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

Very excited to say we will be staying at BRV this spring for the first time ever. Its one of those dream come true resorts! I've tried to allow for lots of resort chilling in our plans so we can soak it all in. On our last trip we visited WL and I rubbed Humphrey's nose and I guess he gave us the good luck that we would be staying there on our next trip!

I had two questions though I was hoping the experts could perhaps answer for me please.

We are staying on points and I was wondering if they are doing room checks for DVC stays? I've heard lots of grumbles about regular stays for people who choose not to do daily mousekeeping and room checks kinda walking in on them randomly. Has that been happening with DVC stays? I normally lock the extra bar lock on the door anyways whenever we are in the room but always good to be prepared. (and I am aware that mousekeeping is not daily for DVC)

Also I have watched different room tour videos for BRV and some rooms seem to have the safes with a key and some are the keypad. Are the rooms a mix of both still? On our last trip my husband forgot to lock the safe and left the key in it for the day. I would feel better if it was a keypad so less chance of doing that. (Our stuff was fine but I'm always little paranoid).
 
Very excited to say we will be staying at BRV this spring for the first time ever. Its one of those dream come true resorts! I've tried to allow for lots of resort chilling in our plans so we can soak it all in. On our last trip we visited WL and I rubbed Humphrey's nose and I guess he gave us the good luck that we would be staying there on our next trip!

I had two questions though I was hoping the experts could perhaps answer for me please.

We are staying on points and I was wondering if they are doing room checks for DVC stays? I've heard lots of grumbles about regular stays for people who choose not to do daily mousekeeping and room checks kinda walking in on them randomly. Has that been happening with DVC stays? I normally lock the extra bar lock on the door anyways whenever we are in the room but always good to be prepared. (and I am aware that mousekeeping is not daily for DVC)

Also I have watched different room tour videos for BRV and some rooms seem to have the safes with a key and some are the keypad. Are the rooms a mix of both still? On our last trip my husband forgot to lock the safe and left the key in it for the day. I would feel better if it was a keypad so less chance of doing that. (Our stuff was fine but I'm always little paranoid).
:welcome: MidnightParade! Always happy to have new Lodge lovers join us! I can tell you love the Lodge just based on your comment, "dream come true resort." We all feel like that here. I can't fully answer your questions, but I'll share what little I know. As far as I know, the room checks are still a thing. We were there three weeks ago, and we had them every day, though we were out before they came in. We always knew they'd been in because our trash was emptied. Technically, we were staying at Copper Creek, but I assume the same holds true for VWL. As for the safes, I'm afraid I don't know the answer. Copper Creek safes are definitely digital, though. Again, welcome, and hopefully someone will come along with more definitive answers soon!
 
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Very excited to say we will be staying at BRV this spring for the first time ever. Its one of those dream come true resorts! I've tried to allow for lots of resort chilling in our plans so we can soak it all in. On our last trip we visited WL and I rubbed Humphrey's nose and I guess he gave us the good luck that we would be staying there on our next trip!

I had two questions though I was hoping the experts could perhaps answer for me please.

We are staying on points and I was wondering if they are doing room checks for DVC stays? I've heard lots of grumbles about regular stays for people who choose not to do daily mousekeeping and room checks kinda walking in on them randomly. Has that been happening with DVC stays? I normally lock the extra bar lock on the door anyways whenever we are in the room but always good to be prepared. (and I am aware that mousekeeping is not daily for DVC)

Also I have watched different room tour videos for BRV and some rooms seem to have the safes with a key and some are the keypad. Are the rooms a mix of both still? On our last trip my husband forgot to lock the safe and left the key in it for the day. I would feel better if it was a keypad so less chance of doing that. (Our stuff was fine but I'm always little paranoid).

I was thinking that they did not change the safes at VWL during the last refurb. If there are any digital ones installed they might be there only because of an issue that required replacement? But maybe they have come along and made the switch. I'm certain others will chime in who have been there recently.

Enjoy your trip!
 


Quiet group the past nearly 24 hours. No real Lodge news to pass along, but I will say that the new ban on smoking and humongous strollers in the parks has sparked a lot of commentary. Have a great upcoming weekend, Groupies!
 
Quiet group the past nearly 24 hours. No real Lodge news to pass along, but I will say that the new ban on smoking and humongous strollers in the parks has sparked a lot of commentary. Have a great upcoming weekend, Groupies!

I just saw that on my Facebook feed from someone. Haven't looked at the details yet.
 


Looks like Disney is telling folk they can't bring in the rolling beds for their kids anymore. #nocomment :scratchin

When we were there in November we saw those for the first time. My nephew was joking that they were going to have to look into them for the next trip! We all were planning on using it. haha

We also saw the rentable Cinderella carriage. I'm guessing that might have actually been the reason for the width restriction as I don't think I've otherwise seen many or any other strollers that appeared to be wider than 31". A triple I guess?
 
I’m really happy about the smoking ban - also a smoke haze around the fountain in Italy and I love handing out pennies to kids to throw in over their shoulders...
 
When we were there in November we saw those for the first time. My nephew was joking that they were going to have to look into them for the next trip! We all were planning on using it. haha

We also saw the rentable Cinderella carriage. I'm guessing that might have actually been the reason for the width restriction as I don't think I've otherwise seen many or any other strollers that appeared to be wider than 31". A triple I guess?
It sounds like the Cinderella carriage rental company is in the process of building new ones that will conform to the smaller (albeit still mini-mammoth sized) dimensions.
 
