Looking at SSR with a critical eye.

[Forever a Princess]

Dave,

Glad you post on these boards. Stirs things up a little (in a good way!).

I agree with you.

Last October DH and I toured the common areas of SSR. We were disappointed with the food offerings, pool seemed small etc. Of course these were our opinons.

That tour saved us a big money add on mistake. That being said we are the DVC type that wants their DVC resort attached to a resort hotel. Not every DVCer is this way.

Point for every DVC resort
Tour or stay at the resort that you want to purchase at, it's amazing how the little things and of course the big things can make a resort your home (or not).

That being said, I'm guessing that most DVC members would like to see SSR live up to its potential. SSR was touted/promoted to be a great DVC resort. The success (or lack of) most lkely will have some sort of impact on the future building of DVC resorts. I'd say it's too early to tell what's going to happen. The resort is going through new resort growing pains. Hopefully some of the kinks will be worked out and we will not be booking day by day for the smaller resorts at the 7 month window. I have faith in the DVC management to make the changes needed to make SSR the resort that it was intended to be. All of us want SSR owners to be happy with and love their DVC purchase.

Dave, your thoughts on SSR should be sent directly to the DVC administration. Perhaps with SSR not selling as well as projected, your comments may help the DVC management sort a few things out.

Renee

 

[Daitcher]

Mnnn........do I dare respond to another anti-SSR thread?

With all due respect Dave, I will disagree with your judgements on SSR. I do appreciate you sharing the full story behind your purchase. I can see why you feel the way you do. I can see finally where your anger toward DVC managment is coming from.

I know there are things about SSR than can improve. But room service, poolside dining, and valet are not my negatives. We are not room service people. We are not eating at the pool people. (drinking at the pool, heck ya!) We are not valet people. If those are someone's desires, of course they won't be happy at SSR.

BTW, question for you, in all honesty, why don't you sell SSR and buy a resale at the resorts you love?

Best of luck in your battle with DVC. If you ever are brave enough, I'll buy you and B3 your first drink at the Turf Club.

Thanks for the reply. I am not angry with any of the management at DVC. In fact I think they really are responsive and listen to these types of criticisms. Selling SSR may happen. For now I'm stil getting prime spots at the other DVC Resorts at 7 months and less. If that ceases to be an option I'll be out of the sysytem. Al of the DVC Resorts have taken similiar criticism in the beginning. Lets hope SSR becomes the resort it could be. I also think those of you who don't eat by the pool are in the minority. Where do you eat when you take a pool day? Back to the room and then come back?


DAVE

 

[Daitcher]

Dave,

Glad you post on these boards. Stirs things up a little (in a good way!).

I agree with you.

Last October DH and I toured the common areas of SSR. We were disappointed with the food offerings, pool seemed small etc. Of course these were our opinons.

That tour saved us a big money add on mistake. That being said we are the DVC type that wants their DVC resort attached to a resort hotel. Not every DVCer is this way.

Point for every DVC resort
Tour or stay at the resort that you want to purchase at, it's amazing how the little things and of course the big things can make a resort your home (or not).

That being said, I'm guessing that most DVC members would like to see SSR live up to its potential. SSR was touted/promoted to be a great DVC resort. The success (or lack of) most lkely will have some sort of impact on the future building of DVC resorts. I'd say it's too early to tell what's going to happen. The resort is going through new resort growing pains. Hopefully some of the kinks will be worked out and we will not be booking day by day for the smaller resorts at the 7 month window. I have faith in the DVC management to make the changes needed to make SSR the resort that it was intended to be. All of us want SSR owners to be happy with and love their DVC purchase.

Dave, your thoughts on SSR should be sent directly to the DVC administration. Perhaps with SSR not selling as well as projected, your comments may help the DVC management sort a few things out.

Renee

Thanks for the thoughts here. You are the second person that suggests sending this off to DVC management. Anyone have the approporiate address and who I should address it too? I'll print and send the entire thread.

Thanks,

DAVE

 

[bavaria]

Let me be the next to offer my compliments for a well thought out post.

