VWL Groupies & Lovers Thread (Special Collectors Edition 2.0) updated 21 June 2023

[Corinne]

We’ll be there Sunday thru Saturday - I’ll PM you mid-week! Yeah!!

Great! Safe travels!

 

[Kathymford]

I was trying to add AP to our trip in late Oct and it seems that no reservations are open past Oct 11th. I thought they said it was closing in Nov, not October. We’ve actually only dined there once, so was hoping to squeeze in another trip. Maybe they are just delaying opening reservations in October. I refuse to believe it’s all booked, because up to Oct 10th there are still spots available.

 

[Granny]

Well finally a little good news. It appears that Hoop Dee Doo will be sticking around for a while.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/news-stories/hoop-de-doo-musical-revue-will-not-be-closing/

 

[wildernessDad]

Hey WD!! We have often talked about how cool it would be to live so close that we could decide on dinner at Epcot, or just grab a couple attractions before a park closed


We almost booked a Nov Fantasy cruise this go round. Dang!!

It's great. We made a last-minute reservation at Kona Cafe and then hit Trader Sam's afterward. I miss Maryland, but I am not giving up my house in Florida. Like I've said, I can hear the train whistle from my driveway and can hear the fireworks every night. And it hasn't become a bother. The proximity to WDW also allows us to schedule weekend stays at the Poly and Boardwalk using our DVC.

I'm checking in and will be telling the Groupie Mod my vacation schedule. Is sleepydog still the mod? We'll be at VWL from Dec 2 - Dec 7 this year. I hope to see you all at our Beautiful Lodge!

 

[jimmytammy]

WD
Yes Sleepy is still the top Dog

 

[wildernessDad]

WD
Yes Sleepy is still the top Dog

Ruff ruff!

 

[sleepydog25]

Back to our recent trip to DL. . .

The upstairs pool table area (yeah, there's a TV off camera to the right)

First guest BR upstairs

Night view out the main living area windows

I may still be Top Dog, but of late, just feeling the dog part. . .

 

[Corinne]

Awesome villa/views Sleepy!

 

[Corinne]

Hi Groupies! Hope you all had a nice long weekend, and a restful Labor Day. We are down to single digits!

I am FB friends with several Groupies, but I no longer am interested in FB, so if any of you are on Instagram please look for me, I’m going to try to post frequently during our stay.

 

[Lakegirl]

We were so far back that I couldn't even find us so I decided to bump us up. I am almost at the 11 month booking period..well not almost another 3 weeks but still. Can't wIt to get another griped booked so I can start planning. Trying to figure out the least amount of points for a 2 bedytgat will be available for a switch at the 7 month mark...we will be traveling end of August next year...any thoughts??

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

We were so far back that I couldn't even find us so I decided to bump us up. I am almost at the 11 month booking period..well not almost another 3 weeks but still. Can't wIt to get another griped booked so I can start planning. Trying to figure out the least amount of points for a 2 bedytgat will be available for a switch at the 7 month mark...we will be traveling end of August next year...any thoughts??

And Carnac says........

SSR Standard view
OKW
AKV standard view

And one never knows when BWV standard view might suddenly be available but those are lock-offs and rather unlikely.

 

[Dizny Dad]

Hey Wilderness Dad . . . . great to hear from you! But looks like DiznyDi & I will just miss you in December.

One of the best things DiznyDi & I appreciate the most at VWL is waking up in the morning and hearing the boat horns (Lake view rooms obviously). I think hearing the Train whistles from my driveway would be a wonderful thing every morning, too!

Hey . . . maybe we can set up a BIG GROUPIE MEET at your house mid-December. You wouldn't mind have thirty or so people suddenly barge into your life looking for drinks and hors d'oeuvres, taking a few pictures, and abruptly leaving before the mess can be cleaned up would you? Any parking problems or issues with the neighbors on that? Ahhhhh . . . . . . Ok, maybe not; let Toni know she can relax . . . .

 

[Corinne]

One more sleep!

 

[Granny]

One more sleep!

And she's off!!! Safe travels, Corinne, and we look forward to your comments about the state of WDW these days.

And we hit the 3 month mark today until our next trip. Going to WDW only once in a year is tough!

 

[twinklebug]

And @Corinne is off! Enjoy the trip! Enjoy a Dole Whip (or orange swirl) for us!

And she's off!!! Safe travels, Corinne, and we look forward to your comments about the state of WDW these days.

