Advice, very torn.

[bonybroad]

We just returned from our first trip to SSR (our home resort). I never want to stay there again. We like DVC and it still suits our situation. But I have used all my 2010 points for this recent trip with my parents and sister.
This is the worst time to try to sell it, when points are stripped, right? I also have a reservation I made for a renter, so closing can't happen before then, correct?
If we can sell SSR we will try for a VWL resale. Otherwise, I think we will just not own any more. I'm so sad about the whole thing!

 

[hopare]

Sorry you were not pleased with SSR. Can I ask why you are so dissatisfied? I hope to purchase resale soon and am torn as to which resort to choose.

 

[pinnocchiosdad]

We just returned from our first trip to SSR (our home resort). I never want to stay there again. We like DVC and it still suits our situation. But I have used all my 2010 points for this recent trip with my parents and sister.
This is the worst time to try to sell it, when points are stripped, right? I also have a reservation I made for a renter, so closing can't happen before then, correct?
If we can sell SSR we will try for a VWL resale. Otherwise, I think we will just not own any more. I'm so sad about the whole thing!

Why not keep SSR and make reservations elsewhere at the 7 month window. I have logged many trips to WDW and only stayed at my home reort once. Getting a ressie at 7 months is by no means impossible. If you can't get what you want make a ressie anywhere and waitlist for where you want to stay. I have 2 AKV contracts. I sold 1 the other week and just bought into BLT. I lost money on the deal but now I own where I want to stay. My advice would be to sit on your contract until you have points in the bank, then list it for sale. The other side is to sell it cheap now, you will sell for less, but you will not have to make your monthly mayments anymore (assuming you financed). PM me if you have any q's on the resale process.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Something terrible must have happened to you to make you feel this way. We think SSR is a great resort and love staying there. What happened?

By the way, you are probably right about trying to sell a stripped contract right now. And you couldn't close until after your last reservation is over.
And SSR might only sell for in the $60's.

 

[pinnocchiosdad]

We just returned from our first trip to SSR (our home resort). I never want to stay there again. We like DVC and it still suits our situation. But I have used all my 2010 points for this recent trip with my parents and sister.
This is the worst time to try to sell it, when points are stripped, right? I also have a reservation I made for a renter, so closing can't happen before then, correct?
If we can sell SSR we will try for a VWL resale. Otherwise, I think we will just not own any more. I'm so sad about the whole thing!

P.S. do you know that renovations on the pool and food options at SSR have recently been announced.

 

[bonybroad]

I guess you are all right. Might as well hold on to it until the points come back. It's just been very difficult to get into VWL the times I have tried.
There is nothing wrong with SSR. It just doesn't suit our family.

 

[ClarabelleCow]

very confused - your first post reads like something horrific happened. But your last says SSR just doesn't suit your needs?

I would think you would loose a fortune if you tried to sell SSR to buy VWL, why not keep SSR, book and then try at 7 months to change resorts?

What was wrong with your stay? With SSR, the difference in location can make a huge difference in your stay as well.

 

[bonybroad]

The location is a big part of it. We spent over 20 hours of our vacation on or waiting for a bus.
Just a lot of things added up to it being a complete disappointment.
(And I only started keeping track of the bus thing after 2 days. That wasn't even our whole trip.)

 

[ClarabelleCow]

ssr can be tough, but then again, they all can, one trip I spent 45 minutes waiting at VWL to go to AKL. Another time about the same amount trying to to get from Blizzard Beach to BLT.


At SSR, a few times we would just walk up to DTD to catch a bus, or walk to the last stop at SSR. Was this during a busy week? I can't imagine waiting at SSR for 20 hours to get out of the place. Did the cast members have any explanations as to why the busses were so bad?

 

[SSR]

Just a lot of things added up to it being a complete disappointment.

Other than the bus thing, which could or couldn't happen with other resorts, what were some of the other things about SSR make you want to sell it?

 

[bwvBound]

The location is a big part of it. We spent over 20 hours of our vacation on or waiting for a bus.
Just a lot of things added up to it being a complete disappointment.
(And I only started keeping track of the bus thing after 2 days. That wasn't even our whole trip.)

