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

[sleepydog25]

Julie, thanks for the advice on the Sombrero Beach Omelet. That sounds very good and my girls will be enjoying the banana bread french toast. Having some good things to go to at a new resort will help with maintaining a positive attitude. We will also be enjoying having the rental car close by the room and handy. BTW is parking pretty easy there? Around the Hospitality House it looked like parking was at a premium. But when we circled around the resort it opened up a lot by each building. The purple board had a thread recently discussing housekeeping and maintenance. Evidently some folks entered rooms with no towels and used sheets, spills on the floor that were not cleaned up, charges to rooms for extra towels, poor maintenance in some units, "why are we paying MFs if they do not maintain", and so on. I do not post there much if ever at all. But I do pop in there on occasion to see what the scuttle butt is but rarely post or participate in conversation. I can't say there is a lot of negativity there, just one thread blasting OKW. When we were there the place appeared inviting to us.



GRANNY: by December the "heavy lifting" on construction in terms of noise may be done by Christmas. Also, we arrived on 12/22 and left on 12/31. So the 23rd, and the 28th thru the 30th were really the only work days in the trip. And there was not a lot going on those days. Maybe with the holidays things were just slow. Looking forward to next Christmas, 12/25 is a Sunday. We probably will travel on 12/26 and return 1/2 or something close to it. W will probably return home to VWL for that trip. It will should fairly quiet that week. Uhh.........I hope.


Yeah I am kind of feeling better a day later about going to OKW. We will explore Disney Springs more. I am looking at Raglan Road Irish Pub. Who has dined at that establishment? If I relapse into alcohol consumption, that seems like a good place to start!

Kathy: Great pictures! We were there on the evening of 2 Jan and did the dinner party. The viewing area was superb (sat right underneath the giant globe looking down the street), and the food was much better than at AP the night before--and it was buffet-style! It was sad watching the Lights for our last time, and I captured 2 minutes and 43 seconds of one song on my phone. I've replayed it a dozen times already. Sigh.

Greg: Parking around HH is at a premium during prime check-in/check-out times; otherwise, it thins out nicely. Parking at our unit was wide open. We parked right in front of our room the entire three days, the same spot each time. Plenty of parking around our unit. My only complaint about service was that the entire three days we were there, two towel carts (one with clean towels, the other with dirty ones) sat outside the building on the bottom floor. It wasn't right at our room, but it still looked tacky, especially when the dirty towels could be seen hanging off the edge of the cart. Beyond that issue, things were clean, spacious, and in good working order, if a little bit worn-looking in spots.

 

[jimmytammy]

Greg
Raglan Rd is a good place to eat, albeit, a little noisy with the music and dancers. Its been a few trips since we were there, as we like Rose N Crown a lot and food is similar. Paradiso 37 is a good place too, lunch I understand is less party crowd than later.
No matter where you eat at DS, a scoop at Ghiradelli is a great follow up IMO

 

[horselover]

Yeah I am kind of feeling better a day later about going to OKW. We will explore Disney Springs more. I am looking at Raglan Road Irish Pub. Who has dined at that establishment? If I relapse into alcohol consumption, that seems like a good place to start!

Raglan Road. I so wanted to love this restaurant but I just don't. DH & I went on a solo trip way back in 2009 or '10. Didn't love the food & as Jimmy said it's loud. I kept reading so many great reviews though that I decided to give it another shot & went this past Oct. Didn't like it then either. Don't remember what I ordered the first time but last visit I had the ham schnitzel. It had a weird after taste. Not sure if it was the breading or the oil they fried it in but I didn't really like it. Two strikes you're out with me. I do know a lot of others love it though so it's subjective.

 

[horselover]

I also want to say I'm never going to get used to calling it Disney Springs. It will always be Downtown Disney for me.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

And, am I crazy? Don't the villas have safes usually?

I've read one other persons post about getting a room at VWL that did not have a safe. I wonder if it's the same room?!

Kat
Thanks for sharing those great shots! I was hoping we could make it a quick trip for one last look, but didn't transpire. I am going to miss this part of Christmas at WDW

Kathy: Great pictures! We were there on the evening of 2 Jan and did the dinner party. The viewing area was superb (sat right underneath the giant globe looking down the street), and the food was much better than at AP the night before--and it was buffet-style! It was sad watching the Lights for our last time, and I captured 2 minutes and 43 seconds of one song on my phone. I've replayed it a dozen times already. Sigh.

