First Time 'Home' 4/8-4/12

[delmar411]

Well my DD and I stayed at SSR which isn't our home resort but it was our first DVC stay. We left way early this morning on the 4am ME bus (yawn).

The trip itself was pretty awesome and the resort as a whole was very nice. We were in the Springs section right across from the theater so very close to the main pool and the bus stop. Stayed in a studio which was perfect for just the 2 of us.

Now I was using my critical eye as I was puttering around the resort, just because I never took the tour or ever stepped foot on a DVC property before this stay. Mostly comparing from a 'regular' hotel. The pool was wonderful w/ lots of activities going on and the whole resort just seems to give off this relaxed and calming vibe. The room was pretty much a standard hotel room w/ the added kitchenette area We had paper plates/bowls/cups w/ plastic wrapped plastic silverware but that's fine as we didn't need anything else. Word of caution, housekeeping seems to be just as lax w/ the disposables as the standard and the top plate and bowl were clearly dirty(used) so not sure why they were restacked instead of tossed.

Other than that the room was good and we were able to keep the temps within comfort range even w/o anything bobbing around the room.

I do have to say the resort areas were messy the whole time we were there. Nothing was cleaned up during the nights or early mornings. The same piece of trash that was left on the night of the 8th was still there when we left this morning, and it was on the rocks by the pool slide/upper level steps. There were always dirty towels laying around in the mornings before the pool opened. Now I have no idea where they take ppl on the DVC tour but I'd think showing them the main pool area might be one of them and that would have turned me off buying in if I had seen the general messiness.

Wasn't enough of an issue for me to mention it but it was something I noticed. The place seemed to be hopping though with the bands coming through each day so maybe it was a shortage of staff and a fluke observance.

Anyway, I'd stay there again no issue. The bus service was pretty good IMO esp for the volume of guests coming and going. I wish AP was open from 6am-midnight but next time I'll bring my coffee & soda so it won't really matter the hours that the drinks are available.

Didn't check out much more than the main pool areas and the immediate surroundings of the Springs but it was obvious that there were tons of things you could easily fill your vacation with and never step foot in the parks.

So there's my very bare bones trip report for what it's worth.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I'm glad you enjoyed your visit. I wouldn't be happy seeing trash and towels left around the pool either. I am surprised, and maybe as you mentioned they were short staffed or something, and the used bowl and plate, now that's not good either. I think we should at least mention these things, (at the desk?)when these things happen. Our resorts should be well maintained!

Bobbi

 

[stopher1]

I'm glad you enjoyed your trip for the most part! We're looking forward to our first trip "home" too.

 

[alldiz]

thanks for the report.

not happy to hear about the messiness....I hope it was a fluke.
Kerri

 

[DVCSAMNH]

I do have to say the resort areas were messy the whole time we were there. Nothing was cleaned up during the nights or early mornings. The same piece of trash that was left on the night of the 8th was still there when we left this morning, and it was on the rocks by the pool slide/upper level steps. There were always dirty towels laying around in the mornings before the pool opened. Now I have no idea where they take ppl on the DVC tour but I'd think showing them the main pool area might be one of them and that would have turned me off buying in if I had seen the general messiness.

Thanks for your report.
I have to say that this really disturbs me. In all my stays, I have never seen the grounds messy.

Were the bands actually staying at SSR? Or just some of the families? They are usually at ASMU or POP. I don't think i want to see Disney using SSR as housing for the large school groups. Definitly takes away from the "home" atmosphere.

 

[delmar411]

Thanks for your report.
I have to say that this really disturbs me. In all my stays, I have never seen the grounds messy.

Were the bands actually staying at SSR? Or just some of the families? They are usually at ASMU or POP. I don't think i want to see Disney using SSR as housing for the large school groups. Definitly takes away from the "home" atmosphere.

It actually looked like they were performing there. They were all decked out in performance clothes and were going from (if you were at the Springs bus stop facing the pool) the building on the right of the pool over to/past? the theater on the left.

They definitely weren't staying at SSR. I couldn't read what the signs said outside SSR from the buses but at the main entrance there were signs with a big music note on it.

I guess I should have mentioned something to someone about the messiness but after the 3rd day of the same piece of trash sitting there, it was more about wondering how long it would really sit there before getting picked up. The cup that was sitting ON the stairs *only* sat there for 2days before disappearing.

I doubt I would have noticed if I wasn't taking in the resort for the first time. Since DVC is supposed to be 'special' and SSR is newer, I was looking at it a bit differently than ppl who've been there before, yk?

 

[DVCSAMNH]

It actually looked like they were performing there. They were all decked out in performance clothes and were going from (if you were at the Springs bus stop facing the pool) the building on the right of the pool over to/past? the theater on the left.

