The Good, The Bad & The Ugly - BW Grand Villa Edition

[cookies]

The comment about the ECV's gave me a chuckle!

 

[kidsister]

 

[jade1]

Regarding the bus trip from hell, we only endured that once. Now when we are on that route, we get off at the Swan, walk through the lobby and over the bridge to BWV. Considering how far the Boardwalk bus stop is from most of the villas, it's not much farther. You'll be back in your room at least 20 minutes sooner than if you had stayed on the bus.

 

[chris1gill]

Thanks for the humorous report

Now why do people go to Centracare? We always go to Celebration Hospital & get right in with very little wait time? I'd highly recommend it for the fairly typical traveler illnesses...

 

[keishashadow]

it's humongous...

cute kiddo, follows our youngins creed: have gaming system will travel

 

[cobbler]

have gaming system will travel

Yep! My kids too. And even better when they can bring the portable DVD players for the car!
Best invention EVER!!!!! (We drive from MI to FL, it's a life saver).

 

[corinnak]

Thanks for the brilliantly written report, Rinkwide! That video is amazing!

Are those shining twin chairs at the Boardwalk? I find so many things about the Boardwalk appealing, but then I am a little too easily creeped out by grinning furniture and clowns with glowing eyes, so much as it appeals, I may never actually stay at Boardwalk!

 

[WDWorld2003]

Hmmmm..... the front desk told us not to go to Celebration Hospital that we would have a long wait

 

[madcoco]

Are those shining twin chairs at the Boardwalk?

Yes they are in the lobby area. The clown can look pretty evil under certain lighting conditions.
Any BW experts know if there is a story behind those "twin" chairs? They are unique to say the least. rinkwide your opinion?

 

[tinkfan]

Thanks for the great (and quite humurous) report. Looking forward to our Boardwalk GV stay next May. Thought I really wanted one of the one story floorplans, but if they are noisy the 2 story ones might be better?? Just wish I could see floorplan for one of those.

Our Magical Express bus ride went through the Disney Markeplace and Downtown Disney. I'm am sure there are not resorts there! Didn't take long until someone was giving our bus driver directions. Turned out it was his first day!

 

[snowbunny]

Noise - With another GV above (wood flooring + kids) and the Boardwalk revelers below it was sometimes tough to fall asleep.

That was probably my kids...sorry about that! We were in GV #5047 Oct 26-31. You should have pounded on the ceiling or something.....

 

[keishashadow]

Yep! My kids too. And even better when they can bring the portable DVD players for the car!
Best invention EVER!!!!! (We drive from MI to FL, it's a life saver).

My DH has a CDL yet refuses to drive from Pittsburgh...12 hours is our limit...how long does the drive take you?

 

[rinkwide]

...Are those shining twin chairs at the Boardwalk?...

They're usually in the lobby, set apart on either side of the fireplace but...

...if you happen to make a wrong turn on your ECV late one night don't be surprised if you come around a bend and find them together at the end of one of those long, desolate hallways.

REDRUM

 

[madcoco]

Hehehehe

 

[kdzgon]

quote: "ECVs - The size of the people wheeling these around the parks make you wonder if getting one makes you eat everything in sight."

ROTFLMAO!!

May I add my ECV complaint: Hey all you folks that either cannot walk, or otherwise choose not to: Just because you rented one of these to lug your can all over doesn't mean you have the right of way or the authority to force people to "part like the red sea" so you can cruise through. You are still the same as everyone else and it's up to you to politely find your way around among the crowds just like the rest of us. And it especially doesn't give you a cut to the front of the line pass. Some of you know what I'm talking about.


{Please note that my above critisims are NOT pointed to the elderly or truly hadicapped. I always try to make it easier for our distinguished senior citizens to get by when they are using an ECV or wheelchair.}

"Truly handicapped" is pretty hard to discern in many instances. My DH is a not quite a senior, but he is a larger man, and is a diabetic with some foot problems. He injured his foot a few days in to our WDW trip, and he needed an ECV to get around (not to mention keep up with 2 - 3 yr old grandsons!). He was extremely self-concious about using it, perhaps in part from similar attitudes from people that "assumed" he did not need the scooter. Believe me, we waited for many an elevator while quite a few able-bodied individuals took the elevator rather than walk a flight of stairs. And, while it actually *is* a "cut to the front of the line" pass in many areas of WDW, it was something he rarely did. Instead, he would park the scooter and walk through the line rather than deal with some of the other park guests. As a result, his foot became much worse and in fact has still not healed yet, two months later. (His poor judgment, I know. But he didn't want to upset other people that believed he might be "taking advantage".)

Even more difficult to tell was my best friend's daughter. She was suffering from lymphoma, and did not have the strength for all the walking. You would not have known this from simply watching her on the scooter. Luckily, her family didn't let it bother them. It was her dying wish, so they were more concerned with her ability to enjoy her last visit than others' opinions.

Now, I know some people take advantage. When picking up my husband's ecv, the bell man was telling me about an entire family that rents them every visit because the simply don't want to walk that much. Unfortunately, there is no way for the average person to know which person is from this family, and which one is like my best friend's daughter. If you have any advice as to how you know the difference, I'd be happy to hear it. Until then, I'm going to (try and) err on the side of true disabilities, visible or not.

 

[SoCalKDG]

Ah, WDW a la Rinkwide....nothing quite like it!

Thanks for several laughs!

Also, I hae been trying for ages to get good video software that will take the video off my digital video camera, get it onto my computer, and allow me to add music, etc. Can you PM me with the software you used for this? Thanks.

I use Ulead VideoStudio 9 and its very easy and works great. You can download a free demo at their website(do this first), with purchase being around $70 for version 10.

