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

[sleepydog25]

Oh, such suffering and sacrifice Sleepy!


For Luv:

Taken from Ama Ama:

North Shore:

You are such a provocateur! Stop it!!

 

[sleepydog25]

Did you all see that they're opening "Voyeurs Lounge" at Riviera? All kinds of new paid events coming to DVC!

Oh wait - maybe that's Voyageurs.

I figured that would fit right in with the casino lounge at Riviera. . .

 

[Granny]

Kathy....beautiful photographs! Thank you for sharing.

Slydog..."Have fun stormin’ da castle!"

 

[Granny]

Kathy...hope you don't mind, I took the liberty of updating the view in your picture...







Makes me want to cry.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Kathy...hope you don't mind, I took the liberty of updating the view in your picture...


View attachment 381097




Makes me want to cry.

Looks kind of like a giant beached whale skeleton.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

You are such a provocateur! Stop it!!

Moi?

 

[ErinC]

Jimmy, if you need a pretty good meal in the Aulani area, I recommend the lobster and crab pizza at Pizza Corner across the street. We loved it. The owner was so nice to us and visited with us at our table. Of course, we had just rolled in to Aulani, and were still on Alabama time, but that was some really good pizza! He sent us back to resort with complimentary cinnamon rolls. We were sad that we didn't go back and have a second pizza later in the week. It's probably one of the only meals that we even still talk about. We never did try Monkeypod. I know everyone talks about it.

Two weeks until the half marathon. Just finished my antibiotic and prednisone from this sinus infection I've got. Praying that none of my school children infect me with the flu, strep, and mono that I currently have floating around in my classroom. Stay away germs, stay away...

 

[sleepydog25]

The look I give when a student wants to high five me or shake my hand. . .

 

[jimmytammy]

Erin
Thanks for the heads up about Pizza Corner! I saw it as we were wondering around over there.

Sleepy
I do have to say, the breakfast buffet at Aulani is good(we ate there last trip)and Ama Ama that KAT mentioned is tasty as well. So I back up on my statement a bit about the food. We are doing the Luau here tonight so will report back on that.

Today we are driving up to the Pipeline in hopes to see some big waves. They are saying today waves may peak to 20', Sunday, up too 60'

 

[Dizny Dad]

Jimmy - the Almond Croissants are to die for . . .

 

[Granny]

Jimmy - the Almond Croissants are to die for . . .

DDad...I have to agree with this one. I'm not really a cold pastry fan but I bet I ate about 10 of those almond croissants during our one week stay! They are available at the Ulu Cafe.


Jimmy...glad that you found Monkeypod happy hour. That worked perfectly for Mrs. Granny and I as we'd go over and get the cheap appetizers and a libation. We got that tip from Aulani concierge which I thought was great considering that she was pointing us away from Aulani for food options.

We are doing the Luau here tonight so will report back on that.

Looking forward to hearing your impression of the luau. We enjoyed it quite a bit, and you definitely don't go away hungry!

 

[jimmytammy]

Im such a klutz!! All this time I have been trying to download direct from phone to DIS when I forgot that from the Oct trip I was able to upload images to my email then post here. Oh well, at least I can do so from DL now the right way

We just got back from the Pipeline. I know its hard to tell but the waves were rough and at least 20' swells. Knew things were bad as we arrived rescue for were there trying to get someone to safety. And all surfers were told to come in.

The wind blown look!!

 

[twinklebug]

Im such a klutz!! All this time I have been trying to download direct from phone to DIS when I forgot that from the Oct trip I was able to upload images to my email then post here. Oh well, at least I can do so from DL now the right way

We just got back from the Pipeline. I know its hard to tell but the waves were rough and at least 20' swells. Knew things were bad as we arrived rescue for were there trying to get someone to safety. And all surfers were told to come in.
View attachment 381391
The wind blown look!!
View attachment 381392

Beautiful! Did you happen to see that guy with the ice cream cone while you were there. Oh, that's right, he lives on the island with no big cities (and from what I understand they now have no left shoes).

 

[jimmytammy]

Cindy
If he did have an ice cream cone, as windy as it was, got a feeling he didn't have very long

 

[Lakegirl]

Im such a klutz!! All this time I have been trying to download direct from phone to DIS when I forgot that from the Oct trip I was able to upload images to my email then post here. Oh well, at least I can do so from DL now the right way

We just got back from the Pipeline. I know its hard to tell but the waves were rough and at least 20' swells. Knew things were bad as we arrived rescue for were there trying to get someone to safety. And all surfers were told to come in.

