VWL Groupies & Lovers Thread (Special Collectors Edition 2.5) updated 2 February 2025

[jimmytammy]

Okay, is it just me, or is our thread disappearing from the DVC Resorts board? I go to DVC Resorts and scroll down and I can't find it. This has been happening for over a week now. The only way I can find this thread is to click on Alerts and follow a link there. Maybe we've finally found the end of the limitless thread?

I sure hope not! I haven't had issues yet, though I do have to search a little lower down the totem pole(WL reference there)than I used to find us. We just don't have as much activity as we used to it seems. I'm partly to blame as my days get filled with work from sunup to sundown these days so I'm lucky at times to just lurk

 

[CarolynFH]

Okay, is it just me, or is our thread disappearing from the DVC Resorts board? I go to DVC Resorts and scroll down and I can't find it. This has been happening for over a week now. The only way I can find this thread is to click on Alerts and follow a link there. Maybe we've finally found the end of the limitless thread?

Check up at the top of the thread to be sure you didn’t accidentally tap Ignore Thread, because that would make it disappear from your view even if it were at the top of the forum! I’ve had that happen to fat-fingered me….

 

[Granny]

Check up at the top of the thread to be sure you didn’t accidentally tap Ignore Thread, because that would make it disappear from your view even if it were at the top of the forum! I’ve had that happen to fat-fingered me….

Carolyn...you solved my problem! Somehow I had ignored this thread...as if that could ever happen on purpose! Thank you so much. I "unignored" it (yes, the button actually used that word). All is good now. I appreciate it.

 

[CarolynFH]

Carolyn...you solved my problem! Somehow I had ignored this thread...as if that could ever happen on purpose! Thank you so much. I "unignored" it (yes, the button actually used that word). All is good now. I appreciate it.

I’m happy that worked!

 

[bluecastle]

Hey gang! I was thinking it might be fun to share our “origin” stories about how we came to love the lodge. I will go first

In the 90’s we mostly stayed at the Polynesian. It was the first resort we stayed at with our DD, age 4, and we fell in love. As the years went by we stayed at some other resorts, mostly because we started wanting to stay for more days and the Polynesian just cost too much for that. Then, in 2000, I checked out the WL and discovered that we could afford to stay there and it wouldn’t break the bank. I was hesitant because the theme didn’t really appeal to me, looking at photos it reminded me of Lincoln Logs! And then we stayed there. And I fell in love with everything about it. Eventually, when I was planning at trip with my all grown-up daughter and her BF, I found out that you didn’t have to be a DVC member to stay in the villas. We got a 2BR and never looked back. if I had known that we would be repeat visitors back in the 90’s. I might have bought into DVC, but I didn’t think we could afford it.
Anyhow, I am really looking forward to staying in the VWL again, this time with my DGD along. After trying the BWV for F&W (oh, those long hallways!) and then Kidani for a resort-centric trip with our granddaughter, I am really looking forward to being back in the lodge for the holidays, even if the tree doesn’t go up while we’re there! I just hope my DGD doesn’t expect to see giraffes and zebras from our balcony!

 

[Disney loving Iowan]

Hey fellow groupies! Do you know what today is?!!!!! It is the 30th birthday of our beloved Lodge!!!!!! The Wilderness Lodge opened on this day in 1994!!!!!

 

[Disney loving Iowan]

I saw this posted on Facebook.

 

[CarolynFH]

Hey fellow groupies! Do you know what today is?!!!!! It is the 30th birthday of our beloved Lodge!!!!!! The Wilderness Lodge opened on this day in 1994!!!!!
View attachment 864065

Wow! We saw it under construction during our first visit, which was in March 1994, and I immediately wanted to stay there. We didn't get to stay there until early 2007, but we visited several times to eat at Artists' Point before then. I love WL!

 

[ClaraOswald]

I visited WL just to walk around back in 2010 or maybe it was 2012. I wanted to see it in person because I knew it was a similar vibe to the Grand Californian. I LOVED it and figured I'd never actually stay there since we were always value/moderate people.

Fast forward to 2023 and we purchased VGC points and we had some extra so we stayed at Boulder Ridge in January this year. A few months later....we were owners at BRV. Just too good to not make it our "home."

 

[CarolynFH]

I visited WL just to walk around back in 2010 or maybe it was 2012. I wanted to see it in person because I knew it was a similar vibe to the Grand Californian. I LOVED it and figured I'd never actually stay there since we were always value/moderate people.

Fast forward to 2023 and we purchased VGC points and we had some extra so we stayed at Boulder Ridge in January this year. A few months later....we were owners at BRV. Just too good to not make it our "home."

If I had known VWL (BRV) would open just a few years after BWV, we might have had a different home resort.

