VWL Groupies...yes, we love the Lodge, a lot!!

[horselover]

As I.often tell Chris, it's all part of my anti-charm. :-D. I know what you mean re: check-in line. In one airport a few years ago, the line for coach fares was weaving around the lobby with two agents. First class line had no line and four agents. Ugh.

Anti-charm that's a good one! I thought your original reply to me was funny no worries. Just using my own brand of anti-charm on you!

 

[sleepydog25]

Anti-charm that's a good one! I thought your original reply to me was funny no worries. Just using my own brand of anti-charm on you!

I figured to know you well enough I could tease and expect same in return. Oh, and by the looks of your pics, you had some really, really, really, cool digs on the Fantasy. I'm envious of your time on the ship.

 

[Granny]

Back from our trip, and as I look at my camera, I realize I took very few photos this trip. But here are a couple more of Bay Lake Towers...just for you Jimmy!

Here's a picture of the pool area at night. I really like the pool layout, but we actually spent more time at the Contemporary "quiet pool" by the rental cabanas. Still, it does look good at night, and all that black area at the top is Bay Lake:







And one thing that BLT has over VWL are the Bay Lake views. I mean, as many times as I've been at VWL I never saw anything like this from the villas:








Don't get me wrong...VWL will always be our first love. But we do really like BLT too for the location and amenities.

 

[Granny]

And here's a picture of Eliza & Granny, yukking it up behind Trout Pass bar...





Yes, I did have to wear my Cardinal's shirt just to provide some balance for all the East Coast Groupie's team cheering.



And here's a good one...we picked up a Groupie for our meet that neither Eliza nor I knew! Say hello to Michelle, our newest phantom Groupie!






As Eliza pointed out, leave it to the Groupies to have new folks just come join our meets...and we were glad to have Michelle join us. She is quite nice, from Great Britain (but not England!). We enjoyed having you join us on your holiday, Michelle!

 

[Muushka]

I love it and I'm green at the same time! Eliza and Granny, what a dynamic duo!

Welcome to the Groupies, Michelle!

Granny, I'm right there with you on your thoughts about BLT VS VWL.

 

[DiznyDi]

WELCOME Michelle! So nice you all had the opportunity to become acquainted! Looks like you had perfect weather - at least when the picture was taken.
Nice to have you home Granny!
Enjoy the rest of your trip Eliza and Michelle!

OT: Did anyone see the really cute Villian ears that were available on Friday the 13th? I picked up a pair from a listing on Facebook of Maleficent and am now attempting to make a cross-body bag to match to accompany me for Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. Off to my sewing room... as of tomorrow I'll be in single digits.

 

[jimmytammy]

Eliza and Granny...Groupie recruiters(Muushka, these two make us proud dont they)
Granny, thanks for the pics, just pumps me up about our Feb BLT stay!! BTW, looks like our teams are going to cross paths again in the playoffs.

horselover, this will be our 1st time trying OLC so hope it all goes well. Friends from home say it has worked well so far for them, and wfc4life and sechem32 speak well of it also. If it doesnt bode well for us, we wont return to it. I told Tammy your thoughts about getting out of line and we will do this for sure if things dont move along

 

[cahedberg]

Hi groupies! Just wanted to share a little excitement....going to pick up our WDW tickets tomorrow from MWR....w00t! We still have a ways....my littlest dd keeps asking how many more sleeps...(1/4/14) so WAY to many! Until then, I'll keep lurking.... beautiful weather here in KS, finally!

 

[sleepydog25]

Hi groupies! Just wanted to share a little excitement....going to pick up our WDW tickets tomorrow from MWR....w00t! We still have a ways....my littlest dd keeps asking how many more sleeps...(1/4/14) so WAY to many! Until then, I'll keep lurking.... beautiful weather here in KS, finally!

Which base or post? I'm retired AF.

 

[jimmytammy]

17 days to go and cant wait!! Meet with fellow groupies horselover, DiznyDad and Di, wfc4life, sechem32(and of course TammyNC, and CaptD who are with jimmytammy)at TOTWL. Will take pics and share of course.

So wishing FPplus would take affect for us. We will be at ASMusic 11-13, and OKW 13-25 and FPplus becomes available for those checking in on the 14th at both of this resorts. Any chance of us going to front desk at OKW on the 14th and making it happen?

 

[horselover]

17 days to go and cant wait!! Meet with fellow groupies horselover, DiznyDad and Di, wfc4life, sechem32(and of course TammyNC, and CaptD who are with jimmytammy)at TOTWL. Will take pics and share of course.

So wishing FPplus would take affect for us. We will be at ASMusic 11-13, and OKW 13-25 and FPplus becomes available for those checking in on the 14th at both of this resorts. Any chance of us going to front desk at OKW on the 14th and making it happen?

Looking forward to it too!

As of now the 2 resorts you mentioned are scheduled to be available for testing 10/14. Won't do you much good for ASM but it should work for your OKW stay.

FYI JT I posted the rest of my Fantasy pics on the FB biz page if you want to get even my excited for your cruise!

 

[eliza61]

First, I got to meet Granny and Mrs. Granny. We had a fabulous meet and Michelle (wolf65) who loves the lodge but she's hasn't posted because she's not a dvc member. LOL, I'm working on her.

This was a very interesting trip because my girlfriend is going into business for herself specializing in luxury vacations. So she brought me down to take pictures of the deluxe resorts. Luckily she doesn't have super high expectations from my photography skills but it was absolutely so cool to walk around each resort.