Looks like your having a blast. Enjoy The Luau

 

[sleepydog25]

Okay, Groupies! Coming to you first with this inquiry: Luv and I will be on the DCL Christmas cruise this coming December, and we are planning to eat at both Remy and Palo as we have in each of our previous cruises. We were thinking of doing Palo and Remy on Christmas Eve and Christmas, respectively. However, we began to wonder if either (or both) of these two restaurants switched their menus for a major holiday. If it's a special menu with surprises for lack of a better term, we're okay with that. However, if they were to offer, say, turkey, dressing, and the fixings (or some other traditional foods), then we wouldn't want to spend that much money for something we make at home. Any of you cruising pros have the answer?

 

[Crabby_Dan]

Ok since it’s been pretty slow here on the VWL Groupies blog, I’m gonna share a bizarre story ( well it’s bizarre to me). I’ll try to give the short version.

Back in the late 80s and the 90s we used to stay off property with the kids and visit WDW on a daily basis. Back then Magic Kingdom was WDW to us. ( Though the year MGM Studios opened we tried to take the 2 teens to MGM, but it was closed due to capacity, so we dragged them kicking and screaming into EPCOT and they had a great time.)

When the 2nd litter came along ( that’s what I call the “oops” and the subsequent youngest DD mandated by the DW so the “oops” wouldn’t be an “only child”, since the older siblings were adults and had moved on) we discovered the Value Resorts and started staying on property. In 2003 we took the 2 older kids and the grandchildren to WDW, staying at All Star Movies.

In 2009 we bought into DVC. We were so excited! We traveled to Disney every year with the 2 younger kids. We took the oldest daughter and her 2 kids down to WDW to stay in a Kidani 2 bdr. Twice! Great stuff.

So fast forward to 2019. DD #1 is remarried with another young grandchild, so naturally we are excited to take our grandson to WDW. He’ll be 4 in 2020, so February 2020 is our target date for a Disney trip. The DW and I thought maybe a Studio at Poly would be a nice place for a family of 4 to stay. Or I offered a Savannah view Studio at Jambo House. Or maybe a 2 bedroom at VWL?

“Dad”, she says, “ can’t we stay at that Resort that had all the movie characters? Like we did that other time with the kids? It was more fun for the kids.”

My jaw dropped to the floor! You mean in the Value Studios with the double beds, the standing room only bus rides, the cheerleader groups chanting on the lawn?

So there’s my story. Apparently DVC isn’t for everyone.

 

[sleepydog25]

Great story, Dan! What that humorous (or bizarre as you put it) story shows is that what Disney built in prior generations is the magic of Disney, those iconic characters and figures. THAT'S what keep bringing us and our kids back. My honest question is, will Disney's focused shift to superheroes and Star Wars spark the same imagination and engender the same devotion as Mickey, Minnie, Donald, et.al.?

 

[jimmytammy]

The Aulani Luau was well worth it! I have heard so many stories about the food being bad/not good at a Luau, show being so so, etc. This was beyond expectations and would do again for sure. Other than a brief siting of Moana, it stayed to a very traditional style show, deep in history and its roots. At times it was emotional as the narrators spoke about the area, how their ancestors had settled in Ko Olina, and when they were young, their mom and dad would take them up to particular area to visit, and how their moms ashes were spread there. I found myself choking back tears thinking of my own Ohana back home.

 

[jimmytammy]

Dan
I love this story! You know, we once loved the All Star Sports. And even after buying into VWL, we would find ourselves longing to stay there, maybe a night or two, to tack onto our trip at the start, save those pricey weekend points. But the last time T and I tried sleeping in one of those double beds, we didn't. We were tossing and turning all night. I guess a king size in a DVC resort does spoil us, so much so we looked at the mattress tag at BWV one stay, went home and purchased our own

So after that last value stay, we all agreed we would stay at a mod(BTW, Coronado Springs is our fave in that dept, and am reminded each time I pull up there of the Eagles Hotel California album, which we now change the words of said song to Hotel Coronado)or Springhill at Flamingo Crossings, depending on price.

DVC really did make a snob of me