***The VWL Groupies & Trivia Thread*** Chapter 2!

[50 years Too!]

Happydinks, thanks for the suggestion about checking out the Campground decorations. Will add that to my activities!

Deb

 

[Laxmom]

That is a good idea!!!

 

[cheer4bison]

You might want to consider a sleigh ride at our very own Wilderness Lodge. I believe they depart from the front of the main lodge building every half hour during the evenings. We scheduled ours for our upcoming trip in mid-December. Can't wait as this is our first time to try this.

 

[blossomz]

Congrats Craiggers and Welcome home!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

The other thing that we had great fun doing was renting bikes and going over to Wilderness Campground - and check out the decorations at everyone's campsites. There are some SERIOUS holiday decorators over there - we were absolutely amazed.

I'll second, or third or fourth this suggestion too! We saw quite a few of these when we did the FW Segway tour. It's a whole christmas decoration wonderland at the campground.

 

[Dodie]

This is VWL-related because we're talking about the Lodge at Christmas time!

DH and I haven't visited WDW at Christmastime in a long time and have never seen our beloved Lodge when it is decorated for the holidays. Since we have the 11 month booking advantage, we'd like to try to use it for a holiday trip during 2009.

My question is around timing.

Background

Unfortunately, the couple of weeks after Thanksgiving are DH's busy time at work, so that popular early December visit isn't really feasible.

We usually avoid high crowd times, so we wouldn't want to visit Thanksgiving week. Plus, as an only child, I couldn't abandon my family that week.

Questions

How early do the decorations actually go up?

Is the weekend before Thanksgiving busy because people are arriving to stay Thanksgiving week? (I'm pretty sure this is a given.)

So, what is the earliest pre-Thanksgiving long weekend we could shoot for that would still allow us to see decorations but not be crazy busy with holiday travelers?

THANKS GROUPIES!!!

Hey guys. I think my questions a page or two back got lost in the shuffle, so I'm going to try answering them myself.

I looked at this year's MVMCP schedule and see that those start early in November, so I'm assuming that's a tip-off regarding holiday decorations.

That leads me to think that a Wednesday, November 11, 2009 through Sunday, November 15, 2009 stay might fit the bill. The points are a couple more per night than early December (bummer), but, am I right?

Thanks!

 

[wildernessDad]

Hey guys. I think my questions a page or two back got lost in the shuffle, so I'm going to try answering them myself.

I looked at this year's MVMCP schedule and see that those start early in November, so I'm assuming that's a tip-off regarding holiday decorations.

That leads me to think that a Wednesday, November 11, 2009 through Sunday, November 15, 2009 stay might fit the bill. The points are a couple more per night than early December (bummer), but, am I right?

Thanks!

That might be good for the MK, but the Osborne lights, for example, do not start until November 28, 2008 (this year), so you may miss out on that next year given your vacation dates.

 

[Dodie]

That might be good for the MK, but the Osborne lights, for example, do not start until November 28, 2008 (this year), so you may miss out on that next year given your vacation dates.

How about the Lodge? Anyone been in early to mid-November? Is it decorated yet?

Thanks wildernessDad!

 

[eliza61]

How about the Lodge? Anyone been in early to mid-November? Is it decorated yet?

Thanks wildernessDad!

We were there 2 years ago 11/07-11/12 (Jersey week) and it was not decorated but they were beginning to haul them out.

 

[MaryJ]

How about the Lodge? Anyone been in early to mid-November? Is it decorated yet?

Thanks wildernessDad!

We were there last year from Nov. 3-11 (the 10th was my birthday) and they did not have the Christmas decorations up yet. I think they wait until closer to Thanksgiving to decorate.

Now, while we're on the subject of decorations, can anyone tell me how long they leave the decorations up? We are checking in at VWL on Jan. 3 in preparation for the half-marathon on Jan. 10th (I want to have a little vacation time before I die in the half! ) It would be nice to be able to see some of the decorations since we will be traveling with two little boys (ages 6 & 3), even though we will miss most of the celebrations. I think the 3rd might be the last day for the Osborne lights though.

 

[bobbiwoz]

How about the Lodge? Anyone been in early to mid-November? Is it decorated yet?

Thanks wildernessDad!

We've been for DH's birthday 11/17 and lodge and villas were decorated. Will be there again this year, too! Staying at BCV, but will definitely visit VWL on his birthday, it's his favorite resort, too!

Bobbi

 

[Dodie]

Hmmm. OK. We'll probably push it back a week then and start on Wednesday, 11/18/09 instead. My only fear with that would be that the Saturday and Sunday would be the one right before Thanksgiving week and I bet it's pretty crowded because of folks arriving for a Thanksgiving week stay.

Thanks Groupies! I knew you'd know.

 

[vwlvette]

31 days left till we arrive at our venerable lodge! Got our ME packages, Our Park passes, have all our ADR made months ago, all that is left is to go to the airport, check-in, and start relaxing in the magic! Now all I have to do is make it through these next 31 days!

 

[Granny]

We've been for DH's birthday 11/17 and lodge and villas were decorated. Will be there again this year, too! Staying at BCV, but will definitely visit VWL on his birthday, it's his favorite resort, too!

Bobbi

31 days left till we arrive at our venerable lodge! Got our ME packages, Our Park passes, have all our ADR made months ago, all that is left is to go to the airport, check-in, and start relaxing in the magic! Now all I have to do is make it through these next 31 days!

Okay guys...c'mon and tell us your vacation dates! We have to keep track of Groupie trips, don't you know?

I don't see either of you on the official trip list on the first page of this thread, but I'd be happy to add you! Unless of course you prefer to travel to WDW without having to come back and tell us how your trip went!

 

[loribell]

Now, while we're on the subject of decorations, can anyone tell me how long they leave the decorations up? We are checking in at VWL on Jan. 3 in preparation for the half-marathon on Jan. 10th (I want to have a little vacation time before I die in the half! ) It would be nice to be able to see some of the decorations since we will be traveling with two little boys (ages 6 & 3), even though we will miss most of the celebrations. I think the 3rd might be the last day for the Osborne lights though.

I started a thread asking exactly that because I am pretty sure the waitlist is never going to come through. The responses I've got seem to think they will wait until after the weekend at the end of Christmas week. So they are thinking the decorations will disappear some time during the night on Jan. 4th, 5th or 6th.

 

[disneymamaof2]

Can anyone tell me if they have special activities at the Lodge on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day? We have the sleigh ride booked for Christmas Eve. Thanks.

 

[mickeymorse]

Okay guys...c'mon and tell us your vacation dates! We have to keep track of Groupie trips, don't you know?

I don't see either of you on the official trip list on the first page of this thread, but I'd be happy to add you! Unless of course you prefer to travel to WDW without having to come back and tell us how your trip went!

I think they were just trying to sneak in without us pestering for TRs and pics

On another note, someone comes back this weekend.

 

[blossomz]

Hey..MaryJ and vwlvette...where's your official groupie siggie? You'd better grab one!

 

[DVC Mike]

DVC Mike Oct 18-28 BWV/BCV
DVC Mike Dec 6-16 VWL
DVC Mike Mar 7 -15 BWV

14 days and I'll be back (not at VWL, but at WDW)!

Granny, please add:

DVC Mike May 2-19 BCV

 

[LVSWL]

Granny, couldn't remember if I gave you these:
June 12-22 HHI Do you count HHI in the list? If not, that's ok.