VWL Groupies & Lovers Thread (Special Collectors Edition 2.0) updated 21 June 2023

[KAT4DISNEY]

Oh - it says 4 guests in both the studios and 1 bedrooms. So no Murphy beds in the studios?

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Charts are up. Studios, 1BRs and 2Brs are identical to VWL.

 

[pmaurer74]

My initial reaction to the picture of a unit: disappointment. Why does it look like a mish-mash of IKEA furniture?

I agree but the cabins are gorgeous. I will not be running out to buy any points. I am happy with my old contract.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

The GV's and the Cabins are where they went with it for the points - in a way ala PVB although not quite to that scale. The Cabins fall in the general area of a BLT lakeview GV and the CCV GV's are somewhere between the BLT LV GV and the BLT MK GV.

DVC plans on them being very popular during Premier season and the point requirements for both are in the BLT MK GV range. The Poly Bungalows and VGF GV's both are still more expensive across the board.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I agree but the cabins are gorgeous. I will not be running out to buy any points. I am happy with my old contract.

Is the picture on the accommodations page the only one you've seen or are there others? It does look pretty awesome! The GV's too although furniture like the chairs is still too modern for Wilderness.

 

[sleepydog25]

Studying the floor plans a little more, it seems all the kitchens are a variation on a shotgun kitchen rather than a semi-enclosed area. Further, the bathrooms all have two sinks save for the 3BR and cabins. And I must say I'm surprised that the studios only sleep 4 as Disney had been going toward sleeping 5 in a studio for the past few years.

 

[DVC Jen]

Have a very Happy Birthday
@Muushka !!!


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Happy Happy Birthday to you

 

[DVC Jen]

My initial reaction to the picture of a unit: disappointment. Why does it look like a mish-mash of IKEA furniture?

I feel the same way - very disappointed in the decor. Then again - I am not a fan at all of the "new" decor in our beloved villas. I liked the "dark" decor. Made it feel more cabin-y to me.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I feel the same way - very disappointed in the decor. Then again - I am not a fan at all of the "new" decor in our beloved villas. I liked the "dark" decor. Made it feel more cabin-y to me.

I'm suddenly very happy about our yellow toned walls at VWL. Compared to the white they at least give some character. So very very tired of these light colored rooms going in everywhere.

I'm sure in person these rooms will look fine, but they aren't themed to the resort theme.

 

[horselover]

Have a very Happy Birthday
@Muushka !!!


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Happy birthday Muushka!

My initial reaction to the picture of a unit: disappointment. Why does it look like a mish-mash of IKEA furniture?

I would assume model will be open next week. I'll go check it out while I'm down there & report back with pictures (unless someone else does first). That furniture does look kind of cheap.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Studying the floor plans a little more, it seems all the kitchens are a variation on a shotgun kitchen rather than a semi-enclosed area. Further, the bathrooms all have two sinks save for the 3BR and cabins. And I must say I'm surprised that the studios only sleep 4 as Disney had been going toward sleeping 5 in a studio for the past few years.

I think I like the Jambo kitchen layout better for conversions vs what we're seeing for CCV.

The GV's seem to come with a new feature - no entry door. And there's the section that looks to me, as a non-architect, to be stairs in them? What is that?

The 1 and 2BR Masters do not have closet space in the room - it appears to be outside of it but the 2nd bedroom in the 2BR's appears to have a gigantic walk in closet? There's also no use of enclosed water closets which surprises me as a design choice.

In the cabins there seems to be access out the tub from the master thru the utility closet and out the front of the building.
The master there also doesn't seem to have a closet within the room?

Things I do like though - what appears to be the picnic table on the screened porch of the cabins and the nice little sitting area in front of the double sided fireplace. The living area in the GV's appears very nice and while one of the bedrooms did not get a closet in the room the master and the other bedrooms both did. The table in the 1 and 2BR's should actually cover most of the occupancy (although still not all as I count 6 seats?) unlike the VWL dining table. And the studios got their stand alone table back.

 

[horselover]

Oh & good news. I was able to snag a Poly studio for 5/8-10. Still not my full dates but I'll wait list for 5/6-8 & hope something comes through.

 

[sleepydog25]

I think I like the Jambo kitchen layout better for conversions vs what we're seeing for CCV.

The GV's seem to come with a new feature - no entry door. And there's the section that looks to me, as a non-architect, to be stairs in them? What is that?

The 1 and 2BR Masters do not have closet space in the room - it appears to be outside of it but the 2nd bedroom in the 2BR's appears to have a gigantic walk in closet? There's also no use of enclosed water closets which surprises me as a design choice.

In the cabins there seems to be access out the tub from the master thru the utility closet and out the front of the building.
The master there also doesn't seem to have a closet within the room?

Things I do like though - what appears to be the picnic table on the screened porch of the cabins and the nice little sitting area in front of the double sided fireplace. The living area in the GV's appears very nice and while one of the bedrooms did not get a closet in the room the master and the other bedrooms both did. The table in the 1 and 2BR's should actually cover most of the occupancy (although still not all as I count 6 seats?) unlike the VWL dining table. And the studios got their stand alone table back.

