SusanWasHere
<font color=green>I'm on the left<br><font color=d
- Joined
- Feb 2, 2006
- Messages
- 977
Hi everyone! Just got back from 12 wonderful days in the world! This was our 4th mid-late August in a row and I must say it was by far the hottest! I am usually one of those people always at the parks bc I feel like I'm missing something, going on every ride, seeing every show. But there were actually 4 or 5 days that we arrived at a park, and left shortly after to return to our resort. It was just so unbearably hot. Hmmm, or was it bc we loved the resort so much? LOL... here's the story....
BCV has been our favorite resort. We've stayed there 4 times and are an Epcot family. We love Stormalong Bay and the quick walk to World Showcase and the boat ride to Hollywood Studios. That's where we stay in the summer - never even thought differently. When we've taken shorter trips during the school year is when we tried other DVC places. That way it was a short trip and if we hated it, we wouldn't really be missing out on our favorite BCV for too long.
Last December we stayed at the BWV for 5 nights. Had a boardwalk view. I loved the room - esp. the storage under the bathroom sink. The room was great - just didn't like those LONG hallways I had read so much about or having to go out to the boardwalk for the store and such limited counter service food options. Wasn't too big a deal since Epcot is right there, but that was really the only thing I didn't love about it. The room was in great condition, super clean. Didn't get to try the clown pool though bc it was freezing out - but still would go back there in a heartbeat. One day we went touring the resorts and went to the Wilderness Lodge to see the tree. I was totally blown away by the beauty of the grounds, the walkway from the boat, the buildings, the lobby, everything! We ate at Roaring Forks and my parents and I were just shocked at how drawn we were to the resort. We walked over to the villas and saw a cleaning lady in a room. We asked if we could see it as it was no longer occupied and she let us in. LOL - I figured my mom would hate it bc she's extremely picky about comforters and curtains (long story) but we all loved the room. We left that day just totally loving the place and absolutely wanting to stay there.
The rest of our trip we talked about the Lodge and when we could come back and stay there. Started to immediately look at flights for April and even discussed DRIVING down.
(if you knew me, you would know how much I LOATHE driving and not flying) No luck with flights being affordable and the driving became not an option. So January came and it was time to plan the August trip. I asked my parents if they wanted to do BCV and they said yes, but both said what about the Lodge. So we decided to do 4 days at the lodge, the other 8 at BCV. When I called they didn't have the one day open for BC so I made it Mon-Fri at VWL and Fri-Fri at BCV. I have to admit I was nervous in case we hated the lodge, if we didn't like the transportation, if the pool was no good, etc. 
We arrived at WL on 8/16 from ME about 10:30 am. They were doing some fixing up outside so there was construction and tarps up all over the front of the resort and I got a little nervous everything would look like that. But it wasn't! We went in and were of course completely taken by the lobby. The place is just gorgeous!!
Check-in was painless - but I was a little bothered by the fact that I asked to not be too far from the elevator (my mom walks with a cane - uses ECV for parks) and to not be looking at a dumpster. CM told me "there are no bad views in the villas" so I took her word for it. We left our carry on bags with bell services, freshened up in the bathroom, and then headed to Epcot for our traditional first meal of fish and chips. My dad LOVED the boat ride at POFQ so we decided to take the boat to MK and then hop the monorails to Epcot. We were in no rush and happy to be there so it was all good.
Got a text around 2:45 that the room was ready. I was heading over to Pop to meet some of the podcast team, so my mom and dad headed over on their own. I went back to the room about 6:00 and it was the last room down the longest hallway I had ever seen. No chance of my mom ever leaving the room walking - she would always need the ECV. We were in room 2562 - overlooking the dumpsters!!! I wasn't happy, but my mom and dad had already unpacked so we figured oh well. Next time I'll know better. My dad actually measured how far the room was (he's like that lol) and I can't remember off hand, but it was far from the elevator. I'll have to ask him what the distance was. I personally counted 200 steps - and I have a long stride. BUT - beyond that we LOVED LOVED LOVED the villas! 
The lobby area is beyond gorgeous, I love the smell (is it propane? lol), the sitting areas, the chairs, the window seats, everything!!!!!!! What an amazing place!!! I so totally get what everyone loves about it. We loved our room - my mom even loved the bedding - and the amount of storage was great! I love the drawers in the kitchenette (we had a studio), the 2 closets, and the storage under the bathroom sink. The table was smaller - but that was ok bc it gave us more living space. The balcony was nice - but the view pretty much kept us off of there besides hanging suits and towels. But in all honesty - it was so hot we wouldn't have really been there much. Oh - one thing I didn't like was the lack of lighting in there. The room is dark anyway - but there isn't much light. The bulbs by the mirror are the ones that take a while to light up. I'd turn them on and then use the mirror after breakfast bc then I could finally see.