I realize that I am not the median DVC customer, but I am an OKW owner who has enjoyed SSR. But I enjoy it for some reasons which may not appeal to others.

I practiclly live in a hotel room most of the year, so on vacation I like to avoid walking past the valet/bell staff/front desk several times a day. I like to drive up to my building and instead greet grounds crew/housekeeping/other guests.

I don't like room service - I prefer to have my own food prepared my way, even if it is just in a microwave. Eating out and/or eating room service daily is not as glamourous when you are doing it every day.

I like the quality and current state of the SSR rooms, but wonder if they will survive the usual high occupancy wear and tear of DVC resorts. (Ask me in a few years)

I like being close to DTD as I enjoy walking several miles a day, and a quick walk over to DTD (even Westside) is easy for me and an enjoyable little outing.

I don't use the themed pool areas, I don't enjoy sitting next to the pool with a beverage, but I do make use of my balcony a lot on my vacations, and love great views of DTD (ask me after a non Congress Park stay if I enjoy it as much, though)

Having said all of that , I doubt that I would bring my older relations to SSR for their first trip to WDW. OKW maybe, BWV definitely, SSR only if it was the only option. The size, location, and lack of strong theming make me quesiton if it is the right 'first experience' at a DVC resort. On an upcoming trip with small children, their parents won't even consider a resort which is not attached to a park, so we won't be staying at OKW or SSR.

But I still believe that there are enough people who enjoy the newness, location, outdoor corridors, point requirements, etc to spend time at SSR. Surprisingly, I thought that once I bought DVC I would try and book BWV every time, but find myself going 'home' to OKW instead.

 

[Sarnia]

Dave,

Thanks for stating your point of view. As someone who loves SSR, i'll try and give you my point of view. Before I begin though, I know that nothing I say will change your opinion of SSR, so for your own sake, sell your SSR points and use that money to buy into a DVC that you want to stay at. I know it's 12 years less, but you'll live at least 12 years longer without the stress

I apologise if anything I say sounds like flaming, I'm very proud that I own at SSR, so it's hard not to get a little defensive at times. Constructive critsism is fine (and you make some good, valid points at times), but terms such as second-rate, sub-par, and 3-star do wind me up the wrong way. It's all perception and personal point of view. I might love my car, you might not, but if you tell me it's second rate i'm going to get offended. Even if you own the same kind of car, i'll still be upset with your lack of tact.

We haven't stayed at any DVC other than SSR yet, but last time we were there we did visit every one (on-site) except OKW to see if we would like to try another at some point. Our conclusion was that we would much rather stay at SSR. SSR feels like we have an apartment at Disney, which we much prefer to the hotel feel of BCV/BWV and VWL.

We much prefered the style of SSR over the other DVC's. It has a very up-class feel to it, while also feeling very relaxed. To us it felt more up-scale and classy than BCV, BWV or VWL. We have stayed at fine hotels all over the world, and how anyone can say that SSR is 3-star, or comparable to a moderate, is beyond me.

One reason you don't like the styling of SSR seems pretty obvious; the fact that you actually live in Saratoga Springs. I can appreciate that you wouldn't want to holiday at a place that looks like home, or is designed to look like home. However, while you are bound to feel that way, people who are not from Saratoga Springs will feel quite different. We live on a tiny island near France, where half of the buildings are hundreds of years old. To us SSR looks fantastic, because it's completely different from home.

Even though the Boardwalk location is excellent, we much prefer the location of SSR, as DTD is a better night-time entertainment area. The Boardwalk itself didn't do that much for us as an entertainment area. The restaurants at Epcot are great in the evening, but it closes pretty early, and we do spend a couple of evenings there in a visit anyway.

We don't see the fact that SSR isn't attached to a park as a negative at all. No matter where you stay you will have to get a bus or drive somewhere, unless you only go to the parks that they are attached to. It is one thing to say that it's essential to you to stay at a resort linked to a park, but to say that SSR isn't on-site because it's not attached to a park is bizarre. If that is the case then half of the on-site hotels are actually off-site.

