Now, for some observations and recommendations from our trip. . .
We arrived on 22 Dec around 3 p.m. after a six-hour drive (that usually takes only 5 hours). Literally, as we walked through the front doorway of the Lodge, we got a "room ready" text. Ah, the scent, the sights, the soaring architecture--marvelous as always. The scent was harder to detect given the wearing of masks, but after 15 seconds or so, we finally got the whiffs of that unmistakable Lodge homecoming scent. The VWL building itself was even stronger, partially because that leather/woodsy aroma was mixed in with the current and ubiquitous 50th anniversary scent,
Iridescents. Yes, that's an actual thing, and it's overpoweringly obnoxious. Anyway, we were assigned 4537 and it was a great room (I posted previous pics from the balcony).
On to my random notes:
- Recommend Amare restaurant at the new Swan Reserve hotel. Similar to Topolino's with some excellent Mediterranean selections such as lamb/beef polpetti meatballs, charred octopus, fried calamari, and manti--which are similar to ravioli and stuffed with lamb. The meatballs and octopus were topnotch, the manti good, and the calamari decent. Service was also good.
- Geyser Point was only okay; they no longer serve their scrumptious waffle fries. "Oh, we might get them back sometime in the spring," claimed our server. Sigh. The cheesy beef brisket dip was mildly disappointing as the original brisket feel has given way to more of a ground beef texture and seemed sweeter than I recall. The house made chips were plentiful, however. And, the low couch-like chairs and tables in the main dining area have been replaced by actual chairs and tables which allows for more people to sit there now--a good thing. The old seats/tables are now out by the water and do not qualify as tables to be serviced by the wait staff. You can order food to go and sit there, but the servers don't actually go to those locations.
- Can't say enough about on off-site restaurant, BiCE. It's located at the Portofino Hotel at Universal Studios. We'd been there before and loved it--our return trip this year only amplified our feelings. I had the osso buco with saffron risotto while Luv had the penne arrabiata with shrimp. Simply stunning. Their wine list is extensive, too, so you can definitely find a wine to suit your tastes. We sat outside on their balcony that overlooked the "lake" around which Portofino sits. Service was impeccable, and the bread service (comes with the meal) was topnotch with extremely fresh EVOO and a balsamic vinegar as dipping sauces. We Lyfted there and back so as to not have to drive in the holiday traffic, especially after having some wine with our meals.
- Decorations do seem to be a bit muted. Even the tree in the Lodge seemed so, although in comparing pictures from a couple of years ago, there doesn't seem to be much change. They have taken out some of the color of the baubles that adorn the tree, it appears, and replaced them with more muted items. The parade we caught also seemed, well, tamped down a bit. As witnessed in the pictures I posted above, there were fewer characters: only four gingerbread people, five soldiers (none with horns), and only seven reindeer including a no-show by Rudolph. Further, I counted 15 characters in and around the opening float in this same parade from two years ago, yet there were only 10 in and around the same float this year. Moreover, there were fewer actual vehicles/floats, ergo, a shorter parade. Yes, this might have to do with Covid, but Disney has a way of reducing events and people with clearly logical reasoning and then never getting back to the original version.
- The original nature trail is almost completely grown over. We had thoughts about climbing over the fence and walking down it anyway, but I figured with our luck, some nascent security guard stumbling across us and booting us out of the hotel. We also walked over to the once well-used paved bike/walking path to FW, and it, too, is overgrown and mostly ripped up what we could see of it. They had no trespassing and not photography signs there, but I took a couple of shots anyway. I believe I posted a pic earlier, but I'll do so again so you don't have to go hunting.
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This trail ain't coming back, at least not in the foreseeable future. What a loss.
- We only hit two of the four parks by choice. We did DHS early in order to go on RnR and ToT, then sat down on a bench with a Starbucks latte and people-watched. A big, extended family of all adults did a TikTok challenge right in front of us, and I wound up taking a group photo for them. The other park obviously was MK, and we made the EMH that morning, too, but naturally, the only lands open were Fantasy and Tomorrow, so our options were limited--all we did was IASW and then waited to walk with several hundred people at rope drop to head over to BTMR and then POTC before calling it a morning and having a quick meal before settling in at our spot to watch the parade at noon. The parks were crowded, but we weren't in them long enough for it to matter.
- Much of our leisure time we spent sitting on the balcony or lounging in the hot tub at the quiet pool. Of course, we did sit at the fireplaces in the VWL building, though the smaller fireplace nook to the right when you first enter the VWL lobby was only lighted the first two days we were there. Overall, the whole resort (WL, that is) seemed, well, muted. The decorations are mostly all there...but not entirely. The CMs were fewer (again, scant bell service personnel) and the flickering lanterns weren't. Although the majesty of the grand dame WL is still there, some of the warmth and excitement has wandered off. No longer are you guaranteed to be warmly greeted out front by a CM or be met by someone who will gladly help you with your luggage.
Overall, we enjoyed our trip, savored parts of it, but in this one man's opinion, Disney has let some of the mystique and embrace of the Lodge disappear, and I fear they'll not bring it back. If you have any questions, feel free to ask, my fellow Groupies!
