OKW/VWL June 2-14

[DisneyGal24]

Welcome to my live TR! The cast: me (34), DH35, DD8, and DS5. This is our 2nd DVC trip. Yay!! We are doing a 12 night split stay (6 @ OKW, 6 @ VWL). We left home, southeast TN, at 2:30am and arrived at OKW around noon. I will have to say my kids did the best they've ever done on a road trip. I'm very proud of them. After arriving at OKW it took maybe 5 minutes to get checked in.
It was so quick. We were very lucky that our room was ready! We are in building 26 and have a view of the golf course. I love our location because it is close to HH but it is tucked away and quiet. We are very close to the first bus stop which is fantastic. After unpacking, we hit the pool. My kids are thrilled with the slide! Unfortunately, our pool time was cut short because they had to close it "for cleaning"! Eek! I don't even want to know what the problem was! Next we went to DTD. We planned on taking the boat but due to high winds they weren't operating. This gave us the opportunity to check out the rest of the resort via bus. Our first goal at DTD was to get out PAP activated at guest relations. Luckily I had read a thread on the DIS where someone mentioned doing this or I wouldn't have known to do it. The line at guest relations was long but moved fast. It only took about 10 minutes. Once this was complete we did a little shopping. World of Disney and the Lego Store were huge hits with the kids. We arrived early to our reservation at T-Rex an were seated right way. DS was mesmerized from the minute we walked in. His favorite was the Ice Cave an the Meteor Shower. The food was delicious! We hit D-street for a little pin and vinyl nation trading. While in that area we noticed the boats were running. This saved us a walk back to the Marketplace and the bus stop. We all enjoyed the relaxing boat ride! It was a great first day. Looking forward to MK tomorrow!

 

[dvc at last !]

Keep the TR coming - love OKW !

Enjoy your vaca !

 

[Disney On The Bayou]

OKW is a great resort and the peninsula location is one of my favorites! Its just a quick walk across the bridge and you have access to everything. As for the busses, I would suggest that you board the busses at the HH, since they leave directly for the parks. Then on the return you get off at the Peninsula bus stop as its the first stop. One bus does however run the opposite way just can't remember which, either DTD or Animal Kingdom I think.

You will really enjoy VWL also! It's one of my home resorts and the first one I purchased. Enjoy!!!

 

[ercrbc]

How fun! OKW is a total favorite of ours, hope you are enjoying it! We are heading down this Friday and have an 8yo and 5yo too, plus a roudy 2yo We also really enjoy TREX, I love that it is loud and entertaining for the little ones. Is your DS into Star Wars? Do you have any of the SWW stuff planned? We are heading to HS this weekend and my DS5 is so jazzed about it!

Looking forward to hearing more of your trip!

 

[DisneyGal24]

What an amazing day at MK! We started out pretty early because we didn't know how long the trip would take with multiple stops around the resort. It was super quick and we arrived at MK by 8:00. We had a special treat with Anna and Elsa participating in the opening show. This thrilled DD8 because she really wanted to see them but didn't want to wait in line at Fairytale Hall. I like the way they are opening MK now. We got in a few minutes early! Yay!! Some people still tried to run but it was much more calm and I didn't have to worry about DD getting run over. We opted to split up: DD and I rode Pooh while DH and DS5 rode Buzz, his favorite. We met at the 7DMT because we had a FP at 9:05. Glad we did! The line was insane. It was at hour wait almost immediately. We really enjoyed it. The theming was amazing and the kids were just thrilled with it. We hit many of our favorites before lunch: Dumbo, Barnstormer, FP for Peter Pan, Small World/Tomorrowland Speedway, Teacups, and Little Mermaid. After a delicious lunch at Pinocchio's Village Haus, we watched the Dream Along with Mickey Show, rode BTMR, watched Philharmagic, and went to Pete's Silly Sideshow. Instead of making our way through the crowd we took the train back to the front of the park. DS loves trains so this was a hit. We had a little snack and traded pins while we waited for the Festival of Fantasy Parade. It was well worth the wait. It was stunning! Back at the resort now and hoping the rain will hold off long enough to swim. Looking forward to eating at Olivia's too!

 

[DisneyGal24]

How fun! OKW is a total favorite of ours, hope you are enjoying it! We are heading down this Friday and have an 8yo and 5yo too, plus a roudy 2yo We also really enjoy TREX, I love that it is loud and entertaining for the little ones. Is your DS into Star Wars? Do you have any of the SWW stuff planned? We are heading to HS this weekend and my DS5 is so jazzed about it! Looking forward to hearing more of your trip!