Our first evening we shared some salads at Roaring Forks since we had a big lunch. We toured the store, the lobby, all around the grounds. We sat at the beach for the Water Pageant and that was so cute!!! The 3 of us sitting on that gorgeous beach in the gorgeous place and hearing that music totally made us fall in love with the resort. We were happy we were giving up some days at BCV and knew we made the right choice!
So as I said previously it was EXTREMELY hot. Days with real feel of 105 and 96% humidity. It actually made ME leave the parks. But we didn't mind! We spent tons of time in the pool - which I normally only do at BCV! It was extremely hard to ever find a chair, but we did manage. The pool is so nice, music a little too loud, but great still! I had a snake cross my path on the way to the bathroom and after screaming for about 30 seconds straight and having CM run out to see what I was yelling about, it was ok lol. I couldn't believe how much time I was actually spending at the resort! Even my dad said on the 3rd day he couldn't believe I hadn't been on any rides yet LOL. So kudos to the lodge - it really drew me in and made me almost forget there was other stuff to do. Such a special place.
Our 5 days there went way too fast.
The last 2 days we were going to be there we all got really sad. We were actually dreading leaving to go BCV!! My mom would fake cry all the time and my dad would just go on about how much he loved it. None of us wanted to leave, I was really surprised by our strong affection for the place. We kept reassuring ourselves we would still be happy at the BC. LOL.
On the last day my dad and I did the tour with Ranger Joe. We had such a great time. It was check out day and if it hadn't been for us having to get our luggage transferred by 11, we would've stayed with him for hours! We were with him for 90 mins and he still had so much to tell us! If anyone ever thinks about doing this tour - go for it. Next time we stay there we will do it again and not go it on our last day! I really got to explore the main part of the Lodge - visited all the floors and lounges and saw so many little touches that makes that resort beyond incredible as far as theming. I took hundreds of pics - and I'm not exaggerating!
We also had lunch at Whispering Canyon for the first time. I was nervous about this as well bc people either seem to love it or hate it. Well we LOVED it! The best mashed potatoes I have ever had and the ribs were to die for. We were there early so not much was going on - but we loved it. The cornbread and butter were delicious. Both the Lodge and WCC will be in our future!!!
Then it was off to our week at BCV. I have to say it seemed our hearts weren't in it. But I had requested a specific room (416) and was happy it was ready when we checked in at 2:00. Our luggage and my Owner's Locker were there and they brought everything right up. It was deathly hot out and after being stuck in a human microwave (our monorail was stopped for about 40 mins and the air was not really working) I was overheating and needed the pool. SAB did not disappoint! That pool is just the greatest. I could spend hours in there and never be bored. We were happy to be at our favorite pool but it was bittersweet bc we were really missing the lodge. I guess bc I'm from NJ and spent most of my childhood at the beach and going to Cape May - the theming of BC doesn't do much for me. I'm a cold weather lover/skier so the lodge's theme is right up my alley. As we were in the pool that first day we decided our perfect Disney resort would be the WL to be picked up and put where BC is. But leave the BC pool LOL
The BCV were fine. But I have to say I noticed so much wear and tear right off the bat. Maybe it's bc we just left the lodge and everything was so perfect there. But the sink was cracked, the metal rings around the toilet paper and towel racks were loose and hanging off. (We had the same room last summer and those things had not been fixed since then!! And we had left a note) So much less storage space at the BC. Esp the kitchenette and bathroom area. Oh, and there were some elbow macaronis on the floor that were NOT from us.
I did love the brightness though - that was nice! But the carpets and walls were just looking old. Even in the elevator the emergency panel door was hanging off the entire week and there were huge chunks of paint missing. I guess I never noticed it before, but this time it was glaring.
Another thing we noticed is how "busy" the BCV are compared to VWL. When we were at the elevators, in the lobby, or walking down those looong hallways at the lodge we barely saw anyone. We saw more people in 1 day at the elevators and in the lobby of the BCV than we did in 5 days at VWL.
The week at BCV was still good. We had a great time and nothing beats that location. We talked about how we like that there is something for everyone and that EVERY resort has good and bad points. I am so happy our membership allows us to try them all and maybe sometimes you're in the mood for one place and sometimes in the mood for another. In hindsight I wish I had planned BCV first bc I found the VWL to be more of a relaxation inducing place. I really can't wait to stay there again, but also can't wait to stay at BCV again.
