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

[sleepydog25]

We arrived safely in Beaufort SC yesterday afternoon. Staying in the same house as before for 2 nights before moving over tomorrow to DHHIR. We love this area, went to our favorite pizza place here last night, came home, hit the bed at 8:30. Ahhh, vacation!
Our plan today is to go to the beach and pick up seashells. I found several good ones there last year, along with a couple sand dollars.
Later, we will stroll around downtown Beaufort and admire the old south architecture. Its a beautiful city, well preserved, and has some great shopping and dining mixed in.
This area saw about 80% of Forrest Gump being filmed here along with The Big Chill, Gi Jane and a few others. They also host an Independent Film Festival this time of year. Last year we saw Penn Holderness moseying around town(he is a big YouTuber with his DW, funny, crazy stuff.
If you are into history, its a great place to visit. There is a Reconstruction Museum across the street from our place we visited yesterday. Very well done, it delved into slavery, and how the former slaves were able to buy some of the homes and plantations that their former owners owned. It became a refuge town during the Civil War for runaways and freed African Americans. That time in our history affects me still and I never grow tired of learning something new about it.

It is a beautiful area, indeed. While at HHI, you gotta stop by Oddbirds Cafe in Bluffton--best blueberry muffins ever. Oh, and if you love donuts, don't forget Alljoy, also in Bluffton. As for Penn Holderness, yes, a very good YouTuber and he and his wife competed in last season's Amazing Race.

**Spoiler Below** in case someone has it recorded and hasn't seen it yet.








They won!

 

[sleepydog25]

Okay, I'll be the Grinch today (wrong time of the year, I know) and post this link: https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/08/business/disney-earnings/index.html

Okay, two things and two things only, although there is so much else to be said. . .
1) Iger said "I have enormous respect and appreciation for the talent and dedication of our employees worldwide, and I’m mindful of the personal impact of these changes." How mindful can one be when he makes hundreds of millions of dollars a year but is fine with cutting his "dedicated and talented" employees? I'm mindful that I unknowingly step on and squash ants from time to time. Ho hum.
2) "Iger also took steps to reward shareholders, while Disney employees will feel pain from the job cut announcement." Said Iger, “Our cost-cutting initiatives will make this possible. And while initially, it will be a modest dividend, we hope to build upon it over time.” So, in corporate speak, they're going to reward other multi-millionaires and mega-billionaire holding companies with dividends but cut 7,000 jobs to help pay for it. And no doubt more labor cuts to come.

I'll leave it at that. . .

 

[twinklebug]

Okay, I'll be the Grinch today (wrong time of the year, I know) and post this link: https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/08/business/disney-earnings/index.html

Okay, two things and two things only, although there is so much else to be said. . .
1) Iger said "I have enormous respect and appreciation for the talent and dedication of our employees worldwide, and I’m mindful of the personal impact of these changes." How mindful can one be when he makes hundreds of millions of dollars a year but is fine with cutting his "dedicated and talented" employees? I'm mindful that I unknowingly step on and squash ants from time to time. Ho hum.
2) "Iger also took steps to reward shareholders, while Disney employees will feel pain from the job cut announcement." Said Iger, “Our cost-cutting initiatives will make this possible. And while initially, it will be a modest dividend, we hope to build upon it over time.” So, in corporate speak, they're going to reward other multi-millionaires and mega-billionaire holding companies with dividends but cut 7,000 jobs to help pay for it. And no doubt more labor cuts to come.

I'll leave it at that. . .

I don't think analysis of trends and behavior is being Grinch-like at all. It has bothered me that the executives in all large companies take in unfathomable salaries and perks at the expense of others. Sure, I am happy Iger is back, but Chappek & Iger are cut from the same cloth, it's just that one has far more charisma and a sense of what will be accepted than the other.

Re-configuring the company into Entertainment, Parks and ESPN screams that they are isolating ESPN's books for a sell off. There are around 4,000 jobs in ESPN, most based up in CT.

To make the company look more profitable they'll be cutting many of the high paying development jobs from there. My guess is around 800 will be laid off from ESPN. Not great, no, and hardly the full 7K mentioned, leaving me to wonder which groups from Entertainment and Parks will be targeted this round (... and why is it always IT?)

