A Glorified 800 Unit Apartment Complex?

[vanstoj]

We own at Beach Club and HHI but visited SSR over Thanksgiving. There are issues regarding the pool and onsight dining but to me the biggest issue with the resort is that the theming of the resort is dull, particularly for people with children who are searching for a fun-filled, out of this world atmosphere. Please don't flame me and no offense to Saratoga Springs, NY, but one of the great things about some of the other hotels and resorts is that you feel that you are almost in another world or another time(Polynesian, Animal Kingdom, VWL) when you stay there. Not so with SSR. I really think another theme would have made the resort seem more special. For example, a little Europe theme or an Asian or island theme might have worked wonderfully. The lands and ground are very beautiful and I do think that this resort might appeal to older DVCers without kids, however, we have concluded that it is not for us and because the resort is so large, we don't think we will ever have a problem getting a reservation at SSR.

I also think that they counted on a lot of current DVCer's buying into SSR for the extra years. I'm not sure that that has happened on the scale that they expected, however, given that they seem to have DVC booths in every theme park and all over DTD, I know that they are working hard to sell SSR. Personally, our family is holding out for an Animal Kingdom DVC.

 

[3DisneyNUTS]

After eating at the Animal Kingdom lodge, The Wilderness Lodge lost some of the wow factor for me. It seems like all the things that impressed me with WL are dwarfed by the amazing AKL. They are so similar IMO and you can definitely feel the newness of AKL and the themeing is mind blowing. I know this will get me flamed but the WL now seems to me like the poorer cousin of AKL.

With that said I would definitely stay there but probably only once since the points are higher and if you read my previous post about SSR you know I love it there. IMO it is one of the nicest WDW resorts. ALso I just returned from Hilton Head but the lack of elevators made me wish it was styled like SSR with the open hallways and the elevators too. But it is a preference thing.

 

[russct]

Vanstoj,

I do agree that you might not get the same feel (like your in another world) at SSR and that it might be more focused for older children/adults. Just a few comments though. I just got back from 6 nights with my 5 & 9 year old niece and nephew. They absoulutely loved SSR. The 9 year old had her first pedicure at the spa and they both loved the Pool, Slide and especially Community Hall. According to staff the Community Hall is the largest among all DVC resorts and the 5 year old absolutely loved it.

Keep in mind that this was their first time staying at DVC resort and they have no way of comparing to other resort, but like I said they loved it. When we go back next year I almost hate to change resorts because they, as well as the adults loved it. Why ruin a good thing!

 

[sjdisneywedding]

Don't agree with your take on resale. We purchased two separate contracts over the past year with full 2002-2004 points intact (VWL and BWV). We used the VWL extra points but in the case of BWV we rented 2002-2003 bringing our cost down from $76 to $60 (including closing costs). We didn't start paying MF until 2004. In summary we have 2004 points going forward at BWV for $60 vs. 2005 points at SSR for $85. That's a 42% premium for SSR and we get an extra year of points up front.

thats great it worked out for you, as i said resale just didnt cut it for us. Dont feel like renting points to make up for some of the cost, wanted 12 more years in the end, got the $10 per point credit through WDW and had decent financing through them.

Didnt say resale wasnt an viable option, just didnt outweigh our listed benefits.

 

[GCM13]

I haven't seen SSR yet. Are there pictures anywhere so I can see these open hallways I keep reading about. We've been considering adding on there, but I'm a little worried now with all the negative feedback.

 

[sjdisneywedding]

We own at Beach Club and HHI but visited SSR over Thanksgiving. There are issues regarding the pool and onsight dining but to me the biggest issue with the resort is that the theming of the resort is dull, particularly for people with children who are searching for a fun-filled, out of this world atmosphere. Please don't flame me and no offense to Saratoga Springs, NY, but one of the great things about some of the other hotels and resorts is that you feel that you are almost in another world or another time(Polynesian, Animal Kingdom, VWL) when you stay there. Not so with SSR. I really think another theme would have made the resort seem more special. For example, a little Europe theme or an Asian or island theme might have worked wonderfully. The lands and ground are very beautiful and I do think that this resort might appeal to older DVCers without kids, however, we have concluded that it is not for us and because the resort is so large, we don't think we will ever have a problem getting a reservation at SSR.
C.