And we hit the 3 month mark today until our next trip. Going to WDW only once in a year is tough!

I've just hit that 3 month mark too!
I've never liked making the fast pass reservations as my kids and I always have different ideas of what to do when. Planning, planning, planning: at least it keeps our minds busy while we wait.

In the time being I'm going to play with my little Panasonic point and shoot camera some more, just to figure out what all those settings are and how they respond. Then maybe I'll ask to borrow a certain Cannon to play with. I've found it near impossible to take a bad pic at WDW as the place is designed wonderfully everywhere you look, but lighting doesn't always work out. Too much darkness in certain areas, and I've never been able to get a good shot of the EWP or fireworks.

 

[twokats]

And she's off!!! Safe travels, Corinne, and we look forward to your comments about the state of WDW these days.

And we hit the 3 month mark today until our next trip. Going to WDW only once in a year is tough!

Kati and I still have at least 15 months to go and we are not sure about that!!!

 

[DVC Jen]

Going to WDW only once in a year is tough!

Yes it is. Especially if you get used to going more. Ian and I have gone the past two Decembers for our anniversary, followed by a family summer trip. We are skipping this December so we can make some repairs around the house. I am starting to get antsy. At least I know our June 2019 family trip will be much needed and anticipated.

 

[DVC Jen]

One more sleep!

I hope you have an amazing time Corinne.

 

[Granny]

Kati and I still have at least 15 months to go and we are not sure about that!!!

Yes it is. Especially if you get used to going more. Ian and I have gone the past two Decembers for our anniversary, followed by a family summer trip. We are skipping this December so we can make some repairs around the house. I am starting to get antsy. At least I know our June 2019 family trip will be much needed and anticipated.

Well, I really shouldn't complain about just going once this year. Usually we go in the Spring and again in December, but this year we went to Aulani and Disneyland in the Spring. So I guess that was a pretty decent trade-off!

But still, I do find us looking forward to our next trip a little bit more. Here are the December Groupie trips to the world from Page 1:

LVSWL 1-8 VWL
bobbiwoz 1-5 VGF
bobbiwoz 5-9 VWL
wildernessDad 2-7 VWL
Granny 7-13 VWL
DiznyDi & Dad 7-14 VWL
horselover 8-12 BLT
pmaurer74 13-20 VWL
w84no1 14-16 VWL
w84no1 16-23 BWV
Shellybird 15-21 VWL First time in a long time!
TCraig 16-24 VGF

I've just hit that 3 month mark too!

Cindy...I don't see your name on the list! If you can PM @sleepydog25 I'm sure he'd be happy to update the trip list. At least I think he would.

I think I'll let someone else organize the Groupie meets this December. We should probably start soon so people have flexibility in adjusting ADRs. From the looks of things, it looks like we should be able to get an early December and mid-December meet going.

 

[Corinne]

Hi Groupies!

We are here! Woke up at 3:15 for our 6:00 AM flight. Perfect flight, got here fairly quickly, and since our son and gf had checked in the day before, we strolled right in as our Owners Locker was being delivered!

The kids met us for lunch at Ale & Compass, which we really like. We had Mother’s Day Brunch there this year, and will be having breakfast there tomorrow. I am happy to see it now seems to be pretty busy there throughout the day and night. We’ve always liked it, and still refer to it as Yacht Club Galley, even though it’s had two name changes since then!

After lunch Dana and I headed to MK because I NEEDED ago go there! It had rained for a brief period of time and it seemed to really clear the park. We strolled for a bit, rode PoC then returned to the room. Hung out and recharged, then headed to AK. We had FP’s for Dinosaur, Safari, Flight of Passage. The kids also rode Expedition Everest and we saw Tough to be a Bug. We then headed to Disney Springs where we had a reservation for The Boathouse, which is also one of our favs.

We got back to the resort and they all got ice cream, I dunked my toes in Stormalong, ahhhh. The kids couldn’t believe we lasted as long as we did ( especially without a nap!!) since they took the same flight a day earlier, and went to bed much earlier the night before!

We’re at the BCV. I had requested an upper floor close to main lobby, and we have just that! We are facing Epcot and and have a perfect view of the Eiffel Tower. Our son told us they saw the fireworks the night before, and not realizing Epcot was closing at 10 last night, we were treated to the performance from our balcony! We could hear the music loud and clear and enjoyed the fireworks and lasers! It was the perfect ending to our first night!


Off to DHS! Have a great Saturday!