DS loves Star Wars but I am not sure he is quite ready to meet the actual characters yet. We are eating dinner at Hollywood and Vine one night with Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, Chip and Dale dressed like the Star Wars characters.

 

[catherines_mama]

OKW is a great resort and the peninsula location is one of my favorites! Its just a quick walk across the bridge and you have access to everything. As for the busses, I would suggest that you board the busses at the HH, since they leave directly for the parks. Then on the return you get off at the Peninsula bus stop as its the first stop. One bus does however run the opposite way just can't remember which, either DTD or Animal Kingdom I think. You will really enjoy VWL also! It's one of my home resorts and the first one I purchased. Enjoy!!!

We stayed in the same area last summer and used this same plan. It works great!! DTD bus runs backwards. Can't wait to read more. Love OKW and love WDW in early June. What room do you have, 1Bdrm? Can't wait to hear about your point of view of Olivia's. Be honest...

 

[SusieBea]

I'm glad you're off to a good start! OKW is our home resort, and we love it. Waiting to hear more ...

 

[DisneyGal24]

We stayed in the same area last summer and used this same plan. It works great!! DTD bus runs backwards. Can't wait to read more. Love OKW and love WDW in early June. What room do you have, 1Bdrm? Can't wait to hear about your point of view of Olivia's. Be honest...

Loving OKW! I was worried about staying at a condo style resort but it's been awesome so far! We are in a studio and we have plenty of room. The beds are probably the most comfortable we've ever had at any Disney resort. We liked Olivia's. It was good but it I don't know if we will be keeping our 2nd reservation for it.

 

[ercrbc]

So glad you are enjoying OKW! My DD8 loves that sand castle slide. Did you have breakfast at Olivias? We have tried dinner and breakfast there and WOW, breakfast was the best

Loved hearing about your MK day, it made me super excited for this weekend, we will be riding the 7DMT on Saturday My 2yo is exactly 38 inches, so we are excited about taking her on it!

We are doing the Hollywood and Vine with Star Wars Mickey and the gang too! My DS5 is super pumped about not having to go to another "boring" Princess meal

When you did MK rope drop, how were crowds coming in? My big kids want to head over to try Splash and Thunder first thing, and I am hoping if we bypass the 7DTM and Anna/Elsa stuff in Fantasyland we won't have much problem doing that. Fun to hear A/E are in the rope drop opening now! (I am so not waiting 3hrs and thankfully my girls don't care that much about meeting them!)

Enjoy your day today!

 

[catherines_mama]

Loving OKW! I was worried about staying at a condo style resort but it's been awesome so far! We are in a studio and we have plenty of room. The beds are probably the most comfortable we've ever had at any Disney resort. We liked Olivia's. It was good but it I don't know if we will be keeping our 2nd reservation for it.

We had dinner there and felt the same way. It was good. We enjoyed it, but we won't die if we don't go back. Ya know. Reading PP I'd like to try breakfast now.

 

[DisneyGal24]

Had a great time at HS today! We arrived at 7:00 and were first in line! We usually don't arrive this early but drove our van instead of taking the bus. It was an EMH morning. They opened right at 8:00 and we went straight to TSM. This is a huge favorite with my kids and there was no wait at all. Next we waited maybe 5 minutes to meet Woody and Buzz. Those guys are so much fun! Afterward we rode Star Tours twice. We had a FP to ride it again but the kids wanted a break from it. Instead we went to Voyage of the Little Mermaid. It has been a few years since we'd been to this attraction. It was better than I remember. Before lunch we met Jake and Sofia and used a FP for the Disney Jr show. We had an 11:30 reservation for 50s Prime Time. We arrived a little early and were seated right away. This place hasn't disappointed us yet. The food was great and we tried not to get in trouble too much. Our server was really in character and had us laughing the whole time! We had a rescheduled FP for Star Tours after lunch. We had three very different adventures on this ride today. All were fantastic. Our next attraction was the Lights Motors, Action stunt show. My kids could watch this over and over. Seeing how they make it all work was really neat. Up to this point the crowds and heat seemed to be at a minimum but once the show let out it was crazy crowded everywhere and getting hot. We tried to go the Muppets show but it was down. Everyone was getting a little tired and cranky so we got a snack. DD had ice cream while DS and I had a red velvet cupcake from Starring Rolls! One of my all time favorites!! Once everyone was refreshed we split up, DH and DD had a FP for RNR (DDs first ever ride on it) and DS and I had a FP for TSM. DD said RNR was too fast and too loud but she loved it! I was really nervous about it because it was her first upside down coaster. Really enjoyed HS and looking forward to visiting our home resort, SSR, tonight for QS dinner and swimming.