I get the idea where you are coming from, but I kinda disagree, it IS supposed to represent a specific place and time in history. maybe there theming is poor, I dont know, but the concept is a good one. They already have an island themed reosrt, the Caribbean

 

[mickeysgal]

I have to agree with some of the posts here. We too, toured SSR, and walked away disappointed. The open cement hallways reminded us of cheap hotel chains. The room design, albeit beautiful, didn't remind us of the great theming that Disney is best known for. The lack of a full service restaurant for a resort as large as SSR is a serious error in Disney judgement. The main pool is way, way, too small for an 800 unit resort plus the fact that there was no shaded areas to sit while watching the kids swim. Finally, there are units being built right along the road/highway (I forget the name of the road...the one DD is on). They don't seem to be set back enough to shelter the unit's views. It looked to us as if Disney was squeezing out every bit of land space by pushing the units so close to the highway, thus cheapening the overall effect. Certainly the view of Downtown Disney can't be beat, but we all won't be able to snag that view. If its a choice between going to Disney on a SSR reservation, and not going at all...we'll take the SSR reservation, but I can honestly say at this point, that this resort is at the bottom of our list. Bottom line, in my opinion (for what its worth), I think Disney took the cheap way out on the design and could have done far better.

 

[spiceycat]

It is like OKW or HH or CBR - instead of inside halls - there are just outside.

to me - it is more private - but others like inside halls - like BWV, BCV or VWL.

I like to immediately go in my room - others want to walk down halls - just depends upon what you want.

 

[LIFERBABE]

I will be staying at SSR for the 4th time this year next week! This will be the first time with all 4 of us and I am looking forward to it.

We purchased SSR for the Vacation Home feeling. I like that it is so close to DTD and when my Ds's are old enough to venture out on their own, DTD is like a big mall. DQ, food, movies, and fun plus the Waterparks are very close. Staying at SSR will allow us to have varied interests but be within walking distance of each other and our home.

I made my decision based on SSR being a destination resort. Dh and I had a great stay there in Sept. and we didnt visit the parks until we moved to BWV. It's close to the "real world" so it was great and easy for us to get around. I wanted a place for our family that if we chose not to visit the parks, we would still have a great time and lots of activities. If you picked SSR up (without DTD) and put it anywhere else in the world, I would stay there because it is a beautiful destination resort. I cant say the same about some of the other DVC's that I own. They are all great, but we own each one for different reasons.

 

[DVC-Don]

SSR reminded us of a relatives condo complex over on the Gulf Coast. Not a bad reminder.

 

[pumpkinboy]

...we don't think we will ever have a problem getting a reservation at SSR...

Oddly enough, vantoj, we were unable to reserve the days we wanted at SSR, and ended up putting my Auntie at OKW this week. We had made the ressie at about 4 months out (we made the plans in August), and were on the waitlist until the end of my banking deadline (11/30). It was just my 63 yr old Aunt and her healthcare worker, so they only needed a studio, and frankly the two beds in the OKW studio was very attractive (plus Auntie had stayed there before). But they also wanted to be sure of pool access and pool bar access, and what with the construction on the OKW main pool, we thought SSR might be a nice change. Of the 6 night stay, two nights just never opened up; my Auntie is moderately retarded (also very sweet and appreciative) and could not handle a room change mid-stay. We had just done the SSR add-on (netting APs in the process), and needed the extra points available for Auntie's vacationing habits, hence the short ressie period. Notably, we have since reserved her BWV SV for May, and are counting the days to reserve December '05 for her.

So, maybe after they open more units we won't have any trouble getting a ressie, but we did this time. Our SSR points are just over a quarter of our total (the rest are BWV) and are set aside for Auntie's travels for the rest of her life; they are in our names tho and we pay maintenence, so cheap was good. Plus her schedule is flexible enough that I think we'll be OK at the 7 month mark for now, and if she ends up at SSR, I think she'll like that too.

I was amused to see rinkwide poke a stick into this wasps' nest , which he did in a very positive and respectful tone; nevertheless, "dissin' someone else's crib" does get folks riled up.

And I am with Vanstoj: I am definately holding out for VAKL.

 

[rinkwide]

..."dissin' someone else's crib" does get folks riled up.

Believe me, I respect SSR and everyone's right to enjoy it. In fact, I look forward to staying there someday and having easy access to PI, particularly the Comedy Warehouse. However, I do think it's fair and important to discuss the positive and negative impacts this titanic resort will have on membership in general.

