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

[Granny]

Here are some photos I've borrowed which were taken by a user name cosmos on another board of DVC info. They were taken 10/13 so very recent.


First one I grabbed was the new DVC Mickey topiary. It gives a clearer indication of its new location:




So it is one piece of good news...I think we all have enjoyed that topiary over the years!


The next photo is of the cabin progress. I'm sure those outer wall won't be the final color, don't you agree? I have always assumed they would look more like the bike & boat rental building as far as color and texture.

 

[Granny]

Here's a picture of the restaurant and some more of the pool. It looks like the tall pipes in the pool are gone but I'm thinking those short ones have to be to bring back the bubbling springs, right? And I do like the stonework on the restaurant. I think it will be a very attractive building with some fabulous views of Bay Lake.






And here's one more picture of the South Wing of WL. What's that small concrete thingy on the left side of the photo? Is that going to be a kiddie pool? Or is that the foundation of some other structure?





I find it useful to bring back Mike's layout of the plans. They suggest that this may be some sort of structure. Not sure what it would be. Maybe restrooms? Or a poolside bar?




Lastly, please note that the plans have some sort of structure on the VWL side of the pool. We've thought that might be a Community Hall, but I am not sure I've seen a photo with any foundation laid at that location.


So Groupies...our homework assignments are clear as we head to the World in the next few weeks. More pictures, and more sleuthing to dig up all the information out of the bus drivers and boat captains.

 

[Dizny Dad]

. . . . . . . . Kathy...I have to confess I was confused by your post. Why a question on whether the Annual Pass was back up to high quality? Then my brain slowly figured out your question. . . . . . . . . .

Not to worry Granny, my brain did the same thing . .

 

[sleepydog25]

KAT and Lakegirl: I suspect Luv and I may have been among the last of the Groupies to hit Annual Pas--er, Artist Point , and that was back in February. I can say that our visit then was exceptional. The food was superb, service spot on, and the ambiance--as always--was inviting. To be fair, it was only the two of us, and we usually dine early and ask for a window table which we've gotten every time but once. Plus, there's a bit of a story here, and here it is. . .we went to AP last year and it was superb which thrilled us since we felt AP hadn't been a topnotch Signature for a couple of years--too inconsistent. By this visit, however, the new chef had put his stamp on the menu, and it was a far better representation of what we'd come to love about AP. In between then and February, we went to AP with another couple during the closing days of Osborne Lights, and the experience was solid but not what I'd call excellent. I later emailed the general manager of our concerns (incomplete sides, spotty service), and he asked us to come back another time to make it up to us, thus, the February visit. It was as good as it has ever been (okay, I still think the berry cobbler is a shadow of its former self, but the homemade donuts with lingonberry jam are stellar!). Were they ready for us? Yes. Still, everything was topnotch. So, take that how you will.

As for the "what's happening at VWL?" commentary, I fully agree with what the other posters have said. No offense taken, but the intent of this thread over the years has often tended to a more a familial, welcoming vibe than a recitation of what is currently happening there. This leaning is mostly due to not having as many Groupies as there are folks who mostly gravitate toward the larger WL and, therefore, the pages of the Wilderness Lodge Resort thread. It's tough to update information when we may not have had a Groupie on the grounds for a couple of months or more. Even when we do, sometimes we're lax about reporting anything, it's true. Again, we're a Lovers' thread more than a straight up informational one, and that's the appeal to me, anyway. I do enjoy hearing what's new whenever we do get the scoop from a scouting Groupie, but to be fair, currently the only actual "news" is no news. There are the updated photos--which are cool--but they don't tell me much more than I already know or assume. What I'm most anxious to know is information that Disney has yet to and won't release--opening date, when the new Villas and Cabins will be up for sale, the cost per point, what the new building on the beach is truly going to be, will there be a Club Level for the new DVC resort, if & when the nature trail will re-open, and the big one, if bubbles will return to the new Hidden Springs pool . Perhaps we'll get some better info as our Groupie trips begin to increase now that cooler weather is upon us. If not, I'm still good.

 

[jimmytammy]

I found these shots on an email today from DVC Forum. In the sake of not taking a chance of plagiarizing, contributor is listed at bottom of page

Cabins, a restaurant and a new resort pool are all beginnning to take shape as Disney moves closer to adding villas to Disney's Wilderness Lodge.





