If you want to avoid the hijinks altogether, you can ask to be seated in the little area just at the end of the place, near the big fireplace. You are out more in the open, elevated above floor level, but most folks pay no attn. passing by. And it remains calm out there.
If you let your server know that you'd rather not take part in the shennanigans, he/she should let you be. You can then discretely ask said server for some ketchup.
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So nice to have you here! As others have said, near the elevators is a good request. We have stayed in 2-bedroom rooms many times and only once have had the coveted corner room. In a word, fabulous! All the extra room is wonderful! There is one small drawback in that the kitchen area is considerably smaller and, in our experience, the 2nd bedroom (studio) portion was significantly smaller than other studios we have stayed in.
.. If they LET me take photos? I'll post 'em.
Later that morning we went for a walk to Trails End for breakfast. Probably the best meal for the money on the entire trip. I don't know which was better, our server or the spread. I do know I wish we had done this sooner, and we will be doing it again. Anyway we had never walked down to the rental boat launch dock and then taken the nature trail before, so we set out on our walk. As we are going out the back entryway to go past Hidden Springs pool we met up with these folks.
I initially thought that it was a DVC sales tour. It turns out they are all Disney employees or contractors. The woman in the white top looking over the shoulders of the two gents with their backs turned was hosting the walk about. I heard her discussing the new pathway in the submittal plans we saw a few weeks ago. They were toting tablets, prints, and cell phones. She was finger pointing and gesturing as she said "new sidewalk will be going through about here and head into that direction." When I heard those words I decided to grab my phone. I think she gave me the stink eye when she realized what I was doing.
These pictures are from the walking pathway down by the lake. I took them while standing on the path looking back at the DVC building.
We have never walked this path before. So I am asking those of you with more local knowledge. However, as I recall from my room views, I do not think the trees used to be so sparse, with so much open space between the lake shore line and the building structure. Is this the same as it has been, or are some trees already cleared? I suspect that some have been felled.
As we approached the end of the pathway, where it turns to the right and crosses the roadway to join the asphalt running trial we found this scene.
It looks to me like they have been clearing stuff and preparing for the construction work. I think it is in close proximity to where the last cabin would be located. A pair of nine yard dumpsters, one of them is filled. Have they always been there? I would think not. I say all of that to say this, it appears that the construction work is imminent. We are debating over the kitchen table about where to reserve for next summer. To get in at the eleven month window for next June, I need to book in the next 4 or 5 weeks. If we pass on the VWL, I guess we have until Thanksgiving. We don't really know where to go. We have always stayed in the wilderness. We did move to Kidani village for two nights in a 1 bedroom and watched the animals. It was very nice, but it wasn't enticing enough to spend eight or nine nights. The Lodge is our best choice for many reasons.
To quote Bill Murray in Stripes when he lost his girlfriend and his job, "And then reality set in".
Thanks for the detective work Greg even if I'm not liking the resultsGreg....awesome detective work and visual evidence!!
I guess even those of us with the worst case of denial will have to shrug and start accepting the changes happening to our beloved VWL.
Maybe I should be thanking them. With all the construction that will be going on there will be no Christmas trip for us in 2016. I guess that will get me out of the borrowing hole.
Unrelated - but we're happy about it
Sandy and I are headed for a five day trip to San Francisco.... TOP of our list is an entire day at the Disney Family Museum
No way - too old for thatHow fun! Just don't bring a selfie stick.
.. Poor WDW..... that policy is going to be next to impossible to enforce 
. They try....
Now Muscle Shoals has got the swampers, and they've been known to pick a song or two (Yes they do!) Sorry Dad, the southerner in me just couldn't resist
Send rain our way we need bad
A year or so ago I saw a really good documentary on Muscle Shoals that I recommend if anyone runs across it. Until then I had no idea about all of the music that came out of there.
Okay, it's been over 24 hours since our last post, so I'll make sure we don't slip to Page 2 by mentioning we are a mere 4 days away from heading south to the World. To be fair, we will work the day we leave and only make it about halfway. Pooler, GA, is our destination that day. However, the next morning we'll be walking along Main Street. We've only two days at WDW because a week from today, we'll set sail on the Dream for five nights. We're excited about merely relaxing and kicking back for a few days. It's about time!
Awesome! My first DCL was a double dip. Hard to compete with that itinerary. Have a great time!