Thanks Jimmy and Sleepy! We were very fortunate this year in that they opened the lights several days early so we caught them at the end of our F&W/Halloween trip and then again in Dec which was the trip originally planned to see them for the last time. I had booked the dessert party to view them Sleepy but decided to cancel after reading several reviews. I'm glad to hear that the dinner was a stand out! But how sad that it trumped dinner at AP. I didn't video and wish I had so I'll just have to pull up some youtube now and then to enjoy and remember.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I also want to say I'm never going to get used to calling it Disney Springs. It will always be Downtown Disney for me.

It's a hard one for me too! Even now I still pop out MGM now and then.

 

[wildernessDad]

Make sure you hit The Ganachery. The chocolates are incredible and incredibly priced.

 

[Dean Marino]

There's no safe in your room? That's odd. Is it by chance a HA room? That's the only room I've ever stayed in that didn't have a safe.

Sorry about the condition of the room. Have you called maintenance? I would definitely call.

We got a HA Deluxe Studio on our 11-2015 trip (didn't request it - we just sort of got stuck with it....).
The safe is in the Armoire, very bottom. How anyone that DID have a handicap would get to it is beyond me . That room confused us - we did not need it, it was FAR from Elevators, and (HAD we needed something like this) - it did not APPEAR to be all that well thought out.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

it did not APPEAR to be all that well thought out.

Oh I could go on and on about how stupid many of the features in Disney HA rooms are. My sister is in a wheelchair and we also traveled with my mother who used a manual chair and so we've seen a few of them. Even Poly - where they corrected a few items - still had a microwave in the studio that was almost difficult for me to reach. And the plates and other tableware was stored at the same height - absolutely impossible for someone wheelchair bound to reach. My sisters thought was that they figure that one who is handicapped would never travel without an able bodied person who could take care of some of these things. And why they'd think a safe in the closet wasn't accessible is another puzzling one except the doorway might be too narrow to access but it should have been designed wide enough otherwise the closet would be useless too.

 

[StanH]

Hi folks,
I have a question that I should probably already know the answer to....

Is there a way to use vacation club points to rent a concierge level room?

Thanks!

 

[Kathymford]

There's no safe in your room? That's odd. Is it by chance a HA room? That's the only room I've ever stayed in that didn't have a safe.

Sorry about the condition of the room. Have you called maintenance? I would definitely call.

I called maintenance and visited the front desk. I'm not sure if anyone even came as it's still the same and I havent gotten any messages letting me know what happened (which I requested). Hopefully I get a survey at the end of my trip.

 

[RebelSoul]

And, am I crazy? Don't the villas have safes usually?

Hi! Long time lurker and VWL owner.

I had to laugh a bit when I read this about the safe.

A few years back in 2013 we were in (I think) Rm 4563...definitely last room (dedicated studio) on the 4th floor, lake view. We searched and searched and searched...no safe. Maintenance came the next day to fix the bathroom sink that was dripping and even the maintenance guy was stumped. A bit later, the maintenance guy brought another maintenance worker...their conclusion...no safe. No biggie for us, but it drove us nuts the first day trying to find it. Not the best balcony view (dumpsters), but it was a quiet room for sure.

 

[Kathymford]

Hi! Long time lurker and VWL owner.

I had to laugh a bit when I read this about the safe.

A few years back in 2013 we were in (I think) Rm 4563...definitely last room (dedicated studio) on the 4th floor, lake view. We searched and searched and searched...no safe. Maintenance came the next day to fix the bathroom sink that was dripping and even the maintenance guy was stumped. A bit later, the maintenance guy brought another maintenance worker...their conclusion...no safe. No biggie for us, but it drove us nuts the first day trying to find it. Not the best balcony view (dumpsters), but it was a quiet room for sure.

Yes!! We're in 4560!! No safe, but two closets with only hangars only in one!

THANK YOU. lol!!

