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

[Muushka]

Dodie!! Those pictures are just beautiful. My photographic side is green! Great job, great looking cat!

Dogs are pretty good looking too (for dogs, that is ).

JT, the above poster needs help!!!!

adrock1212, when do you go to our beloved Lodge?

 

[adrock1212]

Vwl, 12/19 - 12/28!

 

[tea pot]

Dodie
Abby is just beautiful .......
I'm feeling a little sad today. Last night we had to say goodbye to a little foster kitty we saved from being taken to a shelter. DD and I found her a good home. I'll miss her.. she was great little buddy... always by my side. I would of adopted her but 3 cats will send DH right over the edge.

Happy Holidays Everyone

 

[Muushka]

Hello groupies! Soon to arrive for our first visit to VWL. Are there any tips for how to have the best chance at being selected as a flag family? Also, is there an age limit for children on the roof? Thanks for the help!

Still waiting for JT......

Vwl, 12/19 - 12/28!

Woohoo! Nice long stay.

Dodie
Abby is just beautiful .......
I'm feeling a little sad today. Last night we had to say goodbye to a little foster kitty we saved from being taken to a shelter. DD and I found her a good home. I'll miss her.. she was great little buddy... always by my side. I would of adopted her but 3 cats will send DH right over the edge.

Happy Holidays Everyone

Awwww, TP, you do foster kitties? What a good person you are. I would love to be able to do that. I would become a cat-woman (you know, the really strange ones) if my husband would let me!

 

[MiaSRN62]

except for the parts that were interrupted by the incredibly rude group of little Pop Warner cheerleaders AND their chaperones who insisted on cheering and yelling in the line for the funnel cakes right behind the people listening/watching the show).

Hi Dodie !

GRrrrr.....they tick me off as well. I've been to WDW many times while they were there and I can honestly say there was ALWAYS something we observed that showed their rudeness. One year, while at POR, they totally hogged the hot tub and were behaving very obnoxiously in the pool there. Making human pyramids and not caring who they fell on when they lost their balance piling up on eachother. Another visit, an outright cat fight amoung several of the girls while we were waiting in line at Pizza Planet (foul language and pushing). Yet another time, we were staying at POFQ and they felt that doing cheers and throwing balls back and forth to eachother from the ground to the second floor (not caring if it hit someone's door or whatever) around 8 am. I could go on. We've run into them in Dec and Feb.


But enough of that..........glad u got to visit WDW and the Lodge. It is beautiful at Christmas. And I LOVE your photos.

 

[MiaSRN62]

TP....
I know how you feel about your foster kitty We have fostered many cats/kittens over the years. One time we took in a litter of 4 kittens we found on the side of our home after returning from WDW. My dh almost weed-whacked their little heads off ! Their eyes weren't even open. We had to bottle feed them for like 4-5 weeks. My two dd's were like 11 and 13 at the time and were so good about getting up at 2 am and 5 am for those middle of the night feedings.

We fostered a mom and 5 kittens in May 2007. They were found abandoned in Phila and when we went into the back room of the SPCA to look around, found this mom stuffed into a large shoebox type cage. She could not even stand up. She was forced to lie on her side and nurse the kittens non-stop. When my dd and I saw her we literally cried. We looked at the SPCA staff and said "they are the ones". We found homes for the kittens rather quickly. Actually, some of my wonderful co-workers adopted some. However, we couldn't find a home for the mom. Noone wants an adult cat. I contacted the SPCA and they said they'd take her back, but gave her a 50% chance of finding a home and said they were over full and euthanasia was a strong possibility. Let's just say that was Sept 2007 when I gave up trying to find her a home and she now lives with us and our other kitties. My dh was not keen at the idea, but now I think she's grown on him and is his favorite....we named her Perla.

I am glad u found your foster kitty a good home. Happy Holidays to you as well TP

 

[jimmytammy]

Hello groupies! Soon to arrive for our first visit to VWL. Are there any tips for how to have the best chance at being selected as a flag family? Also, is there an age limit for children on the roof? Thanks for the help!

My best tip is as soon as you arrive, go directly to the Guest Relations which is to the far left of the big counter area in the main lobby(left of check in). I dont think anyone other than Ranger Stan is doing Flag Family, so that is limited to Wed-Sat. Be very flexible with your schedule. And I think the real key to getting it is longevity in your stay. Up to 6 people can go up there, and there is no age limit. The wall on the roof is about 4' high, and Stan will warn you about pipes sticking up so you wont trip. There is no age limit.

You will participate in putting up 5 flags, including the American Flag(and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance), two WL flags, one Mickey flag, and one FL state flag.

Be sure you mark your date if you get to do this, and be on the lookout for a letter the night before. If you dont get the letter by 9pm, go to Guest Relations and let them know. You will need to be in the Lobby by 8:15 am the morning of.

Good luck in getting to do this. It is a fascinating treat. Be sure to take your camera. You can see all of WDW from up there, with some really great shots of MK and surrounding resorts.

 

[Muushka]

Maria, are you saying it was the SPCA that did not have a proper cage for the momma cat? So sad.... I am glad you took them and took such good care of them.

JT! You got a new signature! Looks good. Great tips....thanks.

