VWL Groupies & Lovers Thread (Special Collectors Edition 2.0) updated 21 June 2023

[jimmytammy]

 

[Granny]

Jimmy...that Grand Villa is very cool! Thanks for sharing the pictures, and I hope the balance of the trip with the whole family is great!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

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Oh - jealous! I think the CCV GV's are the most beautiful in DVC. Well, from the pictures. We've never had any luck in even looking at them when stopping by and asking. Have fun!

 

[jimmytammy]

I think the thing I like least about the GV is this...having to leave it behind after only one night
This place has spoiled us! We got to see EWP with a great view and the MVMCP fireworks out our side windows
We are on the top floor which is wonderful!!
I can say we would(if we have enough points)stay here again

 

[jimmytammy]

Our DGS and maw maw Tammy at his 1st viewing of the tree
Views from GV
Fireworks view out the side window
Granny, I need your assistance Again

 

[twinklebug]

CCV GV
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I'm pretty sure that's my sofa

 

[jimmytammy]

I'm pretty sure that's my sofa

I wish I had known in time, me and Casey could have grabbed it up for you before they kicked us out

 

[jimmytammy]

Our DGS in few random shots
His Dad and Casey went on the Diveguest at Epcot
And our 1 bed at VWL
we got a 1st floor 1st time ever and it faces the buses
No coffee drinking in our pjs on the porch this trip

 

[wildernessDad]

Our meet at TL was awesome last night
Starwind had to cut out before we could get this shot
so here we are in all our glory
Wilderness dad is front and center with his DW Toni and DS Jesse too his right
Dana Corinne’s DH is just behind Jesse
CaptD Casey is our DS and next to him is me, Jimmy, Tammy aka TammyNC is next to me and Corinne is next to Tammy
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I didn't break the camera?

 

[twinklebug]

Finishing up my packing.. I should be arriving in less than 12 hours. Kind of odd traveling alone. I'm so glad my boys are there already.

I wish I had known in time, me and Casey could have grabbed it up for you before they kicked us out

That's fine. WL isn't aware, and I'd like to keep it that way, that my goal is to move into one of those CC GV units. I'm doing so one piece of home at a time. Phase 1A has been achieved with the sofa... next up: the big old antique icebox. Now, if you would be so kind as to let me know which unit number that was I can be sure my minions sneak, I mean add it into the right room.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

And our 1 bed at VWL
we got a 1st floor 1st time ever and it faces the buses
No coffee drinking in our pjs on the porch this trip

Sorry Jimmy! Since I booked the Cabin this year and forced them to give us a water view they may have been waiting for another groupie to give my normal room assignment to.

 

[Granny]

Granny, I need your assistance Again

Here you go..."straight" from Jimmy!

Our DGS and maw maw Tammy at his 1st viewing of the tree





Fireworks view out the side window









and one more:

 

[DVC Jen]

For the money, I'd go with DCL. Service is exemplary. Food quality is better overall. Service is topnotch. Entertainment is wonderful. Cast members are superb, and did I mention the service is fantastic? You likely have been on a cruise, so I may be preaching to the choir, but we've found our cruises to be a better experience than our park trips for the most part.

yes we have been on 4 so far. 2 on the Magic and 2 on the Fantasy. Love DCL!

 

[DVC Jen]

We aren't cruise people, so for our 30th anniversary last year we did a San Francisco - Aulani - Disneyland trip that was a lot of fun for the two of us. Just tossing out an alternative if you are looking for a non-WDW trip. A cruise sounds like a great way to celebrate the anniversary though. Decisions, decisions!

We went to San Francisco for our Honeymoon! We have talked about Aulani - but our girls would probably refuse to care for us in our "older" age if we went without them.

 

[jimmytammy]

Thanks for keeping me straight Granny

 

[sleepydog25]

Another slow day in VWLville, eh? I'll put a stop to that. . .
1. We've been watching the Imagineering documentary segments with much amusement and enjoyment. Some of the images, especially the first two episodes, are truly remarkable. I read where the documentarian and her crew found thousands of archived video rolls and were able to digitalize those to show. They absolutely pop with color, and many of them are scenes and footage I've never seen before mostly because they hadn't been released. Stunning.
2. We watched the latest episode tonight, and it involves much of the story behind Iger's rise to prominence and a turn by Disney to harness new technologies for newer and older rides. Again, it was fascinating, and to hear the emotion in the voices of many of the Imagineers and other creative talents as they recall what makes them happy will moisten your own eyes.
3. Still, when they were talking about how they can do so much with lighting and film and video now so that we're swept away by the illusion of magic made to seem real, I couldn't help but think and say aloud to Luv, "yet, they can't fix the leaning buildings and mountains in Soarin', can they?" How the heck did that ever make it by all the quality control folks, huh? Bueller?

