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

[jimmytammy]

Sorry, late to the party again
Happy Birthday davish562!!!!
Happy Birthday cheer4bison!!!!

 

[jimmytammy]

We have 25 points at BR, and today our offer on a 200 point contract was accepted as well! Best part, it is loaded with 2017 points and will get 2018 points on Aug 1. So happy to become BR owners this spring! Time for all the paperwork etc.

so excited, had to tell someone!

Excited for ya!! Congratulations!!!!!

 

[jimmytammy]

On Monday, I went online and booked a Pearl Harbor reservation at the two month mark (first day I could book) and I had no problem. My understanding is that you definitely want to hit that two month reservation mark if you are going at a popular time. I have also booked the luau at Aulani...just something you have to do once, right? Aside from that, we don't have a lot of plans and will play it by ear. Good luck with your reservation for Aulani!

Great news!! Pearl is a must do, no doubt. Very sombering experience to say the least. They have a great museum there as well. Be sure to take time for that. I am curious to hear your thoughts on the Luau as well. They didn't offer that when were were there, just the show itself.

 

[Granny]

Great news!! Pearl is a must do, no doubt. Very sombering experience to say the least. They have a great museum there as well. Be sure to take time for that. I am curious to hear your thoughts on the Luau as well. They didn't offer that when were were there, just the show itself.

Jimmy...I've had the honor of visiting the Arizona Memorial in the past. But since this is my DW's first trip to Hawaii, I told her we couldn't go there without her experiencing Pearl Harbor. It is a somber experience, similar to a trip to Arlington Cemetery, but it is good to maintain the knowledge and collective memory of that day in our history.

I'll report back on the luau experience. My countdown for the trip is at 51.

Granny watching for your Aulani trip report! We have plans to go May 2019. Have a wonderful time!!

Hope...I'm sure you will have a lot of fun planning your trip. I'll try not to turn this into an Aulani thread!


So, to get us back on track, I just remembered something that I had forgotten about. Did anyone notice that they moved our favorite bison topiary once again? It was on the corner of the CCV wing by the new salon. Now it has moved to the other corner of that wing closer to Geyser Point (and VWL !). I was surprised when I saw it there a couple of months ago.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I have not been, but it is on my list for September, Punchbowl Cemetery, National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

 

[bobbiwoz]

We were happy the topiaries were moved to where we could see them more often.

 

[Granny]

Thanks for the picture, Bobbi. I looked through my latest photos and see that I didn't take one. I agree that the new location is better.

 

[wnielsen1]

That smaller one will look nice in my villa!

 

[sleepydog25]

Greg
I too am missing the Lodge, and the winter blues aren't helping any. I quoted you here and will reply below as to my belief as to why AP has vastly improved

It has come to many of our attentions that a certain person (who will go unnamed...ahem, Patrick, aka sleepydog25, aka Sly)made a real stink recently to the point they gave he and his very embarrassed dear wife(Luv as she is affectionately called)a free meal, which in turn he was very grateful for and gave rave reviews. I spoke with the manager of AP recently myself and mentioned his(Patrick, aka Troublemaker)name much to the manager's grimacing face, as he mentioned said name and the restaurant reviewer from Ratatouille under the same breath. My fair opinion is they were recently whipped into shape via our fearless leader. If we could now get said fearless leader in behind the case of the missing nature trail, I feel that may return promptly as well

Without a doubt, JT, your post made me chuckle loudly and brightened my day. The true story is that I humbly beseeched the manager, falling on bended knee to ask his forgiveness for deigning to impugn his fine establishment. Out of the sheer goodness of his generous heart, he insisted we be compensated for our somewhat lackluster meal. Who was I to argue? Too funny, JT, too funny! In all sincerity, Gary was superb regarding comments we made once and in greeting us on our last couple of visits, and while he can't work miracles 24-7, there is no doubting his commitment and dedication to keeping AP a jewel in the Signatures crown.

We have 25 points at BR, and today our offer on a 200 point contract was accepted as well! Best part, it is loaded with 2017 points and will get 2018 points on Aug 1. So happy to become BR owners this spring! Time for all the paperwork etc.

so excited, had to tell someone!

HOME!! No doubt, you'll have years of wonderful experiences at your new home. Thanks for letting us know, and we hope to see you join in our merry band whenever possible.