Dear bonybroad,

Maybe it was just "this trip" rather than SSR? We also just returned from our first SSR stay (SSR owners since 2004, usually stay at BWV). Our stay was riddled with problems and disappointments. In fact, I was embarrassed in front of our guests to own DVC ... but I'm thinking the trip was a "one time" problem, will write up my comments in the eval survey and hope that the next trip is more successful.

Extending that thought, I'll hope for both of us more enjoyable DVC visits in the future!

 

[Deb & Bill]

At VWL, you are going to have to either take a boat to the MK (and wait for it to arrive) or take a bus to anywhere else. Same with all the other resorts. If you don't want to wait for a bus, drive your car. Only the Epcot resorts which are in walking distance avoid a bus or other transportation need.

I can't see waiting for a bus, even for as many hours as you say (unless you waited for hours for a single bus), to be the nail in the coffin at SSR.

What else happened?

 

[bonybroad]

I was embarrassed in front of my guests also.
It was just the perfect storm of disappointments.
I do not want to turn this into a "bash SSR" post.
It's our opinion, and I can certainly see why others might enjoy it.

 

[littlestar]

Some trips are like that. We used to own at VWL and our first trip on points there was a disaster. We had two studios and we got the one without a balcony and the other one was looking at a dumpster. We had family with us so it was pretty embarrassing. The buses are hit and miss at any resort we've stayed at. I prefer to rent a car for that reason.

I'd probably keep the SSR points and use them to book the easier to get weekends. Can you sell off part of them? And maybe buy a small points package at VWL for the harder to get Sunday through Thursday days?

 

[SSR]

I was embarrassed in front of my guests also.
It was just the perfect storm of disappointments.
I do not want to turn this into a "bash SSR" post.
It's our opinion, and I can certainly see why others might enjoy it.

I think alot of us want to know what your other problems with SSR were as we are owners, too. I don't think that's really going to bash SSR in any way. I think we, as co-owners with you, genuinely want to know what it was about SSR (besides the buses) that bummed you out.

 

[Coach81]

Sorry you did not enjoy our home resort. We feel that SSR is "home" for us, we love the atmosphere, the springs, the size.. the pool..

Sorry you did not enjoy it, I wish you luck.

 

[ktmmt]

I agree. I do not like SSR. However, I own HH and stay at the BWV and just got BLT a few nights 7 months in advance. Next trip 2 nights BLT 4 nights BWV. For what I pay HH resale, i got the best deal...

 

[bonybroad]

I guess I can see the financial foolishness of trying to sell at this point. We will just keep on keeping on! Thanks for the advice!

 

[dgaston]

We own at SSR, and like it. However, we have stayed most often at BWV, including this coming NYE for one night in a studio. I went on the waitlist in November, despite the MS rep saying it wasn't likely to come up for SSR, and it came through about 2 weeks ago. I had to call to confirm the ressie (borrowing points) and a much more upbeat CM suggested going on the waitlist for the Epcot resorts. Guess what ... BWV came through!

I would suggest making reservations at 11 months out, and then moving them at 7 months to a DVC more to your liking. And consider renting a car, or taking an occasional taxi for bad bus times. We stayed at CSR for Food and Wine weekend, and used taxis twice to minimize our commuting time.

Good luck no matter what you decide.

 

[simba20]

The location is a big part of it. We spent over 20 hours of our vacation on or waiting for a bus.
Just a lot of things added up to it being a complete disappointment.
(And I only started keeping track of the bus thing after 2 days. That wasn't even our whole trip.)

Did you voice your concerns about the busses while you were there?

AKV is our home resort. We've owned our DVC home for only a year now, but have yet to stay there. We've done all of our stays at SSR. We went during Spring Break (first full week of April) and the parks were at capacity and they were limiting who got into the parks. We had just one day of bus problems from SSR (waiting for a MK bus that took forever -- 45 mins and waiting for an SSR bus back to MK -- i hr), and learned that day to speak up then and there. For the next few days of our stay there were practically double busses running for MK.

In Feb we will return to SSR for President's Day weekend and in June we are doing a split stay at BCV and AKV (our home finally). I was able to get BCV just in time at 7 months out.