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

[twokats]

I hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving and also had their fill of turkey and all the fixins.

We had a gorgeous day here in TX. Unfortunately our Cowboys did not do so well, but we enjoyed the day and finished it up with some of our kids and way too many leftovers.

I wish we had a trip to the world in our future, but it looks like it will be Dec 2016 before Kati and I are able to work a trip in. We have 3 cruises in the works, for the end of 2015 and the first part of 2016, so that will have to do for now. I have not had that long without a trip to WDW scheduled since about 2009.
So I guess we live thru all y'all that will be there, so remember, lots of pictures please!

 

[wildernessDad]

Happy Thanksgiving, Groupies! 9 days until Kidani and 13 days until our beloved Lodge!

 

[MiaSRN62]

Hi Groupies, hope you all enjoyed a blessed day with family and friends. I simply cannot believe this, but we have 8 more sleeps.....while I am eager to be back at WDW, especially to see the holiday decorations and celebrations, this time of year is just a little too crazy! I'm certainly not complaining though.

Exciting Corinne...you and WildernessDad are coming up on your trip! I feel the same about trips to WDW in Dec. They are awesome and put me in the festive spirit but this time of the year is very hectic and it does make for some craziness! LOL

Hey Kathy....what cruises you have planned? We have a Disney cruise in January 2016 booked.

 

[WolfpackFan]

Checking into VWL Monday morning for a week. It has been a couple of years since we've stayed there even though it is our home resort (well at least one of them). Very excited.

 

[Granny]

It is so great to see some of our Groupies pop in for the holidays!

We do have much to be thankful for.

A Muushka sighting!!! Hope all is well with you and Chuck at this time! Great to "see" you!

Hope all is well with the Groupies, and Happy Thanksgiving to all. We lost power yesterday morning around 8 a.m., and we had none through the day and all last night.

Sleepy...I'm glad the outage wasn't longer than that, but it is still rough especially at this time of year. It sounds like you took it in stride, and kept your mind on the big picture of life and understood this was another bump along the way. Glad that you and LUV are okay.

Hello all!
Ive been absent since my return from my DCL/WDW trip on Nov 7. I came back pretty sick with a wicked cold so that didn't help. The rest was catching up with work and school.

Maria...always nice to hear from you and sorry to hear that you had to battle through some illness right after your trip. Sounds like you are heading full steam into the holidays. Take care!

Hi Groupies, hope you all enjoyed a blessed day with family and friends. I simply cannot believe this, but we have 8 more sleeps.....while I am eager to be back at WDW, especially to see the holiday decorations and celebrations, this time of year is just a little too crazy! I'm certainly not complaining though.

Corinne...yes it is crazy, but once you immerse yourself in the beautifully decorated WDW hopefully you can let the stress flow out of you and just take in the atmosphere and gaiety that permeate that wonderful place. Enjoy your trip!

I wish we had a trip to the world in our future, but it looks like it will be Dec 2016 before Kati and I are able to work a trip in. We have 3 cruises in the works, for the end of 2015 and the first part of 2016, so that will have to do for now. I have not had that long without a trip to WDW scheduled since about 2009.
So I guess we live thru all y'all that will be there, so remember, lots of pictures please!

Kathy...just remember that a wide space between trips will make it all that more special when you go back! And of course, just because you aren't heading to WDW soon doesn't mean we don't want you hanging out with us here! I agree...pix are a Groupie membership requirement!!

Happy Thanksgiving, Groupies! 9 days until Kidani and 13 days until our beloved Lodge!

WDad...always great to see your enthusiasm for an upcoming trip. I'm sure it will be a wonderful one for you!

Checking into VWL Monday morning for a week. It has been a couple of years since we've stayed there even though it is our home resort (well at least one of them). Very excited.

Wolfpack Fan....I know what you mean about length of time between VWL visits. I just looked it up and our last VWL stay was Christmas week 2012. And our next stay won't be until 2016 at least. I know you'll have a great stay with your family!

 

[Muushka]

Hi Granny

We are well, hoping the same for you and your family.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

A late Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

Just finished my turkey sandwich and side of stuffing while cleaning out the plethora of Black Friday sale notifications from my inbox. Actually, I should say the first and second rounds because I'm certain there will be quite a few last minute, time is running out notices that will fill it back up again in a couple of hours. Then very shortly DH and I are venturing out to see if we discover and scraps left over from the morning shoppers.