Just wanted to share my observations. We have reservations for our first stay at OKW for December but a small part of me now wishes I was staying at VWL again. So many people love OKW so I can't wait to see how it is there. Hope you enjoyed reading my thoughts, didn't think they'd be this long!
BCV has been our favorite resort. We've stayed there 4 times and are an Epcot family. We love Stormalong Bay and the quick walk to World Showcase and the boat ride to Hollywood Studios. That's where we stay in the summer - never even thought differently. When we've taken shorter trips during the school year is when we tried other DVC places. That way it was a short trip and if we hated it, we wouldn't really be missing out on our favorite BCV for too long.
Last December we stayed at the BWV for 5 nights. Had a boardwalk view. I loved the room - esp. the storage under the bathroom sink. The room was great - just didn't like those LONG hallways I had read so much about or having to go out to the boardwalk for the store and such limited counter service food options. Wasn't too big a deal since Epcot is right there, but that was really the only thing I didn't love about it. The room was in great condition, super clean. Didn't get to try the clown pool though bc it was freezing out - but still would go back there in a heartbeat. One day we went touring the resorts and went to the Wilderness Lodge to see the tree. I was totally blown away by the beauty of the grounds, the walkway from the boat, the buildings, the lobby, everything! We ate at Roaring Forks and my parents and I were just shocked at how drawn we were to the resort. We walked over to the villas and saw a cleaning lady in a room. We asked if we could see it as it was no longer occupied and she let us in. LOL - I figured my mom would hate it bc she's extremely picky about comforters and curtains (long story) but we all loved the room. We left that day just totally loving the place and absolutely wanting to stay there.
The rest of our trip we talked about the Lodge and when we could come back and stay there. Started to immediately look at flights for April and even discussed DRIVING down.
(if you knew me, you would know how much I LOATHE driving and not flying) No luck with flights being affordable and the driving became not an option. So January came and it was time to plan the August trip. I asked my parents if they wanted to do BCV and they said yes, but both said what about the Lodge. So we decided to do 4 days at the lodge, the other 8 at BCV. When I called they didn't have the one day open for BC so I made it Mon-Fri at VWL and Fri-Fri at BCV. I have to admit I was nervous in case we hated the lodge, if we didn't like the transportation, if the pool was no good, etc. We arrived at WL on 8/16 from ME about 10:30 am. They were doing some fixing up outside so there was construction and tarps up all over the front of the resort and I got a little nervous everything would look like that. But it wasn't! We went in and were of course completely taken by the lobby. The place is just gorgeous!!
Check-in was painless - but I was a little bothered by the fact that I asked to not be too far from the elevator (my mom walks with a cane - uses ECV for parks) and to not be looking at a dumpster. CM told me "there are no bad views in the villas" so I took her word for it. We left our carry on bags with bell services, freshened up in the bathroom, and then headed to Epcot for our traditional first meal of fish and chips. My dad LOVED the boat ride at POFQ so we decided to take the boat to MK and then hop the monorails to Epcot. We were in no rush and happy to be there so it was all good.Got a text around 2:45 that the room was ready. I was heading over to Pop to meet some of the podcast team, so my mom and dad headed over on their own. I went back to the room about 6:00 and it was the last room down the longest hallway I had ever seen. No chance of my mom ever leaving the room walking - she would always need the ECV. We were in room 2562 - overlooking the dumpsters!!!
I wasn't happy, but my mom and dad had already unpacked so we figured oh well. Next time I'll know better. My dad actually measured how far the room was (he's like that lol) and I can't remember off hand, but it was far from the elevator. I'll have to ask him what the distance was. I personally counted 200 steps - and I have a long stride. BUT - beyond that we LOVED LOVED LOVED the villas! The lobby area is beyond gorgeous, I love the smell (is it propane? lol), the sitting areas, the chairs, the window seats, everything!!!!!!! What an amazing place!!! I so totally get what everyone loves about it. We loved our room - my mom even loved the bedding - and the amount of storage was great! I love the drawers in the kitchenette (we had a studio), the 2 closets, and the storage under the bathroom sink. The table was smaller - but that was ok bc it gave us more living space. The balcony was nice - but the view pretty much kept us off of there besides hanging suits and towels. But in all honesty - it was so hot we wouldn't have really been there much. Oh - one thing I didn't like was the lack of lighting in there. The room is dark anyway - but there isn't much light. The bulbs by the mirror are the ones that take a while to light up. I'd turn them on and then use the mirror after breakfast bc then I could finally see. Our first evening we shared some salads at Roaring Forks since we had a big lunch. We toured the store, the lobby, all around the grounds. We sat at the beach for the Water Pageant and that was so cute!!! The 3 of us sitting on that gorgeous beach in the gorgeous place and hearing that music totally made us fall in love with the resort. We were happy we were giving up some days at BCV and knew we made the right choice!
