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Disney Vacation Club Trip Report
May 1993
Michael Morizio
We bought our share of the Disney Vacation Club during the
summer of 1992, after receiving a brochure in the mail. Since the last
time my family had been down there was 1991, we had never actually
seen the place until this May, when we had reserved a two-bedroom
unit for one week
After arriving at Orlando on Sunday, May 23, we rented a car for
the week (a good move - I'll explain why later), and drove to the
Vacation Club, which is located not far from the tree houses, in the
Northeast quadrant of WDW.
Having bought our membership sight-unseen, My wife and I were
just a little apprehensive. Of course the place looked great in the
brochure and video tape that the Disney Corporation sent us, but...
Instant relief! The place is beautiful. The concept is that this is the
small village of Conch Flats, settled in 1991. The center of town is a
promenade/boardwalk that features a group of eateries and other
amenities, a wharf (complete with working lighthouse) that overlooks a
large pond and creek, and the main pool (there are three pools so far).
The Disney Corporation is a master of developing a theme and
following it up to the smallest detail. Nowhere in WDW is this done
better than in the Vacation Club resort. (For example, all of the trash
bins are silk-screened "Please help keep our town clean", followed by
the Conch Flats logo). As a result, the little village of Conch Flats feels
as much like a real small town as is possible in a luxury resort. I half-
expected to see Jessica Fletcher ride down the boardwalk on her
bicycle and wave!
The restaurant in town is called Olivia's, and is a decent place with
moderate prices. Most of the entrees were between $8.00 and $12.00
when we were there. The first page of the menu shows a picture of
Olivia and tell the story of how she opened her little place in the Key
West-styled Conch Flats. Speaking of the Key West theme, the
library/sitting room in the Hospitality House is (subtly) named Papa's
Den, and it's the only reference to Hemingway in the resort.
The main pool is a fairly large free-form design with a bridge
crossing the middle. There are two sandy "beach" areas at either end.
One of these has a children's playground with giant sand castles and
sand toys for climbing. There is a spa with a capacity of about 20, and a
sauna in the base of the lighthouse. Around the pool there are plenty of
lounge chairs, tables, and cabanas on the beaches. While we were
there, the main pool never seemed to be very busy (we could always
get a cabana). The other two pools, located in other parts of the resort,
are smaller, but very nice, and even less busy. One has only vending
machines, the other a snack bar.
The boardwalk area (downtown Conch Flats) also has a snack
bar, wet bar, gift shop/general store (with a limited, but well selected
line of groceries and provisions), rental office (bikes, boats, sports
equipment), arcade, exercise room, and a community center. The
community center holds various events such as movies and Ping-Pong
tournaments, and also has board games. Hank's rentals will loan guests
videotapes free of charge (every guest unit has a VCR).
Our check-in was supposed to be 4:00pm, but the unit wasn't
ready until about 4:30pm. Judging from the grumbling we heard in the
lobby, this is a common problem. We did get exactly the kind of unit we
requested, however (no smoking, downstairs). Since we had a rental
car, we didn't need to avail ourselves of a bellman. We just drove over
to building 15, and parked in one of the spaces that were right in front.
The sales brochure's promise of beautifully landscaped gardens
and picket fences is certainly fulfilled. We entered a small fenced-in
courtyard made up of flower beds, walks, and benches, and found our
front door. The doormat in front of it said, "Welcome Home".
As we pushed open the front door, I literally gasped. This is the
first resort accommodation I've ever had that appears smaller in the
brochure than in real life! Beyond the entrance foyer was a combination
living room/dining room/kitchen, and in the pack a porch (patio) that
overlooked a pond and golf course. The master bedroom suite had a
two-person spa , dressing room, and bathroom. Both bedrooms and
the living room had TVs, and there was a VCR in the living room.
The kitchen is very well equipped, with a fridge and ice maker,
toaster, blender, mixer, microwave, dishwasher, garbage disposal, and
coffee maker. Glasses, dishes, and cooking utensils were stacked in the
cabinets and drawers. The unit had a half-weeks worth of towels and
napkins, which were replenished half-way through our stay.
While we were hanging out at the pool and waiting for our unit,
another family told us about the Crossroads Shopping Center, which is
just a few minutes away. Crossroads seems to be situated on or at the
edge of the Disney property, near the Lake Buena Vista section. It's a
very upscale strip mall, with a variety of stores, including Goods, a very
attractive supermarket (the only supermarket I've ever been in with a
fountain).
The prices at Goods, while not really low, are a little better than the
General Store at DVC, and of course, the selection is far better. My
Wife and I stocked up on snack foods and stuff for cold breakfasts, as
we planned on eating all our lunches and dinners out. Eating a simple
breakfast in our unit turned out to be not only economical, but very
convenient, and a great time-saver as well. A tip: If you buy coffee,
don't forget to buy filters like we did! (Don't worry, they sell them at
the general store.) By the way, there is a great family restaurant called
Jungle Jim's at Crossroads. It's basically burgers, but a great place.
One problem that is developing at DVC, and of which the Disney
Corporation is already aware, is the ever-increasing size of the resort.
While it's true that there is a pool and bus stop within easy walking
distance of any unit, a visit to the main pool and village would be a
formidable stroll for many of the newer units. One of the questions in the
member survey we were given asked if we would be in favor of a tram
network to shuttle guests around, and how much we would be willing to
have added to the annual maintenance fee to pay for it. Although building 15
is a fairly short walk to Conch Flats, we would still use the rental car to
drive there when we were too tired or lazy to walk.
Since the parking spaces all seem to be very close to the units,
having a car at DVC is a great convenience, not only for the reason
above, but because it is usually faster and more convenient to drive to
Epcot and the Disney-MGM Studio than it is to take the bus. Going to
the Magic Kingdom is pretty much a toss-up, since you have to drive to
the parking lot, take the tram or walk to the TTC, than take the launch
or the Monorail to the park. If you take the bus, you go directly to the
entrance.
All in all, we are very pleased with our membership at DVC, and
we can't wait to go back.