New fitness center policy -

[lenshanem]

Does anyone find anything interesting in this, especially regarding VWL? (Not sure how the other fitness centers are set up in regard to a shared resort such as BC/BCV and BWI/BWV.)

From All Ears -

As of June 1, Walt Disney World resort guests (age 14 and older) staying at the following resorts can use the associated fitness centers at no additional charge for the duration of their stay:

Animal Kingdom Lodge - Zahanati Fitness Center
BoardWalk - Muscles & Bustles Health Club
Coronado Springs - La Vida Fitness Center
Contemporary - Olympiad Fitness Center
Grand Floridian Resort & Spa - Disney's Grand Floridian Spa & Health Club
Old Key West - R.E.S.T. Exercise Room
Polynesian - Grand Floridian Spa & Health Club
Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa - Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa Fitness Center
Wilderness Lodge and The Villas at Wilderness Lodge - Sturdy Branches Health Club
Yacht & Beach Club Resorts and Beach Club Villas - Ship Shape Health Club

A parent or legal guardian must accompany children under 17.

In addition, Disney Vacation Club members will be allowed to use the fitness center at any Disney Vacation Club resort, as long as they are staying at a Walt Disney World resort. A $12 fee will apply only if the DVC member visits a non-Disney Vacation Club resort's fitness center (e.g., Contemporary or Coronado Springs) and is not staying at that resort.

Guests of resorts not listed above, or those who wish to use another resort's fitness center, may do so for $12 per day, based on availability. The purchase of a spa treatment includes use of the adjacent fitness center for the day of treatment.


I guess my question is the fitness center at VWL is now free to guests at WL. I wonder how maintenance fees work then? Do VWL owners pay for them to use the facility? Or is it not that way?

 

[Maistre Gracey]

I really like being able to get a machine without waiting, and also not worrying about someone else waiting while I am using it.

I really hope Sturdy Branches remains relatively quiet.

MG

 

[Ralph&Pam]

Was Sturdy Branches built in connection with the villas at VWL? Is it located within the VWL facilities? Never having stayed there (home resort is BWV), I don't know the history of the fitness center at the WL/VWL. In what way is it different from Muscles & Bustles and Ship Shape?

Muscles & Bustles at the BWV has always been a "shared" facility, so this is really a change in policy only for BWI guests, who used to pay a daily or length of stay fee to use the facility. I assume that BWI pays some portion of the operating costs and used to recover this cost through the usage fees. I would think that now the BWI would pay a portion of the operating costs out of room fees rather than through a fee for service system. Ship Shape at the Y&BC and BCV existed before the BCVs were built, so I assume that DVC now pays some portion of the operating costs for this facility.

Ralph

 

[lenshanem]

I think the VWL fitness center is in the villas, correct? I think I saw it there. I looked up WL info at All Ears and no mention of them having a fitness center.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Hi, Ralph. Yes, Sturdy Branches is housed in the VWL atrium. It is totally separate from WL.

If you have never seen VWL, I highly suggest you go take a peek.

MG

 

[Ralph&Pam]

Originally posted by Maistre Gracey
Hi, Ralph. Yes, Sturdy Branches is housed in the VWL atrium. It is totally separate from WL.

If you have never seen VWL, I highly suggest you go take a peek.

MG

We do visit the WL, since we like to eat at Artist Point. We've checked out the villas as well, but not carefully enough to know anything about the fitness center.

Since Sturdy Branches appears to be part of the VWL, I would think the financial arrangements would be similar to whatever is being done at Muscles and Bustles with respect to reimbursement for BWI guests using the facilities.

Ralph

 

[Granny]

I saw that notice as well and my thoughts were exactly the same as Maistre G's...I don't care as long as it doesn't overcrowd the facilities.

I'm surprised to see this perk given to regular resort guests, as everything I read about WDW indicates that attendance in the parks and resorts is up dramatically from last year.

It does seem that our dues should be reduced if non-DVC usage goes up in these facilities. But I have a sneaking suspicion that they won't do any reallocation of costs.

 

[FLYNZ4]

Originally posted by Granny
I'm surprised to see this perk given to regular resort guests, as everything I read about WDW indicates that attendance in the parks and resorts is up dramatically from last year.

Maybe the new strategy is to tire you out before you get to the park and contribute to the park capacity.

Your day can go as follows:
a) Wake up... have an expensive character breakfast at your hotel.
b) Work out in the free exercise room and get tired
c) enter MK, and stop at the Crystal Palace on the way in for lunch
d) determine that you are too tired to contime... so hit all of the shops on main street on the way out
e) etc

/Jim

 

[lenshanem]

Is this fitness center usually now slow? It will be interesting to see if it gets more crowded now. How big is it? Normally I would have never noticed such a thing, but I've gotten really into power walking the last couple months and I might like to use the threadmill.

 

[RoutemanDan]

I've never seen more than 3-4 people in there when we go. (VWL)

 

[CarolMN]

Originally posted by RoutemanDan
I've never seen more than 3-4 people in there when we go. (VWL)

Me, neither (BWV).

Doubt even making it free to all registered guests of the resort will result in significantly more crowded conditions. After all, it's been free to DVC members for a long time and we haven't seen lots and lots of DVC members working out.