So as I said previously it was EXTREMELY hot. Days with real feel of 105 and 96% humidity. It actually made ME leave the parks. But we didn't mind! We spent tons of time in the pool - which I normally only do at BCV! It was extremely hard to ever find a chair, but we did manage. The pool is so nice, music a little too loud, but great still! I had a snake cross my path on the way to the bathroom and after screaming for about 30 seconds straight and having CM run out to see what I was yelling about, it was ok lol. I couldn't believe how much time I was actually spending at the resort! Even my dad said on the 3rd day he couldn't believe I hadn't been on any rides yet LOL. So kudos to the lodge - it really drew me in and made me almost forget there was other stuff to do. Such a special place.
Our 5 days there went way too fast.
The last 2 days we were going to be there we all got really sad. We were actually dreading leaving to go BCV!! My mom would fake cry all the time and my dad would just go on about how much he loved it. None of us wanted to leave, I was really surprised by our strong affection for the place. We kept reassuring ourselves we would still be happy at the BC. LOL.On the last day my dad and I did the tour with Ranger Joe. We had such a great time. It was check out day and if it hadn't been for us having to get our luggage transferred by 11, we would've stayed with him for hours! We were with him for 90 mins and he still had so much to tell us! If anyone ever thinks about doing this tour - go for it. Next time we stay there we will do it again and not go it on our last day! I really got to explore the main part of the Lodge - visited all the floors and lounges and saw so many little touches that makes that resort beyond incredible as far as theming. I took hundreds of pics - and I'm not exaggerating!
We also had lunch at Whispering Canyon for the first time. I was nervous about this as well bc people either seem to love it or hate it. Well we LOVED it! The best mashed potatoes I have ever had and the ribs were to die for. We were there early so not much was going on - but we loved it. The cornbread and butter were delicious. Both the Lodge and WCC will be in our future!!!
Then it was off to our week at BCV. I have to say it seemed our hearts weren't in it. But I had requested a specific room (416) and was happy it was ready when we checked in at 2:00. Our luggage and my Owner's Locker were there and they brought everything right up. It was deathly hot out and after being stuck in a human microwave (our monorail was stopped for about 40 mins and the air was not really working) I was overheating and needed the pool. SAB did not disappoint! That pool is just the greatest. I could spend hours in there and never be bored. We were happy to be at our favorite pool but it was bittersweet bc we were really missing the lodge. I guess bc I'm from NJ and spent most of my childhood at the beach and going to Cape May - the theming of BC doesn't do much for me. I'm a cold weather lover/skier so the lodge's theme is right up my alley. As we were in the pool that first day we decided our perfect Disney resort would be the WL to be picked up and put where BC is. But leave the BC pool LOL
The BCV were fine. But I have to say I noticed so much wear and tear right off the bat. Maybe it's bc we just left the lodge and everything was so perfect there. But the sink was cracked, the metal rings around the toilet paper and towel racks were loose and hanging off. (We had the same room last summer and those things had not been fixed since then!! And we had left a note) So much less storage space at the BC. Esp the kitchenette and bathroom area. Oh, and there were some elbow macaronis on the floor that were NOT from us.
I did love the brightness though - that was nice! But the carpets and walls were just looking old. Even in the elevator the emergency panel door was hanging off the entire week and there were huge chunks of paint missing. I guess I never noticed it before, but this time it was glaring. Another thing we noticed is how "busy" the BCV are compared to VWL. When we were at the elevators, in the lobby, or walking down those looong hallways at the lodge we barely saw anyone. We saw more people in 1 day at the elevators and in the lobby of the BCV than we did in 5 days at VWL.
The week at BCV was still good. We had a great time and nothing beats that location. We talked about how we like that there is something for everyone and that EVERY resort has good and bad points. I am so happy our membership allows us to try them all and maybe sometimes you're in the mood for one place and sometimes in the mood for another. In hindsight I wish I had planned BCV first bc I found the VWL to be more of a relaxation inducing place. I really can't wait to stay there again, but also can't wait to stay at BCV again.
Just wanted to share my observations. We have reservations for our first stay at OKW for December but a small part of me now wishes I was staying at VWL again. So many people love OKW so I can't wait to see how it is there. Hope you enjoyed reading my thoughts, didn't think they'd be this long!
, so it was fun reading about how much you enjoyed it.
