008 Member Interview Tom Vose - Owner at Bay Lake Tower since 2013 and host of the Welcome Home Podcast. In this episode, we get to know Tom and learn his family's backstory of buying into DVC.

Chad Pennycuff, Terry Weaver, Shelby Russell, and Valerie Fairnington reunite for a Resort Review of Disney's Wilderness Lodge Restaurants, Pools, Transportation and Why Own Here?

Experienced Disney Vacation Club members gather for a resort review of Copper Creek Cabins and Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge. The size of villas let members rank them at the bottom of DVC options; however, the resort makes up for any shortcomings.

Disney's Copper Creek Cabins & Villas at Wilderness Lodge with Disney Historian Jim Korkis - Part 1. Former cast member and tour guide at Wilderness Lodge takes us on a journey through the lodge discussing the back stories behind the resort.

In Episode 5 we continue the conversation with Jim Korkis about the history and back stories in Disney’s Copper Creek Cabins and Villas at the Wilderness Lodge.  This blog post is a high-level summary for show notes and photographs of things discussed in the podcast.  For more information, you may want to see the articles Jim posted on MousePlanet.com. “The Wilderness Lodge Saga – Part One” and “The Wilderness Lodge Saga – Part Two.”

Jim explains that there is a back story to everything. Michael Eisner set a policy in place that “Everything Speaks” and that Disney Imagineers do must be driven by a story to create an immersive experience. Jim recalls a story where hotel management wanted to offer coffee to guests. However, the folding card table used to serve coffee didn’t match the period and theming of the Wilderness Lodge. Therefore, Imagineers created a rolling coffee cart to bring out for guests each morning.  We were not able to find the coffee table for a picture; however, Andrew Darden, one of our listeners was able to find this picture to illustrate the point.  The merchandise does look slightly out of period; however, the solid black tablecloths over the folding table blend in the table to maintain the theme.

At check-in, front desk staff provided guests an 1800’s themed newspaper called “The Silver Creek Star” to explain the backstory of the Wilderness Lodge.  This newspaper described how the geyser was created by spirits who were unhappy with some settlers actions in the area.  Jim discusses the history and engineering of the spring found in the lobby. The spring's design creates the illusion that water bubbles up inside the building, slowly winds down to the feature pool and eventually makes its way into Bay Lake. Jim talks about “Sandpaper Trees” with very rough leaves that settlers used as sandpaper. These trees are not indigenous to Florida but were brought in to make the resort more authentic.

Jim explains the transcontinental railroad theming of the lodge also pulled in some Chinese influences in the hallway leading down toward The Roaring Fork restaurant.  Another design challenge was building the Boulder Ridge Villas. These villas have a storyline that predates the lodge.  The villas came about to as housing for the railroad workers that built the transcontinental railroad. The villas at Boulder Ridge were designed to look like a train roundhouse. Jim discusses a hidden Mickey carved into lobby area at Boulder Ridge Villas; he loves taking people there and having them search for the hidden mickey. Once you see it, you cannot un-see the mouse.  There's a hidden Mickey in the photo below.  Spoiler Alert! – Clicking this link or the picture below will reveal the Hidden Mickey – Spoiler Alert!

Boulder Ridge has a train-room that was once called “the Iron Spike Room.”  This room changed names to the “Carolwood Pacific Room” because it houses artifacts from the railroad that Walt had built in his backyard.  One object on display is a set of tracks from Walt's backyard railroad. Walt personally made two cars on show.  Jim points out a photo of Salvador Dali riding the railroad's cars.

DVC Members often ask, “What is the connection with Copper Creek Cabins and Villas with Walt Disney?” The storyline for Copper Creek Villas explains that remaining objects from the railroad era became  building materials for the cabins and villas.  The significant tie to Walt comes from the fact that Walt was a huge railroad fan.

Jim shares a final secret: Disney recycled the crane in the Boulder Ridge  pool from Catastrophe ...

In Episode 004 we are introducing a new episode format. Most shows are DVC member interviews. However, today’s show is the first of a regularly recurring segment called “meet the magic maker.” We talk with former Disney cast members and industry insiders who can share inside knowledge, information, and experiences directly related to our Disney vacations. In these interviews, I seek out people who in some way left their fingerprints in the parks and resorts.  I’m pleased to share a conversation with legendary Disney historian Jim Korkis about the history and back stories at one of my home resorts: Wilderness Lodge. Jim is a former cast member at Disney in numerous roles. At one time, Jim lead tour groups for Disney at Wilderness Lodge. In part one, Jim covers the history of the resort from the original concept of Cypress Point Lodge to what became Wilderness Lodge.

In Episode 004 we are introducing a new episode format. Most shows are DVC member interviews. However, today’s show is the first of a regularly recurring segment called “meet the magic maker.” We talk with former Disney cast members and industry insiders who can share inside knowledge, information, and experiences directly related to our Disney vacations. In these interviews, I seek out people who in some way left their fingerprints in the parks and resorts.  I’m pleased to share a conversation with legendary Disney historian Jim Korkis about the history and back stories at one of my home resorts: Wilderness Lodge. Jim is a former cast member at Disney in numerous roles. At one time, Jim lead tour groups for Disney at Wilderness Lodge. In part one, Jim covers the history of the resort from the original concept of Cypress Point Lodge to what became Wilderness Lodge.

This blog post serves as show notes summarizing the show. For more detailed written information, you may want to see the articles Jim posted on MousePlanet.com. Jim used his research for this interview as a basis for these two articles. “The Wilderness Lodge Saga – Part One” and “The Wilderness Lodge Saga – Part Two.”