 

[DisneyGal24]

So glad you are enjoying OKW! My DD8 loves that sand castle slide. Did you have breakfast at Olivias? We have tried dinner and breakfast there and WOW, breakfast was the best Loved hearing about your MK day, it made me super excited for this weekend, we will be riding the 7DMT on Saturday My 2yo is exactly 38 inches, so we are excited about taking her on it! We are doing the Hollywood and Vine with Star Wars Mickey and the gang too! My DS5 is super pumped about not having to go to another "boring" Princess meal When you did MK rope drop, how were crowds coming in? My big kids want to head over to try Splash and Thunder first thing, and I am hoping if we bypass the 7DTM and Anna/Elsa stuff in Fantasyland we won't have much problem doing that. Fun to hear A/E are in the rope drop opening now! (I am so not waiting 3hrs and thankfully my girls don't care that much about meeting them!) Enjoy your day today!

We had dinner at Olivia's. Don't get me wrong, the food was good but I think we are so used to all our TS meals having a theme that it just seemed like it was missing something. The best part about it was that I could do laundry while we were eating. Maybe that was too much like home! Anyway, RD at MK was interesting. They walked us in a little early and were using ropes to walk people to 7DMT and Anna and Elsa. A few people still tried to run but overall it was very calm. We went straight to Pooh/Buzz so I can't say for sure about Splash and BTMR but I am sure you'll have no problem.

 

[DisneyGal24]

We went over to SSR to eat at Artists Palette and to swim. We were also hoping to check out the resort a little. We enjoyed the High Rock Springs Pool. The kids tried out the water slide but didn't like it as well as OKW. I really like all the choices at Artists Palette. Dinner was quick, easy, and delicious. We didn't go outside of the Springs/Carriage House area of the resort. The resort just seems so big! We hope to get to explore SSR more later in the trip. Tomorrow, EMH at MK!

 

[catherines_mama]

We went over to SSR to eat at Artists Palette and to swim. We were also hoping to check out the resort a little. We enjoyed the High Rock Springs Pool. The kids tried out the water slide but didn't like it as well as OKW. I really like all the choices at Artists Palette. Dinner was quick, easy, and delicious. We didn't go outside of the Springs/Carriage House area of the resort. The resort just seems so big! We hope to get to explore SSR more later in the trip. Tomorrow, EMH at MK!

Sounds fun. We haven't been there much yet either. Just the main building too. Enjoying your trip so far and your HS morning sounded very fun. We love 50s Prime Time!

 

[DisneyGal24]

It was a very early morning for us! My kids were up at 5:30! EEK! DS only has one volume- LOUD! Hopefully we didn't wake the whole building. We arrived at MK by 6:45 and we were the very first people in line! The kids were real troopers and we were able to get lots of pictures that we wouldn't normally get. We went straight to Buzz and rode it three times by 8:25. Then we split up. DH and DS went to ride the Carousel and waited for Frontierland to open for BTMR while DD and I went to ETWB. It was the first time we had been to ETWB. It was so cute! We met up with them at Pirates, rode the Magic Carpets, and rode the Carousel together. We were headed to Laugh Floor when we noticed a 40 minute wait!! We bypassed it and went to Cosmic Rays. This is a favorite QS restaurant for us. It has something for everyone. We went to our FP for 7DMT. I really felt bad for all the people standing in the 75 minute stand by line. Checked back on Laugh Floor and the wait was down to 10 minutes. DS and DD were shown on the screen twice during the pre-show. They were so excited! We tried a few more attractions for the very first time today. Hall of Presidents and the Liberty Belle Riverboat. The hall was much more interesting than I thought it would be. DS wasn't happy with it but DD thought it was cool. She recognized Lincoln and Washington from their Presidents Day activities at school. The riverboat on the other hand was pretty miserable! It was just too hot! On our way bak up Main Street we stopped for several photo pass opportunities. Finally, we headed to our last FP of the day (Tink/Mickey). DH and DD went meet Tinkerbell and DS and I met Mickey. After an early morning and a hot day we are back at the resort now for a little RR. Dinner at Olivia's and pool time are next. We gotta get ready for tomorrow at AK in the 94 degree heat!:/

 

[DisneyGal24]

