"Flag Family" @ VWL

[tamu91]

How does one get chosen to be the Flag Family at VWL? Can you put in a request during check-in?

Thanks

 

[spiceycat]

yes when you check in - tell them all the days that you will be at VWL and they can see if any days are open.

 

[tamu91]

Excellent, thanks. It sounds like fun and I might just do that.

 

[Wislodgers]

We have been lucky enough to get to be flag family. It is wonderful. I was surprised as it was a 12 night trip to VWL and the only morning available was the last morning of our trip! It was at the end of January, so not what I would think of as a "peak" time.

I had to ask 2 different CMs. When I asked the first CM, she typed around on the computer and told me, "I am sorry, but there is no one registered with the last name Flag." I then explained what "Flag Family" was and she went and got another CM. They took out a notebook and then told me what day was open!

 

[Towncrier]

I believe that asking to be "Flag Family" was one of the first pieces of advice that I picked up here on the DIS boards. Good luck and I hope that your family is picked. It's an awesome experience.

 

[gchiker]

What is a Flag Family?

 

[ruddydvc]

We were lucky enough to chosen as "flag family" during our visit last year. It is an absolutely wonderful experience. Ask immediately upon check-in. If they do not have availablity during your stay, ask to be put on the wait-list. this is what happened to us last year. They did not have availablity at first, but as the week progressed, one family cancelled and we were lucky enough to be picked off the wait list. Have fun.

 

[tamu91]

"Flag Family" - apparently a family is chose to raise the flag on the roof of the WL each morning. I've seen some pictures and it looks like a lot of fun. Of course, you have to get up pretty early but how early are we talking about?

 

[magsmom]

We were the flag family last February. I think the time was 8 to 8:30. We asked on check-in (Saturday) and we were the flag family the following Monday (9 days later). It is a great experience.

 

[madcoco]

The last time we were the flag family was Christmas Eve '02. Like everyone else said, put the request in upon checkin. Don't forget the camera. You can get some great pictures from up there.

 

[rocketriter]

The flag family is a century-old tradition carried over from the Old Faithful Lodge at Yellowstone (which was a primary inspiration for the design of WL).

 

[tamu91]

doing the flag raising, taking pictures, etc. all sounds great but it sounds like this is a first come first served kind of an event and that bring up another question.
We plan on staying 4 nights (Sun-Thurs) at VWL next April so do you think I can call the front desk @ VWL prior to our check-in date, say a week, and request that our name be put on the flag family list.

 

[gopherit]

My understanding is that there's no advance ressies allowed. We too were lucky enough to do this. One note, however -- if your party is large or has small kids -- you'll need to make some decisions! THey wouldn't let little ones go up, and I recall something like a limit of 6 folks? I took myself, my SIL, my sister and her hubby. That left DH, BIL to tend to the kids.

The view is truly great. It was a great kick-off to a day. The CM let us ask him all sorts of ??, and gave us a tour through concierge level. They also gave us a certificate. Quite cool.

 

[TiggerFreak]

Originally posted by gopherit
THey wouldn't let little ones go up . . .

How "little" is little.

We will be at VWL in November with our 7 year old grandson.
Would like to try as he would really think it was "Sweet!"

 

[gopherit]

Hmmm... 7, eh. Not sure. When they first told me about the restrictions, they commented that "it's a really long walk, up stairs -- we advise elderly and kids not to do this." They didn't really say they COULDN'T go -- but the desk CM made it certainly clear our 2 yr old shouldn't go due to safety reasons.

Personally, I found the "arduous climb" they warned me of to be no biggie AT ALL. (I think the CMs often forget how much walking we tourists have already done -- a few stairs is a piece o cake!) Could my then-7 yr old have made it? Absolutely and more spryly than I, you can bank on it. I imagine however they will want your assurance that he will listen to the adults and not get reckless up on the roof. A family with several kids in tow would probably pose more of a problem. (We have three and on that trip, they were ages 7,6, and 2... a three ring circus suited more for the Big Top than a roof top!) And we just didn't think we could take one and not another.

So did I hear express limits on ages? No. If anyone else did hear of such a limit, feel free to comment. But they made it clear that our party had to be "capable (of the climb) and in control".