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

[sleepydog25]

Passed ROFR 4/6 on 210 points at VWL. Super excited and can't wait till we can book our first trip!!!

Congratulations, Lakegirl! Welcome to the Groupies, as well! You'll find genuinely friendly folks here, and we'd love to get to know you better. Pull up a rocker, grab your favorite libation, and sit a spell (spittoon optional). As with all new Groupies, if you're interested, we do keep a list of future trips and cruises, as well as a listing of birthdays and anniversaries. Just go to Page 1 for more. Again, welcome!

 

[ParkHoppers]

Offered accepted on VWL contract. Paid a little above average for price per point so confident in passing ROFR. Wish us luck. Very excited to add VWL to our existing BLT contract. Absolutely love Wilderness Lodge.

 

[sleepydog25]

Offered accepted on VWL contract. Paid a little above average for price per point so confident in passing ROFR. Wish us luck. Very excited to add VWL to our existing BLT contract. Absolutely love Wilderness Lodge.

And a hearty welcome to you, as well, ParkHoppers! As we tell those who stop by our merry band, all it takes to be a Groupie is a love of the Lodge. . .well, that and the small matter of a $50 GMF (Groupie Maintenance Fee), payable in small bills to moi. (You, too, Lakegirl!) Seriously, welcome, and we'd love to hear all about you. Check out page 1 if you're interested in sharing travel, birthday, and/or anniversary dates.

 

[jimmytammy]

Welcome to the groupies Lakegirl and ParkHoppers!!!!
Always cool to have new folks join in! And congratulations to you both

 

[jimmytammy]

Dad
I agree with your thoughts on Roy. I have had a keen interest in Disney history(for obvious reasons)through the years, and Roy was def. a behind the scenes guy. But had it not been for him, Walts dreams would have been just that, dreams. Roy made magic in his own kind of way, financially. I have read what few books are out there on him along with many numerous books about Walt. What wonderful guys they were and their relationship, rocky at times, held strong when it counted. Roy deserves as many accolades as Walt for getting the parks going. He was a creative man too!

And as for the teepee deal, I will be more than happy to spur that project along. At worst, we can set up camo tents in the woods between WL and FW(for those who take the path between the 2 resorts, just keep it down in the early AM as some of us may still be sleeping in). And if you hear a roaring sound in the AM, probably not bears, but rather some of us guys snoring after a long day of setting up camp(but if a furry black or brown guy, around 6 or 7 ft tall while standing, but is fast approaching on four feet about 4 ft tall, run and scream loudly, we will come out of our tents and run with yall!!)

 

[DiznyDi]

Congratulations Lakegirl and ParkHoppers! Such an exciting time for you. Personally, you can never have too many VWL points
Welcome to the Groupies, too. Always a pleasure when folks find their way over to our little corner of the Dis.

sleepydog (sometimes referred to as 'sly' dog ) and jimmytammy (JT) are the keepers of trip dates, anniversaries and such found on page 1. Send them a pm if you'd like your info added. We like to celebrate! And we like to have little 'meets' when our schedules coincide while at the World.

.......in other news.....16 days to go......

 

[Dizny Dad]

. . . . . . we can set up camo tents in the woods between WL and FW(for those who take the path between the 2 resorts, just keep it down in the early AM as some of us may still be sleeping in). And if you hear a roaring sound in the AM, probably not bears, but rather some of us guys snoring after a long day of setting up camp . . . . . .

That roaring sound may be the Street Sweeper that cleans the path early in the morning. . . . and I'm still looking for the picture I have of it! But, yeah, if the roar is from the four legged guy, run . . .

 

[Corinne]

OK this is off topic but I have to share! Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, Robert Diniro have been filming in the surrounding towns for several months. Two days ago I noticed a moving truck at a neighbors home, and when my husband got home from work he noticed a lot of activity at the house and discovered they rented the home and are filming there! So far all I have seen are crew members, and I think they film while I'm at work. Fingers crossed I will catch a glimpse of Bradley or "Bobby"

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

OK this is off topic but I have to share! Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, Robert Diniro have been filming in the surrounding towns for several months. Two days ago I noticed a moving truck at a neighbors home, and when my husband got home from work he noticed a lot of activity at the house and discovered they rented the home and are filming there! So far all I have seen are crew members, and I think they film while I'm at work. Fingers crossed I will catch a glimpse of Bradley or "Bobby"

How fun Corinne! Good luck with your star spotting!

