VWL Lovers & Groupies Thread: Meese-ka, Mice-ka MOOSE-kateers

[DiznyDi]

Oh good. I was afraid I was on ignore!

Never!

Jimmy!


Let's party!

 

[jimmytammy]

Thanks folks!!

 

[stopher1]

Jimmy: Hau 'oli la hanau!

I hope your birthday is terrific!

 

[Muushka]

And in addition to our beloved Jimmy's birthday.....

wait for it....wait for it....

Disney Loving Iowan has a birthday tomorrow!!!

Happy Birthday Disney Loving Iowan!!!!!

Can someone who is much better at baking cakes than I please "bake" one????
My gifs are so lame!!!​

 

[Granny]

Happy Birthday Jimmy!

Time to crank up the party!

 

[jimmytammy]

Continued thanks for all the Bday wishes

Happy Birthday DLI!!!!!!!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Happy Birthday Jimmy!!!

 

[Inkmahm]

And in addition to our beloved Jimmy's birthday.....

wait for it....wait for it....

Disney Loving Iowan has a birthday tomorrow!!!

Happy Birthday Disney Loving Iowan!!!!!

Can someone who is much better at baking cakes than I please "bake" one????
My gifs are so lame!!!​

A day early, but Happy Birthday Disney Loving Iowan who doesn't live in Iowa!!! And to Jimmy, too. I had grapefruit cake at Brown Derby today in honor of your birthday.

We're off to dinner but I want to point out a great new place to go for the animal lovers on the thread. It's a place called Giraffe Ranch in Dade City, about an hour and a half from WDW. Dynaguy and I did the safari there yesterday and LOVED it. My favorite part was feeding the lemurs grapes with just me and the owner INSIDE their enclosure. The lemurs have hands and their fingers touch you so gently. This place is great for anyone looking to get off the Disney reservation and see something new. I have pictures, but will have to post when I get home.

 

[crabbie1]

As we are staying at this wonderful resort for the first time in August can you tell me what room area to request? To be honest I am not too bothered but have made sure I requested a high floor this time.At OKW I asked for first floor which in the UK is your second floor.Prefer to be up higher.
Also, which resturant would you recommend for 2 adults alone then 2 adults and 2 children?
Is Fort wilderness far away and can I take the girls to chip and dales camp fire?
There is so much to ask.I still cannot believe we have bought here.On our tour we were being asked why why why WLV as the contract is less than SSR etc but we loveeeeeeed the feel and rustic atmosphere,locality and secluded feel. To us SSR has no character and after staying there confirmed our thoughts and although never stayed or visited WLV (just saw pictures and videos) when we went over to view the rooms before signing it met all our expectations.
Any tips between now and august would be great and love reading this thread.

 

[horselover]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JIMMY & DLI!!!!!

 

[Granny]

So it's a rainy, drizzly, yucky Friday in Philly and I'm dreaming of the World (as usual) and wondering how I'm going to make it going a whole year without visiting.
Even though we love the lodge, what else makes our heart sing about our mouse home?

Very nice pictures on a dreary, though not very cold, January day. I don't have a lot of my park pictures posted to my photobucket albums...so I'll just offer up this one...

I know, I know. Probably the most over-photographed icon at Disney after Cinderella Castle. But for whatever reason, I take a shot like that on every single trip.

I love World Showcase, it's views across the water towards Spaceship Earth and the views of the countries from the other side of the water as well. I am sure I have other favorite views...I'll just need to track down some pictures of them!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

As we are staying at this wonderful resort for the first time in August can you tell me what room area to request? To be honest I am not too bothered but have made sure I requested a high floor this time.At OKW I asked for first floor which in the UK is your second floor.Prefer to be up higher.
Also, which resturant would you recommend for 2 adults alone then 2 adults and 2 children?
Is Fort wilderness far away and can I take the girls to chip and dales camp fire?
There is so much to ask.I still cannot believe we have bought here.On our tour we were being asked why why why WLV as the contract is less than SSR etc but we loveeeeeeed the feel and rustic atmosphere,locality and secluded feel. To us SSR has no character and after staying there confirmed our thoughts and although never stayed or visited WLV (just saw pictures and videos) when we went over to view the rooms before signing it met all our expectations.
Any tips between now and august would be great and love reading this thread.

Welcome!! You've picked a great place to stay!!!

For restaurants for 2 adults I highly recommend a nice dinner at Artist Point and with the kids Whispering Canyon can be lots of fun or we also like to go over to FW to Trails End. It is a buffet at dinner time though. Or you might think about the Hoop Dee Doo Revue for a show and dinner at FW.

You certainly can go to Chip and Dales camp fire and movie at FW. You will take either the resort launch to FW and then a FW internal bus to the meadows or there is a bus that runs from WL/VWL to FW and then you would switch to the FW internal bus to the meadows which is where the campfire is (it's much easier to do than it may sound! ). WL/VWL also has an evening movie shown on the beach. I'm not positive but think they might have a marshmallow roasting prior to the start of the movie since I know other resorts do that but of course no Chip and Dale.