I just checked wait times at MK - 95 minutes for Big Thunder and Space, almost 2 hours Peter Pan (cannot fathom doing that to a child!) and and 2.5 hours for 7DMT. It's not too often I would do this but I'm giving a little bit of thanks that I'm not there today. Only 5 minute wait for Capt EO over at Epcot though.

 

[DiznyDi]

Muush - It is nice to see you! We'll miss you during the Christmas season this year Hello to Chuck!

Sleepy we lost power too. Monday's storm hit and took down a beautiful 30ft specimen pear tree in our back yard. Split the tree in thirds. DDad has work to do to clean it up. Unfortunately when it fell it also took out two smaller trees on either side. Our power was only out for about 6 hours. During those hours our house temperature dropped by 6 degrees. I hate to think how cold we would have been had we been without power for 28 hours. Makes for a memorable holiday!

Corinne - we're at 6 days! How about you? Can you feel the excitement building? Oh boy!

WolfpackFan - we check in on Thursday. Maybe we'll see you in the lobby? Or at Roaring Fork, or on the boat, or shopping in the Mercantile.....?

There will be no Merry Mixer the week we are there. Anybody have any guesses where I might be able to acquire the annual DVC ornament or how I might go about getting one? I'd really like the matching pin but I guess that's not going to happen.

DDad and I ventured out this afternoon and were surprised how little traffic there was and how few persons were in the stores. I guess everyone was out super early. Staples had reams of paper for a penny (after rebate) and had a case of paper for $14.99, again after rebate. Since I was nearly out of paper, we now have adequate supply to last us a year or so

Leftovers for dinner at our house. Enjoy your week-end! My head is having a hard time recognizing that this is Friday - I've tried to make this Sunday all day.

 

[WolfpackFan]

WolfpackFan - we check in on Thursday. Maybe we'll see you in the lobby? Or at Roaring Fork, or on the boat, or shopping in the Mercantile.....?

Could be. I'm 60+ and baldish. Kind of hard to miss. If you see us with children, it definitely isn't us. Just DW and myself this time. I can usually be found in the lobby each morning, drinking coffee and catching up with the world on my iPad, while DW sleeps late. If you see me, come up and say hi.

 

[twokats]

Hey Kathy....what cruises you have planned? We have a Disney cruise in January 2016 booked.

We have a Disney Wonder cruise from Galveston to Puerto Rico for Jan 4, 2016. We will be going on the Wonder in Dec 2015 with 4 of our kids and a friend from Galveston to the Bahamas. We do love it when Disney is in Texas.
We hope to do the Westbound Panama Canal on the Wonder in May of 2016.

Kathy...just remember that a wide space between trips will make it all that more special when you go back! And of course, just because you aren't heading to WDW soon doesn't mean we don't want you hanging out with us here! I agree...pix are a Groupie membership requirement!!

You are so right. When we had more space between trips in the past, it did seem to be a little more meaningful in a way. Don't worry, I won't desert the boards just because I don't have a trip planned.

Leftovers for dinner at our house. Enjoy your week-end! My head is having a hard time recognizing that this is Friday - I've tried to make this Sunday all day.

Well, we had our leftovers for dinner also. I did not leave the house at all today. I am not a Black Friday lover, and I actually got some clutter removed from the back room. My bad arm is letting me know I did more than usual today. I do plan a trip to JoAnn's tomorrow. I have decided that I need a new sewing machine. I am hoping to renew my meager skills and my son that lives behind me is also wanting to do some things. I just don't know what I want. Any suggestions out there?

Muushka. . . . . so glad to see you around. Hope you and Chuck had a Happy Thanksgiving.

 

[sleepydog25]

Now that the Christmas season is in full swing, here's a video I stumbled upon of the tree going up at the Lodge. Very cool!

http://www.wildernesslodgesite.com/...eo-wilderness-lodge-christmas-tree-decorating

 

[Granny]

Sleepy...that is a great video! Almost looks like the cherry picker machine is animated! I didn't know how they "built" the tree...very cool!!


In fact, I hadn't heard of that website before. Lots of Lodge Lovers in this world I guess. And why wouldn't there be?

 

[sleepydog25]

Sleepy...that is a great video! Almost looks like the cherry picker machine is animated! I didn't know how they "built" the tree...very cool!!


In fact, I hadn't heard of that website before. Lots of Lodge Lovers in this world I guess. And why wouldn't there be?

I, too, was surprised at how the tree was erected. Glad you liked it!