IMHO, most people don't think it's necessary to work out (after all, they are already doing lots of "extra" walking) at WDW. They probably think that those of us who do are "nuts". Maybe we are, LOL.

Anyway, I'm not at all worried.

 

[Gluman11]

I've never seen more than 3-4 people in there when we go. (VWL)

Which is why, you guys have got me nervous...........Sturdy Branches is always great.....no crowds, no waits never anyone in there.......I'm afraid this new policy will 'crowd' the place...........I'm hoping this doesn't turn into the typical gym for the two weeks following New Years (you gym rats will know what I mean)...............

 

[Ralph&Pam]

I don't think that this change will have that great an impact on fitness center usage. My thinking is that guests who are really regular in their workouts plan to continue during vacation and are the ones who have been paying the fees in order to do so. This new policy will be a bonus for them, since the cost will be (effectively) hidden in the room charge. I doubt that many guests who did not plan ahead to use the fitness center while on vacation will now do so just because there is no extra charge. In fact, many of these guests may not have packed their exercise wear because they didn't have this in mind for their vacation.

I always use Muscles & Bustles at BWV and Anchors Aweigh at VB (where I don't think there has even been an extra charge for non-member guests of the resort) and it's been my impression that other guests using the facilities appear to be pretty regular in their exercise routines, so it's a normal part of their travel plans.

Ralph

 

[anniet]

I agree I don't think this will have any effect on who uses the facilities. I have family members who work out at home, but won't work out on vacations. Besides, I usually like to workout very early in the morning while DH is still sleeping....along with most everyone else at the resort.

I am kind of disappointed though....it seems like a perk is being taken away.

 

[chips]

I worked out at sturdy branches every day on our last stay 3/13-3/20. It was not busy. However it is small. There are a lot of pieces of exercise equipment. The equipment is placed accurately so as to allow a lot of equipment in a small area. It is very clean and has all the needed pieces. It is so packed with equipment there is only one place to put one mat for situps. Any other place is in the traffic flow. It is a very nice hotel work out space. It is very small compared to a dedicated site work out gym. Increasing usage by even a small amount will negatively impact the experience. Having said that there were only 5 people working out when I was there. thirty would be a nightmare. Fifteen would be more than enough. It needs to be seen how many there will be with the new policy.

Who pays for the maintenance of this space? If it is dvc , I have problem with this policy change. Wouldn't it be nice if non dvc users should have to call ahead to see if there is enough room for the non dvc users at our facility. If we have to "call ahead" and ask if there is enough room in the pool, then non dvc users should have to "call ahead" I'm only half joking. I really like the way it is. Essentially underused. Again, it depends on who pays for the facility. I'm sure we pay for maintenance of the building that surrounds the gym. Do we have a say in how maintenance fees are used?

 

[lenshanem]

Who pays for the maintenance of this space? If it is dvc , I have problem with this policy change.

This was kinda what i was getting at. This is a new "free" perk for WL guests, but are VWL owners paying for everything? With the "possibility" more guests will now be using the equipment is the WL going to help pay for some of the maintenance? Might be something to keep in mind if it does indeed get busier.

There ~might~ be WL guests who wouldn't pay the fee to use it before, but with it now included as a perk might decide to now.

 

[canda]

What I like about the pay system was that it kept people from bringing in their kids to get in the way. Kids do not belong in a fitness center even under supervision. over at HHI it can get annoying because kids will come in.


HHI, VB and okw are theb only dvc only resorts. Even SSR has to share its fitness and pools with the public.

 

[ralphd]

Originally posted by Granny
I saw that notice as well and my thoughts were exactly the same as Maistre G's...I don't care as long as it doesn't overcrowd the facilities.

It does seem that our dues should be reduced if non-DVC usage goes up in these facilities. But I have a sneaking suspicion that they won't do any reallocation of costs.

I agree with both of granny's points. We use the facilities at VWL, BCV and BWV when at home.

ralphd

 

[Muushka]

As of June 1, Walt Disney World resort guests (age 14 and older) staying at the following resorts can use the associated fitness centers at no additional charge for the duration of their stay: (resorts listed)

In addition, Disney Vacation Club members will be allowed to use the fitness center at any Disney Vacation Club resort, as long as they are staying at a Walt Disney World resort.

A $12 fee will apply only if the DVC member visits a non-Disney Vacation Club resort's fitness center (e.g., Contemporary or Coronado Springs) and is not staying at that resort.

OK, does anyone else read this that any Disney World guest (non-DVC) can use any fitness facility for no charge.
But DVC guests visiting any other fitness center other than DVC will be charged. Does that seem fair? I guess DVC guests are not considered as a Disney World guest? What will be next, bus service?

 

[Ralph&Pam]

Originally posted by canda
What I like about the pay system was that it kept people from bringing in their kids to get in the way. Kids do not belong in a fitness center even under supervision. over at HHI it can get annoying because kids will come in.


HHI, VB and okw are theb only dvc only resorts. Even SSR has to share its fitness and pools with the public.

Under the new policy, guests must be 14 or over (and under 17 must be accompanied by an adult). I've not actually seen any teenagers using the facilities at either BWV or VB while I've been there (of course, that's an unfortunately small sample of the times the facilities are open ).

Ralph