VWL views and pics

[mrsminniemouse]

Hi!
DH just phoned from work and said he can get time off in May!

Last night I called MS and 1 beds were available everywhere but BCV. I was amazed at this. As we are booked into OKW for September, have stayed at SSR and stayed at The Beach Club (hotel not villas) 3 times before, we decided we would like to try VWL. Gotta try them all, right? Our DD will be almost 2 so I hope the boat to MK will be great for us. Not sure if we will feel isolated from the 'real world' but that could be a good thing anyway.

Any advice on which views to request? Is it pool or woods view? Anyone got a link to photos to get me in the mood? Is the transportation good?

Trying not to get excited until it is booked!
Thanks for any VWL info and tips.

Mandy

JUst wanted to add that of course I realise requests are not guaranteed. NS is important for us, but anything else is just a bonus.

 

[Disney-Kim]

We are staying at the VWL for the 2nd time in May too.
I think you will really enjoy the ambience and the theming. You do not feel out of touch at all. The boat ride to MK is enjoyable too.
I really don't think there is a bad view at the VWL except a few that face the front road/trash area. the rest all face the woods or front entrance, which is woodsy too.
Have a great time !!!!

 

[Disney-Kim]

here is a link to Deb Wills site with LOTs of pictures......http://allearsnet.com/acc/g_wlv.htm

 

[Kadorto]

During our visits the boat service to the MK was great. Never waited more than a couple of minutes for a boat and most of the time there was waiting at the dock or just pulling up for us. The only drawback is that they don't start service until 1/2 hour before the park opens, so if you have a PS for an early character breakfast you'll have to take a bus

 

[lsutigger2]

We love VWL, in fact I'm in the process of booking again for Oct. Last trip we had a one bdrm at the end of the "short hall" (to the right out of the elevators). It was really quiet. Our balconey faced the lodge and to the right was a view of the lake and at night we could see the Electrical Water Pagent. We've also had a first floor dedicated studio, again to the right from the elevators. The laundry room was a short walk away.
The boat ride is enjoyable and I think I've read that there is now also a bus that goes to the MK.
Hope you enjoy your trip!

 

[DizneyNutz]

Hello MRSMINNIEMOUSE,
We have stayed at the Lodge twice 02 & 03 and we loved it. It is fabulous and you basically have every mode of transportation available at WDW. You can take the boat to MK or to the Contemporary and ride the Monorail to MK or Epcot. Buses are very dependable to every park. To us it is the most convenient for any transportation, and the first time we stayed there never started our vehicle from arrival until departure. I do have a FEW Christmas pics if you want to see them mitchkuykendall@charter.net send me an e-mail destination if you want them. We have had a pool view once and it was great and the woods view we had the second stay allowed us to see partial view of wishes at night. We recommend the Lodge highly and you have 2 restaraunts and a snack bar to choose from. You should be excited and I don't feel like you will feel isolated at all. In the mornings a lot of days you will have a couple of the Characters appear in the lobby for pics with the kids if desired. We had Cap'n Hook. Minnie Mouse and Alladin the Genie during our stay. Hope this helps!!!

 

[DebbieB]

I stayed in a 1 bedroom 3 weeks ago. We had a view of the pool (room 3523):

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5dd28b3127cce90fdd5a11b2600000026108AZOGTFq4ZtJ

 

[mrsminniemouse]

Thanks everyone for your replies. What a great pool view Debbie!

If I request close to elevators, does that give me a chance of a nice view?

I am really looking forward to staying at VWL!!!

Mandy

 

[poohj80]

I will be trying to switch our current SSR reservations to stay at the VWL for the first time. Any tips on what request to make for views?

I was looking at the photos on Deb's site but hoped someone could help me with this one:

The balcony in this pic looks to be wide enough to include the LR and BR. Are all balconies like this at VWL? The ones below it look half the size so I am assuming those are studios?

Thanks for any help you can offer!
PJ

 

[d-r]

I think at vwl that some of the balconies are "long" connecting a bedroom with the living room balcony, and some aren't. I'm not sure though.

These are some pictures of wilderness lodge. Some are OK, some aren't very good, sort of get what you pay for -
http://35.10.59.114/humphrey/lodge2/index.html

 

[poohj80]

Thanks for the additional pix! The 5th floor balconies look cool, but cramped. Can anyone offer an opinion of them? Are there any 1BRs on the 5th floor? I don't see any additional windows.

 

[sleepydog25]

Not sure what sized room for which you are looking, but we stayed in 2519 (2BR) a couple of weeks ago and it overlooks woods, pool/hot tub, and part of the Lodge itself. You could also see the lake peeking through the trees.

As for VWL itself, it is superb! Some reasons to look forward to a trip to VWL:
1) Decor and theming - Once you step into the lobby for the first time, you will understand why so many folks love VWL.
2) Ambience - VWL is quieter than the other resorts. Lots of people don't care for VWL because they are out of the "party" atmosphere or because they feel isolated. I cherish VWL for those reasons--after a day of rubbing elbows with 10,000 of my closest friends, I want a place where I can sprawl out and unwind a bit.
3) Hidden Springs pool - It's smaller than the main pool that supports most of the Lodge, but that means it is less crowded. The hot tub associated with Hidden Springs rarely has more than a few people in it at night.
4) Artist Point - Fine dining at its best. Kid's menu is available, but if you can wrangle a night alone without kids, it's very romantic and quiet.
5) Whispering Canyon Cafe- For those times you want rowdy fun with your kids. To be honest, I've been less than enthusiastic about the food and service at WC, but I'm in the minority, I think.
6) Roaring Forks Grill - Better tasting, fresher foods than WC, and for a lot less. However, you are limited to what the grill serves--mostly hot sandwiches made-to-order and some pre-made salads, nachos, etc. Still, they're open late and are usually fast.
7) Boats - We love taking boats to MK, and they usually run frequently enough you won't be left waiting for long.
8) Music - The strains of Aaron Copland and classic Western themes (think THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN) playing over the speaker system throughout WL and VWL provide a wonderful backdrop to your experience.
9) The Mercantile - For a small store, it offers a decent variety of gifts and groceries.
10) Activities - There is a bike and boat rental on property, a health club, a kids' activities center (you need a PS for it), and a walking trail that heads over to Ft. Wilderness--about a mile one way.

There are other wonderful things about VWL, too. Hopefully, you can add to this list after your trip. Have fun!

 

[poohj80]

Thanks again! We'll be staying in a 1BR. We have stayed at WL before joining DVC and loved it, but this will be our first stay in the villas assuming we can switch.

 

[CaliforniaDreaming]

We had one of the balconies that were "double wide" - it went from the second bedroom to the living room, it was a 2-bedroom dedicated villa. As far as I know, the only ones that are like this are the dedicated two bedrooms.

 

[MrsM]

VWL is our home resort, and we have stayed there three times. The only requests I have made are for non-smoking, close to the elevators. The last two times, we have gotten the exact same room! (2532, if I remember correctly). It was a dedicated two bedroom, but had two separate balconies for the living room and second BR.

The room looked out over the DVC topiary and walkway in front of the villas building. Although some wouldn't consider this a good view, I enjoyed sitting on the balcony and watching people coming and going. And I was glad to be close to the elevators!

 

[twotoohappy]

Just came back and stayed on the 4th floor overlooking the bay lake and you could see the high Wishes fireworks from our balcony! I'll try to post a pic later.