4/6-11 Trip Report/photos:SSR/AKV Value and DDP vs. DDE

[starbox]

Sunday 4/6 - One night at SSR in the rain!

We just got home from a fabulous (although crowded) Spring Break at WDW. This was my first trip completely solo with the kids - a big reason we bought DVC is that it would give me a safe way to travel alone during Spring Break (DH has an earlier break and can't take off when we are out).

I had originally booked 4 nights in an AKV value studio - but added one night at SSR about a month ago so that we could attend the Pirate and Princess party Sunday night.

We drove through rain Sunday morning and arrived at SSR (in the rain) at about 1:30. Check-in was crowded (all resorts were at capacity all week) but the line moved quickly and they had a CM in the kids area playing games with waiting children and a greeter giving the welcome home packets and answering questions to people waiting in line. Our room was ready at check-in . I had decided not to make any request since we'd only be there to sleep, but was THRILLED to get a beautiful room in my favorite section - Grandstand. We were on the ground floor in the back corner and had extensive golf course and a fountain view. The Treehouse Villas are REALLY REALLY close to that back Grandstand building - I honestly can't imagine them not being a part of SSR once they are rehabbed (they'd be easy walking distance to the pool/laundry/etc at Grandstand)

Our room was very clean and beautiful. There was a slight glitch when we went to make up the sleeper and did not have sheets - but they arrived within 10 minutes of a call.

SSR View room 9501 (it felt like we were all alone in the country - you could not see another building from our patio).

We used ate dinner at Artist's Palatte (mmmm - flatbread) and headed over to the PP party in the rain. Artist's Palatte is my favorite CS restaurant anywhere on property - so we made sure to eat breakfast there Monday before heading to AKV. The lines are sort of funky, but even with all the crowds it was not so bad since you just get a little buzzer with your ticket while you pay and pick up the food later.

Even with the rain, the PP party was totally worth the money for us. My kids loved being able to walk on all the rides, getting the treasure, meeting Capt. Jack, the parade, and the fireworks. It ended up being SO crowded all week that we were glad we had ridden almost everything Sunday night.

We had no trouble with bus transportation - it was less than a 10 minute wait the whole trip.


Two wet pirates:

 

[starbox]

We arrived at AKL around 10:30 and our room was ready! At check-in, I asked about the possibility of a savanna-view room and was told that no non-lock-off value studios have savanna views - since the resort was booked, I am assuming that the SV value studio rooms were being used in 2-bedrooms. We had a beautiful view of the pool and were right next to the elevator that takes you directly to the spa/pool. All the parking lot view side of the hall rooms on the fifth floor were cash rooms - not DVC.

My first impression of the room was that it was beautiful but seemed A LOT smaller than the savanna-view studio. It was beautiful but very obviously smaller - the furniture is all pushed up against each other and it took creativity to find a place for the pillows and coffee tables when the sleeper was unfolded. The access to the pool and view were much nicer than I expected for the value points.

AKV Value View:

6:30 Am Friday morning:

The resort was just as great as I remembered it, and the points were such a value - but by the end of the week, I realized how much I missed the savanna-view. I know there are common animal viewing areas around the resort - but we just did not use them much (it's vastly different to sit in your jammies on the balcony and watch animals while drinking coffee while the kids sleep than it is to get dressed, take an elevator, and sit on a viewing porch). I think I'll always splurge for the savanna-view from now on.

Interior of studio:

Vanity area was about the same size:

Bathroom seemed much smaller

Kitchenette seemed the same size

Furniture is right up against each other - and storage bench thing is not there

I think the lighted mirror is new:

Inside of wardrobe:

In my opinion, there is no way you could possibly put 4 plus a child in the pack-in-play in these rooms. With the sleeper folded out, there was NO floorspace at all. The only possible place would be next to the sink, and then the bathroom door would be blocked.

Finally - a Kidani construction photo:

 

[alldiz]

Thanks for the review.....Your view at SSR was awesome.....I would love the fact that you could not see anyone else.

