Looking at SSR with a critical eye.

[conciergekelly]

Well conciergekelly 6 years from now when you are sitting around the best pool at WDW and having drinks brought to you from the pool side food service, and you are talking with the family beside you, just how DVC went over the top with SSR and how all the owners of BCV and BWV are on waitlist to get in, I hope you tip a glass to all the folks, who at this point look at SSR with a less then fuzzy feeling.

The masses often bennifit due to the demands of the few..........

So let me get this straight... You are squashing other peoples dream so you can have hot dogs at the pool and tell your family what a great place this is? My problem with the isn't that you don't like SSR. It is the non tactful way you go about it. Believe me if DVC is reading this they understand your opinion. We all do. It is just a timeshare! Get a grip.

 

[Beca]

OKW 709 units[/COLOR]

If that's what your book says, there must be a mistake. The posts for years have put OKW in the 500 range. OKW and SSR are not the same size. They were going to be appx. the same size BEFORE the SSR expansion.

I'm not sure where you are getting your figures for other resorts as well? I am going from DVC published info.



Beca

 

[tomandrobin]

My numbers are from this site, home page, under resorts.

 

[tomandrobin]

I don't have a book

 

[boatboatboat]

So let me get this straight... You are squashing other peoples dream


I assume their dream is to stay at a WORLD CLASS resort?

so you can have hot dogs at the pool and tell your family what a great place this is?

I tend to go the burger route

It is the non tactful way you go about it.

We disagree on how to induce change

Believe me if DVC is reading this they understand your opinion.

I hope so, they have let us all down.

We all do.

good

It is just a timeshare!

I thought you said it was a dream?

Get a grip.

I'll try, with your support maybe I can.

 

[Beca]

My numbers are from this site, home page, under resorts.

And, mine is from the member handbook.

I know you are relatively new to the DVC system, but it has been common knowledge that OKW has 500 units, not 700. It makes me wonder why the published info would make the other resorts look "bigger" after SSR has been built? Sounds like another DVC "trick" to me.

I trust the pre-SSR expansion numbers. It is in DVC's best interest to make the resorts look "equal" in size when they are not. It sounds like a different "parameter" might have been used for each resort when calculating rooms.

Either way...you admit to 35%, I say 40%....it's still a REALLY large number, unless DVC can support that 35-40% prefer that resort to the others.



Beca

 

[sajetto]

This is something I was thinking about and I've just got to say it.........


I'm a young woman in my early 20's. I am and always have been a huge Disney fan, I'm even getting married there to the disdain of many of my family members. My fiance bought this membership (late 20's) for us to use with our family and hopefully our future children. We needed those 12 years.

For all of you that have the same SSR pic in your siggy and jump to the defense of SSR....do you really love it that much? Do you not want to see any improvements at all?

Don't you ever look at BWV and say..."all that excitement and 40's theme is so fun, maybe SSR could use such and such"

Or...."Wow BCV has one heck of a pool! It would be really nice if Saratoga Springs had something like that. My kids would have so much fun and we wouldn't have to worry about hopping over to someone else's pool to try it out" (which they no longer allow"


Or................... "VWL's lobby is amazing! They have the rustic theme nailed! It is so nice to be connected to this hotel!"


Or......"I love all the palm trees at OKW. And talk about those gigantic rooms and big patios and all for just a few points!"


Now please tell me what amazes you and sticks out about SSR.

As a young person I have to be honest, my home resort bores me. (I'm no party animal so I'm not talking about putting in some bar)

If I have children and we are staying at SSR I will cry if my children look at me and say "Mommy, I wanna go over to SAB!" or "Mommy, I don't like it here, I wanna go to BWV they've got all that stuff on to do in front of the hotel." Or "Mommy, I like MK best, can we stay at VWL?"

Worst of all...."Mommy can we go to OKW I like the way it looks better and I like the reallllllly big jacuzzi in the room. This place is stupid!"


A shopping complex is not enough of a draw for SSR. It needs something to make it the best. After all Beca said it makes up 41% of the rooms.

Believe me DVC is very aware of the DIS boards My guide made me aware of that as well as my wedding planner through Disney, oh and they do read through the posts.

I'm not slamming SSR, I'm an owner and I want it to be amazing. I want people to look at it and see something wonderful about it. I think the easiest thing to do for it would be to make something like SAB. They very well can't put it in a new location or build a theme park next to it.

I just wanted to put my point of view out there. So, please oh please DVC....make this place something that all of us can be extremely proud of

 

[boatboatboat]

unless DVC can support that 35-40% prefer that resort to the others.

I have yet to see a post saying they are booked at another resort and "hope" to get in at 7 mths.

 

[boatboatboat]

Nice post sajetto.

Early 20's?............ SSR is the resort you should have bought. Listen after all the "bashing", SSR remains a wonderful resort, your family will make MANY special memories there. You are quite lucky at such a young age to have pre planned so many special times. I am envious.......

I do admire your honesty. Let's hope someday, SSR is the place to be when making reservations.

