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

[jimmytammy]

Happy Birthday ladytink75!!!!

 

[jimmytammy]

Here's a picture of the entire VWL resort (red roof). I have no idea what Disney means by "woods view" as virtually every room has a woods view.

I think Disney put that option in there to help their odds of getting a room that meets the request.

I think the other suggestions you have gotten would work. Enjoy the trip!

Even looking at pine trees at VWL is a great view(and I see them all the time in NC!). It affords you views of wildlife like deer, rabbits, armadillo, etc. Like our North American version of the Savannah view at AKL

 

[twokats]

Happy Birthday ladytink75

hope it is the best

 

[twinklebug]

Happy Birthday ladytink75!

 

[twokats]

I guess everyone has other things going on, so I will make sure there is at least one post for today. Now I need to go change some of the clocks for the time change.

Hope all the groupies have a good weekend.

 

[jimmytammy]

Thanks for keeping us on page 1 teapot

 

[Dawn68PA]

I wasn't feeling well yesterday and spent a little time on Google looking at pictures of VWL. Can't wait to stay there!

 

[jimmytammy]

We have been at Coronado Springs since Fri, moving over to SSR resort in a little while til Wed, then stay with friends til Sun, going to 2 ballgames with them. Spent time with AnnieT and her DH yesterday at HS and Epcot. We walked about 6.5 miles and legs are feeling it. Its been cool here but today will warm to high 70s(breaking the shorts out today)

Ate at Maya Grill last night and was really good. Menu has changed but food was very tasty. We really like CS a lot, in fact it is our fave mod for sure, Its spacious but it seems like hardly anyone is here. Just not a crowded feeling resort.

Headed to MK later and maybe a quick walk to DTD

 

[Granny]

Just back from a quick trip to New Orleans to celebrate my daughter's birthday. Walked a lot but oh, we ate way too much great food!

Jimmy...we haven't stayed at CSR but really enjoy the ambiance there and Maya Grill has become a regular in our our restaurant selections for each trip. I agree that the resort always seems kind of quiet even though it is a convention center and a pretty large resort. Enjoy the rest of your trip!

I wasn't feeling well yesterday and spent a little time on Google looking at pictures of VWL. Can't wait to stay there!

We know you'll love VWL! And we hope you're feeling better quickly!

 

[BethanyF]

Silly question, I know.....anyone have some recent pics of a 1 BR to share? Less than 2 weeks to go and I'm getting antsy

 

[DiznyDi]

Good Morning Groupies!
Boy do I ever feel out of the loop! I'm taking this class and the homework is intense; early mornings and late nights just to get it all done. Poor DDad is even doing all the cooking these days. Not a bad thing - he's a really good cook! My class goes for only 2 more weeks. Then my life will return to its normal everyday routine.

WELCOME to any and all of our new Groupies! It's always a pleasure when new folks find their way to our little corner of the Dis.

And I know I've missed birthdays, too I'm so sorry! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Enjoy your time in the world JT and your time with Tearsa and family.

Have a good week Groupies!
Di

 

[jimmytammy]

Happy Birthday Icecoldpenguin!!!!

 

[jimmytammy]

Diane
Thanks for the tips on where to stay at SSR. We were able to get The Grandstand area. We really like this area, its quiet, though we do have some rowdy redneck college kids above us. But that can happen anywhere.

***This is a heads up for everyone***
Yesterday, it took us over an hour to check in at SSR, partly our fault, partly Disney. It all worked out, but for sake of time, in case it helps you folks, I wanted to share.

Our Magic Bands were throwing up a red flag, not sure why, but the CM was very helpful with it. Old MBs and old tickets and old Annual Passes were showing up on My Disney Experience. Bottom line, to save you some time, delete all your old cards, MBs you dont want to use, and tickets. She told us how to do this, but even they were having issues in the back and had to call in re-inforcements. CM was very apologetic and admitted that Disney put MBs in play too soon without realizing all the implications and imperfections it had, one of the problems, the very one we had.

So if you decide to tackle it, the MBs have a little band ID #(I need glasses and a magnifying glass to see it)on the underside just under your name. If this is the MB you wish to keep, if its linked to your current ticket or AP, set aside, be sure not to delete it. But if you decide to navigate it(sorry, wish I could give you more info. on how to do this, but the fact is, they did it for us, and yall know me, not tech savvy at all)you can probably save yourself some hassle in the future.

Best thing that came out of it, without asking, none the less, they gave us 3 FPs to use on any attraction today at MK. To top it off, they gave us $75 credit towards dining as time wore on.

