What is it about VWL...

[studog100]

that is so great? We are going 18 Dec 05 for 10 days and when I made my reservations a month ago, it was not possible to get VWL (we want a studio) but there were planty of vacancy at our second choice...OKW. OKW is normally our first choice because of the peace and quiet and also convenient parking near our room.
VWL was our first choice because we heard it was so fabulous during xmas but then I also read that the villas were quite distant from the actual main resort.

Our wait list came thru for VWL but I don't know if I should switch.

Can anyone offer any advice please?

Thanks
Ken

 

[ErinC]

There would be no better time to try out VWL than in Dec. The Christmas decor is beautiful! You've stayed at OKW before, so why not try out VWL and see if you like it. I think most folks on this board would agree that you are very lucky to get a waitlist request for Dec. and I would not pass it up!

Oh and about the distance to from the lodge to the villas. It is a very short walk and frankly I don't see how anyone could blow that out of proportion.

 

[rocketriter]

First of all, both resorts are terrific. But you asked about VWL. It has distinctive northwest theming (complete with western music piped inside and crickets chirping piped outside). It's attached to a towering lodge with several restaurants that is particularly beautiful at Xmas. And it's only a 7-minute boat shuttle from the MK (although everywhere else requires a bus).

In my opinion the villas are no farther from the main resort than they are at BCV, so I wouldn't worry about that. (All of the distances are shorter than OKW end-to-end.) The buildings feel pretty contiguous. Do be aware, however, that DD is at least 2 buses away and can take over an hour to reach, unless you drive yourself.

 

[ErinC]

Here's an aerial photo. The green roof building is the Lodge, the red is the villas.

http://www.disneypix.com/2000ft/Roll3/Roll03_006.htm

 

[sleepydog25]

VWL is a very unique property, and there are plenty of other threads that give reasons why. The most cited reasons are the beauty and serenity of the Villas, the restaurants on premise (three, not several), the theming, the close proximity via boat to MK, and the feeling that you are in a different world than when you are in the parks or some other resorts. Do not let those who mention a long walk from the Villas to the main lodge mislead you or make you doubt your decision. The main door into the Villas is maybe a 45-second stroll along a covered boardwalk to the side entrance of the lodge (where the Mercantile, arcade, and child activity center are located). In fact, I wouldn't let anything dissuade me from trying VWL, especially at Christmas. Go, have fun, enjoy!

 

[tamu91]

No better time to enjoy VWL IMO. If you haven't been there, give it a try.

 

[bobbiwoz]

If you need or want the second queen bed, then VWL isn't for you. There's a sofa pull out in VWL's studio.

There's a special charm in the lobby of the villa, apart from the WL. There's a large Christmas tree, and decorations and fireplaces, and little nooks and crannies for people to sit in. There's the Iron Spike room for guest gatherings off to the side.

Last December we stayed at BWV for mom's grand gathering birthday party bash. We took her and some guests through VWL on our way home from the MK, yes it was a circuitous route. It's not a grand gathering, but we have 3 studios for our stay there this December, everyone's choice!

Bobbi

 

[Muushka]

the villas were quite distant from the actual main resort.

Where do these rumors come from????

 

[RweTHEREyet]

Stay there at least once so you can form your own opinions, and as others have mentioned, staying there at Christmas is the best time to do so.

 

[JimC]

that is so great? We are going 18 Dec 05 for 10 days and when I made my reservations a month ago, it was not possible to get VWL (we want a studio) but there were planty of vacancy at our second choice...OKW. OKW is normally our first choice because of the peace and quiet and also convenient parking near our room.
VWL was our first choice because we heard it was so fabulous during xmas but then I also read that the villas were quite distant from the actual main resort.

Our wait list came thru for VWL but I don't know if I should switch.

Can anyone offer any advice please?

Thanks
Ken

Switch and enjoy one the top themed resorts on property. It is particularly enjoyable in December.

 

[crisi]

I love WL. But the resort is large. The Villas can be a walk from the main part of the lodge, but this is true with any large Disney resort (which is all of them). Its a particularly long stroll from the end of the Villas to Roaring Forks. Its also a long distance from much of OKW to the Hospitality House, from BCVs to SAB, from much of SSR to the theme pool, and the best "integrated" DVC resort - BWVs, has a six or seven mile walk down the long hallway to get the the Boardwalk Bakery. The non-DVC resorts are not much better. Staying in Tahiti and want a cup of coffee - its a walk.

From the main lodge to the doors of the Villas is probably 100 feet. Not far.

 

[kaw1106]

We stayed at VWL for the first time in early January. The christmas tree in the lobby was amazing

We loved the resort and didn't find the walk long at all, but then again, we love to walk in the beautiful park like setting, we would actually find long ways to walk.

The resort is very pretty and we loved walking to the beach and seeing the lighted parade at night. You HAVE to eat at the restaurants there and take the boat to the Hoop DEE DOO, so funny, my 6 year old still sings the Clementine song and laughs every time.

