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

[Corinne]

Wow Granny, I had no idea the ME had already been changed dramatically, and I am with you, I would probably just use a Lyft or Uber to get to resort......besides, I’ve always referred to it as the NOTSO Magical Express! Neither Magical nor Express!

Sleepy, I really do not like the sound of membership tiers, or the monetizing of FP. One thing we all know for sure, Disney will continue to take our money as long as we choose to hand it over.

 

[Corinne]

Happy (belated) Father’s Day to all the great dads and granddads here! Hope you all enjoyed the day!

 

[twinklebug]

Corinne...good luck with that payroll system rollout push back. If it's anything like I saw in my many years of corporate life, the IT rollouts rarely happened on schedule! _


So I knew that Magical Express was going away after this year, but I didn't realize that they've basically gutted it already. I got my confirmation for ME for my October trip and was surprised to hear:

• Disney doesn't handle the bags any more. You have to retrieve them yourself at the airport and then get them to an ME bus for storage to the resort. Then you get them curbside at the resort and handle them to your room or use bell services.
• No more airline check-in at the resorts for departures. So basically the same thing...haul the bags out to ME and then retrieve them at MCO and get in line to check them (curbside or inside).

Basically, ME has been reduced to free shuttle service. And because of the new way of doing it, I'm seeing some horror stories posted of 2+ hour waits to get on an ME bus and then the usual additional hour to get to the resort.

I'm sure this is very old news to most of you, but honestly I haven't kept up with the Disney rules well enough. I can say that based on what I currently understand about ME, we will just take a taxi or Uber from the airport.

I would be interested to know if on-site bookings for Disney resorts are being impacted by the new rules from Disney. A very watered down ME, no more Extra Magic Hours, etc. Makes me wonder if Disney is going away from their thoughts of trying to entice people on-site. As they convert more of Grand Floridian to DVC, it makes me wonder if Disney is changing their on-site resort model a bit? I understand that Covid hit them hard, but honestly if we were not DVC members I don't think we would make the upcoming trips this year. Add to that the elimination of FastPass and it just isn't the Disney World experience that we thought we would be enjoying. And yes, I know FastPass affects all WDW park guests, not just the on-site resort guests.

Don't get me wrong, there's no complaints here. Disney has the right to run its perks in the manner they wish. It is just puzzling to me that they seem to be cutting back so much on the on-site advantages.

My experience with the car/limo/lyft/uber pick up area at MCO is: "Ahhhhhhh!"
Too many vehicles, pickups stopping over in the 3rd isle (they're not supposed to) and someone took the doors off the exit... how I have no clue.

Drop off area for departures goes much better.

At this point I'm unsure if I'll be using the Mear's bus system. We've seen through the years of Magical Express that when pulls back on monitoring Mear's they tend to let the quality of the service slip downhill: over packing of buses, long delays in departures and not caring if they arrive and leave from the resort before the pick up window. Disney learned that not all third party companies want to please the mouse to keep their position. My theory is that in addition to cost savings, this is the second reason they've decided to cut ties with Mears.

When affordable, I'm best off just renting a car and following Siri's directions to Disney. Driving on property is usually very easy.

 

[Disney loving Iowan]

Hey all! At DL today and got an ADR for GC so we are visiting our beloved Lodges west coast sister.

 

[Lorana]

We have rescheduled our big family & friends trip that was supposed to be for early this year to next year. Now it'll be mid-way between our 20th and 21st anniversary, and now during the 50th Anniversary Celebration, so that's a positive!

DH, the kids, and I will be in a 2BR at the Villas (BRV), along with my SIL & family and Stepbrother & wife. The rest of our family is just across the way in CCV. This is one of the big reasons we've wanted to be DVC - not only to "splurge" on 1BRs/2BRs for our stay, but to be able to spoil friends & family. For the family portion, we are taking a total of 23 family members with us, booking a total of 6 rooms (3 2BRs and 3 Studios). None of them have stayed at the Wilderness Lodge before (though they've been to the resort for dining), so we're super excited to be able to share our love of WL with them on this trip. Fingers crossed we don't have to reschedule again. It's also been SO LONG since we've last stayed at the WL that I am positively pining to be there!