Just thought I would share as this may help yall to make life a little less stressed while on vacation

 

[Dawn68PA]

Thanks for the heads up!

Ok now I'm just torn on whether I want to make sure I have the bands correct ahead of time or if I want to chance it for the free moolah

 

[twinklebug]

Happy Birthday Icecoldpenguin!!!!

 

[twinklebug]

JT: Sorry to hear about the delay in getting set up with your room, but very interesting note about the magic bands and passes. I know they've had many issues with the setup, maybe they've been working on the system and have triggered new issues.

There's a thread around revolving around how to get extra fastpasses by booking a fake room and canceling it after the magic bands have been sent (too convoluted for me to follow.) Perhaps Disney IT is now trying to close that loophole and old MBs got caught up in it. Is that's a shame since I really wanted to reuse my old bands to color coordinate to what I was wearing for the day. I'd best go in and modify my order to something a bit more neutral than Mickey yellow for our next trip.

Enjoy your trip, JT!

 

[twinklebug]

Here's a picture of the entire VWL resort (red roof). I have no idea what Disney means by "woods view" as virtually every room has a woods view.

I think Disney put that option in there to help their odds of getting a room that meets the request.

I think the other suggestions you have gotten would work. Enjoy the trip!

I love that pic. The lodge is nice to visit and walk though, but only the villas feel like home. I hope, they can retain the wilderness feeling outside the rooms if they do construct anything new nearby. A long time back Disney weeded out the non-native plants from under the trees at the Fort. It really changed the feeling of the campground for me, I want VWL to stay exactly the way it is.

 

[Dizny Dad]

. . . . . I need glasses and a magnifying glass to see. . . . . . .

Say it ain't so, Jimmy, say it ain't so!

 

[Granny]

I love that pic. The lodge is nice to visit and walk though, but only the villas feel like home. I hope, they can retain the wilderness feeling outside the rooms if they do construct anything new nearby. A long time back Disney weeded out the non-native plants from under the trees at the Fort. It really changed the feeling of the campground for me, I want VWL to stay exactly the way it is.

I hear you twinklebug! And for the record, that picture was taken by one of the Groupies who made it up to Flag Family...we've never been. I have to confess that I've forgotten whose picture I grabbed. I "borrowed" it since I think it makes the "view request" discussion very easy for newcomers to VWL.

Good Morning Groupies!
Boy do I ever feel out of the loop! I'm taking this class and the homework is intense; early mornings and late nights just to get it all done. Poor DDad is even doing all the cooking these days. Not a bad thing - he's a really good cook! My class goes for only 2 more weeks. Then my life will return to its normal everyday routine.

Di...I've heard abut your class from Cindy. Sounds like you are moving into a graduate degree in your area of expertise!

***This is a heads up for everyone***
Yesterday, it took us over an hour to check in at SSR, partly our fault, partly Disney. It all worked out, but for sake of time, in case it helps you folks, I wanted to share.

Jimmy...that's crazy stuff! I don't know why Disney keeps sending us so many MB's...it would probably help if you could opt of them (easily). We are looking at our upcoming trip and the MDE site continues to be a challenge for me at times. :O

There's a thread around revolving around how to get extra fastpasses by booking a fake room...

Twinklebug...I think this is one of the many reasons why CM's continue to tell me that the internet is really messing up Disney guest experiences as they try to keep up with unrealistic expectations and/or fraud like this. Why do people feel that cheating is "perfectly okay" because they pay Disney "so much"? [getting down from my soapbox now]

 

[horselover]

Thanks for bringing up the MB issue Jimmy. I was told that by a CM at SSR 2 years ago when they first rolled out & at that time I only had a couple MBs on my account. Now I have 18! That's crazy. What I've been doing since then is I just go into my MDE account & deactivating all the bands I'm not using. You can always go into your account & reactive any band. As I've posted before I like to customize my bands. I just made one for spring for the trip tomorrow. I keep whatever my seasonal band is active & my AP band just as a back up. Since I've been doing this I've had no issues with my bands. Hopefully that will continue. There going to try to give me a new grey band tomorrow at POFQ which I will decline. I see it in my account but I made it inactive. That may mess up direct to room check in but if it does I'll just go to the front desk. I know they're having some issues with direct to room check in. No big surprise there. Nothing ever seems to roll out properly or easily at Disney. Hope to see on you Thu!

Oh & just in case any of you don't know you can decline MBs with DVC reservations. I was told by a CM to call MS 30 days before arrival & they'll surpress the shipment. I'm hoping one of these days they'll give us the option to decline them in our MDE accounts. I'm going to start declining them. I've got a custom band for all seasons now. I don't need any more MBs!