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

[bgraham34]

So Groupies I have a guestion for you. Is the hot tube by the DVC busier than the main pool one?

I can't wait for my first trip home. Sept can't come fast enough.

 

[blossomz]

Luv the new look Muushka! You kept the best part of course..our moosie!


BG34-IMO the hot tub by the quiet pool is one of my favorite spots. I don't know, but I don't ever feel "our" pool area is as crowded as the main pool!

Does anyone else like to go to the main pool late at night and hang on the wall where the water falls into the pool? AAaah... Especially if the pool is pretty empty!

 

[Muushka]

Thanks, blossomz. No, I could never get rid of my Groupie Moosie!

Yes, I think that the hot tub over at 'our spot' is much quieter.

I need to get over to the main pool and hang on the wall! That sounds like something I would really enjoy.

September can't come soon enough for us either!

 

[wildernessDad]

Hey Groupies!

Made it back home from WDW about 9:00 last night (left at 5:00 a.m.). Pictures are still in the camera and I'll post a couple...didn't really take many this trip.

Granny, how did you like BCV in general? DW, DS and I are going in early September.

 

[jimmytammy]

I was counting the days til VWL trip, 115. Yeah!!!!!!

We are going to Boston this Sat. Never been before, so really looking forward to it. Staying with some friends from the Dis. Then off to Gettysburg for a couple days.

 

[50 years Too!]

Have fun jimmytammy!
Be sure to visit the North End. The Italian Restaurants and Bakeries.

Deb

 

[kerickson]

Just switched 5 nights of my 8 night Jan trip to VWL 1BR (and I'm waitlisted for 1 additional nt-1st 3 nts (hopefully 2) we are staying at our home resort SSR in a Studio). We will be celebrating my DD 5th b-day, and plan to spend lots of time at MK. Very excited that I was able to switch 5mo out!

Are there any preferred areas to ask for in our ressie or when we check in? It will be my DH, DD (5) and DS(2.5) and me. I was thinking about asking to be close to the main Lodge so we don't have to walk too far to get to the restaurants and the boat launch, but wanted to see what the options are and what you Groupies recommend?!

Also, about how much time should we plan to get to Chef Mickey's in the morning? We have an 8am reservation one of the days...

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[mickeymorse]

I was counting the days til VWL trip, 115. Yeah!!!!!!

We are going to Boston this Sat. Never been before, so really looking forward to it. Staying with some friends from the Dis. Then off to Gettysburg for a couple days.

Loved Boston. Don't forget Boston Common and tix to a Sox game at Fenway if you are lucky. Have fun JT

 

[Disney loving Iowan]

Granny, how did you like BCV in general? DW, DS and I are going in early September.

Yes Granny, after having been there ourselves in June I'd like to know what you thought. Would you stay there again?

 

[Disney loving Iowan]

Sure DLI, we went last Christmas. The resort is....well beautiful and Christmassy! And Santa comes as well as carolers Mickey and Minnie!! We really loved doing it, but hated the points! Ask away! Granny went the year before.

Oh yea the points thing. Aargh. Won't have enough for a full week.

I went the year before also. There is nothing more wonderful than our lodge & WDW for Christmas. Absolutely beautiful.

How crowded does the resort itself get? I have seen some really beautiful pictures from Christmas. It seems like it would be the most Christmas feeling resort.

 

[Granny]

Granny, how did you like BCV in general? DW, DS and I are going in early September.

Hi folks! Sorry I've been slow to be on the boards these days but that "work thing" has become quite a nasty beast these days.

WDad...I'll say that BCV is a beautiful resort with a great proximity to EPCOT. I would say that if a family is going to utilize the fabulous SAB pool, then it is a great DVC resort. But for us, it just didn't "sing to our soul" as Eliza so eloquently puts it. We would probably put it last of the four DVC resorts we have stayed at (behind VWL, BWV and OKW).

But it really is a nice resort. Here's a little Groupie's report:

As I posted during our trip, our room was in a fairly lackluster location at BCV. It was on the 3rd of five floors and had this view:

As mentioned, I did get to meet Art the Greeter, and here's my own picture (don't have to steal Jimmy's anymore!):

As far as the parks, there were a couple of things that were hard to get used to. The first being the EPCOT sign removed from Spaceship Earth:

My daughters had only seen SSE without a sign once in our first trip in 1998. I told them it looks much better now but they kept complaining that it just looks like a big golf ball now.

The other thing was the renaming of MGM Studios:

The whole family just REFUSED to call it Hollywood Studios. I was pretty proud of them actually.