Its a shame that so many rules have to be constantly put in place, smoking, strollers, scooters, etc. But its also a shame that many people will bend, stretch or outright blatantly break the rules. Therefore, even non-enforceable rules are in place. Strollers can be halted at the gates, scooters, wheelchairs, etc., if not in compliance, can be stopped.

Smoking, in general is one of those, I feel, will not be enforced. One, not all will get the memo, maybe will not be able to read the no smoking policy if from another country, or worse, will bend, or again, blatantly break the rule. We may find ourselves walking through more of the smoke trails than before.

WDW CMs, seeing them in action, most will not enforce the rule, as to not cause a scene. I am not bashing smokers, but I have to deal with it daily at my workplace. I have to be the "bad guy" at work as I have to enforce the rule, one I didn't make. The retirement community we do all our work set the zero tolerance rule in place a few years back. Personally I take no issue with it. But its construction, so, lots of smokers in the industry. I have to post signs on doors, but sneaking still takes place.

The crappy thing is, the retirement community folks (workers)slip around on their golf carts, hide in trees, sneaking smoke breaks. My guys see it, if they can do it why not me. I have to remind them gently, not my rule, but was told point blank, warn them, if repeated, fire or get them off property for good, and finally my whole company would be gone if I can't enforce it. And it has nothing to do with the health and wellness of employees or residents. Money saved on insurance policy, and that was admitted to me by a higher up.

I guess what Im getting at is this may have more to do with WDW saving on their insurance than the welfare of their clients. Maybe Im off base.

Strollers, though I feel bad for the parents, don't have a strong feel one way or other.
 
I have to admit liking the new restrictions. Disney has decided that the bad publicity about the new stroller sizes (less so with smoking) is more desirable than the future issues with the growing trend of baby wagons. Space has always been at a premium at Disney, and perhaps this is a way of stemming the tide of wagon condominiums. Smoking has always been a thorny issue, but the advent of vaping exponentially increased the numbers of smokers. On our last trip, we noticed quite a few people vaping away from designated smoking areas, and I suspect most thought, "well, I'm not technically smoking." My take is that Disney also wanted to nip this burgeoning issue before it grew. I agree that these decisions by Disney ultimately have to do with money whether by averting even worse social upheaval later or perhaps an insurance issue as JT suggested. The other less mentioned restriction appears to be a security issue--no loose ice in coolers. I've heard a few complaints that not allowing ice--Disney is promoting the use of ice packs--will be quite the inconvenience, and I understand their arguments. This time it appears security is the primary reason--hard to impossible for security personnel to rummage around in a container full of ice. This should be fun to watch.
 
I'm glad to see the stroller restrictions...I'm amazed at the size of some of these strollers that take up a lot of space on buses even when folded up. Even the new restricted sizes are pretty big.

As for the smoking ban...

WDW CMs, seeing them in action, most will not enforce the rule, as to not cause a scene.

I agree with this completely. Disney as a rule doesn't tend to enforce any rule unless another guest complains. Which is why...

many people will bend, stretch or outright blatantly break the rules.

Yep, it's sad but true. There are so many self-entitled people out there who take glee in "getting away with something" and in circumventing Disney's rules. Personally, I feel like smokers are a persecuted group who not only incur the wrath of the righteous but also have severe restrictions on using a legal product they are often addicted to. I am not a smoker, but I am sympathetic to their plight.

Having said that, the smoking ban is probably going to backfire since we no longer will have designated areas that non-smokers can avoid. So the smokers, many of whom simply cannot go 8 hours without a cigarette, will end up sneaking their smokes whereever they feel they can get away with it. And I don't see the CMs acting as the Smoke Police.
 
If I see someone smoking in the parks - can I run over them with my scooter? :P
 
As long as I don’t pull a wagon behind it or an ice chest full of cube - I think I’m ok :drive:
 
. . . . . . . . . . Personally, I feel like smokers are a persecuted group who not only incur the wrath of the righteous but also have severe restrictions on using a legal product they are often addicted to. I am not a smoker, but I am sympathetic to their plight. . . . . . . . . . . .

A legal product as far as their space is concerned. Many others have respiratory concerns that can be aggravated when someone exercising their legal products causes others to be compromised. If you have ever experienced an asthma attack, you know how scary it is to not be able to breath. If one can keep their smoke within the "Legal Territorial Waters" around themselves, so to speak, I have no issue with smoking either. Maybe those that smoke would consider only inhaling, not exhaling?
 
A legal product as far as their space is concerned. Many others have respiratory concerns that can be aggravated when someone exercising their legal products causes others to be compromised. If you have ever experienced an asthma attack, you know how scary it is to not be able to breath. If one can keep their smoke within the "Legal Territorial Waters" around themselves, so to speak, I have no issue with smoking either. Maybe those that smoke would consider only inhaling, not exhaling?
There is no win here for either side. Hey, breathing is optional, yes? (I say this with sarcasm and understanding as a severe asthmatic myself, having grown up around smokers.)
 
I have asthma and have always tried to stay as far away as possible from the smoking areas. When I heard about the new policy I did wonder if this would make it easier for CM’s to approach anyone smoking and ask for them to extinguish the cigarette immediately. In my mind, there is no longer a gray area with the policy, and therefore CM’s will be expected to act when someone is smoking. I’m probably wrong, but I hope not.
 

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