They definitely weren't staying at SSR. I couldn't read what the signs said outside SSR from the buses but at the main entrance there were signs with a big music note on it.

I guess I should have mentioned something to someone about the messiness but after the 3rd day of the same piece of trash sitting there, it was more about wondering how long it would really sit there before getting picked up. The cup that was sitting ON the stairs *only* sat there for 2days before disappearing.

I doubt I would have noticed if I wasn't taking in the resort for the first time. Since DVC is supposed to be 'special' and SSR is newer, I was looking at it a bit differently than ppl who've been there before, yk?

Ah, the bands must have been doing a performance of some kind at the theatre. That makes sense.

I will be at SSR in early May and will be on the lookout for messy grounds. I will be sure to report it for both of us if I find the same problems. It is so unusual that I hope it was a one time thing and it's back to normal for your next vacation.

 

[jgus]

We were at SSR last year this time, and the bands had a performance at SSR.

 

[sara74]

Ah, the bands must have been doing a performance of some kind at the theatre. That makes sense.

I will be at SSR in early May and will be on the lookout for messy grounds. I will be sure to report it for both of us if I find the same problems. It is so unusual that I hope it was a one time thing and it's back to normal for your next vacation.

We will be there the 1st through the 10th! I grew up in Southern NH (Weare, to be exact and have family there as well as several other towns nearby)

You must be so happy to be heading south after the winter you had!!

 

[culli]

I guess I should have mentioned something to someone about the messiness but after the 3rd day of the same piece of trash sitting there, it was more about wondering how long it would really sit there before getting picked up. The cup that was sitting ON the stairs *only* sat there for 2days before disappearing.

We stayed at Port Orleans in Nov and I noticed similar situation. The bottom of the stairs someone spilled some chocolate ice cream and it never got cleaned up. Imagine what that looked like after a few days

I think Disney overall is still fairly clean compared to industry norms. But I remember 10 years ago saying WOW you could eat off the pavement at Disney it was so clean. I feel they let things slip on the cleanliness over the years and the general CM's seemed to be friendlier and more professional 10 years ago. Now I'm not saying they are still not above avg but on a scale of 1-10 my first trip I would give them a 12 and now I would say an 8. Could just be me???????????

 

[DVCSAMNH]

We will be there the 1st through the 10th! I grew up in Southern NH (Weare, to be exact and have family there as well as several other towns nearby)

You must be so happy to be heading south after the winter you had!!

Can you believe that I still see snow when I look out my front window? The weather is improving by leaps and bounds but what a winter! It's hard to head south and not stay there permanently. Believe me, we are discussing it. The older we get, the worse the winters are.

Enjoy your nice long stay! I'm jealous. We'll miss you by one day. We'll be there the 11th through the 16th.

Culli, I agree, Disney is not the eat off the ground clean that it was when I first started going in the 80s. It was pretty amazing back then. You could picnic in the bathrooms. I started noticing a decline in the cleanliness of the rooms in the last 7 or 8 years but I can't remember the same piece of trash laying around for any length of time. Disney is showing a tendency like a lot of companies lately to outsource and I haven't heard a peep on these boards that that is happening with grounds mainenance but I wonder if it a possibility.

 

[culli]

Disney is showing a tendency like a lot of companies lately to outsource and I haven't heard a peep on these boards that that is happening with grounds mainenance but I wonder if it a possibility.

I did send them a note stating something similar of what I noticed. Doubt it will do anything but here is a link if anyone has comments for Disney......Who knows maybe if enough people state their concerns Worked for the infamous mug scandal


http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdwi/en_GB/contact/contactUs?id=ContactUsPage

 

[DVCSAMNH]

I did send them a note stating something similar of what I noticed. Doubt it will do anything but here is a link if anyone has comments for Disney......Who knows maybe if enough people state their concerns Worked for the infamous mug scandal

I think it's great that you let them know your concerns. It certainly can't hurt. And for the OP: after my stay at BWV in February I received by email the most detailed and extensive survey ever from Disney. They wanted to know in great detail about my stay. Usually, I have found those things to be so generic and set up with no available space to put any comments that I haven't ever bothered to send them back. This one I actually did and it took a while to complete. Hopefully, you will get one and you can voice your concerns there.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I too think the outsourcing is a problem at Disney. It truly was an "eat off the ground" type of place 20 years ago. Such a disappointment when we see the laxness of that happening now. Not just at the resorts either, but also at the parks. I remember our first trip being startled when I dropped a piece of tissue in the bathroom stall, and an attendant scooped her broom under the door and wisked it away before I could get my hand down there to pick it up! That doesn't happen now, and often the bathrooms look like a hurricane went through them.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

Could this have something to do with the vast amounts of people visiting. A friend who came back from spending last week at WDW said that it was the worst crowds he'd ever seen and his family always goes during spring break.