 

[patty57]

Good Morning Groupies.
We are checking into a VWL studio tomorrow morning, and I'm wondering about the safe. I may need to (ugh) bring my laptop, which is pretty small at 12 X 8". Does anyone know if the safe in the studios can hold that, maybe an IPad, and wallets? I don't think the safes are a standard size across all the resorts.
Thank you for any info you may have.
Patty

 

[sleepydog25]

Good Morning Groupies.
We are checking into a VWL studio tomorrow morning, and I'm wondering about the safe. I may need to (ugh) bring my laptop, which is pretty small at 12 X 8". Does anyone know if the safe in the studios can hold that, maybe an IPad, and wallets? I don't think the safes are a standard size across all the resorts.
Thank you for any info you may have.
Patty

Hmm, that will be a close fit, but you might be able to fit the laptop if you slide it in at an angle. Certainly, the iPad and wallets will fit. Perhaps someone who has been there with a similar sized laptop will answer before you go. You might also try the WL thread located under the "Disney Resorts" heading as someone there could have an answer. Enjoy your stay and the decorations!

As a side note to all Groupies and speaking of the main Lodge thread, I read where the pool refurb completion date has been pushed to at least Dec 3. Perhaps some enterprising souls who are headed there soon will share pics of the nearly completed work.

Tree selection day here in our household. We have several Christmas tree farms within a half hour's drive here in the mountains, and we've been going to the same one now for a decade. It sits in a gorgeous, little valley, and it requires driving over a rickety wooden bridge to get to it. They have hot chocolate and hot apple cider, dogs that roam the premises "helping" you pick out a tree, and dozens upon dozens of acres of trees. It's quite the tradition to go there and officially signals the beginning of our Christmas season.

 

[patty57]

Hmm, that will be a close fit, but you might be able to fit the laptop if you slide it in at an angle. Certainly, the iPad and wallets will fit. Perhaps someone who has been there with a similar sized laptop will answer before you go. You might also try the WL thread located under the "Disney Resorts" heading as someone there could have an answer. Enjoy your stay and the decorations!

As a side note to all Groupies and speaking of the main Lodge thread, I read where the pool refurb completion date has been pushed to at least Dec 3. Perhaps some enterprising souls who are headed there soon will share pics of the nearly completed work.

Tree selection day here in our household. We have several Christmas tree farms within a half hour's drive here in the mountains, and we've been going to the same one now for a decade. It sits in a gorgeous, little valley, and it requires driving over a rickety wooden bridge to get to it. They have hot chocolate and hot apple cider, dogs that roam the premises "helping" you pick out a tree, and dozens upon dozens of acres of trees. It's quite the tradition to go there and officially signals the beginning of our Christmas season.

Thanks for the scoop on the safe. I'm staying on rented points, so won't have daily housekeeping. If it doesn't fit, I'll probably just stash it somewhere.
Have fun picking out your tree.

 

[sleepydog25]

Thanks for the scoop on the safe. I'm staying on rented points, so won't have daily housekeeping. If it doesn't fit, I'll probably just stash it somewhere.
Have fun picking out your tree.

That's what we did until we started just bringing an iPad, but our laptop was bigger than yours. And, welcome to the Groupies! Enjoy!

 

[tea pot]

Morning Groupies

Your Right Granny
It makes me so Happy see all of you
Hope everyone had a Wonderful Holiday.
So sorry for those of you that lost Power and Trees
6' is too cold for me Di
We woke up to a winter wonderland so pretty.

Magical Wishes to all of you heading to Our Happy Place
We're Staying behind this year.
I'm sure I speak for those of us staying home
We want to see lots and lots of Pictures !!!
and I would like to say thank you in advance

Good to see you Muushka

 

[tea pot]

Now that the Christmas season is in full swing, here's a video I stumbled upon of the tree going up at the Lodge. Very cool!

http://www.wildernesslodgesite.com/...eo-wilderness-lodge-christmas-tree-decorating

Sleepy
Thanks... I needed that

 

[Muushka]

Morning Groupies

Your Right Granny
It makes me so Happy see all of you
Hope everyone had a Wonderful Holiday.
So sorry for those of you that lost Power and Trees
6' is too cold for me Di
We woke up to a winter wonderland so pretty.

Magical Wishes to all of you heading to Our Happy Place
We're Staying behind this year.
I'm sure I speak for those of us staying home
We want to see lots and lots of Pictures !!!
and I would like to say thank you in advance

Good to see you Muushka

Hi TP PM on it's way.