Can't wait to stay at AKV.....I think I will splurge on the savanah room as well. I have realized that my balcony time is VERY important.....and I love to look at really cool stuff.....ie....savannah, CY view at WL, ocean view at the ocean....etc.
Kerri

 

[locodemickey]

Thanks for the pics, starbox! We are staying in 3 different values over 19 nights this summer so would you mind answering some questions? We are starting with a value studio. If we want a savanna view, then it is a dedicated, correct? Then we will move to a 1br then a 2br value. If we would like to try to start in a 1br then just open the door to the studio next door to make a 2br, then we only can have a pool view, is that correct? Thanks!

 

[LIFERBABE]

Really enjoyed your report!


I too enjoy my balcony time

 

[starbox]

We've done DDP since it's inception and have tried just about every restaurant. I will agree that with DDP, I've noticed a steady decline in the quality of the entire dining experience at TS restaurants (service, wait times, food quality). However, one by product of the DDP is that we have gotten very used to dining as a part of the whole experience (it's actually DS11's favorite part). That said - we've pretty much decided that we prefer Signature dining - where we feel that the experience maintains food quality, service, and atmosphere in line with the prices. OOP, the cost for most Signature entrees is only about 5$ more than TS. On the regular DDP - you use double credits, and probably end up actually paying more to eat at a signature place that you would OOP - but OOP - the price difference is well worth it to us.

Since we like the signature dining, I decided to give the DDXP a try on the single SSR night - since we needed refillable mugs anyway. DS is 11, so the plan for the three of us was 159.97.

We used the DDXP plan like this:
3 mugs - would have cost 37.50
Dinner @ Artist's Palatte - would have cost 28.00
3 Frozen Cokes at AK - would have cost 12.00
Cotton Candy, Water, Popcorn @ MK - would have cost 8.00
Dinner at Artist's Point @ WL - actual food cost 157.00

Cost of Plan - 189.97 (159.97 plus additional 30.00 tip)

Dinner at AP was excellent - our waiter was incredily attentive, we had no wait to be seated. Food was delivered at a great pace and the manager came out to chat with us. A GREAT dining experience, and AP is one of my favorite restaurants.

However - without the plan, I would have skipped dessert at AP since they took the coffee two ways off the menu! Plus - DS11 is not really adventurous enough for the exotic adult signature dining offerings. Every Signature restaurant we have been in has offered to let both kids order off the kid's menu - they did at Artist's Point as well but since I had already paid 69.99 for DS to eat adult food, I ordered an adult entree for him - which he did not like very well. Oh well

In the end, the fact that we got refillable mugs made the plan probably cost roughly what we would have spent for that one day. Any additional days would have been more expensive on the plan than off of it. Convenience factor is greatly undermined by the fact that you must pay for the plan and pay for a tip.

The rest of the trip we used DDE:

Dinner at Jiko - The waiter was happy to let DS order a kid's meal. Both kids got kids meals and Jiko puzzle desserts (16.00 each), and mom got wine, the halibut, and pistachio creme brulle.
Total bill with DDE was 87.21 including 18% tip. We did not have ADR's , but got a table within 5 minutes of asking. Great service, great atmosphere, great food.

Lunch at 50's Prime Time - there was a 45 minute wait in spite of having ADRs. Service was okay. This time, DS ordered off the adult menu and so did I - DD got a kid's meal. Both kids got milkshakes to drink and the meal w/DDE was still just 41.84 including the 18% tip.

Dinner at Garden Grill - there was a 30 minute wait in spite of having ADRs.
Service was horrible. Food was just okay - much lower quality than what we had a few years ago. Character interaction was GREAT.
It's a family-style all-inclusive meal - so DDE cost was 74.28 including the gratuity.

Obviously - we would spend MORE on the DDP than we did with DDE. Regular DDP would have been almost 80.00 a day for the three of us - plus 15-20$ for tips. Dinner at Jiko would have eaten two days of credits - so we'd have spent 400.00 for those three meals plus four CS meals and 4 snacks. Our CS ran between 20.00-28.00 OOP for the three of us.