 

[themagicgotme]

I've posted this a few places, so will keep it brief here, and apologize if anyone has seen it elsewhere. If anyone happens to be staying in room 2503 Boulder Ridge Villa studio, can you keep an eye out for a very "loved" looking bunny lovey my son has had since 4 months? (He's 5). I've tried all the official channels with no luck, and never being able to speak to a person! And I know it was left in his bed there. We realized the night we checked out, but haven't had any luck locating it.

 

[Mle8308]

I've posted this a few places, so will keep it brief here, and apologize if anyone has seen it elsewhere. If anyone happens to be staying in room 2503 Boulder Ridge Villa studio, can you keep an eye out for a very "loved" looking bunny lovey my son has had since 4 months? (He's 5). I've tried all the official channels with no luck, and never being able to speak to a person! And I know it was left in his bed there. We realized the night we checked out, but haven't had any luck locating it.

Unfortunately it is probably now at the Central Laundry facilities, highly unlikely it is in the room unless it's crammed behind a piece of furniture. The housekeepers have such limited time to turn over a room that they don't check the beds to see what may be left in the sheets. They pull 'em off and get them to the housemen's metros very quickly. The metros are then taken to the Central Laundry facility where all the sheets are washed and sent back out. If you try calling the WL, they should be able to transfer you to Central Lost and Found. The laundry is used to getting quite a few stuffed animals and if they make it through the laundering process, they do turn them in. Don't give up, your son may get a sparkling clean bunny back!

 

[themagicgotme]

Unfortunately it is probably now at the Central Laundry facilities, highly unlikely it is in the room unless it's crammed behind a piece of furniture. The housekeepers have such limited time to turn over a room that they don't check the beds to see what may be left in the sheets. They pull 'em off and get them to the housemen's metros very quickly. The metros are then taken to the Central Laundry facility where all the sheets are washed and sent back out. If you try calling the WL, they should be able to transfer you to Central Lost and Found. The laundry is used to getting quite a few stuffed animals and if they make it through the laundering process, they do turn them in. Don't give up, your son may get a sparkling clean bunny back!

Thank you! I also thought it would most likely be in laundry by now. But I didn't realize there's a central laundry facility, which gives me hope that it might just take a while before it's identified and matched with my lost and found report. Thank you! I am worried that they would think i didn't "make it through" as its head is close to being separated from the body. But that's Ok! I'd sew it back on! I'll try calling again and asking for central laundry.

 

[Mle8308]

Thank you! I also thought it would most likely be in laundry by now. But I didn't realize there's a central laundry facility, which gives me hope that it might just take a while before it's identified and matched with my lost and found report. Thank you! I am worried that they would think i didn't "make it through" as its head is close to being separated from the body. But that's Ok! I'd sew it back on! I'll try calling again and asking for central laundry.

That is exactly what can happen, it can take a few days for things to get from the laundry to lost and found. Don't give up yet! They will really do all they can to find it. Fingers crossed! I always warn friends who are travelling with little ones to make sure to not leave anything on or in an unmade bed, because it may not be there later on. Of course your situation was a little different. Believe me, the CM's really do want to reunite "loved ones" with their person!

 

[themagicgotme]

That is exactly what can happen, it can take a few days for things to get from the laundry to lost and found. Don't give up yet! They will really do all they can to find it. Fingers crossed! I always warn friends who are travelling with little ones to make sure to not leave anything on or in an unmade bed, because it may not be there later on. Of course your situation was a little different. Believe me, the CM's really do want to reunite "loved ones" with their person!

I know! I ALWAYS check the bedding. We usually do "BunBun check" as our #1 thing leaving each resort. I cannot fathom how we forgot that morning. But we had a split stay, and needed to get my husband's medical device to the next resort, and then go to Epcot. And I had so many things on my brain and then just as we were about to leave the fire alarm went off. No big deal, but my son is really terrified about alarms because of all the drills they do at school, so we rushed out with our bags and completely forgot to do our final "idiot" check. The next day we met Pooh and I literally burst into tears because I was about to tell my son that Pooh was to Christopher Robin like his BunBun is to him, and hen realized I was responsible for losing Pooh! LOL.