 

[cheer4bison]

Happy birthday Jimmy and DLI! Hoping you both have magical birthdays this weekend.

Thanks so much Stopher for sharing your pictures of Aulani. I wore my Aulani pin on my sweater yesterday because I was missing the place that much. Love, love, love that resort...almost as much as our beloved lodge.

 

[sleepydog25]

As we are staying at this wonderful resort for the first time in August can you tell me what room area to request? To be honest I am not too bothered but have made sure I requested a high floor this time.At OKW I asked for first floor which in the UK is your second floor.Prefer to be up higher.
Also, which resturant would you recommend for 2 adults alone then 2 adults and 2 children?
Is Fort wilderness far away and can I take the girls to chip and dales camp fire?
There is so much to ask.I still cannot believe we have bought here.On our tour we were being asked why why why WLV as the contract is less than SSR etc but we loveeeeeeed the feel and rustic atmosphere,locality and secluded feel. To us SSR has no character and after staying there confirmed our thoughts and although never stayed or visited WLV (just saw pictures and videos) when we went over to view the rooms before signing it met all our expectations.
Any tips between now and august would be great and love reading this thread.

We like to ask for a pool view, floors 3, 4, or even 5. The views from most rooms is just woods, but if you can see the pool, then that means you should be able to at least see part of the lake. Further, we've been able to see Wishes fireworks from the upper rooms, too. You certainly don't get the full effect as you would in person, but when you're tired and don't want to be out at that time, watching them from your balcony is quite enjoyable in its own right.

I agree that the best place to eat for two adults is Artist Point, and if your kids are old enough, you can drop them off at the Cubs' Den child care center located across from the mercantile store. There is a small fee, but they feed your kids, have tons of activities to do, movies to watch, and they give you a pager in case you're needed. Whispering Canyon can be fun for the whole family as it's intended to be a rousing place with stick horse races, lots of good-natured yelling, etc. The food is just average fare, but there's plenty of it if you get the all-you-care to eat skillets.

Fort Wilderness is right at a mile from the Wilderness Lodge, and there is a walkway that connects the two (or you can walk along the trail that leads out from the bike shop which will also lead you to Ft Wilderness). It's an easy walk, or you can rent bikes. There are pony rides at FW if you're interested.

We love VWL and agree the theming is some of the most special at Disney. We feel relaxed while there; it's quieter than most resorts; and it's our home away from home.

Welcome home!

 

[Inkmahm]

Artist Point is a great choice for dinner! Dynaguy and I are eating there tonight, as a matter of fact. That's after lunch at Sanaa and then an afternoon at Downtown Disney. We're maybe going to go see the new Sherlock Holmes movie.

No word on Dynaguy's grandma yet, the one that was supposed to die about a week and a half ago according to the nurses. They say they've never seen anyone hang on as long as she is with the minimal support she is getting (a very slow running IV). It's odd because we know she is ready to go. Must be the other end that isn't ready to receive her yet. God works on his own timeframe.

 

[eliza61]

I'm late, I'm late!! For a very important date.

Happy Belated Birthday JT and DLI!! Hope your day was magical!!

 

[Granny]

Happy Birthday DLI!!!

 

[DiznyDi]

Happy Birthday DLI!

I wish for you a day of sunshine and smiles as you celebrate this your special day. Enjoy!

 

[stopher1]

Allison: Hau 'oli la hanau!

I hope your birthday is terrific!

 

[stopher1]

Thanks so much Stopher for sharing your pictures of Aulani. I wore my Aulani pin on my sweater yesterday because I was missing the place that much. Love, love, love that resort...almost as much as our beloved lodge.

OH MY GOODNESS. I have, I must admit, fallen in love with that place. I absolutely hated to leave it. I'm back on the mainland now, getting ready for the Happiest Place on Earth for the next 3 days. (I'm here - but in the room getting some stuff done before going and having some fun). Excited to see the completed projects at the DL Hotel, and enjoying my beloved Grand Californian once more. For a few more pics of Aulani, and some more info about it - I've featured it as my Sunday Spotlight today in my blog.

Aulani truly is magical. It was very hard to describe to my brother over the phone - but when he walked in to the Lobby, and I gave him a tour - he too was enchanted by it. He went over a few times during construction to tell me how progress was going, but hadn't been back to Ko Olina since before the resort opened. I am so ready to go back.

I got a tour of the Grand Villas yesterday before leaving. There are 21 - 18 of which have direct ocean front views. The other 3 are basically too low down to have a view. All of the "oceanview" rooms that are not GV's - are angled, and have somewhat of an oceanview. The GV's are straight on, with 5 sliding doors - all looking directly at the lagoon and the ocean. Here's a few shots of the view - these were all taken on the 10th floor:

Through one of the bedroom's sliding doors

Out on the balcony itself

Some yahoo that they let in - not sure why...

The balcony

And a panoramic, showing the Marriott property right next door