So DDE cost for four days:
100.00 = 4 CS meals
204.03 - TS meals (1 signature, 1 character, 1 regular)

Total 304.03

Basically, with DDP, I'd have paid 96.00 for twelve three dollar snack credits!!! (We did not even buy snacks without the DDP)

We are officially DDE converts!!!

 

[starbox]

Thanks for the pics, starbox! We are staying in 3 different values over 19 nights this summer so would you mind answering some questions? We are starting with a value studio. If we want a savanna view, then it is a dedicated, correct? Then we will move to a 1br then a 2br value. If we would like to try to start in a 1br then just open the door to the studio next door to make a 2br, then we only can have a pool view, is that correct? Thanks!

I am going by what a CM told me - so it may or may not be accurate.

I was told that all the savanna-view value studios are lock-offs. SO - if all value two bedrooms are booked as 2-bedroom values, there won't be any open SV value studios. I'd guess that it all depends on when you travel and how many value 2-bedrooms get booked.

 

[tink6137130]

Great pics...thanks for sharing!

 

[RLRDA]

Thanks for your trip report! They're always great and informative. Have they started the rehab on the Tree House Villas yet? On another thread they mentioned that WDW had applied for/were granted (? not sure which) permits for the rehab. Your pictures show how very close they are to SSR.

 

[starbox]

Weather - Weather was absolutely beautiful - sun and warm without the humidity. We had rain the first night, and then great weather. The kids swam every day and night.

Crowds - Crowds ranged from heavy to actually unmanageable. I travel during the summer and I have never seen crowds remotely like the crowds last week. It was actually difficult to even walk at MK Thursday. PLUS - the handy "get there at rope drop" strategy did not work. Crowds were insane first thing in the morning all week long and EMH were a joke with all resorts filled at capacity.

For example - we got to Everest at park opening - I sent the kids straight through the line while I got fastpasses and by the time I got the passes, the line was a 120 minute wait. At 9:10am!!! I actually saw the extended que line for Haunted Mansion open and the line still spilled back through liberty square all the way to the Riverboat dock!!!!!!!!!!

Luckily - being DVC members meant we could just get outta there when crowds got oppressive! I felt so bad for people who travelled and saved for a special once-in-a-lifetime trip and had to suffer through impossible lines all day. No wonder some people hate Disney. We saw so many people turned away from restaurants that had no idea they needed ADRs. I am not sure how good of an experience Disney is for the casual visitor that does not stay on site or research the trip ahead of time. It's good for us, because we "know the secrets" - but part of me feels like Disney may be going too far promoting their all-inclusive resort vacations and could potentially end up creating an environment where off-site first-time guests can be overwhelmed. As a family that started off on a very limited budget and did stay off-site - I'd really hate to see that happen.

We basically just enjoyed the parks, rode a few things, ate, swam, and then swam some more. We even pool-hopped to BW at one point because we had a dining reservation at EPCOT that evening - knowing we'll be back in a few weeks made it not-urgent to ride or see everything.


Transportation - Bus service was the best I've ever seen it. Kudos to AKV because after Wishes the line at the bus stop was really, really backed up and two busses arrived within 5 minutes.

 

[starbox]

Thanks for your trip report! They're always great and informative. Have they started the rehab on the Tree House Villas yet? On another thread they mentioned that WDW had applied for/were granted (? not sure which) permits for the rehab. Your pictures show how very close they are to SSR.

Thanks - I try to report on the stuff I know the DVC board wants to know about.

I did not see any construction at the TV - but the green construction fence was new and the villas looked unoccupied. There's also a walking path that connects GS to the villas - but it's blocked by the fence. They are really, really, really close to that last GS building. Honestly, I'll be shocked if they don't end up a part of Grandstand.