 

[tomandrobin]

And, mine is from the member handbook.

I know you are relatively new to the DVC system, but it has been common knowledge that OKW has 500 units, not 700. It makes me wonder why the published info would make the other resorts look "bigger" after SSR has been built? Sounds like another DVC "trick" to me.

I trust the pre-SSR expansion numbers. It is in DVC's best interest to make the resorts look "equal" in size when they are not. It sounds like a different "perameter" might have been used for each resort when calculating rooms.

Either way...you admit to 35%, I say 40%....it's still a REALLY large number, unless DVC can support that 35-40% prefer that resort to the others.



Beca

I agree, I'm new and its big! I would definately say its around 35% of the WDW on-site DVC units.

I do believe that in the end, it will equal out. SSR is not the last resort, we all know that. The next one might have 450 units.

 

[allshookup]

I know Dave wanted this closed a while back but I'm glad it hasn't been yet. I don't think anyone has gotten nasty & I find this absolutely facinating. Yes we really do love SSR. I think the pool is great! Maybe not SAB but nice all the same. I don't think there should be characters everywhere but a Mary Poppins theme might be a nice addition. I have no problem with criticism of SSR. I think I've made it clear that it's not perfect. I also said on another thread that I understand the frustration of not being able to book at your home resort because there are so many units being added to SSR. But I do have a problem when people say that most SSR owners bought there just to get into the system. There is a poll on here that is contrary to that belief. It only represents DIS members and not all SSR owners but I wish people would stop saying that statement as if it were fact. I am sure SSR owners have pride of ownership just like anybody who has bought at any other DVC resort. I hope DVC does listen to the many suggestions here that can only help SSR and DVC in the long run.

 

[Dean]

My numbers are from this site, home page, under resorts.

I wonder if you're adding up unit types. If so, some of the units are counted twice due to the lockout feature and as such would give you a falsely high number. The last one I have is from 2003 but I think it includes all the expansions for BWV and OKW and matches Beca's numbers. Regardless, the POS is the best source of true info for what it addresses.

 

[cobbler]

First of all, I would like to thank Dave for this thread...it really has started me thinking. And, B3...you're comments have really started me thinking as well.

Here's my thoughts: Do owners of other DVC timeshares besides SSR have any right to complain about the shortcomings of SSR? Absolutely!! Why? Because, if I really feel that SSR is "sub-par" (I know people hate that description....just using it as an example here ), and because the size of the resort is equal to the size of the three smallest on-site DVC's....there is a good chance that will be my "less than 7 month option". That would make the quality of SSR my business.
Beca

Beca I think your post is a very good one. We as owners - everywhere - should do our best to improve all the resorts and it seems that right now SSR needs the most improvement. Well, at least in a lot of owners eyes.

I personally like it just the way it is but I am behind improvements. Hopefully because the resort is still in its infancy it will come to be the flagship or at least not "sub-par" anymore.

Although I do have to wonder about the pool situation. I am curious to see that if in the future what kind of things are going to be done about the pool. I guess I forsee a future where people pop on over from DTD to take a quick dip and if they will start carding those who stay there.

I think your post was very well thought out and should be sent onto DVC about making it so great when the resort has as many rooms as almost the other resorts combined.

Now some of the things that are important to some, really aren't to me but hay, I am all for them if it makes the resort a better place.

 

[Beca]

This is something I was thinking about and I've just got to say it.........


I'm a young woman in my early 20's. I am and always have been a huge Disney fan, I'm even getting married their to the disdain of many of my family members. My fiance bought this membership (late 20's) for us to use with our family and hopefully our future children. We needed those 12 years.

For all of you that have the same SSR pic in your siggy and jump to the defense of SSR....do you really love it that much? Do you not want to see any improvements at all?

Don't you ever look at BWV and say..."all that excitement and 40's theme is so fun, maybe SSR could use such and such"

Or...."Wow BCV has one heck of a pool! It would be really nice if Saratoga Springs had something like that. My kids would have so much fun and we wouldn't have to worry about hopping over to someone else's pool to try it out" (which they no longer allow"


Or................... "VWL's lobby is amazing! They have the rustic theme nailed! It is so nice to be connected to this hotel!"


Or......"I love all the palm trees at OKW. And talk about those gigantic rooms and big patios and all for just a few points!"


Now please tell me what amazes you and sticks out about SSR.

As a young person I have to be honest, my home resort bores me. (I'm no party animal so I'm not talking about putting in some bar)

If I have children and we are staying at SSR I will cry if my children look at me and say "Mommy, I wanna go over to SAB!" or "Mommy, I don't like it here, I wanna go to BWV they've got all that stuff on to do in front of the hotel." Or "Mommy, I like MK best, can we stay at VWL?"

Worst of all...."Mommy can we go to OKW I like the way it looks better and I like the reallllllly big jacuzzi in the room. This place is stupid!"


A shopping complex is not enough of a draw for SSR. It needs something to make it the best. After all Beca said it makes up 41% of the rooms.