Odd configurations to be sure. Perhaps the little pocket door areas that seem to be free standing near the BA in the 1 and 2 BRs are the closets? I'm curious to see what they look like inside now--it might make more sense in person, though not having your own closet in an 87-point (at its cheapest) per night cabin seems like a misstep. Are the GVs only accessible through an outer door where those side entrances at the end of the building sat? That seems to be the case based on the image.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Odd configurations to be sure. Perhaps the little pocket door areas that seem to be free standing near the BA in the 1 and 2 BRs are the closets? I'm curious to see what they look like inside now--it might make more sense in person, though not having your own closet in an 87-point (at its cheapest) per night cabin seems like a misstep. Are the GVs only accessible through an outer door where those side entrances at the end of the building sat? That seems to be the case based on the image.

The plans filed for DVC show the entry door for the GV to be where one might expect it - centered by the long coats closet and into the hallway section. But it shows a small swing door to go into the living area? Not a very grand entry compared to other GV's. Or you can go around the corner and there's another swing door which provides entry just outside the master. And I'm still puzzling over the stairway looking section that seems to have a door going into it from a hallway that runs down from the entry.

And I'm hoping the contractors followed the filed plans and not these room layouts or no one is getting in!

 

[rkstocke5609]

Odd configurations to be sure. Perhaps the little pocket door areas that seem to be free standing near the BA in the 1 and 2 BRs are the closets? I'm curious to see what they look like inside now--it might make more sense in person, though not having your own closet in an 87-point (at its cheapest) per night cabin seems like a misstep. Are the GVs only accessible through an outer door where those side entrances at the end of the building sat? That seems to be the case based on the image.

Well, at 87 points per night maybe they figure no one will be there long enough to need a closet?

 

[PolyRob]

Oh - it says 4 guests in both the studios and 1 bedrooms. So no Murphy beds in the studios?

And I must say I'm surprised that the studios only sleep 4 as Disney had been going toward sleeping 5 in a studio for the past few years.

I just posted in the WL Expansion thread because I did not see these comments first! I think Disney is being tricky with the studios (and 1 bedrooms). Those floorplans clearly show there is space for a murphy bed. They just centered the dresser to make it harder to walk if a murphy bed was available. Why not leave the TV and murphy bed in front of the queen, move the table by the lock-off door?

I think its strange the only way you can sleep 5 is in a 2 bedroom+, when other MK DVC resorts allow 5 in a studio or 1 bedroom and places like Beach Club were recently updated to sleep 5 with a similar points structure.

Studying the floor plans a little more, it seems all the kitchens are a variation on a shotgun kitchen rather than a semi-enclosed area.

I guess this is all that would fit without actually moving many walls from the older WL rooms? That table looks awkwardly placed in the corner. And I love how you can comfortably seat 6 guests at the table in your 1 bedroom that sleeps 4. I get that its needed for lock-offs, but still bizarre to me.

 

[Muushka]

A little birdie whom shall remain nameless but her initials are DiznyDi told me about the action going on over on the Groupie Board.

Thank you everyone for the birthday wishes! I really appreciate it. I got an Instant Pot for my gift (my request) and it looks like we are going to get along just fine. I haven't blown up the house yet!

I did read through the past few pages, boy, the new units are, um, ugly. But then I thought BLT was ugly and I grew to love that resort. So I'm going to keep an open mind. Try to anyway.

Again, thank you everyone for 1. Not forgetting me and 2. The birthday wishes. Groupies rock!

 

[Dean Marino]

My initial reaction to the picture of a unit: disappointment. Why does it look like a mish-mash of IKEA furniture?

EXACTLY what my Dear Wife said. To quote Jay Leno.... "What were you THINKING?"

That joke is as "Pacific Northwest Lodge" as my 10'x12' shed in the back. FORGET costs.... that is a cheap IKEA room, right out of an airport . It's a total abomination.
If WDW had the goal of getting US to buy more points in this "thing"? FAIL.

So - the obvious question.... now that we know the rooms have been ruined, how long will it take WDW to gut the IKEA furniture, repaint, re theme, and fix the whole offering? Our bet: two years.

Someone REALLY screwed all that good infrastructure work up.

Folks? That stuff is cheap junk. Be THANKFUL that you own something of value, and not a Howard Johnson's Hotel room .

 

[hakepb]

I feel the same way - very disappointed in the decor. Then again - I am not a fan at all of the "new" decor in our beloved villas. I liked the "dark" decor. Made it feel more cabin-y to me.

My initial reaction to the picture of a unit: disappointment. Why does it look like a mish-mash of IKEA furniture?

Here's a quick , low quality "Photoshop" (via the Snapseed app), but I think it's 10x better

 

[Starwind]

I think the new rooms have some redeeming qualities... I like the light coloured walls. And the non-carpet floors (not sure what they are, clearly the attmept is to make it look like hardwood) will be great for those of us with allergies.

I am wondering when the new CCV units will be available to rent from Disney as hotel stays ? We have a WL Courtyard view booked for December, but are considering switching to CCV instead once they are available.

SW