For our friends trip (the first half of February vacation week), we had originally booked the Animal Kingdom Lodge for that side of things, but in rebooking, we let our friends convince us to book at Riviera, as some wanted to stay at the new resort, and some wanted to stay at Caribbean Beach but still be close to all of us. I still personally think AKV is "cooler," but we've been so many times, we let our friends pick the location. We aren't booking rooms for everyone on that trip, however, though we are renting out some points to some of them (that we were going to rent to cover some of our expenses).

8 Months to go! Cannot wait!

 

[sleepydog25]

Hey all! At DL today and got an ADR for GC so we are visiting our beloved Lodges west coast sister.

Were you at Napa Rose?

 

[Disney loving Iowan]

Were you at Napa Rose?

No we ate at Storytellers. It was about the only ADR we could get.

 

[sleepydog25]

No we ate at Storytellers. It was about the only ADR we could get.

We enjoyed that venue when we were there three years ago. Thought the food was good overall, too.

 

[Corinne]

Hi Groupies!
I was reading the new Disney Files issue, and thought, hmmmm, I’m going to have to follow up (for the 5th? 6th? time) on the status of our AP refunds. About an hour later, I went out to get the mail, and much to my surprise, the checks were there!!! I cannot believe it! (It is the little things in life!)

 

[sleepydog25]

It's early Sunday morning, getting ready to spread some pixie dust work, and I notice we are at the very bottom of the first page! No posts since Thursday afternoon, so I hope this means all the Groupies are enjoying their weekends!

In Disney news, our indoor CMs now get to enjoy going mask-less as long as they've been fully vaccinated. Once again, that does not include on our shuttle to and from the beach; however, we've come a long way. And as proven by so many quantifiable stats and research, this vaccination thing actually works.

Two pictures for you, taken on two separate days about a week apart.

Mama sea turtle after having laid her eggs in a different location about 60 feet away. She apparently got disoriented and exhausted and didn't make it back out to the ocean. Sea Turtle Rescue squad was called, and moments later, they were there and helped get her back into the water happily swimming away. The squad then marked the eggs' nest. In roughly 60-70 days, hopefully, her progeny will follow her into the Atlantic. For a point of reference, the green shrubbery behind the people sitting on the large storage box fronts the beach entrance to the resort's beach house.


A week or so later from said beach house access point mentioned above, looking toward the general spot where the mama turtle was rescued. You can't tell, but the wind was quiet brisk and creating small sand dunes close to the vegetation, and the waves were very active for this particular beach.


Have a great upcoming week, Groupies!

 

[Corinne]

Thanks for sharing Sleepy, I always enjoy your updates.

 

[twinklebug]

Thank you for the wonderful images of HHI beach and one of the many turtles who call the spot home base. I hope her offspring do well.

The Sea Turtle Rescue Squad sounds rewarding and straight out of Finding Dory.

 

[jimmytammy]

Great images Sleepy! T was just mentioning how we need to book a HHI trip into the end of a possible WDW trip in early Feb. Im a fan of DHHI for sure, but she really took to it! Every time something gets mentioned about going somewhere, she says we need to go back to HHI

 

[Corinne]

Well, I had to officially cancel yet another stay at BCV, . we now have 205 points to use or lose by 11/30. This is crazy.

 

[Disney loving Iowan]

Well, I had to officially cancel yet another stay at BCV, . we now have 205 points to use or lose by 11/30. This is crazy.

Oh no are they still not open?

 

[Disney loving Iowan]

Not sure if you guys saw this. Hopefully the link works. https://**************.net/2021/06/whispering-canyon-prank-glass-breaks-kc1/

 

[Corinne]

Oh no are they still not open?

I had to cancel because of work obligations. I’m going to try and waitlist a November stay. The other option would be to use the points for a stay at one of the concierge collection hotel rooms.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I had to cancel because of work obligations. I’m going to try and waitlist a November stay. The other option would be to use the points for a stay at one of the concierge collection hotel rooms.

So sorry you had to cancel Corinne! I'm trying to piece together a week in October and have a a couple of times seen at least 4 days pop up as available in November. I think it was always in the second week. I know OKW was one. Maybe AKV another time? So there is movement anyway.

 

[Corinne]

Thanks Kathy, I’m lol re-reading my post....I’m reading it with Eeyores voice in my head!! It will all work out!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Thanks Kathy, I’m lol re-reading my post....I’m reading it with Eeyores voice in my head!! It will all work out!

I'm very fond of Eeyore. He and is very acquainted with my VWL room request.