EPCOT was running the "Sounds Like Summer" concert series. Guess who we saw knocked off:

All in all, a great trip. DW and I had a wonderful 20th anniversary dinner at Le Cellier and they comped us a couple glasses of champagne with strawberries. DW likes the movie "Pretty Woman" so she thought that was very cool.

We would be happy if "stuck" at BCV again for some reason. The rooms were nice, the CM's were great, it has the best self-parking of any of the DVC "hotel style" villas, Beaches & Cream got a lot of our business , and all in all it is a lovely place.

 

[Granny]

Oh yea the points thing. Aargh. Won't have enough for a full week.

It is high points but really a great time and the atmosphere just screams "Merry Christmas"!

How crowded does the resort itself get? I have seen some really beautiful pictures from Christmas. It seems like it would be the most Christmas feeling resort.

We are biased here, but even the general DVC population agrees that WL/VWL is the best decorated, most "Chrismassy" resort of all.

The resort itself is 100% full capacity...those days book up within minutes of MS opening up each day exactly 11 months in advance. Not sure how the new reservation system and subsequent gaming of that system will affect our ability to book even exactly at the 11 month window.

The restaurants also have to be booked as soon as possible as the ADR's are a MUST for that week.

Having said all that, we'd love to go at that time of the year again. Even better would be early December (have to wait until the kids don't want to go to do that!). In early December the decorations and such are there but the crowds aren't.

But Christmas week was wonderful. We had our Christmas dinner at Liberty Tree Tavern which was just a great extension of the theming and feeling we had all week at VWL.

 

[Disney loving Iowan]

Hi folks! Sorry I've been slow to be on the boards these days but that "work thing" has become quite a nasty beast these days.

WDad...I'll say that BCV is a beautiful resort with a great proximity to EPCOT. I would say that if a family is going to utilize the fabulous SAB pool, then it is a great DVC resort. But for us, it just didn't "sing to our soul" as Eliza so eloquently puts it. We would probably put it last of the four DVC resorts we have stayed at (behind VWL, BWV and OKW).

But it really is a nice resort. Here's a little Groupie's report:

As I posted during our trip, our room was in a fairly lackluster location at BCV. It was on the 3rd of five floors and had this view:

As mentioned, I did get to meet Art the Greeter, and here's my own picture (don't have to steal Jimmy's anymore!):

As far as the parks, there were a couple of things that were hard to get used to. The first being the EPCOT sign removed from Spaceship Earth:

My daughters had only seen SSE without a sign once in our first trip in 1998. I told them it looks much better now but they kept complaining that it just looks like a big golf ball now.

The other thing was the renaming of MGM Studios:

The whole family just REFUSED to call it Hollywood Studios. I was pretty proud of them actually.

EPCOT was running the "Sounds Like Summer" concert series. Guess who we saw knocked off:

All in all, a great trip. DW and I had a wonderful 20th anniversary dinner at Le Cellier and they comped us a couple glasses of champagne with strawberries. DW likes the movie "Pretty Woman" so she thought that was very cool.

We would be happy if "stuck" at BCV again for some reason. The rooms were nice, the CM's were great, it has the best self-parking of any of the DVC "hotel style" villas, Beaches & Cream got a lot of our business , and all in all it is a lovely place.

Can't believe how slow I am!!!!!! I never even noticed that with SSE!!!!! I just had to look back at my pictures to see if it was that way when we went. When did they do that?

 

[pixiechick]

Hello all!

Granny: I own at BCV and feel the way you do. We prefer other resorts. We've decided to spend at least one trip there each year for a few years to solidify our feelings(for the 1st couple of years, we rarely stayed there.)

We like the resort, and given the resale market, appreciate owning there, but we don't "feel" it.

BWV, VWL, and OKW are still the favorites. We want to like SSR, but have a hard time booking a stay there.

 

[Granny]

Granny: I own at BCV and feel the way you do. We prefer other resorts. We've decided to spend at least one trip there each year for a few years to solidify our feelings(for the 1st couple of years, we rarely stayed there.)

We like the resort, and given the resale market, appreciate owning there, but we don't "feel" it.

BWV, VWL, and OKW are still the favorites. We want to like SSR, but have a hard time booking a stay there.

Thanks for understanding that I am in no way bashing BCV. It really is a great resort and I have to say again that the CM's were wonderful!

Can't believe how slow I am!!!!!! I never even noticed that with SSE!!!!! I just had to look back at my pictures to see if it was that way when we went. When did they do that?

They pulled it down in the Fall of last year I believe.