 

[ParkHoppers]

Thanks for the warm welcomes all. I will check back in when my contract is finalized. On a side note is their a link to the best room views to request at VWL?

 

[anmay27]

I'm waiting to close. Passed ROFR on 4/1. I'm hoping I close before the 7 month opens to try and get something for Christmas this year I have dreamed of staying at WL for 10 years and now I can make it happen for me and the kids as long as there is availability lol .. so excited to be here.

Angela

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Thanks for the warm welcomes all. I will check back in when my contract is finalized. On a side note is their a link to the best room views to request at VWL?

There isn't a dedicated view thread AFAIK like there is for many other resorts although you might find some on the WL thread on the resort board. The lovely thing about VWL is the views are generally - trees! Just a few things to know really - there is one studio that has no balcony (4533 I believe). Many of the 5th floor rooms have solid balcony walls which some are fine with (I like them) and others don't like at all so that's up to you. And then there's the "dumpster" views from a few of the villas at the end of the hall on the non-lake side. Basically you can see into the service area at the end of the villas although if you look right you'll see - trees!

 

[sleepydog25]

I'm waiting to close. Passed ROFR on 4/1. I'm hoping I close before the 7 month opens to try and get something for Christmas this year I have dreamed of staying at WL for 10 years and now I can make it happen for me and the kids as long as there is availability lol .. so excited to be here.

Angela

Congrats on passing ROFR, anmay! And welcome to the Groupies! We hope you'll check in often and let us get to know you. As for availability, it will be a tough task within your time frame; HOWEVER, when we bought our first VWL contract a few years ago, we closed in May. A few nights were available the first week in December, but not all. We reserved what we could, opted to do resort-swapping for the other days, and then waitlisted for VWL. It took all the way until early October, but our waitlists came through, and we enjoyed our entire stay at the Lodge that December. The moral: don't give up hope. Again, welcome!

 

[jimmytammy]

We have 2 great reasons to celebrate
Happy Birthday Tea Pot & DisneyNutzy!!!!

 

[Dizny Dad]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TEA POT!!

 

[jimmytammy]

Welcome to the groupies anmay27!!!!

 

[Dizny Dad]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DISNEYNUTZY!

 

[Dizny Dad]

.. . . . . The lovely thing about VWL is the views are generally - trees! Just a few things to know really - there is one studio that has no balcony (4533 I believe). . . .

Yup - Trees. and yup the room without a balcony makes you feel like you are really missing something; and at check-in, they will tell you ALL rooms have balconies, so keep your ears sharp when they tell you your room number.

Most importantly, DiznyDi & I have really boiled it down to two things you need to know when getting a room; sipping coffee in the morning on your balcony to bus noise (even # room), or sipping that wonderful early morning coffee to the gentle sounds of far off boat horns, calling you to the magic that is Disney (odd # room). So when making room requests, the first request is always an odd # room; just can't get into the magic first thing if I am sipping my coffee to the sound of air brakes and diesel engines (thru the trees, of course)

 

[jimmytammy]

Corinne, how cool! I feel you are in need of a few days off work, cough, cough

Parkhoppers, KAT did a great job describing the views, I just want to add, the great thing about tree views, it affords you a wildlife view at times as well. Deer, rabbits, armadillos, etc roam this area, esp. easy to spot while drinking coffee on the balconies. Sort of like our own version of AKL Savannah view Just saw Dads post and he too has the right idea, about the sounds as well. Its an all encompassing kind of thing, and the Lodge tends to make you forget there is a fantasy world just a boat ride away. The Lodge for me is like a fantasy world unto itself, a time that takes me back to the Old West, as a kid playing Davy Crockett or Daniel Boone in the woods.

 

[Dizny Dad]

. . . . . I just want to add, the great thing about tree views, it affords you a wildlife view at times as well. Deer, rabbits, armadillos, etc roam this area, esp. easy to spot while drinking . . . . . . . . .

Sounds like a good idea in the afternoon when returning early to Boonesborough.