Pool (center), lakefront cabins (right) and restaurant (left)





Closer look at the new resort pool



Restaurant situated along the shores of Bay Lake



Overhead view of DVC cabin



Front view of cabin



Fireplaces would certainly fit the Wilderness Lodge theme



Numerous cabins simulataneously under construction





Progress varies from cabin-to-cabin



Work also continues on conversion of hotel rooms to villas





Sheetrock being lifted to upper floor villas



The Mickey Mouse topiary has returned!



No evidence of Copper Creek or Boulder Ridge...yet

Disney Vacation Club has confirmed that additional villas and lakefront cabins are being added to Disney's Wilderness Lodge. These will be dubbed the Copper Creek Villas & Cabins, a separate legal entity from the original Wilderness Lodge DVC component.

Opening date for the new villas is still unknown. Construction permits suggest work may continue well into 2018.

Wil Lovato is a contributor to DVCNews.com and has been a Disney Vacation Club owner since 2009. His DVC Home Resorts include Bay Lake Tower, Animal Kingdom Villas, and Aulani. He can be found posting on many Disney discussion forums under the username of “wdrl.”

 

[ottawagreg]

Here's a picture of the restaurant and some more of the pool. It looks like the tall pipes in the pool are gone but I'm thinking those short ones have to be to bring back the bubbling springs, right? And I do like the stonework on the restaurant. I think it will be a very attractive building with some fabulous views of Bay Lake.

And here's one more picture of the South Wing of WL. What's that small concrete thingy on the left side of the photo? Is that going to be a kiddie pool? Or is that the foundation of some other structure?

Granny, I agree with all of your comments and thanks for digging up this pics. The stand pipes coming up out of the floor of the pool could very well be bubblers. The overflow/return are always on the walls near the deck. Correct? Judging by the guy in the pool it appears to be four feet deep or so and quite a bit of space at that depth too, which is nice. Question: are those steps on the left side through the last tree left standing next to our beloved villas? No zero entry then if that is so? It would appear also that they are working hard to get it commissioned asap. But there is still lots to go on the pool deck and landscaping.

My guess is that is a foundation. There are two buildings by the pool in DVC Mike's image. All the cabins and other buildings are shaded in red and it is consistent. I downloaded the permit application drawings when the news first broke on this project. I will try to dig them up and screen shot the area where the other building is. There was a description labeled on the print but I cannot recall what it is. Perhaps some groupies can help me with this, because my memory is not good. At the Kidani pool over at the AL, there is a second building there besides the pool bar. They call it a health club. But there was other stuff there too. Lockers and/or pay phones or something, but there has to be some mechanical equipment also. Pumps and filters/screens, chemicals, etc. As I recall the description on the drawing had something to do with that kind of stuff. I will work on finding that drawing if I can. A pool that size would need some maintenance area that was not there before. Am I wrong in that assumption?

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Kathy...I have to confess I was confused by your post. Why a question on whether the Annual Pass was back up to high quality? Then my brain slowly figured out your question. I can't provide a response since it has been a couple of years since our last meal there. But I'm hoping that it has returned to its former first class status.

Well, I'm sure we could probably discuss if the annual passes are up to high quality too!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Granny, I agree with all of your comments and thanks for digging up this pics. The stand pipes coming up out of the floor of the pool could very well be bubblers. The overflow/return are always on the walls near the deck. Correct? Judging by the guy in the pool it appears to be four feet deep or so and quite a bit of space at that depth too, which is nice. Question: are those steps on the left side through the last tree left standing next to our beloved villas? No zero entry then if that is so? It would appear also that they are working hard to get it commissioned asap. But there is still lots to go on the pool deck and landscaping.

?

Pictures that show the rest of the pool give an appearance of zero entry - so all the way around to the very left of the expanded pool, which is not all show in the pictures above.

 

[sleepydog25]

Granny, I agree with all of your comments and thanks for digging up this pics. The stand pipes coming up out of the floor of the pool could very well be bubblers. The overflow/return are always on the walls near the deck. Correct? Judging by the guy in the pool it appears to be four feet deep or so and quite a bit of space at that depth too, which is nice. Question: are those steps on the left side through the last tree left standing next to our beloved villas? No zero entry then if that is so? It would appear also that they are working hard to get it commissioned asap. But there is still lots to go on the pool deck and landscaping.

