Just got back from 1st time "home"..a few comments..

[kewlteacher]

We just got back from our first trip home! It was a great trip! I wanted to post a few comments without this sounding like a trip report for those traveling in the near future.

This particular trip, we split between BW and Vero. We arrived at BW on the 8th very early (plane time changed) and hooray! they had a room ready. We got 4127. It was a great standard room since we could see MGM and the canal. I was, however, a bit disappointed in the room condition. I found it a bit dirty for my liking. There were pieces of chocolate on the kitchen floor. Since my daughter needed a nap, I declined calling down and scrubbed it myself. BTW- We didn't get a "Welcome Home". :-(

Besides that, having a one-bedroom was like a Godsend! I will never sleep in a hotel room again! LOL It was wonderful buying groceries and eating in for breakfast and lunch. We saved a lot of money doing that. I have to say though, that Goodings, the only food store we knew of, was very expensive. It was a tad hard buying cereal for 5.09! :-0

Vero was just as nice although we didn't have enough points to stay in a one-bedroom...so it was SUCH a letdown having half the amount of space. We tried to get one, but there were booked! Needless to say, more points are being bought! lol

Vero was very beautiful and just what we needed to relax from our park hopping! I was very happy with all the activities they offered however, I thought the CMs (a.k.a. lifeguards not on duty) could of used some training with little ones. At the campfire, they didn't get the kids singing and they made the fire so high, no one could roast mm without getting a third degree burn. In a finger painting activity, he didn't want the kids painting with their fingers b/c is was too messy and on a particularly rainy day, they had to find bugs hidden in the lobby. After the bugs were found (in about 5 seconds) they said we are done. I suggested (as a teacher) that we bring the kids to the TV room and they hide them again. They didn't understand that we had waited 2 hours for a 5 sec game! haha

All in all, it was a wonderful trip. We definitely had more rain than we ever had and that put a damper on the trip but we came back thinking that buying into DVC was the best decision! We are already thinking of when we can return.

On a side note, I have to agree with many people on the boards noticing a "change" in the Disney atmosphere. It seems like the magic was "waning" a bit, the CMs were tired and cranky and the parks needed some cleaning up. It was a slight change but one that hubby noticed also. Of course, it was middle of summer and the crowds are terrible! I hope in my lifetime I get to go to Disney on non-teacher time.
Sorry for the long post...didn't intend too..just wanted to give my thoughts on the return home. Will post a trip in a few days..after I finish all this wash!

Brian, Melissa & Morgan

 

[Rock'n Robin]

Non-teacher time, what's that?
I hope we get a standard view with a canal view sometime, it sounds great!
Robin M.

 

[Credit Man]

Thanks for the post. We are doing the same thing in Aug.

 

[wdwnut]

hi: the only "welcome home" i've ever gotten at bwv was by the gate guard. i just don't think the front desk is set up for that because of sharing with the bwi. my dh "refuses" to stay in a studio after being spoiled by a 1br. glad you had a nice trip.

 

[Niagara2]

The front desk is well aware if we checked in with points or cash. The points are a dead giveaway clue and we deserve a welcome home it not at the beginning of check in then as we are handed or packets and are on our way!

 

[SnowWitch]

I believe non teacher time refers to summer vacation, Christmas holiday and any other busy time when teachers are off. We recieved no welcome home at BWV either, a matter a fact we never have and its our home resort. Its no big deal but I found it odd at VB where we are not members we recieved the most friendly welcome home!!

 

[kewlteacher]

Yes, I forgot! VB did offer a nice "Welcome Home"!

I also wanted to add that a storm hit on this past Sunday and almost most of the beach was washed away. When we first got there, the water was so calm and we commented that maybe Florida didn't have waves like Jersey (I know...DUH!) but after the storm, it was surfers delight! I was just saddened that people almost didn't have a place to lay since most of the beach washed away.

PS When I say non-teacher time, I am referring to any time that I could go and there would be no line which would fall smack in the middle of the school year! Oh well..maybe when I am retired!

 

[PamOKW]

The ever changing beach at Vero.....Kewlteacher you got to see it go from lake to surfer paradise and the sand shrink. That's why it's so hard to tell folks what to expect. Did the boardwalk/stairs get busted by the waves?

 

[kewlteacher]

Pam,

The stairs and bw were fine. It was interesting that the first day, the sand was above the last few steps and walkway and the next, you had to jump "down" to the sand (a good foot below). In any case, will intend to do Vero each time. A great place to unwind after days of park hopping.

I would also like to comment on the "unruly" children running around. I had heard a few comments about this before we left but it never ceases to amaze me how many parents let their "over 7" children run free. I had to do a fair amount of disciplining other people's kids since they were so dangerous, I was afraid for my own 4 yr old. I never let her out of my site and when she does somethig wrong, I am there to correct her. These kids were pushing and shoving and being quite dangerous. And to be quite honest, these kids could of been hurt easily. Sometimes it was a good 2/3 hours before I saw the parents. How very sad. And people expect us teachers to create miracles in the classroom.