WebmasterDoc
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 14, 1998
We are getting ready to head home in the morning, but wanted to share some of our fun on this trip.
We arrived on 1/10 at OKW for 4 nites. Had a good trip with DME and easy check-in at OKW. Our villa was in great shape. We were in building 24 - 2nd floor, 1BR villa with a nice view of the golf course.
We enjoyed dining at LeCellier, Coral Reef (twice), Fultons (twice - the 30% DVC discount for lunch is too much to pass up), Narcoosee's and California Grille (tonite).
All of the dining experiences were great and the DDE saved us about $150 for these meals. We were originally reserved for DDP, but cancelled that after doing the math based on the way we enjoy dining. No way we would have broken even with DDP.
Last Sunday we checked into an exchange at Vistana. Our unit is great and very convenient to WDW. We did get a rental since we had a need for transportation in the area. Drove to Ft. Myers on Monday and into WDW each day - usually twice each day.
We enjoyed meeting Caskbill (and his DW, Peg, and brother DVC John) for lunch this week and met with jdvm - owner of Owner's Locker. It's always great to put faces to names from the boards. Lot's of good conversation.
Tonite, we had a WONDERFUL dining experience at California Grille. We allowed our server, Karl, to suggest wines and were not disappointed at all. We had a window table and enjoyed Wishes near the end of our meal. The construction crews were still working at CR this evening - surprising for a Sat. It's obvious they are still doing interior demolition on the North Wing. There are a number of holes punched in some of the rooms - I think it looks like asbestos removal - but no sign of any structural demolition. (Stay Tuned!
)
We did take the "sales" tour at Vistana on Tuesday. Not very high pressure. Our rep was very nice and not pushy at all. We spent about an hour with the presentation and got a "reward" of $50 (cash) for our time. A week at Vistana is selling for $23,900 with annual fees of $1058. With the week you also get some "bonus" Starwood Points and a "Starwood Gold Card". We did have some interesting opportunities to educate our rep about DVC.
We have been packing our Owner's Locker box tonite. They will pick it up at Vistana and deliver it back to us for our next trip. We surprised ourselves with what we have packed inside. Salt/Pepper, coffee, tea, pizza pan, pizza cutter, aspirin, deodorant, shaving lotion, shampoo, body lotion, razors, shirts, jeans, shorts, socks, pencils, paper, erasers, area map, nail file, nail clipper, sun lotion, ear drops, jacket, pliers, screwdrivers, reading glasses, soaps, toothpaste, toothbrushes, floss, seasonings, dish soap, laundry soap and several other items will all be waiting for us on our next trip. The box was waiting at check in at OKW and the Bell Staff brought it to our room.
We also purchased groceries from GardenGrocer and that again worked very well. They brought them about 20 minutes after we checked in at OKW.
The parks have been busier than usual for this time of the year. It's nice to see Disney busy, but it does change our park habits. We found a need to get going a little earlier in the AM and get out in the afternoon.
Weather has been great. Temps have ranged from about 70 - 82 - no rain. It will be tough to go back to snow and 25 tomorrow.
We arrived on 1/10 at OKW for 4 nites. Had a good trip with DME and easy check-in at OKW. Our villa was in great shape. We were in building 24 - 2nd floor, 1BR villa with a nice view of the golf course.
We enjoyed dining at LeCellier, Coral Reef (twice), Fultons (twice - the 30% DVC discount for lunch is too much to pass up), Narcoosee's and California Grille (tonite).
All of the dining experiences were great and the DDE saved us about $150 for these meals. We were originally reserved for DDP, but cancelled that after doing the math based on the way we enjoy dining. No way we would have broken even with DDP.
Last Sunday we checked into an exchange at Vistana. Our unit is great and very convenient to WDW. We did get a rental since we had a need for transportation in the area. Drove to Ft. Myers on Monday and into WDW each day - usually twice each day.
We enjoyed meeting Caskbill (and his DW, Peg, and brother DVC John) for lunch this week and met with jdvm - owner of Owner's Locker. It's always great to put faces to names from the boards. Lot's of good conversation.
Tonite, we had a WONDERFUL dining experience at California Grille. We allowed our server, Karl, to suggest wines and were not disappointed at all. We had a window table and enjoyed Wishes near the end of our meal. The construction crews were still working at CR this evening - surprising for a Sat. It's obvious they are still doing interior demolition on the North Wing. There are a number of holes punched in some of the rooms - I think it looks like asbestos removal - but no sign of any structural demolition. (Stay Tuned!
)We did take the "sales" tour at Vistana on Tuesday. Not very high pressure. Our rep was very nice and not pushy at all. We spent about an hour with the presentation and got a "reward" of $50 (cash) for our time. A week at Vistana is selling for $23,900 with annual fees of $1058. With the week you also get some "bonus" Starwood Points and a "Starwood Gold Card". We did have some interesting opportunities to educate our rep about DVC.
We have been packing our Owner's Locker box tonite. They will pick it up at Vistana and deliver it back to us for our next trip. We surprised ourselves with what we have packed inside. Salt/Pepper, coffee, tea, pizza pan, pizza cutter, aspirin, deodorant, shaving lotion, shampoo, body lotion, razors, shirts, jeans, shorts, socks, pencils, paper, erasers, area map, nail file, nail clipper, sun lotion, ear drops, jacket, pliers, screwdrivers, reading glasses, soaps, toothpaste, toothbrushes, floss, seasonings, dish soap, laundry soap and several other items will all be waiting for us on our next trip. The box was waiting at check in at OKW and the Bell Staff brought it to our room.
We also purchased groceries from GardenGrocer and that again worked very well. They brought them about 20 minutes after we checked in at OKW.
The parks have been busier than usual for this time of the year. It's nice to see Disney busy, but it does change our park habits. We found a need to get going a little earlier in the AM and get out in the afternoon.
Weather has been great. Temps have ranged from about 70 - 82 - no rain. It will be tough to go back to snow and 25 tomorrow.
(first real snow of the season here today!)
Thanks for the fix... er umm trip report.