 

[Newcastle]

"Truly handicapped" is pretty hard to discern in many instances. My DH is a not quite a senior, but he is a larger man, and is a diabetic with some foot problems. He injured his foot a few days in to our WDW trip, and he needed an ECV to get around (not to mention keep up with 2 - 3 yr old grandsons!). He was extremely self-concious about using it, perhaps in part from similar attitudes from people that "assumed" he did not need the scooter. Believe me, we waited for many an elevator while quite a few able-bodied individuals took the elevator rather than walk a flight of stairs. And, while it actually *is* a "cut to the front of the line" pass in many areas of WDW, it was something he rarely did. Instead, he would park the scooter and walk through the line rather than deal with some of the other park guests. As a result, his foot became much worse and in fact has still not healed yet, two months later. (His poor judgment, I know. But he didn't want to upset other people that believed he might be "taking advantage".)

Even more difficult to tell was my best friend's daughter. She was suffering from lymphoma, and did not have the strength for all the walking. You would not have known this from simply watching her on the scooter. Luckily, her family didn't let it bother them. It was her dying wish, so they were more concerned with her ability to enjoy her last visit than others' opinions.

Now, I know some people take advantage. When picking up my husband's ecv, the bell man was telling me about an entire family that rents them every visit because the simply don't want to walk that much. Unfortunately, there is no way for the average person to know which person is from this family, and which one is like my best friend's daughter. If you have any advice as to how you know the difference, I'd be happy to hear it. Until then, I'm going to (try and) err on the side of true disabilities, visible or not.

Well stated kdzgon!! It is very difficult to determine whether someone is "truly handicapped" and I suppose that I can tolerate a few people milking the system if I know that the people who really need the accomodations (e.g. ECV, GAC, etc.) have the opportunity to make use of them.

Rinkwide...I have to say that I find your sense of humour to be endearing and slighlty quirky!! Not to mention the fact that my husband and I get a chuckle out of the "cow bell" in your signature (we can't get enough of that skit!!). If you don't mind me asking, what do you do for a living??

 

[kdzgon]

Thanks for the great video! You must have shot it within moments of checking in or else your accommodations could not have looked so tidy. I would have needed to make my entire family wait in the hall with their suitcases in order to get those shots. It only takes them 2 minutes to trash the place

Regarding the bus trip from hell, we only endured that once. Now when we are on that route, we get off at the Swan, walk through the lobby and over the bridge to BWV. Considering how far the Boardwalk bus stop is from most of the villas, it's not much farther. You'll be back in your room at least 20 minutes sooner than if you had stayed on the bus.

DITTO on family trashing abilities!!

I've always contended someone needs to start a "transportation secrets" thread, with tidbits such as this. I'd do it myself, but I have lost all my "secret" routes....We went to WDW in Sept, but it was my first visit since 4 waaaay back in the late 80s. I kept walking around saying "I know there is a better way to get there from here, I think it might be this way...", and of course in reality I was my (seemingly perpetual) clueless self, suffering from that nasty, niggling "menopause memory loss". I must admit it was quite a site - a (semi-) old lady pushing two - (heavy!!) three yr olds in a twin stroller, being trailed by an older guy putt-putting along on a motorized scooter....ahhh, Maxine has nothing on me (well, at least not after I get my Crocs to complete the picture )!!!

 

[KristiKelly]

"Truly handicapped" is pretty hard to discern in many instances. My DH is a not quite a senior, but he is a larger man, and is a diabetic with some foot problems. He injured his foot a few days in to our WDW trip, and he needed an ECV to get around (not to mention keep up with 2 - 3 yr old grandsons!). He was extremely self-concious about using it, perhaps in part from similar attitudes from people that "assumed" he did not need the scooter. Believe me, we waited for many an elevator while quite a few able-bodied individuals took the elevator rather than walk a flight of stairs. And, while it actually *is* a "cut to the front of the line" pass in many areas of WDW, it was something he rarely did. Instead, he would park the scooter and walk through the line rather than deal with some of the other park guests. As a result, his foot became much worse and in fact has still not healed yet, two months later. (His poor judgment, I know. But he didn't want to upset other people that believed he might be "taking advantage".)

Even more difficult to tell was my best friend's daughter. She was suffering from lymphoma, and did not have the strength for all the walking. You would not have known this from simply watching her on the scooter. Luckily, her family didn't let it bother them. It was her dying wish, so they were more concerned with her ability to enjoy her last visit than others' opinions.

Now, I know some people take advantage. When picking up my husband's ecv, the bell man was telling me about an entire family that rents them every visit because the simply don't want to walk that much. Unfortunately, there is no way for the average person to know which person is from this family, and which one is like my best friend's daughter. If you have any advice as to how you know the difference, I'd be happy to hear it. Until then, I'm going to (try and) err on the side of true disabilities, visible or not.

Well put.
I do feel that if you have one, for whatever reason, one should still be patient and courteous. On our trip in Sept. there were several times that we had to get out of the way or get hit by them. Once, a man drove it off the curb and ran over DS9 ankle knocking him down. DS was not hurt but the man didn't even stop or comment, just looked at DS & kept hauling "heinie" through the park.

Another time a lady driving one yelled at DD6 for running in front of her, Yes, DD did run out in front of her BUT in DD's defense she was going to throw trash away (and not throw it on the ground). This is WDW, if I had yelled at every child that ran out in front of me on my trip, well I would have been yelling alot.

Anyway, back on topic, nice Good, Bad & Ugly. I enjoyed your virtual tour. DH & I wanted to go into a villa on our Sept trip @ BWV but they were all booked. Thanks, very nice.

 

[mikron]

Sorry you had a bad time but your movie sold me on the grand villas. I have stayed at the BW in a 1 br. with lake view and love it. With up to 12 people i don't think you can beat the villa. I understand the villas at OKW are the largest, maybe you need to check them out.