This thread was started in response to my wife and I actually getting to visit the property for the first time. I had read some of the rants and raves of others but wanted to hold off judgement until I could see the place for myself. Personally, the wife and I were underwhelmed. I'm just not sold on the fact that, once completed, this property will really have all the " Disney Magic" DVD is saying it will. If SSR was built by any other developer it would be hard to take issue with it but when Disney builds an on-property "luxury" resort I think we, as members, have a responsibility to hold it to a much higher level of scrutiny.

In it's current incarnation SSR is sort of this innocuous little resort but, I'm afraid, once construction is finished that this thing's going to end up being a 600 unit DVC Gorilla.

BTW, does anyone know how many units are completed at this point?

 

[Johnnie Fedora]

Seeing SSR made us glad that we purchased the home resorts (VWL, BCV, HH) we did. We bought the small DVC resorts, SSR is to big for our liking. It is our new "last choice" as far as WDW locations go. It would have been nice for the room layout to have been designed differently. The units are the same cookie cutter as all the other onsites (except OKW). It would have been more desirable if SSR had bigger units, loft units, different configuration units, or the same points as OKW. The size of the resort makes the 7/11 more important. I doubt switching will be getting any easier at 7 months...unless you are switching to SSR.

 

[Deep-Thots]

Believe me, I respect SSR and everyone's right to enjoy it. In fact, I look forward to staying there someday and having easy access to PI, particularly the Comedy Warehouse. However, I do think it's fair and important to discuss the positive and negative impacts this titanic resort will have on membership in general.

Well, I've only been on these boards for six months, but it seems to me that this issue already has been discussed ad nauseam. Because SSR has caused no appreciable effects (thus far) on reservations at other resorts, I think we'll just have to do as Webmaster Doc suggested: Wait and see. To do otherwise seems, at this juncture, a bit futile. Just my opinion, however.

This thread was started in response to my wife and I actually getting to visit the property for the first time. I had read some of the rants and raves of others but wanted to hold off judgement until I could see the place for myself. Personally, the wife and I were underwhelmed. I'm just not sold on the fact that, once completed, this property will really have all the " Disney Magic" DVD is saying it will. If SSR was built by any other developer it would be hard to take issue with it but when Disney builds an on-property "luxury" resort I think we, as members, have a responsibility to hold it to a much higher level of scrutiny.

Oddly enough, I do not consider it my "responsibility," as a member, to hold Disney accountable for the "magic level" of a resort -- primarily because "magicality" is, in many respects, a preference (and thus is neither right nor wrong. What can be said, I wonder, about the "magic level" of HH and VB -- both of which are DVC resorts?). In fact, I ultimately expect the market to hold Disney accountable in this regard: If people perceive that SSR ain't Disney -- that it doesn't have "that Disney magic" -- then people won't buy it. Pretty simple, all in all.

So, what do I expect from Disney? I expect classic Disney service and a great time. That's it. Again, JMO.

 

[sjdisneywedding]

In fact, I ultimately expect the market to hold Disney accountable in this regard: If people perceive that SSR ain't Disney -- that it doesn't have "that Disney magic" -- then people won't buy it. Pretty simple, all in all.

good point, fortunately(or unfortunately for some) I think from what I have read is that the sales are doing better than expected to date

 

[rinkwide]

I do not consider it my "responsibility," as a member, to hold Disney accountable for the "magic level" of a resort...

If we paid for our accomodations on a per night basis I would agree with the above statement. No harm, no foul.

The reality is that we members have all invested many thousands of dollars into the DVC program and that the agressive selling of an enormous, and arguably less desireable resort is very much our business. If DVD decides to effectivly raise it's visitor base by 60% and, at the same time, cuts some corners on the "magic" at their home resort it stands to reason that a significant extra burden will be put on the previously existing resorts in the system. This could manifest itself on owners of other resorts in many ways from decreased booking availability to higher maintenence costs.

Of course this is all wild speculation and I'm not saying any of this will actually end up happening. It's much more likely that Disney will iron out any problems that might arise and SSR will stand strongly on it's own merits. I just think it's an interesting discussion.

 

[Deemarch]

Now, if no one liked the resort, I might see some validity to all of this discussion. But we all have our own opinions...My DH HATES Caribbean Beach...I like it! So what does that tell you...

I am so crazy for WDW that I could stay in one of the maid's closets, AND PAY FOR IT, and I'd be happy.

Denise

 

[spiceycat]

SSR is selling very, very fast.

 

[jctwizzer]

First two sentences: BINGO!!

Last sentence: Guess it depends on what you consider "interesting"

 

[Deep-Thots]

I will simply say, "Hear, hear!" to jctwizzer's very cogent post.