 

[GGOOFY1]

Thanks for the great report. We are staying at AK for 2 nights end of July before we transfer to OKW for a week in a GV. I can't wait, I have not stayed at AK yet and I am looking forward to it.

 

[Inkmahm]

Weather - Weather was absolutely beautiful - sun and warm without the humidity. We had rain the first night, and then great weather. The kids swam every day and night.

Crowds - Crowds ranged from heavy to actually unmanageable. I travel during the summer and I have never seen crowds remotely like the crowds last week. It was actually difficult to even walk at MK Thursday. PLUS - the handy "get there at rope drop" strategy did not work. Crowds were insane first thing in the morning all week long and EMH were a joke with all resorts filled at capacity.

For example - we got to Everest at park opening - I sent the kids straight through the line while I got fastpasses and by the time I got the passes, the line was a 120 minute wait. At 9:10am!!! I actually saw the extended que line for Haunted Mansion open and the line still spilled back through liberty square all the way to the Riverboat dock!!!!!!!!!!

Luckily - being DVC members meant we could just get outta there when crowds got oppressive! I felt so bad for people who travelled and saved for a special once-in-a-lifetime trip and had to suffer through impossible lines all day. No wonder some people hate Disney. We saw so many people turned away from restaurants that had no idea they needed ADRs. I am not sure how good of an experience Disney is for the casual visitor that does not stay on site or research the trip ahead of time. It's good for us, because we "know the secrets" - but part of me feels like Disney may be going too far promoting their all-inclusive resort vacations and could potentially end up creating an environment where off-site first-time guests can be overwhelmed. As a family that started off on a very limited budget and did stay off-site - I'd really hate to see that happen.

We basically just enjoyed the parks, rode a few things, ate, swam, and then swam some more. We even pool-hopped to BW at one point because we had a dining reservation at EPCOT that evening - knowing we'll be back in a few weeks made it not-urgent to ride or see everything.


Transportation - Bus service was the best I've ever seen it. Kudos to AKV because after Wishes the line at the bus stop was really, really backed up and two busses arrived within 5 minutes.

I wonder why Disney was so full of people last week? It isn't Easter week. I don't understand why it would be so out of whack compared to even what is normal for Disney at this time of year.

 

[starbox]

I wonder why Disney was so full of people last week? It isn't Easter week. I don't understand why it would be so out of whack compared to even what is normal for Disney at this time of year.

I heard it was Spring Break for most of Georgia AND Florida - plus some northern states (Michigan, Illinois). Based on the crowds - I think everyone in Florida and Georgia went to Disney. We saw lots of families from the UK as well.

I was honestly shocked at the crowd levels. I did not expect it to be so much more crowded than the peak of summer. I saw que lines open in ways that I did not even know existed and 90 minute + waits for big attractions before 9:30am. CS lines at the MK were spilling out the doors.

 

[auntsue]

Thanks for such a great, comprehensive trip report. I especially liked the pictures you included.

I agree that owning DVC changes your whole outlook on touring. If we don't get to it this time, we'll do it the next. We use to save up and only get there every two years. Even then it was a lot of money and we used to run ourselves ragged and need a vacation after our vacation. While this week was extremely crowded, we are like you, our next trip (and the one after that) is already booked, so that really helps to take the disappointment out of not doing/seeing all.

My husband is interested in staying at AK. You make it sound really nice. I am sure he would like eating at Jiko, but I am not an adventurous eater, so we'll see. How easy is it to get Savannah view at seven months? It sounds like we would want that also.

 

[Starr W.]

I wonder why Disney was so full of people last week? It isn't Easter week. I don't understand why it would be so out of whack compared to even what is normal for Disney at this time of year.

A lot of school districts including mine spring break is always Easter. We have a couple of extended school year schools, and they get 2 weeks off and they don't fall at Easter. Plus look at how many homeschoolers there are and full year school calendars. Depending on what the state(Ohio)decides to do with testing, currently starts the last Monday in April, there has been talk of moving it up to mid April. Our district likes to have the kids back in school a few weeks before testing, so there is talk of moving to a fixed week not around Easter.