We generally go to a different park every day, whereas we go to DTD most nights, so the location of SSR is actually much more convenient for us. If we want to go to another resort to eat, the buses from DTD will take us straight to any of them...more convenient transportation.

BBB has claimed that SSR is just somewhere to sleep. I disagree, the condo feel makes it much more home-like. When we stay in a hotel we always want to get away from it, at SSR we are happy to have a night in. We have cooked, but if we want to eat in then we walked to DTD and got a take-out, or the same from AP. It's not exactly far to walk, especially for sporting gods like you guys

As far as room service goes, we don't feel it's important at all. SSR isn't meant to be a hotel (where you expect room service), it's meant to be a condo resort. If you want room service you can get a pizza delivery, just like any condo style place. Also bear in mind that they would have to employ extra staff to deliver food due to the size of the resort, which would increase annual dues.

I do like your idea for poolside dining, I think that would be a good addition. I also think that a bigger, more relaxed indoor bar area would be nice to have. I'm happy that they are adding a TS restaurant, although I don't think it was strictly necessary with DTD so close, but more choice is never a bad thing.

People are negative about the size of SSR, but I think the villas on the golf course will be a great addition. Golf course properties sell at a massive premium, so these will be a big added draw to SSR. Just the fact that it has an on-site golf course is a massive plus for those that play. I know for me it was a big selling point of SSR.

SSR certainly wasn't sold to us as merely being a way to stay at the other DVC resorts, it was sold as an option. The extra flexibilty is great, and i'm looking forward to trying out HH and VB at some point, but for us SSR will always be our first choice.

I know your post was prompted by critsism of something you said in another thread. You feel that it's frowned upon to post negatively about something. I don't think that's the case, it's more how and where you do it. If you hijack lots of threads with it then you end up just trolling, and are bound to upset people. Anyone who reads these boards knows your opinions, there's no need to repeat them over and over again, surely.

At times there has been a lot of negativity about SSR on these boards, but people who want to complain make a noise, people who are content usually keep quiet. People are also often reluctant to disagree with the people who post negatively over and over...my wife asked me why I was stooping to that level, whereas I view it as an opportunity to put accross an alternative point of view.

 

[boatboatboat]

Sarnia that was a great post....

I hope things work out for DVC and SSR the way you think they will.

 

[Sarnia]

Sarnia that was a great post....

I hope things work out for DVC and SSR the way you think they will.

Thanks, me too

One memory just came back to me. We were at DTD, by the Lego building. We were looking at SSR, and I remember turning to my Wife and saying 'Wow, we own a piece of that'.

If Disney had built apartments at that location, overlooking a beautiful lake with DTD beyond, and a golf course on-site, I wonder how many millions the freehold on each would cost? And yet we are able to stay there for two or three weeks a year for probably the rest of our lives. How can we not be happy about that?

I worry that some of the posts where people have very negative perceptions which may vary from the majority, yet are very vocal, may put people off buying SSR. Not only would that be a real shame for them, but it also damages DVC, which we all own a part of for a time.

 

[boatboatboat]

I worry that some of the posts where people have very negative perceptions which may vary from the majority, yet are very vocal, may put people off buying SSR. Not only would that be a real shame for them, but it also damages DVC, which we all own a part of for a time.


Well the flip side of that is DVC looks at the situation and makes the improvements needed. Nothing will change if every current owner swoons over a sub par product, and the product sells out prior to the date it was expected to.

I have no doubt people within DVC read this board, no doubt at all.......

 

[Sarnia]

Well the flip side of that is DVC looks at the situation and makes the improvements needed. Nothing will change if every current owner swoons over a sub par product, and the product sells out prior to the date it was expected to.

I have no doubt people within DVC read this board, no doubt at all.......

Bah you called SSR sub par again (only joking )

Seriously though, I agree with what you say above, I just don't agree that SSR is sub-par in any way. It's just not to your taste, which is a very different thing.

