The VWL rooms are more quiet than the main lodge. I think the walls are insulated a little better than the main lodge. The VWL has a nice lobby itself. A couple of train cars from Walt Disney's train he had in his back yard are on display at the villas. Also, there are great rocking chairs, oak tables with chairs to play cards, checkers, and chess, and the best health club (I think) on Disney property is located at the villas. You are just a short walk to the main lodge (via covered walkway). If you stay in a studio at the villas, you get a coffee pot, microwave, refrigerator, small kitchen sink, and toaster (plus some paper plates, bowls, paper towels, and dish soap). If you move up to a one or two bedroom you get a jacuzzi tub and separate shower plus a full kitchen with a livingroom separate from the master bedroom (nice for privacy).
That being said, the main lodge is nice also. But, the main lodge is just regular hotel rooms (unless, of course, you rent one of the junior suites at the main lodge).
I prefer the studio rooms at VWL, but they cost more than the regular rooms at the main lodge (if you can even get one as it is DVC and the majority of inventory goes to members first).
