VWL A few comments... Refurb, Tragic Bands, etc.

[LoveRafiki]

Okay - back at VWL this week for our annual trek. Just got into refurbished room (actual second room, but that will come later...)

New Renovated Rooms...
After 13 years, change is hard.... I admit it. I am a creature of habit.
> Hard Wood (well faux wood) floors - was a stark shock.
> Pained Cream/White cabinetry (looks like it should be for Boardwalk instead of WL theme....). Not a good move in my opinion, plus the paint is already peeling and showing wear back to the green underneath. Insides of cupboards were not painted and show crappy green/white contrast now.
> New TVs are nice... but the new stand in living room cuts our room from the counter eating area...
> New "stainless steel" look doesn't fit Lodge theme....
> New Bedding... I miss the old look and feel.... I understand that bedspreads are passé these days and most hotels have abandoned them... but I liked the old stuff.... no more hidden mickey throw pillows.
> The leaf patterns at top of room are gone... don't know why.
> New tile floor in bath is okay.
> Dish changes to all white happened a few years back... still wish we had the original nicer themed ones....

Anyway -- in general, I am not thrilled with it... BUT please know that I still love it here!

So, part 2. The check in.
We stayed one night at AKL in a studio. Checking in next day at VWL to 2bd. I get up at 5:30am, to be over here to try to get "good room" - ensure lake view etc. Plus, I always try to get the "corner" rooms by elevator that are huge... had it our first time in 2002 and haven't gotten it since! Anyway. I check in and see if I can get that. No. Okay, the lady says, we have a room right near there. Okay I say - and she marked the map. I leave to go back to family at AKL. We go on with our day to visit friends offsite.
Later I get my text. Its a second floor room. Crap. I hadn't asked about floor height.... we like to see water parade at night.... anyway. I didn't call back, but figured it would be okay....

We arrive later in the day -- find out our room is wayyyyyy down the hall - almost to the end. I'm shocked by redesign (see above) - and feel like the lady who checked me in "wronged me" a bit.... AND. only my daughter's band works...
We spend about 1 hour getting our bands all straightened out. The AKL bands were screwing it all up etc. That is the short version. Nice folks at the desk. We were nice to them... it was a bit frustrating, but we rolled with it. Plus, we changed rooms to be closer up -- but still on 2nd floor....

Anyway... just thought I'd check in with all of you. Here's to 7 days of fun -- changes, tragic bands and ALL.

 

[sleepydog25]

Okay - back at VWL this week for our annual trek. Just got into refurbished room (actual second room, but that will come later...)

New Renovated Rooms...
After 13 years, change is hard.... I admit it. I am a creature of habit.
> Hard Wood (well faux wood) floors - was a stark shock.
> Pained Cream/White cabinetry (looks like it should be for Boardwalk instead of WL theme....). Not a good move in my opinion, plus the paint is already peeling and showing wear back to the green underneath. Insides of cupboards were not painted and show crappy green/white contrast now.
> New TVs are nice... but the new stand in living room cuts our room from the counter eating area...
> New "stainless steel" look doesn't fit Lodge theme....
> New Bedding... I miss the old look and feel.... I understand that bedspreads are passé these days and most hotels have abandoned them... but I liked the old stuff.... no more hidden mickey throw pillows.
> The leaf patterns at top of room are gone... don't know why.
> New tile floor in bath is okay.
> Dish changes to all white happened a few years back... still wish we had the original nicer themed ones....

Anyway -- in general, I am not thrilled with it... BUT please know that I still love it here!

So, part 2. The check in.
We stayed one night at AKL in a studio. Checking in next day at VWL to 2bd. I get up at 5:30am, to be over here to try to get "good room" - ensure lake view etc. Plus, I always try to get the "corner" rooms by elevator that are huge... had it our first time in 2002 and haven't gotten it since! Anyway. I check in and see if I can get that. No. Okay, the lady says, we have a room right near there. Okay I say - and she marked the map. I leave to go back to family at AKL. We go on with our day to visit friends offsite.
Later I get my text. Its a second floor room. Crap. I hadn't asked about floor height.... we like to see water parade at night.... anyway. I didn't call back, but figured it would be okay....

We arrive later in the day -- find out our room is wayyyyyy down the hall - almost to the end. I'm shocked by redesign (see above) - and feel like the lady who checked me in "wronged me" a bit.... AND. only my daughter's band works...
We spend about 1 hour getting our bands all straightened out. The AKL bands were screwing it all up etc. That is the short version. Nice folks at the desk. We were nice to them... it was a bit frustrating, but we rolled with it. Plus, we changed rooms to be closer up -- but still on 2nd floor....

Anyway... just thought I'd check in with all of you. Here's to 7 days of fun -- changes, tragic bands and ALL.

Thanks for the update. We own there but haven't stayed since last year and won't again likely until 2016. However, we did get a chance to tour a 2BR during our trip to the World a couple of months ago. Like you, we were less than thrilled with the overall refurb as it seemed to a) be somewhat haphazard (painting only the front of the cabinets, e.g.) and b) a bit too modern-looking (I miss the leaves, too). That being said, we were less "unthrilled" than we expected. The stainless steel appliances didn't bother us and the updated features in the bedrooms we actually liked. I suspect we'll have to put up with these changes for several years regardless of whether one likes or dislikes them. Have a great time.

 

[disneynutz]

We haven't really cared for any of the DVC room renovations with the fake wood floors and painted cabinets. Many of the original theme elements are removed.

Seems like the designers when the resorts are new, spend some money and plus it, later since the resorts are sold out, they do a patch job. I wonder what the costs are for the rehabs and what would it cost to do a better job.

Bill

 

[LoveRafiki]

Hi again -

One positive -- they added a side nightstand/dresser with drawers. Much needed additional space for clothes storage. Also the coffee table is enclosed with a drawer.

Thanks

 

[DebbieB]

Delete - misunderstood

 

[DVC Jen]

I completely agree with you about the change in decor. When we were home last June the CM asked if we liked it when our bags were brought to our room. I nicely told him - not really. He seemed shocked.

The incredible and unique to each resort theming is something I have always loved about Disney and DVC. Not happy everything is so... common and boring.

 

[bumbershoot]

I'm sad to hear of the change in colors and style. Was VWL necessarily MY style, like I would want to do-over my condo like it? No, but it was VWL's style.

Checking in next day at VWL to 2bd. I get up at 5:30am, to be over here to try to get "good room" - ensure lake view etc. Plus, I always try to get the "corner" rooms by elevator that are huge... had it our first time in 2002 and haven't gotten it since! Anyway. I check in and see if I can get that. No.

Sometimes getting up early doesn't work; if that room isn't open yet, they can't assign it yet.

And yep, you have to be either checked out or after checkout time, in order for the next bands to work without a hitch. Since I'm assuming you still needed those other bands to work at the first resort, they couldn't have just done the checkout there at VWL (as they did for me at Boardwalk when we checked in there after leaving another resort).

 

[Joan1]

personally I do not like carpeting in the room it just holds too many germs / dirt, etc. I am not a germ phobic but carpets in hotel rooms gross me out. Floors, even fake wood ones, are so much easier to keep clean

 

[JJSWDW]

We stayed there week after thanksgiving and really had no complaints about our two bedroom unit in terms of the refurb. Yea the colors were lighter and the fixtures didn't all match but it was nothing that impacted our vacation or our time in the room which is significant since we like to take a late afternoon break before we head out to dinner and more parks. The faux wood floor was reasonably clean and the room seemed cleaner without so much carpet. I do miss some things about the old styling but can see where this change came from after years of people complaining about how dark the rooms are.