bobbiwoz
I'm happy to dance with you!
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2003
- Messages
- 175,580
Our 4 generation trip was a huge success!
We stayed in the VWL and had a 2 bedroom dedicated, and 2 studios. All were clean and ready when the respective people got there. That is, the 2 studios around noon and the 2 bedroom around 4:30. All of us used ME, and we came from Boston (we spent the night with family to help out. We had 3 car seats and a double stroller, 5 suitcases, and 5 carryons, wow, we worked hard to get there!), Philadelphia and New Orleans.
I had to call for bedrails, it took no time at all to get them.
Maybe because it was a Sunday, our luggage took 5+ hours from landing to get to the rooms. ME was great both ways, except for that.
The grocery delivery service Garden Grocer was a huge disappointment. My DSis called at 12:30 just to say she arrived, and was told that we had put down our time as "3 to 5:30" and she said, Fine, we're here and wanted to check in with you. She was told, OK, we'll have your groceries there at 3. There were numerous calls from the company. At least 3 times she/we were told "Well, the truck just left, and your order wasn't on it, expect it at _______." It finally arrived after 9 PM. We had 3 children, (1 1/2, 2 1/2, 3 1/2) and bedtime milk and juices had to be ordered from room service (one item wasn't available at the small grocery store) because the order hadn't arrived. We had paid for the order beforehand and included a tip, I would not do that again. The order wasn't even correct. Neither I nor my DSis were in the room when the order came, so we accept whatever blame for not checking, the people in the room just accepted the order. I will say that the cantalope and watermelon were very very good from them.
There were other mishaps, I got sick and had to go to a medical center 20 miles away, where my insurance directed me. The weather was hot, and our little ones had a few (many?) meltdowns, but I applaud the Sunscreen products for children on the market, our DGC are very fair. Congratulations to all parents out there who have the patience to apply it.
My DMom (86) is getting more frail. She had a gel cast to use for a foot injury and used a wheelchair not all of the day but some every day. I didn't see this (it was Dr. day for me), but DDiL told me that at the Country Bear Jamboree, DM turned the wheelchair to look not at the show but at the faces of the children, and DDiL says the look on DM's face as the children were enjoying the show ALONE would have made the trip worthwhile.
We mostly used the villa pool and the kiddie pool. The steps into the pool were great for the little ones, who with back bubbles, could play to their heart's content. The 2 youngest love the water and don't mind getting face wet, they had a pool day while older sister went to MK to collect autographs. THAT was a huge success. Oldest loved the interaction with the characters, Middle loved to write in the autograph books himself while waiting for the autographs, and the Youngest thought the pens were great to hold and look at while in line.
I never thought Cinderellabration was worth the time it took to watch it, but that was before I saw it through DGD's eyes. She was enthralled.
The only mistep regarding information we recieved was asking information over the house phone the time that the T&T guest services were opened until. We were told 10 on Sunday and DH and I went to take care of the AP we had done on line, and we got there around 9 and it was already closed. We took Disney transportation everywhere and it was fine, no long waits. We had the 3 young'uns and they were fine.
We enjoyed a breakfast at Whispering Canyon, no ADR's, we showed up around 7:30 and were told there would be room, so 8 of us enjoyed a delicious breakfast. I did mention that our kids were a bit on the shy side and our request that they respect that was taken. "Uncle Dave" (or Mike, I am so sorry for just forgetting) was a great server. Gave us lots to smile about and lots of extra bacon.
The character dinner at GF was delicious with lots of character interaction. We did have that ADR, early, 10 to 5, and that was a great time to go and enjoy it all. Pearly, Suzy, Prince and Cinderella came to our table at least 3 times each.
I don't know what else to add, if there's any questions, please ask. I love VWL. Yes, the 2 bedroom is much smaller than at OKW, there isn't really lots of room to have the barbecue meal/party I hoped to have for DS(29) but that was the day I saw the doctor and we had a great ice cream cake from Baskin Robins and gathered in the room for just a bit instead. For those interested, there are 2 grills and 2 picnic tables by the bike rental stand/tetherball area.
We've decided to add a few more points so that we can do it again, Oct. '07, yeah, I just got the message from the family!!!