 

[jimmytammy]

We were staying at All Star Sports for the 2nd time in 2001, 3rd trip when I passed a DVC kiosk so

I inquired, and Tammy agreed to us calling for more info

So we called, found out it was $70 per point and it came to an abrupt halt. After much persistence on my part, a year later we called back. We asked for BWV but it was sold out.

So our guide asked had we been to WL but my reply was we had only seen it from the monorail. She asked when did we usually like to go which at that time was always Dec.
Which led her to say how much we would like VWL

Boy was she right! Our 1st trip we had the mouth wide open experience once we walked into the lobby. But it turned sour as it was cold and rainy and we had to buy clothes to keep warm. We questioned did we make a mistake buying into this DVC thang.

But the next trip we quickly turned it around and we fell in love with VWL

 

[Disney loving Iowan]

Hey gang! I was thinking it might be fun to share our “origin” stories about how we came to love the lodge. I will go first

In the 90’s we mostly stayed at the Polynesian. It was the first resort we stayed at with our DD, age 4, and we fell in love. As the years went by we stayed at some other resorts, mostly because we started wanting to stay for more days and the Polynesian just cost too much for that. Then, in 2000, I checked out the WL and discovered that we could afford to stay there and it wouldn’t break the bank. I was hesitant because the theme didn’t really appeal to me, looking at photos it reminded me of Lincoln Logs! And then we stayed there. And I fell in love with everything about it. Eventually, when I was planning at trip with my all grown-up daughter and her BF, I found out that you didn’t have to be a DVC member to stay in the villas. We got a 2BR and never looked back. if I had known that we would be repeat visitors back in the 90’s. I might have bought into DVC, but I didn’t think we could afford it.
Anyhow, I am really looking forward to staying in the VWL again, this time with my DGD along. After trying the BWV for F&W (oh, those long hallways!) and then Kidani for a resort-centric trip with our granddaughter, I am really looking forward to being back in the lodge for the holidays, even if the tree doesn’t go up while we’re there! I just hope my DGD doesn’t expect to see giraffes and zebras from our balcony!

I have just always loved all things western so when they built the Lodge it was some place I had to stay.

 

[sleepydog25]

Hey gang! I was thinking it might be fun to share our “origin” stories about how we came to love the lodge. I will go first

In the 90’s we mostly stayed at the Polynesian. It was the first resort we stayed at with our DD, age 4, and we fell in love. As the years went by we stayed at some other resorts, mostly because we started wanting to stay for more days and the Polynesian just cost too much for that. Then, in 2000, I checked out the WL and discovered that we could afford to stay there and it wouldn’t break the bank. I was hesitant because the theme didn’t really appeal to me, looking at photos it reminded me of Lincoln Logs! And then we stayed there. And I fell in love with everything about it. Eventually, when I was planning at trip with my all grown-up daughter and her BF, I found out that you didn’t have to be a DVC member to stay in the villas. We got a 2BR and never looked back. if I had known that we would be repeat visitors back in the 90’s. I might have bought into DVC, but I didn’t think we could afford it.
Anyhow, I am really looking forward to staying in the VWL again, this time with my DGD along. After trying the BWV for F&W (oh, those long hallways!) and then Kidani for a resort-centric trip with our granddaughter, I am really looking forward to being back in the lodge for the holidays, even if the tree doesn’t go up while we’re there! I just hope my DGD doesn’t expect to see giraffes and zebras from our balcony!

Most of the long-time Groupies know this story, but since it's a great idea about sharing "origin" stories at the Lodge, here it is again.

My wife (at the time) and our daughter had been visiting my older daughter in Melbourne, FL. While the time with her was lovely, our stay at a nearby Holiday Inn (at the time) that sat on the beach wasn't so great--middle of summer, rooms needed a makeover as they were tired and old, dirty carpeting, smelly interiors, and the air-conditioning wasn't cooling well as it was an old system and the hotel was packed.

Fast forward three days later, and we arrived at the Lodge where we had secured a 1BR at VWL, though we had no idea what DVC was all about--we'd made a cash reservation. We loved the main lobby, of course, but had some trepidation about walking over to VWL and what the rooms might be like after our Holiday Inn experience. We walk in that smaller lobby, and it was also gorgeous. The air-conditioning worked like a charm; the room was spotless; the space was perfect to put our daughter down for a nap while we relaxed in a different room; and the theming was amazing (ahem...at the time--what can I say? I liked the older, darker ambiance). As soon as we put DD down for her first nap, we started looking into this "DVC thing." They even had an agent in the VWL lobby at that time, so we began asking questions. We took the tour on our last day before flying out, and we were bused to where the DVC model rooms were located--you guessed it--at the time in the still under-construction Saratoga Springs. We took the paperwork home with us to think about it as there was never any pressure to sign before we left. A week later, we owned 400 points there.

Now, we never stayed at SSR, only VWL. Then, about 15 years ago, I bought some VWL points to guarantee I could get holiday rooms there. I've since used those points to stay at every DVC resort except BWV and Aulani. I don't get to the World much anymore as the park experience is just too tedious from start to finish, but I still use the points for resort-only stays at places like HHI, VB, AKL, and VWL.

