorts too. Makes me think about the resale market and if we should add on some more points at the resorts we really want to stay at.
Back to VWL .. We were amazed how sound proof these rooms were. We didn't hear a peep from anyone above or next to us. A very peaceful setting.
We had a car and never used the bus transportation so can't comment on service, etc. Our only mistake was taking the boat transportation the night we attended MVMCP...Long lines and waits for the boat to the MK and the return trip home was just as bad. We should have driven to Ticket and Transportation and took the ferry over...
We really enjoy Disney during the holidays. Crowds the first weekend were huge...but by Modnay crowds had dropped considerably. MVMCP was a Zoo 12/12 .. Even the second parade was crowded!!
Sad to leave this morning, but so much to do before next weekend...Christmas is coming!!
Happy Holidays!!
Peggy Sue
We checked into the VWL on Sunday. Pixie dust was flying as our room was ready at 10:30 AM!! We were on the first floor, 1533..right off the lobby/iron spike room. Our home resorts are OKW and BWV .. Our first stay at VWL and we really enjoyed it. The Villa was neat and tidy. Surpirsed it still had a VCR instead of a DVD player?? The lobby area of the DVC building is so beautiful and cozy. Wonderful tree, fire place and lots of great chairs, rockers, nooks and crannies to sit and talk, read a book, etc. A very warm and inviting space. Of course, the Wilderness Lodge lobby is eye popping dung the holidays. We've always enjoyed visiting this resort during the holidays. We had 2 terrific dinners at Artist Pointe. Also enjoyed lunch at Whispering Canyon Cafe, but have to say the breakfast we had there this morning was a bit disappointing.
We attended the Merry Member Mixer (I think that's the name) on Tuesday. (Held weekly during December every Tuesday) It was very nice!! Victorian carolers, string quartet, disney characters .. along with disney photographers, cookies, hot cider and ice water were in abundance. Location - International Gateway - Epcot. As we exited the event we were given a very nice silver key chain with Disney Vacation Club engraved. It was a nice way to spend a hour. The open house event ran from 3-5 PM. this is the first event we've attended since joining in '97, and we really enjoyed ourselves.
We toured Saratoga Springs one afternoon. Didn't realize we were suppose to go after 5, (the leave the units open between 5-7 PM daily for members) but the sales reps let us in and let us wander around. The units are quite attractive. Very nice furnishings (a bit formal?) and colors. The 3 bedroom unit was very nice. We were a bit taken aback for the open hall ways..We asked a sale rep why they had been built that way and we were told it was a cost cutting measure to keep dues under control. ie..open hall ways mean no air conditioning or heating necessary. We notice our voices echoed in the hallway. Question for those who have stayed there...can you hear people walking/talking in the halls inside the units? The views were very nice. This resort is going to be huge... Wish DVC would change the room styles. Everything is so cookie cutter from BWV to SS .. with OKW being the only exception. (excluding vero and HH..which do have different layouts) Noticed they still kept the multitude of doors in the bathroom area. We really love OKW, so don't think we will be staying here any time soon, but it is a very nice resort.
My one concern with SS is the size of the resort and the impact that it will have on the rest of the DVC resorts. We really love OKW and BWV..and also enjoy our ability to use the 7 month window to try different resorts. Once SS is fully developed, it's going to make the 7 month window reservations very difficult to obtain. For those of us prior to SS, reserving our units between 11-7 months is going to become very important. If we want until after the 7 month mark there is a very good chance we won't be able to get into our own resorts as it's only natural that SS members are going to want to try out other resorts too. Makes me think about the resale market and if we should add on some more points at the resorts we really want to stay at.
Back to VWL .. We were amazed how sound proof these rooms were. We didn't hear a peep from anyone above or next to us. A very peaceful setting.
We had a car and never used the bus transportation so can't comment on service, etc. Our only mistake was taking the boat transportation the night we attended MVMCP...Long lines and waits for the boat to the MK and the return trip home was just as bad. We should have driven to Ticket and Transportation and took the ferry over...
We really enjoy Disney during the holidays. Crowds the first weekend were huge...but by Modnay crowds had dropped considerably. MVMCP was a Zoo 12/12 .. Even the second parade was crowded!!
Sad to leave this morning, but so much to do before next weekend...Christmas is coming!!
Happy Holidays!!
Peggy Sue