I think UK schools get a longer break around Easter.

 

[CarolA]

Weathe

Luckily - being DVC members meant we could just get outta there when crowds got oppressive! I felt so bad for people who travelled and saved for a special once-in-a-lifetime trip and had to suffer through impossible lines all day. No wonder some people hate Disney. We saw so many people turned away from restaurants that had no idea they needed ADRs. I am not sure how good of an experience Disney is for the casual visitor that does not stay on site or research the trip ahead of time. It's good for us, because we "know the secrets" - but part of me feels like Disney may be going too far promoting their all-inclusive resort vacations and could potentially end up creating an environment where off-site first-time guests can be overwhelmed. As a family that started off on a very limited budget and did stay off-site - I'd really hate to see that happen.

I feel sorry for them too, but at the same time I wonder.. WHY??? I don't go ANYPLACE for a visit/vacation without doing some basic research. Buy a book, cruise the web etc. Take some ownership folks.

Several years ago I went on a tour to Turkey. We got there in the AM and the first tour meeting is not until dinner. My mother and I had done a lot of research so we are out touring seeing the very interesting hotel where Agatha Christie wrote Murder on the Orient Express, touring the markets, having tea etc.... Got to the dinner and found out that several of our fellow travelers were "put out" that they hadn't been "told" the fancy interesting things two blocks away.... WHAT? You are spending this much money and you just show up? I feel the same way about Disney. If you fork over a few grand and don't do your homework... the only person to blame is you.


As for crowds, I bet last week was bad. As the OP knows GA schools were out LAST week. (And the week of 4/20 is Passover another rush from the NE!)

 

[BEASLYBOO]

Wow! What a great view! I would love to visit those Treehouse Villas before they tear them down but alas, I've tried to get in there without success. Thanks for the pics and the report. Reading your review helps me bide the time till my next trip.

 

[starbox]

Thanks for such a great, comprehensive trip report. I especially liked the pictures you included.

I agree that owning DVC changes your whole outlook on touring. If we don't get to it this time, we'll do it the next. We use to save up and only get there every two years. Even then it was a lot of money and we used to run ourselves ragged and need a vacation after our vacation. While this week was extremely crowded, we are like you, our next trip (and the one after that) is already booked, so that really helps to take the disappointment out of not doing/seeing all.

My husband is interested in staying at AK. You make it sound really nice. I am sure he would like eating at Jiko, but I am not an adventurous eater, so we'll see. How easy is it to get Savannah view at seven months? It sounds like we would want that also.

Hey auntsue ( BTW - I love your screenname - I have an Aunt Sue that always kept a cookie jar full of Little Debbie snack cakes when I visited - which was just amazingly impressive to me) IKWYM about feeling like you needed a vacation after your vacation - our trips were like that pre-DVC - we'd stay in each park from opening to close and rush trying to hit every ride/attraction. It's so nice to just feel like you can relax and spend time enjoying the parks - we really spent a lot of time just looking at all the animals and trails in AK this trip. At one point DD spent about 45 minutes trying to get a bunny to eat a flower out of her hand while I sat an drank coffee in a little eating area in Africa - pre-DVC I'd have just been rushing to the next thing.


AKV is a really unique and lovely resort - and Jiko is very good. The red-wine glazed filet mignon is excellent, but my favorite is the halibut, which is extremely mild. It's worth trying and is not too exotic - DS is just an eleven year old boy that currently likes fried things and bar-b-que - when he's grown, I'm sure he'll venture slightly further in his tastes.

 

[DVC Mary]

Thank you!

I really enjoyed your trip report & it confirms why I don't go down there at Spring Break. Since we have to fly & usually only go once a year, I'd rather go for a longer trip when it's not quite as crowded.

Being DVC is so wonderful though. There so much we get to enjoy about all the resorts by pool-hopping. We see much more of Disney than others.