 

[Mle8308]

I visited WL just to walk around back in 2010 or maybe it was 2012. I wanted to see it in person because I knew it was a similar vibe to the Grand Californian. I LOVED it and figured I'd never actually stay there since we were always value/moderate people.

Fast forward to 2023 and we purchased VGC points and we had some extra so we stayed at Boulder Ridge in January this year. A few months later....we were owners at BRV. Just too good to not make it our "home."

I don't think I said congratulations on your purchase!!!

 

[ClaraOswald]

I don't think I said congratulations on your purchase!!!

Thanks! We ended up with 2 BRV contracts....a 50pt one and a 150pts. Might be too much but time will tell.

 

[TCRAIG]

Thanks! We ended up with 2 BRV contracts....a 50pt one and a 150pts. Might be too much but time will tell.

Too much WLV/BRV - I’m not familiar with that concept

 

[tgropp]

Hey gang! I was thinking it might be fun to share our “origin” stories about how we came to love the lodge. I will go first

In the 90’s we mostly stayed at the Polynesian. It was the first resort we stayed at with our DD, age 4, and we fell in love. As the years went by we stayed at some other resorts, mostly because we started wanting to stay for more days and the Polynesian just cost too much for that. Then, in 2000, I checked out the WL and discovered that we could afford to stay there and it wouldn’t break the bank. I was hesitant because the theme didn’t really appeal to me, looking at photos it reminded me of Lincoln Logs! And then we stayed there. And I fell in love with everything about it. Eventually, when I was planning at trip with my all grown-up daughter and her BF, I found out that you didn’t have to be a DVC member to stay in the villas. We got a 2BR and never looked back. if I had known that we would be repeat visitors back in the 90’s. I might have bought into DVC, but I didn’t think we could afford it.
Anyhow, I am really looking forward to staying in the VWL again, this time with my DGD along. After trying the BWV for F&W (oh, those long hallways!) and then Kidani for a resort-centric trip with our granddaughter, I am really looking forward to being back in the lodge for the holidays, even if the tree doesn’t go up while we’re there! I just hope my DGD doesn’t expect to see giraffes and zebras from our balcony!

After two family vacations to WDW we decided to take our two children aged 7 and 12 to WDW in 1994 over Christmas. While checking about where to stay, I came across a newspaper travel article about a new resort called Wilderness Lodge that sounded interesting. I booked a bunk bed room for $149 per night. Fast forward to this Christmas and it will be our tenth Christmas family vacation (DS,DIL,DD,SIL, three grandchildren and my wife and myself. All together we have had 22 different vacations there but that first one was SO SPECIAL

 

[bluecastle]

After two family vacations to WDW we decided to take our two children aged 7 and 12 to WDW in 1994 over Christmas. While checking about where to stay, I came across a newspaper travel article about a new resort called Wilderness Lodge that sounded interesting. I booked a bunk bed room for $149 per night. Fast forward to this Christmas and it will be our tenth Christmas family vacation (DS,DIL,DD,SIL, three grandchildren and my wife and myself. All together we have had 22 different vacations there but that first one was SO SPECIAL

Isn’t it funny how we remember the prices from some of our resort stays? I remember being on the phone with a CM and trying to figure out where to stay in the summer of 1991 and she mentioned there was a promo for the Beach Club, which had opened in the last year, for $125.00 a night! I wish we could have stayed longer, but we were in FL for a family event and just trying to fit in some time at Disney.

 

[jimmytammy]

Isn’t it funny how we remember the prices from some of our resort stays? I remember being on the phone with a CM and trying to figure out where to stay in the summer of 1991 and she mentioned there was a promo for the Beach Club, which had opened in the last year, for $125.00 a night! I wish we could have stayed longer, but we were in FL for a family event and just trying to fit in some time at Disney.

One that really stands out to me was in 2001, right after the Sept 11 tragedy. We had booked All Star Sports for 10 nights several months prior to our early Oct trip. 9/11 happened and WDW lost a lot of folks coming because of it. Because business was so down they offered us our room at half price, it went from $100 to $50 per night. Thats also the trip that put us over the edge to take the DVC plunge!

 

[jimmytammy]

Hey Folks!
Yesterday Casey was telling us about an old general store in a small community called Cedar Grove about 20 mins from our home. that was the general store that is featured in the American Adventure during the depression scene and again when FDR was giving his Pearl Harbor speech. Below is a link to an article if you so choose to read and watch the video about the photographer who shot a similar scene at the store during the depression. If you are into history its a really nice read and you may recognize another famous photo that the photographer, Dorothea Lange, shot as well.

https://thedisneynerdspodcast.com/2...ils-epcots-american-adventures-general-store/

I attached a photo of the store I took yesterday as it looks now.