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

[MiaSRN62]

Awesome post eliza ! Love the "stages'

 

[Granny]

Great post Eliza! I'll add the Great Train Ride to the stage list since it seems like we keep going around in circles with my high school senior daughter these days!


By the way, Groupies, I just changed the color of my vacation in July. Switched the reservation today at the 7 month mark. Hard to give up the best bargain of DVC...BWV SV...but we have been away from VWL for far too long (since Dec 2006).

Sorry WD...don't have it down to days and minutes yet. But I know it's 7 months!!

 

[Muushka]

I'm glad you got your priorities in line, Granny.

 

[LVSWL]

Congratulations on your upcoming vacation! I wouldn't know much about that enthusiasm stuff, though.

Oh please!

 

[Tarheel Tink]

Flying out tomorrow for WDW! Plans for this trip have really changed along the way: our 3 guests had to cancel so we have a 2 bedroom at VWL with just DH and myself (waitlist didn't come through for a smaller villa)and DH can't make our flight tomorrow but will join me Monday. So, I fly out by myself and take towncar alone. DH flies out from a different airport (so 2 cars renting space at 2 different airports) and takes Magical Express to VWL where I've been sprawling out in the 2 BR all by my lonesome.

3 days at Disney alone and looking forward to it! It literally is all about me for a few days!

 

[LisaS]

We just took our webcam and laptop to the Villas lobby and then the WL lobby and did a live webcast for the dislive folks on ustream. We recorded it as well so if anyone would like to view it, go here and click on "Archived Videos" and then click on either "VWL Lobby Holiday decorations" or "WL Lobby Holiday decorations". Since we were using a webcam (meant to clip onto a laptop screen, not be used for handheld videos) and we weren't able to get a very strong wireless signal, this is very low quality and a bit jumpy but will give you a bit of a view of the decorations. We even got Ranger Stan on video!

If we get back in time tonight, we'll try a live webcast of the water pageant.

 

[jimmytammy]

These were from yesterday. It was emotional for all of us as we realized it was probably the last time that this will take place for us with Ranger Stan. He has become like a grandfather to us(he reminds me a lot of my late grandfather) so though we have been fortunate to have been FF many times, we still will miss that one on one time with him. There are many more things that draw us to this place, but Stan has been a big part of looking forward to return trips. So enough of the sentimental stuff. Hope yall enjoy!

Casey and Stan getting ready to hoist the American Flag. Stan is very dedicated to making sure this is done in the proper way, and each time we recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

View towards the lake from high above

Stan giving Tammy some sugar.

View towards the Villas

 

[jimmytammy]

Stan giving Kristian some sugar. You gotta watch Stan, he's a sly one

Stan didnt give me any sugar. I feel a bit slighted!

Stan with my family(up on the roof)

Well its back to reality tommorrow. It has been nice today. Its been raining like crazy, but we are happy. We have been hanging out here at "home".

 

[mickeymorse]

Thank you Lisa. I enjoyed immensely your video. That is definitely the next best thing to being there. Hope to see the EWP tonight.

JT. Nice pics as the FF. Glad to see you get that one last time with Ranger Stan.

 

[MiaSRN62]

Found this WL/VWL themed holiday flag online if anyone is interested :

http://flagsplus.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/flagsplus.product/inventoryid/5697/index.cfm

Lisa and dh, live stream video from VWL is great. Thanks for doing this !

JT : love the "flag family" pics. Stan looks like he's having a blast up there with you guys !

 

[blossomz]

Tarheel Tink...that sounds almost decadent!!!

JimmyTammy...that was really wonderful that you got to be flag family with Stan... Do you know if he will be working the week of Christmas? I so want to stop by and say hello...

 

[eliza61]

JT, thanks for the awesome pictures. I've missed stan both times I was at the lodge, so that's my excuse for booking another trip. Enjoy your vacation.

Lisa,
Great video! I'm so home sick.

Happy Friday everyone.

 

[horselover]

Hello groupies!

Notice I'm typing with caps again! If I bring the lap top really close to me & glue my right arm to my side I can type with 2 hands. Just got back from the dr. He said I'm doing really well for 1 wk. post-op. I've been cleared to start PT next week. I have to stay in the sling for another 5 wks. but he said I could drive. I drove myself today. It's strange to only drive with one arm. Putting on the seat belt was an adventure. I'm off the pain meds, but dr. said be prepared because I may need them again once I start PT. Why do they always stress how painful things are going to be? I'm willing to work hard so I'll be good to go for our trip next month. I have my next follow-up appt. the day before we leave.

Too much to catch up on!

JT - thanks for the beautiful flag family pics. I hope we get chosen when we're down next month.

Have a great weekend everyone!

 

[ransom]

Horselover...I'm glad things are progressing nicely for you!

Have a great weekend everyone!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

LisaS - Thanks for the Video Cam!

jimmytammy - Loved the photos!! How fun to be the flag family - maybe someday for us.

horselover - glad you're healing well! Are you still sleeping in the recliner? My mother with the broken arm has now been sleeping in one and been in a sling for 6 weeks! We can completely sympathize!!!!!!

Good news - in less then 24 hours we're on our way to the World!!!!