My guess is that is a foundation. There are two buildings by the pool in DVC Mike's image. All the cabins and other buildings are shaded in red and it is consistent. I downloaded the permit application drawings when the news first broke on this project. I will try to dig them up and screen shot the area where the other building is. There was a description labeled on the print but I cannot recall what it is. Perhaps some groupies can help me with this, because my memory is not good. At the Kidani pool over at the AL, there is a second building there besides the pool bar. They call it a health club. But there was other stuff there too. Lockers and/or pay phones or something, but there has to be some mechanical equipment also. Pumps and filters/screens, chemicals, etc. As I recall the description on the drawing had something to do with that kind of stuff. I will work on finding that drawing if I can. A pool that size would need some maintenance area that was not there before. Am I wrong in that assumption?

All sounds about right, but I'd be interested in what you can find as my memory is fuzzy, as well. However, I do seem to have read some talk either here or on another related thread that the far left of the pool (past the steps, farther left) looked as if it could be the zero entry spot. Again, I don't recall and, frankly, am too darn lazy to try to retrace my steps to find it (the discussion in question was well over a month ago, at least).

 

[Flossbolna]

Hi Flossy! What date is the Condo Association meeting? We've never attended it. I'm not sure how much time it takes up but I'm not sure we would want to spend some of our vacation time listening to DVC sales pitches and spin about current projects. And I would actually toss my cookies if someone defended the Boulder Ridge "re-imagining" of VWL. [insert barfing emoticon]

There actually is a thread about it now on the Member Services board: http://www.disboards.com/threads/condo-meeting-12-8-16-2-pm.3554740/

It is on December 8 at 2pm at the Coronado Springs Convention Center. Never been to CSR, so that might be a good opportunity to have a look around. I think it should not be more than a couple of hours and I think it could be a neat event to see at least once. Hey, and maybe you even get some DVC manager to talk to and tell them what a bad idea it is to name a resort after stones.

However, with regard to naming mistakes, I was happy to hear that Disney learned from previous mistakes. Does anyone remember "Limited Time Magic"? I always thought that this was an odd name for a promotion as it implied that the magic at WDW was limited (even though I ended up experiencing a pretty cool event as part of that promotion). The new promotion is called "Endless Magic", so this time they got it right!

And thanks to those who posted the pictures! Looks like things are coming together!

 

[Granny]

There actually is a thread about it now on the Member Services board: http://www.disboards.com/threads/condo-meeting-12-8-16-2-pm.3554740/

It is on December 8 at 2pm at the Coronado Springs Convention Center. Never been to CSR, so that might be a good opportunity to have a look around. I think it should not be more than a couple of hours and I think it could be a neat event to see at least once. Hey, and maybe you even get some DVC manager to talk to and tell them what a bad idea it is to name a resort after stones.

Thanks for the information, Flossy! Can you tell that I rarely stray off this section of the DISBoards?

CSR is a beautiful resort...surprisingly so compared to the "curb view" we get when driving past in the bus to DAK. It's worth the trip, and it has a very nice food court, and we enjoy the Mexican food menu at the Maya Grill. The grounds are beautifully landscaped around a lovely lake in the back.

 

[Lakegirl]

SLEEPYDOG25, thank you very much for the info on AP, it is very helpful. I must now ask you all a question, given the choice of Cali grill or AP which would you choose?

 

[Starwind]

We have now booked our one-night stay at WL (hotel-side) for after our Dec 2017 B2B cruise on the Fantasy.

(says very quietly) IF at some point before then the new WL DVC (sorry forget what it is called) is open in the south wing for our date, we will switch to one of those rooms.

While WL is where we feel "at home" and we stay there each trip to WDW, I must confess that this trip we will start with two nights at Poly, where we have never stayed but always wanted to try, before the cruise.

Of course, since we are booking hotel rooms (or a DVC room as a "hotel room" via Disney), we are hoping for room only discounts to appear sometime in the next year ;-)

SW

 

[pmaurer74]

1. Just to pipe in. I have lurked on this thread for years before becoming a DVC member. The people here are the nicest people and have gone out of their way to be nice. Strangers even inviting you to join them for events or concerts. Considering how many of the other boards are, I appreciate the friendliness here. There are other threads more on topic if I really need information.

2. I will be on property in 58 days so hopefully I can get some progress pictures for you. I was hoping the model cabin would be open by then or the restaurant but I doubt it.

3. I too really hope that that is not the final color of the cabins. I would assume they would match the rest of the buildings and structures at WL.