 

[Dodie]

Dodie I'm feeling a little sad today. Last night we had to say goodbye to a little foster kitty we saved from being taken to a shelter. DD and I found her a good home. I'll miss her.

I know how you feel about your foster kitty We have fostered many cats/kittens over the years. I am glad u found your foster kitty a good home.

I so admire those of you who foster homeless pets. I just don't think I could do that. I get attached too easily. Very admirable. THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT!

Thanks for the kudos regarding the obvious beauty of my "furry children." I'll give the three of them some extra scruffing tonight and tell them it's loving from my Groupie friends!

 

[Disney loving Iowan]

DODIE!!!!
I stayed at that Hilton for our 10th wedding anniversary which was 18 years ago! Yikes I'm old! Glad you had a good time down there in spite of the rude people and not having your DH there. Your animals are beautiful. Even your cat! Just kidding. I did that for Muushka! Love you Muushka! I think that Maine coon cats are the prettiest there is. It is the kind I would have.

Adrock1212 have a great trip!! Hope you get to be a flag family.

TP and Maria that is so awesome that you have fostered like that. I admire you for it. Like Dodie said I would get too attached. I would love to do it though.

Snowing here today. We are supposed to get up to 4". Yuck. Wish I was in Florida at our Lodge!

 

[MiaSRN62]

Maria, are you saying it was the SPCA that did not have a proper cage for the momma cat? So sad.... I am glad you took them and took such good care of them.

Yes Muushka....
The state of things at the SPCA in May of 2007 was horrible. My dd's and I saw it on the local TV news. They were urging/begging people to come and adopt or foster. When we got there, and were taken to the back room to choose our cats/kittens, all I can tell you is they had these cages that resembled small cubicles or like the size of a small cat carrier. They had run out of cages and had these crates stacked 3-4 high on top of eachother and lined up in the room. There were SOOooo many cats and kittens. It was an emotionally painful experience because you knew we couldn't save them all. This one momma cat and kittens just cried out to us. They were crammed in there and covered in fleas/feces/urine. It was bad. This is why dd's and I were crying. It was so bad that it was in local newspaper ads and on the local TV news.

Here was our momma cat and kittens last year :






And our Rottie (the best dog in the world !) and so gentle with the little babies :

 

[Disney loving Iowan]

Maria that picture of your dog and the kitten is adorable!!!! So glad you rescued those cats from that horrible situation. I'm sure I would have cried seeing that too. I can't stand to see animals like that.

 

[cheer4bison]

Hey there Groupies!

Just got back Sunday from a wonderful (although too short) holiday visit to our beloved lodge. I can honestly say it is spectacular at Christmastime. I had never seen it in December before so this was a special treat. To make it even better, I was accompanied by my DH, DS, Mom, Dad, sister, BIL, 2 nephews and a niece...ten of us in all. We split three studios on the first floor (rooms 1516, 1510, and 1502). This was our first trip in studios, so I was anxious to see what that would be like. We had plenty of room. The new pullout couches are super-easy to use and comfortable for sleeping. The newly refurbished carpeting really makes the place feel fresh and up-to-date. Room 1502 couldn't have been more convenient to the main lodge. We were just a few feet from the covered walkway leading into the lodge. We could be anywhere on property in minutes.

I'll try to share as many photos as possible, although I have tests to grade tonight, so I can't do the whole trip report in one sitting, much as I'd like to. I'll start you off with the lovely tree that greeted us in the villas lobby.

The decorations were tasteful and simply gorgeous, in my opinion. There is certainly a special magic about the place any time of year, but especially in December. By the way, the cast member who checked us in told me that the hotel/villas were at 99% occupancy. (Wasn't this supposed to be a slow time of year?) Cast members at the guard station on Timberline Drive and at check-in were as welcoming and wonderful as always.

 

[blossomz]

I love those beautiful kitty and puppy photos!! OK..Now I have to brag a bit about my babies too...Si, Am, and Tinkerbell...
It is freezing and snowing and icing here in York! Yuck!! I am so ready to hit WDW next week!!!

[/IMG]
Si and Am

 

[blossomz]

and Tink...

[/IMG]

 

[mamagg]

does anyone know when you check in at VWL if you go to the small lobby at the villas or at the big main lobby at the lodge...? thanks!

 

[blossomz]

You go to the main lodge..there is no check in at the villas...

 

[jimmytammy]

does anyone know when you check in at VWL if you go to the small lobby at the villas or at the big main lobby at the lodge...? thanks!

You go to the Main Lobby at the Lodge.

 

[Muushka]

Sniff sniff, Maria. I think you are wonderful for rescuing that mama and her kitties. And that picture of your Rottie and the kitten..... wonderful.....

blossomz, loved your kittie's picture too, especially the two intertwined.

DLI, wiseguy!

 

[LisaS]

I'll start you off with the lovely tree that greeted us in the villas lobby.

We just got back as well. I loved that tree! I thought it was even prettier than the one in the WL lobby. I especially liked those red and white ribbons. Every time we passed through the VWL lobby I just stopped and spent a few minutes admiring that beautiful tree!

And just to tie it in with all the nice kitty photos, we could never have a tree like that in our house since we rescued a litter of feral kittens three years ago and then couldn't bear to part with any of them. That tree wouldn't last five minutes in our house. So I really appreciated being able to sit and admire it in the VWL lobby several times a day during our stay.