 

[jimmytammy]

Sleepy
Not being a Grinch, being realistic, IMO. I agree, CEOs of big and small companies dont seriously care about their employees. I know they are not all like that, but lets be honest, most are greedy. Therefore, they take and take, with no regard to the ones in the trenches who keep them afloat. Stinks to high heaven!

 

[Disney loving Iowan]

What is frustrating to me is if or how will the layoffs effect us that go to the parks? For the past 3 years we have had to deal with scaled back parks with a lot of experiences taken away due to various reasons including low staffing. They still haven't gotten back to the level they were at pre pandemic. I'm doubting they ever will.

 

[Corinne]

We arrived safely in Beaufort SC yesterday afternoon. Staying in the same house as before for 2 nights before moving over tomorrow to DHHIR. We love this area, went to our favorite pizza place here last night, came home, hit the bed at 8:30. Ahhh, vacation!
Our plan today is to go to the beach and pick up seashells. I found several good ones there last year, along with a couple sand dollars.
Later, we will stroll around downtown Beaufort and admire the old south architecture. Its a beautiful city, well preserved, and has some great shopping and dining mixed in.
This area saw about 80% of Forrest Gump being filmed here along with The Big Chill, Gi Jane and a few others. They also host an Independent Film Festival this time of year. Last year we saw Penn Holderness moseying around town(he is a big YouTuber with his DW, funny, crazy stuff.

I love Penn! He and his wife also won The Amazing Race, and they’re a fun follow on IG.

Hope your shelling is fun and you find some good shells and sand dollars!

 

[Corinne]

Venting::::::We booked a stay for late April/early May….we did not renew our AP’s last year, and the price for a 5 day pass is nauseating. I am beyond annoyed.

 

[sleepydog25]

I've posted this a few places, so will keep it brief here, and apologize if anyone has seen it elsewhere. If anyone happens to be staying in room 2503 Boulder Ridge Villa studio, can you keep an eye out for a very "loved" looking bunny lovey my son has had since 4 months? (He's 5). I've tried all the official channels with no luck, and never being able to speak to a person! And I know it was left in his bed there. We realized the night we checked out, but haven't had any luck locating it.

I feel your pain, so hopefully someone on here will be there soon and can check on it for you or perhaps even find it. There is still a chance that housekeeping has it (they're generally instructed NOT to toss things like that they find). So, Groupies, if anyone is there now or going soon, could you please stop by the front desk and inquire about Bunny Lovey?

 

[jimmytammy]

Okay, I'll be the Grinch today (wrong time of the year, I know) and post this link: https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/08/business/disney-earnings/index.html

Okay, two things and two things only, although there is so much else to be said. . .
1) Iger said "I have enormous respect and appreciation for the talent and dedication of our employees worldwide, and I’m mindful of the personal impact of these changes." How mindful can one be when he makes hundreds of millions of dollars a year but is fine with cutting his "dedicated and talented" employees? I'm mindful that I unknowingly step on and squash ants from time to time. Ho hum.
2) "Iger also took steps to reward shareholders, while Disney employees will feel pain from the job cut announcement." Said Iger, “Our cost-cutting initiatives will make this possible. And while initially, it will be a modest dividend, we hope to build upon it over time.” So, in corporate speak, they're going to reward other multi-millionaires and mega-billionaire holding companies with dividends but cut 7,000 jobs to help pay for it. And no doubt more labor cuts to come.

I'll leave it at that. . .

This morning a friend sent a post from Breitbart(I dont keep up with news much, its all bad IMO, and I just refuse to filter much of it in),but the article is about how Disney claims to be losing $1 billion per quarter in its streaming services alone, going on to say that its woke mentality has a lot to do with losing its subscribers. I dont want to stir the pot here, everyone has a right to their own opinion. But I do hold to this company, Walt and Roy, founding it on family principles. I hope its not too late for Iger and company to see the forest for the trees. In hoping to not offend a few, they are excluding many more. And the firing of employees is just putting a bandage on, not addressing the real problems within. I only share this out of love for a brand, one I grew up with, one I have admired for a long time. One I felt I could share with my kids. Now as adults, they see the backwards mental state its in. My daughter will not let her 5 and 2 yr old watch Disney shows for concern what may come up and out of the stars mouths, or a cartoons mouth. I never worried about that when my kids were small. Sad that my grandkids are not living in the same world we grew up with.