And finally. . .
4) The new points charts for 2021 have been leaked, released, are out, whatever. I haven't studied them closely beyond comparing the studio and 1BRs at VWL. First, for those who haven't seen them, there are now 7 seasons. That's right: 7. I'm sure this gives them more flexibility in changing point charts going forward. I'm sure that's good for them, but I'm unsure how that will turn out for us. Second, that being said, the point requirements seem to be very minor (again just looking at studios and 1BRs). Some dates that line up have remained the same. Some have risen a point per night. Some went down a point or two per night. Others went up a point or two for weekdays but went down on weekends. There was one set of dates, if I recall correctly, where weekends went up a few points per night, but it was for a short time, something like the three-week spring break timeframe. All in all, not as shocking as I fear it might get in future years.

Okay, that's it for now. We drive to Disney late next week!

 

[jimmytammy]

How to wind down the WL way

 

[jimmytammy]

Sorry Jimmy! Since I booked the Cabin this year and forced them to give us a water view they may have been waiting for another groupie to give my normal room assignment to.

We have been fortunate enough to land a few water views in our time, so I dont mind the bus side of the resort from time to time. Bu this side of the resort, 1st floor, facing the walkway, its a nice view, but no privacy at all. We dont even feel as if we can open curtains during day as folks passing by gander this way. Not a huge issue, but nice mornings, we like to drink coffee on the porch.

We laugh as my requests were this, 1st-high floor, 2nd-near elevator. Dont really need an elevator on the 1st floor. So asking for near elevator will go away as a request from now on

 

[jimmytammy]

We ate at Hollywood Brown Derby yesterday for the 1st time and really enjoyed it. I had the famous Cobb Salad and grapefruit cake

We rode the Millennium Falcon the other day so once Paul(our DSIL)had the chance, I rode with him yesterday and got lucky as we both do it together in the single rider line. He is a Star Wars fanatic so he was in heaven.

We rode the Skyliner from HS to CBR, then transferred top the Epcot line. Very nice ride. Got some shots of Guardians of the Galaxy ride building, Riviera Resort and the construction of the new Ratatouille ride in France

 

[Granny]

.
1. We've been watching the Imagineering documentary segments with much amusement and enjoyment. Some of the images, especially the first two episodes, are truly remarkable. I read where the documentarian and her crew found thousands of archived video rolls and were able to digitalize those to show. They absolutely pop with color, and many of them are scenes and footage I've never seen before mostly because they hadn't been released. Stunning.
2. We watched the latest episode tonight, and it involves much of the story behind Iger's rise to prominence and a turn by Disney to harness new technologies for newer and older rides. Again, it was fascinating, and to hear the emotion in the voices of many of the Imagineers and other creative talents as they recall what makes them happy will moisten your own eyes.
3. Still, when they were talking about how they can do so much with lighting and film and video now so that we're swept away by the illusion of magic made to seem real, I couldn't help but think and say aloud to Luv, "yet, they can't fix the leaning buildings and mountains in Soarin', can they?" How the heck did that ever make it by all the quality control folks, huh? Bueller?

I've watched the first 3 episodes (Walt --- post-Walt --- Eisner/Wells.) I agree that the footage is new, and the interviews with the Imagineers is great. Especially when they show video of their younger selves with their voice and recollections of today. A really good series...my understanding is that there will be 8 episodes in total? I'm not rushing through them...just picking times when I know I can watch uninterrupted.

And finally. . .
4) The new points charts for 2021 have been leaked, released, are out, whatever. I haven't studied them closely beyond comparing the studio and 1BRs at VWL. First, for those who haven't seen them, there are now 7 seasons. That's right: 7. I'm sure this gives them more flexibility in changing point charts going forward. I'm sure that's good for them, but I'm unsure how that will turn out for us. Second, that being said, the point requirements seem to be very minor (again just looking at studios and 1BRs). Some dates that line up have remained the same. Some have risen a point per night. Some went down a point or two per night. Others went up a point or two for weekdays but went down on weekends. There was one set of dates, if I recall correctly, where weekends went up a few points per night, but it was for a short time, something like the three-week spring break timeframe. All in all, not as shocking as I fear it might get in future years.

Sleepy...I was reading about the new point charts for 2021 yesterday. As you indicate, there are 7 seasons...no names for the seasons any more. And the only "lowest point" season time of the year is September 1-19. The next lowest season is January 1-31, September 20-30, and December 1-23. So the very popular early December has gone up a bit in points but is still in the lower point season time of the year. I'll have to play with the chart to see how it impacts our usual trips as far as point usage goes.

The very good news is that Disney doesn't seem to have implemented the radical re-alignment of points that they tried to announce last year which would put a heavy penalty on studios and 1BR villas.

One interesting note...VWL and CCV now do not share identical point charts. I didn't delve into it much, but when I looked at the first season, I see a slightly different point schedule for CCV versus VWL. This will be interesting to watch as it might increase competition for a reservation at either of them at the 7 month mark if it is during a time where that resort is lower points per night. I can see someone booking VWL and then switching to CCV to save a few points, figuring the experience to be just about the same at either. Or booking CCV and trying to switch to VWL for the same reason.

Here's a good article with details about the 2021 point charts: DVC News: 2021 Point Charts