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

[bobbiwoz]

DH is dealing with health issues, and we cancelled an 8 night stay at the end of August and booked a 5 night stay beginning this Saturday. We need to get his treatment started as soon as it can happen.
We were fortunate to get something just a week out, and it looks like we will be wearing masks more than we had thought.

 

[Disney loving Iowan]

DH is dealing with health issues, and we cancelled an 8 night stay at the end of August and booked a 5 night stay beginning this Saturday. We need to get his treatment started as soon as it can happen.
We were fortunate to get something just a week out, and it looks like we will be wearing masks more than we had thought.

Hope you have a good trip and best of luck for DH with the treatments!

 

[Disney loving Iowan]

Just stopping into say Hi everyone!!! Hope you are all doing well. I'm just plugging along. Have our trip to DL in February set as much as possible. Have to wait to buy our park tickets till closer to the trip. Nice having the trip to look forward to. It is so weird though how different DL works from WDW. No magic bands and the app works differently too.

 

[Corinne]

I clearly live under a rock rock, I just discovered they stopped sending free magic bands, lol. I am fine with it, (it always interfered with my jewelry anyway.) I will just use my Apple Watch, but I assumed they were a source of revenue for Disney so I’m a little surprised. I know they are going to continue to sell them, but I’m curious to see if they eventually phase out. I also assume people tend to use them frequently for room charges, which also contributes to Disney’s bottom line.

 

[Lakegirl]

DH is dealing with health issues, and we cancelled an 8 night stay at the end of August and booked a 5 night stay beginning this Saturday. We need to get his treatment started as soon as it can happen.
We were fortunate to get something just a week out, and it looks like we will be wearing masks more than we had thought.

So sorry to hear about his health issues. Glad you were able to change your trip. Wishing for a speedy recover.
post some updates from your trip if you have time.

 

[Lakegirl]

I clearly live under a rock rock, I just discovered they stopped sending free magic bands, lol. I am fine with it, (it always interfered with my jewelry anyway.) I will just use my Apple Watch, but I assumed they were a source of revenue for Disney so I’m a little surprised. I know they are going to continue to sell them, but I’m curious to see if they eventually phase out. I also assume people tend to use them frequently for room charges, which also contributes to Disney’s bottom line.

I don’t have an Apple Watch DH does, I love my Fitbit. I guess I will have to use my app on MDE? Hope they improve their IT issues as I see that being an overload on their system.

 

[Cabius]

I don’t have an Apple Watch DH does, I love my Fitbit. I guess I will have to use my app on MDE? Hope they improve their IT issues as I see that being an overload on their system.

You should also be able to get a Key to the World card from your front desk or guest services.

 

[twinklebug]

I clearly live under a rock rock, I just discovered they stopped sending free magic bands, lol. I am fine with it, (it always interfered with my jewelry anyway.) I will just use my Apple Watch, but I assumed they were a source of revenue for Disney so I’m a little surprised. I know they are going to continue to sell them, but I’m curious to see if they eventually phase out. I also assume people tend to use them frequently for room charges, which also contributes to Disney’s bottom line.

I'm going to continue to use the magic bands until they eliminate them or the ones I have die. I like them for the automatically uploaded ride photos of my kids going through the parks. I think these are offered only with use of the magic band.

Also don't like the idea of using up my battery or fiddling with the phone for fast passes (when the return), opening the door to my room or charging to the room -- yes, I still do this as it makes it easier to see what we're spending verses logging into a credit card.

 

[Corinne]

All great points Cindy! I’ll bring old magic bands as well.

 

[Corinne]

Bobbi, hope you and Tom are able to have some nice down time. Thinking good thoughts for you both!

 

[Granny]

DH is dealing with health issues, and we cancelled an 8 night stay at the end of August and booked a 5 night stay beginning this Saturday. We need to get his treatment started as soon as it can happen.
We were fortunate to get something just a week out, and it looks like we will be wearing masks more than we had thought.

Bobbi...sad to hear about Tom's health issues, and I hope that you will have a great trip. I know the masks are a pain, but hopefully you will still have a magical trip. Prayers heading your way.

 

[APiratesLifeForMe2]

Hi everyone, it's been a while. We just got back from our trip and stayed at SSR this round. We visited the lodge on our last day for breakfast at Whispering Canyon. It was amazing! I then sat in the rockers by the fireplace and fed my 4 month old a bottle before we headed to the airport. Made a stop in the shop to get a few last minute treasures including a DVC pullover. I miss the lodge so much, told my husband we have to go back next year. We have one more SSR trip in December but once we can book our 2022 trips, I am going for the lodge and hoping the refurb will fall early in the calendar year. I am anxiously awaiting what they look like. I am not a fan of Copper Creek and I am only so/so on the regular hotel rooms so I am hoping for something a little more rustic. Give me grandmas lake cabin look, I don't mind it one bit.

