Fitness Center Report: SSR/BCV/VB

[bom_noite]

Just got back from a week in Orlando and Vero. We did:

2 Days at OKW
2 Days at BCV (so the kids could use SAB)
2 Days at VB

On the first day I went to the new fitness center at SSR - it is fantastic. And, because the resort has limited capacity (at this point) I had the entire place to myself. They had about 40 different weight machines. All of them are brand new. They are all very smooth and great to use.

They also have a large variety of cardio machines. I understand the facility used to be open to membership - with SSR taking over that has changed and it is just for DVC members/guests now.

SSR is a bit lacking in free weights. But, the machines they have make up for it.

On the second day I went to the Yacht/Beach facility. And, I found they recently changed their machines out. They used to have some high quality resistance machines that have been replaced. They also had some very nice free-weight machines - those have been removed. They still have the same cardio machines they used to have. I walked away a bit disappointed. Thus, I decided to head over to SSR for the remaining days.

Vero - the fitness center at Vero is currently being renovated. They had 3 cardio machines and the dumbbells in the community center. No workout for Bom!

Thats it - hope this helps those interested.

 

[PamOKW]

Thanks for the info. Is the fitness center at SSR part of the spa or is it a seperate building/room?

 

[bom_noite]

It is in a separate room in the "SPA" building.

 

[Don & June]

Is the SSR fitness center part of the DVC membership, or is it a pay as you go type thing?

Thanks

 

[bom_noite]

It is my impression that it used to be a membership facility - but - no more. I also get the impression that is just for DVC members and guests of SSR.

When I first looked at it I asked if I could work out there - the receptionist asked "are you staying at SSR?" When I said no - he said no and then quickly asked "are you a DVC member?" When I said I was he said that I could use the facility.

On one afternoon I worked out with a guy who was staying at Beach Club. I cannot remember the exact story - but - he had had paid $25 for the spa at BC and had had a problem or something - thus - he complained and they said this one time they would let him use the SSR facility for his stay.

 

[jho]

We just returned from a week at BCV. Our DS plays college hockey and has to stick to a very specific and rigorous workout program. He needed some things that the BCV and BWV fitness centers didn't have, so we called over to SSR to ask if any DVC member could have access without a charge. The answer we got was "for now." Made us suspect that access will change once the resort is bigger and occupancy is higher. BTW, does anyone know of a fitness center anywhere at WDW with a good selection of free weights?

 

[bom_noite]

The only place that might be available that I can think of would be the Wide World of Sports complex. I would check with them. Again, I think you will need special permission.

Past that you may just have to find a Golds Gym in the area.

 

[freediverdude]

Yes, this is a shame. When it was the Disney Institute fitness center, I used to make a point of going over there to work out, because they had the largest selection of weight machines and free weights there, not a Gold's Gym by any stretch, but enough to get a real gym workout. If it's just the machines now, I have a feeling it will feel less like a real fitness center and more like a hotel fitness center. I wonder if this has something to do with that thread I read the other day about the fitness centers becoming free to use for guests instead of the daily or length-of-stay fee. Hmm, something might be up.....like maybe the fitness centers weren't making enough money, so they're being downgraded a bit and just made into free hotel workout rooms. Or maybe Disney decided to make it free because not many people were using it, and then along with that came the notion that if you have people going in and out and not signing any waiver or anything, you have to limit your liability by only having equipment in which people aren't as likely to have accidents or hurt themselves. Hmm, I'll be interested to see if the Contemporary fitness center changed too, they had a fairly nice one, although a notch below the Disney Institute.