 

[jimmytammy]

Floss
We love CSR! It is our favorite among the moderates. PO Riverside is a close second(Barb, I know, I know, its Dixie Landings)if not for anything other than Yee Ha Bob. The rooms at CSR are very nice, maybe a bit more roomy than other mods. The atmosphere is cool, the pool is awesome, dare I say, the best on property, IMO. I think what really jumps out at me most is how the resort feels like a Deluxe. The variety of restaurants, lounges, amenities are more vast than other mods. This tends to be because its designed as a convention hotel. But it doesn't feel like a convention place, if that makes sense. It feels family oriented. Grab a bite at Maya Grill if you are there long enough, if not the QS place is pretty decent too. A little more to choose from there than most QS at other resorts.

 

[Dizny Dad]

For those able to go to the annual DVC meeting, go early. DiznyDi & I have attended a number of these meetings. We took the opportunity when attending an annual meeting to visit CSR since we, too, had only seen the curb side view when passing in a bus. What a wonderful resort! The grounds are indeed lovely, the walk around the lake is great, and we did enjoy the food court! The Maya Grill is very enjoyable and we loved the menu. The meeting itself paled in comparison to the adventure of discovering more Disney magic in this resort.

I don't mean to minimize the value of the annual meeting, but it is a standard stockholders meeting with a Disney flavor. It seems to me the same guys are always there asking the same old questions at the end (why can't we get "our channel" on the TV, Etc.). The mixer after is a great opportunity to meet and talk with the general managers of the different DVC resorts. Go meet our GM and ask your questions at that time; you can actually get a straight answer that may not be able to be said in the general meeting!

 

[Flossbolna]

The meeting itself paled in comparison to the adventure of discovering more Disney magic in this resort.

Ok, I think I need to keep this in mind to not be too disappointed! Between you and @jimmytammy I am convinced that I need to take time for the resort itself... I wonder if it would be worth it to pack our swim suits to take a dip in the pool there... Never used the pool hopping priviledges and feel like I should before they disappear totally. They seem to be cutting them back more and more.

Go meet our GM and ask your questions at that time; you can actually get a straight answer that may not be able to be said in the general meeting!

Great idea!! I think we are quite set that we want to go there, so if anyone has any questions that they want me to ask, let me know! I will try my best to get answers.

 

[sleepydog25]

SLEEPYDOG25, thank you very much for the info on AP, it is very helpful. I must now ask you all a question, given the choice of Cali grill or AP which would you choose?

That's a tough question. I suppose it depends on what you want out of the meal as much as anything. Both have had inconsistencies over the years, but both largely are excellent restaurants. Beyond that, what do you seek from the meal? If it's a quiet, romantic spot, then AP is the choice. The lovely ambiance and majestic nature of the dining area is arguably the best on property. Menu item costs at AP are, overall, slightly less expensive than those at CG, as well. If you want the buzzing excitement of a top meal, then CG would likely be my choice. It never seems to be quiet there, which makes a serene, romantic meal less likely. However, there is the appeal of being able to see MK from your table and watching Wishes if you can time it correctly. Both have excellent wine lists (CG is a bit more extensive) and usually have great service. More than anything, your choice will depend on what mood you're in or what experience you want. Good luck with your choice!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

SLEEPYDOG25, thank you very much for the info on AP, it is very helpful. I must now ask you all a question, given the choice of Cali grill or AP which would you choose?

I think Sleepy outlined the differences pretty well - assuming that AP is again providing good service and food. Our largest complaint was on service the last time we were there although honestly the food was just OK. That was 2-3 years ago now. But prior to that we had both excellent service and food which is what prompted me to ask for recent experiences. Since our last dining I have tended to get some little apps while in Territory Lounge and enjoyed - but that has kept the issue of service out of the equation too.

I will say though that while I've been pretty delinquent in GF dining, so am not using them in comparison, that Cali Grill has long been my favorite on property. It is loud though in comparison. A couple of trips ago we were seated in a small room off the back of the main dining. But, that meant none of the great views which is what I love the most. If you like sushi rolls they have some great ones.

 

[Lakegirl]

We have now booked our one-night stay at WL (hotel-side) for after our Dec 2017 B2B cruise on the Fantasy.

(says very quietly) IF at some point before then the new WL DVC (sorry forget what it is called) is open in the south wing for our date, we will switch to one of those rooms.

While WL is where we feel "at home" and we stay there each trip to WDW, I must confess that this trip we will start with two nights at Poly, where we have never stayed but always wanted to try, before the cruise.

Of course, since we are booking hotel rooms (or a DVC room as a "hotel room" via Disney), we are hoping for room only discounts to appear sometime in the next year ;-)

SW

You will love the Poly we stayed in April and feel I was spoiled. Between the monorail to the MK and a quick walk to the TTC and I also loved the DVC pool.