Kathleen

 

[Granny]

OKW is normally our first choice because of the peace and quiet and also convenient parking near our room.
VWL was our first choice because we heard it was so fabulous during xmas but then I also read that the villas were quite distant from the actual main resort.

Our wait list came thru for VWL but I don't know if I should switch.

Ken...My family are true VWL lovers, and it is a wonderful resort all year round, and beautifully decorated at Christmas.

However, re-reading your post does give me some concern. You will certainly enjoy the same peace and quiet at VWL as you do at OKW, but the parking thing is certainly not as convenient as having the car outside your door.

We take advantage of the free valet parking while at VWL, but some do not like to valet park their car. In that case, you will have a bit of a hike from the parking lot to your villa if you use your car often while there.

The other thing is the sofa bed. As has been pointed out, at OKW you will always get the two queen beds in the studio where you will only get a queen & sofa sleeper in VWL.

If those two things are important to you, you might want to consider keeping the reservation at OKW. After all, you can always go visit WL while staying at OKW and still enjoy the decorations.

Your vacation, and your choice. No bad decisions here, so that's the nice part!

 

[DizneyNutz]

I agree, try for the waitlist, maybe something will open up. I agree, the VWL/WL are so BEAUTIFUL at Christmas! We've been twice at Christmas, once we stayed at WL and once offsite---WL is incredible---I disagree that VWL is far away from the lodge. We are staying at the VWL in September, our first stay in the villas, so I may change my mind as I've never been any further than than small loby in the villas---if you don't get VWL---don't fret, you can visit there, check out all the decorations---and as near as I can tell, while the theme may be different in each resort the decorations are unbelievable in all of them!!

 

[studog100]

Thank you all for you advice. After reading your posts, we have decided to switch to VWL. Everyone speaks so highly of it and besides, we have never stayed there so like some of you said, what better time to stay at VWL.

Again thank you all for taking the time to offer advice.

Ken

 

[disneyholic family]

there are very few villas at WL, so it stands to reason they would be harder to reserve.

 

[jag90]

I know you have all ready made your decision but I still wanted to put my 2 cents in....

Although we own at VWL, 99% of the time we stay at other DVC resorts. However, we ALWAYS stay at VWL for our annual Christmas trip! We love the decorations, the "homey" feel, the warmth, etc... Enjoy your stay!

 

[d-r]

The wilderness lodge has a very unique feel, some people really love it, some people don't. The main buildling is very cool; take Ranger Stan's tour, or just take the elevator up to the top floor (well, the 6th floor since they added on that stupid concierge junk at the top), and walk down the stairs. Each floor is different, it is an interesting walk. They have a hidden mickey sheet for the lodge at the main desk, it can be fun.

But if you are a "Disney fan," well, I probably mean "Disney geek," there are a couple of things about the vwl that are, to the best of my knowledge, unique among disney world resorts. I may be wrong, but I think so. We haven't stayed at all the resorts- we haven't stayed at carribean, well, my wife has but I haven't, but I've stayed at the other moderates. I've stayed in the dolphin, but not the swan, and the beach club, but not the yacht club, and the music stars but not the other stars. So, I'm fairly confident in this, but not 100% sure. But I think, to the best of my knowledge, that the rooms in the vwl are the only rooms at wdw that feature a litho of a cell from a disney animated production (I bet vwl fans could answer a trivia question about what production it is from, and where in the rooms you can find it).

Second, there is a car from Walt Disney's Carrolwood Pacific railway in the iron spike room. If you've ever seen the old home video footage of walt disney riding that around in his back yard, you'll have to think it is pretty cool.

Also, if you consider wl as at least the spiritual extension of ft. wilderness, then it is sort of cool that wilderness lodge was meant to be there. Just as the polly is the adventureland hotel, and the contemporary is the tomorrowland hotel, ft. wilderness, and by extension wl, is the frontierland hotel. It is sort of cool to get to spend the night in extended frontierland. No other wdw resort area ties in to the parks like that. Throw in a good bar, a loud restaurant for families, a good restaurant, a good pool, easy access to the magic kingdom and the wilderness area recreation options, and it is hard to beat. And some folks like the theming, too.

 

[Muushka]

There is a very funny thread over on the resort board with a few negatives about WL. link

If you don't want to read the whole thing, be sure to read the OP and then #18 and #22. A hoot and a half.

Interesting post d-r.
I never connected the resorts at MK (Poly, CR and FW/WL) to the lands at MK park.

 

[dizfanz]

I just don't get it. What is it about people that join DVC against having a "long" walk to get somewhere. Either to the elevators, to the lobby, to the pool, to the GYM??!! You do know that DVC is surrounded by this big place called Disney World. And in this place, you do a lot of, gasp, walking. You probably walk at least 2 miles inside a theme park. What is it about one hundred yards to the lobby or 100 feet to a pool or elevator. Granted, I am 29 and do not have a difficult time walking. Please don't let my reply offend any of you who have problems with walking great distances. You are not who I refer to here. But c'mon. I gaurantee there are people who go for a walk around the boardwalk after a dinner at Spoodles, which is probably half a mile or roughly 2600 feet. But you have a problem with the 75 feet from your room to the elevator?