Has anyone ever booked 5 in an SSR studio?

[DebbieB]

I have been frankly surprised that the BWV and BCV renovations included adding a Murphy bed.

VWL actually started it. i wouldn't be surprised if SSR adds them with the next renovation. These resorts all have the same studio/1 bedroom setup. I'm not sure why, but the 1 bedrooms can't accommodate the sleeper chair or Murphy bed so they put them in the studios. They did not add them in studios at AKV, the 1 bedrooms have a sleeper chair.

 

[Dean]

Not surprised at all at BWV as they had rooms that claimed to sleep 5 when we purchased in 2000. They were called 'studio plus' and had a bench with a thin pad. We just used it to stash our shopping.

That was only in the dedicated studios which had the bench and that vanished as the booking category was eliminated. I don't believe it was ever an official offering, just an unpublished option. I'm surprised for other reasons and feel the resorts that do it are worse off because of saturation and crowding issues plus increased maintenance over time.

I would hate to use points when I'm not arriving until that late at night. Have you checked for discounts at a value resort? We often save our DVC points and stay (especially if it's just a couple nights) using an AP or other discount at Pop Century.
I have a family of 4 but am friends with many larger families and so many have the smallest child(ren) in their bed with them. It's so frustrating when you don't need extra beds but a number "rule" requires it. I can understand the fire safety issue and the maintenance fees/dues issue too, though. Hope you find something that works for you.

I'd likely stay off site or possibly look for a discounted room on cash so I could stay in the same room the entire time. I'm not sure where the OP is staying the rest of the time, that would affect my recommendations somewhat.

 

[Judique]

That was only in the dedicated studios which had the bench and that vanished as the booking category was eliminated. I don't believe it was ever an official offering, just an unpublished option. I'm surprised for other reasons and feel the resorts that do it are worse off because of saturation and crowding issues plus increased maintenance over time.

I'd likely stay off site or possibly look for a discounted room on cash so I could stay in the same room the entire time. I'm not sure where the OP is staying the rest of the time, that would affect my recommendations somewhat.

I agree with your comments.

Since most booking was done by phone calls before the website, I imagine the room assigners were the only ones with control of those rooms. We got them several times. The benches may be all gone now, but I had one in a Boardwalk View room not so long ago. I had forgotten about them and was surprised to see it when I walked in.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I'm surprised for other reasons and feel the resorts that do it are worse off because of saturation and crowding issues plus increased maintenance over time.

Yep, this. As well, building new studios to sleep 5 assists in the marketing of those units for point sales. BWV and BCV are both fully-sold 2042 resorts, and even with the new resale restrictions DVC is very limited in how much energy they want to spend ROFRing stuff and reselling points for resorts like those.

The only real marketing point I see in the addition of the 5th sleep surface for those is as an ancillary sales point against the new resorts, as they do tell would-be direct buyers how they can always book (insert resort here) at 7 months, totes, whether historically that's been true or not.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

The only real marketing point I see in the addition of the 5th sleep surface for those is as an ancillary sales point against the new resorts, as they do tell would-be direct buyers how they can always book (insert resort here) at 7 months, totes, whether historically that's been true or not.

I don't think it had much to do with marketing for the addition to the "old" resorts but rather since Disney resorts allocates common area costs to DVC based on head counts in rooms then if they allow more they can allocate more. They could say they offer accommodations for larger families while benefiting by reduced expenses to the hotel side.

 

[dchronister]

Look at POR, I know it's a moderate, but it's sleeps five and we love it there. It's a really nice resort for a mod. If you can catch a a deal on them, you can get one for something like $180 a night. We are splitting our stay between POR and SSR this time, wanted to try a new resort, and the price per night that I am paying is almost exactly the same for the resorts. Just an idea! We don't stay off property, it's just not the same to me!!!