 

[sleepydog25]

So, to get us back on track, I just remembered something that I had forgotten about. Did anyone notice that they moved our favorite bison topiary once again? It was on the corner of the CCV wing by the new salon. Now it has moved to the other corner of that wing closer to Geyser Point (and VWL !). I was surprised when I saw it there a couple of months ago.

I never realized the bison had a temporary home near the salon. When we were there in July, they were in the current position shown in bobbi's picture (it's the shot I have on Page 1). I'm just glad they're back! Now, if only the geese would return. . .

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

. Did anyone notice that they moved our favorite bison topiary once again? It was on the corner of the CCV wing by the new salon. Now it has moved to the other corner of that wing closer to Geyser Point (and VWL !). I was surprised when I saw it there a couple of months ago.

Did THEY move the bison or did the BISON move?

 

[twinklebug]

Did THEY move the bison or did the BISON move?

The footprints tell all. Can't fake those

 

[Dizny Dad]

Hi all. So sorry to have missed the B'Days and special events shared here.

Now back from nine (9) days in The World. Great weather (highs in mid ~70s, lows mid ~60s); two (2) days of rain; nine (9) days of smiles. This trip was to replace the unfortunate cancellation of the Groupie Meet Trip we had to cancel last December due to my knee surgery.

I wish I could say all was good with the knee, but The World presents a lot of walking, and my knee was talking to me the entire time. We still got around and did what we wanted. We were in a one (1) bedroom villa at AK (yeah, sorry), but we did, of course, visit The Lodge. It was the first time we had seen Roaring Fork since the remodel; I wish I could say I was impressed, but I saw no real improvements, just stuff moved around. So many other DVC CS eateries offer so much more in selection. I know they added the new Geyser Point, and have spent an hour or two sitting testing it out with friends, but I was just hoping for more in the new Roaring Fork.

My DD and SIL were with us and we had such a great time. SIL wanted so much to stay at AK. We stayed in a one (1) bedroom, as that was all that was available. We had the opportunity to stay in a two (2) BR at SSR, but SIL really really wanted AK. So guess who had to sleep on the pull out.

The last few days I rented one of those electric carts due to my knee talking so loud. I had never driven one of those things. In the wide open spaces, it was great! But add a crowd, and it was an extremely tense situation. I never realized that so many people would jump in front of you, dart across with no warning, or walk right into you while on their PHONE. And small children became the unexpected obstacles at every turn. The crowd made the ride a white knuckler for sure; the intensity of your attention to not become the traumatic experience of the day for anyone was exhausting.

I had the wonderful eye opening experience of using a wheel chair for a time when young, and remember that people would not look at you, or would talk about you to others with you sitting right there. Down low is a forgotten world. I revisited that world on that electric cart. Just so you all know, there are really no brakes, as such, on those things. I wont get into it here, but let us just say they STILL COAST. Jump in front of me, and as quickly as I can remove my hands from the forward handle, I will still coast about a foot. If you see me coming, please don't play chicken with me, and please, STOP PLAYIMG WITH YOUR PHONE when walking forward in a crowd.

 

[DenLo]

Greg, we walked around that area yesterday and the only grills I remember seeing were those near the end of the cabins. I've never eaten at artist's point, so I cannot help you there.

There are grills, next to the basketball courts which are east of BRV (VWL for those that insist), a single BBQ grill between 8016 and 8017 and a two next to the walkway to the Cabin parking lot on the west end, plus, a single between Cabins 8005 and 8006. So there are three grills on each side of the resort.



Westside BBQ pavilion near walkway to Cabin parking lot



BBQ near Basketball court

East side single BBQ

Close up BBQ grills near basketball court just east of BRV (VWL)

Sorry the order got mixed up. It happens sometimes in uploading the photos.

 

[DenLo]

Hi all. So sorry to have missed the B'Days and special events shared here.

Now back from nine (9) days in The World. Great weather (highs in mid ~70s, lows mid ~60s); two (2) days of rain; nine (9) days of smiles. This trip was to replace the unfortunate cancellation of the Groupie Meet Trip we had to cancel last December due to my knee surgery.

