Staying At VGF Now

[disneynutz]

Any questions?

Bill

 

[4fordisneyworld]

My girls and I are at AKV now and check in over there on Sunday!! We cannot wait We will have a 1BR STV

About how long is the walk over for the monorail and quick service? How is the parking?

 

[disneynutz]

My girls and I are at AKV now and check in over there on Sunday!! We cannot wait We will have a 1BR STV

About how long is the walk over for the monorail and quick service? How is the parking?

Monorail is 5 -10 min walk, you have to enter the GF, go to 2nd floor than out to the loading platform.

QS is through the GF, out the back doors, left towards the front of the building on the outside. 10 -15 min walk.

Parking is across from the front of the villas. Pick up car today.

Weather is 80 degrees plus and humid. At MK yesterday and for us it was crowded. Up to 60 min standby on several attractions.

Bill

 

[nalajms]

Any questions?

Bill

I have a really stupid question. Did you go through DME? If not, did you tip the guy that helped load your luggage onto a cart when you checked in?

When I tried, he said to tip the bellman that delivered the luggage. This also happened to us at BLT as well, but not BCV (all the same trip). We've always tip both the person getting the luggage and delivering if they are different people.
Thanks!

 

[disneynutz]

I have a really stupid question. Did you go through DME? If not, did you tip the guy that helped load your luggage onto a cart when you checked in?

When I tried, he said to tip the bellman that delivered the luggage. This also happened to us at BLT as well, but not BCV (all the same trip). We've always tip both the person getting the luggage and delivering if they are different people.
Thanks!

We tip the DME bus driver if he handles our luggage.

We tip the resort bell person.

You don't tip if your luggage is delivered to your room from the airport. Those deliveries are tipped in the delivery contract. That's why you don't need to be in the room for those deliveries. For other deliveries they want you in the room so they can see you face to face and get a tip.

DME bus will drop you off at the GF and you check in there.

Bill

 

[jade1]

Weather is 80 degrees plus and humid.

Oh that's sounds so good.

Woke up to this and 5 degrees.

 

[Dee77]

Any questions?

Bill

What are your thoughts of the place???

 

[wdrl]

We hope everything is going well!

Have you had much interaction with the CMs at VGF? Do you think they are familiar with the subtle differences between DVC and the regular Disney hotel?

Are there any holiday decorations at VGF? When we were at WDW two weeks ago we noticed a lot of poinsettias were planted around the VGF porte cochere, but we didn't go into the VGF lobby to see if any decorations on the inside.

Do you have a view of the Electric Water Parade from your villa? Can you see any of the Magic Kingdom fireworks?

Enjoy the WDW weather. A cold front is moving through Texas and on Saturday we are forecast to have a high of 41!

Have fun!

 

[DebbieB]

Is there a front desk at the Villas?

 

[disneynutz]

Until now I really didn't fully really realize the differences in the way Disney differentiates between their properties.

VGF/GF really are their flagship properties and it shows. The CM's want to be here partially because the tips tend to be bigger and because the budgets here are higher and they have more to work with.

The linens are a better grade, the bath towels are larger, as reported the villa appliances are Bosch and GE Monogram and the kitchen cabinets have self closing hinges. The refrigerator also has self closing doors/drawers and dual compressor, dual zone controls. The interior lighting gets brighter after you open the door. The ice maker takes a while to replenish the supply since the Mousekeepers dump and clean the ice bin between Guests.

The bath toiletries are H2O Spa and include body lotion in addition to the usual. The marble floors have been sealed with a non-slip sealant. The shower has a hand held and rain head, bench, and a cut out to put your soap a shampoo on. The only issues that I could find is a bad shower design. The shower lacks air circulation which will make it a breading ground for mold and mildew.

The other issue is that the support leg for the fold down bed in the living room needs lock washers to keep the cross bar securely attached to the side arms.

Both TV's have pull out mounts to allow HDMI and RCA access should you want to connect your own video source. WiFi signal strength is adequate but as in the other resorts, the network is slow and inconsistent.

There is a Bell Service CM stationed at the villas, a luggage storage area, freight elevator, a Concierge and 3 or 4 Front Desk CM's. DVD currently has an ASA and Guide on site, sales seem to be brisk and I noticed the resort staff directing Guests to the ASA. A Bell Service CM

Cleaning and janitorial staff make regular rounds in the lobby which is typical for a DVC property actively being sold. The penguin fountain gets cleaned every few days because people are throwing pennies into it and the chemicals cause the pennies to turn the bottom of the fountain green. The color isn't a stain, more of slime.

We are on the lake side facing the poly. I requested high floor close to lobby, we got the 2nd floor in the middle of the building. The CM's in the lobby have been really busy, I plan to check and see if the requests made it to our reservation.

The light parade can be seen from the lake view rooms but the route is for the Poly, not the villas. The barges are past the villas when the lights turn on and they take a left turn to line up their length for the Poly. Still entertaining but not the full show experience. We can not see fireworks from our room.

There are some wreaths in the lobby hanging on the columns, tastefully done but nothing like the GF lobby. The covered walkway to the GF is decorated with garland and led lights, also nicely done.

My impression is that it's the best DVC resort built so far, high end and very expensive to maintain and operate. We should see some really high dues bills for this one.

Bill

 

[jade1]

Thanks Bill-anything on the possible walkway/bridge to MK?

 

[disneynutz]

Thanks Bill-anything on the possible walkway/bridge to MK?

Nothing and the reported construction over the canal is the same material that has been there for over a year.

The buses and monorail have been standing room only the last few days, I wonder if guests would really use a path to the MK?

Bill

 

[BWV Dreamin]

Your time estimates from the Villas to the main building seem long. Is the walk over under a covered walkway?

How are the balconies? The model seemed a little tight.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Thank you for your report! I cannot wait to stay there!

 

[magicaldisney]

Your time estimates from the Villas to the main building seem long. Is the walk over under a covered walkway?

How are the balconies? The model seemed a little tight.

We only visited the villas when we were there last week, but I can answer this for you.....yes it is a covered walkway to the main building. As for the timing, it is not just the time to walk the walkway, but then you need to get into the main building and make your way up to the monorail.

 

[VrBchJ]

Is this your fixed week?

 

[disneynutz]

Is this your fixed week?

It is but I didn't book using the fixed week, I booked using the points and shifted some days.

We will only use the fixed week option if there isn't any availability at 11 months.

Bill

 

[nalajms]

How are the balconies? The model seemed a little tight.

We had a 2bd facing the front of the building last week (top floor). I thought the balcony area was wide having just moved from BCV.

 

[jade1]

Nothing and the reported construction over the canal is the same material that has been there for over a year.
Bill

Hmm, does it look like this? I don't remember that last spring.

The buses and monorail have been standing room only the last few days, I wonder if guests would really use a path to the MK?

Bill[/COLOR]

If they are that full, my guess is another option might help. If they were empty maybe not. But I really think the advantage would be after Wishes.

 

[disneynutz]

Hmm, does it look like this? I don't remember that last spring.

If they are that full, my guess is another option might help. If they were empty maybe not. But I really think the advantage would be after Wishes.

Still like in the photo.

Bill