I have now accepted the fact, that in another life I am going to be rich, well let's go with monetarily rich. Man o man, I could seriously live happily at the Polynesian or the Yacht club.

Anyway, I stayed at the Broadwalk. first time for me and it was gorgeous.



Views from our room

 

[eliza61]

views from the back of our room

 

[jimmytammy]

Looking forward to it too!

As of now the 2 resorts you mentioned are scheduled to be available for testing 10/14. Won't do you much good for ASM but it should work for your OKW stay.

FYI JT I posted the rest of my Fantasy pics on the FB biz page if you want to get even my excited for your cruise!

Thanks I will check out those pics!!

As for OKW, Im not sure how to go about getting system to allow us to get those FPs.

 

[blossomz]

Eliza..thx for those photos of Boardwalk! I've never stayed there and it is really much nicer than I thought! Did you have a room down one of those very very long hallways I always hear about?

 

[Corinne]

Yep that's me! I am so bummed I missed out on meeting you! I had good intentions. You both look wonderful! Welcome to our Phantom Groupie Michelle!

And here's a picture of Eliza & Granny, yukking it up behind Trout Pass bar...





Yes, I did have to wear my Cardinal's shirt just to provide some balance for all the East Coast Groupie's team cheering.



And here's a good one...we picked up a Groupie for our meet that neither Eliza nor I knew! Say hello to Michelle, our newest phantom Groupie!






As Eliza pointed out, leave it to the Groupies to have new folks just come join our meets...and we were glad to have Michelle join us. She is quite nice, from Great Britain (but not England!). We enjoyed having you join us on your holiday, Michelle!

 

[horselover]

Thanks I will check out those pics!!

As for OKW, Im not sure how to go about getting system to allow us to get those FPs.

Are your tickets linked to your MagicBands? I couldn't book anything for BCV until I linked the tickets & reservation to the bands. OKW is up on the TA site as being available for testing starting 10/14 so there must be a way to make it happen.

Thanks for the BW pics Eliza! I've never stayed on the Inn side. I agree with you on the Yacht Club. I stayed there in May. I always thought I didn't like the YC. Thought it was too "stuffy". Wrong! I loved it & after staying there could understand the complaints some people have about DVC deluxe vs. regular deluxe resorts. I thought the hotel & service was far superior to any of my DVC stays. I have pictures of the rooms I'd be happy to share with you for your friend if she needs them.

 

[eliza61]

Eliza..thx for those photos of Boardwalk! I've never stayed there and it is really much nicer than I thought! Did you have a room down one of those very very long hallways I always hear about?

LOL. the hallways are indeed long but it's very interesting, it seems that most of the time we found multiple ways of getting outside.

We were lucky in that our room was on the first floor, so we tended to bolt at the first sign of daylight. we were in 1636 which was a long way from the clown pool but the quiet pool was literally 50 steps away.

 

[eliza61]

So some hits and misses from the last visit.

Hit When they get the magic band system fully implemented, it should make entering the parks easier. the flow seems a little better with the "poles" instead of the turnstiles.

miss Get rid of the turnstiles upon exiting the park. why have them?

Hit The new Fantasyland is really shaping up nice. The new Ariel ride just opened and it's very cute and pretty. That area is going to be gorgeous when it's finished.









Miss Sorry but I am so hating the starbucks on Main Street. Now we visited in the am but I saw no Disney pastries AT ALL. So basically it is serving the same stuff I get at the Starbucks in Target in Southern NJ.

Hit Resort bakeries. The one in the Grand Floridian is worth trading in a small child for. The one in the Polynesian was under construction.

Hit Live entertainment. for a couple of years, what I call street performers in the parks was waaay down. probably a casualty of the economy. This trip, they were crawling all over the place. the boardwalk was jumping every single night.

Miss small change to fantasmic. at the end there use to be a boat where all the characters were on. that's been changed

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

17 days to go and cant wait!! Meet with fellow groupies horselover, DiznyDad and Di, wfc4life, sechem32(and of course TammyNC, and CaptD who are with jimmytammy)at TOTWL. Will take pics and share of course.

So wishing FPplus would take affect for us. We will be at ASMusic 11-13, and OKW 13-25 and FPplus becomes available for those checking in on the 14th at both of this resorts. Any chance of us going to front desk at OKW on the 14th and making it happen?

From what I understand JT if you check in before the 14th you can't get it. But hopefully begging at the desk on the 14th will work! I think I'm going to be making a last minute trip down for a couple of days and have OKW booked for the 13th before moving to BCV for 2 nights. The Magic bands and FP+ popped up right away for the BCV but nothing for OKW. Before I got the OKW waitlist I first had a cash reservation at POP and had the magic band for that also. Then a room opened at YC which I've always wanted to try and the MagicBand popped up for that also. So we seem to be right on the cusp of it all at OKW on the 13th.

The crazy thing is that from my last minute planning I now have 3 magic bands. Overnighted UPS. Just Crazy! And then I received 2 invitation letters - after I already had received the Magic Bands. And they were overnighted as well.

For the rest of my trip I selected my 3 allowed FP at the park of my choice. The process was fairly easy but the decisions were not. It's not fitting my style at all for trying to decide where exactly I want to be and when and that is less than 2 weeks out. I can not imagine at 60 days out. I'm hoping that the people stating that Disney will be holding back and not releasing all FP's at the same time is correct so that us late planners to still get our FP fixes.