First, though I'm a bit biased, plan to love the resort--it's beautiful, marvelously themed, and intimate compared to most other resorts. As for things to do, a short list would include sitting in the lobby and watching people enter it for the first time (it is awe-inspiring), putting your name on list to be a flag family, family movie night on the beach (preceded by s'mores at the fire pit), renting bikes or a boat(s), taking a walk along the nature trail (starts out beside the bike/boat rental building), grab a Hidden Mickey hint list from the front desk, walk over to FW for breakfast (Trail's End buffet is best value around), and sit on the beach watching EWP and Wishes (the higher explosions are easily seen). As for eats, Roaring Fork is an above average QS; Whispering Canyon doesn't do anything for us, but many people love the food and atmosphere there; and Artist Point is one of the top Signature restaurants in the World (and a great place for a date night). I'm sure you know, but room requests are just that--requests. My best advice is to ask for a lake view room, floors 2-4, and, yes, closer to elevators as it might give you views of the Villas pool. The predominant view at VWL is that of trees, but by being lake side, you might get glimpses of the lake through the trees (as well as snatches of EWP and Wishes over the main building). I say floors 2-4 because we enjoy being elevated thus no ground floor, and the fifth floor has dormer-style balconies meaning you have to stand up to see over the enclosed railing. I'm sure others will chime in with more activities, so enjoy your stay!
There's a Hidden Mickey at the geyser, too.
They do. Porches on floor 1, balconies from floors 2-5. However, as I stated earlier, the fifth floor balconies are dormer-style, meaning they're largely solid. . .meaning you have to stand up to look out over them. Many of the rooms, however, do have taller ceilings which some people like since it provides a sense of the room being larger.