Today was our Animal Kingdom day and we actually got to sleep in! Well, it was sleeping in for my kids. They woke up at 6:45. We left the resort around 7:45. The plan for AK was to go straight to Expedition Everest. We had measured DS previously and he was right at 44 inches but we were concerned about him making it when we were at the park. Luckily, he made it! He was so excited. EE is not my favorite because it goes backwards but now that DS was tall enough I had to ride it. This was DDs favorite before she rode RNR at HS. The first ride on EE was rough for me but DS liked it (even though he said the backwards, dark part was scary). We had a FP for it so I had to ride it again! This time was better because I was more prepared. DH could ride it all day! Next, we tried something we've never done before, the Pangani (sp?) Forest Trail. This was really neat. DD decided to do the Wilderness Explorers activities while we were on it. After this we had a FP for Kilimanjaro Safari. This is a favorite attraction for our family! By this time it was getting pretty hot and fortunately we had a lunch reservation at Rainforest. We had a great meal that really recharged our batteries. On our way back into the park we took several pictures at photo pass locations. Another favorite area of ours is Dinoland. We rode Triceratops Spin, went to the Boneyard play area and DD completed a few more Wilderness Explorer badges. We used our last FP of the day to meet Mickey and Minnie. We had a little bit of time before the Lion King show so we were doing some shopping. That's when DS spotted King Louie and Balo. We had to wait a bit but he was determined to meet them. They are always so much fun! The Festival of the Lion King show was amazing as always. My favorite parts are the monkeys and the fire twirler. After this we headed back to OKW. After the hot day we were ready for the pool. The kids can't get enough of the water slide. We enjoyed a nice relaxing meal from Goods to Go by the pool. Tomorrow...Epcot and breakfast with the princesses!

 

[catherines_mama]

Today was our Animal Kingdom day and we actually got to sleep in! Well, it was sleeping in for my kids. They woke up at 6:45. We left the resort around 7:45. The plan for AK was to go straight to Expedition Everest. We had measured DS previously and he was right at 44 inches but we were concerned about him making it when we were at the park. Luckily, he made it! He was so excited. EE is not my favorite because it goes backwards but now that DS was tall enough I had to ride it. This was DDs favorite before she rode RNR at HS. The first ride on EE was rough for me but DS liked it (even though he said the backwards, dark part was scary). We had a FP for it so I had to ride it again! This time was better because I was more prepared. DH could ride it all day! Next, we tried something we've never done before, the Pangani (sp?) Forest Trail. This was really neat. DD decided to do the Wilderness Explorers activities while we were on it. After this we had a FP for Kilimanjaro Safari. This is a favorite attraction for our family! By this time it was getting pretty hot and fortunately we had a lunch reservation at Rainforest. We had a great meal that really recharged our batteries. On our way back into the park we took several pictures at photo pass locations. Another favorite area of ours is Dinoland. We rode Triceratops Spin, went to the Boneyard play area and DD completed a few more Wilderness Explorer badges. We used our last FP of the day to meet Mickey and Minnie. We had a little bit of time before the Lion King show so we were doing some shopping. That's when DS spotted King Louie and Balo. We had to wait a bit but he was determined to meet them. They are always so much fun! The Festival of the Lion King show was amazing as always. My favorite parts are the monkeys and the fire twirler. After this we headed back to OKW. After the hot day we were ready for the pool. The kids can't get enough of the water slide. We enjoyed a nice relaxing meal from Goods to Go by the pool. Tomorrow...Epcot and breakfast with the princesses!

Your AK day sounds great. It's one of my favorite parks, I know a lot don't agree. How did you like the new Lion King location?

How are FP+ working out for you so far? Nervous about doing something "new" our next trip but being open minded. Have fun in Epcot. Storybook breakfast is one of our favorites. Princesses and no CRT drama at ADR time. Lol.

 

[DisneyGal24]

Your AK day sounds great. It's one of my favorite parks, I know a lot don't agree. How did you like the new Lion King location? How are FP+ working out for you so far? Nervous about doing something "new" our next trip but being open minded. Have fun in Epcot. Storybook breakfast is one of our favorites. Princesses and no CRT drama at ADR time. Lol.

Honestly I like the old location better. With the new location it gets crazy crowded with people coming in and out at the same time. It's a tight squeeze. The new theater seems about the same as the old one. We are loving the Magic Bands and FP+ so far. No problems at all. We haven't tried the FP kiosks yet even though we've used all our FPs each day. The kiosks are in several locations. We went in thinking there would probably be issues but nothing yet. Of course, that may change when we check out of OKW and into VWL. We will see!

 

[okwminnie]

Great report! Love all the details - glad that you are having a great time!