I should add that this was our first trip since they refurbished SSE and Haunted Mansion. We all agreed that both attractions have been upgraded by the refurbishments.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I enjoyed seeing the pictures and reading your report, Granny! It was nice that you had a great Anniversary dinner with something special!

Bobbi

 

[eliza61]

We are biased here, but even the general DVC population agrees that WL/VWL is the best decorated, most "Chrismassy" resort of all.

The resort itself is 100% full capacity...those days book up within minutes of MS opening up each day exactly 11 months in advance. Not sure how the new reservation system and subsequent gaming of that system will affect our ability to book even exactly at the 11 month window.

The restaurants also have to be booked as soon as possible as the ADR's are a MUST for that week.

Having said all that, we'd love to go at that time of the year again. Even better would be early December (have to wait until the kids don't want to go to do that!). In early December the decorations and such are there but the crowds aren't.

Welcome Back Granny,
We're not biased, we're just really smart cookies on this board.

The old guy & I have been drolling over Christmas photos at the lodge for the last 2 years, but we also have school schedules to worry about and now that they are approaching college age, it's finally looking like we would have the time to sneak down. Unfortunately there also seems to be the high probability that I'll be eating ramein noodles and broth for 4 years straight to pay for said education . I'm looking at the bright side, ADR's won't be an issue for me.

Happy Belated anniversary!!

 

[Granny]

Eliza...thanks for the kind wishes.

One of my daughters is entering second year of college. The other one is entering high school senior year so college is looming big time for her. We talked about a Christmas trip for 2009 but the younger one is balking at that. It will be her first Christmas break at college and she doesn't want to spend it on the road. I think she is anticipating wanting to get together with all her friends during that break (wow, looking forward to gatherings 16 months in advance at the age of 17! ).

So I might be at the supermarket behind you with my own load of ramen noodles and fish sticks.

 

[Muushka]

I was counting the days til VWL trip, 115. Yeah!!!!!!

We are going to Boston this Sat. Never been before, so really looking forward to it. Staying with some friends from the Dis. Then off to Gettysburg for a couple days.

Wow, staying with Dis friends. How cool is that?? I love the aquarium and the museum of science and the food! My old stomping grounds (well a little south of there!). Have fun!

Just switched 5 nights of my 8 night Jan trip to VWL 1BR (and I'm waitlisted for 1 additional nt-1st 3 nts (hopefully 2) we are staying at our home resort SSR in a Studio). We will be celebrating my DD 5th b-day, and plan to spend lots of time at MK. Very excited that I was able to switch 5mo out!

Are there any preferred areas to ask for in our ressie or when we check in? It will be my DH, DD (5) and DS(2.5) and me. I was thinking about asking to be close to the main Lodge so we don't have to walk too far to get to the restaurants and the boat launch, but wanted to see what the options are and what you Groupies recommend?!

Also, about how much time should we plan to get to Chef Mickey's in the morning? We have an 8am reservation one of the days...

Thanks in advance for your help!

Congrats on the VWL snag! I don't get into recommending rooms, but when you check in you might want to mention your desire to be located close to the main lodge. I hope you have a great time!

Great pictures Granny. And your statement about the parking at BCV is so correct. I wish all the DVC parking was like BCV, piece of cake!

 

[Disney loving Iowan]

It is high points but really a great time and the atmosphere just screams "Merry Christmas"!



We are biased here, but even the general DVC population agrees that WL/VWL is the best decorated, most "Chrismassy" resort of all.

The resort itself is 100% full capacity...those days book up within minutes of MS opening up each day exactly 11 months in advance. Not sure how the new reservation system and subsequent gaming of that system will affect our ability to book even exactly at the 11 month window.

The restaurants also have to be booked as soon as possible as the ADR's are a MUST for that week.

Having said all that, we'd love to go at that time of the year again. Even better would be early December (have to wait until the kids don't want to go to do that!). In early December the decorations and such are there but the crowds aren't.

But Christmas week was wonderful. We had our Christmas dinner at Liberty Tree Tavern which was just a great extension of the theming and feeling we had all week at VWL.

Somehow missed your post last night Granny. Thanks for the input. In the past we have gone in early Dec. I believe 4 times and love going that time of year. We never stayed at the Lodge then though. When we were down in Dec. 06 we stayed at OKW and BWV. Loved both places but they didn't feel like Christmas. We will have to give everything some serious consideration.

Our neighbors had a yard sale today and had lodgelike lamps for sale. A table lamp and floor lamp with a bear and moose on the shade. The kind that you see when it's lit. I got both for $20! I've been looking for some like this that I could afford for awhile.