Bad news - we're supposed to have winds up to 100 MPH beginning tonight thru tomorrow morning!!! Wish us luck in not blowing away and being able to take off on time!!!!! We hate to be late for Mickey.

More good news - just booked VWL for next Nov - 6 nights at the lodge and hoping to catch the decorations going up! .

 

[DisneyNutzy]

JT - Great Pics!

HL- Glad to hear you are feeling better.

Kat- Good luck getting out and off to the World.

Granny - Glad to see you were able to go GREEN

Bobbi - What a great Gift!

Lisa - Thanks for taking the time from your vacation to post the video.

 

[QJ411]

QJ411
Sorry we missed you but not sorry we missed the cold.
We ended up getting tickets to Phantom.. Wow what a show.
Friday morning we did some serious damage at Century 21 love that store!!
then took the 4 pm train back to Boston.

Ooh, I LOVE Century 21! That place is mega huge. We loved Phantom too, it makes me cry - after the show, I went and bought the movie version. Not quite as powerful, but still a beautiful story.

Happy December everyone!!

I was just looking at the Groupie vacation list and I see that we have an impressive number of Groupies all staying at WL/VWL at this time:

JimmyTammy December 1 - 12
DVC Mike Dec 6-16
thumpermom Dec 6 - 12
LisaS Dec 7-13
goofysully Dec 7-14

And coming very soon...

Jill (Cheer4bison) December 10-14
WildernessDad Dec 11-19
TarheelTink Dec 12-19

You guys could pull off a significant Groupies Meet there!!

And of course there are another 8 Groupies checking in to VWL later on in December.

It is indeed the "most wonderful time of the year". Enjoy WL/VWL and WDW in all it's Christmas splendor!!

Sigh...I SO want to be on that list...I LOVE WDW during Christmas time and I LOVE the jumbo, super warm, amazingly homey decor and tree at WL & VWL...

Hi Groupies!! We're back! What a wonderful trip! It was our first MVMCP and our first off season trip! Our Lodge was beautiful! We spent a fair amount of time sitting in front of a fireplace somewhere reading and just enjoying being there. I was homesick to return before I even left! We tried to figure out a way to be Tom Hanks in "Terminal" and live there undiscovered but just couldn't come up with a good plan.

We visited several resorts to see the Christmas decor but nothing compared to the Lodge. It was just perfect. Now to figure out how to get back soon!

Welcome back! I love it there during Christmas time, resort hopping is so much fun then, seeing all the different Christmas decor is my absolute favorite.

These were from yesterday. It was emotional for all of us as we realized it was probably the last time that this will take place for us with Ranger Stan. He has become like a grandfather to us(he reminds me a lot of my late grandfather) so though we have been fortunate to have been FF many times, we still will miss that one on one time with him. There are many more things that draw us to this place, but Stan has been a big part of looking forward to return trips. So enough of the sentimental stuff. Hope yall enjoy!

Although we were never the flag family or ever met Ranger Stan - seeing your photos got me choked up. It's amazing the relationships we can build with the Disney family. Beautiful family and photos.

Bad news - we're supposed to have winds up to 100 MPH beginning tonight thru tomorrow morning!!! Wish us luck in not blowing away and being able to take off on time!!!!! We hate to be late for Mickey.

Hope you guys will be ok! Have a great trip.

 

[Disney loving Iowan]

Just wanted to say that our VWL holdings have been increased by 25 to 200! A Christmas present to me from DH

I love the moose with the Christmas tree, beautiful!

Bobbi

Congratulations! I only have 100 so I'm so jealous! I am just thankful for what I do have though.

Eliza you sure are making me look forward to going through the college search!!!

JT great pictures! So glad you were able to do that!

Kathy have a great trip!!!!! I hope it isn't too windy!

So when we go in January my DH booked us a flight out of Kansas City which is a 2 1/2 drive for us because he wanted a direct flight. We got an e-mail today telling us that they changed our flights and now we would no longer have a direct flight and we would get into Orlando later. That would mess up our dinner reservations at Teppan Edo and as well as us just having less time there. Well DH was pretty ticked and called the airline all ready to give them an earful. They told him because it was a schedule change we could either change our reservations or get our money back. It turns out that although we won't have a direct flight anymore we will be able to leave from Omaha which is a 20 minute drive and we will get into Orlando 3 hours earlier than we were originally supposed to! Ahh 3 more hours in paradise. Also when we leave for home we won't have to leave first thing in the morning like we were supposed to before.

 

[Granny]

More good news - just booked VWL for next Nov - 6 nights at the lodge and hoping to catch the decorations going up! .

Give us some dates so we can put you on the list for next year!!

 

[Muushka]

horselover, I'm glad you are on the mend!

JT, thanks for all the wonderful pictures.
Ahhhhh, the view from the top of the Lodge.....some day.....maybe January!

DLI, glad you got your travel plans perfect!

KAT4DISNEY I hope your high winds are just noisy and not destructive.

We just put up our Christmas tree. I cannot believe how fat this Christmas tree is. Pictures to follow
PS my Christmas tree skirt was so small compared to the base of the tree I didn't even bother to put it under the tree!! You couldn't see it!