Believe me DVC is very aware of the DIS boards My guide made me aware of that as well as my wedding planner through Disney, oh and they do read through the posts.

I'm not slamming SSR, I'm an owner and I want it to be amazing. I want people to look at it and see something wonderful about it. I think the easiest thing to do for it would be to make something like SAB. They very well can't put it in a new location or build a theme park next to it.

I just wanted to put my point of view out there. So, please oh please DVC....make this place something that all of us can be extremely proud of

What a WONDERFUL post!!!

Maybe, if this information gets in the right hands....SSR WILL become the most amazing DVC property, ever!!!



Beca

 

[Daitcher]

How does writing on a internet board help SSR become a better resort? And how are you making people who buy think that it is a great resort so they would want to stay there? If any thing you are doing the opposite. You don't make sense. Oh yea you do....

Lets not be naive here. They do know about and read these boards. Now someone here laughed at my assumption that many positive SSR reviews are in fact ghost writers. Laugh all you want. I use tripadvisor website a lot. A resort there got bashed by a poster and he/she accused management of doing nothing to remedy the problems they had. A member of the management team called them out in a post and demanded the poster identify themselves. This manager insisted it never happened and that the person had never been a guest. He was right. The post was a blatant attempt to bash the resort. This proves two things: 1) resorts do read this stuff 2) people do in fact make things up.

Now another reason I feel this way. I mingle a lot with fellow guests at WDW. I offer up that I own SSR just to get there take. Guess what, once I go to say that I don't like it ,they go on to say " Thank God, didn't want to be rude but we don't like it either." They say things like "never again", etc. My 1st stay at SSR I spent a good deal of time in the hot tub in the Congress Park section. I always asked people how they liked the resort. I never met even ONE person that said they liked it.

Now did I talk to every guest, no, but I trust what I hear first hand, not on internet boards like this. Believe what you guys want, we are all entitled to our opinions but believe you me, B3 and Daitcher aren't the only ones who feel this way. Just once I want to meet a fellow guest who likes SSR. Maybe then I'll be a believer.


DAVE

 

[boatboatboat]

beca if you DO send this thread in, please edit some of my post to make me sound smart.

 

[sajetto]

Nice post sajetto.

Early 20's?............ SSR is the resort you should have bought. Listen after all the "bashing", SSR remains a wonderful resort, your family will make MANY special memories there. You are quite lucky at such a young age to have pre planned so many special times. I am envious.......

I do admire your honesty. Let's hope someday, SSR is the place to be when making reservations.

Wow, first of all thanks B3 (Really, its mostly my DF who is the meticulous planner and saver )

My fiance and I are holding out hope that DVC will do something will this resort that will knock our socks off. For now, we are both a little tense since we just forked over 30,000 of our hard earned cash money. That money was making a little bit of something and we could have put it in a much smarter investment than DVC. We just really wanted to have something that would force us to go on vacation at a truly magical place.

 

[Beca]

beca if you DO send this thread in, please edit some of my post to make me sound smart.

Not possible!!!!

Beca

(P.S.....who are you kidding??!! You're brilliant!!! SNL could certainly use a writer like you!!)

 

[boatboatboat]

I do hope that at the end of the day, everyone sees that the goal is for DVC to make the SSR resort ,not only as good as the others but better.

Dave hit it on the head the other day (someone is obvioulsy e-mailing him what to say), DVC should be getting better and better at building resorts. It seems like they took a step backwards with this effort.

I look foward to the day when the topic is "how much can i sell my BWV for, so I can afford to buy into the magic at SSR"

 

[allshookup]

Lets not be naive here. They do know about and read these boards. Now someone here laughed at my assumption that many positive SSR reviews are in fact ghost writers. Laugh all you want. I use tripadvisor website a lot. A resort there got bashed by a poster and he/she accused management of doing nothing to remedy the problems they had. A member of the management team called them out in a post and demanded the poster identify themselves. This manager insisted it never happened and that the person had never been a guest. He was right. The post was a blatant attempt to bash the resort. This proves two things: 1) resorts do read this stuff 2) people do in fact make things up.

Now another reason I feel this way. I mingle a lot with fellow guests at WDW. I offer up that I own SSR just to get there take. Guess what, once I go to say that I don't like it ,they go on to say " Thank God, didn't want to be rude but we don't like it either." They say things like "never again", etc. My 1st stay at SSR I spent a good deal of time in the hot tub in the Congress Park section. I always asked people how they liked the resort. I never met even ONE person that said they liked it.

Now did I talk to every guest, no, but I trust what I hear first hand, not on internet boards like this. Believe what you guys want, we are all entitled to our opinions but believe you me, B3 and Daitcher aren't the only ones who feel this way. Just once I want to meet a fellow guest who likes SSR. Maybe then I'll be a believer.


DAVE

I was agreeing with some of what you had to say...until now. I just don't get the point of this. We all know there are such things as trolls Dave, but are you saying anybody who says they like SSR here is making it up???