Three separate resort areas each have their and come together to make Wilderness Lodge with three unique storylines. Wilderness Lodge was built to emulate aspects of numerous national parks lodges. Boulder Ridge was built to house workers for the transcontinental railroad. Copper Creek was made decades later with remaining railroad parts to accommodate guests.

Jim shares the national park and Native American influences in the lobby from floors to totem poles and their stories. If you stretch out the logs used to make the lodge, it would be over 40 miles long.

Up until 2009, Disney brought in native Americans to perform a ritual the “Blessings of the 4 Directions” to purify the area. The flooring in the lobby is an Indian inspired rug that tells the creation story. The four poles hold up the Canopy in the Sky.

Jim discusses the official mascot of the Wilderness Lodge: “Humphrey the Bear.” Humphrey is on the character totem pole at the mercantile store, and bear imagery appears numerous places around the resort like this bike crossing sign.

The Imagineers found inspiration for the fireplace within the Grand Canyon. Disney hired a paleontologist to replicate the rock layer changes over 1.6 million years. Disney embedded actual fossils that predate the dinosaur era into the fireplace rock. Can you guess what the fireplace has that the Grand Canyon does not? It’s a hidden Mickey!  Spoiler Alert! – We have photos of the hidden Mickey's in the blog posts for this series. The concierge desk or the DVC desk can provide a challenging hidden Mickey hunt.    

 

Jim discusses a common problem that Walt Disney World has become a reservation vacation. People are rushing around to fast passes and advance dining reservations.

The lobby has impressive chandeliers made from hand-painted raw-hide. Eisner provided direction that lighting in this area should come primarily from these chandeliers. Imagineers rose to the challenge and created custom lighting that was inspired by Native American tipis.  Each one weighs 500 pounds and contains 48 light bulbs that provide 2,800 watts per bulb.

Another point of interest in the lobby is an authentic elk tooth dress from 1875. An elk only has two teeth, so it took a massive amount of Elk to make this dress. These dresses were worn on extraordinary occasions like weddings and coming of age ceremonies.

Jim discusses the history and stories behind the totem poles in the lobby.

 

Jim also provides the artist that created the topiaries at Wilde...

In episode 3, I have the pleasure and challenge of interviewing my good friend, Terry Weaver.  Terry and I have been to WDW multiple times, attended Moonlight Magic at Disneyland and have more trips home on the horizon.  Terry has been a DVC member since 2007. His home resort is Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort.

In episode 3, I have the pleasure and challenge of interviewing my good friend, Terry Weaver.  Terry and I have been to WDW multiple times, attended Moonlight Magic at Disneyland and have more trips home on the horizon.  Terry has been a DVC member since 2007. His home resort is Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort. He bought directly from Disney when SSR was the actively marketed property. Terry and his wife Leslie tend to take multiple smaller trips a year to Disney. They never use the 11-month window and rarely ever book 7 months in advance. However, they have stayed at all DVC resorts except Vero Beach.

His favorite resorts are Animal Kingdom Villas – Kidani Village and The Villas at the Grand Californian with a nod of respect to the Treehouses at Saratoga Springs. Terry and I both love Moonlight Magic events and have been to two of these events together. While the membership extra’s may not be worth to some people, we both love using the exclusive member events for those who purchased points directly from Disney.

Terry’s fondest Disney memory is going with his mom, grandparents and little brother. His grandmother collected Hummel figurines ever since she and his grandfather were stationed in Germany. She debated buying a Mickey Mouse Hummel. Just before park close, she decided to buy one from a store that is now the Karamell-Küche in the Germany pavilion at EPCOT world showcase. The entire family rushed over to buy it as the fireworks show ended. Now, every time Terry goes to world showcase, they stop by the Karamell store and he has fond memories of his grandmother. Upon her passing, Terry inherited the Hummel and its one of his most cherished possessions.

Terry’s biggest regret was not buying more points and not adding on more points when Vero and Hilton Head were selling in the thirty dollars a point range.

He’s most looking forward to the new resorts that Disney is building: the Riviera resort, potential DVC rooms at Coronado Resort and the rumored resort coming near Fort Wilderness campgrounds. His favorite studio is the Polynesian. When he bought into DVC, he never dreamed his family would be able to spend a week at the Polynesian resort.

Terry’s opinion on the dining plan is that you really have to strategically use the deluxe dining plan with all-you-care-to-enjoy meals and signature dining to maximize the dining plan. He wouldn’t recommend the dining plan for most families as he believes the typically family will come out ahead paying out of pocket. Terry gives tips like never use the dining plan for breakfast – he prefers paying cash for breakfast at Kona Café and using dining credits at California Grill. Otherwise, Tables in Wonderland is a worth looking at for DVC members and AP holders at $150 a year. Terry’s favorite place to use a snack credit is at Starbucks. His suggests using the dining plan on a split stay where you only have to purchase it for one leg of the trip.  We discussed using Tables in Wonderland at Tuskar House character dining.  The card almost paid for itself in just this one meal.

In WDW, Terry doesn’t do much cooking in the room. They use the fridge, microwave, and coffeemaker. However, in Aulani, Terry suggests going to Costco a mile or so away from the resort and extensively using the kitchen to save money.

Looking back, like most members, Terry wishes he would have bought more points when the price was lower. His advice to new members: buy enough direct points to get the membership extras and buy the rest of your points on the resale market. However, buying into DVC was one of the best decisions they have made.

Terry is a member of the My DVC Points Community group on Facebook.  You can also connect with Terry at TerryWeaver.com. He also leads an event that Terry and Chad will both be attending called “

Episode 002 is a membership report.  DVC offers a lifetime of magical vacation memories.  A trip report covers a single trip; however, a membership report covers years of vacations.  Join us as we learn from Valerie's 11 years experience with Disney Vacation Club.