 

[Disney loving Iowan]

Hi everyone, it's been a while. We just got back from our trip and stayed at SSR this round. We visited the lodge on our last day for breakfast at Whispering Canyon. It was amazing! I then sat in the rockers by the fireplace and fed my 4 month old a bottle before we headed to the airport. Made a stop in the shop to get a few last minute treasures including a DVC pullover. I miss the lodge so much, told my husband we have to go back next year. We have one more SSR trip in December but once we can book our 2022 trips, I am going for the lodge and hoping the refurb will fall early in the calendar year. I am anxiously awaiting what they look like. I am not a fan of Copper Creek and I am only so/so on the regular hotel rooms so I am hoping for something a little more rustic. Give me grandmas lake cabin look, I don't mind it one bit.

Hey how do you like SSR? We are thinking of going to WDW instead of DL in February but SSR is the only thing available. I have never stayed there.

 

[APiratesLifeForMe2]

Hey how do you like SSR? We are thinking of going to WDW instead of DL in February but SSR is the only thing available. I have never stayed there.

They are finishing up a complete refurb so everything is brand new. It's very nice and bright, they still kept a lot of the theme alive in the rooms. We stayed in the Paddock area which I requested. It had a great pool with a slide, drink refill station, pool bar and bus stop right in front of the pool. Not terribly convenient to the main lobby but we didn't need it with the other options. I missed being able to be so close to MK and the ability to take a boat to a park etc. but it's also a great savings on points.

 

[Disney loving Iowan]

They are finishing up a complete refurb so everything is brand new. It's very nice and bright, they still kept a lot of the theme alive in the rooms. We stayed in the Paddock area which I requested. It had a great pool with a slide, drink refill station, pool bar and bus stop right in front of the pool. Not terribly convenient to the main lobby but we didn't need it with the other options. I missed being able to be so close to MK and the ability to take a boat to a park etc. but it's also a great savings on points.

Thank you. I'm used to either staying at the Lodge or Boardwalk but neither of them are available. How busy is it? Are there a lot of people around with it being so close to Disney Springs? Just seems like a very busy area. How is the bus service?

 

[APiratesLifeForMe2]

Thank you. I'm used to either staying at the Lodge or Boardwalk but neither of them are available. How busy is it? Are there a lot of people around with it being so close to Disney Springs? Just seems like a very busy area. How is the bus service?

It's a huge resort but I don't notice many people around. It's still fairly quiet unless you are at one of the theme pools but I find that to be true at all resorts. You don't really notice any of the Disney Springs chaos at all, it's a decent distance away. You can't even see it from most parts of the resort. You can request a room that sits on the golf course and it would be incredibly serene. We rented a car so I am not sure on the buses. I know there are multiple stops which is always a turn off for me.

 

[Disney loving Iowan]

It's a huge resort but I don't notice many people around. It's still fairly quiet unless you are at one of the theme pools but I find that to be true at all resorts. You don't really notice any of the Disney Springs chaos at all, it's a decent distance away. You can't even see it from most parts of the resort. You can request a room that sits on the golf course and it would be incredibly serene. We rented a car so I am not sure on the buses. I know there are multiple stops which is always a turn off for me.

Thank you. I'm thinking that even with the inconveniences of staying at a resort that isn't one of my preferred ones at least I will still be at Disney.

 

[Disney loving Iowan]

Thank you. I'm thinking that even with the inconveniences of staying at a resort that isn't one of my preferred ones at least I will still be at Disney.

Actually I could stay at Kidani in a non savannah room too. Hmm. Not sure what to do. They busses take forever from there.

 

[sleepydog25]

Hi, Groupies! As you may have heard, WDW is reinstating a portion of the mask policy. They are now requiring all guests age 2 and up to wear a mask while indoors at any venue. The skyrocketing covid cases are why. And, yes, DHHIR is instituting the same policy as of tomorrow, 30 July. So, for those of you heading this way in the coming weeks, anytime you are indoors (lobby, community hall for activities, and the Mercantile), mask up. Now, back to our regularly schedule programming. . .

 

[twinklebug]

Hi, Groupies! As you may have heard, WDW is reinstating a portion of the mask policy. They are now requiring all guests age 2 and up to wear a mask while indoors at any venue. The skyrocketing covid cases are why. And, yes, DHHIR is instituting the same policy as of tomorrow, 30 July. So, for those of you heading this way in the coming weeks, anytime you are indoors (lobby, community hall for activities, and the Mercantile), mask up. Now, back to our regularly schedule programming. . .

Thanks for the update.