I wish I could say all was good with the knee, but The World presents a lot of walking, and my knee was talking to me the entire time. We still got around and did what we wanted. We were in a one (1) bedroom villa at AK (yeah, sorry), but we did, of course, visit The Lodge. It was the first time we had seen Roaring Fork since the remodel; I wish I could say I was impressed, but I saw no real improvements, just stuff moved around. So many other DVC CS eateries offer so much more in selection. I know they added the new Geyser Point, and have spent an hour or two sitting testing it out with friends, but I was just hoping for more in the new Roaring Fork.

My DD and SIL were with us and we had such a great time. SIL wanted so much to stay at AK. We stayed in a one (1) bedroom, as that was all that was available. We had the opportunity to stay in a two (2) BR at SSR, but SIL really really wanted AK. So guess who had to sleep on the pull out.

The last few days I rented one of those electric carts due to my knee talking so loud. I had never driven one of those things. In the wide open spaces, it was great! But add a crowd, and it was an extremely tense situation. I never realized that so many people would jump in front of you, dart across with no warning, or walk right into you while on their PHONE. And small children became the unexpected obstacles at every turn. The crowd made the ride a white knuckler for sure; the intensity of your attention to not become the traumatic experience of the day for anyone was exhausting.

I had the wonderful eye opening experience of using a wheel chair for a time when young, and remember that people would not look at you, or would talk about you to others with you sitting right there. Down low is a forgotten world. I revisited that world on that electric cart. Just so you all know, there are really no brakes, as such, on those things. I wont get into it here, but let us just say they STILL COAST. Jump in front of me, and as quickly as I can remove my hands from the forward handle, I will still coast about a foot. If you see me coming, please don't play chicken with me, and please, STOP PLAYIMG WITH YOUR PHONE when walking forward in a crowd.

Sorry your was knee hurting, understandable with all that walking. I am glad you were able to get an ECV. I agree about the crowds just walking in front of you. I never forget when I was in a wheel chair with elevated legs per doctors orders and people walking into them. And going downhill DH making sure I didn't go to fast and someone walking in from of my wheelchair. I understand your stress. People definitely think they have the right of way, not considering how inconsiderate they are in return. And most are so involved with their phones or a map that they have no idea what is going on around them. I am thankful we don't have to deal with that situation anymore. I just have to make sure I am not distracted and walk in from of an ECV or stroller.

 

[sleepydog25]

There are grills, next to the basketball courts which are east of BRV (VWL for those that insist).

Which is pretty much everyone on this thread. . .

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

There are grills, next to the basketball courts which are east of BRV (VWL for those that insist), a single BBQ grill between 8016 and 8017 and a two next to the walkway to the Cabin parking lot on the west end, plus, a single between Cabins 8005 and 8006. So there are three grills on each side of the resort.

View attachment 302668
View attachment 302669
Westside BBQ pavilion near walkway to Cabin parking lot

View attachment 302670
View attachment 302671
BBQ near Basketball court
View attachment 302672 View attachment 302673View attachment 302674
East side single BBQ
View attachment 302675
Close up BBQ grills near basketball court just east of BRV (VWL)

Sorry the order got mixed up. It happens sometimes in uploading the photos.

Thanks for the pictures Denlo! I had thought they just had 1 grill on the east end and 2 on the western end.

Those seem to be an improvement over what was there before........

That would be the only grill that was left before all the changes, sitting back at the end of the sand on the left side. Old charcoal was left in it the last time I looked and it was a bit rusty.

And an oldie I saw when looking for the grill photo:

And these guys that seem to have flown north for the summer and never came back.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Happy Birthday @Nicoal13!

 

[Granny]

Happy Birthday Nicoal13 !!!

 

[DiznyDi]

Good Friday morning Groupies!
I've really missed you all! We've been back nearly a week and this is the first I've had any time to spend on my computer 'catching up'.

We did have an enjoyable stay at Kidani. The front desk was able to accommodate a room near the lobby for us which was very much appreciate.

We took advantage of the Minnie vans on several occasions. Great service! We will undoubtedly use them again on future trips.

Rich told you about his ECV experiences. If he is still compromised for our May trip, I'll look into the rental of one from an outside service. If anyone has had good experience with a company, I would welcome your input.

We're having rain all day today. The temperatures will continue to fall and the rain will turn to ice. Ahh to be back in Florida

Enjoy your week-end!