 

[georgejr]

Kathy we stayed in a 2 bedroom on that end in November and the master shower had same issue with hot water fluctuating tremendously. I didn't say anything to maintenance though since my friend in the master loved the extreme hot water. Didn't give it another thought until reading your post, but the couple of needs we had were addressed by maintenance immediately. In fact I stopped at the front desk to get someone to take a look at a slow drain in the shower made a brief stop in the gift shop and maintenance beat me to the room!

 

[Granny]

Hi folks,
I have a question that I should probably already know the answer to....

Is there a way to use vacation club points to rent a concierge level room?

Thanks!

The point charts on the member site include "club level" for several resorts. I assume this is the same as Concierge?

 

[Granny]

Kathy...thanks for those great photos of the Osborne Lights. Sad to think that when we go in December this year they won't be there. It will just go down as something that lives on in our memories and photos...and I'm glad we had the chance to experience them a few times.


Greg...we have enjoyed Raglan Road a couple of times, but only sitting outside. Our best time was going for a late dinner (got the appetizer array) and some beers, sitting outside and enjoying the Irish music being played by the musicians. One of those great evenings where the weather was very comfortable and the beer & music combined to make a memorable evening for my family (daughter was old enough to join us in drinks). I wouldn't go for the food...but then again I wouldn't go back to Ireland for the food either. It is okay but the draw for us are the people and the atmosphere.

 

[Corinne]

Eliza--happy belated birthday, and congrats on your early retirement! Not a bad birthday gift!

Kathy--thanks for sharing the fabulous Osbourne lights photos.

Twinkle bug--interesting news on the DVC lounge at Epcot, and I know this is going to make me sound like an ingrate, but I'm pretty surprised they are doing anything for current DVC members.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Hi folks,
I have a question that I should probably already know the answer to....

Is there a way to use vacation club points to rent a concierge level room?

Thanks!

I also responded on the WL resort thread but figured I'd post here too. So, yes. If there's availability. The points chart shows both SC - Standard Room/View Club Level and DC - Deluxe Room/View Club Level. The point requirements are hefty though! It's around a 25% premium over the point requirements for a 2BR at the equivalent times.

 

[RebelSoul]

Yes!! We're in 4560!! No safe, but two closets with only hangars only in one!

THANK YOU. lol!!

YW! At least you know you're not nuts!

 

[horselover]

Oh I could go on and on about how stupid many of the features in Disney HA rooms are. My sister is in a wheelchair and we also traveled with my mother who used a manual chair and so we've seen a few of them. Even Poly - where they corrected a few items - still had a microwave in the studio that was almost difficult for me to reach. And the plates and other tableware was stored at the same height - absolutely impossible for someone wheelchair bound to reach. My sisters thought was that they figure that one who is handicapped would never travel without an able bodied person who could take care of some of these things. And why they'd think a safe in the closet wasn't accessible is another puzzling one except the doorway might be too narrow to access but it should have been designed wide enough otherwise the closet would be useless too.

I was disgusted when I was given a HA room at BW. Not because the room was in bad shape, well it wasn't it great shape, but the real reason was exactly what you said. I could not for the life of me understand how Disney thought microwaves & plates above my head level would be appropriate for someone that is handicapped. There was also a large "lip" on the balcony doors that would make it imposible for a wheelchair to get out there. Very limited storage. No where in the bathroom to put anything. There's no vanity but they could have put in some kind of shelves. Pretty sure I checked the armoire & no safe but maybe I'm wrong about that. The very next trip I was given a HA room at BCV. I immediately went to the front desk & asked for another room. They couldn't move me until the next day. Layout of that bathroom was different but the kitchenette area was the same. When I got home from my stay at BWV I wrote guest relations a scathing letter. Pretty sure it fell on deaf ears though.

Hi folks,
I have a question that I should probably already know the answer to....

Is there a way to use vacation club points to rent a concierge level room?

Thanks!

The point charts on the member site include "club level" for several resorts. I assume this is the same as Concierge?

It is Granny.

As Kat4Disney said you're going to pay a big premium pointwise for that room plus a $95.00 fee. You'd be better off waiting for a promotion & paying cash IMO.

Anyone here have VWL points they won't be using this year? I'm in need of a transfer to make Christmas work. Would rather keep it amongst friends if possible. If anyone's interested in doing a transfer shoot me a PM.