We will be staying in the Villas for the first time in December, but we love WL.
The Artists Point is one of our favorite restaurants, but I like the Lodge because there is so much to do away from the parks. My kids are older and we don't spend all of our time in the parks anymore. We go swimming, bike riding, boating, horseback riding ... all from the Lodge or nearby Fort Wilderness.
The atmosphere is also very warm and relaxing. I stayed at some resorts on Disney property that seemed more like a train station than a hotel. Whenever we go back to the Lodge, we truly feel like we have come home.
We also go to the shore every summer, which kind of takes some of the magic away from the Boardwalk for us. We want something different. The Lodge is that for us. We can't wait for December.