I'm not an easily pleased person, yet i'm very happy with the money that we spent to buy a slice of SSR. If we were given the opportunity to swap our SSR points for points at another DVC (or new ones at CR or AK for that matter), even if they were for the same timespan, we wouldn't.

 

[lisareniff]

Seriously, I am really trying to understand why its bad for SSR and not OKW. I would honestly appreciate an explanation. Is it because OKW was the first? Or is it because it requires fewer points so it can be tolerated for such cheap points? Would the complaints be there if SSR's points were on the same line as OKW? I just don't understand.

I have been trying to figure this out as well. I have only stayed at BCV (and VB) so do not have any first hand knowledge of either. However I would be more willing to try OKW than SSR, but I can't put my finger on why. The only thing I can idenify is the room size. OKW has larger more comfortable rooms. Rooms you might want to stay in and relax a while. The resort becomes the destination. I think the smaller size of the SSR rooms was a downfall as well as the size of the resort amenities (pool, restaurant, activities).

Dave thanks for putting on the flamesuit and posting. I like hearing all opinions.

 

[Dean]

Oh I am sure that is the case HERE on the boards. But we are just a very few skewed % of people that own at SSR.

Another reason I posted the poll on SSR, seems as though a lot has changed in a year since it was polled last.

Also - serious legit questions. Why is one of the items that makes SSR "good" and not "great" - or whatever - is the lack of room service when OKW doesn't have room service and there aren't any gripes on that?

Why is one of the other items that makes SSR "good" and not "great" is the lack of valet when OKW doesn't have it either and there aren't any gripes on that?

Why is one of the other items that makes SSR "good" and not "great" is the fact that it has exterior hallways when OKW has exterior hallways and there aren't any gripes on that?

Why is one of the other items that makes SSR "good" and not "great" is the lack of being close to a park when OKW isn't close to a park and there aren't any gripes on that?


Seriously, I am really trying to understand why its bad for SSR and not OKW. I would honestly appreciate an explanation. Is it because OKW was the first? Or is it because it requires fewer points so it can be tolerated for such cheap points? Would the complaints be there if SSR's points were on the same line as OKW? I just don't understand.

I think many of the same criticism for SSR can be levied at OKW as well but likely to a lessor degree. As a rule OKW cost less so I believe the expectations are less. OKW really doesn't have hallways at all, just stairs and very short walkways. There are less units therefore less points. IMO, OKW owners bought there to stay there when they bought though not necessarily newer owners. But remember that OKW was the only resort for a while then HH, VB and BWV came along. The focus was different. And the lower points at OKW do capture a number of people that might be competing otherwise. But from a location and amenity standpoint, there are many similarities. And, to be honest, both SSR and OKW have many similarities to the moderates, and maybe even to the values, from a location and amenity standpoint. For OKW that's OK with me. I'm sure someone will pipe in and say it's bashing BWV and maybe OKW as well. However I don't see this as bashing. IMO, the only way it's be bashing is if one were factually dishonest or spouting insults to be intentionally dishonest.

 

[Dean]

Not trying to fan any flames here, but as a fairly new DVC owner (we bought in January, 2005, at SSR, sight unseen), I just have to wonder, did any of the other resorts get this kind of bad press when they opened? When VWL opened, was it immediately an awsome place to stay, and no one had any complaints? How about BCV and BWV?

I understand the reasoning that SSR should be "better" (NOT my words!) because it is the newest DVC resort, but does it just need a chance to grow and age like other DVC resorts?

Again, not trying to stir the pot anymore than is happening, but I'm confused that the general opinion is that ALL other DVC resorts were awesome upon opening, and SSR, for lack of a better word, sucks.

Not to this degree but there were criticisms of VB, HH, BCV and VWL. For VB and HH it was DVC selling lower and touting using the points at WDW though not early in their tenure. For BCV it was the location within the resort and the views compared to BWV. For VWL it was that god awful ugly chair and to a degree, it's location.