 

[jimmytammy]

We did carriage ride around Beaufort yesterday and met a real nice couple, who lo and behold, are VWL owners too. Small World

 

[Disney loving Iowan]

This morning a friend sent a post from Breitbart(I dont keep up with news much, its all bad IMO, and I just refuse to filter much of it in),but the article is about how Disney claims to be losing $1 billion per quarter in its streaming services alone, going on to say that its woke mentality has a lots to do with losing its subscribers. I dont want to stir the pot here, everyone has a right to their own opinion. But I do hold to this company, Walt and Roy, founding it on family principles. I hope its not too late for Iger and company to see the forest for the trees. In hoping to not offend a few, they are excluding many more. And the firing of employees is just putting a bandage on, not addressing the real problems within. I only share this out of love for a brand, one I grew up with.one I have admired for a long time. One I felt I could share with my kids. Now as adults, they see the backwards mental state its in. My daughter will not let her 5 and 2 yr old watch Disney shows for concern what may come up and out of the stars mouths, or a cartoons mouth. I never worried about that when my kids were small. Sad that my grandkids are not in the same world we are up with.

Yeah I get it. My husband just showed me a clip from a Disney cartoon and wow. After seeing that I can't blame your daughter for not letting her kids watch them. It's sad that we can't just have fun cartoons that don't have politics behind them.

 

[BostonEd]

I check-in in around a couple months. Should I go ahead and do online check-in now, and include my request (high floor, woods view)? Or wait until closer?

Actually do I have that right? I'd like the side of the building facing the pool and beyond. Is that woods view?

 

[kes601]

What is frustrating to me is if or how will the layoffs effect us that go to the parks? For the past 3 years we have had to deal with scaled back parks with a lot of experiences taken away due to various reasons including low staffing. They still haven't gotten back to the level they were at pre pandemic. I'm doubting they ever will.

D'amaro said yesterday that it would not affect front line hourly workers in the parks.

 

[Stingberg]

This morning a friend sent a post from Breitbart(I dont keep up with news much, its all bad IMO, and I just refuse to filter much of it in),but the article is about how Disney claims to be losing $1 billion per quarter in its streaming services alone, going on to say that its woke mentality has a lots to do with losing its subscribers. I dont want to stir the pot here, everyone has a right to their own opinion. But I do hold to this company, Walt and Roy, founding it on family principles. I hope its not too late for Iger and company to see the forest for the trees. In hoping to not offend a few, they are excluding many more. And the firing of employees is just putting a bandage on, not addressing the real problems within. I only share this out of love for a brand, one I grew up with.one I have admired for a long time. One I felt I could share with my kids. Now as adults, they see the backwards mental state its in. My daughter will not let her 5 and 2 yr old watch Disney shows for concern what may come up and out of the stars mouths, or a cartoons mouth. I never worried about that when my kids were small. Sad that my grandkids are not in the same world we are up with.

Literally every streaming service outside of Netflix is losing money. The idea that it's happening to Disney because they are acknowledging that gay people exist is absurd.

The issue is that people are paying less for television/streaming while getting more and better-produced content all without ads. But sure, fool yourself into thinking it's because it's no longer cool to discriminate against black people.

 

[sleepydog25]

I check-in in around a couple months. Should I go ahead and do online check-in now, and include my request (high floor, woods view)? Or wait until closer?

Actually do I have that right? I'd like the side of the building facing the pool and beyond. Is that woods view?

For a view of the pool and beyond, request a lake view, high floor. The lake view is the most requested as there is more to look at (including often being able to see EWP) than the woods view. The woods view faces, well, the woods. And while it's lovely and quiet unto its own right, most prefer lake view. The higher the floor the better your view of the lake will be should you get that side. Now, the top floor (5th) has dormer-style balconies which means the walls are solid, and with a slight overhang of the roofline, they feel a bit more confining. Enjoy your trip!