Bobbi
We stayed in the VWL and had a 2 bedroom dedicated, and 2 studios. All were clean and ready when the respective people got there. That is, the 2 studios around noon and the 2 bedroom around 4:30. All of us used ME, and we came from Boston (we spent the night with family to help out. We had 3 car seats and a double stroller, 5 suitcases, and 5 carryons, wow, we worked hard to get there!), Philadelphia and New Orleans.
I had to call for bedrails, it took no time at all to get them.
Maybe because it was a Sunday, our luggage took 5+ hours from landing to get to the rooms. ME was great both ways, except for that.
The grocery delivery service Garden Grocer was a huge disappointment. My DSis called at 12:30 just to say she arrived, and was told that we had put down our time as "3 to 5:30" and she said, Fine, we're here and wanted to check in with you. She was told, OK, we'll have your groceries there at 3. There were numerous calls from the company. At least 3 times she/we were told "Well, the truck just left, and your order wasn't on it, expect it at _______." It finally arrived after 9 PM. We had 3 children, (1 1/2, 2 1/2, 3 1/2) and bedtime milk and juices had to be ordered from room service (one item wasn't available at the small grocery store) because the order hadn't arrived. We had paid for the order beforehand and included a tip, I would not do that again. The order wasn't even correct. Neither I nor my DSis were in the room when the order came, so we accept whatever blame for not checking, the people in the room just accepted the order. I will say that the cantalope and watermelon were very very good from them.
There were other mishaps, I got sick and had to go to a medical center 20 miles away, where my insurance directed me. The weather was hot, and our little ones had a few (many?) meltdowns, but I applaud the Sunscreen products for children on the market, our DGC are very fair. Congratulations to all parents out there who have the patience to apply it.
My DMom (86) is getting more frail. She had a gel cast to use for a foot injury and used a wheelchair not all of the day but some every day. I didn't see this (it was Dr. day for me), but DDiL told me that at the Country Bear Jamboree, DM turned the wheelchair to look not at the show but at the faces of the children, and DDiL says the look on DM's face as the children were enjoying the show ALONE would have made the trip worthwhile.
We mostly used the villa pool and the kiddie pool. The steps into the pool were great for the little ones, who with back bubbles, could play to their heart's content. The 2 youngest love the water and don't mind getting face wet, they had a pool day while older sister went to MK to collect autographs. THAT was a huge success. Oldest loved the interaction with the characters, Middle loved to write in the autograph books himself while waiting for the autographs, and the Youngest thought the pens were great to hold and look at while in line.
I never thought Cinderellabration was worth the time it took to watch it, but that was before I saw it through DGD's eyes. She was enthralled.
The only mistep regarding information we recieved was asking information over the house phone the time that the T&T guest services were opened until. We were told 10 on Sunday and DH and I went to take care of the AP we had done on line, and we got there around 9 and it was already closed. We took Disney transportation everywhere and it was fine, no long waits. We had the 3 young'uns and they were fine.
We enjoyed a breakfast at Whispering Canyon, no ADR's, we showed up around 7:30 and were told there would be room, so 8 of us enjoyed a delicious breakfast. I did mention that our kids were a bit on the shy side and our request that they respect that was taken. "Uncle Dave" (or Mike, I am so sorry for just forgetting) was a great server. Gave us lots to smile about and lots of extra bacon.
The character dinner at GF was delicious with lots of character interaction. We did have that ADR, early, 10 to 5, and that was a great time to go and enjoy it all. Pearly, Suzy, Prince and Cinderella came to our table at least 3 times each.
I don't know what else to add, if there's any questions, please ask. I love VWL. Yes, the 2 bedroom is much smaller than at OKW, there isn't really lots of room to have the barbecue meal/party I hoped to have for DS(29) but that was the day I saw the doctor and we had a great ice cream cake from Baskin Robins and gathered in the room for just a bit instead. For those interested, there are 2 grills and 2 picnic tables by the bike rental stand/tetherball area.
We've decided to add a few more points so that we can do it again, Oct. '07, yeah, I just got the message from the family!!!
Bobbi
Haha and she thought the Prince's father looked like her future father-in-law.