 

[connorlevismom]

Seems to me there is an easy solution to it all. If you don't like SSR, don't stay there! I don't understand all this bashing of SSR at all. If it does not give you the options that you want or is not up to par (in your words) then stay somewhere that is. To keep posting your reasons for disliking SSR over and over is getting very tired.

Kristine

 

[Dean]

After touring around SSR, I have a few thoughts. It will be a very nice resort when it is finished but there are some quirks I noticed. First, the grill area doesn’t seem large enough. 2 BBQ grills just didn’t seem sufficient. The pool is definitely too small for when the resort is completed, especially with the expanded phase 3. Though it may have required some design changes, I think they should have put in under building parking.

It seems the requests will be truly crazy once it’s finished. The water front buildings and ones by the main pool will be much better than the other 5, especially the 3 not by the remaining quiet pool. The resort is definitely big enough for a real restaurant, hopefully they will add this once the resort is closer to completion.

Here are notes I made and posted a little over a year and a half ago. To be honest, I haven't look at the newer locations to see if they're making any of the improvements that are possible though obviously they haven't made the larger ones, under building parking and an expanded or second feature pool.

 

[boatboatboat]

there is an easy solution to it all. If you don't like SSR, don't stay there! Seems to me

If only it were that easy. The problem is, what happens when I call at 6 mths and 20 days, and the only place i can stay is a resort that is not up to par with the resorts i was shown when i bought DVC?

That is were the rub comes in for me.
Yes i do undertanad I can always plan 11 mths out, but ya know sometimes ya simply can't do that when you have older parents with health issues, children of yours who are having babies of their own, health issues for your self, job changes, ect ect.........

 

[connorlevismom]

Not to be rude but it is not everyone else's problem that you cannot plan ahead. You knew the rules when you signed up. If you don't like them, sell!

 

[hallam5]

We are newer members of the DVC and our home resort is SSR. I understand some of the concern of other members. I agree with comments made by others stating that this resort is in its infantsy, how can we bash something that is clearly begining to develope. Every resort there is constantly making changes to improve for the DVC members. We have been to the other resorts and love most all of them for one reason or another. SSR has its own appeal, much more layed back and quiet. After spending full days shopping, riding buses, going to the parks, watching shows etc. its really nice going back to a resort that is quiet, layed back and relaxing. No, staying at the SSR dosent have that feel of Disney looking to entertain you 24/7, but it does make you feel like DVC royalty. I like the break from all the hussle and bussle of the long days running around. Some times walking the grounds or sitting on the balcony at your room makes you feel like you are all alone, is that a bad thing?

 

[roelongo]

I agree. If you knew going in that Disney has the RIGHT to limit you to your home resort ONLY then you shouldn't have bought there.

What are you going to do when Disney exercises this right?

 

[boatboatboat]

Not to be rude but it is not everyone else's problem that you cannot plan ahead. You knew the rules when you signed up. If you don't like them, sell!

I have a hunch that 10 years from now, if WDW builds a DVC club further off site then SSR, and the resort has less to offer then SSR, and to be honest is a notch below SSR, that you will show concern, that the NEW resort can do nothing but harm your experiance as an SSR/DVC owner.

just a hunch.........

BTW the soulution is NOT for current DVC owners to sell. The soultion is for WDW to step up to the plate and make SSR the best resort in the network.

You guys deserve it!

 

[Daitcher]

Seems to me there is an easy solution to it all. If you don't like SSR, don't stay there! I don't understand all this bashing of SSR at all. If it does not give you the options that you want or is not up to par (in your words) then stay somewhere that is. To keep posting your reasons for disliking SSR over and over is getting very tired.

Kristine

Krisitine you are very confused. DVC needs to hear these criticisms to make the product better. Nothing I've offered up here is crazy or made up. Some of it is opinion but much of it is fact. I feel I've had a small hand in the sit down restaurant being added and I will continue to push for other needed improvements. What is wrong with that? Also if you don't like reading SSR threads stick to the glowing reviews and continue to fool yourself that all is well with SSR.

DAVE